Messages from the President - 2024

May 2, 2024

Students, Faculty and Staff,

Today marks the final day of South’s 60th Anniversary year, and Saturday we will begin celebrating our next in the best way possible – welcoming the Class of 2024 to the alumni ranks at Commencement.

This year’s Commencement also stands out for another reason: For our undergraduate students who started four years ago, this will likely be their first in-person graduation ceremony. Graduation from high school, and their first year at the University of South Alabama, occurred in the beginnings of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Back then, classes were being held online or in hybrid form; social distancing kept South from being the university we wanted it to be.

So it will be extra special to walk into the Mitchell Center on Saturday, see the smiling faces of all who have supported our students and then shake the hands of our graduates as they walk proudly across the stage.

To each of our graduates, I have a personal message: This milestone says a lot about your resolve, your resilience and your resourcefulness. When push comes to shove, nobody knows how to rally like a Jaguar.

Many of our graduates will be going on to careers, or graduate school, in medicine, nursing and allied health. They will be following in the footsteps of healthcare workers who were on the front lines of the pandemic, including our heroes at USA Health.

Others will seek opportunities in business, engineering, computer science, education and the arts and sciences. Each — and all — represent JagNation with pride, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the role you play as ambassadors for your University.

So much has changed in the past four years. Our MacQueen Alumni Center, home base for all our new graduates, had opened only a few months prior to our moving to remote classes.

We completed a comprehensive fundraising campaign, raising $161 million for the University and USA Health. Hancock Whitney Stadium opened — first to COVID-restricted crowds, then to a sellout against Troy.

Our newest school, the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, was created, adding popular undergraduate courses to the existing graduate programs. And just this academic year, we broke ground on a new Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine building.

USA Health continues its explosive growth in delivering academic healthcare to our region. In the last year alone, among other accomplishments, Providence Hospital and its clinics joined the USA Health family, the Baldwin County Surgery Center opened on the Mapp Family Campus and a new and expanded Pediatric Emergency Center began to welcome patients at USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital.

In March, USA Health opened the new SouthNet Medical Clinic, offering urgent and primary care services specifically to USA employees.

There’s more good news to come. Jag Days, when we pick up high school students on our Jaguar Athletics buses and bring them back to campus for VIP tours, will continue next year. Since August, we’ve had 36 Jag Days, and when we aren’t giving students a lift to campus, we’re visiting with others in many more schools to let them know all that South has to offer and how we can help them earn a first-class ticket to a brighter future with a degree from the University of South Alabama.

Our 60th Anniversary gave us all an opportunity to look back and celebrate the efforts that built South into what it is today — the Flagship of the Gulf Coast. At the dawn of our 61st year, let us prepare to raise our banner to even greater heights.

Jo Bonner
President

April 23, 2024

Dear Campus Community,

Last summer, the Office of Marketing and Communications embarked on a Brand Refresh Initiative aimed at reimagining how the University’s story is communicated to prospective students and other key stakeholders. As we approach the implementation stage, we would like to provide an update on our progress.

In conjunction with SimpsonScarborough, a leader in higher education branding and marketing, the University conducted a comprehensive survey targeting audiences in the southern U.S. and the Midwest. This survey aimed to uncover perceptions of USA and identify our key strengths.

The insights gleaned from the survey and feedback from members of the USA community, including students, have guided the subsequent phases of our work, which are nearing completion. In essence, we have established a robust framework for articulating USA's position within Alabama, as well as on a national and international scale. Our updated messaging approach, spanning everything from brochures to building banners to website content, promises to breathe new life into our communications and propel us forward.

While “We are South” has served us well since 2016, it’s time for a new direction. We have already phased out the tagline from many websites, publications, signature lines, etc. However, we have not encouraged replacing print materials until a suitable replacement is identified, due to the expense involved with that type of change.

It is important to clarify that our brand refresh does not involve a complete overhaul. Our University brand mark (logo) and primary colors will remain unchanged, even as we evolve our image to best tell South’s story.

Additional updates will be provided as we transition into the implementation phase.

Jo Bonner
President

Dr. Andi Kent
Executive VP and Provost

Jim Berscheidt
VP, Marketing and Communications

March 1, 2024

Students, Faculty and Staff,

As I navigated campus in recent days, I noticed as many heads in books as I did buds ready to bloom. Signs of the season include midterms and the promise of a beautiful springtime in Mobile.

I hope all our students did well on exams and are ready for a break. But I have a homework assignment for you, and a request of all our faculty and staff across our academic and healthcare divisions: Remember to vote! The Alabama Primary Election for both parties is Tuesday, March 5.

Turnout is generally low for primary elections, so your vote can really make a difference in helping advance the candidates of your choice to the General Election this fall. In addition to those seeking the presidency, candidates include those running in the newly redrawn congressional districts and down-ballot measures.

While the redistricting will not affect the location where you typically cast your ballot, please educate yourself on the issues and candidates as you exercise your right to vote and your commitment to the democratic process. You can get more information online.

A big thank you to our Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice, along with Mobile County Probate Judge Don Davis, for holding mock elections on campus in early February for both South students and visiting high school students. In addition to learning about the election process, our students were able to register to vote through the Mobile County Board of Registrars.

Last weekend, Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Andi Kent and I met with more than 100 prospective Honors College students who were on campus for interviews. Others will do their interviews remotely. Overall, we’re seeing a significant increase in qualified applicants, with the number of interviews up 37 percent from last year.

