When Joseph S. Paul was announced as the 11th president of the University of Southern Mississippi in October 2022, he made a promise to bring a sense of energy and urgency to that role.
It’s a vow that he has so far fulfilled, as since he took over, almost all measurable indicators have increased – including freshman transfer enrollment, alumni memberships and Eagle Club memberships – and one that he is determined to maintain after his official inauguration, held October 5 at Bennett Auditorium on USM’s Hattiesburg Campus. The investiture ceremony was attended by city and state officials, members of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, Paul’s family and officials from as far as Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
“What today is really about is a celebration of this noble institution – the University of Southern Mississippi – a collection of people who have purposes and challenges and opportunities, as both ineffable and tangible, that passes from one generation to another,” Paul said. “It has outlived its founders from 113 years ago, and it will outlive all of us that are here today.
“This ceremony is about what endures, and the culture and spirit of this place, and the work we do here is great. It’s about constant change, but it’s also about our steadfast (commitment) to serve our students well. Today, we celebrate Southern Miss and our treasured past, our current momentum and our goals in the future.”
The ceremony began with the procession of the delegates and platform party, followed by the presentation of colors by the USM Army ROTC Color Guard. Next came the National Anthem as sung by Meredith Johnson, assistant professor at the USM School of Music with the Southern Arts Brass Quintet.
An invocation was given by Reverend Mitchell Williams of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, followed by a welcome from USM’s Monika Gehlawat and “Triptych: A Childhood,” a poem written and read by Paul’s sister Marta.
The Southern Miss Chorale then sung “Be True,” directed by Gregory Fuller with poetry by Birch Arnold and music by Harry Dorn.
Salutations were given by Lieutenant Gov. Delbert Hosemann; Powell G. Ogletree Jr. on behalf of the IHL Board of Trustees; J. Troy Johnston, president of the university’s alumni association; Joseph Quinlan, president of the USM Foundation; Jonathan Jenkins on behalf of the Student Government Association; Mary Alexander on behalf of the staff council; and Jennifer Courts on behalf of the faculty senate.
The inaugural address was given by Shea Kidd-Brown, vice president for campus life at Wake Forest University.
“This selection of (Paul) as a former student is a testament to his orientation toward the student experience,” Kidd-Brown said. “As we ground ourselves in this moment … let us transition from ‘getting here’ to ‘being here.’
“’Getting here’ represents our journeys, our stories, our struggles, our resilience. ‘Being here’ requires taking stock of what’s going on right now. My hope for us in this moment is that we can truly transition from ‘getting here’ to ‘being here’ wholly and fully as we celebrate our beloved Dr. Joseph Scott Paul, the 11th president of the University of Southern Mississippi.”
The investiture was carried out by Alfred Rankins Jr., commissioner of higher education for IHL; Alfred E. McNair Jr, president of the board of trustees of IHL; and Tommy Duff of the IHL Board of Trustees. Paul then gave his remarks, which included some of his upcoming goals for the university.
“At Southern Miss, since our founding, we have always set audacious goals that others doubt we can accomplish … and then we pursue them with an uncommon passion and a relentless persistence,” Paul said. “My audacious dream for Southern Miss today is not to aspire to be like other national research universities, but rather to dare to be distinct.
“(We want to) dare to be different, to dare to be better.
“Let’s set our sights on being distinct. Let’s set our sights on being substantially different in the content of our academic programs, course offerings and student life, and provide our students with a value they won’t find other places.”
Congratulations were then given by Mayor Toby Barker, followed by the benediction by Reverend Carrie Duncan of Trinity Episcopal Church and the alma mater by the Spirit of Southern directed by Jonathan Kilgore.
“This (appointment of Paul) is personal to all of us,” Paul said. “We exist in a society right now that is starving for leadership, and far too often – whether in government or our daily life decisions – we end up settling for something far less than what absolutely inspires us.
“But for once, the peoples’ choice became the choice. The people got the leader they wanted, and Dr. Paul, you are and were our choice. For decades, you have been in it with us. You have led from the front and inspired us to be the best version of our individual and collective selves.”
The festivities ended with a community celebration at Spirt Park on the USM campus.
Paul was named as the university’s 11the president by the IHL on October 24, 2022, four months after his appointment as interim president after former president Rodney Bennett departed that position in July of that year for another opportunity. Three days later, Paul took the stage on the third floor of USM’s Thad Cochran Center for his first speech as president.
Paul served for 40 years as a Southern Miss student affairs administrator and became vice president for student affairs in February 1993. Prior to that, he served as assistant director of student activities, assistant vice president and dean of student development, as well as holding faculty rank in the university’s College of Education and Psychology.
Paul retired from Southern Miss in 2015 and has since held part-time positions with the USM Foundation, as Citizen Service Coordinator for the City of Hattiesburg and as an executive coach for the Home Business Advisor Group. He currently consults as an executive coach and strategic advisor for the Blue Hen Consulting Agency.
Shortly after Bennett’s announcement, Alfred Rankins Jr., who serves as the IHL commissioner of higher education, issued a statement naming Paul the interim president of the university.
“We have work to do at Southern Miss in growing our enrollment, maximizing our impact on our Mississippi Gulf Coast and ensuring the continued growth of our research enterprise,” Paul said after that announcement. “You all know that I have a heart for our students, and I’ve spent my life’s work in support of them.
“I’m deeply committed to creating a parallel student life and leadership experience at Southern Miss. Our students deserve no less.”
Paul’s appointment as president came after the IHL’s board of trustees conducted listening sessions at the Hattiesburg and Gulf Park campuses. IHL contracted a firm, Academic Search, for $130,000 to aid in a presidential search was scheduled to end the following spring.
During that process, Academic Search helped the board members select semi-finalists, conduct reference checks and provide guidance on conditions of employment for the next president.
Paul earned a Ph.D. in administration of higher education from the University of Alabama, and was named the university’s Most Outstanding Doctoral Student in the field in 1985. Paul, who is a native of Bay St. Louis, earned his bachelor’s degree in communication and political science from Southern Miss in 1975, when he graduated magna cum laude from the University Honors College.
He then received a master’s degree in communication and management from Southern Miss in 1978 and was inducted into the University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Hall of Fame in 2000.
Paul also has served two terms as president of the United Way of Southeast Mississippi. He has served as Board Chairman for the greater Hattiesburg Area Development Foundation and as a Board Trustee for the Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System.
He has also been president of the Hattiesburg Area Education Foundation, on the Board of Directors for the Hattiesburg Boys and Girls Club and has been a trustee for the Hattiesburg Public School District. Paul is co-founder of the Hattiesburg Leadership Pinebelt program and has served on a statewide basis in leadership positions with the Mississippi Economic Council.
When announcing his plans to leave the presidency, Bennett said he made that decision to explore other professional opportunities in advance of the end date of his contract with Southern Miss.
