Sincerely, South

Join Dr. Joe Gaston and Dr. Caitlyn Hauff as they discuss student athlete mental wellness with Clinical and Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student Kellen Hill. Informed by his own experience in athletics, Hill has been instrumental in providing mental wellness support for college athletes. Hear how the CHAMPS (Champions of Healthy Athletes for Mental Performance Strategies) initiative is removing the stigma associated with mental w...

Dr. John Hoyle is the president of the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science, the state’s only fully public and residential high school for sophomores, juniors and seniors seeking advanced studies in math, science, computer science and the humanities. Tuition, room, and board are free. Hoyle says ASMS provides a "turbocharged STEM pipeline for the state." ASMS offers college-level academic and research experiences and...

Meet Livie Puranen, a current student pursuing a bachelor's degree in recreational therapy at the University of South Alabama College of Education and Professional Studies. Recreational therapy, also known as therapeutic recreation, is a systematic process that utilizes recreation and other activity-based interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions, as a means to psycho...

Dr. Shenghua Zha, an assistant professor of instructional design and development at the University of South Alabama, discusses her National Science Foundation grant "Preparing Elementary Pre-service Teachers to Integrate Computing across the Curriculum." This project is a collaboration between Zha and colleagues from the College of Engineering and College of Education and Professional Studies. The assumptions driving this gran...

Deric Scott is a teacher, head football coach and athletic director at Foley High School. During this episode, Scott joins Dr. Benterah Morton, who served as Scott's faculty mentor during his time in the College of Education and Professional Studies educational leadership master's degree program. The two talk with Dr. Joe Gaston, host of the 'Sincerely, South' podcast, to discuss Scott's professional journey. Scott's coac...

Dr. Lauren Brannan, assistant professor of reading education, was awarded an internal research grant from the University of South Alabama College of Education and Professional Studies for a project titled “Reading Education in the Era of Literacy Legislation.” A team of faculty supporting the grant includes Dr. Hannah Szatkowski, assistant professor of reading education and co-principal investigator. They recently collected data an...

Many young adults attend college to prepare for a future career. It's no different for students with intellectual disabilities. Dr. Abigail Baxter, professor of special education at the University of South Alabama and principal investigator of the PASSAGE USA grant, and Dr. Linda Reeves, associate professor of special education and co-principal investigator, make this dream of attending college a reality.

PASSAGE USA (Prep...

Mobile is a tourist destination, and travel is back. During this episode, listeners can learn about the hospitality and tourism industry in Mobile. David Clark, president and CEO of Visit Mobile, serves as president of the University of South Alabama Hospitality and Tourism Management Advisory Board Executive Committee. He has more than 30 years of experience in the industry. Clark says that South’s prominent location along the Gul...

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, funded by the National Science Foundation in the College of Education and Professional Studies, responds to the critical need for K-12 teachers of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, by encouraging talented students and professionals to pursue science and mathematics teaching careers in high need schools. Dr. André Green, associate vice president for academic aff...

Maati Ta-Neter, who earned a master's degree in education from South, is currently an 8th grade world history teacher at Denton Magnet School of Technology in Mobile. She is teaching a new elective course in African American History. The course is in it's pilot year, and Ta-Neter designed the curriculum in a way that students can examine the history and impact of African Americans and their contributions in terms of economics, cult...

Dr. Caitlyn Hauff, assistant professor of health promotion in the College of Education and Professional Studies, is passionate about mental health issues and athletes. Personally, she has been involved in sports since she was a toddler. Her dad was a collegiate tennis player, and Hauff was a multi-sport athlete growing up, participating in tennis, basketball, volleyball and softball most of her life. It was in college that Hauff re...

This episode features Demetrius Smith, an adjunct professor of psychology and interdisciplinary studies at the University of South Alabama, and Tim Wills, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama. Smith founded a mental health agency and a nonprofit with a focus in providing services for Black and impoverished communities. Smith, who grew up in the Maysville area in Mobile, discusses his journey and how he got to where he is ...

Terrance DeShaun Smith's path to the City of Mobile's Innovation Team started at the University of South Alabama. He grew up in a housing project in Prichard, Ala., and always had big dreams. Smith earned a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies and master's degree in instructional design and development, both fully online programs at South. He was promoted to the director of Strategic Initiatives and serves as a liaison fo...

If you’re an adult learner at the University of South Alabama, then you have something in common with Bob Charlebois. His nontraditional career includes time as a restaurant manager, video producer and whitewater rafting guide. He’s been a transfer student and an adult student. Now he’s director for the Office of Adult Learner Services. His last name is pronounced “shar-luh-bwah,” but most people call him Bob. His job is to make it...

In this very first episode of the "Sincerely, South" podcast, Rachel Broadhead and Chasity Collier, director and assistant director of the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative at the University of South Alabama, share their educational journeys along with information about AMSTI-USA. Co-hosts for this episode include Dr. Joe Gaston, assistant professor of educational media and technology, and Dr. Susan Ferguson, associat...