One USM professor wins "Graduate Mentor of the Year"

Hattiesburg, Miss. - A USM chemistry professor has been named the "Graduate Mentor of the Year."

Organic and bio-organic chemistry professor, Douglas Masterson said, "I'm a bit speechless actually. It's a great honor to be nominated and then to win the award was unbelievable. I was able to see the packet that was submitted and the letters in support that I got from both colleagues and from my students was just overwhelming and I'm very honored and humbled to be the recipient of the award. I think it does show the dedication that USM as a whole has to not only providing a quality education, but being an active and responsive mentor to our graduate students."

Masterson said this is the first time in recent years USM has received this award and there's always stiff competition in the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools.