A Message from the Mac
The 50th anniversary celebration of the University of South Alabama National Alumni Association is in full swing. It’s been so much fun seeing so many of you at festivities the past several months, including our birthday kickoff party, the Distinguished Alumni and Service Awards gala, the Alumni Easter Egg Hunt and our Member Appreciation Block Party. Stay tuned for upcoming events as we continue to celebrate our 50th anniversary year. In this edition, we reflect on the history of the National Alumni Association, from our humble beginnings in 1974 to the dynamic organization we are today, and the impact we’ve made on our beloved University, our alumni, students and friends. Alumni continue to play an important role in the growth and success of our University by becoming more integrated in its life, leadership and governance.
Spring 2024
Pomp, Pancakes, and Pride
In this edition of South Magazine, we pay tribute to beloved traditions, other experiences that connect us and the yearly rhythms of living on the Gulf Coast.
Mobile Poet Laureate
As the first Mobile Poet Laureate, Dr. Charlotte Pence will have the opportunity to share poems and lead programs that enrich life and language in the Port City.
Going Strong for 46 Years
The Southerners are an ubiquitous presence at University functions and help out at events including for visiting dignitaries, Board of Trustees meetings and more.
Tell Us You’re a Jaguar Without Telling Us You’re a Jaguar
Traditions build community. Whether heartwarming or hilarious, an elaborate event or a simple hand gesture, they bring Jaguars together.
Sending Sentinels Into The Storm
While everyone else is fleeing an approaching storm this hurricane season, Dr. Bret Webb and University of South Alabama colleagues will be heading toward it.
South is 'Just Right' for Coach Major Applewhite
University of South Alabama Jaguars Head Football Coach Major Applewhite and his family have called Mobile home for the past three years.
19th Annual Distinguished Alumni and Service Awards
Alumni are continuously making a difference across the globe. The Distinguished Alumni and Service Awards celebrates the achievements of our remarkable alumni and friends.
It Starts with a Ride from the Airport
For more than 25 years Jim and Mary Mather have welcomed students from around the globe through the Friends of Internationals — sometimes right after their plane lands.
Celebrating the Past, Preparing for the Future
Founded in 1974, the University of South Alabama National Alumni Association is marking half a century of giving back to South and transforming students’ lives.
Messages of Hope and Healing
The Spiritual Health and Counseling Department, established in 2022, offers spiritual and emotional support to patients, their caregivers and employees. Today, the department includes four board-certified chaplains and a counselor.
Rites of Revelry
Each year, the Jaguar Marching Band appears in at least one Mardi Gras parade. As they step out in the 2024 Knights of Revelry parade, the band plays the Jags’ fight song, “South!,” “Jaguar Pride” and one of their signature tunes, Cameo’s “Word Up!”
Sand Dollars
In tourism, as in most things, trends come and go. The Alabama Gulf Coast doesn’t play that game. In 2023, travel-related spending in Mobile and Baldwin counties totaled $9.7 billion.
