ALUMNUS Winter 2016 - Mississippi State University

Notes from the North Pole

Santa teaches Bulldogs about service with a smile p. 04

I N S I D E Winter 2016

Build a bear population p. 09 | All in a day’s work p. 22 | One for fun p. 29 | Gridiron Dawgs form circle of mentorship p. 40

Table of CONTENTS

29 FEATURES

16 Media and the Mind

Americans encounter millions of messages every day, but do they have an effect on the thoughts, beliefs and actions of those who consume them? Mississippi State researchers investigate if, in a word, you are what you eat.

22 All in a Day’s Work

The reigning Bully is more than a cute addition to the sideline. He’s the busiest bulldog in the South.

29 One for Fun

Mississippi State’s First-Year Experience program allows students to explore interests, both new and old, to find their footing with university life.

ABOVE: Led by associate Extension professor John Guyton, students in the First-Year Experience class Insect Pets and Pests: Satisfy Your Curiosities and Conquer Your Fears learn the ins-and-outs of beekeeping, including using smoke to keep the bees docile during hive inspections.

Photo by Megan Bean

WINTER 2016 | VOL. 93 | NO. 3

PRESIDENT

Mark E. Keenum, ’83, ’84, ’88

VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI John P. Rush, ’94, ’02

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jeff Davis

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CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Sid Salter, ’88

EDITORS

Harriet Laird Susan Lassetter, ’07

WRITERS

Vanessa Beeson Amy Cagle James Carskadon, ’12 Susan Lassetter, ’07 Addie Mayfield Amanda Meeler, ’15 Sasha Steinberg, ’14

34

DESIGNERS

Eric Abbott, ’07 Heather Rowe

PHOTOGRAPHERS Megan Bean Russ Houston, ’85 Kelly Price Beth Wynn

EDITORIAL OFFICE

P.O. Box 5325 Mississippi State, MS 39762 662.325.0630 slassetter@opa.msstate.edu

37

ADVERTISING

Jeff Davis 662.325.3444 jdavis@alumni.msstate.edu

DEPARTMENTS

COVER

02 14 34 50 58 61 64

With more than 30-years experience in the iconic suit, Mike Goree has seen it all while in character as Santa, though receiving a wish list from Bully might be among the most memorable encounters.

Photo by Beth Wynn

Mississippi State University’s ALUMNUS magazine is published three times a year by the Office of Public Affairs and the Mississippi State University Alumni Association.

Send address changes to Alumni Director, P.O. Box AA, Mississippi State, MS 39762-5526. Call 662.325.7000, or email fcarr@advservices.msstate.edu.

CONNECT

Discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, gen​etic information, status as a U.S. veteran and or any other status protected by state or federal law is prohibited in all employment decisions.

Campus News State Snapshot Our People Infinite Impact Class Notes Forever Maroon Back Story

TWITTER.COM/MSSTATE FACEBOOK.COM/MSSTATE INSTAGRAM.COM/MSSTATE

CORRECTIONS FOR SUMMER 2016 ISSUE: The graphic on page 32 should have read that in 1984, Sheila Jackson was the first African-American woman to earn a degree from the School of Architecture. Patsy Fowlkes Brandon was incorrectly identified as Terri Nusz in a caption on page 27.

Campus NEWS

BUILDING TOWARD THE FUTURE

MSU continues to upgrade facilities, maintain historic buildings By James Carskadon With the exception of perhaps the most recent graduates, Bulldog alumni find today’s campus looks a bit different from the surroundings that defined their college days.

For some alumni, Old Main dormitory was the heart of campus. Now, that spot is home to Old Main Plaza, McCool Hall and the Colvard Student Union. For others, Malfunction Junction added confusion to their daily commutes. Now, there stands the Junction, a grassy area that serves as the hub for game day festivities.

These changes are just a few of the campus alterations meant to better serve the changing needs of the university community.

Since Mark E. Keenum became Mississippi State’s president in 2009, nearly $600 million has been invested in campus construction. Those projects, in addition to providing much-needed facilities, are designed to fit within the university’s master plan and maintain a unified architectural language on the university campus, according to Tim Muzzi, university architect and director of planning design and construction administration.

“I’ve had the opportunity to see residence, academic and athletic facilities at various schools, both public and private,” Muzzi said. “Mississippi State is at the top of the list when I look at facilities.

It’s pretty amazing to me.”

Two of the newest facilities keeping Mississippi State competitive with universities across the country are state-of-the-art residence halls on the north side of campus. Opened this fall, the Earnest W. and Mary Ann Deavenport and Dogwood residence halls add approximately 750 beds, which include a new “quad” configuration for upperclassmen.

Quad units consist of four private bedrooms, two shared bathrooms and a shared living and kitchen space. Ann Bailey, director of housing and residence life, said the new residence halls continue MSU’s history of setting trends in student housing to meet high expectations for an on-campus living experience.

“We know that living on campus directly impacts a student’s overall success academically, personally and socially,” Bailey said. “Living on campus is convenient and provides opportunities for involvement, connection and lifelong bonding to MSU.” Tommy and Terri Nusz, who both graduated from MSU in 1982, contributed a significant gift that sparked the construction of Nusz Hall. In September,

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university and state leaders dedicated the new G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans at Nusz Hall, which is adjacent to the new residence halls. The 7,500-square-foot building provides a new home for the nationally recognized Tim Muzzi center that serves student veterans, service members, dependents and survivors.

In 2016, the university also completed renovation of the Roberts Building on Lee Boulevard, turning the old campus laundry into a modern home for the post office and MSU Parking and Transit Services.

The revitalized building now features an open design with a shared lobby and 24/7 access to campus post office boxes.

“The architects were able to take our vision, translate it graphically and put it into the design of that building,” Muzzi said. “I think we turned a sow’s ear into a silk purse over there.”

A much-anticipated $41.3 million classroom building at the corner of George Perry Street and Barr Avenue has a targeted opening date of January 2017.

The 150,000-square-foot facility has the potential to see use by more than 11,000 students on the busiest class days. It also contains 60,000 square feet of parking space, a needed amenity near the center of campus. Select features are available for naming with gifts made through the MSU Foundation.

An addition to Mitchell Memorial Library will be completed by early 2017. The new space will house exhibits and documents for the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, one of only five U.S. presidential libraries housed at a university.

Other ongoing projects include a renovation of the YMCA building, a new meat science laboratory, a data center for the National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center, and a new south entrance road that will connect Poorhouse Road to the south end of campus at Blackjack Road to improve access and game day traffic.

Many other projects are in the pre-planning or design phase. For a complete list, visit www.opdca. msstate.edu/projects. n

Learn more about campus and how to get around with Campus Bird at map.msstate.edu.

7,500-SQUARE-FOOT BUILDING G. V. “SONNY” MONTGOMERY CENTER FOR AMERICA’S VETERANS AT NUSZ HALL

750 BEDS

DEAVENPORT & DOGWOOD RESIDENCE HALLS

11,000+ STUDENTS ON THE BUSIEST CLASS DAYS CLASSROOM BUILDING

24/7 ACCESS TO CAMPUS POST OFFICE BOXES ROBERTS BUILDING

1 OF ONLY 5 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES HOUSED AT A UNIVERSITY MITCHELL MEMORIAL LIBRARY

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Campus NEWS

REAL BEARD. REAL TWINKLE. REAL GOOD.

By Susan Lassetter, Photos by Beth Wynn

M

ike Goree puts his pants on one leg at a time, much to the delight of the students watching from their seats in McCool Hall.

He secures his cheery, red trousers with suspenders over a matching T-shirt that conceals a “belly booster,” which at the beginning of class marked the first step in his transformation.

He’s on his way from mild-mannered instructor to Santa Claus—or rather, the head elf’s representative in Mississippi.

As he slips on the iconic coat with white fur trim, he assures everyone that he’s still Mike.

He shows the class a flimsy strip of black oilcloth that is marketed as a Santa belt and sleeves of the same material sold as “boot toppers” to disguise black sneakers as winterready footwear.

“Look how flimsy,” he says, dismissively waving the belt. “And these boot toppers wouldn’t fool a kid for a second.”

He drops them into a box that already

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holds a discarded white wig and stringy fake beard. Instead, he dons a wide leather belt and black rubber boots. But still, he says as he plugs in a curling iron, he’s just Mike.

Some students chuckle at the sight of their instructor styling his snowy white beard with the heated wand, but the change is undeniable as his facial hair takes on a look that’s less wizened academic and more kindly grandfather.

“Attention to detail,” he says, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses and straightening his hat, “can’t be overstated.”

And yet, he’s still Mike. He explains that for him the change happens when he slips on his stark-white gloves—the final accessory to complete his look.

“Ho! Ho! Ho!” he booms with his hands placed gently on his belly.

A student in the back whispers, “Now I know why the class before us said to be ready to take a picture.”

It’s the last day of classes for the semester,

and whether it’s spring, summer or fall that means it’s the day Goree demonstrates for his service-marketing students why he is uniquely qualified to teach the course. For the past 30 years, he has been a popular Santa-for-hire, with business cards that boast “Real beard.

Real twinkle. Real good,” and proclaim him to be Santa’s Best Friend.

What started as one or two gigs a year in the mid-1980s—when he still had to turn his black beard white using baby powder secured with hairspray—has grown until he now spends more than 80 hours in character at parades, parties and photo shoots between Nov. 1 and Dec. 26 each year. He’s even been hired for a wedding reception and summer Santa events, during which he sports red Bermuda shorts and a Santa-themed T-shirt.

“I warn them at those summer events that snowflakes aren’t the only bright, white things at the North Pole,” Goree says, jokingly, in reference to his legs.

GOREE ADMITS NO MATTER HOW DEDICATED ONE IS TO PROVIDING THE BEST SERVICE POSSIBLE, NO ONE CAN MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY ALL OF THE TIME.

TO BELIEVE OR NOT TO BELIEVE

There inevitably comes a time in childhood when the question becomes, “Is there really a Santa Claus?”

It can be a tough question to answer and while he doesn’t have a precise answer, Goree said he does think it’s important to keep at least the spirit of the jolly old elf alive.

“We live in a world that’s lost its sense of magic,” Goree explained. “One of the things the Santa story

does is give us permission, even as adults, to get back in touch with a childlike sense of innocence and fun.

“Whether there is a corporeal being or not, there’s a spirit that surrounds Santa that is available regardless of creed or culture. And if that spirit can make people be kinder to and care more for one another, even for a little while, maybe we’d be better off with a little magic in the world.”

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Starting Dec. 1 each year, NORAD provides a Santa Tracker for curious kids.

Campus NEWS

A naturally jovial person, bits of Goree’s Santa persona come through even in regular conversation. However, he’s always able to fully switch into his alter ego whenever the situation calls for it.

“Kids get this look in their eyes when they see me around town,” Goree explained. “They’ll tug on their parents and stare or point. I’ll stop and say, ‘You recognize me, don’t you? Have you thought about Christmas yet?’

“Generally, they’ll giggle and nod. I can get some long wish lists standing in the grocery store in the summer. And sometimes the kids, and even some adults, just want to pull my beard.”

Those interactions and his ability to always be “on” illustrate the key principles of service marketing Goree tries to instill in his students.

“When you sell a service, first and foremost you’re selling an intangible, so one of the first things you need to do is tangibilize the intangible,” Goree explained.

For many service providers, that means putting a face on a feeling: the comfort of a doctor’s care, the relaxation from a massage,

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the reassurance of a security system or even the excitement of meeting Santa.

“I would think just who I am shows the importance of always demonstrating the service you provide,” Goree explained. “You “THERE’S ONLY A SMALL WINDOW OF TIME DURING WHICH KIDS BELIEVE IN THE MAGIC OF SANTA. WHEN I SEE THEM DURING THAT TIME, THERE’S ABSOLUTE AWE AND WONDER IN THEIR EXPRESSIONS, AND YOU CAN TELL YOU’RE MAKING A DREAM COME TRUE.” ~ MIKE GOREE can’t sell what you don’t believe in. I firmly believe in Santa and I take playing the part very seriously.”

Goree said he’s so serious about his role because of the important place Santa holds in the hearts and minds of children.

“There’s only a small window of time during which kids believe in the magic of Santa,” Goree said. “When I see them during that time, there’s absolute awe and wonder in their expressions, and you can tell you’re making a dream come true.”

Still, Goree admits no matter how dedicated one is to providing the best service possible, no one can make everyone happy all of the time. The proof he shows his students: a photo of siblings—one on each of his knees during a performance—a girl grinning from ear to ear while her brother, red-faced and wailing, looks like he’d rather be anywhere else in the world.

But whether the kids are smiling, crying, grousing about gifts not received, bargaining for a place on the nice list or emitting something unfortunate from a bodily orifice, Goree takes it all in stride and never breaks character.

“The business of business is not business.

The business of business is people,” he explains to the class. “It’s how you conduct yourself and treat people that’s key.” n

TOP LEFT: The $2.2 million, 6,300-square-foot practice facility stands on 12 acres of former farmland. BOTTOM LEFT: World-renowned designer Gil Hanse created the practice range just prior to beginning work on the 2016 Olympics course in Rio de Janeiro. RIGHT: Affectionately called The Barn, the facility includes a storage loft and incorporates into its design wood reclaimed from the dairy barn that once stood on the site.

HOME ON THE RANGE

By Susan Lassetter, Photos by Russ Houston

High-tech practice facility positions MSU golf for success The Mississippi State University men’s and women’s golf teams moved into their new practice facility one year ago and in that time head women’s coach Ginger Brown-Lemm hasn’t found anything she would change.

“I’m the happiest coach on the planet,” Lemm said. “Before The Barn we had everything but not a home. Now, we have a home.”

Lemm explained that before the new facility opened in November 2015, the Bulldog varsity golf teams had a practice facility at the Mississippi State University Golf Course. But balancing the needs of an 18-hole course, a clubhouse, a pro shop, two collegiate teams and the university’s flourishing Professional Golf Management program, meant space at the Starkville course was hard to come by.

“It’s a great facility and we are

grateful to have access to it, but our athletes didn’t have a place there to call their own. They didn’t even have a place to store their clubs overnight,” Lemm explained.

“This new facility is a credit to our current and former athletes, who have done well and called attention to the need.”

Lemm added that the project is also a credit to the Mississippi State supporters who believe in the work she and men’s head coach Clay Homan are doing.

Located in West Point, the new 6,300-square-foot facility features spacious men’s and women’s locker rooms, an athlete lounge, meeting rooms, office space and a storage loft. It also has four indoor hitting bays, including technology bays with equipment for recording and analyzing a player’s swing, as well as a putting

room with technology to analyze a player’s stroke.

The $2.2 million construction project was funded by private donations through the Bulldog Club and stands on 12 acres of former farmland donated by George Bryan, a 1968 business administration graduate.

“We want Mississippi State golf to reach its full potential, and having good facilities will go a long way to help with that,” Bryan explained. “But there’s a lot more to building a team than just building facilities. Clay and Ginger both understand that and will learn how to use this facility to build a better team.”

Bryan is a founder of Old Waverly Golf Club, which is across the street from MSU golf ’s new home. His family is also a founding partner in Mossy Oak

Nature’s Golf, West Point’s newest golf destination that boarders the Bulldog’s practice facility.

“We purchased this 180 acres adjacent to Old Waverly for the new course, but in the master plan we set aside 12 for Mississippi State to create this golf center,” Bryan explained.

World-renowned course designer Gil Hanse developed the Bulldog practice range as he was completing work on the Mossy Oak course.

In addition to a driving range, it includes four putting and chipping greens that were created to reflect the layout of courses across the Southeast. There is even a green in the shape of Mississippi that mimics the topography of the state—an idea Bryan credits to his brother-in-law and fellow Mississippi State alumnus, the late Robert D. Harrell.

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Modern golf was created in Scotland.

Campus NEWS

BULLDOG SOCCER GETS NEW HOME

George Bryan

PHOTO BY SCOTT A. MILLER/SYMETRA TOUR

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“You can’t have great players unless they practice their skills on great, challenging courses that are well maintained, so for us to have access to 36 of the best holes in the Southeast, well, you don’t just stumble into this,” Lemm said. “With these courses, the MSU course and the Starkville Country Club course all available for our athletes, we’re able to build a lot of variety into their development.”

Bryan explained that the relationship is beneficial for his goals as well.

“We’re trying to grow golf in the state and increase participation,” Bryan said. “Golf teaches a lot more than the game itself. It teaches discipline, patience and character. We enjoy seeing what it teaches young men and women and hope we can see more homegrown talent in Mississippi.”

Visit www.alumnus.msstate.edu to see more from the new golf facility. n

PHOTO BY KELLY PRICE

“All of the greens are different and that variety is important,” Bryan explained. “I think Gil was trying to make it tough on the athletes because golfers learn by playing different holes and contours.”

Hanse, who designed the 2016 Olympic golf course, is famous for using natural features of the land as inspiration. He applied this idea to his work in Mississippi turning a former dairy farm into a rustic and ruralfeeling golf destination.

“This was a really natural piece of property that lent itself to the golf course,” Lemm said. “Being a rural university, in a rural state, this works perfectly. I think we have a great mix of modern and new and old and comfortable.”

She added that the MSU range’s proximity to two of the region’s premier golf courses is another benefit of the new practice facility.

This fall, Mississippi State soccer ushered in a new era with the opening of a 3,500-square-foot clubhouse adjacent to the soccer field. The $1.9 million building features the first on-field locker room in program history.

In addition to the 1,000-square-foot locker room, the building also boasts a film room, lounge, conference room, treatment space, equipment and laundry areas, and a kitchen.

