USA News Archives | Media Relations

Dr. Laura Moore, left, associate professor and chair of music, and Dr. Silas Leavesley, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, were named respectively as Phi Kappa Phi’s artist and scholar of the year.

Phi Kappa Phi Names Scholar, Artist of 2019
November 15, 2019

Dr. Silas Leavesley and Dr. Laura Moore are recognized by the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. ...

Timothy Johnson, a University of South Alabama graduate of the College of Education and Professional Studies, was recently honored as the 2019 Outstanding Alabama Elementary School Science Teacher. He is a STEM lab instructor at E.R. Dickson Elementary School in Mobile.

'I Bring the Subject to Life'
November 12, 2019

Timothy Johnson, a South alumnus, is selected as the 2019 Outstanding Alabama Elementary School Science Teacher. ...

The University of South Alabama Jaguars are the Sun Belt Conference Women's Soccer Tournament champions after a 5-1 win over Arkansas State.

USA Women's Soccer Picks Six
November 11, 2019

The team wins its sixth conference tournament title in seven years and heads to the NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament. ...

Zack Aggen, a second-year University of South Alabama medical student, tutors and mentors a half-dozen undergraduates as part of a national program called Peer Advisors for Veteran Education. “It’s hard to open up to people who aren’t service connected in some way,” he said.

Paving a Way Forward, Helping Others
November 8, 2019

Zack Aggen survived war. As a peer adviser and medical student, he's now assisting student veterans navigate life back home. ...

Emily Fogt, a freshman from Sidney, Ohio, explains to her tour group how the wings are attached to an Airbus plane. Fogt was among ten University of South Alabama hospitality and tourism management students who led tours of the Airbus Final Assembly Line facility for a recent conference.

South Storytellers on the Assembly Line
November 8, 2019

Hospitality and tourism management students chosen to serve as tour guides and tell Airbus' story at Flight Works Alabama. ...

Virtual reality googles are allowing University of South Alabama medical students to view and dissect patient anatomy without removing it.

Up Close, But Not Too Personal
November 5, 2019

South medical students are using virtual reality goggles to get a high-tech, three-dimensional look at pulmonary anatomy. ...

Trinity Stroud, a junior in USA’s School of Computing, received a Cyber Honors academic scholarship for finishing the Cyber FastTrack Competition in the top 100. “These competitions lay the foundation for students to join the cybersecurity workforce in both government and industry after graduation,” said Dr. Todd McDonald, a USA computer science professor.

Preventing a Big Hack Attack
October 31, 2019

USA School of Computing student Trinity Stroud is dedicating her education and career to online security. ...

The University of South Alabama soccer team celebrates after a 1-0 win against the Appalachian State Mountaineers to win a fifth Sun Belt Conference title in six years.

Jags Win Sun Belt Conference Title
October 27, 2019

South Alabama soccer claimed its fifth Sun Belt title in six years with a 1-0 victory over the Appalachian State Mountaineers. ...

Dr. Tera W. Hunter, author and Edwards professor and scholar of gender, race and Southern history at Princeton University, is the guest speaker at this year's Stallworth Lecture. The event will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center.

Princeton Author, Professor to Speak
October 23, 2019

Dr. Tera W. Hunter, who explores the history of African American marriage and family, will be this year's Stallworth lecturer ...

Dr. John Lehrter, associate professor of marine sciences, and Ph.D. student Mai Fung will take part in a study to determine how oyster, blue crab and speckled trout respond to changes in their environment. “We’re looking at how do we manage the ecosystem both from the bottom up – water quality and habitat quality – and top down – fisheries management,” Lehrter said.

Assessing the Health of Mobile Bay
October 22, 2019

USA receives $2.9 million to study how oysters, blue crab and speckled trout provide answers to environmental questions. ...

Final Countdown: USA Homecoming 2019
October 17, 2019

Events are planned throughout the week and culminate when the Jags take on the Appalachian State Mountaineers. ...

Athanasia Moraitou is a graduate student at South, where she is a midfielder on the soccer team. She also plays for the Hellenic Women’s National Team.

'It's Amazing to Play for Your Country'
October 17, 2019

South midfielder Athanasia Moraitou was better at soccer than the flute. That's good for USA, and for Greece's national ...

USA students John Pomerat, center, a sophomore computer science and mathematics major, along with Daniel Hodgins, a freshman engineering major, show Murphy High School student Mollee Bearden how to problem solve during a recent Math Circle session.

Creativity + Critical Thinking = Math Circle
October 15, 2019

South students and professors have helped students grades 7th through 12th solve problems for the past 20 years. ...

