Mississippi State Alumnus Summer 2008 by MSSTATE

features

Summer 2008 | Volume 84 | Number 2 USPS 354-520

For Vance Watson, its all about real people | page

The People’s University

Vance Watson believes in trusting good people to do their jobs. Alumnus takes an up-close and personal look at MSU’s interim president.

Interim President

A first for Mississippi | page

Vance H. Watson

Last October, Sharion Aycock, a 1977 Mississippi State economics graduate, became the first female federal district judge in the 191-year existence of the Magnolia State.

Alumni Association Executive Director and Associate Vice President, Development and Alumni Jimmy W. Abraham (’75, ’77)

Vice President for Development and Alumni

Helping Mississippi help herself | page

Communities all over Mississippi are benefiting from whirlwind appraisals of their assets by the university’s Mississippi Community Action Team programs.

John P. Rush (’94, ’02)

From the boardroom to the boat ramp | page

Mississippi State Alumnus is published three

For MSU alumnus Ronnie Parker, retirement has become an opportunity to fully indulge his passions and begin a new adventure personally and professionally.

times a year by the Office of University Relations and the Mississippi State University Alumni Association at Mississippi State, Miss. Send address changes to Alumni Director, P.O. Box AA, Mississippi State, MS 397625526; telephone 662-325-7000; or e-mail fcarr@advservices.msstate.edu.

Editorial offices: 102 George Hall, P.O. Box 5325, Mississippi State, MS 39762-5325. Telephone, 662-325-3442 Fax, 662-325-7455 E-mail, snowa@ur.msstate.edu www.msstate.edu

Advertising:

Blackburn charts political course | page

The values Marsha Blackburn learned from her family—and strengthened during debate at MSU— have helped navigate her through political waters that led to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Cohen comes home as Diamond Dog skipper | page

When MSU’s new head baseball coach John Cohen stepped off the plane in Starkville on June 8 to the sound of clanging cowbells and cheering fans, he knew he was finally home.

TV Center celebrates 20 years of service | page

In the last 20 years, technology has advanced tremendously. Through it all, the TV Center and its staff have remained strong, dependable and dedicated to the mission of MSU.

Jeopardy collegiate champion—Who is Joey Beachum? | page

MSU graduate Joey Beachum recently realized his lifelong dream of competing on his favorite game show—and walked away with the $100,000 top prize.

Contact Libba Andrews at 662-325-7000 or landrews@alumni.msstate.edu.

Editor Allen Snow (’76)

Associate Editor Kay Fike Jones

Designers Mary Howell (’93) Judy Smith

Photographers Russ Houston (’85) Megan Bean Kristen Hines Kenny Billings

Mississippi State University Alumni Association National Officers Andrew D. Hunt (’70), national president Charles A. Cascio (’79), national first vice president Karen Dugard Lawler (’83, ’94), national second vice president Jodi L. White (’97, ’99), national treasurer David W. Jones (’81), immediate past president

Campus news ...........23 Athletic news ........... 34 Alumni news ............. 36 Foundation news ... 45 Class news ..................53 In memoriam .............55 On the cover: West Point is just one of the state’s small towns that are benefiting from the assistance of the university’s Mississippi Community Action Team. Photo by Megan Bean.

For

it’reals allpeople about ‘

2 Alumnus Summer 2008

By Maridith Walker Geuder Photos by Megan Bean and Russ Houston

’

On an overcast Friday near the Pace Seed Technology Laboratory, a high-tech facility on the western side of campus, there’s something decidedly low-tech under way. Just before noon, smoke wa s out of a metal outbuilding, carrying with it some delicious—if not immediately recognizable—odors. Inside the metal building, a group of casually dressed research staff are up to their elbows in cooking. They’re waiting for Interim President Vance Watson to arrive for lunch, a monthly tradition that’s been in place for more than 20 years. Bernard White, the operations manager for the Variety Testing Unit—the building’s formal name—explains the menu while Brad Burgess tends to sausages and bacon-wrapped venison on a smoker and Bootsie Cooper mixes up gravy and keeps an eye on squirrel frying in an electric skillet. “We started doing this back around 1987 when Dr. Watson was head of research support for the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station,” White said. “His office was nearby, and we’d just cook up what we had.” On this day, Burgess supplied the squirrel from a February hunt in Winston County and the venison from the most recently ended deer season. When Burgess turns his a ention to fishing later in the spring, there’ll be a fish fry sure to follow, White said.

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VANCE

Watson As he’s talking, Watson arrives with Amy Tuck, special assistant to the president, and a native of nearby Maben. She and White renew an old acquaintance and begin to ask about each other’s family. 1 Watson smiles and observes the interchange. “That’s why I like coming here,” he said. “Real people.” A few other staff members filter in, each full of stories and reminiscences. Joe Askew recalls five years he spent in Puerto Rico, with Watson’s encouragement, working to increase seed stocks. Jesse Selvie tells a story about roguing rice with Watson when a frog jumped out of the water onto Watson’s leg. “I took off running, and he jumped straight up,” he laughs. “That was about 1987.” The times, the people and the histories aren’t forgotten today, when Watson sits in the president’s seat of a university he has served for more than 40 years. White, who has worked at Mississippi State for 29 years, says that he’s repeatedly heard Watson give credit to folks like him. “He says we’re the reason for the successes he’s been able to achieve,” White said. “He’s come all the way through the ranks, and he’s never forgotten us.” Melissa Mixon, for the past four years associate vice president for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine and now interim vice president, says that Watson was a catalyst in creating a strong united voice for the separate units within the division during his tenure as vice president. “His leadership ensured that we had a single message when separately budgeted units addressed the legislature, and because of that collaboration, the division has been extremely successful,” she observed. Under Watson’s tenure, Mississippi State gained an eighth-place ranking for total research and development expenditures, and a third-place ranking for federal expenditures, as calculated by the National

about real people

4 Alumnus Summer 2008

Science Foundation. “By any measure, Mississippi State is a leader nationally in agriculture and biotechnology,” Mixon said. Mixon added that Watson has been supportive of interdisciplinary relationships within departments, between colleges and between Mississippi State and other universities. “He is an advocate of building strengths through partnerships,” she noted. She added that his emphasis on interdisciplinary research has led to a sustainable energy research partnership between the Bagley College of Engineering and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and that Watson was instrumental in securing a commitment for a collaborative poultry research facility that will house research scientists from MSU, USDA and the Agricultural Research Service— USDA’s research arm. The latter will provide more opportunities to assist an important segment of Mississippi’s economy, Mixon pointed out. And, she said, one of Watson’s strengths is listening to and acknowledging the folks hired to do a job. “He hires competent people, gets out of the way, and allows them to succeed,” she said. “But he does believe in holding people accountable.”

THE ‘STEWARDSHIP’ GENE Over lunch with the research support staff, Watson engages in an easy banter and explains a philosophy he’s shared with many constituent groups since being named interim president last April. “I’m a Mississippian by choice and not by birthright,” he says. “My daughter Heather and son Shawn are Mississippians by birthright, but Jo Ann,

my son Andy, and I have chosen to be Mississippians. We’ve been here longer than we’ve been anywhere.” In his recent role as director of MSU’s Extension Service, as well as Vice President for Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine and director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Watson has traveled the state making impromptu visits at county offices. He says he’s consistently seen a unifying trait among the citizens he encounters. “Wherever I’ve traveled in Mississippi, I’ve found the people all have one thing in common—regardless of economic status, ethnic background or education,” he explains. “All have a stewardship gene.” Watson says the trait means those who live here want to give something back. “It’s a remarkable quality,” he said. Through his long service in the division he most recently led, Watson has been a major contributor to the university’s ability to reach out and improve the lives of Mississippians from DeSoto County to the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast, where the Coastal Research and Extension Center became a major on-site resource following Katrina. He strongly believes in the mission of Mississippi State as “the People’s University,” and in reaching beyond the boundaries of the university to improve lives. “We’re fortunate to have a presence in every county of Mississippi,” he observes. A tenured faculty member in agronomy, he believes in a collaborative relationship with the faculty members whose knowledge provides the foundation for Mississippi State students to achieve academic and career goals.

In his first meeting with the Robert Holland Faculty Senate in April, he challenged elected faculty representatives to develop a plan of mentoring those just joining their ranks. “I believe we should invest in our faculty members with the idea that they have long and productive careers here, not just short-term jobs,” he said. He also said that he believes important qualities in a president are the ability to listen and the ability to say, “I made a mistake. Let’s try something else.” Watson has told many constituency groups that he believes in trusting good people to do their jobs. His job, he says, is to “offer support where I can and guidance or course changes where required.”

BUILDING ON ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1 Visiting with soon-to-be graduates at the Senior Party sponsored by MSU’s Alumni Association. 2 A decades-old tradition of cooking at lunch continues with (l-r) Bernie White, operations manager for the Variety Testing Unit, special assistant Amy Tuck, Watson, and Bootsie Cooper. 3 Watson serves barbecued chicken during an appreciation lunch he hosted for staff members in facilities management and property control.

Watson, who will serve in an interim role while the state Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning conducts a search for MSU’s 19th president, said he’s fortunate to have a deep knowledge of Mississippi and of Mississippi State, honed over more than four decades. “I’m humbled to be asked to do this job, and to continue to build on accomplishments in learning, research and service tailored to the needs of our students and state,” he said. At the end of the day, he says Mississippi State is larger than one individual or one president, although each person makes a unique contribution. “At the end of the day, what we’re about—as we have been throughout our history—is people.”

5 Spring 2008

Alumnus Summer 2008 5

A First for By Sammy McDavid Photos by Russ Houston

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Last October, a 1977 Mississippi State economics graduate became the first female federal district judge in the 191-year existence of the Magnolia State. Sharion Aycock of Fulton took the oath of office after having been nominated by President George Bush and confirmed unanimously without debate by the United States Senate. Replacing U.S. District Court Judge Glenn Davidson (who took senior, or part-time, status) at the Northern District of Mississippi’s Aberdeen courthouse, she was recommended to the president by Sens. Thad Cochran and Trent Lott. While studying at MSU, the former Sharion Harp of Tremont was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies, and president of Delta Delta Delta social sorority. As a senior, she was included in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities and the MSU Hall of Fame. Three years after receiving her bachelor’s degree, Aycock finished second in her 1980 Mississippi College School of Law graduating class. Among other scholastic recognitions, she was co-editor-inchief of the Mississippi College Law Review and a

With son Martin Richardson looking on, Aycock takes the oath of office last October from U.S. District Court Chief Judge Michael P. Mills.

selection for the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity. Returning to her native Itawamba County, she joined a local law firm for a time before opening her own practice. In addition to representing several local governmental and business clients, she served as the county’s prosecuting attorney 1984-92. Aycock has been active in the Mississippi Bar Association and, in 2000, was chosen by her peers as the first female president of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. Two years later, she was one of three candidates elected to state circuit judgeships in the 1st District of Mississippi. In addition to taking her oath of office in late October at the federal courthouse in Aberdeen, Aycock formally was invested as a U.S. district judge Jan. 11 before a large crowd at the Davis Event Center on the Fulton campus of Itawamba Community College. Recently, Aycock—who is married to William R. “Randy” Aycock, a 1978 MSU management graduate—took time to share some thoughts with Alumnus magazine about her life and career to this point.

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What are your thoughts about the historical achievement of being the ﬁrst woman to serve as a U.S. district court judge in the state’s 191-year history? As I stated in my remarks at the investiture ceremony, “This honor happens to one person one time in history.” It is a tremendous privilege and a unique distinction to be the first woman in this position, and I am overwhelmingly honored by the opportunity to serve in the federal judiciary.

Your senate conﬁrmation seems to have been less controversial than some others in recent years. What seems to have been the key to your approval? I believe it had to do with the respect and admiration members of Congress had for our two senators, Sen. Thad Cochran and former Sen. Trent Lott. Further, it was helpful that the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary unanimously gave me their highest recommendation of “well qualified.”

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In 2003, you were one of While majoring in economics at three elected as a state circuit MSU, were you contemplating a court judge in the 1st District. career in law? I did not contemplate a career in law According to the Secretary of during my undergraduate years. While at State’s oﬃce, you received the Mississippi State, I majored in economics second-highest number of votes and minored in political science, thus in that four-person race. Did that giving me the opportunity to associate election make you the ﬁrst woman myself with others who were interested in a career in law. judge in the district? Also, I had not considered taking such to what do you attribute your a route until one day, during my success in that contest? last undergraduate semester, Billy In 2002, I was elected the first female circuit court judge for the 1st Circuit Court District consisting of Itawamba, Lee, Monroe, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Alcorn, and Tishomingo counties. I was extremely fortunate to receive a significant vote in 2002, only second to our longest serving circuit court judge, Thomas J. Gardner III. My family and friends worked very hard in the 2002 election. I campaigned in every nook and cranny of the district and spoke to every group or organization that would listen. I loved campaigning, and I met so many wonderful people that I would not have had an opportunity to otherwise meet. I came away from the 2002 election with a very positive feeling that voters do care about their judicial system and are interested in those desiring to serve as its judges.

Jack Eatherly, one of my economics professors, suggested I take the Law School Admission Test that would be offered the following Saturday at Allen Hall. I took the test and luckily made well enough to get accepted to the University of Mississippi School of Law and Mississippi College School of Law. Oftentimes, I have told that story of Professor Eatherly’s urging as an illustration of how profoundly we can affect others’ lives by some encouraging word or suggestion.

What characteristics have you admired among other jurists and hope to emulate? Certainly, a judge must be willing to listen to both sides without forming any opinion until all the testimony, the case law and counsel’s arguments are heard. Litigants generally must wait a significant period of time before their case is heard, so when their day arrives, they deserve the undivided time and attention of the court. Patience is desirable. Rules are important and their enforcement generally ensures a fairer playing field for both sides. The best jurists are “firm but fair.” I have practiced before some bright, caring and well-respected judges. I hope to always be mindful of the attributes I admired in those judges and emulate their outstanding qualities.