Before the opening of this facility, the team was housed in Humphrey Coliseum, across the street from the soccer field.

“It’s logistically better and a much nicer facility,” explained Bo Hemphill, senior associate athletic director for development. “It’s one of those things you do for studentathlete welfare, and it will have a tremendous impact in recruiting and the overall experience of our student athletes.

“People see the improvements at the football, basketball and baseball facilities but really, the Olympic-sport improvements are as impactful as anything.”

Paid for by the Bulldog Club, the MSU Soccer Clubhouse is part of more than $125 million in athletic facility improvements that have been started or completed in the last decade. Among those projects are the expansion of Davis Wade Stadium and construction of the Mize Pavilion and Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex, as well as growth in Olympicsport venues including softball’s Nusz Park, the Mike Sanders Track and Field Complex and the new golf practice facility. n

McDonald makes strides in LPGA Ally McDonald carries Mississippi State in her heart and back pocket every time she hits the links. The former Mississippi State All-American golfer has the letters “D.A.W.G.S” and the Bulldogs’ logo on her yardage book.

In her rookie season on the Symetra Tour, the qualifying tour for the LPGA, McDonald recorded eight top 10 finishes to earn her LPGA Tour card for 2017. She closed the season with the second highest single-season earnings mark in tour history to become the third Mississippi State women’s golfer to earn a full LPGA Tour card.

“I’m so excited to have earned my LPGA Tour card through the Symetra Tour and am ready to compete at the highest level next year while literally traveling the globe,” McDonald said. “Playing at Mississippi State and competing in the SEC prepared me greatly for the professional circuit.

Thanks to the academic and athletic staff at Mississippi State, I feel ready to stack my game against the best in the world.”

Though she’s now reached the pinnacle of her sport, McDonald hasn’t forgotten where it all started. She still volunteers her time during the offseason to help her former coach, Ginger Brown-Lemm, in Starkville. n

Black bears are considered opportunistic feeders eating whatever is available.

BULLDOGS WORK TO BUILD A BEAR POPULATION

By Vanessa Beeson, Illustrations by Eric Abbott

When President Theodore Roosevelt

While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

hunted in the Mississippi Delta in 1902,

no

its abundant black bear population

threatened on a national level, the two

bolstered his legend and gave birth to the

subspecies that call Mississippi home are

iconic Teddy bear toy. But in the following

considered endangered in the state. That’s

decades, the furry omnivores nearly

why Mississippi State University researchers

vanished

have

from

the

Magnolia

State’s

1932,

considers

partnered

with

the

the

black

bear

Mississippi

Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

landscape.

By

longer

when

the

Mississippi

to evaluate the state’s black bears.

Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and

Jerrold Belant, a professor with the MSU

Parks was founded, there were less than

Forest and Wildlife Research Center and

12 bears in the entire state, foreshadowing

director of its Carnivore Ecology Laboratory,

a species-wide population decline that

leads the black bear research in Mississippi.

landed black bears on the federal list of

In addition, his team partners with the

threatened

Missouri Department of Conservation on

and

until March 2016.

endangered

wildlife

similar work in the Show Me State.

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Campus NEWS “BLACK BEARS USED TO OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES BUT DUE TO LARGE-SCALE LAND CONVERSION AND UNREGULATED HARVEST, BLACK BEAR POPULATIONS DECLINED DRAMATICALLY THROUGHOUT THE REGION.” ~ JERROLD BELANT

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Bear cubs weigh approximately 10 ounces at birth.

“Black bears used to occur throughout the Southeastern United States but due to large-scale land conversion and unregulated harvest, black bear populations declined dramatically throughout the region,” Belant said.

“Range-wide, they are doing well,” he continued.

“For instance, in New Jersey, the most densely populated state in the country, the black bear population is thriving and that state now has a limited harvest. In the Southeast, through better habitat management and effective laws, black bears are making a comeback. In Mississippi and Missouri, we are observing species recolonization.”

Although black bears were the subject of a number of FWRC studies throughout the 1990s, when the current research began in Mississippi in 2008 and Missouri in 2010, there was still a great deal unknown about the expanding bear populations in each state.

“As states with low numbers of black bears, there was very little information about species ecology and distribution,” Belant said. “Both states had the foresight to try to obtain that knowledge in order to maintain their full complement of native wildlife.”

Mississippi is part of the historic range of both the Louisiana and American subspecies of black bear. The former is found in the southern two-thirds of the state, while the latter has traditionally called the northern region home. Missouri is home to the American black bear.

Belant said the research’s objective is to understand black bear recolonization to aid species management in each state. The team focuses on female bears to obtain that baseline data.

“Females are important to study, particularly in small, recolonizing populations, as they are fundamental to reproduction and the survival of the young,” Belant said. “We now understand the reproductive potential of bears in each state and how successfully their young are being recruited into the populations.”

The researchers conduct annual den checks in late winter and early spring. Thus far, they’ve studied bears in three areas with known reproduction in Mississippi: Bolivar County, Wilkinson County, and Sharkey, Issaquena and Warren counties—the location of Roosevelt’s famous hunt.

Since the research began, Belant’s team has outfitted 50 black bears with GPS collars, which help the researchers understand home-range size, habitat use and the effects of human activities on recolonization.

The researchers are conducting similar work in Missouri and have built models that analyze attributes of bear locations, as reported by citizens, to determine the probability of a sighting anywhere in the state.

“In Missouri, sightings have increased in densely

Black bear diets are at least 90 percent plant matter.

forested areas over the last 12 years,” Belant explained.

“These are places we key in on for potential longterm management. We also are identifying corridors to facilitate black bear movement between these large, protected, forested tracts of land that could support small black-bear populations.”

Belant said it’s too soon in Mississippi for a population estimate, which can be challenging and expensive to obtain for low-density populations. However, since Missouri’s black bear population is larger, the researchers were able to estimate about 300 bears in the state.

DON’T FEED THE BEARS! Most of the time, black bears will do all they can to avoid humans. To help avoid conflict, Richard Rummel, black bear program leader for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, said it’s important to never share with a bear.

“The most important thing for people to remember is to never feed bears, either intentionally or unintentionally,” Rummel said. “Bears can become dangerous if they are

“OUR JOB IS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN

food conditioned and habituated to humans.”

ORDER TO REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR

Rummel offers the following tips to reduce the likelihood

HUMAN/BEAR CONFLICTS AS MORE BEARS

While bear sightings are still rare in Mississippi, of attracting a bear:

MOVE IN AND PEOPLE MOVE CLOSER

• Keep garbage indoors in a secure

TO AND RECREATE IN OCCUPIED BEAR

garbage receptacles with bleach to

HABITAT.” ~ RICHARD RUMMEL Jeff Beringer, a bear biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation who works alongside Belant’s team, said the research has been instrumental in wildlife management planning.

“The research has taught us a lot about the population,” Beringer said. “For instance, we know that we have a high female survival rate but our reproductive rates are lower than expected. This information is vital to understanding the species and ultimately making management decisions.”

He added that a big part of that management is public education, which is critical when it comes to black bears.

“Black bears are new to people in Missouri,” Beringer said. “We have to make sure people understand how to live with an animal they’ve never encountered before.”

Richard Rummel, black bear program leader for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, agrees that as bears rebound, public awareness is a key component.

“We talk about the biological carrying capacity of a given piece of land but we also have to determine the social carrying capacity of an area,” Rummel said.

“Our job is to educate the public in order to reduce the potential for human/bear conflicts as more bears move in and people move closer to and recreate in occupied bear habitat.”

MSU researchers will continue to evaluate the bears in both states as the population rebuilds. The research is funded by the Federal Aid and Wildlife Restoration and Safari Club International Foundation. n

place like a garage or shed, and rinse prevent lingering odors.

• Don’t leave pet food outside overnight.

• Hang wildlife feeders high.

• Clean barbecue grills after use.

• Keep outdoor areas clean and free of food when camping or hunting.

• Install electric fencing around beehives.

• Harvest fruit from any fruit trees and remove any fruit that has fallen on the ground.

While it’s possible to sight a bear during the summer, Rummel said bear sightings peak in the fall when more people are in the woods. Whenever it happens, he says: • If a bear is in your yard, stay inside.

Do not attempt to chase or scare the bear away.

• If you encounter a bear while outdoors, keep your distance.

• If the bear is too close, make noise and slowly back away. This lets the bear know you are there and aren’t a threat.

Rummel stressed that it’s important to report bear sightings, which can be done at

www.mdwfp.com/bear.

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PATTERSON SCHOLARS PASS ON LOVE OF READING

By Sasha Steinberg, Photos by Megan Bean

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Campus NEWS

A

quality education can open the door to many wonderful possibilities for young minds. Whether they aspire to find a cure for cancer or make it to outer space, the bridge from dreaming big and doing big starts with a love of reading.

“All you have to do is pick up a book and let your imagination take you there,” explained Caitlin McFarland, a Franklin, Tennessee, native.

McFarland is one of Mississippi State’s eight inaugural James Patterson Teacher Education Scholars. On their quest to become the educators of tomorrow, she and the other

Read Across America, an annual celebration honoring the March 2 birthday of author Theodor Seuss Geisel, commonly known as Dr. Seuss.

Along with reading Seuss favorites such as “The Lorax,” “The Sneetches” and “Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss,” the Patterson Scholars tested the children’s visual, kinesthetic and auditory learning abilities through a variety of arts and crafts projects.

“My group read ‘Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss,’ so the kids got to make birthday cards for Dr. Seuss,” recalled Brooke Leggett of Centreville, Alabama. “They got to color, use

“Literacy is truly the foundation for every other aspect of life. Learning to read and write develops pathways in children’s brains, making it easier and faster for them to learn other things.” ~ Amanda Hayes sophomore education majors receiving the prestigious scholarship, funded through a gift from its namesake’s foundation, are inspiring children to reach their full potential by becoming strong readers and writers.

“Literacy is truly the foundation for every other aspect of life,” said Amanda Hayes of Ocean Springs. “Learning to read and write develops pathways in children’s brains, making it easier and faster for them to learn other things.”

The Patterson Scholars spent this past year promoting literacy in the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. Under the direction of Tiffany Middleton, a contract and grant specialist in the College of Education, the aspiring teachers hosted a springtime writing competition that offered area third-graders the opportunity to become published authors.

The elementary students wrote and illustrated stories about character traits they felt a good friend should embody. After oneon-one editing assistance from the Patterson Scholars, all 21 of the submissions were published as a single children’s book, “The Helping Hands of Friendship.”

“It melted my heart to watch the kids’ faces light up and see how much pride they had for something they started on a piece of paper that is now part of a published book,” Laurel-native Jodie Newsom recalled.

The Patterson Scholars also engaged Starkville elementary students through

different stickers and tags, and just be creative with it. It helped them in really thinking about what to write.”

Promoting reading and writing as fun, beneficial activities was a top priority for all of the scholars, but Hannah Duke of Birmingham, Alabama, had another important message to share from Seuss’ “The Sneetches.”

“All of the kids made necklaces to hang on their bellies, so they could be like the starbellied sneetches in the book,” Duke said. “We wanted them to wear those necklaces because it would help them remember it’s OK to stick out and be your own person. We went a little crazy with the glitter, but it was worth it.”

Building lifelong friendships and gaining classroom experience have been major takeaways for the scholars.

“God calls special people to do special things, and teaching is definitely one of those things,” said Mary Hannah Swan of Madison.

“As we pursue different career paths, we can share ideas and lean on each other.”

Abigail Yann of Franklin, Tennessee, added that interacting with the scholarship’s “quick and witty” namesake was also life-changing.

“It was really cool to see that James Patterson gives back so much from what he has, especially with promoting literacy and wanting better education,” she said. “I’m really excited for this year and the other opportunities we’re going to have.” n

COUNTERCLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT: Abigail Yann, Brooke Leggett, Mary Hannah Swan, Caitlin McFarland, Jodie Newsom, Amanda Hayes, Hannah Duke and Caroline Thomas.

R E A DING B Y E X AM PL E A parent can be a child’s first teacher because children often learn by observation. Taking time to read to children and showing genuine interest in what they are learning in school can help reinforce education as a priority.

The inaugural Mississippi State James Patterson Teacher Education Scholars offered the following tips for fostering a child’s interest in reading: • Help children find age-appropriate books on subjects of genuine interest. Letting them choose what they want to read is key.

• Take trips as a family to the public library or a bookstore to expose children to different genres.

• Show excitement when reading to a child. Bring a story to life by making up voices for each character or let the child act out the book.

• Encourage children to draw pictures of scenes from the book or sketch out what they think the characters look like.

• Establish a bookshelf or kid-friendly reading area at home.

• Let kids select a book to read as a family before bed.

• Organize a book club for your child and his or her friends.

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State SNAPSHOT

ROCKIN’ AT RILEY: Mississippi State celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Riley Center for Education and the Performing Arts September 8 with a concert by countrymusic star Vince Gill in its fully restored grand opera house theater, which dates back to 1889. Part of MSU-Meridian, the center is located in the heart of historic downtown and attracts more than 70,000 visitors each year for conferences and performances. Photograph by Megan Bean 14

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MEDIA & THE MIND

By Susan Lassetter, Photos by Russ Houston

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Americans encounter millions of messages every day, each striving to persuade, entertain, inform or inspire.

But do these messages have an effect on the thoughts, beliefs and actions of those who consume them? Mississippi State researchers investigate if, in a word, you are what you eat.

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EMILY MARETT 18

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With more than 20 crime dramas hitting network television this fall, it appears as though America’s favorite pastime has moved from the baseball diamond to a fictional interrogation room.

Packed with suspense, action and a satisfying ending, these shows, like most entertainment media, serve as a perfect distraction from the monotony of daily life. But while they take one’s mind off work worries, household duties and endless political commentary, they still convey messages to the viewer.

It’s how viewers respond to these messages that first piqued Emily Marett’s interest as a researcher.

“We study something called transportation.

Basically, when you get lost in a story, suddenly your barriers go down,” Marett explained.

“With advertising or political messages, we know they’re trying to persuade us and we’re resistant to that. But if you sit down to watch television, you don’t really notice the messages and how they’re affecting you because you’re just enjoying it.”

An instructor in Mississippi State’s College of Business, Marett began studying crime dramas and their impact on attitudes about sexual assault and consent as a doctoral student at Washington State University. The resulting work has been part of multiple published papers.

“We wanted to see if entertainment media could be an effective way to get people to understand the tricky issues related to sexual consent,” Marett said. “So, we looked at the viewing habits and attitudes of those who watch network crime dramas.”

Marett and her fellow researchers developed a survey to understand participants’ attitudes about sexual assault, including their likelihood to seek consent before engaging in sexual activity and feelings toward rape myths, which place blame and responsibility on the victim in an effort to justify the crime. The study also looked at participants’ consumption of televised crime dramas focusing on the “big three” franchises: “Law and Order,” “CSI” and “NCIS.” “There were some really positive findings that excited us, but we also found some disturbing things, honestly,” Marett said. “Overall, we found that the more stereotypically a show portrayed gender roles, the more negative an impact it had on the viewers’ attitudes toward sexual assault.”

The study found that each show corresponded with different attitudes toward sexual assault.

“THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA CAN BE BOTH A MIRROR OF OUR SOCIETY AND SOMETHING THAT WE END UP REFLECTING.” ~ COLLEEN SINCLAIR

For example, viewers of “Law and Order” showed lower instances of rape myth acceptance. They also reported an increased likelihood to refuse unwanted sexual activity, while viewers of “NCIS” were less likely to refuse unwanted advances. Those who watched “CSI” were less likely to seek consent or respect a partner’s expression of consent before engaging in sexual activities.

Marett stressed that these findings do not prove a causal relationship between crime-drama viewership and attitudes toward sexual assault.

However, she said it does show that the way these crimes are portrayed on television has an impact.

As an example, she points to the more positive attitudes expressed by viewers of “Law and Order,” a show produced in a way meant to discourage rape myths and encourage recognition of consent.

“The way you portray the issue matters,” Marett said. “If characters on the show blame the victim by saying the assault was her fault because of what she was wearing, what she was doing or where she was going, it’s reinforcing rape myths and not helping society get better.

“It’s a wasted opportunity to educate viewers about these topics that can be uncomfortable or even taboo to talk about,” she continued.

MEDIA & LEARNING

Colleen Sinclair, an associate professor of psychology, explained watching television—even scripted programs meant solely for entertainment—provides a type of social learning.

“You expect children to learn when you let them watch ‘Sesame Street.’

Why would you think it would be different with any other television show?” Sinclair asked. “You learn social norms through watching models and that’s what television provides.”

In her classes, Sinclair uses first dates as an example of how popular media provides scripts for how to behave in certain situations. Ask people who have never been on a first date to describe how it would go and their responses would likely follow the same general process. That, she explains, is because those events are portrayed so often in television and movies that it’s become part of our culture.

While these media-supplied scripts for a first date will likely be supplemented or altered by viewers’ own firsthand experiences or those relayed by their peers, scripts that depict uncommon situations might have a more lasting impact on a person’s attitudes and beliefs. When those scripts are based on portrayals that have been exaggerated and fictionalized in an effort to entertain, the viewer might be confused when a similar situation presents itself in real life.

Having studied media depictions of persistent pursuit, or stalking, Sinclair sees how fictional portrayals meant to entertain can affect people in the real world.

“In the media, you see persistent pursuit cast as either a joke or where someone is going to kill your pet and leave it on your doorstep.

It’s one extreme or the other,” Sinclair said. “That really doesn’t capture what happens in most cases and could leave real stalking victims less likely to report their experience if it doesn’t match the portrayals of ‘serious stalking.’”

