ALUMNUS Summer 2018 - Mississippi State University

Keeping the Promise Bulldog alumni, friends use success to help future generations realize their potential p. 12

I N S I D E Summer 2018

Forged by Family p. 2 | Finding the Antidote p. 5 | Journey to Space p. 36 | The Power of Two p. 39

Table of CONTENTS

FSC logos_new_no-Recycle or TM

FSC0OZEYv.cmyk.eps

FSCitUtvc.cmyk.eps

FSCuNiPcr.cmyk.eps

FEATURES

12

A Promise for Tomorrow Student-support program opens doors and changes lives in Mississippi.

FSCMTE6Xx.cmyk.eps

18 Research, Support and Economic Drive

Fifteen years in, the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems continues to help Mississippi manufacturing thrive.

FSC

ABOVE: Students, under the supervision of project leader Matthew Doude, work on the undercarriage of the “Halo Project” supercar, a self-driving, all-electric SUV being developed by MSU’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems. It builds on the center’s FSCBz6toI.cmyk.eps legacy of automotive innovation and is just one of the cutting-edge projects underway as the center celebrates 15 years. p. 18

26 The Bulldog Prescription

New programs and support programs ensure continued success of Bulldogs in medicine.

FSCyzKIWG.cmyk.eps

FSCDNvd

SUMMER 2018 | VOL. 95 | NO. 1

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

36 38

Sid Salter, ’88

EDITORS

Harriet Laird Susan Lassetter, ’07

WRITERS

44

Vanessa Beeson Amy Cagle Bob Carskadon ’11 James Carskadon ’12 Addie Mayfield Amanda Meeler ’15 Susan Lassetter ’07 Sasha Steinberg ’14

DESIGNERS

Heather Rowe Eric Abbott

PHOTOGRAPHERS Megan Bean Russ Houston ’85 Robert Lewis Kelly Price Tom Thompson Beth Wynn

EDITORIAL OFFICE

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

26 DEPARTMENTS 02 10 34 58 62 77 80

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

COVER A self-professed weather nerd, sophomore Terrance Barnett said he wanted to come to Mississippi State to study meteorology, but the cost of getting there was steep for the Kosciusko native. The MSU Promise Program paved his way to Starkville, opening doors for not only his future but his entire family as well. Photography by Beth Wynn

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

ADVERTISING

Jeff Davis 662.325.3444 jdavis@alumni.msstate.edu 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 cturner@advservices.msstate.edu.

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status protected by applicable law is prohibited.

Campus NEWS

FORGED BY

BLUE-COLLAR ROOTS PRIME MOORHEAD FOR SUCCESS IN BULLDOG COUNTRY

By Bob Carskadon, Photos by Beth Wynn Mervin “Merv” Moorhead Sr., has been many things in his life, his title varying depending on which day—or night—one caught him. For 35 years, he was a steel worker.

Sometimes he was a bartender or a custodian. At any given moment, he was any number of things to any number of people.

Often working multiple jobs, he took on each role for one specific reason: his children. Whatever else he may be called, whatever he may be to anyone else, Merv Moorhead was, above all else, a father.

Merv’s son Joe saw the work his father put in, thinking it to be a necessity—a means to provide shelter and sustenance

2

SUMMER 2018

for the family. That was until one day when Merv took Joe to the steel mill where he worked in Pittsburgh. The images the mind conjures at the mention of a steel mill proved to be true to life—molten metal at any glance, sparks flying in every direction, heavy men operating heavier machinery with skill, confidence and care.

Joe may have been in awe of the sight, but he was also confused.

“Why did you take me to work,” Joe remembers asking his dad. “Why are we here?”

“I do this,” Joe recalled Merv replying, “so you won’t have to.”

So intensive was the interview when Joe Moorhead talked with Mississippi State Athletic Director John Cohen about the open football head coaching position that he wound up sharing one of the most meaningful stories of his life with a man he barely knew. The day his father explained why he worked so tirelessly helped explain just what kind of person the younger Moorhead is.

That story is also what helped convince Cohen that Moorhead was the perfect person to become the Bulldog’s next head football coach.

“I loved it. I’m always trying to write a movie script in my mind and that’s a beautiful script,” Cohen said. “Pretty powerful stuff, to me.”

It wasn’t just that Moorhead was the product of good parenting, though. It was that he had grown to hold the same ideals as his father. It was that Moorhead, following the example given to him, was a

in both, are not so different. The industries of the regions are not the same, of course, but similarities are found in the one thing each is dependent on: hard work. Geography may change, but blue collar is blue collar no matter where you go. Pennsylvania’s steel mills are Mississippi’s farmlands. Early mornings, long days and too-short nights run rampant for all. Worn gloves, heavy boots and aching muscles, the shared hallmarks of their hard work.

And that’s why Moorhead, a man who has spent almost all of his life in the Northeast, fits in so well in the Deep South. Exchange “yins” for “y’all” and the rest falls naturally into place.

