The IDEAL Women recently held a week of excellence Soul Train 70s-themed costume party in the Union on USM’s Hattiesburg campus. Students had their selection of snacks and beverages as they donned 70s-era attire and danced to popular songs that once dominated the disco charts.
During the event, students did the “Soul Train” line and had contests for best dressed, best duo, and best dance.
Adijah Lenard, president of IDEAL Women, stressed the importance of activities like their 70s-themed costume party.
“This event brings everyone around campus no matter what color you are,” she said. “We just came to have fun, interact with people outside our organization and just to bring everyone together to have a little fun.”
IDEAL Women and Men of Excellence collaborated for a week with each other to create the Soul Train theme.
Both Makira Hale, event chair for IDEAL women, and Karlton Love, director of events for Men of Excellence, led the charge to establish the week of excellence.
“I think both of our organizations have a very long-standing great relationship with each other, so it was good,” Love said. “The purpose was to foster that relationship to put together a weeklong train of events. I think we did a great job doing that and just promoting community and service all together.”
Hale echoed similar sentiments.
“Our mission is lifting as we climb, so we were like as we climbed,” she said. “We will like to lift up our brothers as we excel in better things so that is the purpose of this week.”
Additional highlights of the week included:
On March 24th, both organizations went to a morning service, worship, and praise, at church at West Point.
On March 25th, both organizations were promoting their week and had an event from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. called “Let’s be Real” in the Thad Cochran Center in 214.
On March 26th, the “Off the Hook” Song Association was provided by both and shared a Profit Share at Topher’s.
On March 28th, their last day for the week, they had a dunking and pie a member from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and they had a kickball game from 5:30 until.

IDEAL serves as an acronym for Intelligent, Dignified, Elegant, Ambitious, Leaders. Affiliates of the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs organized on July 21, 1896. The NACWC is the oldest African American secular organization in existence today. Together they form a sisterhood that is empowering and challenging to becoming a better leader.
Lenard also stated that IDEAL women also take in members every fall.
Men of Excellence is a community service-based organization that works to better the image of all males here on campus, emphasizing educationally enriched programs and building a foundation of excellence. They serve the campus and community with pride and integrity while maintaining respect for themselves and others and excel in all endeavors we choose to undertake individually and collectively.
If you want to be a part of IDEAL Women or Men of Excellence or see events from them, follow their Instagram page @usm_idealwomen_nacwc and @usm_mox.