29 minute read
Profiles
FORMER FOOTBALL PLAYER, ENGINEERING ALUMNUS TACKLES NEW CHALLENGES AS CHEVRON CORPORATE VICE PRESIDENT
By James Carskadon, Photos submitted
When Albert “Al” Williams was deciding where he wanted to play college football, the Jackson native relished the idea of suiting up for the Bulldogs in his hometown’s Veterans Memorial Stadium, then host of the annual Egg Bowl matchup. However, his time at Mississippi State set a course for competing on a much bigger, global stage.
A 1990 electrical engineering graduate, Williams took the helm as Chevron Corporation’s vice president for corporate affairs in March. Since joining the company shortly after graduation, his positions within the company have been based in Thailand, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Australia and different regions of the United States.
Williams credits an MSU program designed to increase exposure to engineering careers among minorities in middle and high school as sparking his interest in electrical engineering. He said the athletic scholarship from MSU gave him the opportunity to fully pursue both his gridiron and academic goals. Finding an on-campus mentor in electrical engineering professor Jimmy Dodd, who played football for the Bulldogs in the 1950s, helped keep him on track.
“He was a trailblazer and had done what I aspired to do,” Williams said. “That really motivated me even more to play football at a high level and achieve my academic aspirations. Dr. Dodd became my role model. He reinforced to me that the path I was on would be difficult, but achievable.”
From 1987-90, Williams played quarterback and defensive back for the Bulldogs. A career highlight came during Williams’ senior season when he returned an interception 51 yards for a touchdown during a victory over LSU in his hometown of Jackson in front of family and friends.
With his football career behind him, Williams focused on his professional career with Chevron, which is still going strong 30 years later. During his time with the company, Williams has been a part of major technical achievements, such as being a part of the team that designed, constructed and started up Chevron’s first deepwater offshore development, Genesis, in the late 1990s in the Gulf of Mexico. He also has gained experience in every major facet of oil and gas operations, from extraction to transportation "When you look back to refining resources into consumer products that helps over the past 100 power the world forward. years, energy has been Most recently, Williams spent two years as managing the cornerstone of all director of Chevron Australia advances in society. We before being promoted to vice president of corporate affairs. have solved some of the In his new role, he oversees most difficult problems, government and public affairs, social investments and the overcome huge technical company’s reputation as part obstacles and delivered of its executive leadership. He said he is excited to work responsible solutions." with all Chevron stakeholders to help meet the world’s ~ Al Williams energy needs, which will be even greater as the global population is expected to grow by more than a billion people in the coming decades. “When you look back over the past 100 years, energy has been the cornerstone of all advances in society,” Williams said. “We have solved some of the most difficult problems, overcome huge technical obstacles and delivered responsible solutions. As we look to the next 100 years, even as we work to create a lower carbon future, energy will play a vital role in achieving a prosperous and sustainable world-advancing new technology to develop affordable, reliable and ever-cleaner energy. I’m excited to be in my current role as Chevron aims to lead in the future of energy, positively impacting and improving lives and providing opportunity as we power the world forward.”
Before becoming a leader at Chevron, Williams helped lead the MSU football team as a quarterback and defensive back from 1987-90.
During his career, Williams has led efforts to create a more inclusive environment within the company, serving as the first president of the Chevron Black Employee Network in the early 2000s. He also is a lifetime member of the National Society of Black Engineers. With minorities remaining underrepresented in most STEM fields, Williams said it is important for organizations, whether in government or private sector, to “do their part” to support programs that increase kids’ exposure to science, technology, engineering and mathematics career opportunities at a young age.
As a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Bagley College of Engineering, Williams has seen and supported MSU’s efforts in this area, including some that are carried out in partnership with Chevron.
“When you add up the collective efforts of everyone, we will be able to make appreciable progress,” Williams said. “I’m pleased with the progress that I’ve seen in our partnership between Mississippi State and Chevron, and I’m also pleased that both of us recognize there is still more to do and are committed to the work ahead of us.”
From the challenge of balancing football and engineering classes to being a part of the executive leadership team for a multinational company, Williams said he has never stopped learning from the challenges and opportunities placed before him.
“I’ve been a lifelong student,” Williams said. “Mississippi State was really the catalyst for me to pursue and continue to seek higher learning in everything I do. I’ve been fortunate to join a company like Chevron that has continued to cultivate creative thinking and experiential learning in pursuit of solving the world’s most complex challenges. It’s been a very rewarding experience.” n
LEADERSHIP LESSONS
As Al Williams moved from an individual contributor to manager to broader leadership roles with Chevron, he has developed his own perspective and framework for being an effective, high performing leader based on his learning over the years. The former Bulldog wore No. 3 on the football field and now breaks his key leader attributes down into three groups of three.