Your career has involved balancing the demands of being a wife and mother with work in a very demanding profession. How do you spend any leisure time you might have? First, I must say I have a very supportive family. My husband and son (Martin Richardson) understand and appreciate the requirements of this job and my commitment to public service. They help with the normal household obligations. When I do have free time, I spend it outside. I love gardening and spending time at our farm.

Judge Aycock with husband Randy (‘78) at the Fulton investment ceremony.

Any ﬁnal thoughts? I want to thank Mississippi State for the excellent education and the lifetime of wonderful friendships my time there produced. I have on many occasions remarked that the best years of my life were my college years. While attending MSU, I was active in my sorority, Delta Delta Delta, and participated in many campus organizations and intramural leagues. I have been very blessed and most fortunate to have made some of my best friends through those endeavors. People from all walks of life and from every stage of my life have sent me letters, cards, and flowers during my nomination and confirmation process.

Delivering the investment address.

A proud and happy day for the Aycock family.

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Mississippi HELP HELPING

Story by Kay Fike Jones

Photos by Megan Bean and Kenny Billings Inset photos courtesy of MSCAT

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HERSELF

West Point is looking for a new identity. Newton County is having trouble attracting graduates back home. And, communities all over Mississippi are benefiting from whirlwind appraisals of their assets.

These seemingly unrelated projects are actually all “children” of the university’s Mississippi Community Action Team programs. MSCAT was created in July 2006 to further the state’s community and economic development through programs using a combination of MSU faculty and students, along with local citizens. Director Virgil Culver said MSCAT includes an internal “Excellence in Engagement” grants program that provides incentives for faculty and student interaction with communities to address local projects, a “First Impressions” series that allows visitors to address their first impressions of a community for its citizens, along with issues response teams.

All the projects depend on interaction among MSCAT, university experts and community residents. One recently was undertaken in West Point.

WEST POINT REBORN “We are partnering with the architecture students and the Carl Small Town Center, working on making West Point’s Highway 45 corridor more pleasing and linking green spaces,” Culver said. That 45 corridor is the only part of West Point many travelers are aware of. Because they only see strip-mall congestion, fastfood outlets, gas stations, and other types of

commercial development, few know of the small-town charm found in the city’s downtown off the corridor. MSCAT community planner Jeremy Murdock has observed that for people to gravitate toward places with a sense of place and charm like

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HELPING

Mississippi HELP HERSELF West Point, they first must know and appreciate what makes them special. He is part of a group working with state municipalities and counties to help them solve community problems. Murdock said drivers passing along Highway 45 are oblivious to West Point’s Kitty Bryan Dill Memorial Parkway, a 3.75-mile converted “rails-to-trails” walking lane that connects five parks. They also are unaware of “the vibrant downtown feel” or the Howlin’ Wolf Museum that pays tribute to the late legendary bluesman who was born Chester Arthur Burnett (1910-76) in the nearby White Station community. “So many people don’t know about these things,” Murdock observed. “Clearly, the city has a need to unlock the secrets of its downtown.”

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Because West Point recently has lost several major manufacturing operations, it also lost part of its city identity. Finding a new identity is a challenge tackled by Murdock and other MSCAT members who have worked with the land-grant institution’s Stennis Institute of Government and a School of Architecture class. Students from the Carl Small Town Center, a unit of the College of Architecture, Art and Design, worked throughout the spring semester under the guidance of architecture instructor Cari Varner, also the Carl Center’s associate director. Receiving course credit and practical experience in the service-learning exercise, the student team began by meeting with a citizen steering committee to determine the community’s desires for its future. The special course is funded by Tupelo-based CREATE, a regional community development foundation. Stennis Institute program coordinator Phil Hardwick also met with local leaders and conducted a variety of economic and community research efforts before drafting a proposed strategic plan. Once city leaders have approved the plan, Hardwick, a veteran economic development

specialist, will continue work until year’s end to put proposals into reality. Since any redevelopment plan will cost millions of dollars to complete, private investment likely will be necessary. However, many recommendations will include design and planning concepts that the city can use to shape West Point to become what citizens want without spending additional money, Murdock said. “They’ll have a plan and the knowledge they can control their city’s future,” said Murdock, who also has encouraged the development of bike paths and additional sidewalks and trees to shade them. “The community needs to think about what it wants West Point to be a hundred years from now, because decisions the city makes now will impact all of it,” he emphasized.

MATCHING STUDENTS WITH COMPANIES Another MSCAT project includes a recruitment and placement concept headed up by Scott Maynard of The Career Center at MSU. Employee recruitment is an issue facing many communities around the state. In these usually smaller, rural areas, the jobs are there, but the workforce isn’t. “These areas, along with the Gulf Coast after Katrina, have trouble attracting college graduates back to their home towns,” Maynard explained. “Many times

the reason students are not coming home is that they don’t realize what is in their backyard.” The “Home Grown Talent” program was designed to assist students in identifying possible careers and introduce them to future employment opportunities within their areas of interest inside their home communities. The program enhanced relationships between schools, business and industry, students, and the university to create a win-win situation for all involved. Working with some 40 students at both Newton County and Gulfport high schools, Maynard and Cassandra Latimer, assistant director of The Career Center, led a team that helped to match students with prospective employers. “First, we assessed the high school seniors and asked them to make a list of their five top careers,” Maynard said. “Then, we found mentors from their hometown areas and held a luncheon where both groups could network informally about careers.” Latimer said this process worked very well, as indicated by e-mails from the student participants. “Students say they wish they could have spent even more time with the mentors and some students have even gone on to ‘job-shadow’ their mentor,” she added. Both Maynard and Latimer agree that the mentors may have been even more excited about the program than the students—and they are eager to stay in touch with

their mentees. Interestingly, the top career choice in Newton County was nursing, while it was occupational therapy for the coast.

Development Authority and the Mississippi Main Street Association.

MORE TO DO FIRST IMPRESSIONS And, the First Impressions program is really taking off. Culver said MSCAT has visited some 40 communities around Mississippi. “At first, we were identifying communities to visit, but now word is getting out about us and we recently received our first invitation to visit from Clarksdale,” he explained. The First Impressions program is the brain child of Andy Lewis of the University of Wisconsin Extension Service and James Schneider, director of economic development in Grant County, Wis. Culver said MSU borrowed heavily from the Wisconsin program, but says there are no hard feelings. In fact, there is a link to MSU MSCAT from the UW extension Web site. First Impressions calls for unannounced visitors to explore a community’s downtown, residential, retail, and industrial areas, schools, local government entities, and other points of interest. The visit lasts one day, a true first impression. After the visit is complete, a formal presentation, along with a written documentation of results, is provided for each community. As the program has grown, MSCAT has developed working relationships with the Mississippi

Jeremy Murdock, MSCAT community planner, and West Point resident Valeda Carmichael, also chairman of the Main Street Design Committee for the city, discuss long-term plans to redevelop parts of the city along Highway 45 and at the entrance to downtown.

All this success is very satisfactory to Culver, but he points out there is room for improvement. “While we have been tremendously successful in getting support from service-oriented entities on campus, such as the GeoResources Institute, Landscape Architecture, the Stennis Institute of Government, and the Carl Small Town Center, we have had less success in generating interest from units without a major service thrust.” Culver believes the challenge could be rectified, at least partially, by rewarding faculty members for helping with MSCAT and other outreach units as the faculty are being evaluated within the service component of the promotion and tenure process. “We’d like to see some incentive for faculty members to participate,” he said. “And, while we have made some headway in convincing the university community that we are a good vehicle to get them engaged off campus, we are anxious to work with other faculty members interested in using their expertise to partner with community leaders to address local issues in communities around the state.”

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From the board room to the Story and photos by Kenny Billings

nnie Parker shows oﬀ a CEO and MSU alum Ro es Lur y ph Tro k For e Lak e Fork in East Texas. outh bass typical of Lak 7.5 pound lunker largem

hen most business executives approach their late 50s, they begin looking for ways to slow down and simplify their lives and enjoy the fruits of their labor. For MSU alumnus Ronnie Parker, however, retirement has become an opportunity to fully indulge his passions and begin a new adventure personally and professionally. As chief executive officer of Lake Fork Trophy Lures, Parker now has a new outlet for his passions of bass fishing and business—as well as a new platform to promote his alma mater—in the arena of manufacturing and marketing bass fishing lures.

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Parker’s ties to Mississippi State run deep, from his lifelong love for the university to his status as an alumnus and booster to two of his three children choosing to attend MSU. “My passion for MSU has never waned,” Parker said. “I was born a Bulldog and I always wanted to be a part of Mississippi State, even as a little boy. Through God’s will and being blessed to be an executive in three top companies, He’s given me a platform to be an active voice for my university. Now as CEO of my own business, I have an even greater stage to share my love for Mississippi State.” “For me, it is a badge of honor to be an advocate for and supporter of MSU. I am proud of the university that gave me the educational foundation and people skills to be a success. It is number three on my list of priorities, behind only my faith and my friends and family.” In 2004, Parker retired as CEO of Pizza Inn Inc., and after seven years as a passive partner/investor in Lake Fork Trophy Lures, he began to take a more active role in business operations and promotion. Though he and his family still live near Dallas, Parker spends about three days a week at his office in Emory near the lake he fell in love with when he first arrived in Texas. Parker first discovered Lake Fork in East Texas in the mid1980s, shortly after moving to the Dallas area to take over as vice president of Bonanza Restaurants Inc. He and a colleague made the trip to the 27,000-acre lake to spend a weekend bass fishing, a passion he still carried from his childhood in Charleston, and in the process, discovered a paradise of sparkling water and smalltown atmosphere. “The first time I came down here, I couldn’t believe it; it was absolutely beautiful,” Parker said. “It really reminded me a lot of Mississippi with its quiet charm and beauty and the lake was magnificent with the great fishing and beautiful wildlife.” So enamored was Parker that he soon purchased property and built a lakeside home where his family would spend countless weekends fishing, relaxing and enjoying the scenery and golden sunsets that are trademarks of Lake Fork—all as a respite from their weekly lives in the Dallas suburb of McKinney. Ultimately, the 1972 MSU accounting graduate planned to spend his golden years sitting on his dock watching the ducks, pelicans and cormorants—and fishing. Little did he know that a chance meeting and fast friendship with professional fisherman Mark Pack would lead to a melding of his love for bass fishing with his business sense, and would give birth to a new direction professionally.

Top: Another chunky sevenpound bass is pulled from the waters of Lake Fork, caught on an LFT Lures Live Magic Shad. Middle: Racks of LFT Lures Live Magic Shad hang curing in the Emory, Texas, warehouse, whi ch also serves as a retail stor e and company headquarters. Bo om: From almost any plac e on the 27,000-acre reservo ir, breathtaking scenery and abu ndant waterfowl and wildlife can be found.

Alumnus Summer 2008 15

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16 Alumnus Summer 2008

Immediately upon graduating from MSU, Parker accepted a position with the prestigious accounting firm of Arthur Andersen and Co. in New Orleans, where he worked as a certified public accountant for almost three years. In 1974, he took an executive position with Chart House Inc., the largest franchisee of Burger King restaurants in the nation, and eventually became chief financial officer of its largest operating division. Joining Bonanza Restaurants brought him to the Dallas area in 1983, where he was executive vice president until leaving for Pizza Inn in 1992, where he eventually retired as CEO. It was during his first months in Texas that Parker met his eventual business partner, when he hired him as a guide on Lake Fork. “We hit it off immediately and that sparked a friendship that has lasted over the years,” Parker said. “We became close friends and our families spent a lot of time together. Mark is a great guy and I am fortunate to have him as a friend and business partner. He and his wife Donna have been the driving force behind this business we’ve built together.” After several years as a pro guide on Lake Fork, Pack began fishing the BASS tournament trail in 1995 and shortly thereafter, he approached Parker with a business proposal. “Mark said over and over, ‘I think I can design a better plastic bait than what is available on the market,’ and one day he approached me with his idea,” Parker said of their first business discussions. “He used modeling clay to design his first lure—the Ring Fry—and asked me to back him. I agreed to be a passive partner and help him try to develop a couple of lures. The rest, as they say, is history, I guess.” The pair created a business plan centered on three principles: all of their products would be quality and innovative; all their lures would be made in America; and special attention would be paid to providing exceptional customer service. With Parker’s financial backing, Pack designed the lures and contracted the molds and manufacturing, and soon Lake Fork Trophy Lures was off the ground. Pack set up shop in a warehouse in Emory, which Parker had purchased some years earlier as a real estate investment. For the first five years, growth was slow and not without adversity. In 2001, the warehouse and the entire inventory were lost in a fire. Despite the setback, Lake Fork Trophy Lures continued to flourish, and in late 2004, Parker’s retirement allowed him to refocus his energies and take a more active role in day-to-day operations.