She added that these portrayals can also affect what is seen as socially acceptable, meaning someone might not realize that repeatedly calling or being called by an ex could be a form of harassment.

“There are a lot of different ways that entertainment media can be both a mirror of our society and something that we end up reflecting,” Sinclair said.

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“MEDIA PRESENTS A VERY PARTICULAR IMAGE OF VICTIMIZATION AND CRIME TO VIEWERS, AND IT’S ONE THAT DOESN’T NECESSARILY MATCH UP WITH REALITY.” ~ NICOLE RADER

MEDIA & SOCIETY

It’s a bit of a chicken or the egg situation, explained Nicole Rader, an associate professor of sociology. While she says parents, friends and school are among the most important influences on a person’s social learning, she sees where socialization from those sources begins to follow the scripts conveyed through entertainment media.

“Media presents a very particular image of victimization and crime to viewers, and it’s one that doesn’t necessarily match up with reality,” Rader said. “With crime and victimization, social learning is more important than experience because most people won’t experience it firsthand.”

A criminologist by training, Rader studies how network television talks about victims, offenders and society as a whole. Through content analysis of popular crime dramas, including Nielsen-rating leaders like “Criminal Minds” and “Law and Order: SVU,” she and her fellow researchers studied who was portrayed as the victims and perpetrators of violent crime, as well as how other characters on the show responded to the victim.

“One thing we wanted to study was what attributes made the fictional victims more likely to be blamed for their own assault and how that translates to the public,” Rader explained.

Rader found that in the 124 episodes studied, victims of intimatepartner violence were more likely than those attacked by strangers to be blamed for their victimization—either by law enforcement, lawyers, neighbors or themselves. She also found the demographics of many fictional crime victims and the circumstances surrounding their attacks did not match actual crime statistics.

For example, Rader explained that in television dramas, women, particularly white women, are portrayed as crime victims much more frequently than they are victimized in real life. She said the crimes also perpetuate the idea of “stranger danger” when in reality, women are

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most likely to be attacked by someone they know.

“What we’ve seen is that even when a woman is the victim of something like date rape, she is still most afraid of a stranger jumping out of the bushes,” Rader explained. “They think their experience with date rape is not the norm because they’ve been taught that stranger danger is where the real risk is.

“In the end, you have some groups that are overly fearful and others that maybe don’t recognize their full risks because it’s not being reflected by entertainment media,” Rader continued.

Entertainment media, she said, really does help set the tone for society.

MEDIA & ACTION

Sinclair explained that the potential of entertainment media to slip past viewers’ natural barriers to persuasion means it’s important to actively think about what’s being shown.

“It’s not that it’s bad to consume entertainment media, it’s just that you have to engage in processing what you’re seeing,” Sinclair explained.

“If you have an attitude about something, you need to look back to see where the underlying belief is coming from.”

Sinclair said understanding the root of attitudes and beliefs is especially important before acting upon them. But, she stressed, having a media-inspired thought or feeling alone is not likely to make someone take an action.

A media-driven fear of danger lurking in the shadows might cause a woman to carry pepper spray. And a media-fed belief in rape myth might make a juror less sympathetic to a victim of date rape. But bingeing on “CSI” or “Breaking Bad” is not likely to send a law-abiding citizen on a crime spree.

“Constant exposure to violent or crime-related media might desensitize the viewer or remove some roadblocks, but it would be just one small line on a very complex model of all the circumstances that

contribute to someone crossing that line,” Sinclair said.

Kevin Williams agrees. An associate professor of communication, he has spent most of his academic career studying media effects, particularly whether or not violent video games make players more likely to commit violent acts in real life.

“It sounds sexy to blame consumption of violent content for someone’s violent actions,” Williams said, “but it’s not a magic trigger that’s going to cause that behavior.”

Williams explained that video games—whether violent or not—are more likely to affect players’ moods than their underlying morality. So, a losing round of “Call of Duty” or even “Candy Crush” could increase a player’s feelings of anger or frustration in the short term, but not make a person act on those feelings.

“One stimulus, like a video game, isn’t going to turn someone into a killer or a rapist,” Williams said. “It can impact their beliefs. It can emotionally and physiologically desensitize them to it, but it won’t make them take an action that goes against their moral code.

“There have to be underlying mental, emotional and environmental issues that would cause a person to break those ultimate societal taboos,” he continued.

However, like Marett’s studies of transportation as a way to educate viewers through entertainment television, Williams sees how getting lost in play could make video games a valuable tool.

“My recent work focuses on how people interact with video games: What draws them in? What makes them lose track of time while playing?”

Williams explained. “If I’m training you to do a task and can make four hours feel like one by getting you immersed in the process, then that has beneficial applications in many fields.”

With smartphones putting Internet access, streaming services and video games at everyone’s fingertips, Williams said entertainment media, specifically video games, are creating a huge cultural convergence that crosses ages, genders and location.

“With more and more people playing, the traditional definition of a ‘gamer’ is changing,” Williams said. “It’s becoming something that links people across demographics, and as technology becomes better and better, entertainment media is going to play a bigger role in shaping things.” n

KEVIN WILLIAMS

WHAT TO WATCH As a media studies scholar, Kevin Williams hears, “Is this OK for my kid?” quite often. While most see it as a yes or no question, his response is usually: “It depends.”

The field of media effects provides the following developmental stages to help parents understand their child:

EARLY CHILDHOOD (AGES 2-7) •

Prefers simple programming that is easily understood

•

Can pay attention but not necessarily comprehend messages

•

Takes longer to process information

•

Cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality

MIDDLE CHILDHOOD (AGES 8-12) •

Can differentiate between fantasy and reality

•

Appreciates details and production value

•

Understands others’ emotions

•

Begins to relate to characters similar to themselves

However, despite these widely accepted stages, Williams says choices on appropriate media should be child dependent.

“Every child matures at a different rate,” Williams said. “A lot of what they’re ready for will depend on that and their personality, and no one knows what that is better than their parent.”

One simple test for determining if certain things are appropriate is asking: “Would I be comfortable explaining this to my child?” If the movie, game or book has language or topics that parents don’t feel comfortable explaining or don’t think their child would understand, it might be too soon for that title.

And if parents are concerned about what their children are picking up from the media, Williams says the best thing to do is sit down and watch it with them.

“You’d be amazed what a kid is going to learn for better or worse, and the only way you’re going to know is by being with them when they do it,” Williams explained.

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A

metallic

clang

punctuates

every drumbeat. A halting rhythm at first: Clang. Clang.

Clang. Clang. But as the excitement builds, so does the speed. Finally, it’s an unbroken, metallic roar.

The unmistakable intro to Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” starts. His slightly maniacal laugh. The iconic “aye, aye, aye.” The deep bass beat spilling so loudly from the stadium’s speakers that it reverberates in your chest and raises the hair on your arms.

Just when it seems the crowd can’t get

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

By Susan Lassetter, Photos by Beth Wynn

any

louder—its

cowbells

and

voices blending into a deafening howl—something stirs in the shadows of the M-Club and somehow the volume grows.

Twin pillars of flame shoot more than 50 feet in the air sending a blast of heat across the already sweltering south end of Scott Field. With that, the Bulldogs rush onto the field, running between the pyrotechnics and members of the Famous Maroon Band toward mid-field where the smallest member of the team waits.

Standing less than 2 feet fall, he’s unfazed by the commotion—the yells, the bells, the percussive booms. By game time, he’s already been working for close to 10 hours but only his heavy panting—brought on, in part, by the unrelenting September heat— hints he might be tired.

More than 55,000 fans screaming in surround-sound, 300-pound linemen running at him, fireworks and thunderous blasts echoing all around—it’s nothing.

IT’S ALL JUST PART OF A DAY IN THE LIFE OF BULLY.

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ABOVE: An underwater treadmill allows Jak to exercise without putting additional stress on his joints. Since he’s not a water dog by nature, it’s not his favorite part of the day. TOP RIGHT: Pritchard uses an electric razor to shave Jak’s whiskers to make him camera ready for public appearances. BOTTOM RIGHT: Using a Dremel tool with a coarse sandpaper attachment, Pritchard safely and gently files Jak’s nails.

___________________________________ he mascot’s journey to his spot on the sideline actually began days earlier at the Wise Center, home to Mississippi State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. There, the reigning Bully, who answers to the name Jak, rests on an oversized, orthopedic dog bed as he waits for Lisa Pritchard, an animal health technician.

“Bully has an office and lets me use the desk occasionally,” Pritchard says jokingly.

“I’m his full-time mom, trainer, roommate, whatever you want to call me. He comes to work with me almost every day and hangs out while I see patients.”

The sound of paws skittering across the tile floor starts as soon as Pritchard turns the door handle. In an excited rush to greet her, Jak crashes into her legs and crumples into a heap at the threshold. It’s a comical, canine spectacle not usually displayed by Bully, but it’s OK because today he’s just a dog in a collar. Tomorrow he will be in the official MSU harness—then it’s all business.

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Pritchard has taken the afternoon away from her full-time work responsibilities at the vet school to prepare Jak for the next day’s festivities, including a live broadcast of “SEC Nation” from the Junction and Mississippi State’s Southeastern Conference opener against the University of South Carolina Gamecocks.

While the football team runs drills and the marching band rehearses, Jak begins his gameday preparations with a quick pedicure.

A Dremel tool with a coarse sandpaper attachment sends up small puffs of dust as Pritchard carefully files down Jak’s nails. He’s so familiar with the process that he doesn’t even flinch at the high-pitched whirring noise that fills the air. He does, however, pull back from the buzzing of the electric razor as she uses it to shave his whiskers—not because it hurts, but more because it seems to tickle.

Pritchard finishes this first phase of grooming with something called the Furminator. She uses it to brush Jak’s fawn and white coat to remove loose hair and help make it shiny. Sprawled across her lap, he endures this part with

contented sighs and sleepy eyes.

Pritchard has perfected this grooming routine over the course of her 15 years as “Bully’s Mom.” Although she’s served as gameday handler for Mississippi State’s four-legged Bullies since she joined the vet school in 1993, she only earned this unofficial title in 2001 when the first university-owned bulldog was brought on board.

“I suggested to Larry Templeton that the university needed to have its own dog—get a puppy and train it specifically to be the mascot rather than borrow a dog and throw it into game-day chaos as an adult,” Pritchard recalled.

“He immediately said ‘OK, go find one.’”

Templeton, who was athletic director at the time, explained, “We had had great experiences using supporters’ dogs as the mascot, but during the week, if we needed Bully, he wasn’t in Starkville. For the tradition we have with our mascot, I thought we needed to have him here.”

The search began in late 1999 but it was a full 18 months before Pritchard found the dog of her Maroon and White dreams.

“I wanted him to be fawn and white and I wanted a male, but most importantly I wanted a puppy that shared a bloodline with bulldogs we had used previously,” Pritchard explained.

“I went to Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas and Florida looking for the perfect dog and ended up finding him in Waynesboro, Mississippi.”

When the call came from a Mississippi breeder claiming to have “the puppy,” Pritchard said she was skeptical. But after seeing pictures and reviewing the pedigree, which included relatives of Bullies XV, XVI and XVII, she wanted to meet him.

“The breeder came to the Wise Center with two puppies, both leash-trained at 9 weeks old,” Pritchard recalled. “But one literally walked in the door like he owned the place. He had his head held high and his chest poked out like ‘See me. I’m here.’”

After receiving a clean bill of health from an MSU veterinarian that puppy was on his way to becoming Bully XIX, commonly known as Tonka.

“T-Money,” as friends knew him, served as Bully for eight years until he passed the

title to his son, Champ, in 2009. Champ retired in 2015, passing the harness to his son, Jak, who has known Pritchard since the day he was born.

“I literally helped him take his first breath,” Pritchard said. “With bulldog births, we try to have one person for each puppy and I just happened to be the one the doctor handed Jak to. I suctioned his nose and mouth and warmed him up. Once he was nice and pink, I saw he was male and just knew he was going to be the one.”

A statuesque bulldog, Tonka had a stately and stoic demeanor that showed whether he was on duty or off. Champ, however, displayed a more laid-back temperament. He knew when to work, when to play and was ready to flip the switch as soon as the MSU harness was off. Pritchard said Jak seems to be a mixture of the two and is eager to do a good job as Bully.

“I can tell pretty immediately whether they’ll be a good mascot,” Pritchard explained.

“I can’t really pinpoint how I know; it’s just a sixth sense.”

__________________________________ ike his father and grandfather, 2-yearold Jak is an American Kennel Clubregistered English bulldog. Of the three, he is more trim and well proportioned, and Pritchard predicts he will be tallest and broadest once he reaches his full adult size.

“A lot of people think of bulldogs as fat, lazy dogs, but that’s not what they’re meant to be,” Pritchard explained. “I keep my boys trim and athletic. It helps them stay active and increases their longevity.”

Pritchard takes special care to ensure MSU’s “boys” are healthy specimens of the bulldog breed, which is often troubled by breathing, skin and joint problems. To help with this, Jak gets hydro-therapy that provides low-impact exercise to keep him in shape without stressing his joints.

The underwater treadmill helps stretch Jak’s legs in preparation for busy workdays, like home football games. Not a swimmer by nature, he doesn’t care for today’s water level and lets everyone know through excessive splashing. Draining a couple of inches seems to put him at ease and he completes his treatment with only a mild look of displeasure.

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LEFT: During a bath at the Wise Center, Jak shakes from head to tail sending a spray of sudsy water and the scent of coconut-scented shampoo across the room and onto anyone standing nearby.

ABOVE: As soon as Pritchard picks up Jak’s bag, he’s up and ready to go to work.

The black backpack has an attached bell to get his attention, and is filled with water bottles, treats, towels and other creature comforts he might need while on the job.

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TOP LEFT: Pritchard and Jak head to their next appointment on the back of Bully’s golf cart. The cart and other mascot supplies are paid for through the donation-based Bully Fund.

TOP RIGHT: MSU cheerleaders dote on their favorite dog during his appearance on “SEC Nation.” BOTTOM LEFT: Jak watches pregame warm-ups from the sideline. ABOVE: A quick water break helps Jak combat the oppressive September heat.

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LEFT: Jak’s adoration for “walking” Bully is easy to see in the way he eagerly greets his humanoid counterpart. Whether he sees him as a giant stuffed animal or a fellow canine is unclear. ABOVE: As part of his duties, Jak greets opposing teams’ live mascots at Davis Wade Stadium. Here he curiously sniffs Sir Big Spur, the University of South Carolina’s live gamecock.

“IF I HAD A NICKEL FOR EVERY PICTURE TAKEN OF BULLY, I COULD HAVE RETIRED YEARS AGO. HE’S EASILY THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED DOG IN THREE STATES.” ~ LISA PRITCHARD Afterward, he clicks down the hall to his next aquatic adventure—a bath. This waterbased fun involves a soothing rub down so he is much less apprehensive standing in the metal tub. While Pritchard lathers him up and sprays off the suds Jak periodically shakes—a movement that starts at his head and ripples down through his tail—ensuring anyone within 3 feet gets damp.

The smell of coconut-scented shampoo follows in his wake as he walks back to the office for a nap while Pritchard makes calls to finalize the next day’s schedule. ___________________________________ t’s 8:30 a.m. on game day and, although kickoff isn’t until 6 p.m., Jak is getting ready. Sitting in the living room with his French bulldog “sister” Pixie and Iggy, a brindle cat, he perks up when Pritchard walks to her bedroom. As soon as she picks up his bag and causes the attached bell to jingle, he’s up and running her way, ready to load up and head to work.

At the Wise Center, Pritchard and her son Austin begin loading supplies onto Bully’s souped-up golf cart to head to the Junction for his appearance on the “SEC Nation” set.

It’s already 84 degrees in the shade, so the day’s supplies include a special cooler that not only holds Jak’s water but also pushes cool air out to help keep him comfortable.

“Bulldogs are not meant for the heat,” Pritchard explains over the sound of Jak panting. She’s carefully planned their day to minimize his exposure to the oppressive

I

temperatures while still fulfilling their obligations to the university and its fans.

The golf cart, cooler and anything else needed to keep Bully comfortable and healthy— including medical check-ups and treatments—is paid for through the Bully Fund. This donationbased account with the MSU Foundation not only supports the mascot’s upkeep but also funds his non-sports travel. ___________________________________ t’s early and the Junction isn’t crowded, yet. Still, as the golf cart zips down Stone Boulevard, calls of “Hey, it’s Bully” and “Can I take a picture?” are heard from kids and adults alike. As Jak disembarks, several fans start to approach with their cell phone cameras ready, but he is whisked behind the barricades to his spot on the temporary “SEC Nation” set.

The band plays to pump up the crowd that’s gathered behind the stage. As Tim Tebow and Paul Finebaum analyze the day’s upcoming SEC matchups, Jak waits in the wings for his turn in the spotlight. Unfortunately, that means waiting for an hour on the hot asphalt in the bright sunlight.

A couple of quick shots of Jak posing with the cheerleaders and a few belly rubs fulfill Jak’s television obligations for the morning and Pritchard is able to rush him back to the Wise Center for a much-needed timeout in the air conditioning.

“I can tell when he’s getting tired,” Pritchard says as she maneuvers the golf cart between parked cars. “He’s getting too hot and needs to rest.”

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___________________________________ hen at an event with Bully, Pritchard’s entire focus is on his well-being and state of mind. She’s his voice, his advocate and his alpha, making sure he feels secure in any environment. And as one of the South’s busiest dogs, he regularly finds himself in a variety of unpredictable situations.

