Dr. Beverly Dale Honored as College of Arts and Sciences Alumna of the Year
Tue, 08/19/2025 - 10:02am
Dr. Beverly Dale鈥檚 passion for lifelong learning is matched only by her enduring commitment to her alma mater, The University of 网曝吃瓜, where she has championed educational excellence and institutional advancement across disciplines for decades.
In recognition of her transformative contributions, Dale was honored as the College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Alumna of the Year in April during the college鈥檚 annual spring awards ceremony.
A 1968 Southern Miss graduate, Dale has supported a broad array of university initiatives, most notably the Dale Center for the Study of War and Society. Named in honor of her family and late father, Lt. Col. John H. Dale Sr.鈥攁 World War II and Korean War veteran and former Southern Miss ROTC leader鈥攖he center has become a nationally respected leader in its field thanks, in part, to her vision and support.
Her involvement at Southern Miss, however, reaches far beyond a single program. Dale鈥檚 legacy as an engaged alumna, advocate and philanthropist spans the full breadth of the university. She has served multiple terms on the 网曝吃瓜 Foundation Board of Directors (2004-10, 2012-15, 2021-24) and is currently serving a term that extends through 2027. She has also served on the Foundation鈥檚 Resource Development Committee since 2016 and played a vital leadership role on the Give Wing Campaign from 2017-24.
Southern Miss College of Arts and Sciences Dean Dr. Chris Winstead emphasized Dale鈥檚 dedication to the university.
鈥淏ev is as engaged as she is generous,鈥� said Winstead. 鈥淪he鈥檚 not only a major donor but also a dedicated partner, serving on boards, mentoring students, and championing initiatives that make Southern Miss a better place for both students and faculty.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e never met anyone quite like her,鈥� Winstead continued. 鈥淪he is truly one-of-a-kind. Her drive, leadership and support make her an indispensable part of the Southern Miss community.鈥�
Dale鈥檚 philanthropy at Southern Miss includes establishing and supporting numerous scholarships, endowments and academic initiatives. These include the Dale Center for the Study of War and Society Endowment; the Sharing Mississippi National Guard Stories Endowment; the Pat and Jean Welsh Dale Center Graduate Fellowship Endowment; and the Lt. Col. John H. Dale, Sr. Distinguished Lecture Series. In honor of her mother, she created the Margaret Boone Dale 鈥淲omen and War鈥� Support Endowment. Her advocacy also helped establish the Alvin J. Williams Endowed Professorship in Minority Entrepreneurship, the Maj. Gen. Buford "Buff" Blount Endowed Professorship in Military History, and the Julie and John Arender Hattiesburg High School Scholarship Endowment.
She credits her Southern Miss experience for setting the foundation of her life and career. 鈥淚 am perfectly thrilled to be giving back to a school, a city, and a state that prepared me for a fulfilling career and a full life,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want to help The University of 网曝吃瓜 continue to give that gift to others like me who chose this institution as their home for higher education.鈥�
As an undergraduate, Dale was active in numerous campus activities, particularly student government and her sorority, Delta Delta Delta. In 1968, she received the Sarah Ida Shaw Award, Tri Delta鈥檚 highest annual national honor for Outstanding Collegiate Member.
She later served as a member of the faculty in the Department of Microbiology from 1972-74. In 2010, she was inducted into the Southern Miss Alumni Hall of Fame.
Dale earned her Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas (Southwestern Medical School) in 1983. She enjoyed a distinguished career in biotechnology and diagnostics, culminating in her work at Roche Molecular Systems, where she played a critical role in developing and commercializing the first FDA-approved HIV viral load assay鈥攁 milestone in monitoring HIV treatment during the 1990s. She also served as a founding board member of Salix Pharmaceuticals, which grew into a publicly traded company valued at $15 billion.
Since retiring from the health care industry in 2005, Dale has continued to apply her leadership and energy to philanthropic efforts. She has served on the boards of San Francisco's ODC Dance and the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders in Austin, Texas. She currently serves on the boards of the Austin Film Society, the Ogden Museum for Southern Art in New Orleans, and the Science Mill Museum in Johnson City, Texas. She supports health care research through endowments at Vanderbilt University, the University of California at San Diego and the University of Virginia. She has also been actively involved with the Clinton Foundation and supports the Hillary Rodham Clinton Oral History Project at Georgetown University.
Dr. Andrew Wiest, founding director of the Dale Center and a distinguished professor of history at Southern Miss, reflected on the profound impact of her involvement.
鈥淚f there鈥檚 anyone in the world who bleeds black and gold, it is Beverly Dale,鈥� said Wiest. 鈥淪he works harder in retirement for Southern Miss than most do while working. She is a constant force at the Foundation鈥攁n unstoppable ball of energy pushing for the good of our university in every way.鈥�
鈥淭o the Dale Center faculty, Bev is our patron saint! Her generosity has helped us become one of the leading programs in the field, but her involvement goes far beyond that,鈥� he added, noting that she attends events, helps secure top speakers, joins them for study abroad programs, and even opens her home to the team.
鈥淪he鈥檚 an invaluable part of what we do at every level. And that鈥檚 beyond special.鈥�
Dale is a Life Member of the Southern Miss Alumni Association and holds distinction as a Gallery of Benefactors Bronze-level member of the Honor Club. She is also a member of the McCarty Legacy, Aubrey K. Lucas Society and Circle of Champions.
For Dr. Beverly Dale, service to Southern Miss isn鈥檛 just about giving back鈥攊t鈥檚 about staying connected to a place and purpose that shaped her life. And in doing so, she continues to shape the lives of generations to come.