ALUMNUS Summer 2016 - Mississippi State University

Under Your Skin

State’s only 3-D cadavers bring life to kinesiology program on MSU-Meridian Riley Campus p. 08

I N S I D E Summer 2016

Voice for the Underdog p. 06 | Roots Run Deep p. 12 | Rise of Women’s Sports p. 22 | 50 Years of Opened Doors p. 28

Table of CONTENTS

FEATURES

18 Budding CEOs find home in entrepreneurship center

Mississippi State’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach gives startups a boost.

22 The Rise of Women’s Sports

Excitement, milestones and ‘”big personalities” are building a legacy of success.

28 A Door Once Opened

Mississippi State University celebrates 50 years of diversity and inclusion.

ABOVE:

The new 2,000 square-foot hub of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach in McCool Hall has space for 16 startups. Funded through more than $750,000 in private donations, it boasts leading technology and a modern design.

Photo by Megan Bean

SUMMER 2016 | VOL. 93 | NO. 2

PRESIDENT

Mark E. Keenum, ’83, ’84, ’88

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

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jeff Davis

CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

22 37

Sid Salter, ’88

EDITORS

Harriet Laird Susan Lassetter, ’07

WRITERS

Vanessa Beason Amy Cagle Susan Lassetter, ’07 Addie Mayfield Zack Plair Sasha Steinberg, ’14

DESIGNERS

Heather Rowe

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PHOTOGRAPHERS

Megan Bean Hunter Hart Russ Houston, ’85 Kelly Price Tom Thompson, ’13 Beth Wynn

EDITORIAL OFFICE

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

ADVERTISING

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Jeff Davis 662.325.3444 jdavis@alumni.msstate.edu

DEPARTMENTS

COVER

02 16 34 52 56 58

Based on high-resolution scans of actual bodies, 3-D cadavers at MSU-Meridian allow students to explore the human body without the cost and exposure to caustic chemicals that come with a traditional cadaver lab.

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

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Mississippi State University’s ALUMNUS magazine is published three times a year by the Office of Public Affairs and the Mississippi State University Alumni Association. Send address changes to Alumni Director, P.O. Box AA, Mississippi State, MS 39762-5526. Call 662.325.7000, or email fcarr@advservices.msstate.edu.

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

The Kemp’s ridley nesting process is called arribadas.

Campus NEWS

MSU vets boost understanding of endangered sea turtle anatomy

By Susan Lassetter | Photos by Tom Thompson They called him Bubba. Actually, they call many of them Bubba. No one really knows why. Something about the earnest expressions on the sea turtles’ faces just seems to earn that name from veterinarians overseeing their care.

This particular Bubba swallowed a fisherman’s hook and was dragged 30 feet up a Gulf Coast pier. The trauma caused serious damage to his esophagus and kicked off a years-long rehabilitation effort.

“You can imagine the shape he must have been in,” said Dr. Jennifer Gambino, an assistant professor in Mississippi State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “Thirty pounds of juvenile sea turtle being pulled up a pier on a hook causes a lot of internal damage to the animal.”

A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, Bubba represents one of the most critically endangered varieties in the Gulf of Mexico. He also represents a growing number of his species being injured or killed through accidental capture or stranding along the Gulf Coast.

Since 2010, the number of Kemp’s ridley strandings in the region has gone from being in the single digits to 200 or more each year.

Gambino said this is an alarming trend for a critically endangered group.

“They’re swimming in the waters we swim in, so it’s really a sentinel for human health,” Gambino said. “It’s interesting to step back

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and try to discover why this is happening and how we can help.”

Gambino learned of the trend in 2013 at a meeting of experts on the coast. There, she was also introduced to the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, which specializes in rescuing and rehabilitating not only marine mammals, like dolphins and whales, but also sea turtles, like Bubba.

“My interest was piqued after (IMMS founder) Moby Solangi gave a presentation about what’s happening in the Gulf,” Gambino explained. “I asked how I could help with the work and our organizations’ collaboration has grown from there.”

A board certified veterinary radiologist, Gambino was soon tapped as a resource for emergency rescue operations and those animals under the institute’s care whose diagnostic imaging procedures require specialty knowledge.

“There’s nothing routine when dealing with some of these species,” Gambino said.

“They can stress and die from the simplest of medical procedures.”

Performing the different scans is only the first hurdle in using medical imaging to diagnose marine animals. The next comes when the doctors try to read the results because every species’ anatomy is different.

For more common animals, like dolphins,

there are abundant reference materials or experienced veterinarians to help with the task. But in the case of endangered, exotic animals—like Bubba—using medical scans to correctly identify internal organs and bones for diagnosis is much more difficult.

“With the equipment becoming cheaper and more accessible, many people are performing CT scans now, but reading the studies is challenging because there aren’t a lot of reference materials for endangered animals,” Gambino said. “It’s a real dilemma for caretakers struggling with reading the studies and helping the animals.”

Gambino explained that when an endangered species experiences increased mortality, the law will prohibit all but one or two experts from performing necropsies on specimens of the animal, meaning most veterinarians and conservationists have never seen the inside of the species they are trying to rehabilitate.

“Even as a radiologist, when IMMS showed me the CT scans of a Kemp’s ridley, I had to admit I wasn’t sure what I was looking at. I had never worked with this endangered, exotic species,” Gambino said. “That’s when I began to compile literature and reach out to experts in the field for a better understanding and mapping of its anatomy.

“It also gave us an idea for how to help that

Kemp’s ridleys are the smallest of the world’s sea turtles.

SEEING SHELLS

BY THE SEASHORE Seeing a sea turtle in the wild can be an exciting experience. While it’s fine to observe them in their natural habitat, beachgoers should never try to interact with the shelled wonders—even if it appears to be stranded or otherwise distressed.

Stranded sea turtles include those that are found entangled, injured, weak or dead either floating in the water, washed up on the shore or accidentally caught by fishermen. Whatever the condition, it is important to not interfere with the animal and report it immediately. The National Marine Life Center recommends taking these steps to help: FAR LEFT: Dr. Jen Gambino performs an ultrasound on Bubba to evaluate his recovery from a fishing hook injury. CENTER: An average Kemp’s ridley, like Bubba, lives for 50 years, is 100 pounds and 2 feet long. RIGHT: Digital monitors at the CT control display the Kemp’s ridley’s unique anatomy in preparation of the study.

species across the board,” Gambino added. that allows users to not only see the individual “We decided to design an easily accessible parts of the turtle’s anatomy in lifelike detail, imaging atlas for endangered species, starting but also watch videos and make notes. with the Kemp’s ridley.”

“Pairing real necropsy photos and video Using existing scans of this species and with CT scans gives the atlas a broad use,” the published works Perkins said. “We’ve of experts, Gambino “We decided to design an been working closely and a rotating team easily accessible imaging with a lot of people of Mississippi State atlas for endangered species, who are part of this veterinary students are industry to make sure compiling a digital, visual starting with the Kemp’s we meet their needs reference for Kemp’s ridley.” ~ Jennifer Gambino as well.” ridley anatomy.

Perkins said there has “Although the old scans are no longer been interest in using the atlas in classrooms and clinically relevant to those individual other educational outlets on the coast to better turtles, they give us an idea of all of the educate the public about sea turtles, their bones, where they are and what’s normal,” habitat and what to do if one is accidentally Gambino explained. caught or found stranded.

To expand the utility of the atlas, “If this is on a tablet in a classroom, at an Gambino’s students have completed aquarium or in the field, it can help people rotations at IMMS to increase their learn to recognize the critically endangered understanding of the animal. Some also species and understand why it’s something have spent time observing and learning to we all should care about,” Perkins said. perform Kemp’s ridley necropsies with a Once released, this atlas will be one of the species expert in Florida. only peer-reviewed, affordable and widely Jamie Perkins, both a doctoral and veterinary available resources for groups that work with medicine student, is using that experience and sea turtles to ensure future patients receive the research materials she collected to create happy endings like Bubba, who was successfully an app-like version of the atlas. released back into his gulf-water home.

Half reference material and half teaching Want to know more about Bubba’s biology? resource, the atlas is an interactive e-book Visit www.alumnus.msstate.edu to see more. n

• Make sure the turtle isn’t in danger from anything in the surrounding environment • Note its location, size, and apparent condition from a safe distance • Call an authorized sea turtle stranding facility • Wait with live turtles until help arrives to take the animal to a rehabilitation facility, or, if the turtle is dead, mark its location so it can be easily located by rescuers who will study the specimen and possibly find ways to help others of the species.

To report strandings call: Alabama – 1-866-SEA-TURT Florida – 1-888-404-FWCC Georgia – 1-800-2-SAVE ME Louisiana – 337-962-7092 Mississippi – 1-888-SOS DOLPHIN Texas – 1-866-TURTLES

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Campus NEWS

By Amy Cagle | Photos by Russ Houston, Megan Bean Capitalizing on opportunity and reclaiming ambition

INFINITE IMPACT: The impact a university carries enables its people to positively influence society in many ways. Mississippi State University creates an impact every day through success, discovery, outreach, globalization and experience. It all begins with the people who are the heart of the 138-year-old institution–talented students and esteemed faculty–and their aspirations and their endeavors.

Infinite possibilities await Mississippi State and, in the coming years, the university will capitalize on opportunities to further engage, educate and serve people everywhere.

To that end, the university is reigniting its highly successful Infinite Impact campaign to proudly pursue a more ambitious goal of $1 billion in private gifts by 2020. The campaign surpassed its initial $600 million goal several years ahead of schedule.

“Private support is essential to the future of Mississippi State, and we will make an Infinite Impact through the collective power of gifts from a strong base of supporters,” MSU

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President Mark E. Keenum said. “Together, we will make a lasting impact on our students, on our university, on Mississippi and ultimately, as our students go forth, take their places and make their contributions as graduates—we will make an Infinite Impact on the world.”

“This monumental $1 billion goal will require passionate supporters to come forward and give to areas that matter most to them.” ~ John Rush As Mississippi State experiences record enrollment, Infinite Impact is helping achieve the long-term strategic goals of the university.

The success of Infinite Impact will help Mississippi State directly by improving the quality of programs and the opportunities for

students and faculty, and indirectly by further boosting the university’s reputation well beyond the United States. The goal of the campaign is to afford Mississippi State the resources it needs to continue its emergence as a top-tier, nationally positioned university with growing international visibility.

The Mississippi State impact begins on campus as gifts help provide an unparalleled educational experience and support scholarships that will prepare graduates who will become responsible citizens. These scholarships help make possible undergraduate and graduate study for students, while gifts for endowed chairs and professorships help select faculty train and nurture future world leaders.

Endowed position holders bring prestige to Mississippi State, and their endeavors bring progress on many levels.

State-of-the-art facilities and program enhancements create the best education and research experience possible for students and their faculty mentors. Infinite Impact is helping

Visit www.infiniteimpactmsu.com to learn more about supporting the campaign.

Infinite Impact Campaign

BY THE NUMBERS

Success as of June 2016

$645.3M

TOTAL RAISED

52,900 419

NUMBER OF CAMPAIGN DONORS

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS

$168.6M DEFERRED GIFTS

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CHAIRS AND PROFESSORSHIPS

21,159

NUMBER OF NEW DONORS

FAR LEFT: Mississippi State leaders announce a historic fundraising goal of $1 billion by 2020. Joining in the announcement were (from left) John P. Rush, vice president for development and alumni; President Mark E. Keenum; Earnie Deavenport, chair of the MSU Foundation board of directors; Mickey Holliman, Bulldog Club president; Natalie Jones, Mississippi’s only 2016 Truman Scholar and Moore Presidential Scholar; Ron Black, National Alumni Association president; Cody Coyne, Faculty Senate president; Tamara Gibson, Staff Council chair; Henry Wan, associate professor and world-leading influenza researcher; and Roxanne Raven, Student Association president and Schillig Leadership Scholar. ABOVE TOP: Keenum (center) welcomes the newest class of MSU Presidential Scholars who hold highly-competitive scholarships funded by endowment gifts that provide recipients with four years of study. ABOVE LEFT: Promise Program award recipients are often among the first in their Mississippi families to attend college, and they benefit from a support program of services. ABOVE RIGHT: Hossein Toghiani, the Thomas B. Nusz Endowed Professor in the Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering, is among nearly 40 faculty who hold privately-funded endowed positions. Endowments for chairs and professorships are a powerful tool for attracting and retaining esteemed faculty and providing them with added resources for pioneering endeavors.

bring new classroom buildings, residence halls and a veterans building as Mississippi State builds a stronger infrastructure to support a growing student body. Rounding out the MSU experience are new and enhanced athletic facilities for student-athletes who are learning and competing on and off the playing fields.

Campaign gifts allow Mississippi State to pursue higher graduation rates, competitive faculty salaries, expanded opportunities for study abroad and other international experiences, and greater opportunities for faculty and students alike in interdisciplinary research that makes life better for people in all corners of the globe.

“This monumental $1 billion goal will require passionate supporters to come forward and give to areas that matter most to them,” said John P. Rush, vice president for development

and alumni, who also serves as president and CEO of the MSU Foundation. “MSU has 135,000 living alumni and their decisions and actions have a global impact. By working together, we can raise an additional $400 million by 2020 and position our university for new heights in education and research.”

Mississippi State is already making great strides as a leading research university, and Infinite Impact gifts are propelling its efforts, from pioneering cutting-edge technology for unmanned aircraft systems to engineering the “Car of the Future.” Furthermore, advances in research around global issues like cybersecurity, conservation, crop production and food security are enabling Mississippi State to help solve real-world problems. Additionally, all MSU students will gain exposure to research for education

with a future campus school, while a new university-wide entrepreneurship center will create business startups and new university programs will help advance health care.

“Nearly 53,000 contributors are already on board with our campaign and more than 21,000 of them are first-time contributors to MSU,” Rush said. “Their gifts are having lasting results on Mississippi State’s endowment and improving the daily life of our university.”

Generous contributions for Infinite Impact have provided a successful foundation on which to build, and Mississippi State is ready for a bold, new step forward that will extend the Bulldog influence beyond geographic boundaries. Now is the time for alumni and friends to accept the challenge and assist Mississippi State as it shapes the world for future generations. n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Campus NEWS

MSU's newest Truman Scholar provides voice

for the underdog

By Sasha Steinberg | Photo by Megan Bean

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Truman was vice president for only 82 days before becoming president upon FDR’s death.

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fter seeing another girl bullied on the playground as a child, Natalie Jones found her life’s calling.

“I remember coming home from school and telling my parents, ‘This is not right.’ Since then, I’ve always been passionate about the underdog,” Jones said. “Growing up as an African-American woman in Mississippi, I’ve seen on a large scale what it means to be marginalized and underrepresented. That’s shaped my passion to fight for others.”

A native of Flowood, Jones enrolled at Mississippi State to pursue a degree that will help her spur change. Now, as the university’s 18th Harry S. Truman Scholar, the senior English and sociology double-major is on her way to a career in public policy advocacy that will not only allow her to say “this is not right” but do something about it.

Established in 1975 as a memorial to the nation’s 33rd president, the Truman Scholarship is considered one of the country’s most prestigious awards for students dedicated to public service. Providing recipients $30,000 to cover graduate-study expenses, it is highly competitive, meaning only those applicants with exemplary public service credentials are selected.

Jones is Mississippi's only 2016 Truman Scholar.

The inaugural recipient of the university’s Dr. Brad Roderick Moore Memorial Presidential Endowed Scholarship, Jones has been busy building a reputation for service since arriving at Mississippi State. She established herself as an influential member of the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College’s Diversity Task Force and says she enjoys lending her perspective and working to ensure voices of students from all walks of life are heard.

“In an academic setting, especially in the honors college, I think it’s important to have an environment that is conducive to growth and challenge,” Jones said. “Working on this diversity initiative has been a gratifying way to reach out and empower students with different perspectives and backgrounds.”

Jones expressed particular appreciation for the guidance of honors Dean Chris Snyder and Tommy Anderson, associate professor of English and the honors college’s director for prestigious external scholarships.

“Natalie’s selection as a Truman Scholar is a clear sign that our students are as prepared as any in the nation to have a significant impact in their communities,” Anderson said. “Her intelligence, willingness to challenge discrimination, ability to develop solutions to unfair institutional practices, and ability to find solutions to our

state’s most pressing problems make her an agent for change.”

In addition to Shackouls Honors College experiences, Jones has learned the value of self-sacrifice through her work as a New Maroon Camp counselor and member of the Roadrunners student-recruiting group, Dean of Arts and Sciences Student Advisory Council, MSU Student Associations Executive Council and the Society of African American Studies.

Giving of herself, especially in support of a larger cause, is something she finds refreshing and rejuvenating.

“It can be challenging when you are passionate about social issues that evoke strong emotions from those with differing opinions. However, it is empowering to work with people who are equally passionate about different social issues and equally committed to spending their lives making life better for everyone.” ~ Natalie Jones “I’m a pastor’s daughter, and I’ve grown up working in communities,” Jones said. “I’ve always had a servant’s heart. All of my organizations at Mississippi State require a lot of time and commitment. I never mind the sacrifice because I am passionate about working with others to make a difference.”

Jones said being a Truman Scholar helps her view the world in a more well-rounded way and furthers her drive to serve.

“I love being in environments where I can engage with people from completely different backgrounds because it gives me perspective,” she said. “It can be challenging when you are passionate about social issues that evoke strong emotions from those with differing opinions.

However, it is empowering to work with people who are equally passionate about different social issues and equally committed to spending their lives making life better for everyone.”

After completing her bachelor’s degrees, Jones will begin working toward a master’s in public policy and later a law degree. She aspires to one day use her knowledge and experience to facilitate educational improvements in her home state.

