1. Home
  2. Departments
  3. Office of Alumni Relations
  4. Alumni Heroes Make a Difference

Alumni Heroes Make a Difference

  • JOHN DING, GINA WARNER, and GERALD EVERETT
  • Steve Clements, Ronnie Stallworth, Chris Jett, administrator of USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital and assistant vice president for medical affairs; Karen Edwards and Ann Sirmon.
  • Dr. Steven Stokes volunteers with Lizbeth Soto Jacome, a USA student from Enterprise, Ala. and USA STUDENT NURSES ASSOCIATIONS

 

South Alabama alumni across the country have shown strength during the global health crisis. From front-line workers to educators to citizens making a difference in their communities,  the Jaguar spirit finds a way to shine through the darkness.

GINA WARNER 

Gina Warner is a 1990 graduate of the USA College of Education and Professional Studies. 

Gina Warner is president of the National AfterSchool Association, a 32,000-member organization that supports education professionals who work with children during out-of-school hours. During the COVID-19 crisis, members are working in program sites providing emergency childcare for families of essential workers like doctors, first responders and grocery store clerks. Through her role with the National AfterSchool Association, Warner helps provide training and support for these childcare workers.

JOHN DING 

John Ding earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of South Alabama's Mitchell College of Business. 

Engineers from Airbus and faculty from the University of South Alabama are working with healthcare workers at USA Health during the coronavirus pandemic to produce hundreds of reusable face masks for providers in clinics and hospitals. One of the team members is John Ding, who earned a master’s degree in business administration from South and is an aircraft engineer at Airbus. “At Airbus, we do a lot of 3D printing,” Ding said. “We knew we wanted to do something, but we didn’t know where, so I decided to reach out to the University.” Read the full story at southalabama.edu.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP 

Steve Clements, Ronnie Stallworth, Chris Jett, administrator of USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital and assistant vice president for medical affairs; Karen Edwards and Ann Sirmon. 

Members of the USA National Alumni Association board of directors and past presidents delivered lunches in April to front-line USA Health employees at USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital. The Meals for Heroes Fund provides consistent and hearty snacks and meals to USA Health workers during their shifts as they battle the COVID-19 pandemic in the Mobile and Baldwin County communities.

DR. STEVEN H. STOKES 

Dr. Steven Stokes volunteers with Lizbeth Soto Jacome, a USA student from Enterprise, Ala. 

Dr. Steven H. Stokes, a 1980 graduate of the USA College of Medicine and co-chair with his wife, Angelia ’79, of USA’s Upward & Onward Campaign, provides free medical care and meals each week to hundreds of homeless and low-income residents in Dothan, Alabama as a volunteer for Love in Action International Ministries. The nonprofit organization has seen a steep increase in need during the COVID-19 crisis.

GERALD EVERETT 

Gerald Everett played tight end as a South Alabama Jaguar from 2015-2016 before being drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017. 

Former Jaguar football player Gerald Everett donated lunch to West Hills Hospital emergency staff in Los Angeles in April. "I just want to do my part, do anything that I can to assist and help them because they're here around the clock every day," he said. Everett is currently a tight end with the Los Angeles Rams.

USA STUDENT NURSES ASSOCIATIONS 

Sarah Roberts, Caroline Webster and Ayshe Shepherd deliver items to USA Health University Hospital. 

The University of South Alabama Mobile and Baldwin County Student Nurses associations donated sterile gloves, N95 masks and homemade face masks to USA Health University Hospital in April.