The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at the University of Southern Mississippi held its second annual Senior Sip and Send-Off on Monday, Dec. 2, at the Ogletree House, celebrating fraternity and sorority members set to graduate in December 2024 and May 2025.
The event, which began at 5:30 p.m., featured light appetizers and champagne, allowing seniors to mingle with fellow students, staff, and alumni from the fraternity and sorority life (FSL) community. University President Joe Paul also attended to honor the graduating seniors.
Jenna Myers, Leadership Development Graduate Assistant for the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, was involved in planning the event.
“It’s just a way for us to honor the graduating seniors,” Myers said. “I think it’s really important just to honor these seniors before they leave and remind them that they do always have a home at Southern Miss, a place to come back to that they are going to be valued as alumni as much as they were when they were students.”
The celebration provided seniors with a chance to reflect on their achievements and look ahead to their futures. Olivia Hawkins, a graduating nursing student, shared her thoughts on the experience.
“Senior Sip and Send-Off was a fun opportunity to gather with fellow seniors in the fraternity and sorority life community,” Hawkins said. “We were able to celebrate each other and the impact this community continues to make at Southern Miss.”
As the seniors prepare for graduation, they also reflected on the influence the university and the FSL community have had on them.
“As I graduate and begin taking the next steps in my life, I will always remember the genuine impact Southern Miss and the fraternity and sorority life community has made on me,” Hawkins added.
The university’s graduation ceremonies will take place on Dec. 13 at Reed Green Coliseum. The first ceremony, at 9 a.m., will honor graduates from the College of Business and Economic Development and the College of Education and Human Sciences. The second ceremony, scheduled for 2 p.m., will recognize graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