One of the first hires Moorhead made upon accepting the job at Mississippi State was Anthony Piroli, who he tabbed to be the head strength and conditioning coach. Like Moorhead, Piroli grew up in Pittsburgh. The two had been following

The industries of the regions are not the same, of course, but similarities are found in the one thing each is dependent on: hard work. Geography may change, but blue collar is blue collar no matter where you go. Pennsylvania’s steel mills are Mississippi’s farmlands. tireless worker—a man with not just a willingness to work hard but with an appreciation for the act itself.

“We were looking for someone who had a bluecollar personality but an intellectual personality at the same time,” Cohen said.

In Moorhead, a brilliant offensive football mind who had grown up under the guidance and care of one of Pennsylvania’s many dedicated steel workers, Cohen found his man.

“I really think my formation as a person and what I stand for is understanding what a blue-collar work ethic meant,” Moorhead said. “It didn’t matter how cold it was, didn’t matter how warm it was, didn’t matter how early in the morning it was or how late at night. [Merv] got up every day and went to work, came home and got something to eat, and whether his second job was a bartender or janitor, he did whatever he needed to do to put food on the table, provide for his family and make sure that we were well-educated.”

Moorhead and his siblings became firstgeneration college graduates thanks to their father’s sacrifices, and when Moorhead decided to attend Fordham University as a quarterback, it was the first big step in a career that has taken him from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Starkville.

It turns out the two cities, and the lessons taught

each other’s professional careers for years, which included a previous stop in Starkville for Piroli as an assistant during the historic 2014 season when the Bulldogs rose to No. 1 in the country. Thanks to his experience with both parties of the new marriage, Piroli was as confident as anyone that Moorhead and Mississippi State would be a perfect fit.

“Coach Joe and I are kind of cut from the same cloth, just hard-working, blue-collar type guys from the same area,” Piroli said. “I told him right after he got this job that one of the things he would like the most about the players I know in this program is that’s exactly who they are.

“I know it might be the South and people might not see similarities between steel country up north and down here, but that’s what I saw in these players when I was here last and I already see it now,” he continued. “One thing you don’t have to teach Mississippi State football players is effort and how to work hard, because these guys go a million miles an hour all the time.”

The new coach’s fit with the Bulldog family has been natural and mutually beneficial in the early months of the Joe Moorhead Era. From his first day in town when he was giving out late-night cheese fries to hungry students in the Cotton District, to the day after national signing day when he did ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

3

Campus NEWS a radio interview while waiting in line at the DMV, Moorhead is proving to be something many people in athletics just aren’t. He’s down to earth and approachable.

He may also be Starkville’s newest millionaire resident, but despite all the trappings of the position, Moorhead is an Every Man. In his natural state, he’s not some celebrity or star. He’s a total dad.

Take his appearance with two of his three kids at an MSU women’s basketball game in January. Most coaches would have arrived decked out in pullovers, sneakers and apparel plastered with company and university logos.

Moorhead showed up to his seats—after waiting in the lengthy line outside with every other fan trying to get into the game—wearing a collared shirt, sweater, pleated slacks and dress shoes, indistinguishable from anyone else in the crowd had his visage not been blasted on all forms of media for the last month and change.

For the Super Bowl, Moorhead went to Buffalo Wild Wings just off campus to watch the big game.

On signing day, when told the information he was looking for had already been texted to him, Moorhead asked for a hard copy rather than relying on his smartphone.

“I’m a print-things-off kind of guy,” he explained.

When he’s not working, Moorhead is with his family, either cheering on one of his kids at one of their athletic events or sitting at home watching TV. They’ve been on a big History Channel kick lately, he shared.

Still, his affability and relatable qualities wouldn’t have mattered much to Cohen had Moorhead not excelled for years as a football coach, earning a reputation as one of the brightest and most creative offensive minds in the college game today. But Cohen, a former head coach himself, knows there are far more things vital to coaching success than just Xs and Os acumen. In Joe Moorhead, the son of Merv Moorhead Sr., Cohen found those qualities.

“For him to talk about how he was parented was really important to me, because in some ways, he’s going to parent 100 football student-athletes here. I wanted to know that he had that club in his bag,” Cohen said, “and he certainly does.” n Special thanks to Vic Latham and the Department of Mechanical Engineering for the use of The Factory’s welding facilities and BattleBells for providing the equipment and personnel for this photo shoot. In the photos, Jeffery Smith of Ackerman’s Moore Machine Works uses TIG welding to create one of BattleBell’s most popular items—the 11-inch, stainless steel “original” bell. The unique “flametorched” bell is also pictured on page 2. Owned by Stephen Caples (’12), John Howell (’11) and Chuck Lovern (’97), the hand-crafted cowbell company began as part of the university’s entrepreneurship program.

4

SUMMER 2018

The blood brain barrier was first discovered in the 1880s by German scientist Paul Ehrlich.

As a Giles Distinguished Professor, Jan Chambers has helped a generation of MSU students gain knowledge and experience in the laboratory as she pursues groundbreaking research on nerve agent antidotes.

FINDING THE ANTIDOTE

MSU researcher pursues breakthrough in nerve agent remedy Story by James Carskadon, Photos by Megan Bean & Tom Thompson

The blood-brain barrier might no longer stand in the way of preventing the long-term effects of nerve agents as research out of Mississippi State University works to push an antidote through this long-standing obstacle.