“I began to ask the question, ‘How can we grow, what can we do to take this business to the next level professionally?’ That’s when I asked a former colleague of mine to take a look at everything and give me an honest assessment of where we were and what our potential was,” Parker said. Parker brought in Shawn Preator, who was his chief financial officer at Pizza Inn, to evaluate Lake Fork Trophy Lures and help strategize the company’s next steps. Preator eventually was made a partner in the business. Lake Fork Trophy Lures’ success and future are virtually guaranteed, as they now boast a line of more than 20 soft plastic lures sold through national retailers including Bass Pro Shops, Wal-mart, Academy Sporting Goods, Cabela’s, Gander Mountain, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. In December 2006, the company moved production of their lures in-house after contracting production through a Georgia-based company for several years. “It is truly satisfying to nurture a business from a true start-up company to one that has grown to what Lake Fork has become,” Parker said. “And to be able to do it with two of my best friends just makes our success that much sweeter. Additionally, Coach Rick Stansbury catching a 13-pound 3-ounce largemouth bass on one of our lures validates to me that we are making quality fishing lures.” Parker still lives in McKinney with his wife and their youngest child, Charles, who is a high school junior and plans to enroll at MSU in fall 2009. His oldest daughter Lisa is a teacher, while his middle two daughters Leslie and Laura are a junior and senior at MSU, respectively. Parker remains active in all things MSU and has in the past served on the MSU Foundation board, Alumni Association board and is the former president of the DallasFort Worth Alumni Association. He is still active in the Bulldog Club and is a former member of the board, as well as an active board member of the AT&T Cotton Bowl since 2002. His passion for MSU often crosses over into his new professional venture, affecting his friends and business partners. “I’ve converted Mark and Shawn; they’re both Bulldogs now. Mark comes to the games and cheers the Bulldogs and even rings the cowbell.” Above all, though, Parker’s desire is for people to hear his story of success and long to recreate it in themselves. “When you can help young people with their college choice and success by supporting or encouraging them, that’s what gets my juices flowing and makes me feel better about what we are doing for our youth,” Parker said. “As a foundation board member and business CEO, I was blessed to have opportunities to speak to business classes and I still do every chance I get. “Kids today, if they are challenged and given the right foundation—and it’s not just a cliché—can be anything they want to be, but only if they stay focused and committed to their goals.”

satisfying y l u r t s i t “I usiness b a e r u t r to nu star tup e u r t a m fro one that o t y n a p com hat Lake w o t n w o has gr become.” Fork has

Alumnus Summer 2008 17

In January 2008, Blackburn met a soldier from Tennesseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 101st Airborne in Baghdad.

B CKBURN charts political course By Robbie Ward 18 Alumnus Summer 2008

U.S. Rep. Blackburn stands between her parents, James “Jim” Hilman and Mary Jo Wedgeworth of Laurel, during the ceremony on campus when the congressman donated her papers to Mississippi State’s Mitchell Memorial Library.

People still know to do their homework when discussing politics with Marsha Blackburn. She had a reputation on the second floor of Mississippi State’s Colvard Student Union during the 1970s, her undergraduate days, and it hasn’t changed. The fiery and passionate college student would strongly articulate her staunch, conservative positions during heated debate. The values she learned from her family—and strengthened during debate at MSU—have helped navigate her through political waters that led to the U.S. House of Representatives. While Blackburn’s success in business was evident as a college student, her love for public policy and standing up for what she believes in has kept her close to politics and civic responsibility her entire life. Now, Blackburn’s political discussions extend well beyond Mississippi State’s campus and Mississippi. As one of the most well-spoken conservatives in the House of Representatives, Blackburn represents her constituents in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. Her constituents and colleagues alike expect to see Blackburn in the Capitol or elsewhere advocating a more conservative tax policy. To the American public, she’s also becoming a more recognizable name and personality, appearing in the pages of the Wall Street Journal and discussing the war in Iraq on Fox News, among other news outlets. Blackburn’s family taught her that being a good citizen required getting involved. “I grew up in a family that believed in making sure your community is in better shape than when you found it,” Blackburn said in a recent phone interview from her Washington, D.C., office. Whether debating the Vietnam War three decades ago or tax policy today, few could ever accuse the Laurel native of not standing up for what she believes in a way that often has her opposition rethinking its position. She continues to contribute to national policy discussions, impacting

“ I grew up in a family that believed in making sure your community is in better shape than when you found it.”

Marsha Blackburn

the nation’s direction on public policy issues. Her policymaking ideals revolve around making government more manageable in size and less intrusive in people’s lives. A longtime stalwart of fiscal and social conservatism, Blackburn represents one of the most conservative congressional districts in the South, fitting her personal convictions and beliefs. Her district includes Nashville—capital city for the country music industry—creating another group of constituents and issues. With musicians in mind, Blackburn created a coalition of congressmen, the Congressional Songwriters Caucus, interested in protecting the intellectual property and tax policy for the nation’s creative community. Along with many musicians throughout the country, conservative groups such as National Right to Life and Americans for Tax Reform, as well as the publication National Journal, have praised Blackburn for her stance on pro-life issues, taxes and support for the military. Back in her college days, Blackburn sometimes irritated the long-haired, left-leaning hippie types on campus, but always made them evaluate the strength of their argument. One of those hippie types still talks about his discussions with her and admires Blackburn’s confidence and effective approach to political discussions. Marty Wiseman, director of the Stennis Institute of Government at MSU and fellow student with Blackburn during the 1970s, admits to his long-hair, overall-wearing, left-leaning days. He and Blackburn would often trade ideas on politics, from the Vietnam War to government spending. Wiseman said Blackburn’s rise in politics—from Tennessee state senator to U.S. congressman—has her on a track for continued success in politics. “I think the longer she stays in Congress, the better the chances are of her filling a major leadership position,” said Wiseman, who traded his long hair and overalls for his signature bowtie decades ago. This year’s political chatter reinforces Wiseman’s

Alumnus Summer 2008 19

Blackburn CHARTS POLITICAL COURSE observations. Blackburn has been mentioned as a possible candidate for Tennessee governor in 2010. She also made the “short list” of names of potential running mates for Republican presidential nominee John McCain. Blackburn didn’t expect McCain to ask her to serve on the Republican ticket because of the reliably Republican leaning of Tennessee in national elections. However, being mentioned in political conversation with the presidential election suggests Blackburn’s doing something right. “It’s an honor to be recognized for working hard for my constituents,” she said, “to be a strong, hard conservative voice.” Like elected leaders before her—such as Sen. John Stennis and Rep. G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery— she understands the importance of allowing students to learn from history as it happened. That’s why she donated her official papers to MSU’s Mitchell Memorial Library in 2007. As former students could review Stennis’ and Montgomery’s official papers to get a feel for the political rumblings of the times,

Blackburn’s papers will allow students and scholars to review issues faced by today’s Congress. Just as her love of politics hasn’t faded, Blackburn’s love for MSU continues, as well. While she attends football games and other events on campus as her schedule allows, she proudly roots for the Bulldogs at every opportunity and contributes to improving the university. Blackburn will have a special honor in December. She has accepted a request to speak at fall commencement ceremonies at Humphrey Coliseum. Blackburn’s life serves as a lesson in tenacity and conviction for college students to follow, regardless of their political affiliation. Her political career began in 1992, when she won the Republican nomination to represent Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District, which at the time included her home in Brentwood. She lost in the general election by 16 points to a longtime incumbent. However, she didn’t retreat into the background. Blackburn was appointed chairperson of the

Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission in 1995 and was elected to the Tennessee State Senate in 1998. She decided to run for Congress again in 2002, when redistricting placed her in a more conservative district, and its representative decided to run for U.S. Senate. Blackburn won the primary by more than 20 points, signaling election to Congress due to the heavily conservative district and no serious opponent in the general election. She’s been re-elected twice since then. While she hasn’t written her commencement speech yet, Blackburn advises current MSU students to make use of time on campus to develop leadership skills that can transfer to whatever field draws their interest. “They never know when opportunities will present themselves,” Blackburn said. “Leadership is a transferable commodity. They’re a set of skills you can repackage and take into other careers.” Sounds like good advice. It’s worked for Blackburn.

1 Blackburn with Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia and Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas at a press briefing where they opposed proposed Congressional tax increases. 2 Blackburn, with Republican House of Representatives Leader John Bohener of Ohio, speaking on a plan to lower gas prices.

1 20 Alumnus Summer 2008

COHEN

comes home as Diamond Dog skipper By Kenny Billings • Photo by Megan Bean Home. It’s a word that conjures visions of safety, comfort and security, and most importantly, a sense of belonging. When John Cohen, MSU’s new head baseball coach, and his family stepped off the plane at Bryan Field in Starkville on June 8 to the sound of clanging cowbells and cheering fans, he said there was only one way to describe the experience: he was finally home. “I know it’s a word that gets over-used a lot, but when I walked off of the plane, it was a surreal experience,” the 41-year-old Tuscaloosa, Ala., native said. “It was amazing to be welcomed that warmly and it was a very emotional experience. My family had never experienced anything like that before and I think they were even more emotional than I was. It really hit me what it meant to be coming home when I saw Dr. Donald Zacharias sitting there on the front row with all of my friends and supporters who have stayed in contact with me through my career. It is such a great feeling to be back home at Mississippi State. The MSU family is such a tight-knit group when it comes to athletics, and I don’t know if that exists anywhere else in the country.” In coming weeks, Nelle, Cohen’s wife of 15 years, and their daughters Jordan, 13, and Avery, 11, will begin the process of settling in and setting up house in the community, but for Cohen, there has been no time to waste. Cohen takes over the reins as skipper for the Diamond Dogs from longtime head coach Ron Polk, who announced his retirement in March after 29 years at the helm. The official announcement of Cohen’s hire from incoming MSU Athletic Director Greg Byrne ended months of speculation from avid fans and brought full circle a dream 21 years in the making. Cohen played for Polk from 1987-90 and was part of the 1990 team that advanced to the College World Series. He has often referred to his former coach as a father figure and mentor. He credits him with igniting his passion for coaching. “I have wanted to be head coach at Mississippi State ever

Coaching Honors 2006 - College Baseball Foundation National Coach of the Year 2006 - CollegeBaseballinsider.com National Coach of the Year 2006 - Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year 2001 - Southland Conference Coach of the Year 1998 - Southland Conference Coach of the Year

since I first set foot on the field at Dudy Noble and it has been

Coaching Bio

a dream of mine throughout my career,” Cohen said. “This is

Year 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

truly a dream come true for me. It’s what has kept me pushing myself throughout my career and I was never sure I would get the chance, and when the opportunity came, there was only one choice to make.” Less than two days after being presented to the MSU community, he hit the ground running, focused on priority No. 1: recruiting. Cohen said his focus will be instilling an attitude of toughness, high intensity and no excuses, and the players he brings into the program will be ones who foster that culture among their teammates. His message for fans? Patience. “Believe in our vision and believe we are going to create an environment of toughness and of winning championships,” Cohen said. “We can and will win championships at Mississippi

2007 2008

School Position Missouri assistant coach Missouri assistant coach Missouri assistant coach Missouri assistant coach Missouri assistant coach Missouri assistant coach Northwestern State head coach Northwestern State head coach Northwestern State head coach Northwestern State head coach Florida assistant coach Florida assistant coach Kentucky head coach Kentucky head coach Kentucky head coach SEC Champion, NCAA Regional Kentucky head coach Kentucky head coach NCAA Regional

Record 34-22 30-19 32-26 19-34 39-19 31-27 40-20 38-21 30-26 38-17 37-21-1 46-19 24-30 29-27 44-17 39-19-1 44-19

State, but it is going to take the right kind of player to help us do that. Be patient, and we will get it done.”

Alumnus Summer 2008 21

TV Center

celebrates

By Erika Celeste

Early days of the satellite truck.

22 Alumnus Summer 2008

In fall 1986, Mississippi State began a new venture unlike any it had ever attempted before. Headquartered in the Wise Center, the new undertaking brought together aspects of University Relations, agriculture, athletics, and the veterinary school.

The project, which would come to be known as MS TV, was a centralized television center devoted to the promotion of “The People’s University” and all its colleges. Four members of the original crew continue to work as pillars of the TV Center today. This is their story. In 1986, Ralph Olivieri worked for Mississippi State’s Office of University Relations. Though he had the opportunity to leave MSU, the decision to create a campus TV center convinced him to stay. “It was pretty exciting to actually be here in a facility that had all the bells and whistles at the time,” remembers Olivieri.

skilled personnel,” says Lewis. “I’m sort of a frustrated athlete,” adds Ashford. “I knew early that I would not be able to play college ball, but I wanted to stick around it somehow. This gave me an opportunity with my professional skills to be involved in athletics. ” The final remaining member of the team, Andy Sims, came from the MSU Extension Service. He was tasked with bringing all the equipment over from the Extension Service and setting it up in its new home. Despite the daunting workload, Sims remembers, “It was a very positive experience. It had a lot of promise, so there was a lot of

permanent director. In 1988, the TV Center became an official university unit. But the offerings on the fledgling university channel were slim. “At one point, we just had a 90-minute tape, full of whatever we could find MSU-related and that tape ran 24/7,” says Olivieri. “Of course, today it’s all computer-run; we have a server that we put all our programs in and it puts in all our breaks, so we’ve come a long way.” A year later, the TV Center got a huge boost when it received

Ralph Olivieri at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California for Mars landing

years of service

He would eventually become the center’s operations manager. Over at the Wise Center, Bennie Ashford, the soon-to-be sports coordinator, and Scott Lewis, the engineer who would someday maintain the satellite truck, also were drafted to work in the new center. “I thought it was exciting that the university would put all of its resources into one place. And, hopefully, the whole university would have access to better equipment and better trained, more

activity and a lot of excitement.” In those early days, the team was led by interim director Hank Flick of communication. The five already knew each other from coaches’ shows, which became some of the center’s first programming. Other projects included special-purpose video packages and presentations for various university departments. The following year, David Hutto, a veteran member of the Extension Service and member of the TV Center team, became its

its very own satellite truck— something still unheard of for many smaller commercial TV stations at the time. “I remember Bennie, David and me walking into the parking lot and there she was,” recalls Olivieri. “First time we had seen her completed. We’d seen photographs, but there’s nothing like when you see the real McCoy and say, ‘Wow, that’s ours.’” Over the years, the truck has traveled across the country, from California to Florida and

Alumnus Summer 2008 23

Students get hands-on experience helping with a production of Farmweek.