“Mississippi State has been a great incubator, giving me experience for what I want to do on a broader level,” she said. “It’s important to me to commit the intellectual resources I’ve gained through my experiences to help make Mississippi better.” n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Campus NEWS

Digital cadavers bring life to MSU-Meridian kinesiology program

By Susan Lassetter

He stands at average height and sports closebecause they are based on high-resolution scans of cropped brown hair a few shades darker than his full actual cadavers. Those bodies, which were donated lips. A creamy complexion and trim physique make to science, were dissected and scanned layer by him an exemplary model of the male form. And with layer in extremely thin intervals. When compiled, one brush of a finger, he loses it—starting with his skin. the collected scans created 3-D digital cadavers that Just one touch causes his dermis to peel away. showcase the human body in almost lifelike detail.

Fat, muscle and organs are the next to go. Layer by Hilton explained that with the touch of a finger, layer, he loses tissue until he is nothing more than a users can endlessly manipulate the digital cadavers by gleaming skeleton rendered in crystal-clear 3-D on a rotating them or removing layers to expose different digital touchscreen. body systems. A slice tool allows “Victor,” as he is called, and users to make incisions and “This table gives us the his female counterpart, “Vicky,” dissect the image, essentially are the two extremely detailed performing a digital autopsy. educational benefits of digital cadavers featured on “This table gives us the working with a cadaver, the Anatomage table. At 7 feet educational benefits of working long and 3 feet high, it looks with a cadaver, without the without the cost of like a giant smartphone and is cost of establishing a cadaver establishing a cadaver lab the centerpiece of the cuttinglab or exposing students to that edge new home of Mississippi chemical-filled environment,” or exposing students to that State University-Meridian’s Hilton explained. “Real cadavers chemical-filled environment.” can be hard to obtain and once kinesiology program.

“I am constantly getting you’ve studied it, that’s it. ~ Laura Hilton emails or phone calls from “These digital cadavers have individuals interested in an undo button, so we can start kinesiology,” explained Laura Hilton, interim from scratch with each class as many times as we program coordinator and director of the clinical need, on this one table, right in the classroom,” she physiology labs. “Now that we have this building and continued. equipment, we really have something to show them.”

In addition to the detailed 3-D bodies, the The MSU-Meridian kinesiology program, which Anatomage database also has a variety of CT and MRI launched in 2014, moved into the I.A. Rosenbaum scans that can be displayed on the table to illustrate building in January. Formerly known as the Kress certain diseases and conditions that are discussed in building, it is part of the division’s downtown Riley kinesiology classes. campus and was renovated through an $11 million “You have students who like to hear the gift from The Riley Foundation. This funding, information and others who learn by sight or touch,” with additional support from Mississippi Power, Hilton said. “This really allows us to hit on the also facilitated establishment of the degree program different ways students learn and gives us the ability including the purchase of state-of-the-art educational to reach a lot of people.” tools like the Anatomage table.

Hilton said she hopes the kinesiology program An $85,000 investment, the table is the only one at Meridian can contribute to the area’s flourishing of its kind in the state of Mississippi. medical community by producing well-rounded “Nobody is using this table the way we plan to use graduates who will pursue advanced degrees in it, as a supplemental teaching tool,” Hilton said. “It medical fields. allows us to show the anatomy of the body and how “We want to develop these students and give them intricate, detailed and amazing it is.” a foundation here in Meridian, so they’ll go out and The life-sized images of “Victor” and “Vicky” are get graduate degrees then come back and help our the next best thing to observing real human tissue community,” Hilton explained.

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In the U.S., approximately 20,000 bodies annually are donated to science.

“Nobody is using this table the way we plan to use it, as a supplemental teaching tool.

It allows us to show the anatomy of the body and how intricate, detailed and amazing it is.� ~ Laura Hilton

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Campus NEWS

Caption for photo above President Mark E. Keenum and MSU-Meridian Dean Terry Dale Cruse in the Hardin Library. Photos by Megan Bean

Cruse brings new leadership to MSU-Meridian

Laura Hilton (left) points out “Victor’s” anatomical structures while demonstrating the Anatomage table to kinesiology majors (from L-R) junior Joquita Horn, senior Cody Crawford and senior Katherine Timmons. By using the controls along the edge of the screen she can rotate the image, dissect the body and remove layers of tissue to expose different body systems. Photos by Megan Bean

Cody Crawford, who graduates in August, said he and many of his classmates plan to continue their studies in physical and occupational therapy, medical and even dental schools.

“With this program’s focus on clinical exercise physiology, the things we learn set a good foundation for graduate studies,” the Meridian native explained. “I plan to go into physical therapy with a focus on the elderly. It’s a growing population that’s increasing the need for reliable health care.”

Through the Meridian campus’s kinesiology program and its cutting-edge equipment, Hilton wants to establish connections with the local medical community, which includes Anderson Regional and Rush health systems.

“This equipment gives us an advantage as far as education is concerned, but it also gives us a tool to help build relationships with local hospitals and clinics,” Hilton said. “By having a back and forth between our program and the medical community, we can better understand its needs and how we can help fill them through our work and the students we produce.”

Want to see the cadaver in action? Visit www.alumnus.msstate.edu. n

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As new administrative director and head of Mississippi State University-Meridian, Terry Dale Cruse wasted no time planning for the satellite campus’s future.

“During my interview I was asked, ‘What do you think of MSU-Meridian?’” Cruse recalled. “I answered with a question of my own, ‘Do you know what you have here?’

“I was just amazed at what I saw, and I saw a lot of opportunity and ways to contribute to help the Meridian campus grow.”

Cruse, who officially began his role in January, explained that in addition to state-of-the-art facilities, MSU-Meridian has generous support from donors, like the Riley and Phil Hardin foundations, and a community with a stake in ensuring the success of the campus.

“We have a lot of alumni and friends in Meridian,” the Mississippi native explained. “They recognize that it’s really great for the community, and I want to expand those relationships.”

As part of the effort to better serve the community, Cruse has plans to enhance partnerships with junior colleges in the Meridian area by providing Mississippi State advisers to those campuses to minimize instances of students taking courses that won’t count toward a bachelor’s degree.

“We want to create a pipeline program, so we reach students as soon as they enter the community college to prepare them to eventually transfer,” Cruse said.

This plan also includes financial-aid consortium agreements, which allow students to simultaneously take courses at MSU and a community college if necessary to meet full-time enrollment requirements.

Cruse said he also plans to use the university’s reputation for workforce development to partner with economic development groups and help attract new business to the area.

“There are many relationships we can nurture, and tools and enrichment we can provide to help Meridian grow culturally and economically,” Cruse said.

For more information about Mississippi State UniversityMeridian, visit www.meridian.msstate.edu. n

Campus NEWS

ROOTS RUN DEEP

as landscape architecture celebrates 50th

by VANESSA BEESON

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With roots in the founding of landscape architecture, Olmsted Associates provided designs for MSU.

From Central Park in New York City to sea oats blowing in the Gulf Coast breeze, landscape architecture aims to breathe life into the scenery and inspires everyone it touches. It covers everything under the sky and beyond the front door, blending community with the environment to transform the natural world.

Landscape architects plan and design while landscape contractors build and manage. They work together to create the projects that can, ultimately, define communities.

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his year, Mississippi State University celebrates 50 years of blending design, planning, building and managing through the Department of Landscape Architecture in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The department itself is like a living entity.

Its deep roots, sturdy base and strong branches support an ever-expanding canopy of new growth. The program’s roots include the work of individuals like Cameron Man and Robert Callaway, whose vision to establish a landscape contracting and management program within the department established Mississippi State as the only university in the country to house both programs under one roof.

“Mississippi State has deep roots in advancing the landscape architecture and landscape contracting fields alike,” Man explained.

Department head from 1989-2006, Man, who served as president of the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture, made significant progress in advancing the department.

“My proudest achievements at Mississippi State were initiating the development of Master of Landscape Architecture program, bringing together stellar faculty that included alumni, and the move from Montgomery Hall to the current building,” Man said.

The current building, located on Stone Boulevard, incorporates regenerative technology and serves as a design/build laboratory. Built in 2002, it focuses on conservation, using less energy and producing better air quality.

Under the leadership of department head Sadik Artunc, students and faculty have used this setting as an outdoor laboratory and studio. Students

have spent the last three years building the outdoor space, which now features a courtyard, rain garden and tree grove. Plans for an outdoor wetland education center are being developed in partnership with the College of Forest Resources.

The tree grove was dedicated during a celebration of the department’s 50th anniversary.

The Glenn Cook Tree Grove now honors the longtime faculty member who died in 2014.

Cook served as a professor and faculty adviser in the department for more than 30 years.

“Professor Cook was loved by his students, the university and the entire Starkville community,” said Cory Gallo, an associate professor in the department. “He dedicated almost half of his life to educating students.”

Gallo said the legacy of the space is a testament to those like Man, Cook and founding faculty member Edward Martin, who helped build the program, adding that the development of the master’s program elevated the department’s profile.

“Faculty members expanded research efforts with the development of the graduate program,” said Gallo, who joined the faculty shortly thereafter.

As current faculty members, Gallo and his colleagues serve as a sturdy base that branches out and supports department growth and vitality. He credits a curriculum redesign in the last few years as helping promote that growth.

The Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree is the only accredited program in the three-state region of Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.

The curriculum went from five to four years, Gallo explained.

“The changes gave landscape architecture students their own studio space a year earlier,” Gallo said. “They are now fully integrated into ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Campus NEWS

MSU started the National Collegiate Landscape Competition, which celebrated 40 years last spring.

“Professor Cook was loved by his students, the university and the entire Starkville community. He dedicated almost half of his life to educating students.” ~ CORY GALLO

studio life by their sophomore year. The updated curriculum also encourages greater engagement between the two majors.”

Gallo said community service opportunities for students are on the rise as well.

One such effort was the Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum. The project paired the department with the College of Architecture, Art and Design, and received several national awards.

Additionally, the location’s pavilion will be featured in an upcoming Smithsonian exhibit.

“Projects like the Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum give our students the opportunity to see a design through to completion,” Gallo said. “It is also a chance for them to see their efforts directly benefiting the community.”

Students like DaVartay Miller and Preston Sorrell are the canopy, pushing out into the world, hoping to change communities for the better.

Miller, originally from Memphis, Tennessee, anticipates graduating with a bachelor’s in landscape architecture in May 2017. He hopes to own his own company and work toward eradicating environmental injustice.

“Environmental injustice happens when people in low-income communities don’t have access to healthy environments,” Miller explained.

“I would like to fight against this inequality and plan, design and build regenerative communities in low-income neighborhoods. I hope to begin in a single neighborhood and set a precedent for the surrounding communities.”

Like Miller, Sorrell hopes to center his career on designing and building with a purpose. He plans to graduate in May 2017 with bachelor’s degrees

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in both landscape architecture and landscape contracting with a business minor.

“Growing up, I was interested in landscaping and the environment,” Sorrell said. “In my career, I hope to design with purpose, helping individuals and communities solve problems that matter most to them.”

The Birmingham, Alabama, native sought to solve one such problem in Greenwood as a design project.

“Storm water from Greenwood’s downtown area runs off into the Yazoo River,” Sorrell explained.

“My idea was to design green infrastructure to help mitigate the runoff. This cuts down on pollutants entering the water. It may also help prevent flash floods downstream. My hope was to create a design that could serve as a standard for other cities along the Yazoo River.”

The two students with different career goals show how the department prepares its graduates for entering varied fields within the industry.

The faculty’s focus on education, research and outreach ensures that though the department has hit the 50-year mark, it continues to grow and produce graduates who can meet the changing needs of the world.

“We’ve created a broader educational experience where students learn about urban design, regional planning and large scale problems that go beyond an individual site,” Gallo said. “Students in both majors graduate with a clear grasp of how landscape architects and contractors interact in a working environment.

“The programs we offer equip our canopy of students with the tools they need to solve all the problems that exist beyond the front door.” n

The Glenn Cook Tree Grove is situated on the south side of campus near the landscape architecture courtyard. The courtyard is being built by students and MSU Facilities Management. It serves as a teaching laboratory for a design/build course.

Elements of the tranquil courtyard include gathering spaces, a variety of plants and a play area. Its focal point is a 1,500 square foot rain garden that reduces stormwater runoff and removes pollutants. The rain garden is funded through a $20,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant. TOP LEFT: A illustration provides an overview of the courtyard. ABOVE: Students work to construct the first wall that will snake through the courtyard. Photos by Megan Bean

Leadership opportunities expand MSU president’s influence over academics, athletics Story & Photo By Sid Salter Mississippi State University President Mark E. Keenum faces his busiest year yet with additional challenges and opportunities for leadership in academics and athletics at both a national and regional level.

While leading Mississippi’s premier research university to new heights in enrollment and growth, Keenum’s also served as chairman of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges’ Executive Council.

It is the recognized regional accrediting body in the 11 Southern states and Latin America for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral degrees.

A graduate of Mississippi State with degrees in agricultural economics, Keenum’s interest in international food security has strengthened the university’s contributions to global economic sustainability. In 2014, he was appointed vice chairman of the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research by Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack. That same year along with other university presidents, he signed the Presidents’ Commitment to Food and Nutrition Security at the United Nations in New York City. This marks the first time universities around the world began to share a collective focus on ending food insecurity.

But it is because of MSU’s membership in the NCAA and the Southeastern Conference that Keenum’s schedule has become even more crowded. He was elected to a two-year term as president of the SEC by his fellow presidents and chancellors at the organization’s summer meeting in Destin, Florida. He succeeds Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos.

“I am honored to be chosen to lead and to help direct policy in the most prestigious athletic conference in the nation,” Keenum said.

“I appreciate the support of my colleagues in

MSU President Mark E. Keenum (right), who is serving a two-year term as president of the Southeastern Conference, stands in the MSU baseball dugout at the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama, with MSU athletics director Scott Stricklin (left) and MSU head baseball coach John Cohen. Keenum is the first MSU president to lead the SEC since the late Donald Zacharias in 1989.

the conference during this exciting time in the history of the SEC. Because of my deep respect for the late Dr. Donald Zacharias, it is very meaningful to me to be the first MSU president to lead the SEC since his exemplary service in that same post more than 25 years ago.”

That same year Keenum was also appointed as the SEC’s representative to the College Football Playoff ’s Board of Managers, which governs CFP Administration LLC, the company that manages administrative operations of the College Football Playoff. Members of the

“I am honored to be chosen to lead and to help direct policy in the most prestigious athletic conference in the nation.” ~ Mark E. Keenum As SEC president, Keenum will head the seven-member executive committee. The panel is empowered under conference bylaws to hear and decide appeals of disciplinary and enforcement matters; fill conference vacancies; and approve or ratify conference contracts or agreements. The committee also approves the conference’s operating budget and oversees fiscal affairs.

In 2015, Keenum served a one-year term as the league’s vice president, succeeding the now retired University of Arkansas Chancellor G. David Gearhart. As vice president, he served as liaison to SEC-U, the conference’s academic arm, where he worked to promote the academic achievements of students, faculty and staff members throughout the 14-member conference. He will also continue to serve on the SEC Network Content Committee.

company are the 10 Football Bowl Subdivision conferences and the University of Notre Dame.

Keenum has served as president of Mississippi State since 2009. He began his career at MSU as a faculty member with the Extension Service and the Department of Agricultural Economics. He went on to serve as chief of staff to U.S. Senator Thad Cochran in Washington, D.C., and was under secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture prior to returning to Mississippi State.

He graduated from Corinth High School and earned an Associate of Arts degree from Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville, where he was a member of the Northeast Tigers football team.

Keenum is married to the former Rhonda Newman of Booneville, also an MSU graduate.

They have four children: Rett, Mary Phillips, Katie and Torie. n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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State SNAPSHOT

DUST IN THE WIND: Matthew Berg (right), an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Mississippi State, and graduate student Nava Subedi, from Nepal, lead an optical experiment to image small particles using multicolor digital holography. This technique uses laser light at several wavelengths and a color sensor to record the complex interference pattern produced by light interacting with a particle, such as pollen or mineral dust. The experiment lays the foundation for eventual development of a portable sensor that will characterize the particles present in the atmosphere in urban and agricultural environments.

Photo by Megan Bean 16

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Hagan Walker and Kaylie Mitchell co-founded Vibe, the company that developed Glo, a flavored drink light. The idea has flourished, with help from Mississippi State’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, allowing the pair to join a growing list of MSU entrepreneurship program success stories.

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Budding CEOs find home in entrepreneurship center

BY ZACK PLAIR | PHOTOS BY RUSS HOUSTON, MEGAN BEAN

A year ago, Hagan Walker had a clear path to an automotive engineering career. Now, he makes drinks glow.

He completed a highly competitive summer internship at Tesla Motors in California in 2015 and dreamed of working full-time as an engineer for the high-end vehicle company. Those dreams are on hold, at least temporarily.

The Columbus resident, who earned a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Mississippi State in December, co-founded Vibe, a startup company that is developing Glo—a flavored, liquid-activated drink light.

But when Walker first agreed in spring 2015 to help his now-business partner Kaylie

“I didn’t even know we had an entrepreneurship program at the time,” Walker said. “It was a whole new world for us, but our experience here has been secondto-none. Eric Hill and his team have offered encouragement, good advice and have really allowed our creativity to flourish.”

The College of Business entrepreneurship program began in 2009 on the second floor of McCool Hall. Its total footprint has since grown to 12,000 square feet, including a brand new CEO hub in McCool, a business incubator at the Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park that houses 10 established startups, and a maker space called The Factory—a partnership

provides office space for a new executive-inresidence program, which will host senior business leaders and entrepreneurs from the region who can offer office hours both inperson and remotely.

“This new center does two big things for us,” Hill said. “First, it’s cool and visible in the middle of campus, so it inspires people to walk by and say, ‘Wow. What’s going on there?’

“The other thing it does is create forced collisions among our entrepreneurs in a common space,” he continued. “Here, they are sharing what they’ve learned and building a strong, cohesive group of people that are all experiencing the challenges entrepreneurs face.”