His three “Ls” are to listen, learn and then lead, which is to invest time to gain an appreciation for the team and organizational capabilities while learning from others in order to set more informed expectations and make better decisions.
His three “Es” are engage, empower and enable. Build trust, increase buy-in and remove barriers to individuals and teams contributing their best to achieve common goals.
His three “Cs” are care, collaborate and compete, which means have personal accountability to the success of the team and the team working together as one to deliver targeted results.
“You do not need a title to exhibit these attributes,” Williams said. “Anybody, in any job role, and in any location can display these attributes. In reflecting back on my time at Mississippi State and over my career with Chevron, the three Ls, Es and Cs have been the essential attributes I have observed and attempted to role model in being an effective and valued leader. As the world around us continues to evolve and societal expectations increase, I have
found that these attributes are resilient and will contribute to the success of any team, organization or company in
achieving its goals.”
Back in the Saddle
Life-changing accident spurs engineering major’s problem-solving instincts
By Leah Gibson, Photos by Beth Wynn
Kalyn Smith uses a specially outfitted all-terrain vehicle to navigate her family’s farm. With her new mount Slick, a 16.5 hand bay, she hopes to once again enjoy the pastime she loves.
In the summer of 2019, Kalyn Smith had a plan. Having completed her classes at East Central Community College, the Carthage native would soon follow in her brother’s footsteps and enroll at Mississippi State University as a mechanical engineering major.
Then a day she can’t remember changed her life forever.
“I had everything planned out for my first year at Mississippi State,” Smith recalled. “I was getting ready to move out of the house, and I was excited because I had finally figured out what I wanted to do. Then, on July 21, I decided to ride horses with my little cousin after church. My memory of that day stops at about 4 p.m.”
A self-described country girl, Smith began demonstrating barrel racing maneuvers for her cousin. It was a strong run until Goliath, the chestnut quarter-horse cross she was riding, decided to buck.
“I was almost to the gate when he threw me 8 to 10 feet into the air,” Smith explained. “When I came out of the saddle, I landed on my right shoulder and that caused the break in my spine.”
Local first responders evaluated Smith’s injuries and called for an airlift to the University of Mississippi Medical Center where she underwent surgery to save as much of her mobility as possible. The accident left her paralyzed from the chest down, but Smith said it was just a detour in her journey, not the end.
“Even from the beginning, I knew that it was going to be OK. I just had to keep moving forward,” Smith said. “If I sat there and dwelled on being paralyzed, I knew that I wasn’t going to make any progress. I had to figure out how to live a different way, and at that point, my focus became getting back to school.”
Smith said she immediately recruited her brother to help adjust her timeline for moving to Starkville and Mississippi State University.
“He came to visit me in the hospital, and I sent him to the lobby with my computer and instructions to email everyone I had been in contact with at State,” Smith said, recalling how she proactively delayed her enrollment for a year.
Smith said she used her desire to get to MSU and the self-set deadline of one year as fuel to drive her recovery. As the months progressed, she relearned how to dress herself
TOP LEFT, MIDDLE RIGHT: Smith plans to make adjustments to a western-style saddle to accommodate her needs. TOP RIGHT: Smith decorates the back of her wheelchair with stickers given to her by friends. BOTTOM: A self-described country girl, Smith still helps tend her family’s cattle.
and mastered many daily tasks. She soon began to get creative with her rehabilitation both to challenge herself and tailor the exercises to her life.
“I remember rolling into therapy one day and telling my physical therapist, ‘You’re going to think this is a joke, but I’ve got a saddle in my room and I want to get back on it,’” Smith recalled, noting that her brother smuggled the horse tack into the hospital for her.
She said the therapist questioned whether she was taking the phrase “getting back in the saddle” too literally. But for Smith, riding again is a big goal.
“It’s just a matter of how and when,” she explained.
While working toward reclaiming the pastime she loves, Smith also has worked to regain some of the independence she missed in the early stages of her recovery. With a specially outfitted GMC truck, she can once again drive herself where she needs to go. She’s also remastered piloting an all-terrain vehicle that she uses to navigate her family’s farm and help tend its show cattle.
