Oseola McCarty Scholars Program

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Fulfilling a Legacy

The Oseola McCarty Scholars Program was created in 2018 as an extension of the Oseola McCarty Endowment offered by The University of Southern Mississippi. The Oseola McCarty Scholars Program honors the legacy of a Hattiesburg native who gave a significant portion of her life savings to the University in order to help students afford college. Oseola Mccarty had a strong work ethic, giving heart, and a love for helping others.

The program is built on Oseola McCarty’s servant attitude and financial impact to the community with her generous donation to the University. Oseola McCarty Scholars participate in activities that center around leadership, DEI training, financial wellness, career development, and community involvement. Oseola McCarty Scholars possess a strong work ethic, leadership skills, and a commitment to serving others through community service and school organizations. Oseola McCarty Scholars are chosen fairly through the freshman competitive scholarship application process to embark on this meaningful life endeavor.

Learn more about her legacy and donate to the USM Foundation in her honor to support the endowment.

Why Choose the Oseola McCarty Scholars Program

Our program focuses on leadership and workforce development. Our scholars have access to a personalized program tailored to help them make strategic choices during their time at Southern Miss. Scholars set SMART goals each semester and work directly with their program advisors to develop the skills needed to reach those goals through various organizations and campus resources. Scholars incorporate financial planning and other career-based resources to help build additional skills in order to thrive in the workforce and become financially stable. Upperclassmen have the chance to further develop their leadership skills through two direct leadership opportunities built within the program. By the end of the four year experience our scholars will have a polished resume complete with the necessary skills for their chosen career field, a network of future employers, and lifelong memories with other McCarty Scholars.

Benefits

Scholars receive a $2,000 annual scholarship
Campus employment with the Office of Undergraduate Scholarships provided for work-study eligible scholars (will pay out up to the max amount awarded in SOAR)
Individualized career and financial coaching through mentorship
Leadership opportunities provided to upperclassmen within the program

What Scholars Can Expect

Must maintain a 2.75 USM cumulative grade point average
Must enroll in 15 credit hours per semester
Required meetings with mentors and advisors
Required curriculum and monthly assignments
Required volunteer, internship, and/or job shadowing (will be assigned based on career plan and student goals)

Unique Philanthropy and Community Service

Adopt A Spot Program: The Oseola McCarty Scholars have enthusiastically joined the Adopt A Spot program, part of the USM CAN anti-litter initiative launched by the Southern Miss Physical Plant, Office of Sustainability, and the Student Government Association. ADOPT A SPOT allows individuals or groups to volunteer to maintain a specific area on campus, ensuring it remains litter-free and fostering a sense of pride in the beauty of Southern Miss. The scholars have adopted Weathersby Lawn (where the historic Oseola McCarty stature resides) and have dedicated over sixty-four hours during the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters to its upkeep. Their clean-up efforts involve team meetings followed by meticulous cleaning of every inch of Weathersby Lawn, ensuring all trash is properly sorted and disposed of. This initiative not only keeps the campus beautiful but also instills a sense of responsibility and community pride among the scholars.
Mission McCarty Initiative: The Oseola McCarty Scholars have launched a new signature
initiative, Mission McCarty. Each year, the scholars select a campus department or organization to support as part of the program's commitment to giving back. This year, they partnered with the Southern Miss Eagle's Nest Pantry. As part of this initiative, they hosted a campus-wide competition where departments earned points for every item collected on behalf of their office.The winning office received free Shipley donuts for the entire staff and was named the Mission Leader at the end-of-semester scholar banquet. Thanks to the involvement and support of both Southern Miss community members and the Hattiesburg community, Mission McCarty collected over 300 items. To celebrate, the Scholars held a banquet to honor the contributions and to name the Honors College office as the first 2024 Mission McCarty Leader for their largest donation.