Jan Chambers, who is a Giles Distinguished Professor, and her research team have spent several years making and testing nerve agent antidotes that have the potential to cross the blood-brain barrier, the highly selective membrane that prevents many drugs in the circulating blood from entering the brain and the rest of the central nervous system. Currently, approved nerve agent antidotes protect the heart, lungs and other vital organs, but the antidote Chambers is developing aims to cross the

blood-brain barrier to protect victims from seizures and brain damage.

“If the brain experiences prolonged seizures, cells are killed and that causes permanent brain damage,” Chambers explained. “The brain just doesn’t repair itself as well as most other tissues. If you survive the event, you may still have lifelong consequences because of the brain damage.

“We’re trying to develop antidotes that might replace or be used in conjunction with the currently approved antidote, so we can get an antidote into the brain and dampen down some of the toxic action to prevent or at least attenuate the brain damage.”

As director of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Center for Environmental Health

Sciences, Chambers leads a team of research faculty, associates and technicians, as well as graduate and undergraduate students to develop an antidote they hope no one ever has to use.

The idea is that those in combat could carry the antidote with them if they are likely to enter an area where sarin gas has been released. Emergency officials could build a strategic reserve of the antidote in case of a terrorist attack using nerve agents such as sarin or VX, or if a terrorist makes a threat agent from some high potency insecticides.

Because of the significant potential military and societal benefit of an improved antidote, Chambers has received research funding from the U.S. Department of Defense and ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

5

Campus NEWS

LEFT: Jan Chambers leads a staff of full-time, graduate and undergraduate researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Center for Environmental Health Sciences.

RIGHT: Chambers spent many years collaborating on research projects with her husband Howard before he died in 2016. (Photo submitted)

the National Institutes of Health.

“We have some surrogate chemicals we study that resemble VX and sarin,” Chambers said. “Our antidotes are showing therapeutic efficacy with both of those, which is encouraging.”

Instead of using the nerve agents themselves, Chambers uses the safer surrogate compounds to study the effectiveness of the antidote in her lab. The antidotes that show greater potential are tested in labs elsewhere that are authorized to use nerve agents for research. Recent tests have shown promising results, Chambers said.

“The path forward is developing information on how long the antidote will be effective in the body, determining if it is toxic in its own right or how much a human can tolerate without showing any adverse effects, and how it works against other types of agents besides the ones we’re studying,” Chambers explained. “That’s the type of information we would have to supply to the FDA. Our perspective is to try not just to save the life, but to save the brain, too, to allow the person who is exposed to this type of chemical the hope of a normal life after that event.”

Chambers, whose work has usually

6

SUMMER 2018

focused on pesticide toxicology, said she never expected to be developing a drug.

The opportunity came when she and her late husband, Howard, met with a former student who was working for the U.S. Air Force in 2010. A renowned toxicologist with a chemical background, Howard sketched out his ideas for the antidote compounds on

“Our perspective is to try not just to save the life, but to save the brain, too, to allow the person who is exposed to this type of chemical the hope of a normal life after that event.” ~ Jan Chambers a napkin at a local restaurant, and eventually funding was secured for the research.

Chambers admitted she also did not expect to spend so long in Starkville when she made the move from her native state of California with Howard in the 1970s. She earned a doctorate in animal physiology from MSU in 1973, joined the faculty ranks in 1980, and has gone on to serve as a principal

investigator of approximately $30 million in federally funded grants for the university.

Among many honors and distinctions, she is a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology, Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences and in 2017 received a Southeastern Conference Faculty Achievement Award.

Jan and Howard collaborated on many research projects over the years, including the nerve agent antidote research. Following Howard’s death in 2016, Jan established an endowed undergraduate scholarship in his memory at MSU. She also continues Howard’s legacy by moving forward with the nerve agent antidote research. Howard is the author on a patent for the testing compounds, along with Jan and lab manager Eddie Meek.

“If it hadn’t been for Howard drawing out that chemical and having a chemical in mind, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” Chambers said. “I was more the biologist of the team and he was the chemist. He was always thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it be so cool if we got a superior antidote on the market?’

As long as the data looks good and we can continue to secure a funding stream, I’m just pursuing what we invented.” n

All Dolled-Up College of Business helps students dress to impress

By Susan Lassetter, Photos by Megan Bean

In dorm rooms and apartments across Starkville, the unofficial college uniform dominates closet space: athletic wear, game-day gear, date-night duds and T-shirts.

Oh, so many T-shirts.

These threads have everything one might need for running to class, tailgating or hitting the Cotton District but leave something to be desired when the destination is the boardroom. And when the time comes to break free of their denim shells, even the best dressed students might find themselves suddenly sartorially challenged.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

7

Campus NEWS “I wanted our students and graduates to be the best representation of the quality education we receive at Mississippi State in any situation or function. I thought that if the challenge for our students was truly resources, then hopefully this would help alleviate some of the stress associated with events that called for professional dress.” ~ Emily Moak Ferril For Emily Moak Ferril, this realization came her junior year when the requirement to dress “business professional” for a class presentation resulted in a wide array of clothing choices among her classmates.