It kicked off a week with visits to seven high schools from Baldwin County to Tuscaloosa to north Alabama, including Huntsville. While we are recruiting more students, our retention efforts continue to pay off – our freshman retention from fall to spring was 91.37 percent, the second highest in recorded history at South.

Speaking of Baldwin County, last month we began our USA by the Bay Eastern Shore Speaker Series with a well-attended talk by Dr. Sean Powers, director of the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences. We will continue to strengthen connections in Baldwin County, where we attract more undergraduate students than any other Alabama university.

March is set to be a busy month. It will be the 31st year for the Providence Foundation Festival of Flowers, held March 8-10 in Cathedral Square. A week later, on March 14, the National Alumni Association will hold its 19th annual Distinguished Alumni and Service Awards gala. The next day, 71 of our senior medical students will participate in Match Day and find out where they will continue their training in residency.

We dedicate our new Army and Air Force ROTC facility on March 18, and on the 21st USA Health holds Doc Rock, its annual battle of the bands. The month ends with the National Alumni Association Easter Egg Hunt on March 30. Of course, I hope to see our students, faculty and staff supporting our Jags at athletics events throughout the month; both baseball and softball are off to strong starts.

Spring is certainly a time for growth. I look forward to experiencing its joy with each of you.

Jo Bonner
President

March 21, 2024

Faculty, Staff and Students,

Yesterday, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation centered on the use of state funds for diversity, equity and inclusion programs and compelled speech of “divisive concepts.”

Throughout the legislative process, our Office of Governmental Relations has been working directly with policymakers to communicate concerns and the potential impact of this legislation. At the same time, both Nick Lawkis, vice president for governmental relations, and Dr. Joél Lewis Billingsley, vice president for diversity and community engagement, have hosted informational sessions with our faculty, staff and students to keep them informed.

At South, we welcome all and will continue to do the meaningful work of ensuring members of our community find purpose and place here. We will remain committed to academic freedom – benefiting our students, our faculty and the educational process.

The University will continue to assess the final language of the legislation in advance of it taking effect Oct. 1 and will communicate any changes that will take place as a result of the new law.

I recognize and understand that this legislation has caused both uncertainty and apprehension. But I remain confident in our community, the merit of our differences and what unites us in our shared values.

Jo Bonner
President

March 1, 2024

Students, Faculty and Staff,

As I navigated campus in recent days, I noticed as many heads in books as I did buds ready to bloom. Signs of the season include midterms and the promise of a beautiful springtime in Mobile.

Spring is certainly a time for growth. I look forward to experiencing its joy with each of you.

Jo Bonner
President

February 5, 2024

Nick Lawkis, who has served as executive director for governmental relations since 2019, has been promoted to vice president for governmental relations. In this role, he will continue to serve as a University liaison with local, state and federal governments and agencies, including coordinating efforts to secure the University’s share of the state’s $8 billion education budget.

Nick is one of the most respected governmental relations professionals in Alabama. He has elevated South’s profile both in Montgomery and Washington D.C. and has earned this promotion with his hard work and dedication to our University.

Under his leadership, Nick has led efforts to secure nearly $400 million in funding for the University and USA Health.

Prior to his work in governmental relations, Nick served in roles in both USA’s Office of Student Affairs and Office of Development and Alumni Relations. He holds two degrees from South – an undergraduate degree in business administration and a master's in public administration.

Please help us congratulate Nick on his appointment.

Jo Bonner
President

Dr. Andi Kent
Executive Vice President and Provost

January 8, 2024

Students, Faculty and Staff,

As we begin 2024, I would like to wish our entire Jaguar community a Happy New Year. I also offer a warm and enthusiastic Welcome Back to our students arriving to campus after holiday break.

For both new and returning students, I encourage you to take advantage of all the opportunities a new year brings. That starts with Winter Week of Welcome, which kicked off Saturday when our men’s basketball team took on Georgia State and continues through Jan. 15. In between, there will be cookie decorating with your SGA, open houses at various colleges and schools, a study-abroad fair, and more.

The whole idea of WOW is to help students meet new friends and reunite with old ones, while finding interests and communities on campus.

One of the highlights will take place Tuesday as Jaguar Productions hosts its inaugural Winter Wonderland: There's Snow Place Like Home. For more on this event and others, visit the Winter WOW website.

Also this week, USA Health will celebrate the dedication of its new pediatric emergency center at Children’s & Women’s Hospital. This much-needed renovation and expansion more than doubles the size of the emergency department. It is the only healthcare facility in the region offering specialized care 24 hours a day to best meet the needs of sick and injured children.

This project could not have been done without funding from our generous donors and support from the state.

Next week, our Admissions team along with myself and Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Andi Kent will continue our Jag Days recruitment trips to bring high school students to campus for VIP tours. Fairhope High School is scheduled for Tuesday, with Mobile Christian School on Thursday.

We’re happy to report that spring enrollment is strong and continues the upward trajectory of fall’s year-over-year increase.

This spring will wrap up our yearlong 60th Anniversary. I trust many of you have seen the latest edition of South Magazine, which was delivered to mailboxes in December. The newly redesigned publication, a joint effort of the University and the USA National Alumni Association, is a beautiful celebration of our six decades promoting health, discovery and learning. You can find a digital edition of South Magazine online.

I look forward to continuing the celebration of our legacy this semester while looking forward to the possibilities that lie ahead.

Jo Bonner
President