Orientation and Transition Programs
Golden Eagle Welcome Week
Wednesday, August 17 - Sunday, August 21
Golden Eagle Welcome Week (GEWW) is the second part of the three-part Orientation process for incoming students. GEWW takes place directly before the start of the fall semester and is meant to help new students transition to campus before classes begin.
During GEWW, students will be divided into small groups with their assigned GEWW Crew Leader. You will learn more about Southern Miss spirit and traditions, campus life, and student resources. We'll also host an involvement fair so you can connect with the student organizations that interest you, and session rotations to learn more about opportunities to connect on and off campus.
2022 GEWW Schedule Highlights
This nationally-recognized keynote will inspire you while you begin your journey at
Southern Miss. His message centers around an empowering metaphor: Your life is a show,
and you are the star. You are challenged to Be The Director, Write Your Script, Define
Your Character, Cast Your Show Wisely, and Be the Star of Your Life.
Curtis will kick-off GEWW on Wednesday, August 17 in Bennett Auditorium.
Playfair is a nationally recognized and popular campus program for new student orientations.
It is more than just a “performance”— it’s an “experience” where everyone participates!
This will be a great opportunity to get to know your classmates, especially those
who do not live in your residence hall or are in your GEWW group.
You will get to participate in Playfair on Wednesday, August 17.
There are so many ways to get involved on campus. Decide to engage in the community
around you and go do it! A great first step is to get connected to organizations on
campus! The Office of Leadership and Student Involvement oversees around 200 student
organizations. Our involvement fair will give you an opportunity to hear from these
groups, while also meeting some students who are involved in a variety of organizations.
This will be a great opportunity to find your home here at Southern Miss!
You will get to learn about more about these organizations on Friday, August 19.
Peter first became fascinated with magic at the age of eleven when he stumbled across
a magic book at his local library. He now travels around the country performing his
award winning magic that will defy your reality. Peter's show is about two things,
astonishing magic, and having a good time; and he doesn't skimp on either. The title
Magician for Non-Believers is about being honest with his audience. Magic isn’t real...
but Peter will make you believe it is for the length of his show. Combining original
mind blowing magic, and a heavy dose of humor is his secret to success and why it’s
made him one of the top booked college acts around the country.
You will get to watch Peter perform live on Thursday, August 19.
Students will have the opportunity to choose sessions to attend, which will include the following topics and more!
- Study Abroad 101
- Healthy Living at Southern Miss
- Show Me The Money: Financial Literacy 101
- GPS to Success
- ENGAGING Your Community with IME
You will have the opportunity to choose your own adventure on the morning of Thursday, August 18.
GEWW’s Got Talent is one of our favorite GEWW traditions! Watch members from your
incoming class perform their talents, or audition to perform yourself!
This year GEWW's Got Talent will be taking place on Saturday, August 20 at 7pm in Bennett Auditorium. Please note that we will have limited seats available to attend, so we recommend arriving a little early. If you are interested in auditioning be sure to mark your calendar for Thursday, August 18 from 1 - 2pm or Friday, August 19 from 2 - 3pm.
This year GEWW's Got Talent will be taking place on Saturday, August 20 at 7pm in Bennett Auditorium. Please note that we will have limited seats available to attend, so we recommend arriving a little early. If you are interested in auditioning be sure to mark your calendar for Thursday, August 18 from 1 - 2pm or Friday, August 19 from 2 - 3pm.
iSouthernMS App
You will want to download the app from your respective app store. Once you enter the app, you will select the GEWW icon, which will give you access to the information available regarding GEWW. Once you have access to the GEWW resources, you can view the GEWW schedule, bookmark events that you are interested in, and learn about special deals around Hattiesburg for our newest Golden Eagles! Our staff is working daily to keep the app updated with all the information you need. Be sure to check back regularly for additional resources.
Pre-Registered GEWW Events
There are some events throughout GEWW that require a registration, due to limited spaces. Please see the list below and be sure to sign-up for any that you are interested in!
Thursday, August 18 | 1:00 - 2:30pm
Join the Center for Student Success, TRiO-Student Support Services, and Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement for an event celebrating the unique first generation student experience at Southern Miss! The event features Dr. Jason Wallace, the first in his family to earn a four-year college degree, and a current Southern Miss faculty member. This session is designed to inspire and uplift the first-gen community at Southern Miss, help our students succeed in their academic endeavors, and overcome adversity inside and outside of the college classroom. This event is RSVP only. Please RSVP here!Friday, August 19 | 1:00 - 2:30pm
Interested in connecting with other new transfer students on campus? Join us for the transfer talk lunch to meet new friends and learn all the tips and tricks for being successful in your first year at USM. This event is RSVP only. Please RSVP here!Sunday, August 21 | 1:00 - 5:00pm
Come wrap up GEWW with a beautiful afternoon on Lake Sehoy right off campus! Campus Recreation Outdoor Adventures will be set up with canoes and kayaks for you the get out on the water! Never kayaked or canoed? They will teach you! Be sure to catch the buses out to Lake Sehoy and register in advance as spots will be limited! Register here!Pre-GEWW Events
You don't have to wait for Golden Eagle Welcome Week to join in on the fun! We have partnered with offices across campus to offer programs between move-in and the start of our official programming. For a full list of events, be sure to review the schedule on the iSouthernMS app.