Alumni News

Raed Alsulami, a University of South Alabama graduate in hospitality and tourism management and assistant manager for the main restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, credits his experiences as a student for his current success. “I feel that the program at USA helped me get to where I am today and provided opportunities for me to maximize my goals in the industry,” he said.

Fusing Southern, Saudi Hospitality
March 30, 2020

One of South's first hospitality and tourism graduates, Raed Alsulami works at a top-ranked restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh. ...

Lori Baggett, who graduated from the University of South Alabama in 1998 and played on the women's basketball team, has been named managing partner of Carlton Fields' Tampa, Fla., office.

A Legal Mind, a Basketball IQ
March 27, 2020

As managing partner at Carlton Fields, Lori Baggett is showing the leadership she once brought to the classroom and the court. ...

Andy Vickers, a graduate of the University of South Alabama's Mitchell College of Business, opened two F45 fitness training studios and plans to open a third in Pensacola.

Turning Adversity into Opportunity
March 22, 2020

With dreams of wakeboarding derailed, Andy Vickers is using his entrepreneurial skills to help others reach their fitness goals. ...

South alumna Lucy Gafford worked with other artists and students from several Boys & Girls Clubs in 2014 to paint this mural attached to the facade of the old Gayfers' building in downtown Mobile. The mural depicts life in Mobile County and includes USA's Moulton Tower. Today Gafford is executive director of the Mobile Arts Council.

Encouraging Artists to do 'Big Things'
March 21, 2020

Alumna Lucy Gafford sees opportunity growing in Coastal Alabama. Her goal is to retain young artists in that cultural renewal. ...

USA National Alumni Association honored alumni and supporters at the 16th annual Distinguished Alumni & Service Awards. Those recognized were, from left, William J. “Happy” Fulford III, Dr. Joseph F. Busta Jr., Brian J. Cuccias, Merceria Ludgood, John T. Crowder Jr., William B. Burnsed Jr. and James J. “Jake” Gosa.

University Alumni, Supporters Honored
March 5, 2020

Five alumni, a retired USA employee and a county commissioner are recognized by the USA National Alumni Association. ...

Vanessa Quintana is one of the latest South graduates to work under Steve Mussell, right, designing and building Carnival floats. “Steve tells me to put on my Mardi Gras goggles. He wants me to look at a float like someone would at a parade.”

Bringing Artistry to the Streets of Carnival
February 18, 2020

USA alumni keep a tradition alive by designing and building floats for some of Mobile's most iconic Mardi Gras parading groups. ...

Ramsey Willis instructs students during a geometry class at Davidson High School in Mobile. Willis majored in business and worked in industry prior to completing his master’s degree in education from South through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.

Called to Teach, Supported by South
February 3, 2020

After working in industry, Ramsey Willis used his real-world experience and a USA education to pursue a teaching career. ...

Julian and Kim MacQeen, center, join South alumni and supporters to cut the ribbon on the MacQueen Alumni Center. The 15,000-square foot-facility is in the center of campus, across from Moulton Tower and Alumni Plaza.

MacQueen Alumni Center Opens on Campus
January 24, 2020

The University's National Alumni Association cuts the ribbon on the center that will serve as home for nearly 85,000 alumni. ...

South Alabama alumna Tiffany Whitfield started the Tiffany Whitfield Scholarship for Undergraduate Students to help others pursue a degree at South. Whitfield teaches at the American Creativity Academy for Boys in Kuwait.

Living in Kuwait, Investing in South
January 17, 2020

Tiffany Whitfield had a dilemma: What to do with her earnings from teaching abroad. She decided to pay for others' education. ...

Jessica Jones, who earned a earned a Ph.D. in microbiology from South, is set to complete seven marathons on seven continents after winning the Mobile Marathon. She trains on Dauphin Island, where she lives and works.

One Marathon Won, 183 Miles to Go
January 16, 2020

After taking the Mobile Marathon, College of Medicine alumna Jessica Jones readies for her greatest physical challenge. ...

Dr. Alvin Williams, distinguished professor and chair of marketing and quantitative methods in the Mitchell College of Business, cautioned graduates against “success myopia” that can lead to disappointment and unwanted stress. “Craft a broader, more expansive definition of success in life,” he said.

Graduates Urged to Follow 'North Star'
December 14, 2019

Dr. Alvin Williams, USA chair of marketing and quantitative methods, cautioned graduates against 'success myopia.' ...

Graphic: Black Alumni Society Awards. Benefiting Student Emergency Assistance Funds. Feb. 15, 2020. USA Student Center Ballroom. South Alabama National Alumni Association.

Black Alumni Society Requests Nominations
November 21, 2019

Nominations will be accepted through Dec. 18. The awards ceremony is set for Feb. 15, 2020. ...

Devin Epps, a 2018 graduate of the Mitchell College of Business, works as a food stylist on contract with the Food Network and is in the process of building his own company. “I see myself as a storyteller, and hopefully that will translate into whatever I'm drawn to.”

From 'Shirtless Chef' to Food Network Stylist
November 20, 2019

Devin Epps, a USA marketing graduate, hustles from Nashville to New York to build his brand as a 'tenacious' entrepreneur. ...

Timothy Johnson, a University of South Alabama graduate of the College of Education and Professional Studies, was recently honored as the 2019 Outstanding Alabama Elementary School Science Teacher. He is a STEM lab instructor at E.R. Dickson Elementary School in Mobile.

