Messages from the President - 2025

November 21, 2025

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

The shooting that occurred last Sunday evening at Central House on Stadium was – and is – a serious and disturbing incident. We want to commend the USA Police Department for their fast response to the scene and for quickly determining that it was an isolated incident with no widespread threat to campus.  USAPD is continuing its investigation.

You likely know that South does not own or manage Central House, but our police officers regularly patrol the complex. Because so many students live there and it is adjacent to our campus, we expect apartment management to do everything they can to keep our students - their residents - safe.

It has come to our attention that an entrance gate at the complex has been broken for quite some time, despite repeated requests to have it repaired. We are personally advocating for this work to be completed as soon as possible, and also requesting that Central House staff examine safety measures and leasing protocols to ensure a safe environment. In addition, the USA Police Department is increasing the number of patrols at the complex.

Beyond the events of the past few days and our response, we want you to be aware of just a few of the University’s ongoing efforts that are directed toward campus safety.

• The USA Police Department consists of 22 sworn officers, contract officers, and a full-time support staff who provide 24/7 police services to the University community, including the University campus and USA Health.
• The University recently invested in safety equipment and technology on campus. These investments include new body-worn cameras for all officers, upgraded safety gear, standardized service firearms and new patrol vehicles. The department also continues to operate License Plate Recognition systems across campus.
• Operationally, USA Police strengthened its processes and capabilities through investment in internal investigations, expanded training and ongoing accreditation efforts. The University recently implemented a Computer Aided Dispatch system in partnership with Mobile County 911 to support improved call handling and response coordination.
• The State of Alabama recently provided funding that will support several upcoming safety initiatives, including upgrading our public safety facilities and patrol fleet.

On recruiting trips for future Jaguars, at orientation meetings with new students and during countless other times throughout the year, we make a promise to our students – and their families – that we are going to do everything humanly possible to provide a safe, welcoming campus where students can earn a quality education while enjoying a college experience that is second-to-none. 

Having a safe and secure campus is the foundation to that promise.  This is a promise we do not make lightly.  It is one that, thanks to the collective efforts of many, we honestly believe we meet most days with rare exception.  

You have our continued commitment that the safety of our entire USA community is and will always remain a top priority for us and our administration.  Please do not hesitate to let us know how we can improve.

With highest regards,

October 27, 2025

Faculty, Staff and Students,

Good news travels fast.

Just 24 hours after Airbus in North America Chairman and CEO Robin Hayes delivered the announcement that the company would establish a presence at USA Technology and Research Park, alumni and friends at the Forth hotel in Atlanta were buzzing about what it could mean for the University of South Alabama.

It was a special evening of its own, one of about a dozen such outreach engagements we will do this year around the country and the second in as many weeks following an Oct. 16 social in New Orleans. Airbus’ partnership with South added to the excitement as we talked about the other latest happenings at South: construction of a new Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, our path to becoming an R1 research institution, our growing enrollment and this week’s Homecoming events, among others.

At the MacQueen Alumni Center the day before, Hayes had told those gathered that Airbus wants its presence on the north side of campus to drive collaboration and support, and recruit new partners to Technology and Research Park. Details are still being finalized, but the plan is for Airbus to relocate its growing Mobile-based U.S. Engineering Center to campus.

As I told those at the announcement, the University of South Alabama is a talent machine, and we want to work with Airbus — the world's most innovative, forward-looking, visionary aerospace company — to develop the next generation of industry professionals.  

How will that look? Possibilities include research collaboration, new internships and curriculum support. The goal will be that no matter a student’s discipline, whether it’s engineering or business or something else, the Airbus partnership will help students who intersect with the company be better prepared for what’s next after graduation.

Because of Airbus, Mobile has become one of the largest commercial aircraft manufacturing hubs in the world. The company has contributed greatly to our regional economy and has been a valued civic leader. This investment in education will be the next step.