Hill and his team advise entrepreneurs

“IT WAS A WHOLE NEW WORLD FOR US, BUT OUR EXPERIENCE (AT THE MISSISSIPPI STATE CEO) HAS BEEN SECOND-TO-NONE.” ~ HAGAN WALKER Mitchell, a senior art major from Pascagoula, neither realized it would lead to a company valued at $1.4 million and on the cusp of mass producing its product.

“Kaylie’s assignment was to make a conceptual company, but instead she made a real one,” Walker said. “It just snowballed from there.”

Once Walker and Mitchell began working on the project, they were referred to MSU’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, where director of entrepreneurship Eric Hill thought they might be onto something.

Though it was just four days from CEO’s annual Entrepreneurship Week startup competition, Hill encouraged the Vibe cofounders to enter. They won overall honors at E-Week and have since joined a growing number of CEO success stories.

between the College of Business and the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering—which provides access to tools and training that help hopeful innovators build prototypes.

Hill said the program supports more than 100 active startups that include student, faculty and staff entrepreneurs from 40 different disciplines. These startups include apps and other software, service-based concepts, consumer products and much more.

The state-of-the-art hub, the 2,000 squarefoot centerpiece of MSU’s entrepreneurial outreach, provides offices, workspace and meeting areas for 16 burgeoning startups.

Funded through more than $750,000 in private donations, it boasts innovative technology and a special dry-erase film on the glass surfaces that encircle the center and divide each workstation. The facility also

through an eight-step process called the “Startup Company Track,” which aims to take them from the idea phase to a company with annual sales revenue, at least 10 employees or a $1 million valuation. Along this track, entrepreneurs identify their target market, develop a business structure and prototypes, test and refine their products and establish a trajectory and scale.

“It’s a lot like teaching someone to play chess,” Hill said. “It’s not really a hard game, but when you start, you don’t always know all the rules or strategies to be successful. That’s where we come in.”

Once startups “graduate” from the track, they are eligible to operate at the incubator for up to three years before finding a permanent location. Among the startups that now call the incubator home is Glittersoft Group, ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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an information technology company with 30 employees that raked in $2 million in 2015.

CampusKnot, another incubator headliner, is an academic-based social media site meant to better connect college students with academic resources and social events on campus. In summer 2015, the company received a $100,000 angel investment, at the time the largest private investment in a student startup in Mississippi State’s history. That investment has since doubled and CampusKnot has agreements to operate at six higher education institutions in India.

Stories like these, as well as from successful College of Business alumni who serve as mentors, help entrepreneurs through the process. Director for outreach Jeffrey Rupp is responsible for recruiting area business leaders to provide advice to student entrepreneurs.

“When you’re getting started, you don’t always know the barriers that lie in a specific field,” Rupp said. “We are bringing in leaders who have ‘been there, done that’ to help students avoid the land mines.”

Beyond the logistics, Hill said, so much access to tangible success stories inspires entrepreneurs slogging through the early stages of the process to keep going.

“Having those examples, I think, makes it real to them,” said Hill, who has seen his own entrepreneurial success through several techbased startups. “It lets them know that starting a business is actually in the realm of possibilities."

Plus, having the opportunity to get that experience through the CEO is an immediate culmination of what these students are being taught in the classroom.

“Even a failed startup is a badge of honor,” he added. “The sheer level of tenacity required to even bring a product to a point where you can sell it is monumental.”

Finding the courage to test the entrepreneurial waters can happen many ways. For Anna Barker, a senior from Monticello who is majoring in marketing with an emphasis on international business, it came three years ago when she was watching the evening news and saw a man sitting on his roof using only a garden hose to stave off a wildfire that had encircled his home.

“Looking at his face, you knew he realized he couldn’t save it,” Barker said. “His final attempt to at least try was such a picture of desperation.”

Barker wanted to help, but she at first didn’t know how. After two years of researching solutions on her own, she teamed with senior chemical engineering major Kagen Crawford of

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Scottsboro, Alabama, and the center to develop an external fire suppressant to help protect homes from wildfires.

Called Bio Products, Barker’s company is designing a system that would store environmentally safe fire suppressant in pressurized tanks and deploy the chemical to cover the exterior of a home or other structures in the event of a wildfire. Homeowners could activate the system before evacuating their homes or contact Bio Products’ customer service to do it remotely. The company also is developing an app that would allow homeowners to remotely activate the system, and solar panels to power the system to self-activate once the tanks reach a certain temperature.

Bio Products is negotiating with Floridabased Barricade to use its fire suppressant gel in the system, which Barker said her team has extensively tested. With seed money from the CEO and guidance from its staff and business mentors, she said the company is expanding its team and is already researching the system’s marketability in the wildfire-prone western United States.

“It’s overwhelming the outpouring of support we’ve received,” Barker said. “It’s safe to say this would have been impossible without the CEO, which has had a part in helping with every aspect: resources, connections and workspace.

They’ve gone well beyond the 9-5.”

The new 2,000 square-foot hub of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach in McCool hall has space for 16 startups, Funded through more than $750,000 in private donations, the space boasts leading technology and a modern design.

“THIS NEW CENTER DOES TWO BIG THINGS FOR US. FIRST, IT’S COOL AND VISIBLE IN THE MIDDLE OF CAMPUS, SO IT INSPIRES PEOPLE TO WALK BY AND SAY, ‘WOW. WHAT’S GOING ON THERE?’ THE OTHER THING IT DOES IS CREATE FORCED COLLISIONS AMONG OUR ENTREPRENEURS IN A COMMON SPACE. HERE, THEY ARE SHARING WHAT THEY’VE LEARNED AND BUILDING A STRONG, COHESIVE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ALL EXPERIENCING THE CHALLENGES ENTREPRENEURS FACE.”

~

ERIC HILL

Eric Hill, who earned a bachelor’s in industrial engineering from MSU in 2012, is director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach.

Support begets success, and Vibe cofounders Walker and Mitchell understand that success can sometimes come quickly. Their company, now located in the incubator, works with two offshore factories to produce the plastic exterior and electronic liquid sensors that tell the units when to light up. Reed Food Technologies in Pearl adds the flavors.

The company distributed its first Glo units—flavored cherry, lemon, lime and orange—at a Music Makers concert on Mississippi State’s campus in April. MSU Athletics has purchased Glo units for testing, and Vibe products could be sold at sporting events in Humphrey Coliseum as soon as this fall.

“We’ve been compelled to move forward by other people seeing it and being excited about it,” Mitchell said. “We knew it was cool and unique, but we never thought it would be so applicable to the market.”

In the early stages, Walker described

Glo as a fun product—an “experience” that patrons of bars, concerts and sporting events could enjoy as a novelty. But it has a practical application, too. Since liquid activates the Glo, the light goes out when a customer’s glass is empty. That way, a server can spot from across a restaurant who needs a refill.

In the future, however, the Vibe duo wants Glo to become a “do-good” product, one day making its way into hospitals as an aid for sick children taking their medicine.

“It will need more testing for medical certification, but we’d one day like to change the flavor tablet to something that would actually contain medicine,” Walker said. “This product is there to make an experience more pleasant, whether it’s going to a party or taking medication. We want to take experiences that are always kind of the same and spice them up a little bit.”

For Mitchell, her journey from entrepreneurship newbie to bona

fide businesswoman has exceeded her expectations, especially as it relates to the support she’s received from College of Business staff and alumni.

“They are wonderful motivators who are more invested in us as people than they are in our product,” she said. “If I was advising young entrepreneurs, I would tell them the sky is the limit, but if they’re going to succeed, they’ve got to put the work in. Even if a business doesn’t work, you learn so much in the process that will help you in the future.”

Walker agreed.

“Starting something like this is an opportunity I may not get again,” he said.

“MSU has poised us to go in any direction we want. If this doesn’t work out, the CEO has set us up for future success. But I think this will work out.”

Want to hear more about Walker and Mitchell’s Glo-ing success? Visit www. alumnus.msstate.edu. n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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THE RISE OF WOMEN’S SPORTS DAWGS’ SUCCESS I BUILDING LEGACY AT MSU

BY ZACK PLAIR | PHOTOS BY KELLY PRICE

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t would be an evening in Humphrey Coliseum celebrating a banner year for the Mississippi State women’s basketball team. That much was certain. Just how much celebration, however, remained to be seen.

With 26 wins already in the bag, the Bulldogs surrounded themselves with hundreds of fans as they hosted an NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament selection show watch party at The Hump. While assured of a spot in the field of 64 for the second straight year, the precipice on which they sat was shaky, nonetheless. The top four seeds in each of the women’s tournament’s four regionals host the first two rounds, and going into Selection Monday the Bulldogs were poised to be either a No. 4 or 5 seed.

After nearly an hour of

waiting, the answer came from ESPN via The Hump’s videoboard. State was seeded fifth in the Bridgeport, Connecticut, regional, with Michigan State seeded fourth. The Bulldogs cheered reservedly at the news, happy with knowing their place in the tournament and as an obligatory response for the cameras on-hand to capture their reaction. Then they looked at the screen again and broke into more elated, if not confused, celebration.

Above their group of games in the bracket, where the host site should have read “East Lansing, Michigan,” it instead indicated the games would be played at Mississippi State. Head coach Vic Schaefer soon soothed the apprehension that this might have been a typo, informing the players and fans that a scheduling

FAR LEFT: A school-record 10,626 packed Humphrey Coliseum in January to watch the No. 10 Bulldogs battle No. 2 South Carolina to the final seconds. It set a program and state attendance record for women’s basketball. CENTER: Teammates Morgan William (left) and Victoria Vivians (right) share a celebratory embrace after learning MSU would be an NCAA tournament host. RIGHT: Coach Vic Schaefer (left) stands with his team as they see their No. 5 seed NCAA tournament selection appear on the screen. conflict with Michigan State’s gymnasium had reassigned hosting privileges to Starkville.

“It gave us a chance to show the country Mississippi State, the great atmosphere we have here and the support of our fan base,” Schaefer said of the opportunity to host NCAA tournament games. “We showed the country we have something special here.”

MSU certainly made the best of its home court advantage, cruising to a 60-50 first-round win over Chattanooga before pulling off a thrilling 74-72 upset over would-be host Michigan State. More than 7,000 fans attended that contest, but in the post-game press conference, Michigan State women’s basketball coach Suzy Merchant said it “felt like 70,000.”

The Bulldogs’ season ended with a Sweet 16 loss to eventual

national champion Connecticut in Bridgeport, but the team set a program record with 28 wins.

Mississippi State, which was ranked as high as sixth nationally this season, also notched its first two wins in program history over perennial Southeastern Conference powerhouse Tennessee—once during the regular season at The Hump and again in the SEC Tournament— and drove second-ranked South Carolina to the brink in a 57-51 home loss on Jan. 24 before a sellout crowd of more than 10,000. It was the largest crowd ever to attend a women’s college basketball game in Mississippi.

“That’s a great story in itself,” Schaefer said. “We had to turn fans away because there was no more room to sit. We had about 300 fans watching the game on a big screen in the practice gym.”

B

asketball may have been this year’s standard-bearer for success in women’s sports at MSU, but athletic director Scott Stricklin said it carried a growing narrative of Bulldog competitiveness, growth and national prominence that’s become infectious.

Of MSU’s 16 athletic programs, nine are women’s sports. Among those, basketball, softball, track and field, and tennis have in recent years regularly rank in the top 25 nationally, and cross country finished 17th in the fall during the team’s first-ever appearance in the NCAA championships.

Soccer and volleyball showed marked improvement this year under first-year head coaches, and golf is making steady gains.

“We want to be good across the board in everything, men’s or

women’s,” Stricklin said. “In our league, you can get run over if you’re not committed. You can be really good and still get run over in the SEC. “We want to be consistently good and win championships,” he added. “I think we’re in a period where we’re building consistent success.”

Particularly in women’s sports, Stricklin credited coaches that bring excitement, and often “big personalities,” to their programs.

“They exude what we want MSU athletics to be,” Stricklin said. “They are competitors and winners. When I’ve interviewed candidates for those jobs, I’ve always thought if they can get me fired up about their sport, they can probably get a recruit fired up, too.”

Investment also matters, Stricklin said, and the money ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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is reaching every corner of the athletic program. While the athletic director credited continued success of MSU’s football program as the driving force for athletic donations, some boosters are showing love directly to women’s sports.

This year, the softball team— coming off of four straight trips to the NCAA tournament—took the field at Nusz Park, a $6 million facility named for lead donors and alumni Tommy and Terri Nusz of Houston, Texas. The new park increased fan seating from 750 to 1,100, and hosted the SEC softball tournament in May. Schaefer agreed those types of investments are helping build a winning tradition, especially in women’s sports.

“We have a lot of women’s sports that are competitive on the national level and others that are on the rise,” he said.

“That goes to the importance our administration places on women’s sports. We don’t have them just to have them, and it’s obvious.”

The Hump in 2015-16, with an average of 6,200 attending home SEC match-ups. Since Schaefer’s arrival, he said, season ticket sales have more than tripled.

“People identify with the way we play,” he said. “We play a blue-collar, hard-nosed style and this team has an excellent work ethic. We have a diverse fan base, too. We’ve turned fans who had never watched a women’s basketball game in their lives into season-ticket holders. If I can get them here for one game, they won’t miss another one.”

Schaefer credited strong administrative and fan support

S

for helping make Mississippi State women’s basketball a household name. To parlay that reputation into championships, he said, will take consistently recruiting top talent and developing players to their maximum potential.

Before MSU’s breakout 2014-15 season, Schaefer landed five-star, 6-foot-1 guard Victoria Vivians from Scott Central Attendance Center in Forest. She was the biggest catch of a top 20 recruiting class that included point guard Morgan William of Birmingham, Alabama; guard Kayla Nevitt of Houston, Texas; forward LaKaris Salter of Tallahassee, Florida, and guard Blair Schaefer of Starkville.

Vivians averaged almost 15 points per game her freshman year and led the team in scoring as a sophomore with more than 17 points per contest.

chaefer is the first to admit it took some time for his program to come so far. The former Arkansas and Texas A&M assistant took the helm for the Bulldogs in 2012, leading them to a paltry 13-17 mark in his first season. Each year showed considerable progress, as the 2013-14 squad went 22-14 and reached the quarterfinals of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament. In year three, his team set its first program record with 27 wins and the Bulldogs rode a No. 5 seed to the NCAA tournament’s second round before losing to host Duke.

The team’s trademarks of raw talent, high emotion and relentless defense have led the program’s rise in the national ranks. And people are noticing.

Women’s basketball sold more than 90,000 tickets for games at

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A future prospect for the Women’s National Basketball Association, Vivians has embraced her role as a leader for a squad she believes is going places, especially since MSU is returning all but one player from the 2015-16 roster.

“My first two years have been great here,” she said.

“Earning a No. 5 seed in the NCAA tournament two years in a row shows something. This year, we had a young team, so if we can do this now, imagine what we can do in the future.

I’m planning on cutting down some nets.”

“WE WANT TO RECRUIT FANS WHEN THEY’RE YOUNG AND KEEP THEM. WE WANT TO BUILD THE BULLDOG FAMILY. THE MORE INVESTED YOU ARE IN A TEAM OR A PROGRAM, THE MORE YOU WANT TO SEE IT SUCCEED. I HAVEN’T SEEN A LOT OF FANS LIKE MISSISSIPPI STATE FANS.” ~ LEAH BEASLEY Whether sitting in the recruits’ living rooms or taking players and their families around MSU’s campus, Schaefer said selling the program is becoming easier. Committed athletic administration, top-tier facilities, a dedicated staff and a team GPA that has ranged from 2.75 to 3.1 during Schaefer’s tenure, do most of the talking.

“Our message is simple,” Schaefer said. “We let parents know their daughter will play in a great college atmosphere for a staff that will take care of her, will help develop her in the classroom and on the court, and that can maybe even develop her to go to the WNBA. Every coach preaches different things during recruiting, but we’ve found once we get recruits on campus, they fall in love.”

T

he day before Valentine’s Day, a 7-year-old Starkville girl and her father sat among hundreds of MSU softball faithful braving the crisp winter air at Nusz Park. This year’s Bulldog Kickoff served as a five-game christening for the Bulldogs’ new home, and MSU won each contest, much to the delight of the sea of gloved hands and ear-muffed heads that chose the frigid experience over a Saturday afternoon indoors.

With each Mississippi State run—during a doubleheader where the team defeated Tennessee Tech, 11-4, and Alabama A&M, 2-1—two young women working with the athletic department ran into the crowd and tossed T-shirts to lucky fans. Between innings, those same women chose fans from the stands to play 30-60-second mini-games, such as cornhole on top of the dugouts, and bestowed participants more Bulldog swag for their trouble.

With each T-shirt toss, the 7-year-old fan brimmed with the anticipation she might catch one. Each time Bully passed by, she hollered and waved at the MSU mascot. Then, after the second inning of the Alabama A&M contest, the woman the young fan had dubbed “the T-shirt lady” walked up to the girl’s seat.

“Can you run fast?” she asked.

“Oh yeah,” the girl answered exuberantly.

“Well, that’s good, because if you want to, and your Dad doesn’t mind, I’ve got a running game you can play on the field.”

Moments later, the girl stood on third base glaring eagerly at a softball sitting about 20 yards away in left field. She had 30 seconds to run to the ball, pick it up, and run back. When time started, the girl, wearing furry boots not particularly suited for running, charged at the softball.

She picked it up quickly and turned on the jets heading back

to third base, beating the clock by about five seconds. She earned a poster signed by each member of the MSU softball team, and as she ran back to her father, she proclaimed, “This is going on my wall.”

As the pair returned to their seats, the little girl fired off one more parting shot that encapsulated, at least from MSU’s standpoint, the aim for the entire exercise: “Daddy, can we come back here tomorrow?”

Leah Beasley, assistant athletic director for marketing, loves to hear stories like those, and she admits she hears them often.

“We want to recruit fans when they’re young and keep them,” she said. “We want to build the Bulldog family. The more invested you are in a team or a program, the more you want to see it succeed.

I haven’t seen a lot of fans like Mississippi State fans.”

