Southern Miss alumna, Tanya Field Mearse, learned early in her teaching career the reward of seeing the influence teachers have on the developing minds of children. In an effort to continue to impact future teachers and their students, Tanya and her husband Bill established the Tanya Field and William Eldon Mearse Elementary Education Scholarship Endowment with an initial gift of $25,000.

“We are delighted by the generosity of Tanya and Bill Mearse and their commitment to further enhancing the education of students at Southern Miss,” said Dr. David Wolf, vice president for Advancement.

Tanya transferred to Southern Miss from her home state of Louisiana as a sophomore elementary education major in 1976. During her time at Southern Miss, she was an active member of Chi Omega. After earning her bachelor of science degree in 1979, Tanya accepted a teaching position at an elementary school in Houston, Texas. During the 12 years that followed, she taught in both public and private schools in first through fourth grades.

“The most rewarding part of teaching is seeing the day-to-day growth in a child’s life and forming a bond with a child in their academic growth as well as their social maturity,” said Tanya. “They blossom into a new person from August to May.”

Tanya credits her education at Southern Miss for preparing her for the experience of being a teacher. She believes the best teaching methods of her professors were those that allowed students to put into practice the skills being taught in the classroom by interacting on a personal level with real elementary students. “There is only a certain amount of knowledge to be gained from books. It takes the actual ‘doing’ to gain real knowledge,” said Tanya.

While Tanya no longer teaches school, she still applies her experience as she interacts with children in different activities in the Houston area. As a member of the Yellowstone Academy Guild, Tanya helps to support an inner-city, faith-based school for children of low-income families by volunteering her time and resources to the school. Tanya has also taught Bible study at Second Baptist Church and participated in fundraising for the Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation.

“I enjoy seeing my previous students who have continued their development to become successful, not only in school but also in their adult lives,” said Tanya. “I believe my education at Southern Miss prepared me for the influential role of a teacher.”

Tanya’s husband, Bill, mentors young people on a daily basis at Accenture, where he serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Resources Worldwide. Tanya says that he enjoys watching them enter into the real world of business and begin to grow as the future leaders of tomorrow.

Although Tanya and Bill Mearse do not have any children of their own, they are able to aid in the education of children through their scholarship endowment. “We are still committed to investing in the lives of young people,” said Tanya. “The potential of benefitting multiple generations represents a great long-term investment.”

To make a gift to the Tanya Field and William Eldon Mearse Elementary Education Scholarship Endowment, contact Leigh Todd, development officer for the College of Education and Psychology, at 601.266.5501 or Leigh.Todd@usm.edu. For more information on how you can make an impact in the lives of students at Southern Miss, contact the USM Foundation at 601.266.5602.