By the fall of 2020—in keeping with her one-year timeline—Smith was ready to restart her education journey and begin classes in the Bagley College of Engineering. She said she was eager to face the challenges of college life, which included finding the perfect wheelchairaccessible housing.
Smith said she met many Mississippi State faculty and staff who eagerly welcomed her to campus and ensured her needs were met. She and her adviser Jennie Maddox, a research engineer at the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, toured MSU’s engineering facilities, including laboratories where Smith is pursuing her dream of getting back on a horse by developing an adaptive saddle for people with disabilities.
“Mechanical engineering is a problemsolving degree,” Maddox said. “Kalyn’s track record shows that she is able to solve problems. No matter what the problem might be, she’s going to come up with a creative solution that not only addresses the problem but also is safe.”
She continued, “Kalyn is going to directly benefit from her degree because she’s helping herself and has the potential to help others.”
Now a senior, Smith is as optimistic as ever about both her academic career and life after college. In addition to her coursework and saddle project, she is busy planning a wedding with her fiance and helping her father complete a blueprint for her first home.
Though her life doesn’t look exactly like she would have expected two years ago, Smith said she now feels like she was destined for this journey.
“Being in a wheelchair has given me new challenges, but my engineering degree will give me skills to help me meet them and maybe help others in similar situations,” Smith said. n
TAKING THE REINS
Long seen as symbols of courage and freedom, horses also can help their handlers find strength and independence within themselves.
For participants in Mississippi State University’s Equine-Assisted Therapy Programs, that can mean improved muscle control, breakthroughs in communication skills, or better emotional and behavioral control. It’s something Lori Irvin, an Extension associate who helps coordinate the programs, said she sees every day when watching clients interact with their mounts.
“Riding a horse stimulates the central nervous system, and learning to work with such a large animal builds confidence and selfesteem,” Irvin explained. “It has benefits for a wide-range of conditions and some of the breakthroughs I’ve seen have left me in tears.”
Housed at the Elizabeth A. Howard Therapeutic Riding and Activity Center at the Jimmy Bryan 4-H Complex in West Point, the MSU Extension EquineAssisted Therapy Programs include both an accredited service for children with cognitive, physical or emotional needs and the Veteran’s Horsemanship Program.
In addition to Irvin and fellow Extension associate Cassie Courts Brunson, the programs are staffed by volunteers including college students, community members and area 4-Hers. Irvin said these volunteers are essential to the success of the programs, as it takes three volunteers to assist each child with riding. Irvin said the programs serve approximately 35 children and 20 veterans every semester.
For more information about the programs, including ways to get involved, contact Lori Irvin at lirvin@humansci.msstate.edu.
MONEY TALKS
Children’s book from engineering alumnus works to build financial literacy
By Susan Lassetter, Artwork by Warn Wilson Jr., Photo submitted
Warn Wilson Jr. has a message for his future children. In the meantime, he plans to share it with as many young people as possible, so they can have the knowledge he wishes he had when he was younger.
Through his new picture book, “Brown Money,” Wilson said he hopes to provide insight into earning and inspire children to fully explore their career and investment options as they grow.
“Many young people in African American communities aren’t exposed to different ways to build wealth,” Wilson explained. “I wanted to write this book to share my experience and insight about multiple ways to make money and ways to make a living other than being an entertainer or professional athlete.
“If you can do those things, that’s something to be proud of, but not everyone is going to be a YouTube star or sign a deal with Nike,” he continued. “I want to help kids realize ‘Hey, I can be an engineer’ or ‘Oh, I can be a real estate investor.’”
Wilson’s book is written as a conversation between a father and his son during which the two discuss all of “Jay’s” options for after high school, including a variety of technical fields, trades and business endeavors.
“Growing up, we’re told, ‘Go to college. Go to college. If you want a good life, go to college,’” Wilson explained. “But college isn’t for everyone and there are many professions that don’t require it and you can still do well for yourself. I want to help kids see those options and not feel like they have to fit into this one box.”
A 2016 electrical engineering graduate, Wilson is no stranger to “thinking outside of the box.” By day, he is a manufacturing engineer with Elos Medtech in Memphis but afterhours, he is everything else. He is a selftaught barber and stock investor. He is founder “Many young people in African American communities aren’t exposed to different ways to build wealth. I wanted to write this book to share my experience and insight about multiple ways to make money." ~ Warn Wilson
of an electronics company, vondu, and a celebrated artist who has sold work at the Mississippi Museum of Art. He created the illustrations for both “Brown Money” and his second book, “Royal Counsel,” which was inspired by his mother and grandmother. He has created a line of card games and clothing that he sells through his website, and he runs a rental business with his fiancee. Before the pandemic hit, he was also working toward becoming a licensed tattoo artist.
