As an incoming freshman at Southern Miss last year, I entered as new and unsure of what to expect. Although I didn't know what to expect, I did know that Southern Miss was where I was supposed to be. Growing up around the Hattiesburg area and being the daughter of a Southern Miss alum, I was very familiar with the culture and traditions of Southern Miss. Some of my favorite memories growing up are of me and my dad going to basketball games on cold winter nights and experiencing “the box” for football games. You gotta remember air conditioned football games in this Mississippi heat, just sayin’. From the time I was eight years-old I knew I would attend Southern Miss, even as I explored other options throughout my junior and senior years of high school. When senior year came along, I knew in my heart the next four years of my life would belong thirty minutes up the road, rather than five hours away.

So maybe you’re like me. You grew up around the area knowing the roads like the back of your hand. You have parents and siblings who are proud alumni, which only inspired you to attend Southern Miss. I applaud you for continuing their legacy here, and also making one of your own. Instead of yelling “Hotty Toddy” or violently shaking a cowbell you chose to scream, “To the Top!” at the top of your lungs. Southern Miss might not be an SEC school or receive all of the glory and talk of ESPN, but we are improving daily in the things we are known for. And we're making a difference, Southern Miss changes lives everyday. I ‘m so proud to be a local and for the opportunity to leave this school better than I found it. Southern Miss To The Top.