A former Louisiana Tech softball standout, Beasley understands her department’s dual mission—to create positive experiences for both the student athletes and the fans.

Women’s sports, in particular, create many more opportunities for direct interaction between fans and players because the action is closer and the fan engagement more intense. Plus, free admission for most women’s sports—all but women’s basketball—make them easy targets for family outings.

Their smaller venues, like Nusz Park or the Newell-Grissom volleyball facility, also offer young fans a higher probability to score a photo with Bully than an event at Davis Wade Stadium, The Hump or PolkDement Stadium.

The coaches and players for all of MSU’s sports, men’s and women’s, help feed the mission of better connecting the fans with the players, Beasley said, and it extends beyond the playing surfaces.

Bulldog teams make ample public appearances throughout the year, visiting local schools and civic clubs to speak and sign autographs.

Amid their historic season, the women’s basketball team members found time to work the morning

TOP: Senior Marta Freitas is the 2016 NCAA and SEC outdoor champion in 1,500 meters. She also qualified to represent her native Portugal in the Summer Olympics in Rio. MIDDLE: Fans gather after softball games to meet and get autographs from their favorite players.

BELOW: Sophomore tennis player Madison Harrison began her season with a six-match winning streak.

LEFT: Emily Howard (left) and Alex Warren (right) prepare to block a Georgia Bulldog attack. Mississippi State earned the W with three straight match victories.

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carpool lines at Starkville’s public elementary schools, greeting the star-struck children as they arrived on campus.

“The coaches and players never turn us down when we ask them to do things in the community,” Beasley said.

That connection, Beasley added, begets mutual passion—a fan base excited about its teams and athletes whose performances feed off energy from the fans.

“You can’t help but love a team that is everywhere you are,” she said. “It’s positive, too, because the girls are always smiling. What happens on the fan side is now they aren’t just yelling because they love MSU or a particular sport. They are yelling because they know the players. They are encouraging them by name. They’re yelling because they have their backs.”

As athletic director, Stricklin said he is proud to see all MSU’s programs, especially the women’s sports, taking advantage of opportunities to connect with the fans.

“Every decision we make involves creating great experiences, whether it’s a student connecting with the university, an alumnus reconnecting or a 10-year-old who enjoys our sporting events

so much that he or she one day becomes a Bulldog,” Stricklin said. “Otherwise, there is no reason for athletics to exist on this campus.”

F

inishing games had been a challenge all season for MSU’s volleyball team under first-year Head coach David McFatrich. But if ever there was a day to break through that wall, the team’s season finale against Ole Miss was it.

send Bulldog volleyball fans home happy and send notice to the daunting SEC volleyball gauntlet that MSU had arrived.

They delivered in game four with a 25-23 victory.

“The last game of the year was our best,” McFatrich recalled. “We made amazing plays. It was one of the neatest experiences I’ve ever had as a coach.”

The victory capped a threematch winning streak that

“THE VERY FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE, I TOLD THE GIRLS, ‘IT’S OK TO MESS UP. BUT I WANT YOU TO DO IT AT 100 MPH WITH YOUR HAIR ON FIRE.’” ~ DAVID McFATRICH

In front of a boisterous crowd at Newell-Grissom, the Bulldogs jumped ahead of their in-state rivals two games to none, needing to win a third to take the match. They lost game three, and a familiar sense of foreboding started to creep into the building. They had blown 2-0 leads throughout the year, including heartbreakers at home against Auburn and Tennessee, as well as in a road loss to Alabama.

McFatrich pleaded with his team to break the cycle, to

secured a 17-15 season, the program’s first winning record in nine seasons. It came on the backs of players who adopted a new, fast-paced playing style and a high-energy coach who said he worked the hardest he ever had.

“The very first day of practice, I told the girls, ‘It’s OK to mess up. But I want you to do it at 100 mph with your hair on fire,’” he said.

“We didn’t do everything right, but I encouraged them to be aggressive and learn from

Highlights from the RISE OF WOMEN'S SPORTS 2013 2014 2012 MAY 18:

Softball finishes 38-24 season earning its first of four straight regional berths.

NOV. 14:

Women’s basketball signs a top 20 recruiting class.

MAY 18:

Softball completes 33-24 season placing third in the NCAA tournament regional in Mobile, Alabama.

26

SUMMER 2016

MARCH 30: Women’s

basketball finishes 22-14 season with trip to the WNIT quarterfinals.

MAY 17: Softball completes 39-21 season with a thirdplace finish in the Lafayette, Louisiana regional.

MAY 23: Women’s golf

completes banner year with sixth-place finish at the NCAA championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

their mistakes. Our girls were competitive, they battled and they brought energy to the court. The results showed in our record.”

As he tried to draw the most out of his talent, he ran into some roadblocks born from nine straight losing seasons, which created missed opportunities.

“We left some games on the table,” he said. “Honestly, sometimes your comfort level with how it used to be is so strong that it supersedes winning. Building this program will take time, and I have to accept that as a coach.”

McFatrich said his team already exhibits strong chemistry and character, so generating more wins will come from continuing to raise his team’s volleyball IQ and increase the team’s height through recruiting.

In the meantime, he wants to put an exciting, competitive product on the floor to build on an already fiercely loyal fan base.

“I still can’t believe how loud it was in Newell-Grissom this year,” he said. “Our fans are incredible, but we want more. When you go to a volleyball game, there is excitement every single play.

I think if people will come see us play once, they’ll come

2015 MARCH 22: Women’s

basketball ends season with a program record 27 wins and a trip to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

MAY 9:

Women’s tennis ends 16-12 season with trip to second round of the NCAA tournament.

MAY 14-16:

MSU hosts SEC outdoor track and field championships.

MAY MAY 14-16:17: MSU Softball hosts SEC outdoor track completes and field championships.

36-21 season with a third-place finish in the Lafayette, Louisiana regional.

back. If they’ll come watch us, they’ll start to get it.”

McFatrich is no stranger to volleyball’s biggest stages.

In 2012 and 2013, he led the University of Central Arkansas Sugar Bears to consecutive Southland Conference titles and NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament appearances.

When he interviewed for the MSU job, he was impressed by how evident the athletic department and its boosters made it that they want a top-flight volleyball program.

Since taking the helm, he said they have delivered on that message, dedicating resources to renovate Newell-Grissom into what he hopes will be one of the nation’s finest college volleyball facilities.

“They made it clear that volleyball was just as important as any other sport and not just something on the periphery,” McFatrich said. “I’ve only been here 15 months, and this university has already shown us such incredible support. I can honestly say I’m the luckiest volleyball coach in the country.”

W

hen the end came for the Bulldogs’ dream basketball season, it came with a sobering reminder that the program’s journey to the top had some real estate in front of it.

Mississippi State fell 98-38 to a UConn team that went on to win its fourth straight national title. Huskies went on to take the top three spots in the 2016 WNBA Draft.

Stricklin said he didn’t define MSU’s season by that game, in the least. Rather, he lauded the team’s effort to earn the right to play it.

“The more success you have, the more opportunities you have for something special,” he said. “There’s no question you learn from all these experiences.

We knew UConn’s talent and history going in, but the fact is, you never really know what’s going to happen until you play the game. Just get yourself to the postseason, because if you’re sitting at home, nothing good can happen.”

The season-ending loss aside, Schaefer now looks to an upcoming season with all of his starters returning to his battletested team, fully encouraged that his plan to build an elite program is working.

“We’ve won 75 games in the last three years during a major rebuild,” Schaefer said. “What we’ve done here in that period of time is unheard of. We have to continue to grow. We have the makings of a very good basketball team, not just next year but in the years to come.” n

TOP: Athletic director Scott Stricklin speaks at the opening of Nusz Park.

BOTTOM: Tommy Nusz, center, cuts the ribbon to open the new Mississippi State softball complex that bears his name and features the new Brandon Press Box. L-R: MSU Athletic Director Scott Stricklin, Bill Henderson, Steve Brandon, Tommy Nusz, Patsy Fowlkes Brandon and MSU President Mark E. Keenum.

2016 JUNE 13: Women’s track and field finishes 18th at NCAA meet; Rhianwedd Price wins 1,500 meters.

NOV. 21: Women’s cross country places 17th in program’s first ever berth in the NCAA championship meet.

NOV. 27: Volleyball completes first winning season in nine years with victory over rival Ole Miss.

JAN. 24: A record setting crowd—the largest to attend a women’s basketball game in Mississippi—packs The Hump for a women’s basketball game against South Carolina.

the NCAA tournament at Humphrey Coliseum, beating Chattanooga 60-50 and Michigan State 74-72.

MARCH 26: Women’s

its new $6 million Nusz Park with five wins in the Bulldog Kickoff.

basketball ends the season with a program record 28 wins and a trip to Bridgeport, Connecticut to play in the Sweet 16.

MARCH 18-20: The fifth-

MAY 11-14: Mississippi

FEB. 11-14: Softball opens

seeded women’s basketball team hosts two rounds of

State’s Nusz Park hosts the SEC Softball Tournament.

MAY 14: Women’s

tennis ends 18-9 season with a trip to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

JUNE 11: Marta Freitas wins the 1,500 meter run at the NCAA Outdoor Tack and Field Championships, while Erica Bougard earns second in the heptathlon, leading the team to a programbest No. 13 finish in the nation.

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27

A Door Once Opened MISSISSIPPI STATE CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF DIVERSITY ON CAMPUS

by SUSAN LASSETTER photos by MEGAN BEAN

28

SUMMER 2016

In 1965, Richard Holmes just wanted to take some summer classes; a few credit hours to transfer back to Wiley College in Texas.

He didn’t intend to become an “integrator.” An “instigator.”

A “role model.”

He had planned to go back to the historically black college he attended as a freshman and where he had friends, a fraternity and a place on the football team.

Sudden fame has a way of changing things.

“I had never thought about going to Mississippi State. I never really thought of it as an option,” the Starkville native recalled.

“But I was a pre-med major and needed summer classes to stay on track. Wiley, Jackson State and Alcorn State didn’t offer them that year, so it just made sense to take summer classes back home.

“At the time, I didn’t think about integration,” Holmes continued. “I guess

maybe it was naive but I really thought I could quietly take summer classes at Mississippi State then go back to Texas.”

He soon learned that in 1965, there was no way to “quietly” integrate one of Mississippi’s major, public universities. Holmes’s presence on campus drew headlines, stares and television crews, giving the 21-year-old instant fame or notoriety depending on who was asked.

“I still have the newspaper clippings: ‘Negro enrolls at MSU,’ ‘Negro seeks acceptance,” Holmes recalled. “One person wrote to me to remind me to take a bath every day. I had a few classic ones, and I kept everything.

“The whites didn’t bother me; I expected the stares,” Holmes continued. “But the people I went to school with, the people in my own community, a lot of them weren’t happy with me. They were afraid it would cause problems for them.”

Holmes describes the experience as isolating and uncomfortable. Still, he says, it was the best he could have expected at the time. Desegregation was still new and just three years earlier, James Meredith’s integration of Ole Miss sparked riots that killed two people and left hundreds of others injured or arrested.

“I never felt unsafe,” Holmes said of his MSU experience. “I never had any direct threats or confrontation. The university worked hard to make peaceful conditions.

It wasn’t optimal or even necessarily a good experience, but considering the times, I could not have expected better.”

In contrast to the loneliness of his first semester on Mississippi State’s campus, Holmes was promised a warm return to Wiley College as word of his history-making MSU enrollment reached Marshall, Texas.

“My friends were like, ‘You’re famous; all of the girls are asking about you,’ and I thought ‘Hey, I’m going back to Wiley,’” Holmes recalled with a chuckle. “But I realized that if I left, the door I opened would close again.

“A young black man in the community said he would come to State that fall if I stayed, so I did,” he added.

Holmes didn’t make the decision to stay lightly. Not returning to the historically black college meant giving up what he calls “the black experience:” smaller, more comfortable classes; a chance to be included; and a chance to have friends.

“There were just the two of us that year.

And he didn’t come back,” recalled Holmes, who completed his liberal arts bachelor’s degree in 1969. “The names, the stares and the isolation were too much for him.

“My refuge became the YMCA,” he continued. “I had it to myself, and that’s the one place I felt comfortable. In fact, the only association I had on campus was the janitor who worked there. That’s who I talked to, and the YMCA was my safe haven.”

LEFT PAGE: Dr. Richard Holmes stands in front of the Mississippi State YMCA building. Currently undergoing renovation, the building was his refuge as an undergraduate and became a gathering place for black students during the civil rights era. RIGHT PAGE: Sitting in his home office, Holmes looks through his collected papers and photos from his time in school, including newspaper clippings documenting his enrollment and the subsequent desegregation of Mississippi State.

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TIMES OF CHANGE

where the university now stands on matters of student diversity.

“I’m glad it happened,” Barnes said of the event. “I hope this is just In the years that followed, as Mississippi State slowly gained a more the tip of the iceberg and black alumni will be inspired to become more diverse student body, the campus YMCA building remained a gathering involved with the university.” place for black students.

Edward Sanders, co-chair of the event, said that was the idea behind “There were so few of us that we kind of stood out and stuck planning Black Alumni Weekend. together—like specs of pepper in a pitcher of milk,” explained retired “We knew the 50th anniversary of Dr. Holmes’ enrollment would Col. Robert Barnes, a 1972 sociology graduate. “I’m not speaking for be a great time to celebrate the strides the university has made,” the every black student at Mississippi State, but we expected there would Leland native said. be some looks and second takes.

The 2006 political science graduate said events like Black Alumni “Once you set your expectations, you’re OK,” the Brookhaven native Weekend are important for getting alumni involved with the added. “And part of that was the black students informally bound university.

Called affinity reunions, events like this can be hosted for themselves together, especially at the YMCA building.” any alumni segment—for example the Famous Maroon Band and A freshman in 1968, Barnes saw the population of African-American Greek groups. Sanders said hosting one for black graduates was a way students grow from 134 to 416 during his time at Mississippi State. to ensure African-American alumni involvement However, he said widespread acceptance on is encouraged. campus and chances to participate in student"If it weren't for networking “If only milestones like 50 years were marked life activities were slower to come. with alumni, I wouldn't then the first African American wouldn’t be “You have to understand things in the context attending until 2019,” Sanders explained. “And of the time,” Barnes explained. “Having such be where I am today. You it would be well into the 2020s before there are a a cultural shift in the nation leaves both sides never know who you are significant number included. unsure of what’s to come.

“This affinity reunion was a way to include meeting that could help you “We black students didn’t have a path to multiple generations and get a larger number of follow, except for knowing that Dr. Holmes out either today or down black alumni on campus,” he continued. “Any had attended. We went through it as best we the road." group can have an affinity reunion because having knew how, and that was really just a lot of ~Edward Sanders alumni back on campus to give insight and perseverance and prayers from our parents,” network with current students is very important.”

Barnes continued. “Things changed with black Sanders said the planning committee decided to make the event a students being persistent about receiving fair treatment all of the time, whole weekend packed with activities to encourage higher attendance. not just some of the time.”

He said the plan was to maximize alumni’s time on campus, so they The desire for full equality at the university led to the creation of could see the changes the university has made, give feedback, and, Mississippi State’s first black student organization, Afro-American most importantly in his opinion, form connections with each other Plus, often abbreviated as AA+. and current students.

The organization was established in 1968 as a way to connect MSU’s “If it weren’t for networking with alumni, I wouldn’t be where I am African-American students and give them a united voice. In a 1972 today,” Sanders explained. “You never know who you are meeting that paper documenting the first six years of integration at Mississippi could help you out either today or down the road.”

State, Barnes noted that AA+ was formed to push forward the idea of A political consultant based in Washington, D.C., Sanders credits a inclusiveness and acceptance at Mississippi State. couple of Mississippi State graduates for giving him the connections In addition to sponsoring speakers on campus, establishing a tutoring that led first to a position in George W. Bush’s White House and the service and volunteering in the community, the organization spurred U.S. Department of State. the university’s first concerted efforts at recruiting black students from Sanders said he chose Mississippi State over other institutions— across the state. including historically black colleges and universities—because of Now, after 50 years of near constant enrollment growth for black its reputation. students, the university has the highest percentage of African-American “I came to the conclusion that attending a diverse university students in the Southeastern Conference. would give me more experience in how the world actually works, and Mississippi State had a great reputation for diversity and inclusiveness,” CELEBRATING A SHARED HISTORY Sanders said. “That said, there are things Mississippi State, just like That growth and the challenges, triumphs and changes that came with every university in America, can work on.” it were the focus of the university’s inaugural Black Alumni Weekend in March. More than 450 alumni attended the three-day event, which LOOKING TO A BETTER FUTURE featured panel discussions with black pioneers and university officials; Finding ways to improve the life of minority students on campus tours of campus; and social events. became a main topic during Black Alumni Weekend discussions.

Barnes, who was the first African-American ROTC graduate at “Even 40 years ago, we were just numbers, a token,” Holmes said of Mississippi State to be commissioned into the U.S. Army, said it was the experience of black students at major universities. “Now, it’s about great to reconnect with classmates and get a better understanding of

30

SUMMER 2016

TOP LEFT: Surrounded by his grandchildren, Richard Holmes (center) meets James Meredith (left) who is shaking hands with MSU President Mark E. Keenum (right). By enrolling at Ole Miss in 1962, Meredith was the first to integrate a major Mississippi university. The event was marked by deadly protest and intervention by the National Guard. TOP RIGHT: More than 450 registered for the inaugural Black Alumni Weekend to attend a variety of events including a gala, panel discussions and campus tours. MIDDLE LEFT: Former Miss Mississippi State University and Miss Mississippi Jasmine Murray performs. She was Mississippi’s first “American Idol” finalist. MIDDLE RIGHT: Former Bulldog basketball player Carl Nichols watches as Mississippi State’s first African-American student Richard Holmes signs a cowbell for an admirer. BOTTOM LEFT: Black Alumni Weekend attendees walked the red carpet on their way to the Saturday night gala at The Mill at MSU. BOTTOM RIGHT: Former National Alumni Association president Camille Scales Young (left) and Edward Sanders (right) greet gala attendees.