“I’m kind of all over the place,” he admitted with a laugh. “I just love seeing an idea transform into something tangible.”
The Jackson native said this creative drive steered him to study engineering at Mississippi State.
“Growing up, I had so many questions about how things worked and functioned,” he said. “Then I found out I could study engineering and learn from experts. That put me on a track where I could one day design things myself. I gained a lot of knowledge from engineering and I use it all the time, if not at work, then at home when I’m creating my own products. It’s just been so valuable.”
He said the engineering curriculum at MSU has even influenced his creative writing. He specifically credits the Bagley College of Engineering’s Technical
Communication Program and its technical writing class for teaching him to express his ideas more clearly. “That class showed me the importance of good instruction and how to explain things the right way to make sure they’re easy to understand,” Wilson said. “That’s helped me put things in the simplest form possible when writing my books. And if you can make these “I want to help kids important topics simple enough for kids realize ‘Hey, I can to understand, that knowledge is going to be an engineer’ or last a lifetime.” ‘Oh, I can be a real Wilson’s books are available through estate investor.’” his website and on Amazon, but he is also ~ Warn Wilson Jr. taking his message straight to the children he hopes will benefit from it. He has done virtual readings and presentations for elementary schools including several in Memphis, Nashville’s Glencliff Entrepreneurship Magnet School, Atlanta’s Coretta Scott King Young Women Leadership Academy and Starkville’s Boys and Girls Club. “I’m trying to give them lessons that I didn’t learn as a kid and expose them to paths to success they might not have known were possible,” Wilson said. “I also try to be an example of the importance of trying new things all of the time and not having a fear of failure. Just go out and try it all because you never know what your passion is going to be.” n
Entrepreneurs 'Make Lemonade'
More than 200 budding entrepreneurs from across the Golden Triangle got their first taste of business June 19 for Lemonade Day 2021.
A national program meant to inspire tomorrow’s business and community leaders, Lemonade Day strives to help young people build self-esteem and life skills through the creation, marketing and operation of lemonade stands.
Mississippi State’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach was one of the local sponsors for Lemonade Day 2021. The center first began sponsoring Starkville’s event in 2018, drawing approximately 150 participants. Golden Triangle Lemonade Day coordinator Jeffrey Rupp, the center’s outreach director, said it was that success that inspired the center to expand its sponsorship to include West Point and Columbus.
“All of us were blown away by the enthusiasm of the kids and their parents and the support of the community, so we were excited to get to include the whole Golden Triangle region this year,” Rupp said. Stand operators are responsible for securing investors and locations for their businesses, purchasing materials, developing and manufacturing their products, marketing, and sales. Once investors are repaid, the stand owners can keep their profits.
“This is a fun way for kids to learn basic business concepts first hand,” Rupp said. “We encourage kids to save, spend and share some of their earnings. Giving back is a big part of the program.”
Sprinkled throughout neighborhoods and outside businesses across the region, this year’s sales stands included offerings of classic fresh squeezed lemonade, as well as a variety of inventive flavors, baked goods and other sweet treats. For more information about MSU’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, visit
www.ecenter.msstate.edu.
LEAVING THE NEST
Poultry science alumnae reflect on Mississippi State lessons that led to success
By Sasha Steinberg, Photos submitted
When Amanda Bushong and Ryn Laster attended a ribbon cutting for Mississippi State’s new poultry science building in November 2020, they saw a beautiful place for students to learn and grow. As two of Mississippi State’s earliest alumnae in poultry science, these Bulldogs also saw an unwavering foundation of “family” awaiting the next generation of industry leaders.
“Mississippi State gave me an amazing experience because I was not just a number or a name passing through the halls. I was somebody with goals and dreams of working in the industry I was passionate about, and great people at this university helped me get there,” said Bushong, a Starkville native who studied poultry science at MSU in the early 1990s.
Bushong said Wallace Morgan, a fellow Starkville native and three-time Bulldog graduate, was one of her greatest MSU influences. Before retiring in 2007, Morgan served for 20 years as head of MSU’s poultry science department, one of the country’s six remaining poultry science degreegranting programs.
“Whether explaining a concept we were learning in class or a life lesson, Dr. Morgan kept it simple and straightforward. He really took his time to help me and give a kick in the butt when I needed that too,” Bushong said with a laugh. “To this day, he is like a father to me.”