“I realized that statement meant different things to different people, whether it was from a lack of resources or knowledge or both,” Ferril recalled. “But knowing what kind of dress different situations call for, and being appropriately equipped for it, seemed like something those of us in the College of Business should know.”

Seeing this need, the Vicksburg native began to look for a solution—a way to not only educate students about appropriate business dress but also to help them obtain it. She reached out to her social network, including her mother who was a consultant for a direct-sales women’s clothing company.

With her help, Ferril was able to start building an inventory of professional pieces to be awarded to students with a need.

“I wanted our students and graduates to be the best representation of the quality

8

SUMMER 2018

The impact of proper dress can be undone by bad body language. Keep good posture and avoid fidgeting.

EMILY GREEN SENIOR, FINANCE/ FOREIGN LANGUAGE DOUBLE MAJOR

education we receive at Mississippi State in any situation or function,” the 2012 graduate explained. “I thought that if the challenge for our students was truly resources, then hopefully this would help alleviate some of the stress associated with events that called for professional dress.”

Despite the success of those first clothing “scholarships,” Ferril said she knew the endeavor would have to expand to make a true impact on the students in her college.

She reached out to Dean Sharon Oswald and development officers within the college to find alumni support, which came in the form of significant donations of clothing or gift cards to retailers that specialize in men’s and women’s professional attire.

“Their generosity was tremendously helpful in making the closet what it is now and impacting the students that benefit from it,” Ferril said.

Today, Ferril’s innovation is known as the Dress Your Best Closet and is housed in an office-sized room in a newly renovated wing of McCool Hall. Complete with mirrors and

sewing kits, the space is lined with clothing racks filled with jackets, slacks, skirts, blouses, ties, dress shirts, belts and shoes available to be checked out by any College of Business student. The clothes range in size from 0 to 22 in women’s and 39 to 48 in men’s suits. Students are allowed to borrow the outfits as long as needed and the college takes care of the dry cleaning once they are returned.

The closet is used an average of 50 times a semester, primarily for Career Days and end-of-semester presentations. Senior finance major Emily Green, who first used the closet when interviewing for an internship, said it is an invaluable tool when resources and time are limited.

“I’m a student, so unless I ask my parents to pay for something I don’t have an income to buy a professional outfit,” the Memphis native explained, examining the black sheath she usually borrows. “I don’t have a lot of black in my closet and that’s usually the one color you go for professionally.”

Even if money wasn’t a concern, many

JOSE LOPEZ SENIOR, FINANCE/ FOREIGN LANGUAGE DOUBLE MAJOR

students simply don’t have time to seek out appropriate business clothing. Green said she can easily pop out to a local boutique to buy a new shirt for gameday but finding professional outfits would require a two to four-hour drive. Plus, she added, the way students’ sizes fluctuate while in school it wouldn’t be a sound investment.

“If I had bought something my sophomore year, the first time I needed business professional clothing, it wouldn’t fit me now,” Green said. “If I’m going to invest in something, I’d rather wait until I’m a more steady size. These outfits are so accommodating to different body types, so I feel like it’s been really useful.”

Ferril said she is proud to hear stories like Green’s and know she had a small part of giving back to the college that gave so much to her.

“When you look great, you feel great,” Ferril said. “Knowing students have the confidence to put their best foot forward because of this is truly the most rewarding thing I’ve ever experienced.” n

BEST FOOT FORWARD As assistant director of Mississippi State’s Career Center and liaison to the College of Business, Kelly Atwood knows firsthand how important personal presentation is to a student’s job prospects.

“It’s about making a good impression,” Atwood, a 2002 marketing graduate, explained. “It helps the employers to know students are invested in the process, and it helps students feel comfortable and confident going into the situations.”

Atwood said not only does dressing professionally make a good first impression, it also makes a lasting impression by showing an understanding of what’s expected and a willingness to go the extra mile. She offers the following advice for creating an interview-appropriate businessprofessional outfit.

• For both men and women, “business professional” always means a suit.

•

Don’t let the outfit distract from what you have to say. Avoid bright colors, loud patterns or lots of jewelry.

•

Make sure shoes, hems and cuffs are in good condition. It shows attention to detail.

• •

A man’s shoes should match his belt.

Women’s shoes should be closed toed and low heeled.

While the rules for business professional are fairly straightforward, Atwood said business casual is more ambiguous.

“I think business casual is where most people err,” she said. “There’s a wide range within the category.”

Atwood offered the following as tried and true possibilities: • slacks, a skirt or a dress, with or without a jacket;

• • •

nice, well fitting sweaters; a button-up shirt, with a tie and no jacket or a jacket and no tie; or a dress with a sweater or cardigan, adding that it’s best to not be sleeveless in a business situation.

When in doubt, Atwood recommends veering to the more professional side as it’s better to exceed expectations than fall short. However, she said asking about appropriate dress, as well as directions and parking information, is always acceptable when setting up an interview, especially if it involves a site visit.