Dr. Matthew Pettway, assistant professor of Spanish, will release his book, “Cuban Literature in the Age of Black Insurrection: Manzano, Plácido and Afro-Latin Religion," on Dec. 16.

New Book Highlights Two Afro-Latin Authors
October 11, 2019

Dr. Matthew Pettway's new book looks at the memory of slavery and religion as a form of resistance in colonial Cuba. ...

How to Watch the Democratic Debate
October 11, 2019

With 12 candidates on stage, figuring out what to focus on can be difficult. Try these seven tips (and put down that phone). ...

University of South Alabama alumnus and Atlanta BeltLine CEO Clyde Higgs has spent his life's work at the intersection of private and public sectors, or, as he says, "where the magic exists." Photo courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Creating Jobs, Housing and Room to Breathe
October 1, 2019

South alumnus Clyde Higgs leads one of the nation's most ambitious land use development projects at Atlanta BeltLine Inc. ...

The University collected 7,350 pounds of cardboard during Move-In Day from students moving into residence halls.

Plenty of Students, Tons of Cardboard
September 27, 2019

More than three tons of cardboard was hauled in on Move-In Day, contributing to 850,000 pounds of recycled material for the year. ...

Dr. Kimberly Williams, associate professor of nursing at the University of South Alabama, is the project director for a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration to help address opioid and substance abuse.

USA Leads $1.3M Fight Against Opioid Addiction
September 19, 2019

College of Nursing-trained healthcare professionals will focus on opioid and substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery. ...

Julie Otsuka, author of “When the Emperor was Divine,” will speak Oct. 17 at the University of South Alabama.

Common Read Author to Speak at South
September 19, 2019

Julie Otsuka, author of 'When the Emperor was Divine,' will speak Oct. 17. The event is free and open to the public. ...

University of South Alabama College of Medicine medical student Corey Phillis gives a pair of socks to Paul Brown at the USA Student-Run Free Clinic.

Medical Student Secures Sock Donation
September 17, 2019

Corey Phillis is making sure patients cared for at the USA Student-Run Free Clinic leave on solid footing with a new pair of socks ...

Stephen Azar, second from right, is the University of South Alabama Board of Trustees Scholar for the 2019-2020 academic year. Azar is a freshman from St. Patrick High School in Biloxi, Miss. The scholarship is awarded annually to the most academically talented student in each incoming freshman class at USA. Joining Azar at the USA Board of Trustees meeting are, from left, 2018 scholar Cody Dunlap of Mobile, 2017 recipient Ada Chaeli van der Zijp-Tan of Madison, Ala., 2016 recipient Christian Manganti of Gulfport, Miss., Board of Trustees chair pro tempore Jimmy Shumock; Rana Azar, Stephen Azar's mother; Azar, and University President Tony Waldrop.

University Board of Trustees Scholar Named
September 13, 2019

Stephen Azar, who scored a perfect 36 on his ACT, is named the 2019-20 Board of Trustees Scholar. He plans to major in biology. ...

Alana Fortune of Dillard University and Trentyn Shaw of Alabama State University are participants in the USA College of Medicine's SouthMed Prep Scholars and D.R.E.A.M programs, respectively.

Encouraging Diversity in Physician Workforce
September 9, 2019

South's inclusion programs are yielding results — 20 percent of the 2023 medical class is black, Latino or Native Ameri ...

Kearria Freed, a transfer student pursuing a degree in interdisciplinary studies, uses Darling, her 2-year-old Labrador/Golden Retriever service dog, to navigate South's campus. "What I love most about Darling is that she doesn’t judge me because of my disability. Instead, she gives me unconditional love and affection," Freed said.

One 'Last Breath,' Then Resolute Steps Forward
September 6, 2019

Kearria Freed's life abruptly paused four years ago at spring break. A bullet would be the first obstacle to rebuilding her l ...

Deborah Gurt, archivist for the Doy Leale McCall Rare Book and Manuscript Library, holds one of the Eurdora Welty prints in the Iredale Collection donated to the University of South Alabama. The photo is one of a series taken by Welty as part of her job with the Works Project Administration during the Great Depression.

South Acquires Southern Writers Collection
September 3, 2019

The 166-piece collection is being donated by Dr. John and Beverly Iredale to the Doy Leale McCall Rare Book and Manuscript Library ...

The club level at Hancock Whitney Stadium will be named The Hargrove Club. Hargrove Engineers + Constructors has committed $1.5 million to the stadium project.

Hargrove Commits $1.5 Million to Stadium
September 3, 2019

The Hargrove Club at South's Hancock Whitney Stadium will be named after Hargrove Engineers + Constructors. ...