Pritchard explained that Bully attends home and away football games, as well as all men’s and women’s home basketball games and as many baseball and softball games as possible. And if that wasn’t enough to keep his social calendar full, he also keeps busy with pre-arranged photo shoots, attends alumni and campus-based events, and makes goodwill visits to schools, nursing homes and other venues in the area.

“This isn’t my day job—it’s not what I get paid to do and it takes a lot of time,” Pritchard explained. “But I feel it’s important to do these things to help give Mississippi State a presence in the community. It’s a morale booster, too.

You should see the smiles on their faces when he walks in.”

Pritchard makes a special effort to visit area law enforcement and members of the military.

Bully has visited the pilots at the Air Force base in Columbus and highway patrolmen who were hospitalized after being shot in the line of duty.

“I like to show support and I feel like this is one thing we can do to give back to them,” Pritchard explained. “I make friends with law enforcement wherever we go. Regardless of

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With the MSU harness off for the night, Jak can finally enjoy some downtime just being a dog. He relaxes at home with Pritchard and his “sister” Pixie, a French bulldog. their college allegiance, everyone loves the dog, and I often have to rely on them to watch our backs and help us get where we need to be on game days.” ___________________________________ he journey back to the Junction after Jak’s cool down isn’t quite as quick as it was this morning. The crowd has grown, more tents have sprung up and the roads are congested with both pedestrians and vehicles unloading the last of their tailgate supplies.

“Excuse us,” Pritchard calls for the third time in five minutes as she maneuvers the golf cart through the masses.

She concedes, “I might have to start using the horn, but this is still quicker than walking.”

And she’s right.

As soon as Jak is off the golf cart, fans start to stop and point. He progresses an inch at a time as people bend down to pet him or snag a quick selfie with their favorite mascot. Ever the professional, he’s not overwhelmed by the sea of feet crowding his vision and is unfazed by his slow progress down the sidewalk. It’s his job to look cute and enjoy the attention. It’s Pritchard’s job to help him navigate the crowd to get to the day’s appointments.

“I’ve had to become more assertive in certain situations,” Pritchard explains. “I hate to say no, and we try to take as many pictures and visit as many people as possible, but we have a schedule to keep. Most people are super nice about it once they understand that he has a job to do.”

With most home games, Pritchard and Bully have a packed schedule of appearances: a radio segment with SuperTalk Mississippi, a meet-and-greet at the MSU Fan Zone and appearances at university-sponsored tailgates.

As they make their way from place to place, her expertise shines through in the way she

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firmly, calmly and kindly, negotiates a path through the crowd.

“It’s all about controlling the chaos,” Pritchard explains. “Dogs feed off the emotions of their master, so if I’m anxious or upset, he’ll be anxious and upset. A big part of Bully training is teaching them that as long as I’m with them, they’re safe.” ___________________________________ raining for a Bully isn’t the same as what most dogs undergo. There’s no fetch, roll over or shake hands. It’s all about how to interact with people.

Pritchard explained that from day one she starts exposing Bullies-in-training to noise by playing loud music and ringing cowbells.

She then starts teaching the hand-signaled commands for sit and stay that allow her to direct Bully from a distance while on photo or video shoots. They are even taught a certain way to sit for pictures to make sure the camera gets their best sides.

Just as important as what she teaches budding Bullies to do, are the dog behaviors she trains them to not display. Once in his official Mississippi State gear—a leather harness with MSU studded on the front and a small cowbell attached at the neck—Jak, like his predecessors, knows he cannot roll onto his back, rear up or lick a person.

“When we’re at home everything is relaxed and we play, but you put that harness on and it’s all business,” Pritchard explains. “My demeanor changes, his demeanor changes and he know it’s time to go to work.”

Pritchard says her secret to mascottraining success is consistency, and by the time they’re in the spotlight for the first time as MSU’s official mascot, she has complete faith in the dogs she’s trained. At that point, her main concern is their safety.

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“I will gladly sacrifice myself for him, even if it means that some football player running out of bounds squishes me like a little bug,” Pritchard says. “My focus, especially in crowds, like at the Dawg Walk, is always on him and making sure nothing happens to him.” ___________________________________ eaving the Junction to head into the game is no easier than arriving. With one arm securely around Jak, who is perched happily in the passenger seat, Pritchard guides the maroon golf cart into a convoy of police cars to help ensure they make it into Davis Wade Stadium in time for their pregame performance.

One glance into the throngs of people making their way to the stadium gates shows dozens of cell phone-wielding fans trying to snap a picture as they roll by.

“If I had a nickel for every picture taken of Bully, I could have retired years ago,” Pritchard says. “He’s easily the most photographed dog in three states.”

Once inside, a familiar routine takes over.

Much like a player might get a high five as he passes a friend or fan, Jak gets pats on the head as he makes his way to the football field.

Following his midfield appearance, Jak takes his place at the back of the south end zone. His day is finally winding to a close.

As the game goes on around him, he doesn’t know who is winning, who just scored or who made a big play. He just knows he’s one tired, happy dog soon to be on his way back home to his favorite spot beside the recliner and a nice, cold drink.

And as the MSU faithful leave the stadium tonight with the SEC home opener wrapped in Maroon and White, that’s exactly where he’s headed.

See more of game day from Bully’s point of view at www.alumnus.msstate.edu. n

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ONE FOR EXPLORING MSU’S FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE PROGRAM

FU N

By Amanda Meeler, Photos by Megan Bean

Bright-faced freshmen fill the Drill Field on Mississippi State University’s campus, accompanied by their untapped potential and undiscovered dreams. While these newest members of the Bulldog family move into residence halls and hurriedly cross campus to find class locations, they’re actively seeking answers to a multitude of questions: What career should I choose? What friends will I meet? What memories will I make?

What impact will Mississippi State have on my future?

Three years ago, Terence Williams was one of those questioning freshmen.

Today, the senior electrical engineering major is the developer of 13 apps with his own development company that’s caught the attention of technology front-runner Apple Inc. and the White House.

Williams traces all of that success to a single experience during his first year on the Starkville campus.

With no prior programming knowledge, the Oakland, Mississippi, native enrolled in a one-hour seminar class called iProgram, designed specifically with first-year students

in mind. It was then that Williams discovered his passion for app development.

“That class determined everything for me,” Williams said. “Taking that one FYE course was the driving force in determining my path forward.”

Now in its third year, MSU’s FirstYear Experience program is a collection of specially designed classes, like iProgram, meant to introduce freshmen and transfer students to the university environment. By combining small class settings with intriguing topics of study, Mississippi State is looking to improve student success and engage new students during their first semester on campus.

With more than 20 courses based in various departments across campus, FYE offers first-year students plentiful opportunities to expand on a beloved interest or pursue a previously foreign endeavor, like Williams did.

“I actually enjoyed the course so much that I kept going back to it and redid the material three times,” Williams said. “If it wasn’t for that programming class, I wouldn’t be an iOS developer right now.”

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KICK-START THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE

FORAY INTO FRIENDSHIPS (AND FANDOM)

After garnering the attention of the full classroom, Timothy Derby spouts commands to his silent students.

It’s his first year teaching an FYE class, but the philosophy and religion instructor has found an unconventional way to help freshmen find their footing at the beginning of their college careers – through the practice of karate.

Together, the students follow Derby’s bold commands of “rei” and “yame,” each striking a focused, attentive pose then bowing in unison, before finally returning to a relaxed stance.

During the weekly meetings of Philosophy and Discipline of Karate and Self-Defense, Derby plans to introduce his students to the sport, including its origin and the reasoning behind fight or flight mentalities. They will learn techniques on how and where to strike an attacker according to the body’s pressure points.

Most importantly, Derby said he intends to share fundamentals of karate that his students can then apply to college life and beyond.

“Karate, just like the religion classes that I teach, has intangible elements that will tangibly impact you,” Derby said. “Traditional karate is a lifestyle. Even if these students aren’t incorporating karate long term, there are principles that are going to impact their lives.”

Derby said he believes FYE students can set themselves up for unparalleled success by embracing his karate-based lessons.

“I want to help these freshmen acclimate to college and have an environment here once a week where they can decompress, but I also want to offer them a foundation as they start their different roads to success,” Derby said.

While forging his foundation in app development, Williams discovered that he simultaneously formed a camaraderie with his fellow iProgram students.

“I was able to meet people from different majors and backgrounds,” Williams said. “We all really formed a programming community while we collaborated on these projects.”

Developing that sense of community and belonging is exactly what gender studies professor Rachel Allison is fostering among her FYE students between early morning sessions of Quidditch on the Drill Field.

Originating from J.K. Rowling’s fictional world of Harry

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among her students rather than just focusing on every technical aspect of the sport.

“This class really draws a diverse group, from different majors that will go in different directions after their freshman classes,” Allison said. “Right now, they’re able to meet people who aren’t in their major and create a wider network across campus.”

That potential network is something her students have already caught onto, even in the third week of the semester.

“For me, I’ve been into the Harry Potter books since second grade. Actually playing the sport is still kind of surreal,” said George Crook, a freshman mechanical engineering major. “What’s really great about Quidditch is that it’s coed. We have guys and girls of all backgrounds and majors out here, brought together by Harry Potter.

“This class really draws a diverse group, from different majors that will go in different directions after their freshman classes.

Right now, they’re able to meet people who aren’t in their major and create a wider network across campus.” ~ Rachel Allison Potter, Quidditch combines elements of soccer, dodgeball and rugby into one action-packed sport. It also presents a unique opportunity as a gender-integrated sport, allowing no more than four players of a single gender on each six-member team.

“We don’t have many opportunities to play sports in gender-integrated settings, and I think that really does us a general disservice,” Allison said. “I think Quidditch, in this FYE setting, allows us to foster greater levels of respect for women and challenge the stereotypes of women in sports.”

In its second year as an FYE seminar, Quidditch for Muggles has become a melting pot of freshmen, allowing Allison to focus more on building unity

BUZZING WITH CURIOSITY Tapping into unknown subjects and exploring curiosities is a crucial part the FYE program.

Students earn one hour of class credit for FYE courses and are encouraged to take “one for fun” before diving into specialized work in a specific major.

For Williams, that meant learning to do something he never thought he could—creating apps for a smartphone. For students in Insect Pets and Pests: Satisfy Your Curiosities and Conquer Your Fears, it means heading into territory that many would consider dangerous.

Filing into their class space, students in John Guyton’s FYE

THE KERFUFFLE FOR THE QUAFFLE Inspired by the fictional world in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Quidditch has been adapted for real-life. It’s now played in 18 countries and governed by the International Quidditch Association.

EQUIPMENT: 1 quaffle (a slightly deflated volleyball) 2 bludgers (dodgeballs) 1 golden snitch (tennis ball) 3 hoops of varying heights for each team Brooms for each player POSITIONS: 1 keeper to guard the hoops 1 seeker to search for the golden snitch 3 chasers to advance the quaffle 2 beaters to throw bludgers OBJECTIVE: Score the most points before the golden snitch is caught.

Chasers advance the quaffle down the field by running and passing to teammates, and score 10 points by getting it past a keeper and through one of three hoops. But watch out for an opposing beater with a bludger. If hit by a bludger, offensive players must drop the quaffle, dismount their brooms and touch their team’s hoop before resuming play. Players must remain on their brooms at all other times during the match.

After 17 minutes of on-field play, the golden snitch, attached to the waistband of a game official, is released. Whichever team’s seeker finds the golden snitch first receives 30 extra points. The team with the most total points wins. For more information, visit www.iqaquidditch.org.

TOP: Members of Allison’s Quidditch for Muggles course “fly” around the Drill Field during a practice match of the game inspired by the fictional world of Harry Potter.

MIDDLE: Instructor Derby takes a hands-on approach with his karate and self-defense class, demonstrating correct striking methods. BOTTOM: Students in Guyton’s insect seminar examine honeybee larvae, while surrounded by swarming worker bees.

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LET’S GO WALKING Terence Williams’ most popular app, Bully Walk, makes navigating the ever-changing Mississippi State campus simple.

WHAT’S ON THE APP: •

Select a campus destination and the app will provide the quickest route from your current location, along with the distance and an estimated time of arrival.

•

Find a nearby shuttle stop and track the estimated wait time, while following a live map of the MSU SMART system.

•

Drop a pin to mark where you park for easy navigation back to your vehicle after class or sporting events.

•

Stay up-to-date on events with direct links to official MSU social media accounts, athletic schedules and academic calendars.

TOP: Guyton’s FYE course on insects allows freshmen to get up close and personal with the inhabitants of a manmade beehive. MIDDLE: Senior Terence Williams demonstrates Bully Walk, his popular campus-navigation app. BOTTOM: FYE students get a taste of veterinary experience while shadowing professionals as a part of Veterinary Medicine: Beyond Shots and Deworming.

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seminar immediately notice the boxes of gear stacked along the wall. In a matter of minutes, they begin to zip themselves into the beekeeper suits necessary for the day’s lesson.

Throughout the semester, Guyton will introduce his inquisitive students to the world of entomology, beginning with a look at the inner workings of a bee hive and tasting honey straight from a comb.

“Getting to see bees up close will be something that they will never forget, and that’s a pretty unique experience for a freshman to have,” the associate extension professor said.

Guyton said he also hopes sharing his passion for entomology will encourage his students to expand their comfort zones. With class opportunities that range from

before committing to a major.

For students like Williams, that can mean opening their eyes to something previously unconsidered, while others might find an eye-opening look into the major they planned to pursue.

In Veterinary Medicine: Beyond Shots and Deworming, Dr. Patty Lathan leads a group of FYE students through the challenge and adventure of life in veterinary medicine. She gives her first-year students the opportunity to work side-by-side with both student and professional veterinarians in Mississippi State’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

“Not many students get to work with specialists as they pull a golf ball out of a Labrador’s stomach with an endoscope or observe the surgical repair of a dog’s cruciate ligament,” Lathan said.

THE ROAD FORWARD Williams’ single FYE course uncovered a previously unknown talent for technology and set him on an unforeseen journey that in just five years has already taken him to places he never imagined he would go.

“Since taking the iProgram course, my career goals have changed completely,” Williams said. “I started off seeing myself as an engineer working in manufacturing, and now I actually see myself working as an iOS developer for Apple or working at a development company as my own boss.”

After receiving one of 350 international scholarships to attend Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference in June, and meeting

“For many people, their most frequent interaction with wildlife is through insects. My hope is for this experience to increase students’ curiosity about the insects they encounter, reduce irrational fears and contribute to their understanding of the university as the place where learning replaces superstition.” ~ John Guyton getting personal with tarantulas to exploring the environmental impact of insects, most of his students will accomplish just that.

“For many people, their most frequent interaction with wildlife is through insects,” Guyton said.

“My hope is for this experience to increase students’ curiosity about the insects they encounter, reduce irrational fears and contribute to their understanding of the university as the place where learning replaces superstition.”

VETTING POTENTIAL CAREERS The array courses offered offers freshmen explore potential

of eclectic through FYE a chance to career paths

“With this FYE class, not only do they get to see cool stuff, but they get to see what life would be like as a veterinary student,” she continued. “When students get to see what we do, we’re hopeful they can see themselves doing the same things in a few years.”

Although not all of her firstyear students will pursue a career in veterinary medicine, Lathan believes the FYE seminar does help them narrow down a potential career path.

“For some of them, I think it invigorates their passion for getting into vet school and helps them remember why they’re drudging through some of their more difficult classes,” Lathan explained. “For others, it helps them decide that veterinary medicine isn’t for them and allows them to look into other options.”

Apple CEO Tim Cook, Williams said he has even more confidence in his programming abilities. His Bully Walk app has also gained popularity with the MSU campus, averaging 400 downloads every day and being used 5,000 times on the first day of fall classes.

This fall, he attended the White House Frontiers Conference hosted by President Barack Obama at Carnegie Mellon University.

“Now that I’ve had the opportunity to present at different conferences, I know I have a great foundation for releasing Bully Walk and my other apps,” Williams said. “Simply put, my FYE class gave me everything I needed to pursue my dream.”

See more from Mississippi State’s First-Year Experience program at www.alumnus. msstate.edu. n

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DEAVENPORTS CONTINUE TO ENGINEER OPPORTUNITIES AT MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

By Amy Cagle, Photos by Russ Houston A great sense of vision and unwavering philanthropy enables alumnus Earnest W. “Earnie” Deavenport Jr. to remain connected with his alma mater. He began expressing his gratitude many years ago for all that Mississippi State has helped him achieve, and through his spirit of volunteerism, he helps position the institution for its next level of greatness.

Known internationally as a tireless leader in engineering and business, Deavenport continues to make his mark on his home state and its leading university, from which the Macon native earned a chemical engineering degree in 1960. It was his engineering education that provided the formative blocks for a 42-year career, culminating as longtime chairman and CEO of Eastman Chemical Co. “Business and education provide a quality of life for people so that they not only can enjoy the fruits of life themselves, but also give of their time and money to help others,” said Deavenport, the 2015 MSU National Alumnus and holder of an honorary Doctor of Science. “Through the years, my wife Mary Ann and I have desired to return something to the institution that contributed to my professional success and help Mississippi, and we are pleased the university has used our gifts to truly make a positive difference on the campus and beyond.”

Because of their benevolent support, Mississippi State is saluting the Kiawah Island, South Carolina, couple. In October, the university officially dedicated Deavenport Hall, its newest student residence hall. As fall semester began, the state-of-the-art facility opened its doors to some 350 residents, a mix of freshmen and some upperclassmen, eager for an opportunity to begin or continue their studies on the Starkville campus.