Laster, a Raymond native who also earned an MSU bachelor’s in poultry science in 1993, said the lessons Morgan taught her as a student have shaped her professional endeavors. Along with serving as president of the Mississippi Egg Marketing Board, Laster currently is director of food safety and animal welfare for Cal-Maine Foods, the U.S.’s largest egg producer "I was not just a number or a headquartered in Jackson. name passing through the halls. “I remember Dr. Morgan I was somebody with goals and dreams of working in the industry I was passionate about, and great people at this university helped me saying communication is the key. It’s true. You have to be able to communicate to get get there." ~ Amanda Bushong things done, and I do that all day long,” said MSU’s 2019 Distinguished Fellow of Poultry Science who also earned a bachelor’s in English from MSU. “Whether I’m writing instruction manuals or talking with colleagues at the FDA, USDA or Cal-Maine’s different locations across the United States, my English degree from Mississippi State gets put to work every day.” Laster, a two-time chair of the Mississippi Poultry Association board of directors, also holds an MSU master’s in food science and technology, and a doctorate in food science, nutrition and health promotion. Lessons from these degree programs, she said, continue to inspire her personally and professionally. “My major professor Dr. Yvonne Vizzier-Thaxton was bound and determined that I was going to get my Ph.D. At the time, I thought there was no way I could do that
between my job and taking care of my family, but she talked me into it,” Laster recalled. “I think it was a good lesson for my daughters as well because it showed them you can do anything you set your mind to. Dr. Thaxton did that for me and Amanda. She taught us how to carry ourselves, and we learned how to have the confidence we needed in the professional world, especially in a predominately male field.”
Like Laster, Bushong said her post-MSU career trajectory has been as vast as it is rewarding. She moved in 2016 to Kansas City, Missouri, to serve as director of merchandising and product development for National Beef Packing Company LLC. Currently, she is director of business-to-business sales for Summit Hill Foods. The company develops and manufactures ingredient systems for foodservice and retail brands across the world, as well as markets such as Louisiana Hot Sauce, Better Than Bouillon and Southeastern Mills.
Bushong said starting out in food production and working her way into food science taught her to appreciate different facets of the poultry world. She wants to instill this mindset in today’s industry hopefuls, especially fellow Bulldogs.
“Whether they forge new trails in established areas or want to explore other areas altogether, I encourage students to remember there’s no one path that is totally defined,” she said. “The world is constantly changing, and what we think of now as ‘new and improved’ may be obsolete in 10 years. That mindset is the way we all grow, and it has helped me tremendously. I’m very thankful for my Mississippi State education in poultry science for leading me to the success and happiness I am experiencing today.” n
"I remember Dr. Morgan saying communication is the key. It’s true. You have to be able to communicate to get things done, and I do that all day long." ~ Ryn Laster
Pictured left to right: Gary Jackson, director of the MSU Extension Service; Scott Willard, interim dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; MSU President Mark E. Keenum; Mary Beck, poultry science department head; Reuben Moore, special assistant to vice president of the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine and interim director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station; Justin Harrington, architect at McCarty Architects; and David Howell, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station engineer.
Laying an Eggceptional Foundation
For decades, Mississippi State’s Department of Poultry Science has prepared the next generation of professionals for one of Mississippi’s most important industries. In November 2020, the department hosted a ribboncutting ceremony to celebrate the university’s new poultry science building—27,300 square feet of teaching, research and outreach opportunity for students and faculty. “It’s fabulous to finally be in this new building that has been in the works for years,” said Mary Beck, professor and department head. “The vision for the classrooms and laboratories has come together very well, and we appreciate taxpayer, university and industry support in making this possible for the students, faculty and staff in our department.” In addition to two classrooms, faculty offices, a conference room and a graduate assistant suite, the poultry science building features 10 state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories including the Dr. Elbert and Anne Day Teaching Laboratory. This dedicated space is for any class with a hands-on lab component. The building also has two labs dedicated to physiology, a five-room nutrition suite, a threeroom microbiology and cell culture suite, a molecular lab, and another lab dedicated to poultry products. MSU’s poultry science department offers bachelor’s degrees in poultry science with concentrations in applied poultry management and science, and pre-veterinary science. Master’s and doctoral degrees also are offered in agriculture with a poultry science concentration. Learn more at poultry.msstate.edu.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The first MSU poultry science degree was awarded in 1948. MSU’s poultry science department has provided 100% career placement for graduates since its inception. Poultry and eggs are Mississippi’s largest agricultural commodity.