In Atlanta, following the alumni and friends event, I spent the day visiting high schools to recruit students with Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Andi Kent and our enrollment team before joining our Jags to enjoy their win against the Georgia State Panthers. South’s more than 115 degree programs are attracting interest from across the country, as evident in the enthusiasm we’ve seen in trips this semester to high schools in Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

As much as we enjoy traveling to meet with alumni and prospective students and their families, I’m glad to be back on campus for this special Homecoming week and look forward to seeing students at this evening’s Junk the Jungle. The week continues with events for our students, alumni, employees and the community, including a concert with Hot Chelle Rae, basketball and volleyball Jaguar Athletics games, and, of course, a big Friday night of fun with live music, a pep rally, bonfire and trick or treat for the kids. The next day your Jaguars take on Louisiana at Hancock Whitney Stadium. You can find dates and times for all the events online. 

Good things continue to build our momentum, from the Airbus announcement to our Homecoming celebrations and beyond. I can't wait to see you this week, because Together, We Roar!

Jo Bonner
President

September 11, 2025

Students, Faculty and Staff,

This week, Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Andi Kent and I are on the road with our Enrollment team, visiting 17 high schools across Central Alabama and hosting two South in Your City recruitment events and a tailgate before the Jags take on Auburn this weekend.

We embarked on this trip with fresh energy. Last week, Dr. Kent and I met before the University of South Alabama Board of Trustees and delivered both this fall’s enrollment update and 2024-25 President’s Report.

We shared a lot of spirit-lifting news: Growing enrollment. The purchase of Traditions at South apartments for student living. New ways to deliver innovative academic healthcare across the region. Research funding reflective of a top-tier research university. A conference title in basketball and our second straight bowl victory in football. Record fundraising along with critical investments from our supporters in local, state and federal government; and so much more.

You can read the full report here. Those achievements resulted from hard work by countless faculty, staff, alumni, students and friends. We are many, even when we stand as one.

Already, we are piling up accomplishments for next year’s report. USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital, for example, has just expanded its transport service for critically ill or injured children, including newborns. The Cub Crew, featuring both air and ground transportation and a specially trained team, can now begin expert, lifesaving care even before the little ones reach the hospital.

Last month, USA Health partnered with Saad Healthcare to open a new hospice unit on the 11th floor of USA Health Providence Hospital. It offers compassionate end-of-life support for patients and their families in a restful setting with access to a full range of hospital services.

And our health system became the first in Alabama to offer a completely noninvasive treatment for liver tumors through histotripsy. This groundbreaking technology precisely targets and destroys the tumors using ultrasound energy — without an incision or even a needle stick.

Fewer than 100 healthcare facilities nationwide provide histotripsy. Yet again, the Flagship of the Gulf Coast is taking action to benefit our communities.

Finally, you may have heard the good news that, for the third consecutive year, more students are choosing South. This fall, 14,285 students enrolled, up from 14,003 the year before. First-year enrollment was up 10% over the previous year, and more then 30% over three years. Record numbers of students returned for their third and fourth years.

We like to think that we are the smart choice for those who want to pursue their desired paths at the highest level. Our new first-year class’s record-tying average high school GPA of 3.75 provides evidence to support that claim.

Thank you to all who contributed to our achievements. We are not done yet. Far from it.

We continue to build something bigger, with plans both ambitious and bold.

Go Jags!

Jo Bonner
President

August 16, 2025

Fellow Jaguars,

Welcome to the 2025-26 academic year at the University of South Alabama! You may be taking your first steps onto campus or returning to favorite locations with old friends and colleagues. Either way, we’re thrilled to see you and proud you’ve chosen South as your home.

Right now, the campus is alive with possibilities, with residence halls buzzing, more than 270 student organizations scouting for new members, and faculty and staff bringing expertise and support to South’s dynamic mix. As you explore, look for the red presidential golf cart. When you throw up your J’s, you’ll get a Jaguar spirit button or two and maybe even a ride! It’s a fun way for us to make new connections.