The Deavenports are pleased their names are among individuals who have been honored

by Mississippi State in this manner. “The residence hall benefits students firsthand as they live, learn and pursue their dreams on campus,” said Mary Ann Deavenport, a Bay Springs native and University of Southern Earnie and Mary Ann Deavenport

Mississippi graduate who worked for Eastman Kodak. “We are proud Deavenport Hall will serve the students of Mississippi State and stand as a place many of them will call home for years to come.”

The residence hall naming elevates the stature of the Deavenport legacy at Mississippi State. The couple’s history of giving fuels the passion of the esteemed faculty and talented students who have been the beneficiaries of their philanthropy.

The Deavenports’ giving began at Mississippi State in the 1990s when they created in memory of Earnie’s parents the Earnest W. and Laura Mae Deavenport Endowed Scholarship for engineering students. They were residents of Noxubee County, Mississippi, where they farmed and operated a Western Auto store, and his mother also taught school. The couple instilled the value of a solid college education in their son. Additionally, the Earnest W. and Mary Ann Deavenport Scholarship, now enables the couple to strengthen their support of motivated engineering students.

This academic year, five engineering students are proudly attending Mississippi State with the help of Deavenport scholarships. Four are chemical engineering majors, Kennedy Caroline Curtis, currently on co-op, Zachary Dallaire, Jared Michael Ladner and Julia Huang Matson, while one, Jacob Alexander Craig, is a mechanical engineering student. The awards are typically $1,500 annually per scholar.

A sophomore recipient, Craig grew up in a Bulldog-loving family in Brooksville and once he attended a summer program on campus, he knew Mississippi State would become home for him. In the future, Craig hopes to own an engineering firm that places him in a role of “hands-on problem solver.”

“The Deavenport scholarship makes it possible for me to attend the university. I was drawn to MSU, and I’m grateful for the incredible opportunity to pursue a first-class engineering education here,” Craig said.

Another Deavenport scholarship recipient, ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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LEFT: Deavenport scholarship recipients, Jared Michael Ladner and Zachary Dallaire, visit with Earnie Deavenport and Jason Keith, dean of the Bagley College of Engineering. RIGHT: The Deavenport family of South Carolina gathers for the dedication of Deavenport Hall, one of the newest campus residence halls.

Matson, a senior from Vicksburg, came to MSU because she was impressed with the engineering program. During her time as a student, Matson has interned with the J.M. Smucker Company in New Orleans, Louisiana, and she has co-oped with Tronox in Hamilton.

“The Deavenport scholarship has definitely helped me remain at Mississippi State in the multiple semesters I have received it,” said Matson. “It has been that steady support that has enabled me to pursue my dream here, and I am grateful for the Deavenports’ confidence in MSU students like me.”

Beyond students, the Deavenports also support another bedrock of the university– its faculty—with two prestigious endowed positions. The dean of the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering holds the Earnest W. and Mary Ann Deavenport Jr. Chair.

Additionally, another endowed position, the Earnest W. Deavenport Jr. Chair, directs the Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering. The Swalm School chair was gifted by Eastman Chemical Company and has benefited from the couple’s support. The chair honors the professional achievements of Earnie Deavenport, a member of the distinguished National Academy of Engineering and the MSU Chemical Engineering Hall of Fame.

The endowed chair in the Swalm School was an initial draw for Jason Keith when he joined Mississippi State in 2011. Before coming to Mississippi, he spent more than a decade on the faculty of Michigan Technological University.

“It is a great honor for any scholar to hold an endowed chair because they are so rare in

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academia,” said Keith, who in 2014 became Bagley College dean and by virtue of that appointment now holds the Earnest W. and Mary Ann Deavenport Jr. Chair.

“The Deavenport chairs have allowed me to support projects that make a strong impact on the college and MSU, and I am also able to

“BUSINESS AND EDUCATION PROVIDE A QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE SO THAT THEY NOT ONLY CAN ENJOY THE FRUITS OF LIFE THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO GIVE OF THEIR TIME AND MONEY TO HELP OTHERS.” ~ Earnie Deavenport Jr. use the endowments for my scholarly activities, including conference and development travel to disseminate the success of the people within our college,” Keith said. “As one example, I funded the development of an iPhone app called ‘Heat Transfer for Students,’ which has had thousands of downloads from countries around the world.”

Over the course of his MSU career, Keith has developed a personal relationship with the Deavenports. “I can tell that they are ‘in my corner’ and supportive of what we are doing in the Bagley College, and I consider Earnie a great adviser,” said Keith. “Earnie and Mary Ann are very service-focused individuals. I look at all of the various boards that Earnie

has served, and feel inspired to do more for my profession and for the MSU and Starkville communities.”

A strong commitment of service for Earnie Deavenport manifests itself in campus involvement. He serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Bagley College, chairs the MSU Foundation board of directors, and serves on the MSU Alumni Association National Board.

In these roles, he also utilizes the Master of Science in Management he earned from the Sloan School of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1985.

Another MSU faculty member who values the Deavenport influence is Bill Elmore, an associate professor who succeeded Keith as Swalm School director.

“The level of accomplishments achieved by our college is facilitated, in no small part, by the foresight of the Deavenports who have displayed their loyalty and commitment to MSU,” said Elmore. “Across the spectrum of Swalm School functions, the Deavenport Chair supports faculty activities, provides funds for both graduate and undergraduate student activities and research, and enables the pursuit of our vision to be a leader in the fields of chemical and petroleum engineering education, research and service.”

The legacy of Earnie and Mary Ann Deavenport, who married in 1962, will continue to include the people they help with their passionate support of Mississippi State. Because of their willingness to make significant and perpetual investments in students and faculty, the university is stronger from the endless impact that results from their example. n

Katie’s Plates Delivers on Alumna’s Passion

By Sasha Steinberg, Photos by Beth Wynn

She’s always had a fascination with food and the cooking process. But Katherine B.“Katie” Strickland said her recipe for starting a successful gourmet food delivery service in her native Birmingham, Alabama, may never have been complete without one key ingredient: her Mississippi State education.

“When I tell people that I went to Mississippi State, no one has ever said anything bad about the university,” said Strickland, the owner of Katie’s Plates and a 2013 cum laude food science, nutrition and health promotion graduate. “There’s also something about Starkville that’s just special, too. I think I am a true Mississippian at heart.”

Along with providing a supportive environment in which she could nurture her passion for cooking, Strickland said classes like professor Sylvia Byrd’s science of food preparation and instructor Renee Matich’s quantity food production and service classes helped her develop an interest in catering.

A summer job as a nanny, with food preparation being a primary duty, further

honed Strickland’s interest as she entered her senior year.

“I was able to get the children of the family to eat foods they never would before,” Strickland recalled. “Their mom encouraged me to become a personal chef and suggested that I cook meals for five different families per week. I wanted to serve as many families in Birmingham as I could, so I took that idea and ran with it.”

With that, Katie’s Plates was born.

Since starting the gourmet meal delivery service two and half years ago in the one-oven kitchen at her mother’s condo, Strickland has experienced immense success as a business owner. Now operating out of a storefront in downtown Birmingham, she serves an average

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MSU alumna Katherine B. Strickland (top left and throughout) has found success in the competitive food industry through Katie’s Plates, her gourmet food delivery service.Working out of a Birmingham,Alabama,storefront she and her dedicated team of cooks and delivery drivers prepare convenient, pre-cooked meals for families and individuals in the area. The healthy and well-balanced meals allow her to share her lifelong passion for nutrition.

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Our PEOPLE of 100 to 130 clients every night and is considering opening a location in Nashville, Tennessee.

Most of the inspiration for Katie’s Plates’ meals comes from recipes Strickland finds through Pinterest.

Clients can purchase one to five servings for a lunch order, and dinner orders are available in single, couple and family sizes, as well as eight-serving “familyplus” portions. Healthy, freshly cooked breakfast, dessert and snack options also are available.

“Sometimes, I like a recipe just how it is or I will change ingredients around to make it healthier,” Strickland explained. “We do new things almost every week, so it’s really fun.”

One of Strickland’s personal favorites is a buffalo chicken casserole.

“It tastes like hot wings, yet it has veggies and even spaghetti squash,” she said. “It’s great because kids don’t even realize it’s healthy.”

Another Katie’s Plates’ best-seller is jalapeno popper chicken, which is breaded with almond flour and taco seasoning then filled with jalapenos and dairy-free cream and cheddar cheeses.

“A lot of our clients have dairy allergies and can’t have regular cheese, but they can enjoy this meal because it’s dairy-free,” Strickland said. “I’ve done this meal with regular cheese, and honestly, it’s way better with the dairyfree cheese.”

Asked how Katie’s Plates stands out from other food delivery services on the market, Strickland shared a few key differences. While other companies deliver boxes of ingredients for clients to use in preparing different meals throughout the week, Katie’s Plates delivers freshly cooked, ready-to-eat meals that can be enjoyed straight out of the packaging.

“One other cool thing about Katie’s Plates is that I have a degree in food, nutrition and health promotion from Mississippi State, so clients can trust that what they’re eating is healthy and designed for their nutrition,” Strickland said. “Ordering from Katie’s Plates also is great because you’re supporting a local business.”

Grateful for her hardworking cooks

and delivery drivers, Strickland said she always is open to adding new members to the Katie’s Plates’ team. She often welcomes interns from both in- and outof-state institutions of higher learning who are seeking hands-on experience in the food-service industry.

“I really want Mississippi State students to come intern with us at Katie’s Plates,” Strickland said. “This is a really fun place to work and because most of our interns want to have a job like this when they graduate, they’re getting great experience.”

Management responsibilities often keep her busy in the kitchen, so times when she is able to personally deliver meals have become special for Strickland.

Having the support of fellow Mississippi State alumni in the Birmingham area is icing on the cake, she said.

“One night, I was short a driver, so I made deliveries. When I got up to one of the houses, the man who came out recognized me and asked me to wait a second while he went back inside,” Strickland said, recalling how the gentleman returned with a magazine produced by Mississippi State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

“There was a story about me in the magazine, so he asked me to sign my name on it for his wife, who is a Mississippi State graduate,” Strickland said, adding with a laugh, “I got to sign an autograph while making a delivery.

That was cool!”

To this day, Strickland attributes her ability to manage a growing business to her Mississippi State education, as well as a beloved childhood hobby.

“When I trained horses growing up, I learned about responsibility and the importance of being fearless,” Strickland said. “With catering, we’re on a deadline every single day, so I have to make sure I properly manage my time and staff. I’m glad my mom let me work with horses when I was younger because what I learned has helped me so much with my business.

I feel very lucky.”

Want to see more of Katie’s Plates?

Like Katie’s Plates on Facebook or follow @katiesplates on Instagram and Twitter. n

KATIE’S PLATES’ BUFFALO CHICKEN CASSEROLE

SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS 1 medium spaghetti squash 2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter 2 cloves minced garlic 1 diced carrot 2 diced celery stalks 1/2 cup minced yellow onion 1 diced small red bell pepper 3 cooked and shredded chicken breasts 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup hot sauce 1/4 cup mayonnaise 3 whisked eggs INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place the squash cut-side down on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the skin gives when pressed. Remove the squash from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350°F. 3. Let the squash cool for 5 minutes, remove the seeds and use a fork to remove the threads. Place the threads in a large mixing bowl.

4. Melt the coconut oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onion and red bell pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the cooked veggies to the spaghetti squash.

5. Add the shredded chicken, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, hot sauce, mayonnaise and whisked eggs to the bowl. Mix everything together and pour in an 8-inch square glass baking dish.

6. Bake for 1 hour or until the top forms a slight crust that doesn’t give when you press in the middle.

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FORMER GRIDIRON DAWGS MAINTAIN CYCLE OF MENTORSHIP, COMMUNITY SERVICE

By James Carskadon, Photo by Russ Houston

MSU freshman linebacker Cameron Miller (left), alumnus, Super Bowl champion Tyrone Keys (middle) and assistant strength coach Nathaniel Peoples are all connected by a legacy of mentorship and community service that spans multiple generations of athletes.

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Watch Keys recap the play that made him a Bulldog legend at alumnus.msstate.edu.

Tyrone Keys was the keyboardist in the 1985 Super Bowl Shuffle music video.

athaniel Peoples’ office overlooks the weight room at the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex. As an assistant strength coach, he helps the Mississippi State University football team prepare physically to play at college football’s highest level.

Peoples knows what it takes because he’s been there before—in the weight room, on the practice field, doing what it takes to improve.

In 1994, he was a walk-on freshman for the Bulldogs, going from a top high-school player in Florida to someone who stayed home when his college team left for road games.

The adjustment was a challenge.

“Every Saturday morning, the phone would ring and he would say, ‘Mr. Keys, they left again without me,’” explained Tyrone Keys. “I said, ‘Nate, keep your eye on the prize and the big picture.’”

A legendary former Bulldog defensive tackle and NFL player, Keys embodies the “big picture.” After his football career, the member of the 1985 Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears turned his focus to helping young athletes, like Peoples, reach their full potential.

Peoples was among the first young men mentored through All Sports Community Service Foundation, a nonprofit Keys cofounded in Tampa, Florida, after an aspiring college football player he knew was shot and killed. The young man was offered a scholarship to a Texas school but never seized the opportunity.

The tragic death motivated Keys to ensure area athletes knew how to make good decisions on and off the field. With the help of a local businessman, he started the All Sports Community Service Foundation in 1993 and soon met Peoples, then a linebacker at Armwood High School in Florida.

Peoples came from a supportive home, but appreciated the life lessons offered by Keys, a fifth-round draft pick who always appreciated what others had done for him.

“As he helped me, I helped him do some things in the Tampa community,” Peoples said.

“We were giving back to youngsters and some of the elderly organizations. That’s what the backbone of his organization is all about.”

When it came time for Peoples to look at playing football after high school, Keys—a Bulldog legend for his last second, fumblecausing sack that sealed the 1980 upset over the top-ranked Crimson Tide—helped Peoples secure a walk-on spot at Mississippi State. However, when it came to navigating the experience, the older Bulldog’s perspective

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could only help Peoples so much.

Keys came to Mississippi State in 1977 as a highly recruited student-athlete from Callaway High School in Jackson. Unlike Peoples, his spot on the traveling squad had been virtually assured. His path to the starting lineup had fewer roadblocks.

To help the new walk-on navigate his position and the challenges it posed, Keys turned to someone who could relate to the challenges: his former teammate and Bulldog walk-on, Mike McEnany. After an introduction, Peoples spent off-seasons working for McEnany’s construction company, which he said taught him the value of hard work and education.

When not building and repairing roofs with McEnany’s company, Peoples worked hard in the weight room and on the practice field. That effort eventually paid off when he was awarded a full scholarship for his last two years as a linebacker.

Peoples ended his playing career in 1997 and received a degree in fitness management.

He then became a graduate assistant with the Mississippi State strength and conditioning staff while pursuing a master’s degree.

“I wasn’t always the fastest or the strongest.

I wasn’t gifted with the most natural ability.

I always had to bring those things out in the weight room,” Peoples said. “It felt like a natural fit to go from a guy that always depended on strength and conditioning to compete with some of the better players on the team to being a strength coach.”

After leaving Mississippi State, Peoples spent a year working full time for All Sports Community Service Foundation, which he had remained involved with during his college years.

There, he helped guide Tampa-native Fred Reid to Mississippi State.

Peoples accepted his first full-time strength coach position at the University of Central Florida in 2000, then worked his way through stops at Stanford, Syracuse, Western Michigan and Illinois before ultimately returning to Mississippi State as an assistant strength coach in 2015.

As someone who sees the players as much, if not more, than the team’s on-field coaching staff, Peoples considers it his duty to prepare the young men for all facets of life. He said he finds himself acting as a brother, dad and counselor on any given day as players come to him with different life issues.

“I feel that it’s not just my duty as a coach, but as a human being, to try to point them in the right direction every day,” Peoples said.

More than 20 years after they met,

Keys said he remains proud of Peoples’ accomplishments, especially how he’s fostered a cycle of mentorship.

By staying involved with All Sports, Peoples was able to work with Keys to help Florida prep standout Ricky Sailor make his way to Texas Tech University after off-field issues caused a scholarship offer to be pulled in the late 1990s.

That experience motivated Sailor to start a new company Unsigned Preps, which Keys is involved with as well, to help prepare athletes for college opportunities.

I FEEL THAT IT’S NOT JUST MY DUTY AS A COACH, BUT AS A HUMAN BEING, TO TRY TO POINT THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION EVERY DAY. ~NATHANIEL PEOPLES “That’s what it’s all about,” Keys said. “If a former student comes back with an idea for a program, we try to provide them with opportunities to help awaken the spiritual and social conscience of the next generation of students. ‘From the root to the fruit’ is what we call it.”

The next generation already has a presence on the Mississippi State campus. Cameron Miller, a linebacker from the Tampa area, joined the Bulldogs as a walk-on in August.

He discovered the Bulldogs through Unsigned Preps. In Florida, he and other high school athletes participated in community service, a leadership conference and local tournaments. Unsigned Preps also organized a bus tour of different colleges throughout the Southeast. Through it all, the players were reminded of the importance of mentorship and giving back, Miller said.

“I had really good parents that taught me how to act. A lot of guys in Unsigned Preps with me didn’t exactly have that,” Miller said. “Some of them could have very easily gone down a very bad path. Coach Ricky (Sailor) and Tyrone did the absolute best to make sure guys were doing the right thing and they were making good grades to help them get to college.” n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Our PEOPLE

BULLDOG TRAVEL LOG: REINSCHMIEDTS EXPLORE

THE CANADIAN WILDS WITH MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

STORY AND PHOTOS BY LYNN L. REINSCHMIEDT My wife, Myra, and I haven’t traveled a lot, at least not compared to some of our friends who seem to go somewhere every weekend. It wasn’t for a lack of want. We just hadn’t taken time in our semi-retirement to plan. But when I saw a trip to the Canadian Rockies among those offered through Mississippi State, it wasn’t something we could pass up: 10 days and nine nights traveling through stunning scenery visiting parks and luxury resorts.