They co-chaired the Black Alumni Weekend planning committee.

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Diversity Pioneers & MILESTONES AT MSU

1963

GAME OF CHANGE An all-white Bulldog basketball team defies unwritten state law when it sneaks out of Mississippi to face an integrated Loyola University team in the NCAA Tournament.

1968 First Black Student Organization: AFRO-AMERICAN PLUS

1972

ROBERT L. BARNES First African-American ROTC graduate commissioned at Mississippi State

1970s

First African-American Professor with a doctorate: MORRIS KINSEY

inclusiveness; making sure all students have the chance to acclimate, succeed and be part of university life.”

Having been one of only a few African Americans on campus when he finished his bachelor’s degree, Holmes said he noted small strides toward inclusiveness when he returned to Mississippi State to earn a master’s in microbiology. However, he left Starkville in 1973 to pursue a medical degree at the other MSU—Michigan State University—around the time more significant efforts were made, including the creation of an office of minority student affairs, which has borne his name since 1991.

Known as the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center and housed in the Colvard Student Union—whose namesake was president when Holmes enrolled—it serves as the hub for all minority students on campus, much like the YMCA did in the early days of integration.

“Having this center on campus gives underrepresented students a home away from home," said Ra’Sheda Forbes, the center’s associate director. “It helps them see that they are valued and Mississippi State is invested in their success.”

Student success, she said, is the center of the HCDC mission. It was also one of the biggest topics of Black Alumni Weekend: how to retain minority students and ensure their success.

“We had alumni at that event who were enrolled when there were only 15-20 black students on campus, but now that demographic makes up a full 19 percent of enrollment,” Forbes said. “That shows how much university diversity has improved in 50 years, but what the alumni would

32

SUMMER 2016

1971

First AfricanAmerican Ph.D. Graduate: HAROLD GRIER, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

1972

1974

First black fraternity ALPHA PHI ALPHA

1974

First black sorority WANAWAKE, February 5, 1974

The BLACK VOICES choir was formed to help celebrate Black History Week at MSU

1984

First female AfricanAmerican to receive a degree from the School of Architecture: SHEILA JACKSON

1989

STEVE COOPER, the First African-American president of the Student Association.

really like to see are more black students being retained and graduating.”

Forbes said part of increasing retention is ensuring that students don’t feel isolated or overwhelmed by their new academic environment, which is why the HCDC has established many programs meant to aid studying and help students engage socially.

The Peers Assisting with Students program, or PAWS, specifically works to pair freshmen and transfer students from underrepresented groups with upperclassmen to help ease their transition into university life. The center’s Men of Excellence and I.D.E.A.L Woman programs connect minority students with people outside of the university to help them achieve their career goals.

Forbes said the idea is to give students other people to look up to both in class and out, something the 2008 biological sciences graduate said helped her adjust to university life when her parents pushed her to attend Mississippi State instead of the out-of-state historically black university she had her sights on.

“My parents convinced me to give Mississippi State a try, but I didn’t want to,” Forbes recalled. “One of the things that helped me was, within the first few weeks, I met someone who became a mentor for me. As a result, I stayed and ended up loving my time here. Now, my job is to do the same for new students.”

In addition to providing a gathering place, the center serves as an institutional support system and a channel for communication between all minority students and the university.

“Mississippi State is committed to ensuring that all students feel

Special thanks to Nichole Howard, Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, and Neil Guilbeau and Nekita Gandy of the University Archives for providing additional research for this story.

1999

2015

First African-American female dean: Associate Dean LESIA L. CRUMPTON-YOUNG

First AfricanAmerican editor-in-chief of The Reflector: LACRETIA R. WIMBLEY

2004

1998

First African-American homecoming queen: TAMIKO M. WHITFIELD

First African-American head football coach at MSU and in the Southeastern Conference: SYLVESTER CROOM

2013

First black dean: ACHILLE MESSAC, James Worth Bagley College of Engineering

2006

First AfricanAmerican to earn a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering LAKIESHA WILLIAMS

2013

Rhodes Scholar: DONALD M. “FIELD” BROWN

welcome here regardless of race, socio-economic status or sexual orientation,” Forbes said.

She explained that the center has programs to help all underrepresented students have the best university experience and that university personnel and partners know how best to serve members of minority groups.

The university provides Green Zone training to help faculty and staff understand how to support veterans, particularly those who might have post-traumatic stress disorder. Through the HCDC, it also offers Safe Zone training to encourage supportive environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning individuals.

Forbes said additionally, the diversity center also supports international students as they acclimate to their new homes by connecting them with people in the community and resources at the university. Off campus, the university provides municipal training to help civil servants understand how best to work with underrepresented groups through their jobs.

“It can be difficult at times because diversity is something people are often afraid to talk about and will dance around,” Forbes said.

“But supporting diversity doesn’t mean taking something away from a majority. It’s about helping us celebrate our differences.”

Still, despite the efforts of the HCDC and university administrators, many say it is not enough. In addition to wanting to see increased retention and graduation rates of minority students, many at Black Alumni Weekend expressed a desire to see more racial diversity in the university’s faculty ranks.

2017

10TH ANNIVERSARY of African American Studies program

“A lot of students coming out of high school, especially minority students, look to faculty as mentors and advisers,” Sanders explained.

“So to be able to see faculty who are more reflective of the student population and who can relate to students’ backgrounds would be a plus for recruiting and retaining minority students.

“Not many universities can say they’ve been as successful at recruiting African-American students as we have,” Sanders continued. “To be able to say we also lead the way in minority faculty and staff would be a competitive advantage.”

During a BAW panel on the state of minorities at MSU, university officials discussed how the university has established several hiring initiatives to address this issue, including providing additional funding to recruit highly sought after individuals who can bring not only diverse backgrounds but also research and prestige to the university to help further its education, research and service missions.

Holmes said that’s the goal: to hire faculty who are talented and will benefit the student body, and just happen to be from a minority group.

“Diversity and inclusion are two different areas to get involved in,” Holmes said.

“When I enrolled at Mississippi State, there was diversity, which was me, and inclusiveness just meant I could attend and get a degree," he continued. "Since then, Mississippi State has demonstrated a commitment to diversity and has made strides toward inclusiveness.

It’s being included in the academic process that makes the difference, and that’s something we can all continue to work on.” n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

33

Our PEOPLE

EPIC CAREER SOLIDIFIES WOLVERTON’S PLACE AS CAMPUS CLASSIC

By Susan Lassetter | Photo by Russ Houston

T

his odyssey begins in the small Indiana town of Shelbyville. A high school boy, with an inaptitude for shop class, finds himself faced with a choice.

Like any epic adventure, it involves feats of strength, tests of character, difficult decisions and introspection. It follows a long road that traverses the globe and crosses paths with a psychic, a religious order and positions of power.

It has themes of love, faith, family and perseverance. And the whole venture started when a teenaged Robert E. Wolverton decided to study Latin instead of taking another year of industrial arts.

“I was a total disaster in shop,” Wolverton confessed. “So at the end of our eighth year, when the boys were offered Latin or another year of industrial arts, I didn’t have to think long before deciding I was going to try Latin.

And I loved it!”

That love of Latin caught the attention of a classics professor when Wolverton enrolled at Hanover College in Indiana. Although he also majored in psychology, he pursued an honors curriculum in classics, a field

34

SUMMER 2016

that focuses on ancient Greek and Roman history, literature, philosophy, language and mythology.

“I’m sure my mother wondered what I was going to do with this degree, and I didn’t know either, but I did have feelers for jobs when I graduated,” Wolverton recalled. “Three very different enterprises were interested in me.”

Still, despite being from a family “as poor as anyone could imagine,” Wolverton decided to try graduate school instead of starting a career. He landed a coveted fellowship at the University of Michigan, which allowed him to focus solely on his master’s studies. Later, a brief timeout as a teacher at a private boys’ school in Tennessee allowed him to earn enough money to then start a doctoral degree at the University of North Carolina. But the Fates intervened to send him south.

“I ran out of money, again, midway through my doctoral program, so my department head found two possible jobs for me: one at the University of Vermont and one at Florida State,” Wolverton said. “I couldn’t see myself in Vermont, so I went to Florida and that’s where I met Peggy.”

Wolverton met Margaret “Peggy” Jester at Florida State through their mutual love of music. The couple will celebrate their 64th wedding anniversary in September.

“When I proposed, I told her there’s one thing that’s true, ‘I’m a classicist and love old things, so the older you get, the more you’re going to be loved,’” Wolverton said.

“I remind her everyday because it’s still true.”

His muse and constant companion, Peggy has accompanied Wolverton since his first tenure-track faculty position at the University of Georgia. Following a stint at Tufts University in Massachusetts, they longed for warmer climates. They returned to Florida State where Fate again showed its hand when he was nominated and selected for the inaugural American Council of Education’s Academic Administration Internship Program.

Designed in the 1960s to help fill the administration needs created by a growing higher education industry, the program provided mentorship and instruction to 25 promising young faculty members from across the country.

Wolverton calls Julius Caesar the first blogger because of his commentarii, or firsthand accounts of battle.

“If you start looking seriously at any subject, such as politics, science, religion or philosophy, you start with the classics.” ~ Robert Wolverton

“You cannot imagine how many job offers we each received,” Wolverton said. “In one day I had three calls from institutions asking if I wanted to be this or that. I always said no because I was happy where I was.

“Then one day the University of Illinois called offering a brand new position it had created, and I found it hard to say no to one of the top 15 graduate schools in the country.”

He moved to Champaign-Urbana as associate dean of the graduate college and things went smoothly, until the Illinois legislature voted to eliminate all new academic positions.

“Nothing personal, just wiped the position out,” Wolverton recalled. “That was a real blow, but now I think all of this really was designed by God.” Wolverton quickly found himself hired as a professor of classics and dean of the graduate college at Miami (Ohio) University, where he remained until he received a higher calling.

In 1972, he was asked to become the first male president of Mount St. Joseph College, a women’s institution in Cincinnati founded by the Sisters of Charity and run, up to that point, by nuns.

“It was a delightful job. The only problem was some called me Father Wolverton, as if I were a priest,” he recalled with a chuckle.

He remained in that position until 1977, when he was invited to Mississippi State University as one of five interviewees for vice president of academic affairs under President James McComas.

“President McComas was a special man, and I remember telling Peggy, ‘I don’t know if I’ll be offered this job, but I would really like to work with him,’” Wolverton said.

Days later, while the Wolvertons were vacationing in Georgia, he received a phone call from “a beautiful Southern voice.” It was McComas’ secretary.

“It took her a minute just to say hello, but she said President McComas was on the line, and he offered me the job,” Wolverton said.

He returned to Mount St. Joseph to oversee his last commencement as president.

Afterward, famed psychic Jeane Dixon, who had sponsored two students graduating that year, approached him.

“She came up and asked me why in the world I was going to Mississippi,” Wolverton recalled.

“When I proposed, I told her there’s one thing that’s true, ‘I’m a classicist and love old things, so the older you get, the more you’re going to be loved. I remind her everyday because it’s still true.” ~ Robert Wolverton

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Our PEOPLE “I tried to tell her that being president had been a tremendous experience, but I felt this was another terrific job where I could really accomplish something positive.

“My career can really be divided into before MSU and at MSU, and I’ve had a great teaching and administrative career here,” Wolverton continued. “I’ve been blessed with the overriding theme of my career being joy.”

In the 39 years he’s been at Mississippi State, Wolverton has served as a vice president, professor of classics and department head of what is now the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures. It’s the experiences and the people he’s worked with, however, that have defined his time as a Bulldog.

Wolverton explained that President McComas felt the university should broaden its reach and supported him when he served as a guest lecturer at a university in Italy and as a commencement speaker in South Korea.

He has also studied at Oxford, England, represented Mississippi State at a university in Japan, been a lecturer on a Mediterranean cruise, and participated in two archaeological digs in Israel.

“I never would have guessed all of the opportunities that would come along when I came to Mississippi State,” Wolverton said. “I was involved in many amazing things, which also helped further the university.”

That legacy has afforded three more accomplishments for Wolverton’s resume. In 2008, as a result of his academic pursuits, as well as his many activities within the

community, he was elected to the Starkville Area Education Hall of Fame.

In 2014, the College of Arts and Sciences presented him with the inaugural Legacy Award, which now bears his name. Similarly, the rotunda in Mississippi State’s new classroom building, slated to be one of the largest on campus, will be named in his honor

My career can really be divided into before MSU and at MSU, and I’ve had a great teaching and administrative career here. I’ve been blessed with the overriding theme of my career being joy." ~ Robert Wolverton when it opens later this year. These honors follow his being named a Grisham Master Teacher in 1994 and Humanities Teacher of the Year in 2000.

Wolverton admits that being the university’s only classicist for much of his tenure felt like “holding on by his fingernails” to make sure classical studies stayed a part of the curriculum.

Now, however, he says he is excited that

MOIST PUTRID OOZE P H L E G M SENSING GROTESQUE Syllables Serenity Lovely plethora Raining lullaby the

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Does the moist phlegm on the grotesque scab cause you to ooze hate like putrid vomit?

Stemming from Wolverton’s academic curiosity, these “semi-frequent” surveys, provide insight into how students view language and how that view changes through the years.

If so, you’re not alone as eight words in the previous sentence are perennial punching bags on Robert Wolverton’s survey of pretty and ugly words.

Among those observations, Wolverton has noted a decline in the popularity of religiousbased words. He also has found that words on the ugly list tend to be of Germanic origin with one or two syllables, while the perceived pretty words are most likely polysyllabic or of Latin origin.

With instructions to divorce words from their meanings, students in Wolverton’s classes are asked to separate the lovely from the appalling, the pleasing from the repulsive—not including George Carlin’s famous seven words.

By not considering a word's definition, students have been known to base their decisions on sound, written appearance and how it feels to pronounce. Wolverton has even noticed frequency of use being seen as a factor.

SUMMER 2016

President Mark E. Keenum has put an emphasis on building the discipline, having hired two more classicists in the past few years, with plans to add a visiting lecturer this fall.

“I am proud to say that we have a thriving classics program now because it is such a wonderful field; it’s just the beginning of everything,” Wolverton said. “If you start looking seriously at any subject, such as politics, science, religion or philosophy, you start with the classics.”

Having been a professional classicist for nearly 60 years, Wolverton speaks of Virgil and Homer as if they’re old friends and quotes the works of Plato, Cicero and Sophocles in casual conversation with the ease some millennials might quote Harry Potter. His passion and ability to make such works approachable has helped make his classical mythology course one of the most popular, and crowded, on campus.

For those who can’t take his or any other classics course, he recommends reading Will and Ariel Durant’s “The Story of Civilization,” but, to the relief of students on the waiting lists for his classes, Wolverton, who turns 91 in August, has no plans of retiring.

“People ask why I keep doing this and it’s because there’s so much joy,” Wolverton said.

“No one can say I don’t have enthusiasm for my field, but I have equal enthusiasm for the students.

“It’s almost a cliche but it’s true: I think most teachers really, really, really do enjoy the interaction with students. That’s what keeps us going, keeps us young, really.” n

With that in mind, enjoy this epiphany: there’s serenity in the plethora of beautiful words raining down in this sentence like a lovely lullaby on the eloquence of serendipity.

Alumnus finds success at the heart of the matter

By Zack Plair | Photos by Megan Bean

As an elementary school student in Jackson, William Harris habitually checked out any book that contained photographs of heart surgeries.

Not only did the images fascinate him but so did reading passages about how the heart works and how to make it work better. That’s when Harris started to realize he wanted to be either a surgeon or an engineer.

As it turns out, he’s both.

Now a cardiovascular surgeon for Mississippi Baptist Health Systems in Jackson, the Mississippi State graduate has

made a name for himself as the only doctor in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi using a da Vinci robot for mitral valve repairs.

Often wearing an MSU head cover as he operates or walks through the halls of Baptist Medical Center, Harris has never forgotten his Bulldog roots. In fact, he seeks ways to advocate for the educational value of the university he loves, as well as the quality of medical care one can receive in the state he calls home.

“There’s this idea that you have to go to big cities, like Cleveland (Ohio) or ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Our PEOPLE Los Angeles, to have certain things done,” Harris explained. “A lot of doctors keep sending those operations out to those places, and it undermines the medical field in this state. There’s nothing medically you can get anywhere else that you can’t get in Mississippi.”

Harris earned a bachelor’s degree in biological engineering in 1988 and completed his medical studies four years later at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. After serving residencies for both general and cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, he returned to Jackson in 2001 and ultimately partnered with a medical team of four other doctors—three of whom are also MSU grads— and a nurse practitioner working under the Baptist banner.

Having performed 550 heart operations in the last year of his UAB residency, alone, Harris already was vastly experienced with heart surgeries by the time he returned to Mississippi.

At that time he began researching and applying methods that required smaller incisions and shortened recovery time for patients. In fact, he now makes only 6-centimeter incisions for aortic valve operations, while many surgeons are still fully dividing a patient’s breastbone for that procedure.

Harris began traveling to Europe six years ago to study more minimally invasive methods to operate on the mitral valve, a small structure located between the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart.

When it leaks, as it’s prone to do, it causes mitral regurgitation, a blood volume overload that collects in the lungs and makes it difficult to breathe. If left untreated, the heart can enlarge causing congestive heart failure, but if caught quickly, a patient can be restored to normal life expectancy.

Harris said operating on a mitral valve is meticulous, but it’s better to repair one than replace it.

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Top: Dr. William Harris, a Mississippi State University graduate in biological engineering, is the only cardiothoracic surgeon in Mississippi, Arkansas or Louisiana to perform mitral valve repairs with a da Vinci robot. Part of Baptist Health Systems in Jackson, he is one of a group of five doctors and a nurse practitioner providing a team approach to cardiac-patient care. Bottom: Harris controls the surgical robot from a console across the operating room as he views the video feed from a camera on one of the machine’s probes. With the hand controls, he can change the camera angle and use the robot’s other probes for surgical functions, such as cutting and sewing the valve.