We saw many of our students, and their family members, over the last two days as we helped Jaguars move into residence halls. And while Tuesday marks the official start of classes, we’ve already rolled out the red, white and blue carpet. This week was a busy one with an Honors College retreat, another for our student ambassadors, the Southerners, and a welcome to our international students, along with Frios deliveries to football and Jaguar Marching Band practices. One of the best fall welcomes is the sound of our student musicians!

Campuswide activities kick off with a Carnival Week of Welcome — a set of events designed to spark connections and celebrate the start of a new year.

First-year students will meet at Moulton Tower no later than 10:30 a.m. Monday for the traditional class photo. Next is Convocation at 11 a.m. in the USA Mitchell Center. Convocation is a high-energy celebration of everything South. You’ll see student organizations, Jaguar student-athletes and a few surprises. SouthPaw and Miss Pawla will be on hand for photos, so bring your best Jaguar pride gear.

And that’s just the start. Week of Welcome will keep the energy going with the first pep rally of the year, plus college socials, games, music and the Tuesday annual group photo with the entire Jaguar family at Hancock Whitney Stadium — be sure to wear white! We’ll wrap it all up with the football home opener against Morgan State on Aug. 30.

For the complete schedule, visit the WOW website and start planning.

It’s all part of what we do at South — inspiring connections and providing opportunities to help students define their own paths.

Thank you for choosing to be a Jaguar. Let’s make this year unforgettable.

June 11, 2025

Students, Faculty and Staff,

I often tell our newest alumni that Commencement marks the beginning of a journey more than an end to an academic chapter. So it was rewarding to see another class of graduates in the spring move their tassels from the right to the left on their paths to what’s next.

We had a bonus this year of presenting The USA Way, a new creed that speaks to the University’s culture and our impact on education, research, healthcare and service. (Look for its presence in the Student Center mall later this summer.)

Commencement is always a special time filled with big smiles and even bigger dreams. But then it’s back to work — for our graduates and for us.

This was the first full week of summer classes, and before that, we had Maymester, with 64 courses offered. Just last week, Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Andi Kent returned from Greece, having led with Associate Vice President for Global Engagement Dr. Rick Carter a group of students in a study abroad experience focused on leadership.

It was one of 20 faculty-led programs this summer. In all, 247 students will study in 14 different countries.

The Office of Military Services will attend seven military education fairs at active-duty bases from Florida to Texas and up into Kentucky. That’s on top of participating in our Southbound orientations on campus.

Speaking of orientation, our Enrollment team, including over 30 student leaders, is ready to welcome more than 3,000 first-year and transfer students, along with their family members, across 12 sessions this summer. The first is an overnight session that wraps up today.

These next few months also are a busy time for our facilities management staff. They’re already managing several high-profile projects, including our new Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine building, the Jaguar Marching Band project, a new roof and elevator at the Humanities Building, and USA Health projects including upgrades to the Mitchell Cancer Institute Fairhope Pharmacy and installation of a new generator system at University Hospital. Crews will also take advantage of a reduced number of students on campus to improve dining locations — with a complete renovation of the Starbucks at Marx Library, for example — repair the entrance to Meisler Hall and renovate residence halls, including the Traditions at South complex.

Of course, the awesome responsibility of caring for our community never stops at USA Health — from welcoming new babies into the world to treating cancer to comforting patients and family members. With three teaching hospitals, a cancer institute and more than 40 clinical sites, there are more needs to be met than ever before.

Thousands of patients pass through our hospitals and clinics each day. During any given 24 hours this summer, 11 babies will be born at Children’s & Women’s and Providence hospitals, more than 100 patients will be treated at the Mitchell Cancer Institute, and nearly 400 people will be seen in our emergency departments.

I return today from Washington, D.C., where National Alumni Association and University leadership met with alumni and friends. It was the 11th city for similar alumni gatherings across the country in the past year.

