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To The Top From Jon Gilbert

smseagle

All Conference
Aug 9, 2016
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TO THE TOP - EVERYONE IS INVITED


“Nothing annoys people so much as not receiving invitations.” Oscar Wilde


As stated on my first day on campus, the Athletic Department and its teams will actively engage the community.


We’ve Been Busy

Over the past 12 months, our entire Department of Athletics has been doing some much-needed retooling. We have been very focused and diligent in building our vision to bring sustainable excellence to our operations and infrastructure. I invite you to ask any member of our Leadership Team, Department Heads, Coaches, and our professional staff…it’s been a busy time – strengthening the fundamentals of success.


A Time for Renewal

We are renewing our commitment to support the educational mission of our great University and educate Student-Athletes from over 24 states and 24 countries around the world. We are succeeding in the classroom with an impressive Departmental GPA of 2.94 (highest Fall GPA on record), graduating 84% of our Student-Athletes, and still striving for greater achievement.


We hold competitions in 16 Sport Programs on an annual basis. We are bringing people together as a community to share in our achievements. At the same time, we remain committed to improving our programs, our facilities, our support services, and our competitive success.


We have implemented a series of programs to support Student-Athlete wellbeing including our Leadership Academy, which consists of 18 Student-Athletes from 5 Sports engaged in a year long leadership development program, and we are looking forward to taking them to the Minnesota wilderness for a week long Outward Bound capstone experience. We have made an investment in our nutrition services and education to enhance Student-Athlete performance and recovery. Our life skills programming continues to serve our Student-Athletes with career development and financial education, ‘Wellness Wednesday’ initiatives, and other professional and personal development opportunities on a weekly basis.


We continue to plan several facility improvement projects (The Rock, Reed Green Coliseum, Volleyball/Wellness Center, Beach Volleyball, M-Club) that are actively in the works. All of these will enhance the Student-Athlete experience.


You Are Invited

You are invited to be a part of our achievements. Our plans. Our vision. Our future.


It is important that you know you are always welcome and are invited to become engaged with our Department of Athletics. Yet, most importantly we want you to find meaning and value as you engage with our Department.


If you are a fan, we hope you find meaning in our traditions, and in rooting for the Golden Eagles. Some of our sporting events have a cost of admission, and others do not (Soccer, Tennis, Track & Field, Golf). Either way, we invite you to attend. And if you have children, we hope they will come along with you. They too are invited and may find meaning in connecting with our Student-Athletes.


If you would like to support a specific area of our Department, we invite you to become an important part of our sustainable success...as a member of our Eagle Club. Our belief is that you will find meaning in supporting our Student-Athletes and their continued academic, athletic and social development. You can become a vital part of our team with a donation of any amount.


If you are a corporation or local business, we invite you to engage with our Department. Think about it – the success of Southern Miss Athletics brings a positive economic impact to our community and region.

If you have the financial means, we invite you to review our Eagle Vision. It defines and outlines our Department’s most significant priorities, and the needs in each of our Sport Programs and Operating Units. Our hope is that you will find an initiative that interests you and we trust you will.


Thank you to those who already attend our events and invest and support our Student-Athletes. This includes our Circle of Champions, donors, fans, corporate sponsors, local businesses and others who have accepted our invitations in the past.


We have exciting things happening at Southern Miss Athletics. Please know that you always have an open invitation to become a part of our plans.


Everyone is invited – as we continue our journey To The Top!


Jon
 
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