Values and Outcomes

Learning: Curriculum will allow students to research, teach, and promote current financial literacy practices and understand how these concepts impact their future and their communities.
Leadership: Students will lead by example through their participation in the program and recruitment efforts for prospective Oseola McCarty Scholars.
Collaboration: This program will work with various student affairs offices, faculty, staff, and community partners on various service projects and program needs.
Inclusion: Oseola McCarty Scholars will have access to an exclusive curriculum and several mentorship opportunities to foster personal and professional development.
Responsibility: Students will develop life-long tools and experiences that will help them fulfill a social responsibility by upholding the wishes of Oseola McCarty.

Ready to apply?

Eligibility

Mississippi resident
Minimum 3.0 cumulative high school grade point average and at least a 21 ACT/SAT equivalent
Must be from a public high school in south Mississippi, show demonstrated financial need, desire to serve the community, and strong leadership skills
For more information regarding the program requirements and selection process visit our FAQs section.

Next Steps

Learn how to navigate the GO System and apply
Log into the GO System and apply by March 1
Schedule a campus visit to learn more about our great University
Contact us at scholarsFREEMississippi for more information about the program and other scholarship offers

Scholar Spotlights

Dana Pichon is one of our most outstanding scholars. Recently, she has worked with Hector Talavera to receive the College of Nursing and Health Professionals Student Ambassador program, an opportunity that provides leadership experience and tangible support for CNHP operations. Student Ambassadors are offered special opportunities to explore their leadership and service potential through an accelerated personal and professional development program. Ambassadors serve in various capacities and participate in unique training opportunities within a university setting. Through Dana's high academic achievement and strong leadership skills, she was able to secure this prestigious position for the upcoming fiscal year. Dana continues to further her skills by traveling abroad this past summer of 2023 to London, England, and other parts of the country. She was able to experience various aspects of the country and broaden her experiences as an individual.

Amelia is a part of the Trio Student Support Services, which, similar to the Oseola McCarty Scholars Program, provides academic assistance, advocacy, and individual support to eligible undergraduate students. The program aids TRIO-SSS Scholars in maintaining good academic standing, successfully persisting in college, and graduating from Southern Miss. Being a part of both programs, Amelia exemplifies the drive to be successful as a first-generation student. She has persevered each semester by consistently working hard to improve her GPA. Through her determination, she was awarded the TRIO SSS Scholars' Most Improved Academic Achievement Award during their end-of-the-year banquet.

Wyatt battles every day with a severe speech impediment, making involvement and socializing on campus difficult for him. However, instead of staying in his dorm, Wyatt took this as a challenge and has completely involved himself in various organizations on campus. He even joined Sigma Phi Epsilon, a social fraternity at Southern Miss. He has now become a member of the fraternity and looks forward to becoming a leader within the fraternity. Wyatt has also had the privilege of pursuing study abroad to broaden his horizons by traveling to England for Summer 2024. There, he has taken courses and explored the great country of England to enhance his resume and further develop his social skills.

Kaylin is one of our most outstanding scholars and has continuously improved each year. She has the highest academic achievement of any student in the program. Kaitlyn is also a part of the Luckyday Scholars program and has achieved a Luckyday Residence Hall Mentor position within the program. Kaitlyn also had the opportunity to travel to England during the summer of 2023, where she visited various parts of the country, further enhancing her perspective as a professional and a student.

Evyn is one of our most recent McCarty Alumni as of Fall 2023. During her time at Southern Miss, Evyn prided herself on being involved with her sorority, Phi Beta Phi, and her major, Speech Pathology/Audiology. She has been very active in her sorority, taking on several leadership positions responsible for more than one hundred students. Her involvement and dedication to her major required a tremendous amount of time, including clinic and hospital hours with various shadow positions. Evyn has also worked in the Office of Undergraduate Scholarships throughout her undergraduate studies, where she learned many office and professional skills. Due to her extensive knowledge of Southern Miss Scholarships, Evyn was awarded a Graduate Assistantship position for Fall 2024 after being admitted to Southern Miss's Speech and Pathology Master's Program.