Atwood said she and the other Career Center staff are always available for students and alumni who want to put their best foot forward to take the next step in their careers. Alumni are eligible for full center benefits, including mock interviews and resume critiques, for up to two years following their graduation. However, all Bulldogs—no matter their graduation year—are invited to take advantage of the center’s job exploration and search programs.

“We have so many companies for which we’re a target school, meaning they recruit our graduates across disciplines, and it’s not all entry-level jobs,” Atwood explained, adding that some alumni even come back to campus to recruit for their companies.

“We love when Bulldogs come back to hire more Bulldogs,” she said.

For more information about the Career Center opportunities, including ways to find your company’s next great hire, visit www.career.msstate.edu.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

9

State SNAPSHOT

10

SUMMER 2018

SELF REFLECTION: After more than three decades as one of Mississippi State University’s official photographers, Russ Houston is hanging up his camera to retire June 30. A 1985 communication graduate, he has dedicated his career to chronicling the ever-changing landscape, sports legends in action and the generations of Bulldogs who have passed through the university’s picturesque campus.

Over the course of his career, Houston’s work has been showcased in publications across the country, selected for display in homes and businesses, and used on countless university materials, including this magazine. In this self-portrait, he stands in the Colvard Student Union Art Gallery, which this spring hosted a showcase of some of his most well-known and personal-favorite photographs.

By Russ Houston

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

11

PROMISE FOR TOMORROW Student program changes lives in Mississippi

By Susan Lassetter, Photos by Beth Wynn

12

SUMMER 2018

T

he science lab at J.E. Johnson Elementary School smells of teenagers and vinegar from the discarded homemade volcanoes littering the perimeter of the room. Those experiments done, the teacher begins to review weather in preparation for an upcoming nine-weeks test on earth science.

Standing in front of the class, Candace Johnson asks questions about clouds, wind and storm fronts until she stops, flashing a sheepish grin.

“Y’all know I have to brag on my alma mater,” she says, acknowledging it won’t be the first time she’s spoken to the class about Mississippi State University.

“We have this room, called the High Voltage Laboratory, where they can actually create lightning inside the building,” she continues. “It’s the largest lab like that at an American university.”

The eighth-grade earthscience students erupt into impressed ohs and excited whats, but one girl raises her hand.

“Ms. Johnson,” she starts, “What’s an alma mater?”

For Johnson, the answer is more than just the standard definition. She takes every opportunity to explain to her students that her alma mater is the reason she’s there to teach them.

Her alma mater is what gave her options and opportunities in life.

Her alma mater helped shape who she is. And with the support of one of Mississippi State’s most unique programs, her alma mater can one day be theirs, too— regardless of their circumstances.

“Their future is limitless,” Johnson said. “I tell them, ‘you can do or be whatever it is you want,’ this is how and this is my story. I speak from personal experience.”

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

13

CANDACE JOHNSON

A

native of Prentiss and alumna of the very school where she now teaches, Johnson is a graduate of Mississippi State University’s Promise Program, which is designed to help financially challenged, academically promising students achieve their college goals.

More than a scholarship, Promise not only helps students meet their tuition needs but also gives them institutional support to help make the transition to university life and, later, into a career.

“Students often question their abilities,” Johnson, a 2013 educational psychology major explained. “They think, ‘I’m from small-town Mississippi, with one grocery store and one stoplight. How am I going to go to a place with 22,000 other people?’ Promise is how.”

14

SUMMER 2018

Johnson, the youngest of five siblings, said her family’s college funds were depleted by the time it was her turn to enroll. So, she was grateful the Promise scholarship enabled her to enroll at State, achieving a dream she’d had since age 10.

“It’s wonderful because it makes you feel like someone cares,” Johnson explained. “You realize the donors care enough about me to help me financially, and the people on campus care about me and make sure I succeed in college. You’re not in it alone.”

Alison Stamps, coordinator of the Promise Student Support Program, said the most common concerns she sees among students are finances and navigating the university system. That’s why, in addition to providing funds to fill the gap between the cost of tuition

and other financial aid, Promise provides a support system to equip students with the tools to succeed at the university.

Stamps said it alleviates some of the stress so students can focus on their grades instead of the logistics of college life.

“Coming to campus can be very overwhelming. This program is designed to take some of the fear and anxiety out of the situation,” Stamps explained. “Students need someone they can go to with questions, someone to be their cheerleader and someone to be realistic about where they are with their grades, and I serve as that person.

“I’m the one they can come to with questions about anything, and I think that oneon-one interaction makes all the difference for success,” she continued.

The Promise Program requires all recipients take a one-hour college success class with Stamps their first semester on campus. She also meets oneon-one with each student at least three times a semester and maintains an open-door policy so students can always come to her for help as needed.

The program is open to incoming freshmen and transfer students, who will receive the award the rest of their undergraduate careers, as long as they continue to meet the eligibility requirements. This fall, the new class of Promise students added 110 freshmen and transfer students to the more than 200 students already under Stamp’s care.

“I’m especially here during the adjustment phase, but once a Promise student, always a Promise student,” Stamps said.