HEART DISEASE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE U.S.

“There’s no one way to fix a mitral valve,” he said. “It’s complicated, and there’s a lot of art to it.”

Enter da Vinci, a surgical robot. Named for the renowned Renaissance artist, it has become Harris’ go-to solution for mitral valve repair. From a console across the operating room, he remotely directs the robot through the surgeries. The five-armed machine is equipped with a camera that allows him to see the valve from the console in 3-D high-definition magnified up to 12 times. Its probes allow for precise work in small spaces.

“It’s like having your hands in miniature inside someone,” Harris said.

A surgical team stationed at the operating

together, offer different perspectives and plan procedures together.”

Having such a close friend on this medical team “has its pros and cons,” Warnock said.

However, the pros far outweigh the cons.

“At the end of the day, I know his character, I know he’s extremely bright and I know he, just like all of us, wants the best outcome for the patient,” Warnock said.

In addition to the Bulldog connections in his professional life, Harris also has a strong Maroon and White tradition in his family. He joked that he might not even exist without MSU, as that’s where his parents met as students.

He explained that he and his brother spent summers in Starkville with their uncle

WHEN CARDIOVASCULAR ISSUES STRIKE Heart attacks and strokes come in many sizes, from those that aren’t diagnosed until discovered by a doctor, to those that immediately and visibly affect the patient. But no matter the size, these cardiac problems should always be taken seriously.

“You have to have an exceptional team of people helping you, and I do. Every component of that team has to work perfectly to pull it off.” ~ William Harris

Knowing the warning signs and acting quickly could save someone’s life.

table assists Harris through the surgeries, particularly with managing camera placement.

“You have to have an exceptional team of people helping you, and I do,” Harris said.

“Every component of that team has to work perfectly to pull it off.”

Five incisions, each less than an inch long, allow the robotic arms to enter the body, and leave behind only five small holes. Most patients return home two to three days after the surgery, he said, and are back at work in about two weeks.

“I had a 70-year-old man go back to work in 10 days,” Harris said. “A woman who had this surgery here did a half-marathon just months after her operation.”

Dr. James L. Warnock Jr., a high school classmate and college roommate of Harris at both MSU and UMMC, works alongside him in their Baptist-affiliated partnership.

As a cardiologist, Warnock diagnoses problems and handles heart catheters, stents and non-invasive procedures.

Through a team approach to patient care, he said their patient outcomes rank in the 90th percentile.

“Nationwide, we’ve discovered that cardiologists and heart surgeons don’t always get along collegially,” Warnock said. “Our team approach is very helpful because it helps us avoid those issues. We all sit down

• Too rapid or irregular pulse

John Correro, a former MSU football player who worked for the university for 40 years thereafter. That uncle gave the boys tearaway football practice jerseys and let them run around occasionally on Scott Field. As a kid, Harris even sported Bulldog tennis shoes until they wore out.

With all of these connections, Mississippi State stood out among the rest when Harris was choosing a college. He said enrolling at MSU was one of the best decisions he’s ever made because not only was it a good place for him personally, but the engineering training he received prepared him perfectly for his career.

“Being a cardiovascular surgeon matches my temperament and curiosity,” Harris said.

“It’s very mechanical, and the engineer in me likes that because it forces me to work through small problems until I solve the big one. I’d say I use as much of my engineering skills in this profession as I do my medical training.”

Warnock, also a biological engineering graduate, agreed. Along with cardiologists William H. Jones and H. Christopher Waterer III, both also Mississippi State graduates, the teammates are all trying to do their alma mater proud.

“People say that Mississippi State is not the place to go for pre-med,” Warnock said.

“We’re proving that’s absolutely not true.” n

HEART ATTACK SYMPTOMS

• Pressure or pain in the center of your chest • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing • Undue fatigue • Pain in neck, jaw, or one or both arms • Nausea, a cold sweat, or lightheadedness If you or someone you are with may be having a heart attack: • Call 911 immediately • Chew and swallow an aspirin • Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed • Be prepared to administer CPR, if necessary

STROKE

If a stroke is suspected, remember F.A.S.T.: Face drooping Arm weakness Speech difficulty Time to call 911!

Simple tests like asking the victims to smile, raise their arms or repeat simple sentences may help confirm these symptoms.

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ELLEN KICKS CANCER Alumna’s infant, family give her strength for the fight

By Sasha Steinberg | Photos by Megan Bean

J

ust 11 weeks after welcoming a baby girl into the world, Ellen Frye learned she had cancer, and in that moment, one of the most joyous times in her life became one of the most challenging.

Would she have the strength to fight cancer and care for her newborn? Would she make it to see Mary Albert’s first birthday?

Worried, yet determined to make the most of her situation, the Mississippi State elementary education graduate sought treatment. With the support of knowledgeable doctors and loving family and friends, Frye now is in remission and eager to kick cancer for good.

“Every time I sat up in my hospital bed, I saw that picture of Mary Albert,” Frye said, gesturing to a canvas portrait at her home in Scott, a town in the delta. “She was my motivation.”

At the time of her diagnosis, Frye was teaching first grade at O’Bannon Elementary in Greenville.

“It came on suddenly,” she recalled. “I bumped into a cabinet at the grocery store, and when I got home, I had a bruise the size of a softball on my leg. I knew something was wrong.”

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Frye visited her doctor the following day to have bloodwork done. The day after, she visited a Greenville hospital. From there, she was referred to a doctor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center where after undergoing a bone marrow biopsy, she learned she had a specific type of acute lymphoblastic leukemia known as precursor B, which affects the way bone marrow produces blood.

“I used to have long hair, but because of the chemo, it went from long to a bob to a pixie cut. I finally said ‘Buzz it!’ I’m planning on keeping it short.” ~ Ellen Frye “Leukemia is the only cancer that can be cured right now, and I was lucky to have a string of doctors get me to where I needed to be,” explained Frye, whose UMMC doctor recommended she seek treatment at one of the world’s most respected centers of its kind—

the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

With her mom and husband Austin by her side, Frye spent six months undergoing a variety of treatments, including a 30-day high-dose chemotherapy treatment known as induction therapy. She also received a successful stem cell transplant.

“Chemo puts your body under stress. I had so much chemo, but luckily, I had few side effects,” Frye said. “I used to have long hair, but because of the chemo, it went from long to a bob to a pixie cut. I finally said ‘Buzz it!’ I’m planning on keeping it short.”

Despite being poked and prodded for tests and having poison coursing through her veins as treatment, Frye worked hard to balance her medical demands with those of being a new mom. She credits a strong support system with helping her make it through.

“Austin’s been by my side for everything,” Frye said of her husband, a Mississippi State history graduate and fellow Madison native.

“He’s my best friend, and I’m so lucky to have him. We both have very supportive parents who dropped everything to come help, and I

A friend in deed when a friend’s in need During her bi-weekly trips to Jackson for check-ups, Frye said she uses her experiences to encourage others who have been recently diagnosed.

However, for those who haven’t experienced cancer firsthand, knowing how to support someone with the dreaded diagnosis might not come as naturally.

The American Cancer Society offers the following tips for supporting loved ones as they fight the disease: •

Send brief, frequent notes or texts, or make short, regular calls.

•

Listen if they want to talk. And if a response evades you, here are some ideas: • “I’m not sure what to say, but I want you to know I care.”

• “I’m sorry you are going through this.”

LEFT: Ellen Frye in her Mississippi Delta home. TOP: Frye says her husband Austin was her support, but she found strength in their daughter Mary Albert and wanting to make sure she never missed a “first.” BOTTOM LEFT: To fight the effects of “chemo brain” Frye began practicing calligraphy to keep her mind active. BOTTOM RIGHT: Fyre puts her hobby to use by addressing wedding invitations for friends.

still have the wall of cards people sent me while I was in the hospital.”

Frye said she’s even developed a new skill as part of managing some of the lesserknown symptoms of chemotherapy.

“Chemo brain is real, so you have to keep your mind active and expand your memory,” she said. “I’ve always been artistic, and while I was in the hospital in Houston, I brought adult coloring books and calligraphy books, but what stuck was the calligraphy.”

With the recent purchase of a calligraphy pen and laser, Frye has been able to address envelopes for wedding invitations at the request of friends. She and Austin also have been able to resume shared pastimes, including antique hunting and tennis.

“I’ve been very lucky that my energy level bounced back quickly. Between her and playing tennis, I get a great workout,” Frye said with a smile, as she reached down to pick up Mary Albert. “Austin and I have always enjoyed exploring. We love going and finding antiques because we want to give them a new life.”

Because ALL affects her body’s white

blood cells, Frye said during treatment, she was more susceptible to germs and therefore couldn’t be in places with large crowds. Now that she’s doing better, she and Austin are looking forward to bringing Mary Albert to football games at their alma mater.

Although she misses teaching, Frye said she is grateful to be able to stay home and take care of the little one she calls her greatest inspiration.

“When I was going through treatment, I was worried about missing Mary Albert’s firsts—steps, words, rolling over, even her first birthday party—but we were home for all of it,” Frye said. “From this journey, I’ve learned that you have to be content in your situation and thankful for what you have.”

Having a positive attitude and the determination to live life to the fullest have been and always will be important, she added.

“I just want to be healthy,” Frye said.

“I told Austin, ’I’m going to be around bugging you for a long time.’ Attitude is huge, and Mary Albert and my family give me something to fight for.” n

• “If you would like to talk about it, I’m here.”

•

Schedule short, regular visits or maybe arrange to stay while his or her caregiver goes out for a couple of hours.

•

Offer to take a short walk with your friend if he or she is up to it.

•

Look for ways to help with daily life by, for example, offering to: • Buy groceries or run other errands • Send or prepare a meal • Baby- or pet-sit

Frye noted that making regular blood donations and registering to be a bone marrow donor are also ways to show someone you’re in the fight with them. Even if it’s not a match for your friend or family member, the donation could make a difference to someone else’s loved one.

“Within 12 hours, an international donor who was a 14-point match saved my life,” Frye explained. “I always tell friends, ‘Your donation may not be a match for me, but it may be a match for someone like me, and you can save their life.’”

Learn more about these processes at www.unitedbloodservices.org, www.msblood.com and www.bethematch.org.

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Our PEOPLE

MSU, Alumni Association award faculty for exemplary performance

ASSOCIATION DEBUTS NEW ALUMNI CLUBS

Three esteemed faculty members earned special recognition from the Alumni Association, as part of the university’s 2016 Faculty Awards and Recognition Program.

Kimberly C. Kelly was awarded the Alumni Association’s Graduate Teaching Excellence Award. Part of the university family since 2009, she is known for her passion and the support she shows her students. She is a great asset to the Department of Sociology as an associate professor and has made quite an impression on her peers within the department.

Veera Gnaneswar Gude added the Early Career Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award to the Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor award he earned last year. He joined the Mississippi State faculty in 2012, and has become a valuable resource to the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering as an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering. His commitment and teaching abilities help his students excel in their studies.

Brian S. Baldwin, recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor Award, not only received praise from his peers but from many of his students as well.

He was honored for the encouragement he shows his students. As a professor for the

The Mississippi State University Alumni Association has launched alumni clubs to engage even more of its 135,000 living graduates across the country.

Alumni clubs will supplement the organization’s already strong alumni chapter program.

“The club structure will provide opportunities for alumni groups in areas where the population reflects a strong presence of the Bulldog family, but hasn’t quite reached the amount needed to support an alumni chapter,” said Jeff Davis, executive director of the MSU Alumni Association.

Clubs introduced in the initial rollout include seven areas: Boston; the San Francisco Bay Area; Southern California; the Kansas City area; Miami; Tampa, Florida; Phoenix; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Alumni clubs, much like alumni chapters, will give alumni an opportunity to gather and network with other Bulldogs, recruit students to Mississippi State and financially support the university’s programs and initiatives. These clubs will work with the association’s 93 alumni chapters as they firmly plant the Mississippi State flag in their respective areas.

“Our goal is to ensure there is a way for all alumni to connect locally with Mississippi State in as many avenues as possible, and over time, we will consider additional clubs in other areas,” Davis said.

For more information on alumni clubs, contact Janet Downey, coordinator of chapter and volunteer programs for the MSU Alumni Association, at 662.325.8515 or jdowney@alumni. msstate.edu. n

Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, he shows great passion and integrity. Most importantly, however, Baldwin proves to be a friend and a caring mentor to each of his students.

The Alumni Association is honored to partner with the university to recognize meritorious teachers and researchers for the impact they make on students each day. During the annual university awards program, additional faculty and staff were honored by Mississippi State: • Richard L. Brown and Alan I. Marcus formally were named William L. Giles Distinguished Professors; • Academic coordinator Krystle M. Dixon of the Adkerson School of Accountancy received the Irvin Atly Jefcoat Excellence in Advising Staff Award; • Associate professor Lesley J. Strawderman of industrial and systems engineering received the Jefcoat Excellence in Advising Faculty Award; and • Associate professor of English Kelly A. Marsh officially was designated a John Grisham Master Teacher, the tribute to classroom instruction excellence named for the MSU alumnus and internationally recognized author. n

2016 MSU Alumni Association faculty award recipients (from L-R) Veera Gnaneswar Gude, Kimberly C. Kelly and Brian S. Baldwin.

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Executive associate vice president Julia Hodges (left) presented awards to honorees (from L-R) Alan I. Marcus, Krystle M. Dixon, Kelly A. Marsh, Lesley J. Strawderman and Richard L. Brown.

Ride with Pride.

000000

ALABAMA

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY CAR TAGS ARE AVAILABLE IN AL, DC, GA, MS, TN AND TX. There is no better way to show your loyalty and pride in Mississippi State than by owning an official university license plate. Displaying an MSU tag will let everyone know, wherever you drive, that Mississippi State University is your institution of choice. For more information, visit alumni.msstate.edu/cartag.

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Our PEOPLE

2016 R OAD DAWGS

The Mississippi State University Alumni Association and the Bulldog Club hosted the 2016 Road Dawgs Tour with a total of 10 stops throughout Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas.

The tour began in Mississippi with a stop in Meridian and ended in Memphis.

More than 1,100 individuals participated.

This year's tour included football coach Dan Mullen, along with baseball coach John Cohen, men's basketball coach Ben Howland, women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer and volleyball coach David McFatrich.

Super Bulldog Weekend Sports, festivals and fellowship were highlights of the 2016 Super Bulldog Weekend as thousands of Bulldog alumni, friends and fans visited the MSU campus and Starkville during April 15-16. Individuals should look forward to next year and plan a time to visit the MSU Alumni Association and tour the extraordinary Hunter Henry Center.

Senior Celebration Graduating seniors gathered for the annual Alumni Association Senior Celebration featuring crawfish, MSU ice cream and music at the Hunter Henry Center.

University seniors socialized with classmates as they celebrated their last days as part of the student body, completing their journey to becoming the newest members of the MSU alumni family.

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S P R I NGT I M E W I T H T H E B U LLDOGS

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®

Mississippi State University’s app, myState Mobile, keeps you connected to the Bulldog family wherever you are. Learn about upcoming events, find your way around campus, and keep up with the latest in news and sports. Check your grades and schedule, and register for classes from your smartphone or tablet. myState Mobile provides information and resources that will help you Ring True at MSU.

CONNECT TO THE BULLDOG FAMILY

WWW.MSSTATE.EDU/MOBILE

T H E A LLU V I A N H O TE L • TH E A L L UV I A N SP A • V I KI N G C O O KI NG SC H O O L • G I A R DI N A ’ S 325D Howard Street Greenwood, Mississippi 662.451.6700 thealluvian.com

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3719_USSP_NCAA_MIssStAlumniProgramAd_FINAL.indd 1

9/28/15 3:22 PM

From his graduation to his retirement, Gary L. Gaines has made an impact on his State.

CONGRATULATIONS

Grownup Getaway

to Gary Gaines on his 43 year career with Mississippi Land Bank. In his 26 years as our president, Gary has significantly strengthened and grown the association.

We wish him the very best in his retirement.

Greenwood has earned a well-deserved reputation as Mississippi’s most accessible getaway spot. From rejuvenation at the Alluvian Spa to an overnight stay in a luxurious Alluvian suite, the beauty of Greenwood’s downtown district is its walkability, with shopping and upscale dining choices that will have you begging for more. visitgreenwood.com 662-453-9197 • #travelgreenwood

Gary L. Gaines

WWW . MSLANDBANK . COM TOLL FREE 866.560.9664

President and CEO

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Our PEOPLE

EMBARK on an adventure

with the Alumni Association

The MSU Alumni Association annually sponsors trips across the globe through the Traveling Bulldogs program.

The schedule below outlines trips available for booking.

“Everything about the trip was outstanding!”

Returning from Ireland and Cuba, these Traveling Bulldogs couldn’t help but boast of their experiences.

“Very pleased with everything. I would have stayed longer.”

“The size of ship was perfect for relaxation and great excursions.”

“Enjoyed seeing a lot of the country in a short period of time.”

“Good value; educational.”

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2016 TRAVELING BULLDOGS Mediterranean Pathways and Piazzas Oct. 14-24, 2016

“The trip far exceeded our expectations.”

Jewels of the Riviera Oct. 16-Nov. 2, 2016

2017 TRAVELING BULLDOGS Cruise the Mystique of the Maya – Crystal Serenity Jan. 11-22, 2017 The Wolves of Yellowstone Feb. 7-13, 2017 Legends of the Nile (Small group, 28 passengers) March 7-18, 2017

“Enjoyed alumni from all schools.”

WWI History by River Ship April – TBA The Masters April 5-7, 2017 Passage of Lewis and Clark May 7-15, 2017 Food and Wine: France through Burgundy & Champagne May 19-June 1, 2017

“Visiting different countries and cultures in the quickest most efficient way.”