It was a region we had always wanted to explore and booking the trip through Mississippi State’s Alumni Association took the guesswork out of everything. Orbridge, the agency that coordinated the expedition, handled all of the travel, lodging and even some activities once we reached our starting point in Calgary, Canada.

The trip included alumni from institutions across the country including the University of Arkansas, Notre Dame and one fellow Bulldog, Julian Watson from Madison. Some people worry about traveling with a group, but it actually provided some opportunities we wouldn’t have had on our own. We were able to tour the Columbia Icefield with very little wait.

That could have easily been a whole day’s ordeal if we had been on our own—if we even would have found it. And we stayed at some of the most popular resorts in the region, including some that fellow travelers had been trying, and failing, to get reservations at for years.

Some people enjoy all of the research and coordination that go into planning a trip on their own but for us, it was nice to have someone else do it. We still had the freedom to pick our activities or do dinner on our own. It would be a great way for a group of alumni to get together. And as for Myra and me, we’ve already looked at the next round of trips and plan to join an upcoming excursion to see the wolves of Yellowstone National Park in February.

Lynn L. Reinschmiedt is a retired associate dean and professor emeritus in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Mississippi State. He spent 38 years at the university, most recently serving as interim executive director of the Center for Distance Education. n

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DAY I

Our group began the trip in Calgary, Canada, with a welcome dinner. Our bus made a windshield tour of Calgary and a brief stop at the 1988 Winter Olympic village before heading into the Canadian Rockies the next morning.

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DAY 2

Glacier-fed Moraine Lake provided a stunning setting while in the lower elevations of the Canadian Rockies.

It is considered one of the most photographed sites worldwide.

DAY 3

My wife, Myra, and I with fellow Bulldog Julian Watson, standing on the Columbia Icefield. It is the largest icefield in the Rocky Mountains and crosses the Continental Divide. We learned that an icefield differs from a glacier in that an icefield is stationary, though this one is rapidly shrinking in size.

DAY 4

At the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge we enjoyed a view of its 700-acre grounds including a golf course and Lac Beauvert, which offers canoeing and a walking path around its perimeter. A canoe rental on Jasper Park Lodge’s Lac Beauvert. (Far right)

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DAY 5

An Icefields Parkway roadside encounter with an adolescent grizzly bear eating berries.

DAY 6

An optional helicopter tour in Banff offered spectacular views of six mountain ranges surrounding the area.

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Day 7

Shortly after leaving Banff on the optional, scenic, two day Rocky Mountaineer train ride to Vancouver, we passed the Lake Louise train depot.

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To see more of Lynn L. Reinschmiedt images from across the Canadian Rockies, visit www.alumnus.msstate.edu.

2017 TRAVELING BULLDOGS

The MSU Alumni Association annually sponsors several trips across the globe through the Traveling Bulldogs program. The schedule below outlines trips for 2017 available for booking.

CRUISE THE MYSTIQUE OF THE MAYA – CRYSTAL SERENITY JAN. 11-22, 2017 THE WOLVES OF YELLOWSTONE FEB. 7-13, 2017 LEGENDS OF THE NILE (SMALL GROUP, 28 PASSENGERS) MARCH 7-18, 2017 THE MASTERS APRIL 5-8, 2017

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WWI HISTORY BY RIVER SHIP APRIL 15-24, 2017 PASSAGE OF LEWIS AND CLARK MAY 7-15, 2017 SORRENTO MAY 10-18, 2017 CELTIC LANDS (SOLD OUT) MAY 16-25, 2017 FOOD AND WINE: FRANCE THROUGH BURGUNDY & CHAMPAGNE MAY 19-JUNE 1, 2017 EUROPEAN COLLAGE MAY 27-JUNE 4, 2017

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GREAT JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE JUNE 15-25, 2017 FOOD AND WINE: SAN FRANCISCO AND CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY JUNE 30-JULY 5, 2017 ALASKA BY SMALL SHIP JULY 7-14, 2017 GLACIAL ADVENTURES OF ALASKA JULY 28–AUG. 7, 2017 SCOTLAND FEATURING THE MILITARY TATTOO AUG. 23-31, 2017

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After leaving Kamloops en route to Vancouver, the Rocky Mountaineer Train enters a stretch of high plateau desert. The train tour was an optional two-day extension to the trip.

DAY 9

On the eve of departing for our return to Mississippi, Vancouver offered a spectacular sunset.

CAPITALS & COASTLINES OF CANADA AND NEW ENGLAND SEPT. 20-30, 2017 MEDIEVAL MASTERPIECE NOV. 5-14, 2017 Explore the Alumni Association website for more information at alumni.msstate.edu/travel.

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Our PEOPLE

L-R: Max E. Jobe, Jan F. Lewis, Dr. Michael R. Johnson, Tommie S. Cardin, Loston Rowe, Valerie Berney Cripps, Steven H. Bullard and Michael W. Bloesch

DISTINGUISHED GRADUATES S H A R E K N OW L E D G E W I T H C U R R E N T S T U D E N T S The Alumni Fellows program seeks to recognize some of Mississippi State’s most accomplished alumni by showcasing their talents to current students. Since its establishment in 1989 by the MSU Alumni Association, more than 200 graduates have been selected for the lifetime honor.

In addition to bringing one alumnus of MSU’s eight academic colleges back to campus to share professional experiences and provide career guidance, the annual fall-semester event includes a series of meetings and presentations with students and faculty, both in the classroom and informally. The 2016 Alumni Fellows group visited campus Nov. 3-5. The newest class includes:

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College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Loston Rowe remembers experiences from his time at Mississippi State that strongly affected his life including tutoring younger and international students. As an Alumni Fellow, Rowe will continue the tradition of serving the university’s students. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agronomy from MSU in 1984 and 1986, respectively. He said the diverse environment helped him learn to communicate effectively with people from around the world, an important skill in today’s business environment. After MSU, he enrolled at Michigan State University, where he earned a doctoral degree from the Department of Crop

and Soil Sciences with an emphasis on weed science in 1989. He is a retail accounts manager for DuPont Crop Protection. A native of Aberdeen, Rowe now lives in Eads, Tennessee.

College of Architecture, Art and Design Valerie “Val” Berney Cripps earned a Master of Fine Arts in electronic visualization from MSU in 1997, and considers mastering the “learning curve of the technology” a memorable accomplishment. She earlier earned her bachelor’s degree in art history and Italian from Indiana University. In her professional career, Cripps has taught doctoral courses on special-effects software, worked as

a freelance FX artist, and worked for Disney Feature Animation as an FX animator. Her work has appeared in notable movies, such as “Big Hero 6,” “Life of Pi” and “Spider-Man 3,” among others. She is founder and CEO of Valtopia, a company based out of Los Angeles, where she now lives. She says she is grateful to the College of Architecture, Art and Design for her selection as Alumni Fellow and cites the guidance of longtime MSU art professor Brent Funderbunk as a life-changer.

Originally from Joplin, Missouri, Cripps grew-up in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

College of Arts and Sciences During his time at MSU, Tommie S. Cardin served as the Student Association president and considers the experience his greatest accomplishment as an undergraduate. He feels that his involvement in extracurricular activities expanded his academic training to help him obtain the skills necessary to work with others to accomplish shared goals. A number of mentors, he says, helped shape his personal and professional life. In 1983, he graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in political science and later worked at Mississippi State as the College of Arts and Sciences development officer, securing private support for the academic unit. He earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi in 1986.

For a time, he was an adjunct professor in the Mississippi College School of Law. Presently, he serves as an attorney for the Regulatory and Government Relations Practice Group at Butler Snow, LLP. Since 2013, he has been chair of the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board. A Brooksville native, he currently resides in Ridgeland.

College of Business Jan F. Lewis acknowledges Mississippi State for providing her with the confidence that would serve her throughout her career, citing the faculty of the Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy who not only taught technical knowledge, but also provided the confidence to tackle any project. A 1985 summa cum laude graduate with a bachelor’s in professional accountancy, she recalls feeling smart, prepared and unafraid when she entered the workforce. In 2002, she became a tax

partner at Haddox Reid Eubank Betts, PLLC, where she started as a staff accountant in 1987.

She serves in industries such as healthcare, oil and gas, construction, and real estate. She is also involved with various organizations, including Mississippi State where she serves as an advisory board member for the Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy. She lives in her hometown of Jackson.

College of Education Max E. Jobe served in the United States Army prior to enrolling at Mississippi State.

He earned a bachelor’s in industrial education in 1954. Following graduation, he was commissioned into the Mississippi National Guard, where he served 14 years and retired with the rank of captain. After his military career, he earned a Master of Education from Our Lady of the Lake College and a Doctor of Education from the University of Georgia.

In a professional capacity, he has worked for various high schools, community and junior colleges, universities, the Maryland State Advisory Council on Vocational and Technical Education, and the United States Office of Education. He spent 25 years with Texas A&M University in Commerce, Texas, where he now holds professor emeritus distinction. He credits MSU for providing the tools needed to be an effective teacher. A native of Corinth, he lives in Kingwood, Texas.

James Worth Bagley College of Engineering Michael W. “Mike” Bloesch, a 1992 magna cum laude graduate with a bachelor’s in chemical engineering, says he believes every hour of every day at Mississippi State contributed to preparing him for his career.

Following graduation, he earned a master’s from the University of Houston in business administration with a focus on finance. He has since held several upper level positions in both the engineering and business fields. He presently serves as president and CEO of Next Wave Energy Partners, LP, a start-up venture he helped found in 2014. He spent 22 years with TPC Group, a company that provides products for chemical and petroleum-based companies around the world. He said he feels fortunate to have had mentors throughout his life who helped him achieve success. In his

selection as a 2016 Alumni Fellow, he plans to promote the great education and values that MSU represents. He is a native of Helena, Arkansas, now residing in Sugar Land, Texas.

College of Forest Resources With both a bachelor’s of forestry and a master’s in forest management with a focus on economics earned in 1977 and 1980, respectively, Dr. Steven H. “Steve” Bullard said he feels MSU gave him a dedication to continuous learning that is essential for success. He also holds a doctorate in forest management-economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He has taught for the College of Forest Resources at Mississippi State and held positions with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and the Mississippi Forest and Wildlife Research Center, in particular as the Sharp Professor of Forest Economics. Additionally, he has been professor and chair for the Department of Forestry at the University of Kentucky. Presently, he serves as the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, as well as the prestigious Henry M. Rockwell Chair in Forestry at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, where he lives.

College of Veterinary Medicine Dr. Michael R. “Mike” Johnson uses the experiences associated with his master’s degree in veterinary medical sciences with an emphasis in catfish aquaculture and immunology in his work as a consultant for international companies involved in markets concerning minerals, water treatment and energy. He credits the master’s program’s relationship with the Fish Disease Research and Diagnostic Center in the Mississippi Delta as the foundation for his success. He holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental zoology/ biology from Ohio University and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Ohio State University. He also has an MBA from Tulane University. He says his greatest professional accomplishment is his involvement in creating the largest, innovative water-service business in the world. He is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, now living in Mandeville, Louisiana. n More information on the 2016 class of MSU Alumni Fellows can be found at www.alumni.msstate.edu.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Our PEOPLE

TAILGATING WITH THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Saturdays in the fall, Mississippi State faithful gather at the Junction on Mississippi State’s campus for food, fellowship and to support Bulldog football. A Renasant Bank-sponsored alumni tent serves as the hub for graduates returning for home games, while Alumni Association-sponsored events bring alumni together on the road.

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ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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9/28/15 3:22 PM ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Infinite IMPACT

Grandparents express appreciation of T.K. Martin Center’s IMPACT

By Amy Cagle, Photo by Russ Houston Learning excites 3-year-old Louis Homan, and that excitement makes his parents happy and his grandparents proud. Every day is a little brighter since he started attending the T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability at Mississippi State University.

Larry and Laura Homan of Fulton are grateful for the advantages their grandson Louis has gained through the nationally recognized center and its Project IMPACT program. Short for Insuring Mississippi Parents and Children Tomorrow, the program is housed within the center and serves children from birth to age 5. It is based on a team approach that combines the skills of administrators, speech therapists, occupational therapists and special education teachers.

In appreciation of the strides the center has helped Louis achieve, a gift from the Fultonbased couple will assist with renovations for four Project IMPACT campus classrooms.

Once renovations are complete, one of the refurbished rooms will be named the Laura Kilpatrick Homan Classroom in her honor.

A 1967 Mississippi State alumnus, Larry Homan holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial arts education. Laura Homan graduated in 1969 with an education degree from nearby Mississippi University for Women. He is the president and CEO of the forest products company known as Homan Industries, and she is the company’s secretary and treasurer.

“Our family didn’t initially realize the T.K. Martin Center was nationally recognized as a place that would benefit Louis, but we have been very fortunate

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in having him there,” Larry said. “It is a privilege and our responsibility to help shine light and make others aware of the great work of the center that helps Louis make marvelous progress in speech development.”

The Homan family learned of the center’s reputation when Louis was around age 2, and thanks to the efforts of dedicated personnel, the outlook for Louis remains bright. He recently marked a complete year with Project IMPACT, having been enrolled by his parents, Kim and Clay Homan of Starkville.

When Louis was born in 2014, Kim instinctively knew there was something amiss with her child and followed her intuition.

“As a baby, Louis didn’t coo or gurgle as other babies did. He cried a little but that was the only sound that came from his small mouth,” Kim recalled. “I knew I had to follow my heart and find out why.”

The family’s pediatrician referred Louis to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Once there, genetic testing was performed to pinpoint his issue. The formal diagnosis revealed 16p11.2 deletion syndrome, a disorder caused by the deletion of a small piece of chromosome 16 at the p11.2 location. It typically causes a developmental delay and intellectual disability. For Louis, the formal diagnosis unfolded as delayed development in expressive speech.

“Every parent struggles emotionally with children who need help, and T.K. Martin is a miracle for children and families to pursue their hopes and dreams,” Kim said.

Larry and Laura Homan with their grandson Louis

From 8 to 11:30 a.m., four days a week, Louis happily attends school at the center with teacher Leslie Earnest and speech pathologist Christan Toney.

Once inside his Project IMPACT classroom, he uses a special tool to help him develop speech patterns. The speech-generating device, known as Accent 800, costs around $7,000. Once purchased, center personnel provide instruction in its use, as well as parent training.

The device helps Louis build vocabulary by enabling him to use a unique and consistent motor

pattern, paired with an auditory signal and a visual response. This method of intervention helps him learn to produce natural speech.

Over the course of a year, he has worked his way from sounds to forming well over 100 words.

He now possesses some three and four-word phrases, and a few with five words as well.

“It has been heartwarming to hear Louis make speech sounds and words as time passes. This is great progress to reach this point, and we are very pleased,” Kim said.

“Because of the efforts of faculty at T.K. Martin, Louis is on a path

toward greater achievement, and the classroom renovations aided by his grandparents will help children like him and those with other disabilities in the future.”

The entire Homan family has great confidence in Mississippi State and its impact on groundbreaking educational endeavors. Kim is a 2001 elementary education graduate who taught locally at Sudduth Elementary, and Clay, who earned a business degree in 1995, is the Bulldog’s head men’s golf coach. Along with Louis, the couple have two other children, son Henry, 5, and daughter, Ivy Frances, 8.

“The T.K. Martin Center is a blended family right here on the MSU campus,” Kim said. “They care and go the extra mile to help students. They show compassion and continue to impact Louis in ways that will help him progressively develop over time.”

Since the center opened, adults and children from families across Mississippi have benefited. The multiple programs and services the center offers year-round help to ensure that people with disabilities benefit from technological solutions and advances in the field of assistive technology.

“We are especially grateful to Larry and Laura Homan for their generosity to the T. K. Martin Center’s Project IMPACT program,” said center director Janie CirlotNew. “Their gift will help provide state-of-the-art facilities that will allow us to offer the highest level of intervention and instruction to students in the project.

“The renovations of our Project IMPACT classrooms will also allow more flexibility in how we support MSU students and prepare them to serve children in their future careers,” she added.

For more information on supporting the T.K. Martin Center, contact Trish Cunetto, director of development for the College of Education, at 662. 325.6762 or tcunetto@foundation.msstate.edu. n

President Mark E. Keenum (first row, center) welcomes the newest class of MSU Presidential Scholars. From left to right, they include (first row) Joy Carino, Carley Bowers, Alicia Brown, Katelyn Provine, (second) Donielle Allen, Leah Boyd, Dajaina Martin, Krishna Desai, (third) Garhett Moseley, Samuel Lucas, Seth Lenoir, Benjamin Jones and Joseph Neyland.

(Photo by Russ Houston)

MISSISSIPPI STATE ANNOUNCES 2016-17 PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS

More than 700 qualified applicants, applied for the 2016-17 Mississippi State University Presidential Scholars program, which is part of MSU’s Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College.

With qualifications that include a minimum 30 ACT or 1330 SAT score, the prestigious annual awards cover the current cost of university tuition, fees, books, and room and board, as well as research and study-abroad expenses.

The 2016-17 Presidential Scholars class includes (by hometown): BARTLETT, Tennessee—Freshman Benjamin K. Jones, an engineering major, receiving an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship.