Galapagos sea lions resting in Galapagos National Park.

South Signs Galapagos Agreement
August 29, 2019

An affiliation with the Galapagos Science Center will create faculty and student research opportunities on the archipelago. ...

Kevin Fralicks, associate vice president for university development, arrives at South from the University of Washington, where he served as assistant dean and chief advancement officer.

Kevin Fralicks Named Associate VP for University Development
August 28, 2019

Fralicks arrives from the University of Washington, where he served as assistant dean and chief advancement officer. ...

Angela Mosley-Johnson, Samantha Lee, Kimberly McWilliams and Hannah Brooks chat during a break in clinical rotations at USA Health University Hospital. The third-year students at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine have been awarded scholarships from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama as part of initiative to improve access to healthcare in underserved areas of the state.

Medical Students Awarded Scholarships
August 23, 2019

Four students at USA College of Medicine awarded Blue Cross Blue Shield scholarships. ...

The College of Nursing at the University of South Alabama has been awarded a $2.6 million federal grant to create a Family Nurse Practitioner Residency Program. The program will be supported through an interdisciplinary effort that includes USA Health Family Medicine and Franklin Primary Health Center.

Nurse Practitioner Residency Debuts
August 22, 2019

The College of Nursing's $2.6 million grant is designed to address a shortage of primary care physicians in underserved commu ...

Move-in Day at South kicks off “Week of Welcome…and Beyond,” two weeks of special events such as First Night, Convocation, Get on Board Day and the Block Party that highlight South’s campus community.

Home Is Where the Jags Are
August 17, 2019

Students get help with the heavy lifting and settle into campus housing during Move-In Day. Two weeks of activities are planned. ...

Jasmein Davis works in the old federal building in downtown Mobile, where she is an accountant for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District.

#MyFirstJob: Jasmein Davis
August 13, 2019

She loves words, but Jasmein Davis chose numbers in pursuing accounting. It's paying off at the Army Corps of Engineers. ...

Creative solutions to the wastewater problems plaguing some rural Alabama counties could include onsite wetlands. University of South Alabama professor Dr. Kevin White and graduate student Brandon Maliniemi have set up an experimental wetland in a Shelby Hall lab to assess the possibility.

A Guide to a Fix After the Flush
August 13, 2019

An engineering professor and his graduate student are helping rural communities find solutions to widespread sewage leaks. ...

Dr. Alex Beebe, an associate professor in the department of earth sciences, said an adult requires a minimum of about three liters of water each day to survive. The average U.S. citizen uses more than 200 liters every day.

Unusable, Inaccessible and Increasingly Scarce
August 7, 2019

A fourth of the world's population is under extremely high water stress. USA hydrologist Alex Beebe lists six reasons to cons ...

Hong Nguyen majored in finance and accounting to earn her degree in business administration at USA Mitchell College of Business. She completed three internships while at South, one at Austal USA where she now works.

#MyFirstJob: Hong Nguyen
August 6, 2019

With three internships and a degree in business administration, Hong Nguyen brings her skills to shipbuilder Austal USA. ...

Tyler Sturdivant, alumnus and instructor in the College of Nursing, is giving back by helping to improve health care for patients. He helped start a color-coded wristband initiative at USA Health University Hospital.

Nursing Instructor's Wristband Research Recognized
July 31, 2019

Tyler Sturdivant's research is recognized by the Nephrology Nursing Journal. ...

Two internships, college courses and involvement in USA’s Society of Women Engineers chapter all helped prepare Kelly Welsh for her job as an engineer for Georgia-Pacific.

#MyFirstJob: Georgia-Pacific's Kelly Welsh
July 29, 2019

As a reliability engineer for Georgia-Pacific, Kelly Welsh minimizes production loss by keeping the machines humming along. ...

Kelsey Gross, University of South Alabama speech-language pathology graduate student, assists traumatic brain injury camp participant Larry Malone Jr., center, while music therapist Fred Ra leads Malone and other camp participants in creating a song using words suggested by the group.

Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury
July 25, 2019

Allied health and nursing students help survivors in the recovery process at the Bright Ideas Traumatic Brain Injury camp. ...

Participants in a summer forum, financed by a $293,914 National Science Foundation REU grant, study pieces of a skull loaned to Dr. Lesley Gregoricak, associate professor of anthropology at South, and Dr. Jamie Ullinger, associate professor of anthropology at Quinnipac University, by the government of the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah in the UAE. The students collaborate with an interdisciplinary group of dynamic scientists while conducting original research over an eight-week period.