“Many of our students are firstgeneration college students, and my goal with them all is to make sure I can answer their questions, help them work through any issues and keep them on track.”

Brittany Stansel said the Promise coordinator has been like her “mom” on campus— someone she could go to immediately for help navigating what she calls one of the scariest times of her life.

“When I applied to State, I was honestly afraid I was going to be accepted, because I didn’t know how I would pay for it,” the Corinth native recalled. “But the scariest moment was when I found out I had been accepted and was going to be part of the Promise Program.

“I even started thinking, ‘How am I going to get out of this?’ because then the fear wasn’t how am I going to pay for it, it was how am I going to do it,” she continued. “I was so nervous I cried on moving day. Then the Promise stuff started and kind of

walked me through the process.”

She said it was encouraging to be around people in similar situations, who can all support each other.

“I had no idea all of the things that would come from being part of the Promise Program,” Stansel said. “The moment I learned it would help pay for my education was sweet, and it’s just gotten sweeter each year seeing how much more has come from that moment.”

Now a senior majoring in psychology, Stansel said she hopes to one day work in higher education, so she can make a difference in students’ lives the way the Promise Program and its donors have in hers.

“I am super thankful for all the donors that help with this program because without them, without the program, well, I don’t know where I’d be, but I certainly wouldn’t be here looking at graduate school,” Stansel said.

ALISON STAMPS BRITTANY STANSEL

“I had no idea all of the things that would come from being part of the Promise Program. The moment I learned it would help pay for my education was sweet, and it’s just gotten sweeter each year seeing how much more has come from that moment.” ~ Brittany Stansel ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

15

Stansel said she suspects that without Promise, if she had attempted college at all, she would have been working part-time jobs to cover costs.

She said she’s seen classmates shoulder that burden and is grateful she was able to focus on school instead.

Matthew Wong, who completed a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in 2014, shared that sentiment. The son of immigrants from Singapore, he began working part time in high school, hoping to get a head start on what he knew would be a tough financial road.

“I didn’t know what to expect in terms of how much college would cost, but I wanted to make sure I could cover at least some of it,” the Greenwood native explained. “I knew it would get rough after my sophomore year when some of the scholarships dwindled down.”

However, with support from the Promise Program, he found more freedom to focus on his classes and even engage in undergraduate research and a cooperative education opportunity with Viking Range. These opportunities helped lead to a master’s degree from Mississippi State and a job with Sy-Klone International in Florida.

Wong said that in establishing a career foundation, he intends to support his father, who recently retired from owning and operating a small convenience store—-work that helped he and his wife support their four children.

“We lived in a house behind that store,” Wong said. “It was really lower income, but he and my mom wanted us to be prepared for college. Now, he’s enjoying the retired life.”

While Terrance Barnett’s mother Karen isn’t quite ready to retire, she is breathing

16

SUMMER 2018

MATTHEW WONG TERRANCE BARNETT

a little easier now that her son is on solid footing— financially and academically— at Mississippi State University.

After learning from a recruiter about the university’s nationally recognized meteorology program, the self-professed “weather nerd” said he dreamed of enrolling.

Still, seeing his mother struggle to support three children on her own weighed on him.

“It’s always been a struggle but I became more aware of it as I got older,” Terrance said.

“She’s working all of the time to support us, but when it came to college she would always say, ‘let me worry about that, you just get your grades right so you can be successful.’

“At one point, we were driving and I said, ‘You know, there’s a factory near the house.

I could work there, save up some money and make it easier to go,’ but she got really mad at me,” Terrance recalled. “She wanted me to come straight to MSU because she wanted something better for us. But it was hard to hear her say ‘don’t worry about it,’ because I knew somewhere along the line she would have to do without.”

A manager at Hibbett Sports in Kosciusko, Karen helps support her oldest daughter, who is a senior business major at State; Terrance, now a sophomore; and her youngest daughter, a junior in high school currently considering higher education options. Despite the financial burden, she said she wants her children to go after their goals.

“There are so many young people who don’t get the opportunity to go to college and I don’t want that to happen to my kids,” Karen explained. “I wanted Terrance to be able to pursue his dream. Without the Promise Program I don’t know what other avenue we would have had.”

Now, Karen has hope of fulfilling her own dream—using her 15 years of retail management experience to open her own business. Terrance said he’s almost speechless at the change and opportunities the Promise Program has afforded his family.

“When I found out I was receiving the Promise award, it made me feel supported, cared for,” Terrance explained. “And it makes me think that one day, when I get big, I’ll be able to give back and support people who are in the same situation I’m in now.

“This opportunity is amazing,” he continued. “I mean, these people don’t even know me

these students get here and be successful, they create new expectations and opportunities in their families.” ince completing her degrees, Candace Johnson has worked to help Mississippi students realize their potential. A former MSU admissions counselor based in the Hattiesburg region, she helped high schoolers navigate enrollment requirements and overcome financial hurdles to clear their path to Mississippi State.

In 2016, Johnson helped Bassfield High School, which reports 99 percent of its enrollment as economically

S

continued. “And that’s why I love the Promise Program. It’s need based, not merit based, and that’s what’s impactful. It says you still have an opportunity, here’s something for you.”