BRANDON—Freshmen Seth L. Lenoir, a chemical engineering major, receiving a Hal and Linda Parker Presidential Endowed Scholarship; and Katelyn S. Provine, a biological sciences/pre-medicine major, receiving an Alan Nunnelee Presidential Endowed Scholarship.

BYRAM—Freshman Dajaina M. Martin, a biochemistry major, receiving an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship.

COLLIERVILLE, Tennessee—Freshman Carley E. Bowers, an economics major, receiving a Bobby and Barbara Martin Presidential Endowed Scholarship.

HATTIESBURG—Sophomore Samuel N. Lucas, a chemical engineering major, receiving a Malcolm and Olivia Portera Presidential Endowed Scholarship.

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama—Sophomore Garhett J. Moseley, a business administration/ international business and Spanish double-

major, receiving a Louis Hurst Presidential Endowed Scholarship.

JACKSON—Freshman Joseph N. Neyland, an aerospace engineering/astronautics major, receiving a Mickey and Babs Holliman Presidential Endowed Scholarship.

MADISON, Alabama—Freshman Leah A. Boyd, a music major, receiving an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship.

MCCALLA, Alabama—Junior Donielle D. Allen, a biochemistry/pre-medicine major, receiving an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship.

PETAL—Freshman Alicia D. Brown, a chemical engineering major, receiving a John and Georgia Ann McPherson Presidential Endowed Scholarship.

RIDGELAND—Freshman Krishna D. Desai, an architecture major, receiving a Charles and Pat Lee Presidential Endowed Scholarship.

STARKVILLE—Sophomore Joy Carino, an English major, receiving an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship. n

For more on the program, visit www.honors.msstate.edu/scholars.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Infinite IMPACT

MSU CAPITAL CAMPAIGN NEARS $669 MILLION With growing momentum, Infinite Impact is approaching the $669 million mark toward an overall campaign goal of $1 billion.

At this point in the campaign, the endeavor has become the largest single fundraising effort in Mississippi State University history.

As of October, the number of new donors through Infinite Impact reached more than 22,200. In all, more than 54,400 contributors are a part of the campaign that extends through 2020.

Alumni and friends can contribute to MSU’s continued success and growth in years to come by making a campaign commitment and creating an impact through the university. Campaign gifts may support scholarships, chairs and professorships, facilities and programs.

Since the campaign’s inception, more than $156 million has been raised for endowed scholarships and fellowships, and nearly $53 million has been raised for faculty support.

Additionally, more than $81 million in facility support and nearly $379 million in programs and annual support comprise the overall fundraising total.

Over time, the multi-year endeavor will help MSU achieve its long-term goals for the institution. Infinite Impact will equate the best all-around college experience–from academics to athletics–for all individuals who make their way to the university. The campaign will allow students and professors to extend their research and service efforts to benefit life worldwide.

Since the beginning of Infinite Impact, 453 new endowed scholarships have been created. Besides college-specific scholarships, alumni and friends can also contribute to

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MSU’s Compass and Promise scholarship programs. Additionally, the university’s most competitive scholarships, the Presidential Endowed Scholarships, can be established with gifts toward endowments that will fund four years of study for top students.

Opportunities also exist in all colleges to create chairs and professorships. By securing contributions for additional endowed positions, MSU can attract and retain top educators, who in turn attract significant research support, outstanding graduate students and other distinguished faculty.

Thus far the campaign has added 33 new endowed faculty positions, bringing the university total to 83.

Additional scholarships and endowed positions will help MSU grow over time.

As the university population increases, campaign gifts for new facilities and muchneeded renovations will allow the campus infrastructure to keep pace.

Infinite Impact is designed to benefit the university’s eight academic colleges.

The campaign also specifically impacts the university’s libraries, MSU athletics, the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College, MSU-Meridian and other areas across the university.

During Infinite Impact, alumni and friends may support the university annually through the Mississippi State Fund. These gifts touch the lives of more than 21,600 MSU students in many ways every day. The campaign also generates necessary operating funds and grows MSU’s overall endowments with gifts that will create impact over time.

Counting for Infinite Impact continues through 2020. All gifts, regardless of the designation, are commitments to the campaign. Gifts to the Bulldog Club also count toward the overall goal. A current summary of the university’s progress and more information on specific campaign goals can be found at infiniteimpactmsu.com. n

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New Endowed Faculty Positions

453

New Endowed Student Scholarships

54,400+ Bulldog Donors

For additional information, please contact

Pat Lane at (662) 341-7920 or (662) 323-8700 | 550Russell@StarkvilleRealEstate.com

Visit www.550russell.com for additional disclaimers. Š August 2016, The Mill. All rights reserved.

Infinite IMPACT

L-R: Steve Lindsay, Jean Bagley, Liz Lindsay and Jim Bagley

BULLDOG FAMILY INSPIRES PRIVATE SUPPORT By Addie Mayfield It is said that passion inspires passion. Similarly, alumni pride in a university serves as a cornerstone for growth, attracting the attention and support of even the most unlikely constituents. By carrying the torch of his alma mater, Jim Bagley helped extend Mississippi State University’s impact and established a new legacy of Maroon and White for Steve and Liz Lindsay along the way.

Nearly 35 years ago, the Lindsays had likely never given a thought to MSU. Today, they’re vital members of the Bulldog family. Inspired by their longtime friends, Jim and Jean Bagley, the Lindsays began supporting MSU, and in doing so, they are changing lives.

Steve and Jim first met when their careers crossed paths in the 1980s. Jim, a 1961 and 1966 MSU electrical engineering alumnus and major university benefactor,

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was serving as the vice chairman and COO at Applied Materials Inc., where Steve was president of business operations in Amsterdam and the Netherlands. As the two continued working together throughout their progressive careers, their friendship and shared passions for giving also grew.

In 2002, the Lindsays made their first visit to the MSU campus to attend the ceremony that recognized Jim and Jean’s $25 million gift for the

naming of the Bagley College of Engineering. Steve admits he wasn’t sure what to expect.

“The mental picture I got when I thought of MSU was a small, mediocre school in the middle of nowhere,” Steve said.

“When I saw it, I was blown away.

The buildings, the campus and what MSU had to offer were so impressive. I knew I wanted to help bring more students here.”

Since then, the Lindsays have supported various areas across

campus, including scholarships, facilities and the Car of the Future. During the renovation of McCain Hall, Steve established the Elizabeth A. Lindsay Suite in Liz’s honor, as well as the John K. Lindsay Office in memory of his father. The Steve and Liz Lindsay Annual Scholarship, which gives preference to entering freshmen and women, has also assisted engineering students at MSU since 2009.

“We have been very fortunate

in our lives, and we want to give back,” said Steve, who is a member of the dean’s advisory board for the Bagley College.

“When you invest in others, you can changes lives.”

The Arizona couple recently added to their support for the university through the creation of a fellowship bearing their name.

Supporting master’s students with an interest in automotive engineering, the Steve and Liz Lindsay Fellowship helps provide tuition, a stipend, insurance and fringe benefits for deserving students.

“We chose to support students at Mississippi State because our gifts are not just a drop in the bucket like they might be at other big schools,” Steve said. “This is a place where we can really make a difference.”

Through their involvement

with MSU, the Lindsays have embraced the contagious Bulldog spirit. In experiencing the rich culture and tradition that make up the heart of the university, the pair agrees that the inclusiveness and sense of belonging at

that’s one of the greatest strengths in the quality of education at MSU. Students don’t get lost in the school because it really does feel like a family.”

Recognizing the impact education can have on an

“WE CHOSE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE BECAUSE OUR GIFTS ARE NOT JUST A DROP IN THE BUCKET LIKE THEY MIGHT BE AT OTHER BIG SCHOOLS. THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.” ~ STEVE LINDSAY Mississippi State is one of the university’s greatest attributes.

“Mississippi State has always made us feel at home,” said Liz, explaining that despite not being MSU alumni, she and Steve have never felt like outsiders. “I think

individual, the couple’s philanthropic ventures also extend to children in inner-city schools near Liz’s hometown in Massachusetts. Through their gifts, the Lindsays hope to not only support ambitious scholars

and further academic programs, but to also instill the value of giving in future generations.

“It all filters down,” Steve said.

“Private gifts make a difference in students’ lives, and I hope that those students realize that they can make a difference in someone else’s life as well.”

Without the encouragement of Jim and Jean Bagley, Steve and Liz Lindsay may never have found a home at MSU. What began with pursuant careers in the engineering industry and grew through a common interest in classic cars and travel has become a lifelong bond with profound impacts.

“We have enjoyed the school, the people and our time at Mississippi State,” Liz said. “It’s been a worthwhile endeavor, and we’re just glad to be a part of the university family.” n

Foundation announces personnel additions

Frederic

McCrary

The MSU Foundation boasts an impressive slate of fundraisers across the university. Recently, a couple of new faces have joined the efforts to secure private support for the land-grant institution.

Aberdeen-native Sara Frederic is now director of development for the College of Arts and Sciences, the university’s largest academic unit. In her new role, she is responsible for leading fundraising efforts on behalf of the college to secure gifts from alumni and friends.

Frederic first attended Meridian Community College, where she earned an associate degree in broadcast communication in 2006. She graduated from Mississippi State in 2008 with a bachelor’s in communication with

a concentration in public relations.

She also earned an MBA and a master’s of sport administration from MSU, in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

Frederic joins Mississippi State from the healthcare field, where she most recently served as strategic projects and communications manager for Blue Cross & Blue Shield in Jackson. While residing in the area, she was a member of the MSU Alumni Association’s Central Mississippi Chapter board.

Also joining the MSU Foundation is Brittany McCrary of Athens, Alabama. She is assistant director of annual giving, overseeing the Bulldog Calling Center that employs some 50 MSU students to make telephone solicitations.

McCrary’s work with the Bulldog Calling Center began as a student caller in early 2013. She worked for three years in various progressive capacities for the telefunding center, most recently as a senior manager.

McCrary graduated earlier this year with a bachelor’s in biological engineering. As a student, she was a member of the MSU Foundation Ambassadors student organization.

The dedicated development staff of the MSU Foundation await the opportunity to discuss charitable gift plans with alumni, friends and corporations. A complete list of MSU Foundation personnel is available at www. msufoundation.com, which also has a link to the university’s Guide to Giving. n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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RIDE WITH

PRIDE

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY CAR TAGS ARE AVAILABLE IN AL, DC, GA, MS, TN AND TX. There is no better way to show your loyalty and pride in Mississippi State than by owning an official university license plate.

Displaying an MSU tag will let everyone know, wherever you drive, that Mississippi State University is your institution of choice. For more information, visit ALUMNI.MSSTATE.EDU/CARTAG.

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Class NOTES ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

Melvin T. Roland (B.S. industrial management, ’59)

David W. Jones (BPA, ‘81) is now senior vice president at Trustmark Banking and Financial Solutions’ corporate headquarters in Jackson. He was previously chief information security officer. With 34 years of banking experience, he is a Certified Information Systems Auditor.

1950s

was inducted into the Scott County Sports Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Livingston Performing Arts Center at Roosevelt Start Park in Morton. ___________________________________________________

1960s

Harold Gary (B.A. agriculture and extension education, ‘60) was elected president of the National

Rural Rehabilitation Corporation at its annual conference in Tampa, Florida. He is also vice president of the Mississippi Rural Rehabilitation Corporation and serves on the board of directors of the Pearl River Basin Development District, Southwest Mississippi Resource Conservation and Development Council, and the Forestry Association advisory board.

Harris H. “Trip” Barnes III (B.A. political science, ’68) was invited to join the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. This honor is offered to those deemed to be in the top 1 percent of their profession. He is an AV Preeminent-rated lawyer with Martindale-Hubbell and has been named a Super Lawyer by Memphis magazine. ___________________________________________________

1970s

Carol J. Levy (B.S. mathematics, ’70) was one of four recipients of the Richardson, Texas, Real Heroes Award. She was nominated for her volunteer work at the Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations. She also volunteers with the Richardson Police Department’s Neighborhood Crime Watch Patrol.

“Whatever Happened to Will,” a novel by Jerry Moorman (B.S. distributive education ’71; Ed.D., ’79), earned third place in the fiction: action adventure category at the Colorado Independent Publishers Association’s annual EVVY awards. It is one of four works currently available from the author.

Watts C. Ueltschey (B.S. accounting, ‘72) was selected

for the 2017 edition of Best Lawyers in America. He was also named, for the third consecutive year, to Expert Guides – Energy, an international listing of lawyers as chosen by their peers. Based with Jackson’s Brunni, Grantham, Grower & Hews, PLLC, he was previously named Lawyer of the Year by the Mississippi Business Journal.

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1980s

Ken Wrede (B.S. communication, ‘81) authored “6 Rabbit Holes of Leadership,” a new book about common pitfalls people find in their careers and how to avoid them.

Brig. Gen. Janson D. “Durr” Boyles (B.S. biological engineering, ’82) was

appointed adjutant general of the Mississippi National Guard following the retirement of Maj. Gen. Augustus L. Collins. Boyles has 34 years of commissioned service including a tour in Afghanistan in 2009 and a year in Kosovo as chief of staff for KFOR Forces, a NATO Division deployed as part of Operation Joint Guardian.

As part of the U.S. show jumping team, Kent Farrington earned a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, with Voyeur, a 14-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding owned by

Tommy Nusz (B.S. petroleum engineering, ‘82) and Terri Nusz (B.S. home economics, ‘82).

Craig Orgeron (BBA, ‘89; MPPA, ‘01; Ph.D. public policy and administration, ‘08) earned the Meritorious

Service Award from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. With more than 25 years of information technology experience, he is executive director of the Mississippi Department of Technology Services and chief information officer for the state of Mississippi. ___________________________________________________

1990s

Lane B. Reed (B.A. political science, ’92) will serve as president of the Mississippi

School Board Association’s Council of School Board Attorneys having previously served two terms on the council’s board of directors. A partner in McGehee, McGehee & Torrey, he has been an attorney for the Franklin County School District since 1996 and serves as municipal prosecuting attorney for the town of Bude and mayor of Meadville. He was Franklin County prosecutor from 2008-11 and prosecuting attorney for Meadville for 11 years.

Know alumni who have news or recent promotions? Send an email to alumnus@msstate.edu.

Brian Ratliff (B.S. civil engineering, ’96) was appointed

District 5 engineer for the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

He now oversees operations in 10 central Mississippi counties including the Jackson Metro Area and counties along Interstate 20 east toward Meridian. He began working for MDOT immediately following his graduation, moving from engineer-in-training to resident engineer overseeing major Jackson-area projects.

Neil Henry (B.S. business administration, ’97) is now Meridian regional president for Citizens National Bank.

John L. Shuff (BPA, ‘98; MPA, ’99) is now a senior vice

president at the Jackson-based corporate headquarters of Trustmark Banking and Financial Solutions. He was previously director of audit and has 19 years of experience in the field. ___________________________________________________

2000s

J. Anthony Sherman (B.S. accountancy, ‘00, M. Taxation, ‘01) was promoted to senior vice president and trust officer at the Jackson-based corporate headquarters of Trustmark Banking and Financial Solutions. He was previously personal trust manager and trust officer for the Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas markets.

Meagan Scott (B.S. human development and family studies, ’02; M.S. agricultural and extension education, ’04)) joined the North Dakota

State University Extension Service as a 4-H youth development specialist and assistant professor in the Center for 4-H Youth Development in Fargo.

She earned the 2016 Phoenix Award from the Graduate and Professional Student Government Association at Oklahoma State University, as well as the 2016 Outstanding Doctoral Student award from the university’s Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Leadership. She previously spent more than eight years as an Extension 4-H youth agent in Pearl River County.

BrookeMD Primary Care, under the direction of Dr. Brooke Uptagrafft (B.S. biochemistry, ‘03), was named Medical Practice of the Year at the 31st annual Chamber of Commerce Huntsville Madison County’s Small Business Awards Celebration.

Patients of the practice are served by a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner from a team of four, with Uptagrafft acting as the primary care physician.

Lindsey Mackie (B. S. accountancy, ‘05) was promoted to senior vice president and chief accounting officer for EdR Collegiate Housing becoming the youngest member of the

company’s executive leadership. She previously served as senior manager for financial services. A certified public accountant, she is a member of the Emerging Leaders Society of United Way of the Mid-South.

A new novel by Anthony Magyar (B.S. mathematics, ‘05) and Jason Sibley weaves a suspenseful tale of Mississippi inmates, unrivaled wealth and a mysterious nemesis. “Dare Ya!” is available from Elevation Book Publishing in bookstores across the country.

Jackson chef Alex Eaton (B.S. interdisciplinary studies, ’07) was crowned King of American Seafood after besting 10 other chefs in the 13th annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans. He is chef and owner of The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen in Jackson.

Nathan Johnson (B.S. biological engineering, ‘07)

has been inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. He is one of six students from the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine’s Class of 2017 to be selected for this honor.

Kimberly Mason Peeples (B.A. sociology, ‘09; B.S. psychology, ‘10; M.C.Ed., ‘12) is one Doctoral

student

of a select group receiving a fellowship from the National Board of Certified Counselors.

She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and recently received the Approved Clinical Supervisor credential. ___________________________________________________

2010s

Creative director for The Charlotte (North Carolina) Observer Micah Green (B.A. communication, ’12) is one of eight people selected for the Southern Newspaper Publisher Association’s NEX GEN program. The year-long program gives select newspaper professionals the opportunity to develop their knowledge, analytical skills and aptitude for innovation.

