Southern Miss alumni and friends may endow a scholarship for undergraduate or graduate students. Endowed scholarships provide a continued source of financial assistance for Southern Miss students and create a lasting legacy for the donor.

Naming Opportunities

Scholarship funds can be named
.    After the donor(s)
.    In honor/in memory of loved ones
.    In tribute to a special Southern Miss faculty member or student

Group/Corporate Endowments

Groups with a common Southern Miss bond often choose to create a scholarship in honor of their connection.

Graduating classes
Academic units
Regional alumni groups
Former students who share a common Southern Miss faculty mentor

Corporations with strong ties to the University and a desire to create a quality workforce often endow scholarships in their relevant academic discipline.

Funding Options

Endowed gifts can be given as a single gift, a series of gifts over the donor’s lifetime or a combination of lifetime and deferred gifts. An endowment must reach $10,000 within five years to become endowed.

Scholarships will be awarded once the corpus reaches the minimum required funding level of $10,000 and after the funds have been invested for a required amount of time. Because the principal of the endowment is never spent, such a gift represents an enduring tribute to the person honored by the fund.

Possible criteria for selection
.    Academic achievement
.    Financial need
.    Leadership capabilities or student involvement
.    Field of study
.    Hometown

Recipients are chosen by scholarship committees at Southern Miss depending on the donor’s preferred restrictions.