Like many other college hopefuls from rural or highneed areas, Johnson said she knew she wanted to pursue a degree but just didn’t know how. Though she excelled in her classes, she wasn’t able to cover her tuition, books and housing through academic scholarships, which are highly competitive. It was the Promise Program, with its need-based structure, that allowed her to not only attend

“Coming to college is almost a pipe dream for some. But if we can help these students get here and be successful, they create new expectations and opportunities in their families.” ~ Clay Armstrong but by funding this program, they’re saying they’re going to help me, they believe in me.”

Clay Armstrong, director of The Learning Center at MSU, which houses Promise, said stories like these serve to illustrate the spirit of the program.

“The university is blessed with alumni who went out and made great lives for themselves and want to give back,” Armstrong said. “It’s a win-win for all of the people involved and the state of Mississippi because this isn’t just helping these students succeed in college, it’s creating a generational change in their families and communities.

“Coming to college is almost a pipe dream for some,” he continued. “But if we can help

disadvantaged, send its largest class ever to Bulldog Country.

The students earned more than $40,000 in scholarships to Mississippi State, including several Promise awards.

“I always wanted to help students in this area,” Johnson said. “There’s a disconnect in certain areas that lack resources and have impoverished students. I wanted to be the person to come in and help figure out what that is and how to help.

“When you haven’t had access to college prep courses or didn’t have that incorporated into your high school—or maybe you just don’t test well—-you might not have the same scores as someone who had access to it all,” she

Mississippi State but make the most of the experience.

She said it opened many doors for her that otherwise would have remained closed.

And having taken advantage of the opportunities she’s been given, she is excited to share those experiences to help her community grow and thrive.

“I’m a product of Jefferson Davis County, this is home, but I want to educate these kids and show them life doesn’t end here,” Johnson explained.

“You’re not limited by your environment or circumstance.

There’s so much in this world they can do and experience, and there are opportunities available to help make their dreams come true. They just need help finding them.” n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

17

RESEARCH, SUPPORT AND ECONOMIC DRIVE: 15 YEARS IN, CAVS CONTINUES TO HELP MISSISSIPPI MANUFACTURING THRIVE

By James Carskadon, Photos by Russ Houston & Beth Wynn

I

n 2001, Mississippi officials saw a chance to secure the state’s first automotive manufacturing plant—a major investment from Nissan that would create billions of dollars in economic impact.

They turned to the state’s leading research university to help make it a reality.

The results of their efforts became Mississippi State University’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, which was created with a twofold mission— conduct worldclass research in areas relevant to the manufacturing sector and, through CAVS Extension, provide direct support to manufacturers like Nissan and their supply chain.

Now, 15 years after CAVS opened in Starkville and CAVS Extension opened in Canton—Nissan’s Mississippi home—the center continues to make a significant impact by bringing faculty and grants to Mississippi State, adding jobs to the Mississippi economy and solving complex issues with internationally recognized research.

18

SUMMER 2018

BRINGING JOBS TO MISSISSIPPI Since its inception, CAVS has worked to remain relevant to Mississippi industry. It has capitalized on its automotive focus to expand its reach throughout the state, according to Clay Walden, executive director of the center.

“So many of our country’s manufacturing concepts came out of the automotive industry. If you’re relevant to the automotive sector, you can leverage that in a lot of different ways,” Walden said.

“Although we were started as part of the incentive package for Nissan, we knew we would not be successful if all we did was work for Nissan,” he continued. “The first director, Don Trotter, was very passionate about that and Nissan was supportive of our mission to support all aspects of the manufacturing supply chain. For CAVS Extension, working with Nissan’s suppliers became important early on because typically those companies don’t have the same

technical and engineering resources as the larger companies.”

That strategy has helped CAVS become a key part of Mississippi’s economic development efforts. When Yokohama Tire officials came to tour what would become the site of their new plant in West Point in 2013, state officials pitched the company on Mississippi in a CAVS

conference room. The center has been involved in several other industrial recruitment efforts. Just the outreach work of CAVS Extension has had nearly a $6 billion economic impact and created or retained 4,600 jobs.

“MSU’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems is a unique advantage, which allows our state to grow this technologically intensive

David Thompson, who is the Airbus Helicopters Inc. Endowed Professor in Aerospace Engineering, has been principal or co-principal investigator on projects totaling $27.6 million in competitive funding from industry and federal agencies like NASA, NSF and the departments of defense and homeland security. He is currently leading an effort to help develop ice protection systems for next generation aircraft.

Students work on the under carriage of the “Halo Project” supercar, a self-driving, all-electric SUV being developed

by CAVS. The project builds on the university’s success in automotive research projects, like Bagley Car of the Future, and its legacy of successful entries in the GM and U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored multi-year intercollegiate competitions. CAVS Associate Director Matt Doude, who was an integral part of Bagley car, ChallengeX and EcoCAR and holds bachelor’s and master’s in mechanical engineering from MSU, serves as project leader.

