The following is a press release from William Carey University:

On Nov. 17, William Carey University held a dedication ceremony for its newest addition to campus – a 600-pound bronze statue of the “Father of Modern Missions” and the institution’s namesake, William Carey. The seven foot statue, created by sculptor Ben Watts of Columbia, is titled “Carey Turns to the World.”

Students and teachers representing 16 high schools from the southern region of the state will converge on The University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg campus Dec. 2-3 for the South Mississippi High School Drama Festival.

The participants will perform plays ranging from Luigi Pirandello’s “Six Characters in Search of an Author,” a play that presents Pirandello's views about the isolation of the individual from society and from himself, to “Be Careful What You Ask For,” a romantic comedy of wishes gone amiss.

Donated books will brighten a child’s day as the Friends of University Libraries at The University of Southern Mississippi launches its first “Give a Child a New Book Day.” Assisting with the campaign are Deanna Favre, 2011 Honorary Chair, and Rev. Tommy Conway, 2011 Honorary Co-Chair, president of the Friends of University Libraries and pastor at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Hattiesburg.