Bennie Ashford, left, and Ralph Olivieri direct a program from master control. Rick Howle taking a feed in the satellite truck

24 Alumnus Summer 2008

everywhere in between. It’s worked for every major news outlet, been used for White House pool video, and covered Hurricane Katrina. It was even in Pasadena when the Mars surveyor landed, enabling the MSU crew to ssee the very first pictures from Mars as the scientists were seeing them for the first time. “The satellite truck is a great tool for the university. It’s a billboard that travels and attracts people everywhere it goes,” says Lewis. “I have a lot of kids who see it and come up to me and ask me about it. I encourage them to come to Mississippi State and study math and science.” In addition, the satellite truck has covered debates and been used for remote broadcasts with the center’s agricultural staple, Farmweek. “I would pit any of our production crew against anybody else in

the country with regard to doing a remote production or production house work or any of those types of things,” says Olivieri. In 1990, the TV Center got another boost when its broadcasting capabilities expanded from campus to the local cable channel. It soon became known as MSTV 30. With it came a whole new line-up of programming. Later, the channel would be switched to 18 on the dial, but the center would keep its cable access. In 1995, Mike Godwin came to work at MSTV as chief engineer and later as its director. “When I got here, I saw this was really different,” remembers Godwin. “I saw this was a real broadcast facility. It was charged with promoting the university, it was partnering with the communication department, and there was athletic involvement with all the games. I thought, ‘Wow, this looks like a really neat place to work.’” But even more impressive to Godwin were the students. He’d worked with several MSU graduates in Jackson and they always seemed to rise to the top. At the time, about 50 students were going through the program. Today, 200 students go through the program every year. They filter in from the communication department, as well as meteorology and sports communication. The hands-on experience the students receive working on such shows as Take 30, This Week @ MSU, Stateline, State Update, MSU Tonight, and The Bark—just to name a few—have led to jobs with CMT, CNN, the Weather Channel, and regional TV stations. “The best part of the job is the opportunity to work with some outstanding students the opportunity to work with some outstanding staff and the opportunities it gives us to learn from each other,” says Andy Simms. In addition to providing the experience for prominent jobs in the broadcasting industry, the TV Center has gained recognition through numerous awards, from Addys to Mississippi Association of Broadcasters to Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. In addition, several individual staff members and students have won Emmys for their work.

“That’s one of my goals for the TV Center, to win an Emmy,” says Olivieri as he points to his production schedule board. “I’ve got a picture of an Emmy on there to remind everyone.” Godwin says one of the things that has led to the success of the TV Center has been the staff’s ability to adapt to the changing world of multimedia. “It’s not the family gathering around the TV at 7 p.m. to watch Bonanza anymore. You’ve got Web delivery, you’ve got TiVo, you’ve got podcasts. News comes largely off the Web now. So we can’t stay inside the walls of this building and expect to be fully engaged in the changes of the world. We’re constantly out there learning, too.” Godwin explains that one of the things that enables the TV Center to be out in the world on a regular basis goes back to the way it was set up. “The way we operate here is, we’re 50 percent funded by the state and we self-generate 50 percent of our funding. So that means we have to go out in the industry and we have to partner with people to work as a production house to bring some outside funding in to support our activities.” One of the times the TV Center staff is most visible to the MSU community is on game days, when they operate the cameras for the Jumbotron and coach’s show. “Game day is show time,” says Godwin. “It’s a richer experience because we’re showing music clips and playbacks after each play. So it’s multimedia now.” Upgrading the Jumbotron to a larger, more enhanced system tops the agenda for sports coordinator Bennie Ashford. “Though we don’t have that many events at the football stadium, the systems that we operate there are the biggest and have the biggest impact. When you have 55,000-60,000 people viewing everything that you do, that’s impact. So, from a systems standpoint, that’s our biggest challenge right now.” Over the years, the TV Center’s staff has expanded to include Belinda Betts (accounting assistant), Steve Carver (associate producer), Lewis Halbert (video producer and manager), Barry Hughes (engineer), Sara McTaggart (graphics producer), and Marc Rolph (video producer and director). “We have a really good, talented group of people,” says Olivieri. “We fight like brothers and sisters sometimes, but when we’re up against the wall and the pressure’s on, we get it done and we work together well.” And, he adds, “There’s a nice feeling of satisfaction in getting the job done and getting MSU’s name out there. I’m really proud of our crew.” In the last 20 years, technology has advanced tremendously, with the use of cell phones, the Internet and iPods. Through it all, the TV Center and its staff have remained strong, dependable and dedicated to the mission of MSU. “We are leaders in our field and professionals at what we do,” says Ashford. “We really care deeply about the university and that’s why we’re all still here.”

Leighton Spann, left, and Artis Ford host Farmweek. David Hutto

Alumnus Summer 2008 25

collegiate champion—

Who is Joey Beachum? Joey Beachum, left, with longtime Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek

Story by Kenny Billings Recent MSU graduate Joey Beachum catapulted himself and his alma mater to the national stage recently when he realized his lifelong dream of competing on his favorite game show—and walked away with the $100,000 top prize. The Saltillo native emerged victorious after beating out more than 14,000 hopefuls in preliminary screening and competitions to be one of 15 contestants in the College Championship series of the longrunning television game show “Jeopardy!” Beachum rose above contestants from 14 other colleges and universities in episodes taped in April on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison to win the championship. “The experience was nothing short of an amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Beachum. His fondest memory was having his fiance Nicole Dilg in the audience for his victorious moment. “Right before the final scores were revealed, I looked out into the crowd and saw Nicole watching me live my dream—I will never forget that,” he said.

26 Alumnus Summer 2008

Beachum graduated from MSU in May with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average in political science. An ROTC student at MSU, he now is second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. His favorite pastimes include playing soccer and baseball. He currently is teaching himself how to play the piano and violin. When asked what he’ll do with his winnings, Beachum said, “We have a wedding coming up in a couple of years, so I definitely need to save for that; however, we do have a beach trip planned.” Danielle Zsenek, a senior at Marquette University, finished second in the tournament, winning $50,000. Third-place winner Andrew Chung, a sophomore at Harvey Mudd College, pocketed $25,000. “Jeopardy!,” a winner of 27 Emmy awards since its debut in 1984, was recently inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most awards won by a TV game show. The series is the No.1-rated quiz show in syndication and has held that title for more than 1,000 weeks.

Campus

news

08 summer Alumnus

Presidential search gets under way Dear Bulldog Family, As vice president of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, chair of the Board Search Committee for the next president of Mississippi State University, and a Mississippi State alumnus, I am personally committed to making sure Mississippi State gets the best possible person to lead the university. The board’s presidential search process complements this goal, as it is the most effective way to attract candidates of the highest caliber to the pool. The search process reflects today’s trends in higher education. Times have changed. Mississippi’s institutional executive officers are required to raise 75 percent of the money needed to run their institutions. They’re “working” every hour of every day of the year. As the job of a president becomes more and more difficult, qualified leaders in higher education are often resistant to apply for positions if their name could become public. This might jeopardize his or her current position and it also could jeopardize private and public funding at his or her home institution. Donors are often wary of giving large gifts to institutions in transition. The search process, wherein the names are kept confidential, has become the standard for the Association of American Universities and other research-intensive and nonresearch institutions because it has proven, time and time again, to be the right way to attract candidates of the highest caliber.

This is an exciting time for “ The People’s University” The search process is inclusive of the university community. About 26 members of the Bulldog Family—from alumni to faculty to students to staff to community members—form the Search Advisory Committee. The Search Advisory Committee is responsible for reviewing all the applications and forwarding the desired applicants to the Board Search Committee for interviews. Then, a subset of the Search Advisory Committee joins the board for the rest of the search process. Think of the members of the Search Advisory Committee as “super delegates.” It would be impossible for more than 17,000 students, 4,000 faculty and staff, and 100,000 living alumni—not to mention local community leaders and incalculable numbers of other interested members of the general public—to assist the board in selecting the next president of Mississippi State. Instead, the members of the Search Advisory Committee are charged with bringing the positions of their constituency groups to the table as they review resumes and participate with the board throughout the process. The search process is transparent. We understand that we must do a better job of making sure all constituency groups not only understand the process, but also understand where we are in the process. To that end, we have created a Web site specific to the Mississippi State search; you can find it by visiting our Web site at www.mississippi.edu and clicking on the Mississippi State logo. There, you will find a detailed timeline, job description and specific information on every step of the process. I also encourage you to contact the board directly with your thoughts and comments. You can do so by e-mailing board@mississippi.edu. The board’s most recent searches at Alcorn State and the University of Southern Mississippi, conducted under the current search model, were very successful, both in terms of attracting quality applicants to the pool, as well as garnering resolutions of support from various institutional constituency groups. I am confident the search at Mississippi State will be as successful. This is an exciting time for “The People’s University,” and it is imperative that we find the right leader to take it to the next level of excellence. I look forward to working with you every step of the way. Sincerely, Scott Ross MSU Class of 1982

Alumnus Summer 2008 27

Campus

news

08 summer Alumnus

Challenge X vehicle begins final journey Matthew Doude walks around the mid-sized sports utility vehicle in the Mississippi State University “showroom,” pointing out the electric motor under the back cargo area and the dash-mounted personal computer. The McCool resident points out that it averages 38 milesper-gallon and runs on B20 biodiesel or standard diesel fuel. Doude then sits in the driver’s seat and demonstrates how to use the wireless Internet and MP3 player on the built-in hard drive of the front display. He points to the dashboard display of the vehicle’s battery charge and average fuel economy. Standing beside the white vehicle striped in maroon along the bottom, Doude sounds like a car salesman working on a commission. He isn’t, but he is mighty proud of what’s in the showroom. The casually dressed young man is a mechanical engineering graduate student, and his showroom is a hightechnology laboratory at MSU’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems. Known usually by the acronym CAVS, the laboratory was created several years ago to develop vehicle designs that utilize next-generation materials and concepts. Over the past year, Doude has shown many people around the Challenge X vehicle he and other MSU students redesigned. They placed first for the last two years of the fouryear competition sponsored by General Motors that attracted entries from 17 institutions of higher learning—all working to convert a standard 2005 Chevrolet Equinox crossover SUV into a hybrid gas-saving vehicle. The competition challenged students from the United States and Canada to apply their knowledge of mechanics, electricity, fuel efficiency, and other design factors to transform the vehicle of today into a vehicle of the future. After winning, MSU’s team was highlighted by industry insiders and national media. This summer, they took a tour through Mississippi to show the public how Mississippi State students stack up against others throughout the nation and Canada. To show cutting-edge automotive technology to the public, MSU’s Challenge X team has demonstrated the vehicle’s abilities to everyone from a fourth-grade class to U.S. senators to talk show host Jay Leno. In addition to national exposure, the MSU team received $31,500 in prize money, including $15,000 from the National Science Foundation for Marshall Molen, the team adviser, who holds the rank of distinguished professor in the Bagley College of Engineering. As part of winning the most recent

competition in May, the team traveled from East Brunswick, N.J., to Washington, D.C. They worked with other teams in the competition to raise additional public awareness of the technologies and concepts used in redesigning the vehicles. The MSU students, General Motors designers and representatives of the U.S. Energy Department’s Argonne National Laboratory—also a competition sponsor—understand the need to develop better vehicle technologies. They are joined by most iof the general public, as gasoline prices rise toward what many experts predict will reach $4-$10 a gallon in the near future. Fellow team member Matt Young, an electrical engineering graduate from Meridian, said the more he and others take the vehicle out in public, the more drivers like what they see. “It gets people out of the mindset that a hybrid vehicle needs to be a small vehicle that nobody likes,” Young observed. “This is something people want.” While the experience has provided the Challenge X team with a fun way to learn about developing technologies, it has the additional benefit of helping them find jobs after graduating. Eight already have job offers in the automobile industry and others are expected to join them. Before they graduate, Challenge X team members will continue designing new ways to improve what one day they’ll drive out of an actual dealer showroom.

Proof that success brings more opportunities, Mississippi has already been selected to participate in the next generation of the competition— EcoCar.

Challenge X

28 Alumnus Summer 2008

Mixon named interim MSU vice president Melissa J. Mixon has assumed the role of interim vice president of Mississippi Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine. Associate division vice president since 2004, her appointment was announced in April by Interim President Vance H. Watson. She also will serve as interim director of both the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Division of Extension and Outreach and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, as well as interim dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dr. Mixon has more than 25 years of experience in this division, including four years of full partnership in division administration,â&#x20AC;? Watson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have total confidence in her abilities and in her impeccable integrity.â&#x20AC;? Mixon becomes only the second woman to hold a vice presidential position at the 130-year-old land-grant institution and the first in her division. Before being named associate vice president, she served 13 years as extension leader in the School of Human Sciences. She joined the faculty in 1983 as an assistant food and nutrition specialist. Her degrees include a bachelor's and master's from the University of Alabama and a doctorate from MSU. Recently, Mixon was one named one of 20 Food Systems Leadership Institute Fellows by the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges.

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Myers named Arts and Sciences dean A Mississippi State English professor is the new dean of the university’s College of Arts and Science. A member of the MSU faculty since 1989, Myers served as associate dean for four years before being appointed interim dean in July 2007. He replaces Phillip Oldham, who accepted a university administrative position in another state. Myers earlier served as director of freshman English for six years, coordinating the required course for all graduates. A University of Houston doctoral graduate, his poems have appeared in the New Yorker, Poetry and Kansas Quarterly, among other publications. The largest and among MSU’s fastest growing academic units, the College of Arts and Sciences enrolls nearly a quarter of all students. Additionally, it is responsible for teaching most of the core curriculum courses required of all freshmen. Peter Rabideau, MSU provost and vice president for academic affairs, said Myers has displayed the many management abilities necessary for the challenging position of dean. “Dr. Myers has performed in exemplary fashion as interim and became our top candidate in a national search,” Rabideau said. “I’m very pleased to have him join what I consider a strong cadre of deans at MSU.”

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Alexander heads diversity office An MSU administrator with more than 20 years’ experience in personnel management and administration is now permanent head of the university’s Office of Diversity and Equity Programs. Mary L. Alexander, who holds a doctorate in school administration, assumed the post after serving as interim director for a year. “As a career U.S. Air Force officer before holding a number of higher education positions, Dr. Alexander has a deep knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity policies and procedures,” said MSU Interim President Vance H. Watson. “We are pleased that she will lead the university’s efforts to ensure an inclusive work and learning environment.” Alexander, a retired lieutenant colonel, was an executive officer responsible for administrative policies and procedures during her last four duty assignments. In addition to Illinois and Columbus Air Force Base, they included Germany and Turkey. She also has experience as a secondary school teacher and as an education faculty member at Mississippi University for Women and Alcorn State and Mississippi State universities. In 2007, she was named the Black History Month Educator of the Year by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning. In addition to an MSU doctorate, she holds a master’s degree in management from Webster University and a bachelor’s in biology and chemistry from Alabama State University.