In 2020, the poultry and egg industry was responsible for as much as $23.22 billion in total economic activity throughout Mississippi, creating or supporting as many as 95,522 total jobs, according to the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association’s economic report.
YOUNG ALUMNI Spotlight
By Sasha Steinberg, Photos submitted
The Young Alumni Advisory Council works to advance Mississippi State University through the support and service of passionate Bulldog graduates and friends under the age of 35. This dedicated group of leaders encourages a variety of active participation in the Alumni Association from financial contributions and event attendance to volunteerism and mentorship. The group also supports current and future MSU students through scholarship endowments and the development of other resources.
Victoria Hall and Jeral Self, both inaugural members of the Young Alumni Advisory Council, said being a part of this special group has impacted their lives and inspired their efforts to pay it forward, Maroon and White style.
Victoria Hall made her first trip to the Magnolia State in 2007 after her acceptance into the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Early Entry Program. Eight years later, she left with three degrees, a dream of serving others and a heart of gratitude for a university she proudly calls “home” even some 1,000 miles away.
Currently residing in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, Hall said she learned about Mississippi State in high school while working at Grady Veterinary Hospital in her hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. There, she befriended Drs. Debra Quiles and Jeff Grady, who earned Doctors of Veterinary Medicine from MSU in 1988 and 1990, respectively.
“Dr. Quiles and Dr. Grady told me about the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Early Entry Program where you are accepted for undergrad and vet school at the same time. I ultimately studied at MSU for eight years, and it became my home,” said Hall, who holds a bachelor’s in animal and dairy sciences, master’s in preventative medicine and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
Hall said one of her fondest MSU student memories is a semester-long, undergraduate study abroad trip to Kenya that inspired her passion for wildlife conservation. She said she continues to apply knowledge from that experience in her work at the University of Minnesota. There, she is an assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, as well as the executive director and Patrick T. Redig Endowed Chair of the university’s Raptor Center, where she works to rehabilitate ill and injured eagles, owls, hawks, falcons and vultures.
“I got my start as a veterinarian because of the support I received from Mississippi State, so when I read about the opportunity to give back through the MSU Young Alumni Advisory Council, I got excited and applied,” said Hall, who learned about the group through Alumni Association emails.
As part of a two-year term, Hall serves on the council’s marketing and communication committee. She said the group was able to meet a couple times in Starkville before the pandemic necessitated a move online.
“Meeting virtually is fun, but I do miss an excuse to take a few days off work to travel to Starkville,” she joked. “The folks on the Young Alumni Advisory Council are fantastic. We graduated at different times and from different academic colleges, which makes for engaging conversations.”
Hall said there are many ways to support MSU’s mission, and the Young Alumni Advisory Council wants to share that message with graduates. “It’s fun to put our brains together to figure out how we can do that effectively,” she said.
Creativity, compassion and an appreciation for diversity are a few of the many skills Jeral Self gained from her undergraduate experience at Mississippi State. The Madison native said she is using her Maroon and White wisdom to open doors for other young people, including fellow alumni.
“The opportunity to represent the university as an MSU Distinguished Scholar and what that meant financially and in terms of personal growth was something I couldn’t pass up,” the biological engineering graduate said. “I wanted a career where I could make an impact in health care, and the skill set I gained through Mississippi State’s nationally ranked biomedical engineering program set me up for that opportunity.”
Self is making the impact she wanted through health care research for Mathematica Policy Research Inc. She also is working to increase opportunities in medical fields for underrepresented minorities as community engagement head and foundation executive director for Panacea Financial.
“I did a doctorate in health services research and specialized in economics. In that field, there weren’t a lot of people who looked like me and were doing that type of work. That made me want to help the foundation with addressing why from a financial and mentorship perspective,” she explained. “Creating opportunities and opening the doors for African American males and females helps potentially impact the number of physicians who look like these patients and their comfort level to go to these providers.”
Diversity also has been a guiding principle for Self’s work with the university’s inaugural Young Alumni Advisory Council. Representing different ages, genders, races, occupations and geographic locations helps council members better relate to and advise young alumni on ways to give back to MSU, especially when beginning their careers.
“Taking on a leadership role in your local alumni chapter, volunteering your home for MSU game watch parties, and reaching out to get other young alumni involved in the network are just as valuable as a financial contribution,” Self said. “Our alumni network will continue getting stronger. More and more young alumni with a passion for serving the university can be a part of that future, and I can’t wait to see it.” n
