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Blankenship finding success at USM
In her first semester as the Golden Eagles' mascot, Blankenship has taken over as head mascot and just received an award for having the highest G.P.A. among cheerleaders and mascots, bringing in a perfect 4.0. "It hasn't been easy, "Lacey Blankenship said of her first semester at USM. What has it been like being the first female "Seymour"? "At first people were not to happy that a female was going to be "Seymour." They were like, 'You are "Seymour"?'. You can say they kind of gave me a hard time because it was sort of like breaking a tradition. I have had to prove myself. It took a lot of hard work. But it has been worth it," she said.
"He is a really good guy. He is interested in everything here and not just football. He is everywhere. We never see (former coach Jeff) Bower. Our spring game is coming up April 12 and coach Fedora has scheduled it at night for the first time in school history. Things are very exciting right now at Southern Miss." While being a mascot for a high school or college is not the easiest job for anyone, it is especially difficult for a female. "There are not a lot of females doing what I do. I'm just a little girl from a small town that has seen her dream come true," Blankenship said. She has some advice to share with people from her hometown who may wish to someday be where she is. "Get involved in high school. Don't worry about what people think because college is a different experience," she said. Blankenship talked about what her favorite part of being "Seymour" has been, "It is standing in the Rock (USM Stadium) and leading the fans in a cheer. It is unbelievable. "This has been a great experience. I have got to meet so many people. I take this as a blessing rather than a job." "Seymour" was ranked 10th in the nation after the UCA National Cheerleader Competition held in Orlando, Fla. during January. Seymour participates in many on-campus and community service events. Such events include radio promotions, Big Brother/Big Sister events and many more. The Mascot Corp consists of three members who are compensated through scholarships ranging from $600 to $1,000 per year.
For more information on Seymour visit http://southernm iss.cstv.com/cheer- dance/mascot.html
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