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The official guide to happeningsat USM

A publication of The University of Southern Mississippi

Campus Calendar November & December

Friday, Nov. 7 Last day to file application for degree for spring 2015 commence-ment.

Tuesday, Nov. 18 Last day to withdraw from 8W2 courses

Wednesday - Friday, Nov. 26 - 28 Thanksgiving Holidays

Monday, Dec. 1 Classes resume

Monday, Dec. 1 Monday night classes (6:30 p.m.) and classes that meet once per week examinations

Tuesday, Dec. 2 Tuesday night classes (6:30 p.m.) and classes that meet once per week examinations

Wednesday, Dec. 3 Wednesday night classes (6:30 p.m.) and classes that meet once per week examinations

Thursday, Dec. 4 Thursday night classes (6:30 p.m.) and classes that meet once per week examinations

Friday, Dec. 5 Last day of full term and second half-semester (8W2) classes

Monday - Thursday, Dec. 8-11Exams (Full term and 8W2)

Friday, Dec. 12 Commencement - Reed Green Coli-seum (10:00/2:30)

Monday, Dec. 15 Final faculty grade submission due into SOAR by 11:00 a.m.

Monday-Tuesday, Dec. 15-16 Registrar’s Office processes end of term grades.

Wednesday, Dec. 17 Grades available to view in SOAR for students completing their course evaluations

2014

To request for an event to be added to our calendar, email

TheEaglesNest@usm.edu or call our office at (601)555-5555.

EaglEs’ ThenE

t

BY MIKE LOPINTOSounds of the season will reverber-

ate throughout the sanctuary at Main Street Baptist Church in Hattiesburg as The University of Southern Missis-sippi Symphony Orchestra presents its annual Holiday Choral Spectacular at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 2 and Thursday, Dec. 4.

In addition to the Symphony Orches-tra, the special evening of music will feature The Southern Chorale, Con-cert Choir, Southern Miss Men and Women’s Choruses and local choral groups from Forrest County Agricul-tural, Columbia Academy, Oak Grove High School, Sumrall, Lamar Chris-tian, Laurel High School and Hatties-burg High School.

“This is an event people look forward to all year,” said Greg Fuller, director of choral activities. “Again this year, we are offering two performances as last year’s performances sold out quickly.”

The concert includes popular hol-iday favorites from “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” to “We Need a Little Christmas.” Also on the program are several movements of Handel’s Mes-siah arranged by Dr. Mack Wilberg, conductor of the Mormon Taberna-cle Choir. Under the direction of Dr. Gregory Fuller, Dr. John Flanery, and Dr. Webb Parker, audiences will find this year’s pieces to be lighter and full of more holiday favorites.

The choirs will also perform Car-ols of Christmas: A Festival of Carols created and arranged by Laurel native, James Quitman Mulholland, along with his arrangement of Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus. This is the first time these pieces will be performed with orchestra and Mulholland will be in attendance both nights to hear his

Southern Miss News

pieces premiered fully orchestrated.“This is such a great opportunity for

the community to come together and hear great music. These high schools have a fantastic opportunity to sing with a collegiate ensemble and a won-derful orchestra,” said Flanery.

General admission tickets are $18 adult and $10 for youth. A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Chil-dren’s Center for Communication and Development at Southern Miss.

The holiday collaboration between the Symphony Orchestra and Chil-dren’s Center has turned into an annual event that provides a rewarding payoff for both parties. Dr. Jay Dean, music director for the Symphony Orchestra, said the Holiday Choral Spectacular would serve as the ideal Christmas gift.

“In this stressful economic time, I think it would be a great idea to give tickets to this event to friends and fam-

ily so that those of us who have more than we need can help these children and their families,” Dean said.

The Children’s Center, a United Way agency, is an early intervention pro-gram serving communicatively- and developmentally-delayed children from infancy through age 5. Direct services are provided to more than 70 children and their families from 18 counties in the state, while training university students in speech.

Southern Miss Choirs and Orchestra to Herald the Holiday Season

BY ALMA ELLISJean Jones, vice president

and community develop-ment coordinator for Trust-mark Bank, was presented the 2014 Housing Initiative Partner of the Year Award by The University of South-ern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) at the fall meeting of the IDS Housing Advisory Council on Oct. 29.

Jones has been an active member of the IDS Hous-ing Advisory Council since its formation in 2004. She manages Trustmark’s Fed-eral Home Loan Bank Spe-cial Needs Assistance Pro-gram for low-to-moderate income families and people

with disabilities.“The success of our ini-

tiatives is greatly enriched by drawing knowledge from valued partners, from their successes and lessons learned. Quality advisors like Ms. Jones ensure that our endeavors are imple-mented not just with fidelity, but with integrity. For that, we are deeply grateful,” said Dr. Beth Bryant-Claxton, executive director of IDS.

“Jean has been a valuable asset for a long time sup-porting USM/IDS housing programs, in her profession-al role as a Trustmark em-ployee and her personal role as a housing advocate,” said Cassie Hicks, assistant di-

rector of housing. “She is an original Housing Advisory Council member, advocat-ing for many years around housing opportunities for all borrowers, especially families with disabilities and people with low incomes. The IDS Housing Partner of

the Year award presented to her is an award she truly de-serves for her efforts in our Mississippi communities.”

For more information about IDS at Southern Miss and its housing programs visit them at www.usm.edu/disability-studies.

Jean Jones Named 2014 Housing Initiative Partner of the Year by Institute for Disability Studies

Submitted photoJean Jones, vice president and community development

coordinator for Trustmark Bank, was named 2014 Housing Initiative Partner of the Year. Jones, center, was presented her award by, left, Dr. Beth Bryant-Claxton, executive director of The USM Institute for Disability Studies, and Cassie Hicks, right, assistant director of housing for the Institute.

Southern Miss NewsSouthern Miss IDS Coordinator Alliston Elected to National Board

See AlliStonContinued on page 6

BY ALMA ELLISDr. Jerry R. Alliston, coordinator for

Community Inclusion and Volunteer Services, at The University of South-ern Mississippi’s Institute for Disabil-ity Studies (IDS), was elected to the board of directors for the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) during the organization’s 2014 annual conference in Washing-ton D.C.

Alliston, chair of the Community Education and Dissemination Coun-cil, began a three-year term to the AUCD Board. Comprised of profes-sionals, individuals with disabilities and family members, the board re-views trends and issues and facilitates communication across and beyond the AUCD network.

“I am blessed to work with the fu-ture leaders of tomorrow,” said Allis-ton. “I have the unique opportunity to develop and implement inclusive programs for youth and young adults with disabilities. My work allows me to assist these individuals in recog-nizing their abilities and learn how to share it with others.”

AUCD is a membership organiza-tion consisting of a national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs. The network members consists of 67 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Dis-

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