Mia Hyman, a senior marketing major and Southern Arkansas University’s 2015 “100 Years of Homecoming” Queen, said she has enjoyed being an inspiration to other students and feels “bittersweet” about graduating in May.
Her success is indicative of the enthusiasm that drives many SAU students. Originally from Gulfport, Miss., Hyman serves as president of the Student Activities Board; president of the Student Government Association, and president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Describing herself as a “determined and hard-working leader” who has sought leadership positions that challenge her to be her best and make an impact, Hyman also serves as vice-president of the Iota Zeta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha; vice-president of the Ladies’ Club and is a member of the Business Student Advisory Council. She is also former editor of The Bray Online. She strives to better herself “by facing new challenges” and “encouraging my peers to be the change they want to see.”
“Nothing gets accomplished in your comfort zone,” Hyman said. “You have to go out and take action first. All it takes is 10 seconds of courage – take 10 seconds to step outside your comfort zone, and things get done.”
Her story begins in Gulfport, where she lived until after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005.
“I was there throughout the hurricane,” Hyman said. “I can remember being at my aunt’s house…and looking outside and seeing things flying. It was a little scary, but it was like, ‘wow.’ The scariest part, for me, was hearing all the shingles flying around, hitting the house.”
Her father, Millard, was stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville, Ark. After Katrina, Mia and her twin sister, Mya, left Gulfport to live with him. (Mya attends the University of Central Arkansas.)
“We were going to move forward (with) a new life,” she said. “I was in about the fifth grade when we moved to the airbase. Then, after a year, we moved to Little Rock. We attended Horace Mann Arts and Science Magnet Middle School and then Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School.”
She made the transition to Arkansas fairly easily. “I never had trouble making friends. The base was like a gated community; we made friends and could explore without having to be too cautious.”
Arkansas introduced her to a different culture. “It was very different than we were used to. Seeing snow for the first time was very interesting…I loved sledding in winter, customizing my snowman. I appreciate the opportunities I’ve had in Arkansas.”
Student Council was her “favorite thing” in high school, a passion she later transferred to SAU. “Going to retreats, meeting kids from across the state and country – that was so much fun. I know a lot of students (at SAU) from Student Council.”
“I’ve always loved serving others,” she said. “I dabbled in sports, I cheered my freshman year and in my senior year, I was on the bowling team. What better way to get out of the house?”
She studied visual arts in the magnet schools she attended and developed a love of photography. “It was great practice for college,” she said of high school. “When I came to college, it was not a big change. I was well-prepared.”
Hyman chose SAU because of her initial major, communication design. “I liked the fact SAU wasn’t like any other university. A lot of my friends were going to Fayetteville or Jonesboro, but I didn’t want High School, Part Two.”
She said she loves living in Magnolia. “It’s quiet and peaceful, so you don’t have to worry about much. You can create your own things to do.”
Hyman said she changed her major to marketing, which she’s glad to have done. “I love marketing,” she said. “The (Rankin College of Business) has been so welcoming to me. I appreciate that I can go talk to the dean, Dr. (Lisa) Toms, and she knows who I am. You can’t do that at many colleges. The faculty and staff really care, and I’ve got such a great support system. I can understand why SAU and the College of Business produce so many fantastic students.”
She said she is now thinking about a career as an event coordinator. “It’s what I did throughout middle and high school, and it’s my passion. That’s part of what I love so much about the Student Activities Board – an organization that focuses on just that. It’s my heaven. It’s stressful, but at the same time, it’s so different, so unpredictable.”
Making friends, networking, joining organizations and making great memories are all integral to the college experience, she said.
“It’s an experience you are supposed to get now,” she said. “Some people don’t get involved in anything. They don’t leave their dorm room. Then when they graduate, they wonder why it is so hard to get a job. You have to take advantage of the resources a university has to offer. If you don’t do that, you have only yourself to blame.”
Working for The Bray for two years helped her get outside her comfort zone and network with faculty, staff and students. “It was stressful at times,” she said of serving as editor, “but you have to want your job, because there’s always somebody else who wants it, even if you’re just frying fries.”
She also enjoyed working as a Bray photographer, though her passion has shifted to marketing. “I loved meeting people and going to all the different events,” she said.
As 2015 Homecoming Queen, Hyman said has tried to present herself as the best SAU can offer. “It feels good,” she said of being queen, “but it was a nervous process. Going out for it, getting nominated, that was all great, but I still had a long way to go. I knew I could mess up, I could bomb. I kept praying, doing the best I could, giving 110 percent.”
She said she also felt she was “doing something for African-Americans on campus. I wanted to show that no matter who you are, if you work hard enough, this is what you can do. White, black, international – you gotta lay it on the line and be real.”
What would she say to this year’s candidates? “Don’t be afraid to get out there and talk to people – it’s never too late to sway a vote. And to the King and Queen, I hope they will make appearances, serve students and the school, and make a difference. You are the epitome of the SAU student, and that is an honorable thing. Thank them by showing them you’re going to wear the crown with pride. Show them it’s not something you’re just going to put on a shelf and on your resume. I want to see you around!”
This year’s presentation of the Homecoming Court and the crowning of the King and Queen will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday before the Mulerider football game at Wilkins Stadium. Hyman will be on hand with last year’s King, Jacob Johnson, to congratulate this year’s royalty.
To see the full list of activities for the “101 Years of Homecoming,” visit www.SAUmag.edu