Sorrento May 10-18, 2017 Celtic Lands May 16-25, 2017 European Collage May 27-June 4, 2017 Food and Wine: San Francisco and California Wine Country June 30-July 5, 2017 Great Journey through Europe June 15-25, 2017 Glacial Adventures of Alaska July 28–Aug. 7, 2017

“Well planned; good historical sites; excellent accommodations.”

Scotland featuring the Military Tattoo Aug. 23-31, 2017 Capitals and Coastlines of Canada and New England Sept. 20-30, 2017 Medieval Masterpiece Nov. 5-14, 2017

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TAILGATE WITH THE MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Join the MSU Alumni Association to enjoy football, food and fun this fall.

Renasant Bank proudly sponsors the official MSU Alumni Association tailgate tent and welcomes the Bulldog family.

HOME GAME TAILGATES: Sept. 3 – South Alabama Sept. 10 – South Carolina Oct. 8 – Auburn Oct. 29 – Samford (Homecoming) Nov. 5 – Texas A&M Nov. 19 – Arkansas

AWAY GAME TAILGATES: Sept. 17 – LSU Sept. 24 – University of Massachusetts Oct. 14 – BYU Oct. 22 – Kentucky

AWAY GAME FAN TRAVEL PACKAGES AVAILABLE: MSU vs. UMASS (Boston) Sept. 21-25 MSU vs. BYU (Park City) Oct. 13-16 MSU vs. Kentucky Oct. 21-23

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Infinite IMPACT

SANDERS SCHOLARSHIP impacts brother, sister at MSU

For siblings Isaac and Emma

By Amy Cagle | Photo by Russ Houston

better humanity.

Jumper, a special scholarship has greatly impacted their education at Mississippi State University. In return for the generous investment, they are preparing for careers that will The Sanders Family Endowed Scholarship helped both Isaac and Emma with their university education. The scholarship, established by Cleveland couple Mike and Nan Sanders, assists undergraduate students enrolled in any

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major as they pursue an undergraduate degree at Mississippi State.

The Sanderses created the scholarship endowment through Jimmy Sanders Inc., one of the leading farm supply distribution businesses in the mid-South. Mike Sanders, a 1964 physical education graduate, is now the retired president and CEO of the company founded by his late father in the Mississippi Delta. The scholarship initially assisted children of the company’s employees, but it now also benefits other students. The couple takes great pride in supporting academics and athletics at the university.

The Jumpers' connection with Mississippi State began when Isaac toured the university as part of his high school

experience. Although he considered several schools, he decided on MSU, in part, because of the excellent reputation of the university and the welcoming environment.

“After I enrolled, the first person who reached out to me was Mr. Sanders,” Isaac said. “He called and congratulated me on my decision and the scholarship, saying, ‘You’ll always be a Bulldog—no matter what else happens in your life—you’ll always have that accomplishment and that connection.’”

Now a third-year veterinary student, Isaac graduated from MSU in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and concentration in pre-veterinary medicine, with a minor in animal and dairy sciences. Along with his studies, he has served as president of both the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and the Collegiate Cattlemen’s Association. This summer, he will participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Smith-Kilborne Foreign Animal Disease Program in New York.

Although Emma is two years younger, she followed her brother’s path and decided MSU was the best place for her. Her academic achievements enable her to echo Isaac’s footsteps as part of the university’s prestigious Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College.

The Jumpers grew up in Paragould, Arkansas, on a registered Angus cattle farm known as Rock Creek Ranch. They appreciate their agricultural roots, which were cultivated by their parents, Tommy and Pam Jumper. The brother-sister pair shares in the ownership of the family business and entertains great plans for the future.

Although the siblings are similar, Emma said it’s their differences that make them a strong team.

“Isaac is science minded and I am business minded, but we complement each other very well in our ambition to help people through everything we achieve. Within our goals is definitely support of agriculture to feed our planet,” she said.

For Emma, a love of agriculture coupled with business shines through in her endeavors. She will graduate in December with a bachelor’s degree in finance and a minor in economics. Earlier this year, she was selected as the top retail student in the nation and received a $25,000 Next Generation Scholarship from the National Retail Federation Foundation, the world’s largest retail trade association. Her application on the trends

in food retail and her passion for the subject captivated the judges.

“I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I trust myself to recognize opportunities as they emerge,” Emma said. “More than anything, I see my selection as the NRF winner as a success for Mississippi State and a testament to the beneficial mission and progressiveness of our university.”

This summer, Emma competed in the Miss Mississippi pageant as Miss Belle of the Bayou. In preparation, she visited schools talking about her platform, “The Solution to Feeding the World STEMS from Agriculture.”

“Isaac is science minded and I am business minded, but we complement each other very well in our ambition to help people through everything we achieve. Within our goals is definitely support of agriculture to feed our planet.” ~Emma Jumper “The Sanders family and company have been very good to us, and Isaac and I want to promote agriculture and the state of Mississippi,” Emma said. “We are proud to represent the Sanders legacy and the Sanders name in all we accomplish because of the generous scholarship.”

Through the generosity of Nan and Mike Sanders, an additional endowment will bring opportunities to attract more elite students to Mississippi State. A new Presidential Endowed Scholarship funded by the couple will provide a four-year education for high-caliber future recipients who will be members of the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College.

The Mike and Nan Sanders Presidential Endowed Scholarship will challenge outstanding students to excel academically and distinguish themselves through their studies and campus leadership roles.

“We are proud to support scholarships at Mississippi State because an investment in students can encourage and help them become caring and knowledgeable future leaders,” said Mike, who was the university’s national alumnus in 2014. “It is the educational paths of these students, like Isaac and Emma, that will ultimately make them successful and enable them to bring their incredible talents to areas that will better our world.” n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Infinite IMPACT

Lewises’ legacy of giving comes full circle

By Addie Mayfield Mississippi State University has always held a special place in the heart of Harvey Lewis. From serving the university in various leadership positions to contributing to numerous areas across campus and establishing new scholarship funds through private support, the act of paying it forward has ultimately come full circle for the faithful alumnus, whose name now stands as a permanent feature in the College of Business.

Raised on a farm in Byram, Lewis had early involvement with Mississippi State through active participation in the Extension Service’s 4-H Club Youth Development Program.

Through the program, he gained valuable experience under the guidance of several county agents including Charles Estess, a 1939 MSU graduate he credits with influencing his decision to attend the university.

In 1961, Lewis graduated from the College of Business with a degree in banking and finance. That same year, he married his high school sweetheart, Di Ann Bartee, who joined the Bulldog family, earning her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the College of Education in 1969, 1972 and 1974, respectively.

Lewis went on to earn both an MBA and doctoral degree from the University of Arkansas before beginning a progressive and successful career in education. Among his various positions, he served as executive vice chancellor at the University of Mississippi and associate dean of business at the University of Central Florida. He also assumed several titles at MSU including vice president for administration and development and interim university president, eventually retiring in 1997 as dean of the College of Business, which grew significantly under his direction.

“When the opportunity presented itself for me to return to Mississippi State, I also had a few job offers at other universities,” Lewis said. “However, when it came down to it, there wasn’t much of a decision because I knew where I wanted to go. There have been many changes to campus since I first came here, but it always feels like home.”

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Harvey S. and Di Ann B. Lewis The Lewises, who now reside in St. Petersburg, Florida, have upheld more than three decades of consecutive giving to their alma mater. Included in their support are several annual scholarships and the Dr. Harvey S. and Dr. Di Ann B. Lewis Endowed Scholarship.

“Higher education is very expensive and many families do not have the means to provide for such an experience,” Lewis said.

“I always remember that if it had not been for scholarships, neither Di Ann nor I could have pursued advanced degrees.”

Lewis also recognizes the encouragement that scholarships and private gifts provide for leadership and academic excellence.

“Di Ann and I believe this is the way to pay it forward,” Lewis said. “Because we have spent our entire professional lives on university campuses, we have seen firsthand the benefits of giving back to Mississippi’s institutions.”

The couple’s exemplary commitment to outstanding support has impacted the lives of many fellow Bulldogs, including Richard Armstrong and Jim Walden. The two College of Business graduates, both former students of Lewis who have maintained a friendship with him over the years, agree that he not only taught his students, but also invested in them. Eager to honor their esteemed mentor, they spearheaded the idea for a naming

opportunity and joined forces to promote the fundraising efforts.

The Dr. Harvey Lewis Mezzanine, which comprises a space on the second floor of the Seal Family Business Complex atrium in McCool Hall, provides functional and versatile space where students can study, relax between classes or gather for small group meetings. The space was made possible through the support of more than 30 contributors, including Harvey’s wife Di Ann, who provided a major gift for the endowment.

“I was honored by this recognition supported by family and friends,” Lewis said.

“My work with Mississippi State over the last 30 years has been a labor of love. It has been a privilege to work in a variety of positions with a diverse group of MSU students, faculty and university administrators.”

The Lewises’ spirit of philanthropy has provided greater opportunities through MSU and influenced the lives of many. Now, through their most recent investment and the accompanying contributions of others who have been affected by the couple’s benevolence, their legacy has been cemented on the MSU campus. The physical structure will serve as a symbol of the valuable commitment, which has strengthened the foundations of success for current and future Bulldogs. n

GORDON HELPS ALUMNI, FRIENDS INITIATE ESTATE PLANS By Amy Cagle | Photo by Russ Houston Wes Gordon is always planning for the future. With four young children, he believes there is no better time to consider the steps necessary to secure the financial future of his family. Going forward, he wants to share his knowledge of estate planning with alumni and friends of Mississippi State University.

“I grew up loving MSU, and I am proud to share my passion for the success of the university and help my fellow alumni,” Gordon said.

In May, Gordon began leading plannedgiving efforts for the MSU Foundation. He has worked with fundraising throughout the university for the past six years. He earned a bachelor’s in physical education in 2004 and a master’s in sport administration the following year.

Gordon joined the MSU Foundation in 2010 after a successful stint as development director at the University of West Alabama in Livingston. While there, he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the institution’s UWA Foundation, managed a sizable donor portfolio for outright and planned giving, and implemented the institution’s first comprehensive capital campaign.

At Mississippi State, Gordon’s experience has grown through fundraising for the Division of Student Affairs. He has primarily helped graduates find ways to continue their association with MSU, whether it be

(L-R) Malcolm Lightsey and Wes Gordon

volunteering or financially supporting areas across campus.

Most recently, Gordon assisted several alumni with estate planning, including Malcolm Lightsey, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics in 1961 and 1963, respectively. A former Mississippi State tennis player, he resides in Ridgeland with his wife, Joy. He is the retired president of SunTech Inc., while she retired as vice president from the company.

The Lightseys worked with Gordon and other Foundation personnel to create a charitable gift plan tailored for their needs and that includes MSU as a beneficiary.

A bequest from the couple will one day benefit the university as a whole and also support the Bulldog Club.

“Malcolm and Joy know their support of MSU will be perpetual because their estate plan suits their needs now and achieves their goals over time,” Gordon said.

For Gordon, the enthusiasm for his new role as planned giving director continues to grow with each Bulldog he helps.

“MSU is not what we do, it is part of who we are. And planned gifts are among the most thoughtful gifts a person can use to create a legacy,” Gordon said. “The benefits of these gifts enable donors to impact their lives, their futures and, in some instances, future generations of students and faculty at Mississippi State.” n

A look inside Planned Giving at MSU The MSU Foundation wants to help alumni and friends simplify their estate planning process and solidify their Forever Maroon and White connections. Some simple questions can help individuals begin designing their plans.

What is a planned gift? A planned gift is a lifetime or testamentary charitable gift made as part of a donor’s personal, financial or estate planning. Depending on the type of gift, a donor can receive benefits such as an income tax deduction, estate tax deduction, capital gains bypass and income.

What planned gifts does MSU accept? The most common planned gifts to MSU are bequests through a will and charitable gift annuities.

The university also accepts charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, qualified retirement plans and retained life estates.

How will a planned gift make an impact? Like an outright gift, a planned gift can be designated to an area of the donor’s choice. Planned gifts to MSU support many areas including scholarships, professorships, building projects and excellence funds. An MSU gift agreement can be executed to outline the donor’s intent for the use of the gift, in addition to any necessary legal documents.

Alumni and friends may initiate charitable gift planning with Wes Gordon in the MSU Foundation’s Office of Planned Giving or visit the MSU Foundation website at msugiftplanning.org.

Those who have already included MSU in estate plans should contact Gordon at 662.325.3707 or wgordon@ foundation.msstate.edu to be acknowledged as a member of the prestigious Old Main Society. All planned gifts to Mississippi State at this time are part of the university’s ongoing capital campaign known as Infinite Impact. n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Class NOTES _________________________________

1970s

John Thornton (B.A. communication, ’72) recently retired

from West Florida Electric Cooperative as director of communications with 32-years of service. He was responsible for the cooperative’s monthly newsletter and bi-weekly employee newsletter, as well as coordination of promotional materials.

He earned the Cooperative Master Communicator award from the National Cooperative Communicators Association.

He was also recognized by former Alabama Governor Bob Riley, with a proclamation for this achievement.

Patricia O’Kelly (BME instrumental, ’75) earned notice in The Washington Post upon her retirement as managing director of media relations from the National Symphony Orchestra. The article notes that she was the organization’s institutional memory and an invaluable member of the organization.

Hinds Community College presented its highest honor, the Emphasis on Excellence and Enrichment Award, to Thomas Wasson (B.S. management, ’76), vice president for Physical Plant and Auxiliaries, and Janet Wasson (B.S.

foreign language education, ’74), the current longest serving English

instructor on the Raymond campus. The couple’s honor marks only the fourth time the award has had multiple recipients.

Lynn PhillipsGaines (B.A. communication, ’78) was named to

Barron’s Financial News’s list of the top 1,200 advisers in the country. This is her second consecutive year on the list.

She manages more than $200 million in client assets in her role as a certified

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financial planner at Phillips Financial, an independent firm with Raymond James Financial Services. _________________________________

1980s

Tom Nelson (attended) has

been promoted to senior associate at San Francisco, Californiabased BAR Architects.

Gordon W. “Will” McMahon (B.S., M.S. civil engineering, ’82, ’88) has been named chief of the Engineering Systems and Materials Division in the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg.

James C. Ray (B.S., M.S. civil engineering, ’83, ’91) was named a

Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He is a research structural engineer in the Geosciences and Structures Division Research Group of the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg. _________________________________

1990s

Lisa Yonge Lacy (B.S. home economics, marketing, ’90) released “A Promise on Brushy Creek” in April.

Based on the lives of her paternal ancestors, the book weaves together true stories and fiction to create an engaging tale of the past.

The first published work of the Stoneville resident is available in hardcover, paperback and e-book editions.

Brian Ketchum (B.S. chemical engineering, ’92)

has been named to The Peoples Bank board of directors. He is the principle owner in Environmental Compliance and Safety Inc. He previously worked with the Mississippi Department of

Environmental Quality, where he became a branch chief before leaving to become a corporate environmental health and safety manager, and later plant manager for a chemical manufacturing company.

Russell M. Burton (B.S. mechanical engineering, ’99)

was invited to attend the Edward Jones Managing Partner’s Conference in April.

The prestigious annual event honors the top 350 of the firms more than 14,000 financial advisers. He is based at the firm’s Owensboro, Kentucky, office. _________________________________

2000s

Michael Thoma (BARC architecture, ’00)

has joined the St. Louis office of HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm, as a vice president and senior project manager.

Trey Ball (BACC accounting, ’01)

joined Evans Petree PC as an associate focusing on business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, commercial lending and tax law. He previously worked as a certified public accountant.

Dow AgroSciences named Scott

Wright (B.S. agronomy, ’01; M.S. agriculture, ’06) an Enlist field

specialist. He will serve the mid-South as a member of a team of regional experts supporting Enlist weed control systems, an advanced herbicide and trait system that delivers exceptional weed control.

Rhonda R. Burrage (B.S., M.S. secondary education, ’03,’10)

was selected for the prestigious national Milken Educator Award, which comes with a $25,000 prize. She teaches at Meridian’s Magnolia Middle School.

Know an MSU graduate who has news or a recent promotion? Email Susan Lassetter at slassetter@opa.msstate.edu.

Alice Holloway (BBA banking and finance, ’03) has been promoted to consumer loan officer with First State Bank-Lucedale.

Courtney Tarpley Robbins (B.A. communication, ’04) opened a law

practice based in Canton. Robbins Legan, PLLC offers services in the specialized areas of ERISA and estate planning. She previously worked as an ERISA expert in the trust and wealth management department of one of the largest banks in the South.

Dustin Barnes (B.A. communication, ’05) has been named

one of the nation’s top journalists under 35 by Editor and Publisher magazine. He is community engagement editor of the Clarion Ledger (Jackson) and previously worked in public relations at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. (Image submitted Joe Ellis/The Clarion-Ledger)

Kim Strickland (BFA art, ’05) has

been promoted from senior art director to vice president at Kelley & Associates Advertising. She will manage delivery of service to clients, supervise professional development and continue to create leading-edge visual communications.

Ashley Buse (B.S. biological sciences, ‘06)

will represent Mississippi in the Mrs. America competition in Las Vegas August 27. Representing Tupelo, she took top honors in the state pageant, in

which she was also named Mrs. Fitness.

Known as the foremost competition for married women in the United States, the Mrs. America organization celebrates family values and holds up contemporary married women as America’s greatest natural resource. (Image by Zach Harrison Photography)

Lauren Black (BBA marketing, business information systems, ’07; MBA business administration, ’09) earned

certification from the certified financial planner board of standards. She works at Phillips Financial in Starkville.

Kimberly Mason Peeples (B.S. psychology, sociology, ’09; M.S. counselor education, ’12) has

been selected for the National Board for Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program by the organization’s foundation.

She will receive $20,000 in funding and training to support her education and work with under-served populations.

Christian Preus Landscape Architecture earned the Honor Award by the Mississippi chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects for the Lighthouse Park project in Pascagoula. It is the highest honor that a project can receive at the state level for exemplifying excellence in public design. The presentation was made at the 50th year celebration of the landscape architecture department to Oliver Preus (BLA landscape architecture, ’10), founding principle Christian Preus

(BLA landscape architecture, ’02)

and campus planner and MSU faculty member Cory Gallo.

