2008 Woodie Awards
Southern Miss makes Hattiesburg top ten town
Laura Messer
Issue date: 8/28/07 Section: Features
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Myra Rachal, 59, a special education teacher at Hattiesburg High School, has known for 27 years what readers of Kiplinger Personal Finance learned in May: the University of Southern Mississippi makes Hattiesburg a better place to live.
Kiplinger, directed at people over 40, placed Hattiesburg in its Top Ten Towns for Grownups in a May 2007 article. The main attribute for its culture is USM.
The article explained the benefits of USM to Hattiesburg. "Arts and culture for retirees here all take place on campus," said the May 2007 article.
Rachal said that USM offers culture with "fine arts, symphonies, drama, sports, which are huge, and lecture series." She said that those events have made Hattiesburg grow, and that Hattiesburg has a lot to offer those over the age of 40.
However, Rachal feels that the growth "hasn't been monitored very well." She does not plan on staying in Hattiesburg after she retires.
"I want to move somewhere with more concern for the environment- somewhere more attractive and greener. They don't care much about the environment here," she said.
She and her friends like to go to Hattiesburg's Downtown Art Walks, restaurants and the plays at the university. She likes to experience the enhancement in downtown due to the spread of culture from USM.
"I think Hattiesburg used to be undesirable for most ages because there wasn't much to do. It wasn't like a normal college town, but I think that that's changing," she said.
Kiplinger noted, "The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (at USM) offers many of the privileges that students receive, such as membership in a credit union, access to health services, library cards and discounts for arts events."
Rachal said OLLI, which is directed to retired people, does everything for its members and gives them numerous benefits, which is very beneficial to retired citizens in the area.
The University's role in the Hattiesburg community is also respected by many citizens of Hattiesburg.
Kiplinger, directed at people over 40, placed Hattiesburg in its Top Ten Towns for Grownups in a May 2007 article. The main attribute for its culture is USM.
The article explained the benefits of USM to Hattiesburg. "Arts and culture for retirees here all take place on campus," said the May 2007 article.
Rachal said that USM offers culture with "fine arts, symphonies, drama, sports, which are huge, and lecture series." She said that those events have made Hattiesburg grow, and that Hattiesburg has a lot to offer those over the age of 40.
However, Rachal feels that the growth "hasn't been monitored very well." She does not plan on staying in Hattiesburg after she retires.
"I want to move somewhere with more concern for the environment- somewhere more attractive and greener. They don't care much about the environment here," she said.
She and her friends like to go to Hattiesburg's Downtown Art Walks, restaurants and the plays at the university. She likes to experience the enhancement in downtown due to the spread of culture from USM.
"I think Hattiesburg used to be undesirable for most ages because there wasn't much to do. It wasn't like a normal college town, but I think that that's changing," she said.
Kiplinger noted, "The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (at USM) offers many of the privileges that students receive, such as membership in a credit union, access to health services, library cards and discounts for arts events."
Rachal said OLLI, which is directed to retired people, does everything for its members and gives them numerous benefits, which is very beneficial to retired citizens in the area.
The University's role in the Hattiesburg community is also respected by many citizens of Hattiesburg.
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