page_title: University of Southern Mississippi
section_title: Student life
hierarchical_section_title: University of Southern Mississippi / Student life
caption_attribution_description: English: Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship
context_page_description: The University of Southern Mississippi is a public research university with its main campus in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, master's, specialist, and doctoral degrees. The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".
  Founded on March 30, 1910, the university is a dual campus institution, with the main campus located in Hattiesburg and the other large campus, Gulf Park, in Long Beach. It has five additional teaching and research sites, including the John C. Stennis Space Center and the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory.
  Originally called the Mississippi Southerners, the Southern Miss athletic teams became the Golden Eagles in 1972. The school's colors, black and gold, were selected by a student body vote shortly after the school was founded. While mascots, names, customs, and the campus have changed, the black and gold colors have remained constant. USM offers 16 sport programs at the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
context_section_description: Semesters at the university run from August to December and January to May, with a 10-week summer session. There are two four-week accelerated summer terms.
  In Fall 2006, The University of Southern Mississippi dedicated a 4-story, multimillion-dollar addition to its R.C. Cook University Union. The Thad Cochran Center now houses a 2-story Barnes & Noble Bookstore, three ballrooms, a stadium-style theater, student organization offices, and Southern Miss Dining and Fresh Food Company. Several meeting rooms are within the union complex. The Union and Programs team hosts more than a thousand events each year.
  At nearly 300, Southern Miss' student organizations appeal to a wide spectrum of interests: Business, Education and Psychology, the Arts, Games and Athletics, Graduate Studies, Greek Life, Health and Human Sciences, Honors Societies, Liberal Arts, the Military, Religious Life, Residence Halls, Community Service, and Science and Technology. The largest organizations based on student membership include the: Student Government Association, African-American Student Organization, Southern Miss Activities Council, The Legacy Student Alumni Association, and Baptist Student Union.
  The university has 26 Greek organizations on campus, including 14 fraternities and 12 sororities. There are 19 fraternity and sorority houses.
caption: Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship
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