MSU: 130 candles and counting A campus birthday party Feb. 28 marked the 130th birthday of Mississippi State University. On that day in 1878, the Mississippi Legislature voted to establish the Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College under provisions set forth in the federal Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. Today, Mississippi State is among more than 75 land-grant institutions spread among the 50 states. Sponsored by the MSU Alumni Association and Starkville-based Cadence Bank, the third annual birthday celebration took place on the Drill Field. The event was open to all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends. “We can think of no better way to commemorate this special occasion than by gathering members of the Bulldog family for a party on this historic ground,” said association executive director Jimmy Abraham, who also is associate vice president for development and alumni.

MSU Army ROTC commands high ground once again Mississippi State’s Army ROTC program continues its recognition by the U.S. Department of the Army as one of the nation's Top 50. In a letter to Interim President Vance Watson, Maj. Gen. W. Montague Winfield said the university's reserve officers training corps is ranked among the top 15 percent of the 273 campus units making up the Army Cadet Command. “This achievement demonstrates excellence in the overall Army ROTC program and exemplifies the hard work and dedication of the Mississippi State University cadets and cadre staff,” Winston said in his correspondence. “This achievement provides a superb reflection of the support MSU provides the Army ROTC program,” Winfield added. “We appreciate this partnership for success and look forward to many more years of developing and commissioning young leaders for our Army and nation.” Campus programs are ranked on the basis of multiple criteria, including academic grade point averages, physical fitness reports and performances in military-based training. “This honor reflects on the quality of students that MSU Army ROTC attracts, the professionalism and dedication of our cadre and the cooperation and support ROTC receives from the university,” said Maj. Rashann Harris, who, as professor of military science, heads the program. “Historically, we have been in the top 15 per cent, and we intend to continue commissioning quality officers for the U.S. Army.” Currently, Mississippi State’s Army ROTC program enrolls approximately 100 men and women. The university's Air Force ROTC detachment involves some 40 male and female cadets.

Tuck appointed to White House screening commission Former lieutenant governor Amy Tuck is being appointed by George W. Bush to the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships. Now special assistant to Mississippi State Interim President Vance H. Watson, Tuck joins 14 other new members from around the U.S. in the 32-member group. She is the only Mississippian serving on the bi-partisan body charged with selecting exceptional young leaders for yearlong experiences at the highest levels of the federal government. Founded in 1964, the commission annually selects 11-19 men and women for positions as fulltime assistants to the vice president, cabinet secretaries, senior White House staff members, and other major Executive Department officials. Members often consider as many as 1,000 applications for the very

competitive selection process. The Fellows program provides an education component, as well as an immersion program in domestic and international policies. Tuck joins new members from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Missouri, Texas, and Utah. Tuck is an MSU alumna with degrees in political science and public policy and administration. She was the state’s second-highest elected official from 2000 until January of this year, when the office’s term limit concluded.

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he director of academic outreach and continuing education at Mississippi State is a new commissioner of the national association that serves the profession. Mark Binkley is among four new members elected recently to the leadership and management group of the University Continuing Education Association, a Washington, D.C.-based organization representing public and private institutions, as well as nonprofit organizations. At MSU, Binkley oversees a division that provides distance learning opportunities through more than 30 study programs and 100 independent courses, and numerous non-credit courses, workshops, training events, and conferences. Prior to assuming his current campus duties, Binkley served for 18 years in the university’s geosciences department. In addition to helping establish the highly successful broadcast meteorology program, he also founded and directed the operational meteorology and geosciences teacher programs, both taught by distance learning.

member of the political science and public administration faculty is joining the executive board of the Mississippi Heritage Trust. Bethany M. Stich, a public administration assistant professor who came to the university in 2006, recently was invited to join the leadership body of an organization dedicated to preserving state prehistoric and historic cultural resources. With a membership of nearly 600, MHT works with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and Mississippi Main Street Association to provide continuity for and awareness of local preservation efforts, among other responsibilities. While at MSU, Stich has been involved in research efforts focused on revitalizing the now-suspended Columbus & Greenville Railroad that for years linked East Mississippi with the Central Mississippi Delta.

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State your pride A

longtime MSU sports administrator is the newest member of a philanthropic body founded by a former Mississippi State track standout and Olympic medalist. David C. Boles, associate athletic director and the university’s director of student support and retention, is joining the Falilat Ogunkoya Sports Foundation’s Board of Studies. He and colleagues from Africa, Europe and the United States will be working to promote the development of international track athletes. Now a resident of Albuquerque, N.M., Ogunkoya is a Nigerian native who attended MSU 1987-92, when she became the first female in school history to win an Olympic medal.

mathematics and statistics faculty member is receiving a Fulbright Scholar grant to teach and conduct research this fall in the Republic of Slovenia. Edward T. “Ted” Dobson, who recently was promoted to the rank of full professor at the university, is among some 800 faculty members and professionals chosen in 2008 to participate in the leading U.S. international exchange program. He will be focusing on algebraic graph theory studies while at the University of Primorska, located in the port city of Koper.

ew works by a veteran MSU faculty member and artist were featured during May at a Memphis gallery. “Dreams and Variations,” nine large watercolor and acrylic paintings by Brent Funderburk, Was exhibited at the L Ross Gallery. Funderburk said the images were created from three primary influences: backyard items at his East Lee Boulevard residence, dreams and “variations” on works by such influential painters and architects as Clifford Still and Andreas Palladio, among others. Funderburk has taught at MSU since 1982. He also is a former art department head.

faculty member is being honored by the American Society for Engineering Education-Southeastern Section for her innovative research techniques and impact on students. Adrienne R. Minerick, an assistant professor of chemical and biomedical engineering, recently accepted the ASEE-SE’s New Faculty Research Award at the organization’s annual meeting in Memphis, Tenn. Minerick also directs MSU’s Medical MicroDevice Engineering Research Laboratory. An MSU faculty member since 2003, Minerick has developed a new course titled “Analytical Microdevice Technology” that allows students to conduct research projects in the classroom. She also created an independent study course called “Journal Club” to teach students how to efficiently critique and learn from published research reports. Last year, Minerick was honored with a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, as well as MSU’s Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Award.

he Association of Retired Faculty at Mississippi State is honoring one of its members with a new scholarship at the university. The Charles N. Moore Exemplary Service Award is a tribute to the 22-year-old organization’s 1995-96 president who helped develop the annual student awards program that has become its most important activity. Moore is professor emeritus and department head emeritus of business information systems and quantitative analysis. He also served the ARF as treasurer, board of directors member and publicity committee chair.

Mississippi State engineering professor is a recent selection for the Boeing Co.’s prestigious Welliver Faculty Fellowship Program. Aerospace engineer Masoud Rais-Rohani is among 10 international researchers asked to review projects being planned by the world’s largest aerospace and defense corporation. After being updated on current and future projects, they will be

given the opportunity to lead a project related to their research interests and Boeing’s needs. Along with helping to better prepare students, the fellows program enables Rais-Rohani and his colleagues to develop personal and professional networks with experienced Boeing engineers.

Mississippi State’s director of housing and residence life is among 15 individuals selected to participate in a national student gaming task force sponsored by the Harvard Medical School. Ann Bailey, who has led the major university office since 2000, will spend the next year working with counterparts from universities and colleges across the country. The goal: developing a set of guideline recommendations to help combat and alleviate the problems associated with student gambling. While an MSU graduate student, Bailey was involved in research dealing with student gambling. As a result, two of her research reports were published by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Journal and the College Student Affairs Journal.

n MSU administrator is receiving the Mississippi Association of Governmental Purchasing and Property Agents’ 2008 Purchasing Agent of the Year award. James G. “Jay” Rester III, procurement card and invoice control manager, joined the MSU professional staff in June 2006 as an invoice control supervisor. He assumed his current duties the following February. Rester specifically was recognized for his work in advancing the university’s procurement card program.

n award-winning member of the English department faculty read from her new book in April at the university bookstore. Assistant professor Catherine Pierce, who teaches poetry and creative writing, is the author of Famous Last Words (Saturnalia, 2008),

winner of the 2007 Saturnalia Books Poetry Prize. She also is the author of a 2004 chapbook, Animals of Habit.

computer science and engineering professor will serve as an evaluator for a European research group. Ioana Banicescu is beginning a five-year term on the European Research Council’s advanced research grant evaluation panel. She is a faculty member in the computer science and engineering department and a researcher at the university’s Center for Computational Sciences. Established early last year, the ERC works to promote major cutting-edge research in the sciences and humanities across the continent. Banicescu will serve on the 12-member computer science and informatics panel. She also is an engineering graduate of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest in Romania. She has received a number of awards, including the National Science Foundation’s Early Career and Information Technology Research awards

national teaching association is honoring a Mississippi State special education professor for her helping to provide quality educations to students preparing to teach in the field. Lynne S. Arnault recently received the Association of Teacher Educators’ 2008 Distinguished Clinician of the Year Award at the organization’s national meeting in New Orleans. The award recognizes education professionals with demonstrated histories of service to current teachers, pre-service teachers and others working with students in the kindergarten-12th grades. Arnault is a specialist in early-childhood special education services and the use of assistive technology with children and youth with disabilities.

history professor and author, Middleton heads the university’s academic program in African-American studies. The veteran educator directs the new campus program focusing on research, statewide community engagement and the teaching of a people’s story within the larger context of American history.

ississippi State’s associate provost has been included in the inaugural class of Fellows of the Institute of Biological Engineering. Jerry Gilbert was honored during the IBE’s March meeting in Chapel Hill, N.C. A 19-year faculty member at the university, he also is associate vice president for academic affairs. Gilbert was a charter member when the IBE formed in 1995. Hee and the other 2008 Fellow-designates were recognized for their many professional contributions to the field. His research has focused primarily in the areas of bone modeling, orthopedic biomechanics, osteoporosis modeling, and biocompatibility of biomaterials. His work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation. Gilbert was instrumental in the creation of a national bioethics essay competition sponsored by the interdisciplinary body whose membership represents many traditional engineering fields.

tephen Middleton is being honored by his peers with election to a five-year term on the National Association of African-American Studies and Affiliates’ board of directors. A Alumnus Summer 2008 33

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‘World’ gathered for International Fiesta More than 70 nations were represented in early April when Mississippi State welcomed the 18th annual International Fiesta. Open to all, the cultural extravaganza was held at The Junction, the newest university green space adjacent to Davis Wade Stadium. The International Fiesta brings different pieces of different parts of the world to campus and makes people aware of the many cultures represented on campus. MSU’s Cultural Diversity Center and international education academic program co-sponsored the event with Starkville’s World Neighbors Association. A presentation of international flags began the day’s activities, followed by a fashion show displaying the traditional and cultural influences of students and family members from various countries. Musical and dance performances; arts and crafts exhibits; costume displays; and an international cooking contest, among others, rounded out the activities. Following the fiesta, a match between the MSU and Ole Miss cricket clubs took place on the Drill Field.

Templeton Festival weekend: ragtime, all the time Combining history, musical performance and even a little theater, pianists from Canada, California and points in between gathered at Mississippi State in March to celebrate American ragtime and early jazz. The university’s second Charles H. Templeton Ragtime Music Festival involved some of the world’s most highly regarded musicians of the genre, as well as lectures by one of its eminent musicologists. As with the first weekend festival last year, the event was centered around resources of the library’s Charles H. Templeton Music Museum. “We see the collection as a ‘living’ way to introduce ragtime and the history behind the business of music,” said Chip Templeton, whose father amassed the popular collection housed on the library’s fourth floor. Because the Templeton Collection is recognized by the performers as a unique

34 Alumnus Summer 2008

national resource, “the festival offers a rare opportunity to experience the artifacts from a definitive period of American history, as well as the music that period generated,” said Frances Coleman, dean of MSU Libraries.

“ We see the collection as a ‘living’ way to introduce ragtime and the history behind the business of music.”

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New Alumni Association leaders take office July 1 Andrew D. Hunt of Hattiesburg became national president of the MSU Alumni Association July 1. A 1970 graduate, he is owner of Hunt Insurance Agency. He previously served as national first vice president. Hunt succeeds David W. Jones of Jackson, a 1981 accounting graduate who also is first vice president and IS auditor manager for Trustmark National Bank. Jones now holds the title of immediate past president. Other newly elected 2008-09 officers are: Charles Cascio of Cleveland, national first vice president. A 1979 industrial engineering graduate, he is the business development manager at Baxter Healthcare Corp. He previously served as national second vice president. Karen Dugard Lawler of Madison, Ala., national second vice president. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1982 and a master’s in business administration in 1994, both from MSU. She is chief financial officer for budget integration and analysis at Marshall Space Flight Center. Jodi L. White of Birmingham, Ala., national treasurer. White holds two degrees from Mississippi State: a bachelor of professional accountancy in 1997 and a master of business administration in 1999. White serves as chief financial officer and vice president of Red Mountain Bank. The new slate of officers will serve the university’s more than 100,000 alumni through June 2009.

Officers will serve the university’s more than 100,000 alumni.

National officers for 2008-09 are (l-r): Charles Cascio, first vice president; Jodi White, treasurer; A.D. Hunt, president; Karen Lawler, second vice president; and David Jones, immediate past president.

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Miller receives teaching award Patrick Miller, associate professor in the department of art, is the 2008 recipient of the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award, presented by the MSU Alumni Association. Miller, who joined the MSU faculty in 2001, received a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Alabama and a master of fine arts from Louisiana Tech University. He currently teaches in the areas of Web design and multimedia in the College of Architecture, Art and Design. “Patrick is dedicated to instilling in his students the highest levels of design and technology skills, and his success in this endeavor is evident in the remarkable record of achievement of his students,” said Jimmy Abraham, associate vice president for development and alumni and executive director of the Alumni Association. “He is certainly deserving of this prestigious honor.”

