Last Saturday, Senator Cochran visited the Golden Eagles at the University of Southern Mississippi.  USM played Boise State at MM Roberts Stadium, also known as “The Rock.”  Cochran helped kick off the football game by performing the pre-game coin toss. View pictures of the game below.

Senator Cochran and University of Southern Mississippi’s President Dr. Martha Dunagin Saunders

Senator Cochran right before the USM v. Boise State pre-game coin toss

On Saturday afternoon, Senator Thad Cochran spoke at the launch of the University of Southern Mississippi’s commercialization and innovation park which was dubbed “The Garden.” “The Garden” will be the home of a 100,000-square-foot office and research building which will help move innovative research from the “mind to the marketplace.”  Cochran helped secure federal funds for the $30 million investment.
 
“This project would not have been possible without the help of our senior senator from Mississippi,” Southern Miss President Martha Saunders said.

Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree also spoke at the launch in which he described Senator Cochran as someone who loved Mississippi, Hattiesburg, and USM.  He went on to say that those type of people always “help us move to the top,” referring to Southern Miss’s well-known chant, “Southern Miss, to the top!”

View the pictures below from the event.

Senator Cochran delivers the keynote address.

Senator Cochran listens as Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree speaks to the USM crowd at the launch.

The crowd viewed an inspiring video that introduced the name and purpose of “The Garden.”