Since their own Commencements launched them into the next phases of their lives, those forever Jaguars have accomplished so much. Catching up on their doings, and hearing their gratitude for the ways that South equipped them for success, left me humble and proud.

I wish them, and all of our students, faculty and staff, a summer full of growth, rewards and renewal.

Jo Bonner
President

May 7, 2025

Students, Faculty and Staff,

Less than a year and a half after I had the honor of assuming the role of fourth president of the University of South Alabama, a South alumnus stood before a group of other alumni and friends at the MacQueen Alumni Center and said, “Moulton Tower stands as both a declaration and an exclamation point. It stands as a beacon. It stands as a lighthouse.”

He declared his love for his University and reflected on the special opportunities before us in education, healthcare and research.

The speech, marking where we were and what we could be, resonated with me, and I’ve reflected a good bit since then on what I’ve referred to as The USA Way — the University’s culture and our impact on education, research, healthcare and service.

Two years later I was able to get those thoughts down on paper and deliver them before a similar group of alumni and friends at the same annual event, the Distinguished Alumni and Service Awards gala. On Friday at Commencement ceremonies, when we will recognize nearly 2,140 degree candidates, our newest alumni and their families will watch a video, voiced by members of the University community, celebrating the USA Way. (It will later be posted on the University’s YouTube channel.)

The USA Way is about how we carry ourselves, serve others and collaborate to tackle the next big challenge.

This semester alone provided many examples of us living out The USA Way: students coming together to raise $18,000 for the Southerners and their Spotting Excellence Scholarship during Oozeball; the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Jaguar Marching Band complex; three Goldwater Scholars named; 24 inductees to the Jaguar Senior Medallion Society; the announcement of a new MRI system that uses the latest technology to help patients of all ages at USA Health Children's & Women’s Hospital; and the growth of USA Health’s SouthNet Medical Clinic to treat spouses and dependents of employees.

The USA Way is in action at events such as Pancakes with the President on Sunday when the President’s Council served students breakfast during a late-night study break; at campus walks organized by our students this year that raised awareness for suicide prevention and eating disorders; and through collaborative programs like one this summer where high school juniors and seniors will work alongside faculty and staff at USA Health and the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences to address environmental problems that impact their communities.

The USA Way is about being proud and passionate, yet humble and service-minded. It describes how we conduct ourselves with integrity, dedication and class, simply because it is right to do so.

From our very first days, the USA Way has led us to be ambitious, determined and bold. It’s how we set our course, together, as the Flagship of the Gulf Coast.

Jo Bonner
President

February 28, 2025

Students, Faculty and Staff,

How quickly the weather can turn. Just five weeks ago our students were sledding down hills in the snow, and today we’re headed into a beautiful Carnival weekend.

I think we need to trade in Punxsutawney Phil for a Jaguar.

Our unusual snowstorm switched our faculty and staff on the University campus and at USA Health facilities into winter-weather mode, ready to respond to the needs of our students and patients.

At USA Health, nearly 900 employees stayed at work for 51 hours straight. Twenty-six “snow babies” were delivered, and compassion extended beyond patient rooms — our pediatric chair, for example, swept snow off 60 employees’ cars.

On the University campus, our grounds crews put sand on roads and walkways, dining services kept our students fed, and USA police officers worked, as usual, around the clock.

There were big, heavy lifts, and we also made time to focus on, as our Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Andi Kent likes to say, “the little things.”

Often, the little things we do can make the biggest impact.

This past Saturday, just as I finished watching our men’s basketball team, my phone dinged. It was a freshman who needed help because she was locked out of her JagMail.

While God has blessed me with certain abilities and skills, navigating technology is not one of them! Thankfully, our computer services folks know just what to do, so I pointed her in the right direction.

As we travel our region meeting prospective students and their families, I like to tell them there are many great education options in this state, but nowhere else will students get the cell phone numbers of University leadership. That’s because those of us in leadership have the same commitment as our faculty and staff — we will do whatever it takes in service of our students and patients. Saturday, it just happened to be helping someone check her email.