Abraham, left, and Miller

Senior Celebration welcomes graduating seniors into the Alumni Association family The Alumni Association recently welcomed graduating seniors into the alumni family at the 2008 Senior Celebration. Nearly 800 seniors, alumni and friends gathered in the Hunter Henry Center courtyard to celebrate their upcoming graduation with crawfish, MSU ice cream, music, and fellowship. The event was sponsored by the Alumni Association, the Division of Student Affairs, and the Student Association. Students received information about the advantages of becoming and staying involved in the Alumni Association and its local chapters after leaving MSU. Recent graduates are granted one-year complimentary membership to the Alumni Association.

“It was a great opportunity to spend time with friends before graduation,” said Jaclyn Tatnall, a senior communication major from Newark, Del. “There’s an MSU Alumni Association chapter in D.C., and I’m excited about getting involved with MSU after graduation, even though I’ll be far away.” Many seniors enjoyed celebrating with their class before graduation. “It has been an awesome experience helping with the Senior Celebration as an Alumni Delegate the past couple of years. To have this event honoring me and my class is pretty cool,” said Peyton Hill, a senior biological sciences major from Ripley. The Alumni Association would like to congratulate the Mississippi State University Class of 2008!

Senior

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20 08

A letter from D avid Jones

irst and fore most, let me star serve as you r national pre t by saying what an hon or and a priv sid in-a-lifetime ilege it has b opportunity. ent over the past year. T the university een to h ank you for W e have some . Mississipp allowing me o f th e i State has g g was able to g re at this oncees t people as alu iven me man ive back to m mn y opportunit y university. ies, and I am i and friends of delighted that This year, un I der the outsta executive dir n d in g le ad ector, Dr. Jim er my Abraham ship and tireless efforts chapter, in S of our , we added o outh Korea. ur fi We Noble at Mis sissippi State have our own alumni sect rst international Bookstore at io energized ou the Cullis W n in the Barnes & r al ade Depot. Ji and by hostin umni base by supportin mmy has g th g events at aw ay games an e alumni tent at The Jun d at postseas ction, on venues. We need to k ee p the momentu going: record m that was b enrollment (1 uilt durin play, and ou r State of the 7,039 students), athletic g the past 12 months te Future camp about what th aign exceedin ams in postseason e future hold g its goal. I am s. I also am president. Th excited abou excited is t the for this search is a critical decision for our university search for our new . When our ; please be in new presiden students and t p friends, and support the ef is selected, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unite as rayer alumni, forts of the en tire university Again, let m . my employer e thank you for letting m , Trustmark, e serve as yo and my won u role. I encou derful wife P r president. I also would rag enny for giv like to thank a donation to e each of you to be acti ing m vely involved the Annual F in your local e the time to serve in this und, serving events, both alumni grou o in your com p by making munity and o n a local board and atte soon. nding and su n campus. I pporting MSU look forward to seeing yo u at an MSU event Forever Mar oon and Wh ite, David Jones , 81 2007-08 Nat â&#x20AC;&#x2122; ion MSU Alumn al President i Association

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Alumni reunite at MSU class reunions As part of Super Bulldog Weekend activities, more than 100 alumni from the classes of 1938, 1943, 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963 and 1968 gathered on campus for the 2008 class reunions, sponsored by the MSU Alumni Association. While on campus, the participants engaged in campus tours, financial planning seminars, a special dinner and program, and plenty of Bulldog fellowship. If you are a member of the classes of 1939, 1944, 1949, 1954, or 1959, make plans now to attend next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s class reunion!

Class of 1938

Class of 1943

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Class of 1948 Class of 1953

Class of 1958 Class of 1963

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Aloha

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New Alumni Delegates chosen The Alumni Association recently welcomed 22 new student members to the Alumni Delegates organization. With the addition of the new members, the Alumni Association now has 46 students serving as delegates. The Alumni Delegates program is an organization that serves as a liaison between Mississippi State students and alumni. Its purpose is to improve the understanding of the role of the Alumni Association by educating and involving students in activities and events of the association. Student involvement helps foster lifelong relationships while continuing to maintain the Alumni Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission. The new delegates were selected from 230 applicants, and all are enthusiastic and excited about being a part of the team. The newest members of the Alumni

2008

Delegates are: (front row, from left) Mamie McIntosh, Norcross, Ga.; Kelsey Myers, Vancleave; Claire Daigre, Raleigh, N.C.; Vanessa Nicholson, Terry; Elizabeth Butler, Brandon; Anne Elise Parks, New Albany; Marilyn Hill, Tupelo; and Julie Nelson, Southaven; (second row, from left) Brandon Atkison, Greenville; Bran Dawson, Columbia, Tenn.; Will Mendrop, Vicksburg; Kyle Kimbrough, New Albany; Rob Puckett, Jackson; Garrett McMullin, Jackson; and Jimmy Myers, Horn Lake; (back row, from left) Ben Jeter, Humbolt, Tenn.; R.J. Jenkins, Ruth; Heston Ray, Tupelo; and Trevor Woods, Brandon. Not pictured are Hillary Cook, Starkville; Megan Cregeen, Columbus; and Pricilla Li, Clarksdale.

Alumni Delegates Program

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Visit Hawaii with the MSU baseball team! The Alumni Association is making plans to travel to Hawaii with Coach John Cohen and the MSU baseball team March 3-9, 2009. Travel arrangements will be coordinated through NJoy Travel, Mamie Harvey, independent travel agent, an affiliate of Adventure Travel in Birmingham, Ala. The trip will include staying with the team at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki, touring Pearl Harbor, enjoying Hawaii, and cheering on the Diamond Dawgs, of course! Prices range from $699 to $1,579 per person including hotel, taxes and transportation to and from the airport. Airfare, baseball tickets and optional excursions are not included. For more information, contact Mamie Harvey at 662-327-1025 or mlbh@cableone.net.

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Are you a part of the association’s online community? The Alumni Association recently partnered with iModules, a Kansas-based online services company, to launch an enhanced Web site and online community for MSU alumni. The new community allows members to: upload photos; post class notes; post classified listings; post resumes and search for jobs; review posted resumes and search for position applicants; search for fellow alumni; send messages to other members and post notes to one another; engage in online message boards and blogs; and chat online with other members. The new community also offers the same great services previously available— including the ability to update personal and business information. “We’re excited about the capabilities this new system will offer our alumni,”

said Libba Andrews, associate director of the Alumni Association. “Now, more than ever, our alumni can interact with the Alumni Association in real time and obtain and share information with their alma mater.”

“With the new system, alumni can enjoy the social networking advantages of popular sites like Facebook and MySpace in a safe community available exclusively for Mississippi State alumni,” Andrews added.

Alumni Association.” The new community may be accessed through the Alumni Association’s Web site at www.alumni.msstate.edu. Alumni who were registered with the previous community may log in with their existing username and password—there is no need to create a new account. The new features will automatically be available upon successful login. Those registering for the first time will be prompted to proceed through a quick first-time login process to authenticate their identity and affiliation with Mississippi State. Become a part of the exciting new online community exclusively for MSU Bulldogs today!

“We encourage all alumni who have not already created an online community account to do so,” Andrews said. “The setup process only take a few minutes and it opens up a new world of access to the

MSU photographs now available for online purchase Mississippi State alumni and friends desiring a favorite photograph of campus or a memorable athletic moment may obtain it with the click of a few computer keys. This new service is part of a recent partnership between the university’s Office of University Relations, the Alumni Association, and Replay Photos, a Webbased company specializing in producing high-quality prints for universities. Nearly 120 selected images captured by the university’s award-winning photographers now are available for online purchase. “Some of our most popular photos are available for purchase through Replay Photos,” said Russ Houston, coordinator of photographic services in MSU’s Office of University Relations. “Many are historical images dating back to the early days of the

institution, while others include a range of action photographs from athletic events and scenic shots of many campus buildings and green spaces.” Houston said the collection will continue to grow as he and the other photographers add new shots and scour archival files for other classic campus moments. As part of its service, Replay Photos makes the photographs available in a variety of sizes, as well as in framed, unframed and canvas formats. “This truly provides something for everyone interested in a personalized MSU gift,” Houston observed. The online collection may be accessed through the Alumni Association’s Web site at www.alumni.msstate.edu.

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Official Alumni Association merchandise now available through Barnes & Noble Official MSU Alumni Association apparel and merchandise is now available for purchase at the Barnes & Noble at Mississippi State Bookstore as well as its online store. The Alumni Association and Barnes & Noble entered into a partnership earlier this year to benefit alumni and friends of MSU who often request association merchandise. Items available for purchase include men’s and women’s short-sleeve and longsleeve shirts and jackets, and the selection is rapidly growing and changing. The merchandise will be displayed in a special area of the store dedicated to alumni. “Barnes & Noble is an important part of our campus community, and we are excited that they are now carrying official Alumni Association merchandise,” said

Jimmy Abraham, executive director of the association. “Our alumni will benefit from the availability of often-requested Alumni Association merchandise and the association will benefit as more individuals proudly wear and display our logo and the Mississippi State name.” Bobby Hamous, general manager of the MSU Barnes & Noble store, said, “We look forward to working with the Alumni Association to offer even more quality merchandise to alumni and friends of Mississippi State.” Alumni can shop online at www. bncollege.com.

We’re looking for a few good Bulldogs. Do you know a potential Mississippi State student who may not be aware of the opportunities our great university has to offer? If so, please complete as much of this form as possible and mail to Office of Admissions and Scholarships, P.O. Box 6334, Mississippi State, MS 39762, or fax to 662-325-1MSU. You can make a positive difference for a high school or community college student by introducing him or her to your alma mater.

Student’s name______________________________________________________________________ Street address_______________________________________________________________________ Address_ __________________________________________________________________________

City

State

ZIP

Phone_________________________________ E-mail________________________________________ High school or community college________________________________Graduation date_ _________ GPA_________________________ ACT/SAT____________________________ Gender____________ Academic interest____________________________________________________________________ Your name_ _________________________________________________MSU class year_ __________ Relation to prospective student__________________________________________________________ Your phone______________________Your e-mail___________________________________________ 42 Alumnus Summer 2008

One couple’s loyalty reaps lifelong benefits Loyalty. Pride. Passion. These words could be used to describe a number of alumni and friends who generously support Mississippi State with their time and financial resources. But there are few words that could more fittingly describe one couple’s connection to the land-grant institution. W. Carroll and Georgia Murphy were raised in the South Mississippi towns of Petal and Hattiesburg, respectively, and both initially turned to the nearby University of Southern Mississippi for their college education. Georgia received a bachelor’s degree in home economics education from USM in 1965 before earning a master’s degree in education from Mississippi State in 1984. Carroll enrolled in the Hattiesburg institution his freshman year, but soon had a change of heart while visiting friends at Mississippi State. “I fell in love with Mississippi State the first night I stayed on campus,” Carroll said. “There was a special camaraderie. I instantly felt like I belonged, and I’ve never lost that feeling.” Carroll earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from MSU in 1966 and followed with a master’s in civil engineering in 1968. He credits his education with his successful career as a consulting engineer in Jackson that spanned nearly 30 years. He is now director of the office of engineering for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in Philadelphia. Georgia retired from the Jackson Public School System in 2003 with 28 years of service. They have two children, Bill and Jay, who are both MSU graduates. Today, the couple lives in Starkville—the fulfillment of a dream of retirement near their beloved Bulldogs. Avid Bulldog sports fans, the Murphys rarely miss an athletic sporting event. “If the teams are playing a game, Carroll thinks he has to be there,” Georgia laughs. “Our kids were brought up with State,” Carroll said. “We went all over the Southeastern Conference watching Mississippi State play when they were small. Their hearts, like ours, have always been here.” But the Murphys have done much more to support their alma mater than just attending athletic events. They are longtime members of the Bulldog Club and the Alumni Association, and Carroll has served on the advisory committee for the university’s

department of civil engineering. Also indicative of the couple’s commitment to Mississippi State is their record of financial contributions—Carroll and Georgia have made annual contributions to Mississippi State for 27 consecutive years. Their first gift was $15 and subsequent gifts and pledges—68 in all—have ranged from $100 to $6,000. Over the years, the couple has contributed almost $70,000 to Mississippi State. “The way I see it,” Carroll said, “you spend money on the things you love—raising a family, your church and, for us, Mississippi State University.” “We never thought about how much it was—how much we were contributing,” Georgia said. “We just gave what we could. Mississippi State was a part of our budget each year, and we were always assured that we were getting a good return on our investment. It’s good to be a part of something bigger than you are that does so much to help so many others.” The couple is also quick to encourage others to do the same. When asked what he’d like to say to students graduating from MSU today, Carroll said, “The quality and cost of the education you received at MSU were higher and lower, respectively, than they otherwise would have been because those who preceded you made contributions. Return the favor to those who follow you by giving back to MSU during your lifetime.” The couple’s financial commitment has earned them a place in the MSU Foundation’s prestigious Legacy of Leadership, which recognizes donors whose cumulative lifetime commitments exceed $50,000. A marker inscribed with “Mr. and Mrs. W. Carroll Murphy” is now a permanent part of Legacy Hall located in the upper rotunda of the Hunter Henry Center. When discussing their newfound home in Legacy Hall, the couple is at once proud and modest. “It just gets me right here,” Carroll says, pointing to his chest, “to see our name there. But from my experience, I just can’t give enough. This university has given a whole lot more to me than I’ll ever be able to give to it. It gave me a quality education that has allowed us to make a comfortable living, raise two children and now relax and kick up our heels—and it all started right here.” For more information about donor recognition programs at Mississippi State, contact Cathy Lammons, director of donor relations, at 662-325-7843 or clammons@advservices.msstate. edu.

