Mitchell College of Business at the University of South Alabama

09/04/2026

Tickets are on sale for the Gulf Coast Commercial Real Estate Forum, hosted by the Mitchell College of Business real estate program. Taking place Tuesday, October 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the MacQueen Alumni Center at the University of South Alabama.

Join commercial real estate professionals, developers, investors, and civic leaders to explore how the rapid growth of the "Boom Belt" is shaping the future of the Gulf Coast region.

This year's keynote session features Silicon Ranch Co-Founder and CEO Reagan Farr, who will address how clean energy initiatives, solar land developments, and agrivoltaics are meeting the region's expanding energy demands. Farr will share insights on how renewable energy investments drive corporate relocations, enhance land values, and power expanding industrial, manufacturing and commercial real estate projects across the South.

Secure your spot today to engage in this critical conversation on regional economic growth --> southalabama.edu/commercialforum

Continuing education credit is available!

09/03/2026

Hey everyone! My name is Tiara Smith.

This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at Rogers & Willard, Inc. in downtown Mobile. As a senior majoring in marketing management in the Mitchell College of Business, being able to obtain this level of hands-on experience was indispensable.

A few highlights from my time on the team:
💙 Project Coordination: Assisted with setting up jobs and organizing important project documents to help keep projects running smoothly.
💙 Vendor Communication: Communicated with vendors to request documents such as W-9 forms, business licenses and city licenses.
💙 Compliance & Organization: Helped organize and track compliance documents and verify certificates of insurance, strengthening my attention to detail and organizational skills.
💙 Technology: Gained hands-on experience using programs such as Procore and Citrix and learned how technology plays an important role in project coordination.

My biggest takeaway? A lot of the success of a construction project happens behind the scenes. Staying organized, communicating professionally, paying attention to detail and working well with a team are all essential to keeping projects moving forward.

I am incredibly grateful to everyone at Rogers & Willard Construction for giving me the opportunity to learn, grow and gain valuable real world experience this summer. I am excited to take what I have learned into my senior year and beyond!

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Success in business begins with opportunity and the Mitchell College’s undergraduate internship program is where bold careers start.

Whether it's funding a life-changing scholarship or opening doors to real-world experience, every milestone requires a partner who believes in what’s possible. When we invest in students like Tiara, potential becomes possibility.

Learn more about the University's capital campaign, Where Bold Begins, and make a gift today at SouthAlabama.edu/WhereBoldBegins

09/02/2026

The Mitchell College of Business has named Dr. Chris M. Lawrey, associate professor, as interim chair for the Department of Economics, Finance and Real Estate.

Lawrey joined the Mitchell College faculty in 2015 as an assistant professor with more than 20 years in higher education. In 2020, he became director of the Jaguar Investment Fund, the Mitchell College’s student-managed investment fund. Under his leadership, the fund has grown to manage more than $3.5 million, including a portion of the University’s endowment.

Lawrey received his Ph.D. in finance from the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. He earned a master of business administration and an undergraduate degree in business management from Arkansas State University.

“He has been an invaluable asset to the Mitchell College faculty due to his commitment to student success and academic innovation through the Jaguar Investment Fund,” said Dr. Michael Capella, dean of the Mitchell College. “I am confident that he will build on the strong foundation set by outgoing chair, Dr. Kenneth Hunsader.”

Hunsader served as department chair for 11 years. He will continue to support the Mitchell College as professor.

09/01/2026

The Mitchell College of Business is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025-2026 Faculty/Staff awards, honoring exceptional contributions in teaching, research and service. Congratulations!