Daniel Forde (BBA marketing, ‘14)

was named public affairs director for the Mississippi Public Service Commission’s Southern District in Jackson. He previously worked for Sanderson Farms Inc. and the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s Office of Public Affairs. ___________________________________________________

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

Magnolia Jean Fletcher, Feb. 19, 2016, to Scott Fletcher (’09) and Rachel Posada Fletcher (’09) of Seattle, Washington.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Forever MAROON Wesley Ammon (B.A. political science, ’85; M.S. public policy and administration, ’88) 53, Starkville – A native of Vicksburg, he was director of the University Academic Advising Center and had a widespread influence on the students at Mississippi State.

A popular instructor, with high ratings from students, he regularly lectured to packed classrooms with more than 100 pupils. He was an avid Bulldog sports fan and a member of the Calvary Baptist Church. – Aug. 29, 2016 George Edward Bishop (B.S. management, ’53) 85, Jackson – A member of Sigma Chi, he was president of ODK Honor Society and a Distinguished Air Force ROTC student. He spent two years on active duty with the Air Force before retiring as a captain with the Mississippi Air National Guard. He worked for Allstate Insurance for 32 years, ending his career in Jackson in personnel management. He was a member of the Gideon’s Bible Society, Jackson Photographic Society, Mid-Mississippi Radio Control Club, Jackson Touchdown Club and the 120 Club. – Aug. 7, 2016 Ramona Carpenter (friend) 54, Baton Rouge, Louisiana – She was a physical therapy assistant and worked for several clinics in Baton Rouge, including Baton Rouge Mid City Clinic where she started her career. – June 11, 2016 Earnest Earl Cosby (B.S. accounting, ’55) 86, Jackson – As a member of the Navy, he served on the USS Curtiss during the Korean War. He played football at Mississippi State and began working with Arthur Andersen & Co. following his graduation.

He retired after 32 years as senior managing partner and went

into private consulting for Bill Walker Industries. He served many organizations and charities including the Boy Scouts of America and Broadmoor Baptist Church. – June 5, 2016 Bill Dooley (B.S. business information systems, ’56) 82, Wilmington, North Carolina –A native of Mobile, Alabama, he earned All-SEC honors while playing football for the Bulldogs.

He is best known for his coaching career within the Atlantic Coast Conference where he lead the North Carolina Tar Heels for 11 seasons becoming the school’s only coach to win multiple conference championships. He later served as head coach at Wake Forest and Virginia Tech where he was also athletics director. He started his coaching career at the University of Georgia under his brother, Vince. He won 161 games during his combined 26 years as a head coach. – Aug. 9, 2016 Ralph H. Doxey Jr. (attended) 36, Tupelo –A member of Phi Delta Theta, he earned a degree in marketing from the University of Mississippi. He was a member of the West Main Church of Christ in Tupelo and spent 14 years as a firefighter in both Olive Branch and Holly Springs. – Aug. 4, 2016 Edwin Wayne Dulaney (B.S. agricultural engineering, ’68) 71, Clarksdale – A farmer, he was a member of the Elk Lodge and the Delta Council. – June 13, 2016 William Butler Earthman Jr. (B.S. mechanical engineering, ’55) 81, Vicksburg – He retired from International Paper after 38 years of serving in various engineering and management positions. He later worked as project manager for Raytheon in Mobile, Alabama. He was a

Licensed Professional Engineer and member of ASME and TAPPI. Following his second retirement, he had an antique business and was an advocate for the Vicksburg-Warren Humane Society. – May 21, 2015

including the board of the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans at MSU. He spent more than 20 years with ExxonMobile and later started his own consulting firm. – October 21, 2015

Robert Gaston Jr. (B.S. finance, ’55) 83, Calhoun City – He served in the Army Finance Corps in Frankfurt, Germany, before returning to Mississippi to work in banking. He retired from Sunburst Bank and returned to Calhoun City where he was a deacon at First Baptist Church.

He was a charter member of Calhoun County Historical and Genealogical Society and the David Murphree Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

– July 20, 2016

Horton Holcombe Hobbs III (M.S. botany, ’69) 71, Fleetwood, North Carolina – A native of Florida, he was a professor of biology and department chair at Wittenberg University in Ohio. He was a Fellow of the Explorers Club, National Speleological Society and Ohio Academy of Science.

He served on the boards of the American Cave Conservation Association, Cave Conservancy of the Virginias, Karst Waters Institute and the Ohio Academy of Science. – Aug. 29, 2016

Clinton H. Graves Jr. (B.S. botany, ’50) 89, Starkville – He earned a doctoral degree from the University of Wisconsin where he was a Rockefeller Scholar and Research Foundation Fellow.

He joined the plant pathology faculty at MSU in 1953 where he remained until his retirement in 1992. During his career he authored or co-authored more than 170 research publications and earned many professional awards. He played piano for Men for the Master of First United Methodist Church.

He was also a member of the Kiwanis Club and Faith Baptist Church. – Aug. 9, 2016 John Paul Grice (B.S. accounting, ’68) 69, Houston, Texas – A native of Vicksburg, he graduated from Mississippi State as an ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate and later saw combat in Vietnam as a member of the Infantry. He was active in veteran’s programs,

Willie Glenn Howell Jr. (B.S. accounting, ’72) 65, Tupelo – He was comptroller for the city of Aberdeen for 31 years before serving as Amory’s city clerk for two years. As a member of First Baptist Church of Aberdeen and later First Baptist Church of Amory, he was a deacon, Sunday school teacher and church treasurer. – July 15, 2016 Diane N. Hughes (B.A. statistics, ’68) 69, Jackson – A member of Chi Omega sorority, she was secretary of the junior class and part of Cardinal Key while at Mississippi State. She worked in a branch of the president’s office at the University of Virginia and later Motors Insurance Corp. in Jackson. She was active in Covenant Presbyterian Church and Jackson Preparatory School while her children were students.

– May 26, 2015

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Forever MAROON Elizabeth Ann Trevathan Johnson (B.A. economics, ‘94) 44, Vernon, Alabama – A member of Kappa Delta sorority while at MSU, she was Miss Reveille, first alternate for Miss MSU and a national finalist for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship. After graduation, she was an account executive for WTOK-TV in Meridian and WBIR-TH in Knoxville, Tennessee. She later became director of development for the College of Arts & Sciences for the Mississippi State Foundation and worked as an economic and business development consultant.

– June 22, 2016 Robert L. Liddell Sr. (B.S. aerospace engineering, ’48) 92, Arlington, Texas – He interrupted his collegiate studies for military service at the start of WWII. By the end of the war, he was a first lieutenant. He returned to MSU and became president of Sigma Chi. He spent his career with Chance Vought Aircraft, later known as Vought/LTV. He was named an Eminent Engineer by Sigma Gamma Tau honor society and a member of Who’s Who in Aviation and Aerospace. He was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award by Mississippi State. – April 19, 2016

Michael Link (Ph.D. history, ’66) 79, Russellville, Arkansas – He graduated from Henderson State University where he was a lineman on the football team before attending Mississippi State and later Protestant University of Paris. He was a professor of history and adviser at Arkansas Tech University for more than 50 years. He was a member of the European Section of the Southern Historical Association.

– April 19, 1937 William Laney Littlejohn (M.A. economics, ‘65) 74, Houston, Texas – He taught economics at the University of Missouri and Illinois State University before beginning a career in long-range planning for Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia. He retired to Houston, Texas, where he was active in West University Rotary Club and the Houston Philosophical Society. – August 4, 2016 Jewel Chester McKee Jr. (B.S. electrical engineering, ’44; retired faculty) 92, Louisville, Colorado – He spent his childhood on the campus of Mississippi State University before joining the Navy where his first job was as an engineering officer

during WWII. Two days after leaving the service, he returned to MSU as an instructor. He ultimately became vice president for research and graduate studies before retiring in 1979. He spent the next 10 years as director of associateships and fellowships for the National Academy of Sciences.

After Hurricane Camille in 1969, he was recruited to chair the Governor’s Emergency Council for the Mississippi Gulf Coast where he was instrumental in the adoption of the federal 1970 Disaster Relief Act. – June 7, 2016 Ray H. Means Jr. (B.S. animal husbandry, ’57) (B.S. animal husbandry, ’57) 80, Lake Mary, Florida – The holder of two patents, he designed, implemented construction and managed installation of equipment into beef, pork and seafood facilities across the Americas and the Caribbean. He served as director of operations at Hardee’s/FFM processing products for the food service industry. As vice president of operations for Mitsui, he was the first to successfully develop a process for producing and marketing shelf-stable tuna products.

Following his retirement, he oversaw

catastrophe assessments for insurance adjustors in Louisiana, Puerto Rico and islands in the Caribbean. He was a member of Kappa Sigma. – June 7, 2016 Deana Ruth Milstead Mears (B.S. agriculture communications, ’90) 46, Baldwyn – She was a support therapist for Timber Hills and served as a counselor for Crisis Intervention. She was a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church. – March 25, 2016 Dan V. Mitchell (B.S. banking and finance, ’75) 63, Philadelphia – He was a member of the MSU golf team and worked as an insurance agent for 30 years, originally with Lamar Life and later with his father at Reliable Insurance Agency.

He was a member of Southside United Methodist Church choir, Philadelphia Country Club and MSU Alumni Association. – April 8, 2016 Robert Gerald Mohler Sr. (B.S. physical education, ’51) 95, Ocean Springs – Known as “Big M,” he walked onto Mississippi State’s football field at the age of 31 and not only made the team, but lettered in the sport. He later played for

Remembering Bob Ratcliff

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Bobby Rex Ratliff, who dedicated his career to promoting agriculture, died July 3, 2016, just days after his retirement from Mississippi State University. He was 65.

A native of Oxford, Ratliff earned a bachelor’s in education from Ole Miss before coming to Mississippi State where he earned a bachelor’s in print and broadcast communications in 1975 and a master’s in social studies in 1978.

In the 1980s and early 90s, Ratliff worked as vice president and farm director of the Progressive Farmer Radio Network before ultimately returning to Mississippi State. For the next 22 years he served in various roles including science writer for University Relations, editor for Mississippi Landmarks and MAFES Research Highlights magazines, and interim head of Agricultural Communications. His most recent role was marketing and communications coordinator for the Extension Center for Government and Community Development.

He was selected for many honors during his career including traveling to Russia and Hungary with John Block, former secretary for the USDA. Among the many awards recognizing his work is 1987 Farm Broadcaster of the Year from the National Association of Farm Broadcasters and, most recently, an Award of Excellence for Writing from the Association for Communication Excellence.

Know someone who should be recognized in Forever Maroon? Send an email to alumnus@msstate.edu.

Biloxi’s semi-pro football and baseball teams. He was a pilot with the Navy and worked as an air traffic control instructor at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, and Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, where he helped many women pass the training, despite being told they would not succeed.

He was a partner in many Biloxi businesses. – July 29, 2016 Linda Marie Wayland Pote (retired faculty) 63, Starkville – A retired professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, she studied avian and aquatic, molecular and general veterinary parasitology. She earned a master’s degree from Oregon State University and a doctoral degree from the University of Arkansas. – Sept. 26, 2016 Charles L. Sciple (B.S. agriculture economics, ’50) 90, Starkville – He served in WWII and received a Purple Heart, Bronze Star and numerous other commendations. He also served in the Korean War and received two Purple Hearts. He was a member of the Mississippi Agricultural Club, Cattlemen Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Mississippi Employees Retirement Association and Sessums Community Club. – Sept. 5, 2016 Charles H. Thomas (retired faculty) 93, Starkville – He retired in 1987 after more than 30 years of teaching genetics to agricultural, biological science and pre-medical students at MSU. His work with students outside of poultry sciences earned him the nickname “Chicken Thomas.” A native of Georgia, he held degrees from the University of Georgia and North Carolina State University. He was adviser to Blue Key honor society and a WWII veteran.

James A. “Gene” Thomas (B.S. electrical engineering, ‘62) 81, Collierville, Tennessee – A native of Meridian, he worked for NASA at Cape Canaveral on early space programs including Mercury, Gemini and Apollo as a biomedical and communications systems engineer. He later became a shuttle program project engineer and director of all shuttle launch and landing operations. He retired in 1997 as deputy director of the Kennedy Space Center. – June 7, 2016 Thomas W. Worthington (B.S. civil engineering, ’50) 86, Beech Grove, Tennessee – While at State, he was vice president of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a member of the track team and Sigma Chi. He was a Distinguished Military Graduate and was commissioned into the Army during the Korean War. After his military service, he worked for M and W Construction in Tupelo before opening his own company, Worthington Construction in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, which he operated for 32 years. He served Mississippi State in the Alumni Association, Foundation, Bulldog Club and various committees. – June 30, 2016

IN MEMORY OF

VON GRAHAM Homer Devon “Von” Graham Jr. (B.S. accounting, ’56) 82, Houston, Texas – An all-state football and basketball star at Batesville High School, he played golf for the Bulldogs. While at State he was grand master of Kappa Sigma fraternity, president of the Business School and a member of the Colonel’s Club. Following his graduation, he joined Arthur Andersen & Co., one of the country’s largest accounting firms, before taking a two-year leave to serve as a lieutenant in the Army.

Following his stint in the military, he transferred from Arthur Andersen’s Houston, Texas, office to New Orleans as a managing partner. He later returned to Texas as area managing partner for Houston, the Southwest and Southeast regions of the U.S., and Africa.

He was part of the company’s Global Board of Partners for 16 years, including a year as chairman. He was also part of the firm’s Worldwide Executive Committee for 20 years.

Following his retirement in

1997, he became president and CEO of R.E. Smith Interest and a trustee for Smith Trusts.

During his career he also served on the boards of directors for Freeport McMoRan Inc., McMoRan Exploration Co. and Wm. B. Reily Company Inc. He served numerous civic organizations in both Houston and New Orleans, including art, education and charitable endeavors. He was elected king of New Orleans Carnival in 1985.

He served Mississippi State as a member of the MSU Foundation board of directors and the advisory board for the College of Business. He was named Alumnus of the Year and College of Business Distinguished Alumnus in 1985. In 2015, he was honored as one of the top 100 graduates of the College of Business in honor of its 100th anniversary.

– July 22, 2016

Champ 2005-2016 TaTonka’s Golden Son, known to the Mississippi State faithful as Champ, died August 21, 2016, just shy of his 11th birthday.

He took on the title of Bully XX in 2009 and served until 2015 when he passed the harness to his son, Jak. He was the son of Bully XIX, TaTonka Gold.

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Back ST O R Y WITH TOM CARSKADON I am a Southerner by choice rather than birth. Over 44 years, Mississippi State University has been my first, last and only full-time job.

What was it like back in 1973? GTR was brand new but it was serviced only by Southern Airlines, flying elderly Martin 404 propeller planes that first took wing in 1951.

I arrived in one of them.

Contrary to my Yankee stereotypes about Mississippi, I found an exceptionally friendly, modern, comprehensive university that was clearly poised for growth. I wanted to be part of it. I wanted to make a difference here.

I was relieved to learn that Starkville was named after the American general, not the English adjective. Starkville was pleasant, but much smaller then. There was only one franchised restaurant. It was 1974 before we got a McDonald’s, and when Wal-Mart opened, it literally stopped traffic.

Food options on campus consisted mainly of the magnificent cafeteria, where most people ate their meals, one place in the Union, and the historic State Fountain Bakery. That was about it, but the food was good!

Beer was illegal in Oktibbeha County. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but platoons of students and faculty seeking beer and comradeship drove a rather perilous two-lane road out to “the Crossroads,” just past the county line. A place called Len-Lou’s lives in the memory of many.

Entertainment centered mainly on religious groups, Greek groups and SEC sports. Our star quarterback was a highly respected young man named Rockey Felker. Back then, most of the big football games were played in Jackson, and it was years before Scott Field had lights.

The campus was a ghost town on weekends.

Nearly all the students went back to the very homes they had waited 18 years to leave.

Maybe the reason was the residence halls: It was an open secret that during a major recent expansion, the person responsible prided himself on putting up the cheapest dorms in America—and we got exactly what we paid for. Decades later, righting that mistake would cost many millions.

Mississippi State had been peacefully integrated just eight years earlier. But in Starkville, some doctors’ offices still had segregated waiting rooms—in 1973! My deceased wife, a gentle and compassionate

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Dr. Carskadon, in the mid-1970s, conducting a class exercise designed to show students how small children perceive adults. soul, always sat in the “wrong” waiting room. Staff didn’t know if she was simply clueless or defying them. I’ll give you a hint: She wasn’t clueless.

I am often asked how students have changed over the last four decades. My answer is simple: They haven’t. Styles change, toys (think: smartphones) change, but students are the same wonderful people they have always been.

I feel blessed beyond measure to work here.

The years have flown by. This much is sure: There has never, ever been a more exciting time to be at Mississippi State University. The “glory days,” the “best of times,” are now.

That is why I intend to remain here to teach the grandchildren of the students I taught 44 years ago, when my career began.

Hail State, and Forever Maroon and White. n Tom Carskadon is a professor of psychology and director of First-Year Experience programs at Mississippi State. In its inaugural year, he earned the rank of Grisham Master Teacher, considered the university’s highest recognition of teaching.

He also won the Alumni Association’s Award for Outstanding Teaching. It’s estimated that over his 44 years at Mississippi State, “Dr. C” has taught more than 40,000 students. He is a graduate of Oberlin College and holds a doctorate in psychology from the University of Colorado.

LEFT FIELD

Lounge

Pulled from the University Archives, this picture from the 1970s shows Left Field Lounge behind Dudy Noble Field. Let us know more about what’s happening in this photo or share your own memories from Left Field Lounge. Some responses may be published in print or online with the next issue. alumnus@msstate.edu

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