How Did People Live 4,500 Years Ago?
July 23, 2019

College students from around the country hone their research skills studying ancient bones during a summer program at South. ...

Thomas “Reid” Nelson credits South’s Ph.D. program in marine sciences with having the resources and range of expertise in faculty to support his research interests and education. He works in a National Marine Fisheries Service lab with other scientists from UC Santa Cruz.

#MyFirstJob: Thomas 'Reid' Nelson
July 22, 2019

In a lab along the California coast, Reid Nelson researches ways to improve survival rates of juvenile salmon migrating to sea. ...

Dr. T. Grant Glover, seated, demonstrates an early-stage prototype of the next-generation carbon dioxide scrubber being developed for the International Space State. Colleagues Dr. Matthew Reichert, from left, standing; Dr. James Davis and Dr. Kevin West are colleagues on the research project, which is financed by a $1.1 million grant from NASA.

South Awarded $3.8 Million for Ionic Liquids
July 18, 2019

USA researchers are leading the way in developing liquid salt as an environmentally friendly solvent, on Earth and in outer space. ...

Dr. Sarah Koon-Magnin, associate professor of political science and criminal justice, works with volunteers who act as advocates for sexual assault victims. The work is done through Lifelines Counseling Services of Mobile.

Examining the 'Disclosure Experience'
July 18, 2019

The #MeToo movement has brought focus to sexual assault. Dr. Sarah Koon-Magnin works to make talking about it less traumatic. ...

Through undergraduate research, Baraa Mando, a senior in chemical engineering, found an outlet for his love of science, math and computer coding.

Student Spotlight: Baraa Mando
July 17, 2019

From computer games to chemistry, how one South student parlayed his love of programming into serious, scientific research. ...

Astronaut Edwin "Buzz" E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot of the first lunar landing mission, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag. NASA photo.

Fifty Years After 'One Small Step'
July 17, 2019

South's Dr. Carlos Montalvo talks about how we got to the moon five decades ago, and what's next in space exploration. ...

Russell Standridge, a physical therapist in Decatur, Ala., said he gets satisfaction from seeing his patients improve. His clients arrive having faced a variety of medical challenges: from surgeries to athletic injuries to automobile wrecks to neurological disorders.

#MyFirstJob: Russell Standridge
July 15, 2019

With an interest in sports and medicine, Russell Standridge found the 'perfect mix' in a career as a physical therapist. ...

Dr. Devin Stephenson, left, Northwest Florida State College president, and Dr. Tony Waldrop, University of South Alabama president, sign an agreement that adds NWF State College to the list of Gulf Coast institutions that have joined South's Pathway USA program, increasing access to a four-year education for community college students.

NWF State College Joins Pathway USA
July 12, 2019

Northwest Florida State College is the fifth Gulf Coast institution to team up with South to increase access to a four-year degree ...

Eugenie Sellier, '11, '16, is the director of child nutrition programs for Feeding the Gulf Coast, where she oversees four child hunger relief programs serving more than 20,000 children.

In a Storm's Wake, a Service Focus Emerged
July 10, 2019

Two-time South alumna Eugenie Sellier's career at Feeding the Gulf Coast was inspired in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. ...

#MyFirstJob: Lacey Bolden
July 2, 2019

Lacey Bolden says you never know what will happen in the ER. But with her degree from South, she feels prepared for every patient. ...

South physician assistant graduate students traveled to Peru to help treat patients at risk for cervical cancer. From left are Kaycee Villane of Gulf Breeze, Fla., Cole Stephens of Anniston, Ala., and Tori Moore of Philadelphia.

Meeting Patients Where They Are, in Peru
June 28, 2019

South P.A. students travel to South America to treat patients in a country with one of the highest rates of cervical cancer. ...

Gurinder Singh, a graduate of the USA College of Engineering, is director of global sustainability for the American Bureau of Shipping. “Today’s world is quickly changing, and the shipping industry is navigating a complex regulatory landscape and rapid technology changes,” he said.

Solutions Through Creativity, Innovation
June 27, 2019

Engineering alumnus Gurinder Singh leads efforts to transition the maritime industry to sustainability and lower emissions. ...

Billie McKinney, a graduate of the University of South Alabama, is a structural engineer at Ingalls Shipbuilding, one of Mississippi's largest employers. “As a structural engineer at Ingalls, my job consists of ensuring the safety of the men and women of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. I take great pride in providing these men and women with the utmost dedication, professionalism and work ethic that they provide our country daily.”

#MyFirstJob: Billie McKinney
June 24, 2019

As an engineer at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Billie McKinney's job helps ensure the safety of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard personnel. ...