The USM Foundation

The mission of The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation is to build relationships with alumni and friends in order to secure private funds and other resources for the benefit of The University of Southern Mississippi. As a non-profit organization, the Foundation receives, invests and distributes private gifts in support of the University’s mission. The Foundation provides service to our donors, our University and our community by encouraging commitment and investment in the future of the University. With a vision of success for the future and a love for their alma mater, Moran M. Pope, Jr. and Powell G. Ogletree met with the goal of sparking individual growth and development in future students and providing a way for donors to impact students through the gift of education. The result was the establishment of the Mississippi Southern Foundation on October 27, 1959. Our organization became known as The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation in 1962 to coincide with the institution’s name change. The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation is composed of a 25-person staff, including many graduates of USM. To best serve alumni, friends of the University and our campus partners, the team works in four divisions – Development, Public Relations and Donor Programs, Advancement Services and Financial Services. Visit us on the third floor of the Trent Lott Center on the Hattiesburg campus of Southern Miss from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.