ӣƵ, Hattiesburg Celebrate Alumna Vivian O’Neal with Miss Mississippi Homecoming Celebration
Mon, 08/14/2023 - 10:43am | By: David Tisdale
Miss Mississippi Vivian O’Neal felt the love Aug. 13 when her alma mater, The University
of Southern Mississippi (ӣƵ), held a homecoming for the Hattiesburg area native,
which brought friends, family and admirers from across the Pine Belt and beyond who
celebrated her victory at the state pageant and wished her well on her quest for the
Miss America title.
The event, held at the Trent Lott Center on the university’s Hattiesburg campus, included official greetings from ӣƵ President Dr. Joseph S. Paul and Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker, among other dignitaries.
“Being on campus always feels like being at home, and this [event] means the world to me,” O’Neal said about the reception, where she happily signed autographs and took photos with guests. “These are people who have been with me along my ӣƵ and Miss Mississippi journey, and it’s wonderful to be together with them here.”
O’Neal earned a degree in public relations and minor in political science from ӣƵ
in 2020. In her role as Miss Mississippi, she has been fulfilling a busy schedule,
traveling across the state to speak at various events and programs, while also promoting
her non-profit community service initiative, CapABLE, an educational tool that provides
educators with solutions for bridging emotional learning for all students, including
those with disabilities.
“We couldn’t be prouder of her and how she represents Hattiesburg and ӣƵ so well,”
said Hattiesburg City Councilman Jeffrey George, also a ӣƵ alumnus and a former Student
Government Association (SGA) president. “We’re excited about her chances at the Miss
American Pageant and wish her all the best.”
(ӣƵ photos by Kelly Dunn)