Hattiesburg native Oseola McCarty made global news in 1995 when she designated USM as the beneficiary of her $150,000 trust. As a child, she began stashing money in her doll buggy after working beside her mother, grandmother, and aunt. She dreamed of becoming a nurse, but left school in the sixth grade to care for her ill aunt and never returned to the classroom. For 75 years, she took in laundry and ironing work until arthritis forced her to stop. Living frugally, she gave most of her life savings so students could get an education. In 1996, Stephanie Bullock and Carletta Barnes became the first beneficiaries of the Oseola McCarty Scholarship Endowment. By the 25th anniversary of her gift in 2020, $568,158 in scholarships had been awarded, helping 113 students from South Mississippi pursue their educations at USM. The Oseola McCarty Scholars Program honors her work ethic, generosity, and love of helping others.