Joseph Paul officially started his term as interim president at the University of Southern Mississippi on Monday, July 18. 

Surrounded by staff, Paul will be making the Aubrey K. Lucas Administration building his new home as the Mississippi Institution of Higher Learning finds a permanent president for the university.

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Paul served 40 years as a student affairs administrator at Southern Miss, Dean of Students for ten years and Vice President of Student Affairs for 21 years. He served these positions through five of the university’s presidencies.

Paul has worked part-time for the University Foundation as a fundraiser (2015-2016), Citizen Service Coordinator for the City of Hattiesburg (2017-2020), Executive Coach for the Horne Business Advisor Group (2016-2020) and as an executive coach and strategic advisor for the Blue Hen Consulting Agency since retiring from the university in 2015.

“I’ve got a long history with Southern Miss and a very deep affinity for it. So, I was honored and humbled to be asked to serve,” Paul said. “If there’s a need for this university and I can help us kind of energize the place and get some positive change, I’m happy to serve.”

Paul obtained his Ph.D. in administration of higher education from the University of Alabama and was named the university’s Most Outstanding Doctoral Student in the field in 1985. 

The native of Bay St. Louis earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and political science from USM in 1975, graduating magna cum laude from the University Honors College, and received a master’s degree in communication and management from Southern Miss in 1978.

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He was inducted into the University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Hall of Fame in 2000.

During his time as president, Paul said he wants to focus on student recruitment and re-inventing student campus life. 

He plans to go out into high schools, communities, and junior colleges around the state to increase the school’s reach and visibility.

“I’m going to be out sort of spreading the gospel. In general, Southern Miss has too much good news to be hidden under a rock,” Paul said.

Paul also says he will closely work with the athletics department in their transition into the Sun Belt Conference. 

“Even in this brief final chapter for me, I intend to leave Southern Miss better than I found it,” Paul said. “Southern Miss to the top!”