We’re also taking time to look out for each other. The College of Nursing and USA Health are leading the way in promoting well-being for nurses nationwide. University Hospital is one of four pilot sites for a well-being program developed by the American Nurses Foundation that helps nurses manage and recover from stress, with the goal of preventing burnout. 

The program's curriculum gives nurses a shared language to communicate their stress level using a color-coded system, and it removes the stigma associated with seeking help. Early survey results show the program works, with a 28% decrease in burnout reported among nurses enrolled after six months. This is incredible and much needed. You'll be hearing more about this program as it becomes a free resource to nurses everywhere.

Lastly, I want to thank all who have put in extra hours to navigate new federal policies and their potential impacts. The University of South Alabama’s R2 Carnegie designation puts us among just 14% of four-year, degree-granting institutions nationwide recognized for their extensive level of research. I’m incredibly proud of the work of our faculty and staff when it comes to the pursuit of the not yet known.

We will continue to support our faculty and staff in any way possible. A leader in those efforts will be Dr. Allen Parrish, who this month was named vice president of research and economic development. Dr. Parrish currently directs one of the University of Alabama’s signature research institutes and has served as interim vice president for research and economic development there. He begins at South on April 1.

I wish everyone a safe and happy Carnival. May you load up on Moon Pies and revel in Mobile’s Mardi Gras spirit.

Jo Bonner
President

January 17, 2025

Students, Faculty and Staff,

I like to tell future Jaguars that there is something for everyone at the University of South Alabama.

In academics, we have 10 colleges and schools, with more than 115 degree programs. We connect both undergraduate and graduate students with research opportunities. And outside the classroom, avenues for involvement and engagement are endless.

This week I stopped by Get on Board Day, the open house to link our students, particularly new ones, with our University organizations. There were groups for runners, lacrosse players, video game developers, even horror movie buffs. There were fraternities and sororities. For anyone looking for ways to give back or a group for worship and fellowship, there was no shortage of opportunities.

Table after table, I met students who found their place at South and were welcoming others to do the same.

As we finish the first week of spring semester — and by early next week, it definitely won’t feel like spring! — I’m thankful to our University community for warmly greeting new students and welcoming back returning ones, particularly those still in their first year. With everything from the Spring Social to hot cocoa get-togethers and a chance to go ice skating at Moulton Tower, Weeks of Welcome builds a sense of community to start the semester strong.

On Saturday, our men’s basketball team takes on instate rival Troy at the USA Mitchell Center, and events continue next week with a glow night at the Student Recreation Center, free professional headshots through the Office of Career Development and meetings with our academic advisors.

Of course, academic advisors are available always, not just at a semester’s beginning, to help guide Jaguars on the path to graduation. Recognizing the importance of the family support system to academic success, the University also is engaging with parents and other student advocates through a communication platform launched in the fall, and, for the first time, my letter to you will be posted through that portal. Hello to our parents, and thank you for entrusting us with the education and safety of your daughters and sons. As Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Andi Kent likes to remind our students, faculty, staff and alumni, there’s never been a better time to be a Jaguar and there is truly something special happening on our campus.

Through big and small ways, we’re taking action to ensure everyone feels welcome at South. It’s one reason why our enrollment grew for the second consecutive year, more than 350 first-year students had a perfect 4.0 GPA for fall semester and juniors are returning this spring at a rate of 5 percentage points over last year.

Clearly, there is much to be proud of at South, but nothing more important than the way we welcome new students into the Jaguar family. Last week, Dr. Kent and I met a transfer engineering student who came to us from Jacksonville State. He was parked near the Archaeology Museum but was looking for Shelby Hall. We were happy to take a selfie, give him our cell phone numbers and send him on his way.  After witnessing the example set by our students at Get on Board Day, I gave him a call yesterday to make sure that he had, in fact, found his way and that his University experience was going well.

At South, that’s just what we do.

Jo Bonner
President