The Pierce Legacy Scholars Program

Attention Alumni Association members with children or grandchildren graduating high school: The Pierce Legacy Scholars Program is available for eligible high school seniors. The award is a one-time $1,000 scholarship given to the children or grandchildren of Southern Miss graduates. To be eligible, candidates must enroll full-time for the upcoming fall semester. At least one parent or grandparent of the candidate must hold a degree from the University and be an active member of the Alumni Association for the immediate past 10 years or be a Life Member. Applications can be obtained at the Ogletree Alumni House, the USM Foundation, or through the University Admissions Office and must be submitted to the Alumni Association office by March 15. The scholarship will be awarded based on academic performance, extracurricular activities, and community involvement. The scholarship endowment has continuously grown thanks to support from the Shell Finish Line Homecoming Scholarship Golf Tournament held each year at Homecoming in conjunction with other Alumni Association events.

For more information about the Pierce Legacy Scholarship, call the Southern Miss Alumni Association at 601.266.5013.

Eligibility

A student is eligible for the Pierce Legacy Scholarship if he or she meets the following criteria:

The applicant must be eligible for admission to Southern Miss as a freshman and must enroll at the university for the upcoming fall semester at either the Hattiesburg or Gulf Park campuses. Applications will only be considered for students entering Southern Miss as freshmen.

The applicant shall be considered by the Alumni Association Scholarship Committee based on academic performance, leadership, extracurricular activities, and community involvement. There are no restrictions based on sex, race, nationality, physical disability, veteran status or sexual orientation.

At least one parent or grandparent of the applicant must hold a degree from Southern Miss and have been an active member of The University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Association for the past 10 consecutive years or as a Life Member.

The applicant must enroll full-time.

Selection Criteria

Applications must be submitted to the Alumni Association office by March 15 for the upcoming fall semester.

Applications must include an official high school transcript and a photocopy of an entrance exam score (ACT or SAT).

Students selected for scholarships will be notified by mail by April 30. Students will be asked to confirm their acceptance of the award in writing to the Alumni Association office by May 15.

Recipients of the award shall not forfeit other scholarships, grants, or awards to which they are entitled. However, if a recipient applies for financial aid, the amount of the award may be used in calculating the total amount of aid for which the student is eligible.

Standard financial policies prescribed by the University will also be followed.

Click here to view application