Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Centennial Exhibit for Southern Miss

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of visiting the Centennial Exhibit that Southern Miss has provided for our viewing pleasure.  It is located in the Cook Library on the first floor next to Starbucks.  I appreciated this set up for the sheer fact that I appreciate history and knowing where we come from.  The most history of the University that I have learned is from the Fountain Sit during Homecoming Week.  I was intrigued to find out that the school has changed its name several times.  My favorite is The Mississippi Normal College.  As I witness the building of a new parking garage and the new dorms in Century Park, I wonder how the other buildings on campus came about and when.  One of my fraternity brothers actually designed the additions to the Rock, thus sparking my curiosity even more.


Walking through the exhibit, I noticed many items of interest as well as photographs.  Old memorabilia from past clubs, organizations, and even football games is displayed.  Uniforms from the The Pride are tattered but still represent a rich history on which we were founded.  The photographs were some of my favorite.  They not only showed panorama photos of the University as a whole as well as of the Dixie Darlings and the Golden Eagle football teams. My favorite part was the giant bell at the back of the room.  This was the trophy for The Battle of the Bell.  This was an annual football game played between us and Memphis.  For more information on the exhibit, go to Centennial Exhibit Homepage.

Future Plans, Where Will They Lead?

After graduation in two and a half years, I have to make a decision as to what career I want to pursue.  While I have an idea in my head, I am not quite sure until it gets here.  I am considering a career in law, but have not chosen a specific field in which to study.  The political science program at Southern Miss has a very productive and successful course of study.  The website of the political science department is http://www.usm.edu/polisci/.  Even in the early Freshman level Political Science classes, a thorough education is being provided of the law and what it contains.  I know that when I arrive at the law school of my choice, I will enter it with a confident knowledge of what lies ahead.  After the LSAT, I plan on attending a Mississippi law school.

 Above is the Mississippi College logo; Mississippi College is located in Clinton, Mississippi about fifteen minutes from the capitol city of Jackson.  Growing up in Jackson, I always kept MC as an option of my collegiate experience.  My father also has attended and graduated from MC, thus giving me more incentive to attend.  They have a revered curriculum that is well respected by lawyers in the State.  I am looking forward obtaining my law degree from aforementioned college in later years.

Tailgaitng, Football Games, & Band Parties

Fall is a wonderful time of year for all who are joining the collegiate ranks.  We experience new beginnings, new faces, new friendships, and even new adventures.  The most fun of these events is during football season.  We began to tailgate in the afternoon before the game.  Above is a picture of us tail gating at the District before a game.  We cook out and socialize with everyone in the District.  After the festivities are over with there, we move to the football game.  The student section provides us with a new, fresh sense of school pride.  The games are exciting and intense, and they somehow reignite the good Southern love of college footballs every weekend.  In order to buy your tickets, go to USM Ticket Office Website.

Joining a fraternity has its advantages.  After the game, we return to our house and get ready for a party.  After a win, we celebrate; after a loss, our celebration is a bit glum.  We either have a DJ or a band come to play music for us.  Guests, pledges, and actives alike socialize and wind down from our week.  These are always good times amongst ourselves.

Cystic Fibrosis Sports Challenge

As a fraternity, great things are expected other than partying all of the time.  Every Greek organization has a set philanthropy that is completed every year.  The money raised is given to the charity of that organization's choice.  The Zeta Chi chapter of Delta Tau Delta has chosen Cystic Fibrosis as our major philanthropy.  We hold a Cystic Fibrosis Sports Challenge every Spring semester with the assistance of a sorority on Southern's campus.  We chose this particular disease and organization because of our first chapter President.  He is currently the third oldest living American with this disease.  He is very important to us, and he has served as our chapter adviser. This is a picture of he and I. His name is Stephen Richards.
On the day of our philanthropy, we all gather at the Payne Center early in the morning.  We participate in the Great Strides for Cystic Fibrosis.  The link to that website is http://www.cff.org/index.cfm.  We then hold a sports challenge inside the gymnasium.  Sororities, fraternities, sheriff departments, fire departments, and the community join us for various sports challenges.  We score basketball, volleyball, and even dodge ball.  At the end, our celebrity guest announces the winner, and we hand out trophies.  All in all, we raise anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000.  We are very proud and glad to give back.