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New scholarship to support business college students The Citizens Bank of Philadelphia recently announced the creation of a new endowed scholarship at Mississippi State to benefit students pursuing careers in the fields of business. Established with a gift of $50,000 from the Philadelphia-based commercial banking company, the Citizens Bank of Philadelphia Endowed Scholarship will be awarded each year to a student enrolled in a field of study within the university’ s College of Business and Industry. Priority will be given to students who are residents of Mississippi counties in which The Citizens Bank of Philadelphia is involved. These include Neshoba, Kemper, Lauderdale, Winston, Leake, Attala, Oktibbeha, Scott, and Newton counties. “We are pleased to support students who are pursuing their education in business at Mississippi State University,” said Greg L. McKee, president and chief executive officer of the company. “The Citizens Bank of Philadelphia is committed to helping the communities in which we operate achieve long-term success, and supporting the education of our youth is a great way to do just that.” The Citizens Bank of Philadelphia has 22 full-service banking locations in nine counties in East Central Mississippi. In addition to full-service commercial banking, the company offers mortgage loans, title insurance services through its subsidiary, Title Services, LLC, and a full range of Internet banking services. Its parent company, Citizens Holding Co., is listed on the NASDAQ Global Market and is traded under the symbol CIZN.

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Evans named engineering development director Bennett Evans is the new director of development for Mississippi State’s James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. Since 2002, Evans has led development efforts for the College of Architecture, Art and Design. A third generation alumnus of the university, the Columbus native holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in public policy and administration. Prior to returning to campus, Evans worked for eight years with Boy Scouts of America, including service as district director for the metropolitan Atlanta area. “Bennett has performed superbly as development director for the architecture college and is the caliber of fundraiser now needed for the engineering college,” said John P. Rush, vice president for development and alumni. “He will continue to play a major role in fundraising for the ongoing State of the Future capital campaign as well.” One of MSU’s oldest academic programs, the Bagley College of

Engineering is named for the 1961 and 1966 engineering alumnus and his wife Jean of Trophy Club, Texas. The couple’s $25 million contribution several years ago remains the largest single private gift to the university. The engineering college enrolls more than 2,500 undergraduate and graduate majors.

Bennett Evans

Shanks names room in COBI facility A $25,000 gift from Carolyn Shanks of Madison is funding a student team room in the Leo W. Seal Family Business Complex. In 2007, the College of Business and Industry expanded its existing McCool Hall building to accommodate growth. The newly expanded complex now boasts a series of team rooms for small groups of students working on projects and team assignments outside of class. Shanks is a 1983 accounting graduate who was named the 2008 College of Business and Industry Alumna of the Year. Since 1999, she has been president and chief executive officer of Entergy Mississippi. The Carolyn Correro Shanks Team Room becomes one of nine named team rooms in the business complex. Other donors who have named team rooms include: Charles P. Boyd of Atlanta, Ga.; William A. “Tony” Clark of Sugar Land, Texas; Durward Dunn and Catherine Dunn of New Orleans, La; Linda Martin Garrett of Atlanta, Ga.; Robert and Betty Harbor of McLean, Va.; Mac and Trudy Jones of Birmingham, Ala.; Jeremy and Amy Tabor of Starkville; and Cyndi Tucker of Houston, Texas. One additional team room remains unnamed and may be secured with a $25,000 commitment. Interested persons may contact Jack McCarty, director of development for the business college, at 662-325-9580 or e-mail jmccarty@foundation.msstate.edu.

Historian honors memory of late MSU mentors If one were to chronicle the life of Martha Helen Swain, it would require quite a few pages, many of which would probably focus on her long association with Mississippi State University. Swain, a Starkville resident, learned life lessons and the historian’s craft from two well-known 20th century faculty members at Mississippi State. A memorial gift from the retired history professor recently established the Glover Moore-John K. Bettersworth Endowed Scholarship for undergraduate history majors in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences. “The scholarship honors two distinguished veteran professors and also recognizes one of our most accomplished alumni,” said department head Alan I. Marcus. “It also demonstrates how important an undergraduate education can be as the basis for a career. “Dr. Swain fondly remembers her experience at Mississippi State and only a truly honorable person such as she would consider supporting the university in this manner,” he added. While pursuing a bachelor’s degree at MSU, Swain apprenticed in the department under Bettersworth and Moore. After graduation, she attended Vanderbilt University on a full scholarship. Swain, who graduated from the Nashville institution in 1954, said her advanced studies would not have been possible without the recommendations of Bettersworth and Moore, the latter a Vanderbilt University doctoral graduate. Among her treasured possessions is a letter from Vanderbilt history department head William C. Binkley, saying he would accept anyone with a recommendation from the two MSU colleagues. “I learned the historian’s craft of writing, research and publishing by working in the history department at Mississippi State,” Swain explained. “I wanted to honor my major professors by giving back in a way that would allow the

university’s history department to mold other students with potential.” After Vanderbilt, Swain taught 16 years at various institutions before returning to Vanderbilt to earn her doctorate. She also was a 21-year member of the faculty at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, where she continues to hold emerita status. In addition to teaching students, Bettersworth was MSU’s longtime vice president for academic affairs and the institution’s official historian. He completed The People’s University: A Centennial History of Mississippi State in 1978 to update his 1953 original version, The People’s College. He also authored the Mississippi history textbook used for many years in the state’s secondary schools. Moore joined the MSU history faculty in 1936 as the first departmental member with a doctoral degree. Before retiring in 1977, he was honored with selection as a 1970 Outstanding Educator of America and election as president of the Mississippi Historical Society. His most well-known book was The Missouri Controversy, 1819-1821. Swain is the author of three books on Mississippians in Washington during President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal era. She also is co-editor of two volumes of essays on Mississippi women and an associate editor of the Mississippi Encyclopedia. After retiring in Texas, Swain served 1995-2004 as an adjunct member of the MSU history faculty. Over her entire professional career, she has been honored with a Texas Woman’s University distinguished senior faculty award, Eudora Welty book prize from Mississippi University for Women and the Mississippi Historical Society’s Dunbar Rowland Award for lifetime contributions to state history, among other recognitions. She is a past president of the state historical society and Southern Association of Women Historians.

Growing up, Swain and her family lived in Amory, Tupelo, New Albany, Holly Springs, and Starkville as they moved with their father, Jim Henry Swain, who was a project engineer. Swain and her sisters, Margaret and Mary Elizabeth, earlier endowed another MSU scholarship to honor their late father, a Union County native and 1913 then-Mississippi A&M College graduate. The award supports civil engineering majors. A love for Mississippi State and for teaching definitely runs in the Swain family. Swain’s mother taught history and English and her sisters became teachers as well. “I knew I wanted to be a history teacher from the time I was about 5 years old, and Drs. Bettersworth and Moore certainly helped me fulfill that dream,” Swain says. Margaret Swain, known to most as “Margo,” was a member of MSU’s faculty 1969-1994, when she retired as director of the social work academic program. Mary Elizabeth Swain Bacon briefly taught political science at Mississippi State and was a longtime faculty member at Kent State University.

Martha Helen Swain

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The following individuals, corporations and foundations have made commitments of $50,000 or more from Jan. 1, 2008, through April 30, 2008, for State of the Future: The Mississippi State Campaign. Dr. Lester Andrews; Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation; Mrs. Viola G. Bardsley; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation; Burns Cooley Dennis Inc.; The Annie E. Casey Foundation; J.C. Cheek Contractors Inc.; Citicorp; The Citizens Bank of Philadelphia; Mr. and Mrs. David W. Evers Jr.; Hancock County Community Development Foundation; Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc.; Howard Industries Inc.; W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Mr. James C. Kennedy; Henry Mize Charitable Foundation; The G.V.

Gift will establish business fellowship An endowment for a newly established faculty fellowship will assist the university’s College of Business and Industry in recognizing faculty members or administrators who show exceptional merit. A $100,000 gift from Drew Allen will fund the fellowship bearing his name. Allen graduated from MSU in 1974 with a degree in marketing. He is president and chief executive officer of Allen Beverages Inc., a family owned bottling company in Gulfport founded in 1947. Earnings from the Drew Allen Fellowship Endowment will provide a salary supplement each academic year for a business college faculty member or administrator. Recipients will be selected based on excellence in teaching, research and other scholarly activities that bring national recognition to the business college and the teaching profession.

faculty A newly established the university’s fellowship will assist Industry. and ess n si u B of e eg ll o C 46 Alumnus Summer 2008

“Sonny” Montgomery Foundation; Mr. David C. Puckett III; Rice Foundation; Mr. and Mrs. James T. Rowell; Mr. and Mrs. Leo W. Seal Jr.; Structural Steel Services Inc.; William L. Thomas; Mr. Charles Cullis Wade; Dr. Clinton E. Wallace; Walton Family Foundation Inc.; Paul L. Wells Estate; Mr. and Mrs. Mark Williamson; and Ms. Rebecca Woods

Deferred gifts a major player in the State of the Future campaign As the State of the Future capital campaign enters its home stretch, many giving opportunities remain for supporters, including those who are considering honoring Mississippi State through a deferred gift. Deferred or planned gifts provide future support for Mississippi State and are vital to the success of State of the Future. Thus far, deferred gifts make up nearly $67 million of the campaign’s $424 million overall total. The largest fundraising effort in Mississippi State’s 130-year history, State of the Future topped its $400 million minimum goal a year ahead of schedule and will conclude in December 2008. “Many of our constituents are beginning to take advantage of making a planned gift to the university and ensuring their legacy,” said Bo Hemphill, executive director of development. “Donors can provide Mississippi State with essential private funding through deferred gifts, which are often larger amounts than they ever could have given outright.” Planned gifts are those that typically will not be received by Mississippi State until some point in the future. Examples of planned gifts include bequests, charitable gift annuities, life insurance, and charitable remainder trusts. Planned gifts can provide significant tax advantages, and some can provide income for the donor. “Current statistics report that of those alumni and friends of educational institutions who have their school included in their estate plans, only 10 percent inform the institution of those plans,” said Vance Bristow, director of planned giving. “We encourage MSU alumni and friends to take advantage of our assistance as they select the charitable giving tool that best fits their needs.”

Alumni and friends who have already included Mississippi State in their estate plans should contact the MSU Foundation’s Office of Planned Giving. Notifying the MSU Foundation will allow the university to ensure a donor’s wishes are carried out precisely as intended. It also will allow Mississippi State to acknowledge their generous intentions through the State of the Future campaign. The Office of Planned Giving is available to assist individuals considering planned gifts of all types and sizes, and persons working with the office are under absolutely no obligation. Recent deferred commitments for State of the Future include: A bequest from Robert and Ramona Carpenter of Baton Rouge, La., will one day fund the Robert Lamb Carpenter Memorial Endowed Scholarship in the College of Architecture, Art and Design. Rob Carpenter is a 1972 graduate. A gift annuity from James and Dana Cherry of Hattiesburg will create an endowed scholarship bearing their names for students in the Bagley College of Engineering. James is a 1949 mechanical engineering graduate, while Dana earned a master’s degree in education in 1967. A bequest from Edward and Kim Collum of Wilmer, Ala., will establish the Helen R. Collum Memorial Scholarship in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Edward is a 1978 business graduate.

AS OF APRIL 30, 2008

A planned gift in the form of a revocable living trust from Edward Gil Foresman and Cecile Foresman of Starkville will create named scholarships in the Bagley College of Engineering, the College of Business and Industry, the Division of Student Affairs and the College of Veterinary Medicine. Gil Foresman holds degrees from Mississippi State in business administration and engineering. A bequest from John P. Mazeres and Mona Williams Mazeres of Tampa, Fla., will establish a scholarship bearing their names in the Bagley College of Engineering’s civil engineering department and the College of Arts and Sciences. John received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1986, while Mona received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from MSU in 1981 and a master’s degree in public policy in 1984. A gift annuity from John and Betty Pearson of Hattiesburg will create an endowed scholarship in the department of mathematics and statistics in the College of Arts and Sciences. Also, with proceeds from a charitable gift annuity, John and Norma Richards of Ridgeland will create an endowed scholarship in the department of geosciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. John is a 1956 MSU arts and sciences graduate. All outright deferred gifts documented through Dec. 31, 2008, will be considered State of the Future commitments. For more information, contact Bristow at 662-325-3707 or visit www. msufoundation.com.

$424,211,278

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A&S endowments honor former faculty members Every MSU graduate has a memory of his or her favorite professor. Maybe he is the reason you are in your current profession. Maybe she helped you find your first job. Maybe he taught you lessons that couldn’t be found in a book. For Douglas Crawford of Starkville, chemistry professor Donald Emerich made the difference. “Dr. Emerich was an excellent teacher who inspired by example. What separated him was his involvement with the students. He would always come in and help us when we were working on an experiment,” said Crawford. “I had him when I was in graduate school, and to this day, I remember he always quoted Plutarch by saying, ‘The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.’” In December 2007, Crawford established the Donald W. Emerich Endowed Scholarship to benefit deserving students majoring in chemistry. Crawford says he established the endowment because he wanted to recognize Emerich for his excellence in teaching and motivation that brought forth the best in his students. “He was almost like a second father. He was constantly encouraging and motivating us. I want him to know how much I appreciate what he did for me and so many others,” he said. To the credit of the MSU faculty, it’s not uncommon for alumni to establish scholarship and program endowments in honor of their former teachers and mentors. An endowment may be established with gifts or pledges of $25,000 or more and may be increased indefinitely through additional contributions. The Ann Pittman Andrews Memorial Scholarship was established by her family to honor this former professor. Andrews

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taught English at Mississippi State from 1958 to 1962 and from 1972 to 1994. She was a member of the Starkville School District Board of Trustees from 1977 to 1994 and served as board president for three terms during this time. The Ann Pittman Andrews Memorial Scholarship will support outstanding students in the department of English. “She loved teaching and the arts, and establishing an endowment for deserving students seemed like the perfect thing to do,” Ann’s husband Hunter Andrews said. Andrews says he was surprised at how many other people have contributed to the endowment. “It is very rewarding to see that people thought so much of her. There are people that I don’t even know who have given money,” he said. “It is nice to see people

doing that for her because she meant so much to so many.” Other memorial or honorary endowments recently established in the college include: The L.C. Behr Memorial Endowment was established by Emil “Butch” Holiner of San Antonio, Texas, to honor his stepfather, the late Lyell C. Behr. Behr served as a chemistry professor for 34 years, as well as head of the chemistry department and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The endowment was significantly increased through a gift by the Hunter Henry family.