_________________________________

2010s

William Morris “M.J.” Hill Jr. (B.S., M.S. computer science, ’11, ’13)

was honored by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory during AfricanAmerican Heritage Month for making an impact in his field and serving as a role model for younger generations.

He is a software engineer for the Californiabased group.

Lynn TincherLadner (Ph.D. community college leadership, ’12)

is now president and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa. She is only the third CEO in the honor society’s 98 years.

She is a member of Mississippi State’s graduate faculty.

Hans Palacios (MBA business administration, ’14) has joined

HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm, as a project architect. _________________________________

BIRTH

ANNOUNCEMENTS Elizabeth Britt Carter, Sept. 21, 2015 to Christopher Carter and Britt

Hammons Carter (’09, ’10) of Flowood.

Morgan Alexis Arnold, Jan. 22, 2016 to Michael G. Arnold (’07) and

Kathryn Arnold of McComb.

Pippa Alison-Carolyn Clayton, March 17, 2016 to Kevin Clayton (’06) and Alison Clayton (’15) of New Albany.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Forever MAROON C. Hunter Andrews (B.S., M.S., Ph.D. agronomy, ’54, ’58, ’66; former faculty) 83, Starkville – A graduate of the U.S. Army Artillery School, Antiaircraft and Guided Missiles Branch, he served as a first lieutenant. He was a member of Mississippi State’s faculty until 1995 and worked extensively with the U.S. Agency for International Development in South America, Africa and Asia. He was a member of the American Society of Agronomy for 56 years. He was also a member of the Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, Phi Kappa Phi honor society and Kappa Sigma fraternity. – May 5, 2016 William S. Arrington (attended) 46, Starkville – After completing a degree at the University of Southern Mississippi, he worked in the construction engineering department of the Mississippi Chemical Corp. in Yazoo City before moving to Starkville in 2004 to work at Gun Dog Supply.

– May 15, 2016 William “Bill” Barnhill (attended) 79, Monroe City, Missouri – A native of Louisville, he moved to the Chicago area where he worked as a night foreman for Industrial Hard Chrome for 40 years. He also worked for Enduro Industries.

He was very active with the Lions Club softball program, and also volunteered as a coach for junior high-aged basketball and delivered food as part of Meals on Wheels. – April 3, 2016 Archie Batson (B.S. animal husbandry, ’64) 74, Wiggins – A fourth-generation farmer, he established ABC Cattle Co., and focused on polled Brahman cattle, setting the standard for the breed. Named Outstanding Young farmer in 1966 and Mississippi Cattleman of the Year in 1981, he served the Stone County fair board and Cattlemen’s Association.

He worked to introduce children to farming by helping establish

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Stone County Kindergarten Farm Day and the Stone County Junior Livestock Association. For 26 years, he also provided livestock for a four-day, living nativity scene for the community. – Feb. 25, 2016 Mary Jane Bouchillon (attended) 60, Fairhope, Alabama – A native of Lexington, she joined Chi Omega sorority while she attended Mississippi State. She moved with her husband and high school sweetheart, Gene, to Dallas, Texas, where he owned a business and they raised a family.

– March 13, 2016 Luis F. Brande (M.Ed. physical education, ’79) 61, Miami, Florida – A native of Cuba, he began his baseball career at age 8 and ultimately played for the University of Miami as a relief pitcher. After earning his master’s degree, he used the mentoring skills he learned as a young player to inspire the next generation.

He worked with junior high kids facing disciplinary action, and later coached and taught science at Coral Park Senior High School in Florida. – Dec. 15, 2015 Jerry M. Bristow (B.S. agriculture and animal husbandry, ’54) 83, Tupelo – A veteran of the Korean War, he worked as a real estate appraiser and enjoyed tending his land called Bristow Acres. – May 14, 2016 Barbara Mauldin Clements (B.S. elementary education, ’67) 70, Starkville – An elementary school teacher for 32 years, Clements is remembered as kindhearted, generous and compassionate, which she exemplified in her interactions with students. In addition to her Mississippi State degree, she held an associate degree from Meridian Junior College and a master’s from the University of Mississippi. – Jan. 22, 2016 David Cook (B.S. general business administration, ’76) 66, Columbus – He served in the U.S.

Army before attending Mississippi State. He retired after a 25-year career with Weyerhaeuser Co. – March 15, 2016 William J.B. Crittenden (B.S. school administration, ’50) 89, McComb – A veteran of the U.S. Navy, having enlisted at 17 years old, he earned a Doctor of Education following his graduation from Mississippi State.

He taught high school in Jayess until he moved to Houston, Texas, where he worked in public high schools before becoming dean of education and behavioral studies at Houston Baptist University.

He served on the Texas Board of Examiners for Texas Colleges and was president of the Texas Deans of Education. – Sept. 11, 2014 Moody Culpepper (B.S. civil engineering, ’62) 80, Vicksburg – A veteran of the U.S. Navy, he spent 30 years with the Army Corps of Engineers and was a registered professional engineer.

He was an active alumnus who served on the national and Warren County alumni boards of directors, including positions on many committees and a term as president. He was a volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America, including serving as district commissioner of the Andrew Jackson Council, and served on the state board of directors of the Girl Scouts of America. – April 26, 2016 Guy W. Davis (B.S. forestry, ’59) 81, Jackson – A native of Lumberton, he enjoyed spending time on his farm and had a passion for Mississippi State football. – April 24, 2016 Richard Glen Eaves (B.S. dairy science, ’53; M.S. history, ’60) 83, Knoxville, Tennessee – After earning his bachelor’s degree, he served in Korea and Japan in the Army. He earned his first master’s from Peabody College in Nashville before returning to MSU for a second and eventually earning a

doctoral degree from the University of Alabama. He taught for 16 years at Auburn University before becoming dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Mississippi College. – April 10, 2016 Robert Edwards (M.S. fisheries management, ’52) 92, Yazoo City – A member of the First United Methodist Church in Yazoo City, he was a dedicated employee of the U.S. Postal Service for many years.

– Dec. 3, 2015 Samuel Ellis (attended) 75, Dade City, Florida – A native of Alabama, he played baseball while at Mississippi State and was inducted into the MSU Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. He pitched in the major leagues for nine seasons, most notably with the Cincinnati Reds in 1965 when he went 22-10 and made the AllStar team. For more than 25 years, he worked as a pitching coach, mentoring young players in the Yankees, White Sox, Mariners, Cubs, Red Sox, Orioles and Reds organizations. – May 13, 2016 Candace “Candy” Daniels Farrior (friend) Decatur, Alabama – A graduate of Delta State University, she was a big supporter of Mississippi State, the alma mater of her husband Charles.

Together they were longtime season ticket holders with their son Wyatt. When not attending MSU sporting events, the family enjoyed traveling, particularly to the North Carolina mountains and across the Southeast to see Wyatt play baseball. – Feb. 9, 2016 F. Ray Harvey (B.S. agronomy, ’59) 80, Tallahassee, Florida – Hired by Mississippi Chemical Corp. immediately following his graduation, he served the company as a field representative for 40 years.

He was an active member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Tallahassee. – April 2, 2016 Mike Hurt (B.S. agricultural economics, ’98) 45, Yazoo City

REMEMBERING ROBERT M. SCHOLTES Robert M. Scholtes, professor and head emeritus of civil engineering, died Feb. 6, 2016. He was 87.

A native of Pascagoula, Scholtes came to Mississippi State to study engineering. He recounted his arrival during a 2010 interview with the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering.

“Not having an automobile, I asked my sister and her husband to bring me to Starkville as they passed through,” he said. “They drove to the west end of Lee Hall, set my stuff out on the curb, wished me well and drove off.

“That was my orientation,” he continued. “I registered for classes and was on my way.”

His abrupt introduction to the Bulldog family set in motion a love for Mississippi State that has crossed generations.

Scholtes joined the civil engineering faculty in 1951 after completing a bachelor’s degree. He went on to complete a master’s degree while teaching in

– A native of Starkville he joined Rich-N-Tone Calls following his graduation and was still employed in the outdoor industry. – April 13, 2016 Hubert L. Keasler (B.S., M.S. accounting, ’71, ’77; DBA business administration, ’91) 74, Hattiesburg – He spent his early career with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station where he eventually became head of the accounting department. During that time, he also served as an adjunct accounting instructor at Mississippi State. He then became a professor of accountancy at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, before taking a similar position at the University of Southern Mississippi and later William Carey University where he became dean of the business school. – Dec. 24, 2015 Robert Kochtitzky (B.S. marketing, ’50) 87, Okeechobee, Florida – He served the Air Force in the Korean War after his graduation. Following his service, and after completing a master’s at Southern Methodist University, he returned to Mississippi and founded

the department. A 1961 Ford Foundation grant allowed him to complete a doctoral degree at the Georgia Institute of Technology, which marked his only time away from Mississippi State during his 39-year career.

He returned to Mississippi State in 1963 and was appointed department head three years later, a position he held until his retirement in 1990.

Being in academic leadership during that time allowed Scholtes to help influence the many changes that shaped education, Mississippi State and civil engineering during the 20th century.

His contributions to the field were recognized in 2014 when he received the Distinguished Engineering Service Award from the Mississippi Engineering Society.

Scholtes was a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, having at one time served as president of its Mississippi section. He was also a member of and held various leadership

Laymen’s Overseas Services to help place volunteers into service projects across the globe. Active in the civil rights movement, he moved to the Washington, D.C., area after his house was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan.

There he founded Alternatives, an organization meant to highlight over-commercialization of holidays.

He later returned to Mississippi and founded a series of non-profits including many, like the Mississippi 2020 Network, that focused on environmental issues. He founded the Mississippi Sustainable Futures Awards and served on the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Advisory Committee on Environmental Education. – May 5, 2016 James Arthur “Art” Massey Jr. (B.S. animal science, ’54) 83, Germantown, Tennessee – He served in the U.S. Army Special Forces and the 82nd Airborne Division. He began a career as a stockbroker with Francis I. Dupont and Co., later becoming the agricultural and area development manager of the Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce. He served on the boards of the Mid-South Fair and

roles in the American Society for Engineering Education, the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Mississippi Engineering Society. He was a registered professional engineer and was appointed to the Mississippi State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.

Memphis AgriCenter. He spent 28 years with Belz Enterprise as a director of the industrial division.

– April 27, 2016 Dixon H. Mills (B.S., M.Ed. industrial arts education, ’60, ’75) 77, Brandon – After earning a master’s degree, he worked with the state Department of Education for 40 years. An active member of the Catholic Church, he served on the pastoral and finance counsels, linen services and other parish groups. – March 31, 2016 Steven Patton (B.S. management, ’75) 62, Madison – A member of the Kappa Alpha Order while at Mississippi State, he worked in the commercial banking industry in the metro-Jackson area for 37 years. He retired from the Community Bank of Mississippi in 2014. – March 7, 2016 James Forrest Scott (B.S. chemistry, ’66) 73, Orlando, Florida – A member of the Famous Maroon Band, in which he played trumpet, he spent his career in the food industry. He started with Pet Milk and retired in 2005 as ConAgra’s director of quality assurance-frozen food in Omaha, Nebraska. – March 11, 2016

Dr. Paula “Nikki” ShoemakePatterson (B.S. microbiology, ’98) 40, Starkville – A native of Tupelo, she fulfilled a lifelong dream to become a doctor when she graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 2003. She completed a surgical residency at St. Raphael Hospital in Connecticut before returning to Mississippi to join the staff at Oktibbeha County Hospital. In 2014, she was named a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in recognition of her professional achievements. Her infant daughter, Aubrey Caroline, followed her in death. – June 1, 2016 Jean K. Snyder (former faculty) 95, Starkville – A lifelong student of home economics, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University, a master’s from Cornell and a doctoral degree from Florida State.

After holding teaching positions at several universities, she came to Mississippi State in 1971 to be head of the home economics department. She retired from MSU in 1985 as associate dean of agriculture and home economics.

She was active in many national professional organizations and ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Forever MAROON local civic clubs, holding leadership positions including president of the National Council of Administrators of Home Economics and a board member for the chamber of commerce and United Way. – Feb. 24, 2016

– A veteran of the U.S. Navy, he retired from the Soil Conservation Service after 32 years. He then worked in real estate as a hobby.

He was a member of Gideons International and the masonic lodge. – April 26, 2016

Daniel Stubbs (B.S. professional accountancy, ’61) 76, Flowood – After earning a bachelor’s degree, he worked as a certified public accountant for many years at the Mississippi Forestry Commission; Ernst and Young; Entergy; and McCarty Holman Co. He also worked with the Mississippi Tax Commission, the Mississippi Development Authority, served as treasurer of Jitney Jungle Stores of America and was a commissioner for the Reservoir Fire Department.

– April, 18, 2016

Ursin “Pete” Walker (B.S. general science, physical education, social studies education, ’51; M.S. guidance education, ’63; D.Ed. school administration, ’66) 87, Cleveland – A football player at Mississippi State as an undergraduate, he later played football in the Army. He then returned to MSU where he worked as an athletic academic counselor and became the first person to earn a doctoral degree in education. He taught and coached at Cleveland High School before moving to Delta State University where he served as a professor, director of counseling and dean of students. He was a member of the Lion’s Club, volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, and served as both district governor and president of the Mid-South Sight Foundation – April 6, 2016

Melanie Twiss (B.S. medical technology, ’75) 63, Jackson – After graduating from State she received further training in medical technology at Baptist Hospital in Memphis. She then practiced in West Palm Beach, Florida, before returning to Jackson and St. Dominic Hospital, from which she retired earlier this year after 37 years. – May 4, 2016 Emmett Tynes (B.S., M.S. agriculture and extension education, ’48, ’54) 95, Brandon

John W. Windham (B.S. electrical engineering, ’64) 78, Bay Springs – After graduating from MSU he began his career as an electrical engineer with Westinghouse

Electrical Corp. in Atlanta. He retired from Tru-amp Corp. in Jackson. He was married for more than 50 years to Florence J. Windham (B.S. business education, ’62) 77, Longtime members of the Bulldog Club, they were enthusiastic tailgaters at many MSU events. They passed away within months of each other. – Jan. 30, 2016 and April 2, 2016 Doris Mae Johns Wise (attended) 92, Starkville – A native of a German community in Wisconsin, she enrolled at Mississippi State after moving to Starkville with her husband Louis when he accepted a professorship.

She was active in community and MSU-related groups, and was known for her hospitality toward generations of foreign and domestic students who found a home away from home under her welcoming roof. – May 4, 2016 Charles D. Work Sr. (B.S. management, ’59) 80, Cleveland – After serving in the U.S. Army he came to Mississippi State where he was active on campus including serving as president of the School of Business and Industry and a member of the Student Government Association.

He held a variety of positions

in industry before becoming director of the Rosedale-Bolivar County Port Commission, a position he held for 33 years—the longest tenure of a port director on the lower Mississippi River at the time. He was also active in numerous civic, charitable and alumni-based organizations. – Jan. 28, 2016 Herman Lavell Yeatman (B.S. school administration, ’49; M.S. educational administration, ’50) 90, Nashville, Tennessee – A veteran who received the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service in World War II, he enrolled at Mississippi State and earned membership in Scabbard and Blade, Blue Key and ODK, as well as an elected position with the student council. Following graduation, he served as an instructor at Gulf Coast Military Academy and Columbia Military Academy in Tennessee. He set up statewide juvenile and adult probation programs in Tennessee and was a cabinet member under three governors. He was director of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, first director of the state’s Peace Officer Standard and Training Commission, and part of the State Board of Regents.

– June 5, 2016

In Memory of CARLTON M. “BO” REID Carlton M. “Bo” Reid (B.S., M.S. education, ’53, ’62) 84, Ackerman – A high school All-American football player, he received an athletic scholarship to attend Mississippi State where he was a three year letterman, three time Associated Press Lineman of the Week, first team All-SEC in 1952 and Mr. MSU his senior year.

After brief stints as a football coach in the military, he became head coach and athletic director at Cleveland High School.

He later served as dean of men at Copiah Lincoln Junior College and principal and

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assistant superintendent at both Kosciusko and Drew high schools. During the last 30 years of his career, he worked in sales, banking and business development before retiring as director of Choctaw County Economic Development. Foundation.

He was inducted into the Mississippi State Sports Hall of Fame, awarded the Bill Wade Unsung Hero Award by the All-American Football Foundation, and earned the Distinguished American Award from the MSU chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. – April 4, 2016

STEP

M I S S YO U R F R I E N D S

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CALL THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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H AV E A REUNION D O YO U EV ER W I SH YOU COULD REVIS I T YO U R C O L L EGE DAY S, JUST FOR A LITTLE WH I L E ?

Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with fellow Bulldogs, but nothing compares to getting everyone together, in person, to catch up and see how Mississippi State has changed—and stayed the same.

A special reunion can help you and your college group reconnect with each other and the university. Whether

it’s Greek, honorary, academic department, residence hall or extracurricular-based, the Alumni Association can offer assistance in getting your crew back together.

For more information about planning a reunion and how the Alumni Association can help, call 662.325.7000 or visit

www.alumni.msstate.edu/reunions.

HOWEVER, IF SOCIAL MEDIA IS ENOUGH FOR YOU /MSSTATEALUMNI

NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE

PAID

MISSISSIPPI STATE 39762 PERMIT NO. 81

P.O. Box AA One Hunter Henry Boulevard Mississippi State, MS 39762-5526 www.alumni.msstate.edu

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GOLDEN AMBITION FREITAS MAKES A RUN AT OLYMPIC GOLD

Just weeks after winning the 1,500-meter title at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship, Marta Freitas punched her ticket to the Rio Olympics by taking second in the same race at the Campionats de Catalunya in Barcelona. She will represent her home country of Portugal, but she also helps represent the growing success of women’s sports and female athletes at Mississippi State. p. 22