'I Bring the Subject to Life'
November 12, 2019

Timothy Johnson, a South alumnus, is selected as the 2019 Outstanding Alabama Elementary School Science Teacher. ...

University of South Alabama alumnus and Atlanta BeltLine CEO Clyde Higgs has spent his life's work at the intersection of private and public sectors, or, as he says, "where the magic exists." Photo courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Creating Jobs, Housing and Room to Breathe
October 1, 2019

South alumnus Clyde Higgs leads one of the nation's most ambitious land use development projects at Atlanta BeltLine Inc. ...

Kevin Fralicks, associate vice president for university development, arrives at South from the University of Washington, where he served as assistant dean and chief advancement officer.

Kevin Fralicks Named Associate VP for University Development
August 28, 2019

Fralicks arrives from the University of Washington, where he served as assistant dean and chief advancement officer. ...

USA Presents Black Alumni Weekend 2019
August 23, 2019

'Come Back, Give Back,' will held Sept. 6-7. Alumni are invited to celebrate the legacy of diversity at South Alabama. ...

Jasmein Davis works in the old federal building in downtown Mobile, where she is an accountant for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District.

#MyFirstJob: Jasmein Davis
August 13, 2019

She loves words, but Jasmein Davis chose numbers in pursuing accounting. It's paying off at the Army Corps of Engineers. ...

Hong Nguyen majored in finance and accounting to earn her degree in business administration at USA Mitchell College of Business. She completed three internships while at South, one at Austal USA where she now works.

#MyFirstJob: Hong Nguyen
August 6, 2019

With three internships and a degree in business administration, Hong Nguyen brings her skills to shipbuilder Austal USA. ...

Two internships, college courses and involvement in USA’s Society of Women Engineers chapter all helped prepare Kelly Welsh for her job as an engineer for Georgia-Pacific.

#MyFirstJob: Georgia-Pacific's Kelly Welsh
July 29, 2019

As a reliability engineer for Georgia-Pacific, Kelly Welsh minimizes production loss by keeping the machines humming along. ...

Thomas “Reid” Nelson credits South’s Ph.D. program in marine sciences with having the resources and range of expertise in faculty to support his research interests and education. He works in a National Marine Fisheries Service lab with other scientists from UC Santa Cruz.

#MyFirstJob: Thomas 'Reid' Nelson
July 22, 2019

In a lab along the California coast, Reid Nelson researches ways to improve survival rates of juvenile salmon migrating to sea. ...

Russell Standridge, a physical therapist in Decatur, Ala., said he gets satisfaction from seeing his patients improve. His clients arrive having faced a variety of medical challenges: from surgeries to athletic injuries to automobile wrecks to neurological disorders.

#MyFirstJob: Russell Standridge
July 15, 2019

With an interest in sports and medicine, Russell Standridge found the 'perfect mix' in a career as a physical therapist. ...

Eugenie Sellier, '11, '16, is the director of child nutrition programs for Feeding the Gulf Coast, where she oversees four child hunger relief programs serving more than 20,000 children.

In a Storm's Wake, a Service Focus Emerged
July 10, 2019

Two-time South alumna Eugenie Sellier's career at Feeding the Gulf Coast was inspired in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. ...

Gurinder Singh, a graduate of the USA College of Engineering, is director of global sustainability for the American Bureau of Shipping. “Today’s world is quickly changing, and the shipping industry is navigating a complex regulatory landscape and rapid technology changes,” he said.

Solutions Through Creativity, Innovation
June 27, 2019

Engineering alumnus Gurinder Singh leads efforts to transition the maritime industry to sustainability and lower emissions. ...

Billie McKinney, a graduate of the University of South Alabama, is a structural engineer at Ingalls Shipbuilding, one of Mississippi's largest employers. “As a structural engineer at Ingalls, my job consists of ensuring the safety of the men and women of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. I take great pride in providing these men and women with the utmost dedication, professionalism and work ethic that they provide our country daily.”

#MyFirstJob: Billie McKinney
June 24, 2019

As an engineer at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Billie McKinney's job helps ensure the safety of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard personnel. ...

Alumni News Archive

Fusing Southern, Saudi Hospitality March 30, 2020

A Legal Mind, a Basketball IQ March 27, 2020

Turning Adversity into Opportunity March 22, 2020

Encouraging Artists to do 'Big Things' March 21, 2020

University Alumni, Supporters Honored March 5, 2020

Bringing Artistry to the Streets of Carnival February 18, 2020

Called to Teach, Supported by South February 3, 2020

MacQueen Alumni Center Opens on Campus January 24, 2020

Living in Kuwait, Investing in South January 17, 2020

One Marathon Won, 183 Miles to Go January 16, 2020

Graduates Urged to Follow 'North Star' December 14, 2019

Black Alumni Society Requests Nominations November 21, 2019

From 'Shirtless Chef' to Food Network Stylist November 20, 2019

'I Bring the Subject to Life' November 12, 2019

Creating Jobs, Housing and Room to Breathe October 1, 2019

Kevin Fralicks Named Associate VP for University Development August 28, 2019

USA Presents Black Alumni Weekend 2019 August 23, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Jasmein Davis August 13, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Hong Nguyen August 6, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Georgia-Pacific's Kelly Welsh July 29, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Thomas 'Reid' Nelson July 22, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Russell Standridge July 15, 2019

In a Storm's Wake, a Service Focus Emerged July 10, 2019

Solutions Through Creativity, Innovation June 27, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Billie McKinney June 24, 2019