In June 2007, the family of Dr. Robert L. Cook established the Robert Lee Cook Fund for Excellence in his memory. The Robert Lee Cook Fund for Excellence will support graduate students in the physics

and astronomy department, where Cook taught for more than 35 years. The M.W. Myers Memorial Endowment was established to honor Dr. Myers, who passed away in May 2003. He taught geography at Mississippi State for 38 years, where he was MSU’s full-time geography professor as well as professor emeritus. His specialty was maps; during World War II, he was even asked to remain at MSU so that he could teach mapping courses to servicemen. The M.W. Myers Memorial Endowment will support activities that enhance the mission of the geography department. For more information about creating an endowment or contributing to an existing endowment in the College of Arts and Sciences, contact Trish Hughes, the college’s development director, at thughes@foundation.msstate.edu.

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” Plutarch

Legacy of Dave Swalm forever entwined with MSU Dave C. Swalm was known as a self-made man who achieved international success in the petrochemical business, as well as a man who set an example of public service that few can emulate. He long will be remembered as one of the most successful graduates of the university and one of its most generous benefactors. Swalm died April 14, 2008, at his home in New Ulm, Texas, leaving behind a tremendous legacy which included support of the small towns he affectionately called home and the causes he held dear. He made lasting contributions to the quality of higher education at Mississippi State and to opportunities for students in Mississippi. The Whittier, Calif., native was 76 years old. “Dave Swalm’s life is a classic American success story and an outstanding example of the careers that have been launched at this university,” said John P. Rush, vice president for development and alumni. “He excelled in a complex business and made a second career of helping others because he was a man of vision and deep compassion.” At the age of 14, Swalm moved with his family to Brookhaven, and later graduated from Brookhaven High School in the town he called home. He worked for a year at a paper mill there before entering MSU. Continuing to work his way through school, he graduated from MSU in 1955 with a chemical engineering degree. Following graduation, Swalm was hired by Dow Chemical and subsequently held positions with Texas Butadiene and the Steuber Co. In the late 1960s, Swalm founded Texas Olefins using his entire savings of $6,000. Texas Olefins acquired Petro-Tex from Tenneco in 1984 and renamed the operation Texas Petrochemicals. The company became one of the nation’s largest privately held petrochemical companies and the largest manufacturer in the United States of butadiene, a gas used chiefly in the manufacture of rubber and paint. He sold the company in 1996 for $500 million and retired from the business world which allowed him more time to pursue his philanthropic interests. As a “thank you” for his loyal and devoted employees, about 10

percent of the company’s sale price was distributed to them in quarterly installments over a five-year period. As a long-time member of the MSU Foundation Board of Directors and of the Bagley College of Engineering Advisory Board, Swalm understood the importance of private support. His generosity to Mississippi State manifested itself in numerous ways. A $14 million gift from him made possible a 100,000-square-foot chemical engineering building and a school of chemical engineering that both bear his name. His contributions through the years included an endowed professorship and several endowed scholarships, as well as gifts in support of faculty development programs and laboratory equipment. Swalm believed in setting an example for others by giving back to communities. A $5 million gift from him established a scholarship fund for Brookhaven students at Mississippi State who major in a technical field. He further assisted the State of Mississippi by establishing an endowment for bachelor of science graduates of Jackson State University who desire to pursue an advanced degree in engineering at Mississippi State. Through a Texas-based foundation created in 1979, Swalm fulfilled his belief in giving back to communities. He provided millions in support of programs for early childhood education, victims of child abuse, survivors of domestic violence, and the homeless, among others. Swalm was Mississippi State’s National Alumnus of the Year in 1992. He was recognized with an MSU honorary doctor of science degree in 2000. Among his many accomplishments, Swalm achieved the Boy Scouts of America organization’s highest ranking of Eagle Scout. Swalm leaves behind his wife Beth, four children, 12 great grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and innumerable members of his extended Bulldog family.

“ Dave Swalm’s life is a classic American success story and an outstanding example of the careers that have been launched at this university.” Alumnus Summer 2008 49

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’61

Don Waldon, former administrator of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority, has joined the national environmental permitting firm of Dawson & Associates as a senior adviser.

’63

Lester S. Andrews of Charlottesville, Va., a longtime professor of chemistry at the University of Virginia, has received the university’s Distinguished Scientist Award.

’66

Jo Huddleston has written Shades of Gray: America’s Cloudy Moral Climate, a patriotic/inspirational book published by Booklocker.com. Her previous books are Amen and Good Morning, God; Amen and Good Night, God; and His Awesome Majesty. Douglas L. McCall has recently had a novel published, entitled Harris County. McCall is retired from Southern Farm Bureau Insurance Co. Jim Tumlinson (Ph.D. ’69) of Julain, Pa., endowed professor of entomology and director of Penn State University’s Center for Chemical Ecology, has received the prestigious Wolf Prize for Agriculture for his contributions in the field of chemical ecology.

’70

Roger McLeod of Lucedale has been named principal of Rocky Creek Elementary School.

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’72

Reginal L. Henderson of Itta Bena, retired Mississippi Valley State University assistant professor, has received Valley’s James Herbert White Education/Academics Preeminence Award for outstanding life accomplishments and support of the university. Russell V. Varnado, a certified public accountant, has merged his firm, the Serviam Group, into Reese and Novelly.

’75

Thelma Collins, mayor of Itta Bena, has received Mississippi Valley State University’s James Herbert White Government/Politics/Advocacy Preeminence Award for outstanding life accomplishments and support of the university. Patti Sanders Robertson of Madison, executive director of the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi, has been appointed to the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council.

’78

William O. Stone Jr. of Jackson has been promoted to senior vice president for Stanford Group Company.

’81

Corbet J. Lamkin has been named chancellor of Southern Arkansas University Tech in Camden. He previously was vice president of academic affairs for Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia.

’87

Tom Dees, a reporter for WHBQ, Fox 13 in Memphis, Tenn., has won an Emmy Award for daytime newscast for the program “Good Morning, Memphis.” Ed Simmons of Jackson, vice president of operations for Stanford Group Co., has earned the certified public accountant designation. Carl A. Strock, retired lieutenant general in the U.S. Army and retired chief of engineers and commanding general of the Army Corps of Engineers, has received the Henry L. Michel Award for Industry Advancement of Research, presented by the American Society of Civil Engineers. He currently is a project director for Bechtel Corp.

’89

Peter Blocker (M.S. ’95) has been named president of Aerodyne Inc., an aerospace engineering firm in Huntsville, Ala. He most recently served as the company’s director of unmanned systems.

’91

William M. Stovall has been named vice president of institutional advancement at LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tenn.

’93

Kevin W. Holland of Ocean Springs, administrator of Ocean Springs Hospital, has been named one of the Top 10 Business Leaders Under 40 for the Mississippi Gulf Coast area. Mary Hill Randall Shular (M.S. ’97) of Bailey, a career discovery teacher for the Lauderdale County School District, has received Internet and Computing Core Certification.

’94

Britton Snow Hederhorst of Dalian, China, has been named senior process engineer for Copperweld, after the company was purchased by Fushi International. She relocated to China in January.

’96

Ellen A. Bevon (M.P.A. ’97) of Hattiesburg, a certified public accountant with Nicholson & Co., has completed the certification process with the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts to earn her designation of certified valuation analyst.

’97

Rachael McKinney, a teacher at Brandon Middle School, has received the prestigious Milken Educator Award sponsored by the Milken Family Foundation. The award included a check for $25,000. Only 75 educators nationwide received the award this year.

’98

Ginnette Lolli of Pensacola, Fla., an architect with Hatch Mott MacDonald, helped instruct the Brownie troop at NB Cook Elementary School in Pensacola as the girls were earning their Building Arts badge. Bruce Marie of Biloxi has been promoted to vice president of purchasing at Coast Electric Power Association. Sandie Taunton of Pensacola, Fla., an architect with Towns+Architects, helped instruct the Brownie troop at NB Cook Elementary School in Pensacola as the girls were earning their Building Arts badge. Chris West of Lucedale, a football coach at George County High School, is a member of the Region 4-5 A football Coaching Staff of the Year.

’99

Mary Kathryn Clayton teaches at Bethel College in McKenzie, Tenn. She was MSU’s first doctoral graduate in the university’s Community College Leadership program. Eric B. Graham (M.P.P.A. ’04) of Brandon has joined Cellular South as director of government relations. Meredith Pratt Kelley of Atlanta, Ga., has been promoted to director of financial reporting at ING Americas. She has been with ING for five years, Previously, she worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Michael Sanders of Cleveland, vice president of Jimmy Sanders Inc., has been appointed to the Bolivar County Advisory Board by State Bank and Trust Co.

’02

Joy Davis Herndon has received a master of business administration degree from the University of South Alabama. Lauren Price of Memphis, Tenn., has joined Oden Marketing and Design as account manager.

’03

Phillip Eubanks of Lucedale is a career agent with Farm Bureau Insurance.

’04

Nicholas Leverette of Saginaw, Texas, has received a doctorate of chiropractic at Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, Texas. He is entering private practice in Saginaw.

’06

Edward Sanders of Washington, D.C., has received a presidential appointment to the White House staff. He previously interned with Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and the House of Representatives Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Birth

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Trace Christian Barefoot, April 24, 2007, to Tracy Alexander Barefoot (’99) and Lisa Walsh Barefoot (’99). Brinley Claire Betts, Jan. 21, 2008, to Kimberly Steward Betts (’02) and Kenneth Betts (’01) and of Harrisonburg, Va. Camille Evans Griffin, Sept. 18, 2007, to Spencer Evans Griffin (’01) and wife Laura of Cleveland. Camille Rivers Lawrence, Oct. 18, 2007, to Clayton Lawrence (’86) and wife Ashley of Lucedale. Janie Elizabeth “Ellie” Norwood, March 23, 2008, to Erin Roy Norwood (’98) and Greg Norwood (’98, ’04) of Vicksburg. Mary Katherine Whittington, Nov. 9, 2007, to Ryan Heath Whittington (’98) and wife Christen. Warren L. Williams, March 21, 2008, to Clay Williams (’96) and wife Alexis of Ocean Springs.

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Thomas W. Hosie of Starkville, professor and head of the department of counseling, educational psychology, and special education at Mississippi State, died Feb. 21, 2008. Dr. Hosie joined the MSU faculty in 1996. He was a professor emeritus at Louisiana State University, where he was a professor and coordinator of counselor education immediately prior to joining the MSU faculty. He was a past president of the national Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. He received numerous awards for his research and his contributions to the many professional organizations he served at the national, regional and state levels. The American Counseling Association in 2002 recognized Dr. Hosie’s many contributions by awarding him the Distinguished Professional Service Award. William Howard Allen (’38)—91, Cockrum; farmer, dairyman, real estate developer, and World War II Veteran, Jan. 23, 2008. William Dearing Jemison Jr. (’40)—89, Memphis, Tenn.; retired businessman and World War II veteran, March 12, 2008. William C. Anglin (’41)—Tupelo; retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, Dec. 24, 2007. Frederick P. Cone (’42)—Paso Robles, Calif.; retired McDonnellDouglas employee, Feb. 26, 2008. Harrison Carter Leak—(’43) 86, Baton Rouge, La.; retired manager with ExxonMobil, Sept. 8, 2007.

52 Alumnus Summer 2008

Frank E. Cotton Jr. (’46)—84, Bloomington, Ind.; retired professor and head of the department of industrial engineering at Mississippi State and World War II veteran, Feb. 5, 2008. Billy Jack Murphy (’47)—87, Germantown, Tenn.; retired head football coach and athletic director for the University of Memphis, Feb. 21, 2008. Rupert O. Buckley (’50, M.S. ’64)—90, Starkville; retired livestock specialist for the former animal husbandry department at Mississippi State and former executive director of the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association, Feb. 18, 2008.

Andreas Koulmandas Galanis (student)—28, Biloxi; student at Mississippi State, March 7, 2008. Robert Taylor McDavid III (attended)—29, Starkville; corporal in the United States Army, March 10, 2008, in the line of duty in Baghdad, Iraq. Mary Walta Parsons (friend)—102, Yazoo City; homemaker, April 8, 2008. Billie Ruth Murphy Templeton (friend)—79, Starkville; homemaker, Feb. 10, 2008.

Gerald T. Moore (’50)—Lindale, Texas; retired director for the U.S. Public Health Service. Jesse Richard Greer (’51)—76, Starkville; former mayor of Starkville, retired U.S. Marine lieutenant colonel, former Extension Service employee, and Vietnam War veteran, Dec. 21, 2007. Arvis Fancher Clark (’55)—96, Belmont; retired teacher, Jan. 9, 2008. Dave C. Swalm (’55)—76, New Ulm, Texas; founder of Texas Olefins, later renamed Texas Petrochemicals, philanthropist, and major benefactor to Mississippi State, April 14, 2008. Lawrence Carr Polk (’61)—69, Hattiesburg; general manager of American Wood, Feb. 25, 2008. Charles M. Patrick (’75)—55, Biloxi; former punter for the New England Patriots, April 27, 2008. Robert Glen Mason Jr. (’85)—Cleveland; March 2, 2008. John Martin Neeley (’88)—43; engineer, March 14, 2008. Mary Rebecca Bane (’96)—35, Brandon; April 5, 2008.

Please send obituaries to Allen Snow, P.O. Box 5325, Mississippi State, MS 39762-5526 or e-mail to snowa@ur.msstate.edu

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