Former USM Student Climbs Ladder of Foreign Service to U.S. Ambassador

Thu, 09/01/2022 - 11:17am | By: Van Arnold

Timmy T. Davis found himself a long way from home when he took a chance on enrolling at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) in 1988. Upon graduation from Lejeune High School on Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base in North Carolina, Davis followed his father’s advice and set a course for the USM campus in Hattiesburg, Miss.

At USM, Davis found his footing in the camaraderie of club soccer while pursuing a degree in international relations. As a United States marine, Davis found a brotherhood devoted to preserving this country’s freedoms. Today, Davis finds himself in the esteemed position of United States Ambassador to Qatar – a role he never envisioned as a young college student.

“I couldn’t have fathomed becoming an ambassador,” said Davis. “I was very happy as a Marine. “I read about the State Department after returning to the U.S. following a deployment just after 9/11. I decided to take the Foreign Service written exam and just give it a shot.”

Davis aced that test and was invited to take the oral assessment portion of the exam. He passed that as well and became a U.S. diplomat.

“Even then, I didn’t dream that I could become an ambassador,” he said. “I think I was prepared well by my experiences – being a Marine, for sure, but also at USM, where I learned who I was and grew into the kind of adult that welcomed challenges.”

Timmy Davis, his wife, Patti, and son, Parker, meet with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office.

Following high school graduation, Davis had no concrete collegiate plans. That is, until his father, Carlie Davis, recommended a visit to USM. Carlie Davis and Timmy’s mother, Eddie Davis, are both natives of Simpson County, Miss., just 45 minutes north of Hattiesburg.

“I wasn’t quite sure what to do about school, but my dad had known USM and suggested it would be a great place for me,” said Davis. “He was right. It was the perfect size. I wasn’t just a number or another account.”

Davis explains that he had been offered soccer scholarships to other schools out of high school but chose USM, where the club team operated just like a varsity squad.

“I loved my courses at USM – primarily international relations. The professors were smart and innovative,” said Davis. “I loved playing soccer. We represented the University at tournaments in Mexico and the United Kingdom. Thursday nights were pretty great, whether on fraternity row or on Hardy Street. It was a really fun place to go to school.”

Davis spent three-plus years at USM before the lure of military service proved too strong. His father is a retired U.S. Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant. Davis' younger sister, brother-in-law, and two of his uncles are all U.S. Marines.

“I was getting restless and knew I wanted to be a Marine. I thought it was time to pursue that,” he said.

Davis served in the U.S. States Marine Corps for nearly a decade, including operations in the Horn of Africa and Iraq, before joining the Foreign Service. Davis, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Counselor, has had an extensive career as a diplomat and official with the State Department. He most recently served as the Executive Assistant to U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.

Davis, who speaks Spanish and Arabic fluently, lives in the Washington D.C. area with his wife, Patti Davis, and their 13-year-old son Parker.

Davis credits much of his professional success to his time at USM, and particularly to an advisor and mentor he came to respect immensely. When Davis learned that Dr. Joe Paul had been named interim president at USM in July, he could hardly contain his enthusiasm.

Before becoming vice president for student affairs in February 1993, Paul held a variety of positions on campus, including assistant director of student activities, assistant vice president and dean of student development. He retired in 2015 before returning to his alma mater to serve as president.

Davis explains that as a kid from the East Coast, he had never spent much time in the deep south. While Davis’ parents stressed the importance of getting a good education, they also believed in allowing him to find his own direction.

“Dr. Paul was the epitome of in loco parentis (a Latin phrase meaning “in place of the parent”). He was always available when I didn’t quite know where, or even which way, to go,” said Davis. “He gave great advice about everything from what class to take to how to find work study.”

Davis shares a poignant story about learning that his financial aid had not come through at the beginning of one semester.

“Dr. Paul had built a relationship with me and knew I was a good kid,” said Davis. “He told me, ‘Tim, go to class.’ I think the financial aid arrived the third day after the semester started. But for Dr. Paul, treating me like a human being and a young person who needed someone to look out for him was more important than worrying about financial aid issues. I have never forgotten.”

For Paul, Davis’ professional success exemplifies a spirit of commitment and drive to excel often seen in USM students.

“The University of Southern Mississippi is incredibly proud of Ambassador Davis and his professional accomplishments, which are exceptional by any standard or measure,” Paul said. “Timmy’s Southern Miss story is unique, but it shares similarities with many emerging adults who come to our university from seemingly ordinary backgrounds who through their experiences at Southern Miss go on to do extraordinary things.”

Timmy Davis introduces his parents to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

In Davis’ opinion, the University could not be in better hands going forward during this time of transition.

“It’s wonderful when a university is led by a smart, dedicated educator. And I’ve seen it work when someone simply has a passion for a university. Dr. Paul is both,” said Davis. “His love of USM is only matched by his love of its student and alumni. No school in the nation will be led with more care or sense of purpose than USM under Joe Paul.  

Although his career has taken him to places like Guatemala, Iraq, Australia, Colombia, and Qatar – to name just a few – a significant piece of Davis’ heart will always belong in Hattiesburg, where a teenage boy found his path to manhood.

The United States Ambassador to Qatar undoubtedly would have no reservations serving as an ambassador for USM as well.