🔹 FRANK R. URBANCIC FACULTY FELLOW AWARD🔹
Dr. Al Chow
Department of Marketing, Supply Chain Management & Analytics

🔹 PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR AWARD🔹
Dr. Tiffany DeRoy
Department of Accounting

🔹 EXCELLENCE IN SCHOLARSHIP & RESEARCH AWARD🔹
Dr. Joe Hair, Jr.
Department of Marketing, Supply Chain Management & Analytics

🔹 EXCELLENCE IN SCHOLARSHIP & RESEARCH AWARD🔹
Dr. Urvashi Jain
Department of Economics, Finance & Real Estate

🔹 EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD🔹
Dr. Jennifer C. Zoghby
Department of Management & Entrepreneurship

🔹OUTSTANDING STAFF AWARD🔹
Kim Graves
Office of Student Services

🔹OUTSTANDING STAFF AWARD🔹
Amy Fleet
Department of Marketing, Supply Chain Management & Analytics

08/28/2026

Real estate momentum is building at South!

The University of South Alabama recent USA by the Bay Speaker Series session featured Dr. Grayson Glaze, distinguished professor of real estate in the Mitchell College of Business. The evening's presentation highlighted the rapid momentum of South's real estate program, which launched as a full undergraduate major last fall and has seen student enrollment double in the last year.

Glaze also hosted an industry panel discussion, "Building Baldwin County: Balancing Real Estate, Growth and Community" exploring strategies for managing rapid regional expansion while preserving local character. A special thank you to Frank Lundy, County Engineer for Baldwin County and Chloe Kelly, Director of Entitlements – Single Family Residential Development for 68 Ventures for sharing their industry insights and answering audience questions.

To learn more about future USA By the Bay events, visit SouthAlabama.edu/SpeakerSeries.

08/27/2026

08/26/2026

The South Alabama National Alumni Association recently honored James "Jay" Hunt ‘05, MA ’09, MBA ‘16, as the recipient of the 2026 Andy and Carol Denny Excellence in Teaching Award.

A Senior Instructor of management in the Mitchell College of Business, Hunt brings over 35 years of industry experience into the classroom. Beyond his work in the classroom, Hunt is a dedicated social entrepreneur who advises two student organizations, passionately guiding Jaguars toward academic and professional achievement.

The Mitchell College is proud to celebrate his exceptional contributions to our academic community and the lasting impact he continues to make on the future leaders of business.

08/14/2026

Welcome back, Jaguars! The Mitchell College of Business is ready to kick off the academic year with our FREE Week of Welcome events.

🥪 Chick-fil-A Biscuits
Tuesday, August 18
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

🥤 Dirty Soda Bar
Wednesday, August 19
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM

☕ Coffee & Connections
Wednesday, August 26
8:45 AM – 10:45 AM

👕 SWAG Shop
Thursday, August 27
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Mark your calendars! We can’t wait to see you there 😀

08/13/2026

Mitchell College of Business student Baxter Turner has been named a nominee for the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, as announced by Allstate and the American Football Coaches Association.

The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and Allstate Wuerffel Trophy recognize college football student-athletes who distinguish themselves through community service, academic achievement and leadership on and off the field. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team is entering its 35th year of honoring student-athletes whose contributions extend beyond their performance on the football field.

In addition to being a long snapper for the South Alabama Jaguars, Turner is a Mitchell Scholar and Mitchell Ambassador.

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!

Read more --> https://usajaguars.com/news/2026/8/11/football-turner-named-nominee-for-allstate-afca-good-works-team-allstate-wuerffel-trophy.aspx

08/07/2026

❤️ 🏈 💙 🐆 Sponsorship opportunities are now open for the 2026 Mitchell College of Business football tailgates!

What’s in it for your company?

✅ On-campus recruiting: Table in the Mitchell College & speak directly to classes
✅ Game day experience: Join our tailgate 2 hours prior to kickoff with catered food & drinks, plus 10 game tickets & 1 parking pass
✅ Market your business: Share info at the tailgate and get logo placement on all promotional materials

Dates are booked on a first-come, first-served basis! All proceeds benefit the Mitchell College of Business.

👉 Fill out our info form: https://bit.ly/mcobtailgate26
📩 Questions? Reach out to Chandra Motley at [email protected]