Lesley Strawderman, the International Paper Co. Endowed Chair and an associate professor in industrial and systems engineering, and Associate Director Daniel Carruth, who holds bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from MSU, help lead the center’s human-factors research activities including using virtual reality-based tests to see how people react in complex or dangerous environments.

Christopher Hudson, a graduate student in computer science and CAVS research engineer, calibrates “Cleo” and “Brutus,” Jaguar V4 robots used in SWAT training exercises and research studies investigating how these tools can help law enforcement with rapid response in unknown environments.

20

SUMMER 2018

Cindy Bethel, who holds a Billie Ball Endowed Professorship in Engineering and was recently selected as a Fulbright U.S. Senior Scholar, is a research fellow with the CAVS Human Factors Group. As director of the Social Therapeutic Robotic Systems Lab, she studies how people interact with robotic systems, including how these devices could be used as therapy tools or to benefit law enforcement. The humanoid robot “Pepper” (below) is not only part of her research but also helps greet visitors and give tours at CAVS.

their groups survived attacks.

Years later, we taught somebody in one of our classes who was in an MRAP and survived a blast. That just floors you.

The secretary of the Navy at the time came to the MRAP plant and said it was the best example of industrial mobilization since WWII.”

CONDUCTING CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH

Shuchisnigdha Deb, a CAVS and industrial and systems engineering postdoctoral associate, and Karl Smink, a graduate student in computer science, run a virtual reality simulation to test how pedestrians respond to autonomous vehicles. This study is part of a larger transportation safety research effort and is among several projects underway in the CAVS Human Factors group.

industry sector. CAVS’s commitment to helping the state’s manufacturers by focusing on their needs and developing specialized workforce training courses gives Mississippi’s manufacturers the tools needed to achieve long-term success,” said Glenn McCullough Jr., executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority.

“CAVS Extension also plays a vital role in giving advanced vehicular systems companies a workforce advantage, which enables them to win in today’s global economy.”

The center has supported all eight, new model launches at the Nissan plant in Canton and assisted with the rebuilding of Ingalls’ shipyard after Hurricane Katrina. However, one project stands out to Walden, who led CAVS Extension before moving into his new role with CAVS in Starkville last year.

When the U.S. military needed to produce more mineresistant ambush protected, or MRAP, vehicles, Navistar Defense in West Point was chosen as the contractor.

CAVS and CAVS Extension helped design a plant that

could efficiently produce the protective vehicles needed to keep U.S. troops safe in war zones. The plant went on to produce approximately 15,000 vehicles, becoming the highest-volume production facility for MRAP vehicles in the country. In addition to providing a major benefit to the military, the plant also provided a major economic boost to West Point and the Golden Triangle area.

“Every vehicle they shipped saved somebody’s life,” Walden said. “We received letters from the military units about how

Although CAVS has developed a reputation for strong automotive research, the backbone of much of the center’s work lies in computer modeling and simulation, which is why CAVS is under the High Performance Computing Collaboratory at MSU. The high-end computer simulation is supported by empirical experimentation that takes place at CAVS, bringing together the accuracy of real-world testing with the efficiency of using a computer model to study many variables at once.

“I look at each of our research areas, and while they are very diverse-–from human factors to materials—-it’s sort of in our DNA to have modeling simulation and empirical testing and evaluation,” Walden said. “The richness you get when you combine those two has allowed us to solve big, complex numerical problems.”

Since CAVS opened 15 years ago, the center has received approximately $125 million in external research funding. The funding has come from federal partners such as the Department of Defense and Department of Energy, as well as corporate partners that see the benefit of the ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

21

(CLOCKWISE FROM FRONT LEFT) Engineering graduate students Hamed Bakhtiary, biomedical; Cory Krivanec, mechanical; and Luke Peterson work with Mark Horstemeyer, who in addition to being the center’s chief technical officer is also the CAVS Endowed Chair in Computational Solid Mechanics and a Giles Distinguished Professor, to test a magnesium alloy using the center’s high pressure, high strain-rate Hopkinson bars. With applications toward developing more crash-resistant vehicles and stronger armor, projects like this have received funding from units including the Army Research Lab in Baltimore, Maryland, and ERDC in Vicksburg.

22

SUMMER 2018

Linkan Bian, an assistant professor in industrial and systems engineering, and Hayley Doude, a research engineer who earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from MSU, discuss an upcoming presentation on the additive manufacturing capabilities of CAVS. Mississippi State is one of the few universities in the nation with a Laser Engineered Net Shaping machine equipped with a thermal monitoring system. It also has a selective laser melting machine and multiple polymer additive manufacturing systems. Not only are these machines useful in sponsored-research, they have also been used to “print” state-of-the-art parts for automobiles being developed at CAVS. Much of the equipment was procured through funding from the Army Research Lab.

(L-R) Michael Gibson, an alumnus who recently returned to Mississippi State as a research engineer, and Pedro Mago, the PACCAR Endowed Chair and head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, make plans for the Dynamometer Testing Laboratory. Located in a building adjacent to the main CAVS facility, the space already houses chassis and electric-motor testing beds, as well as a PACCAR-donated diesel engine for study, and will be adding emissions testing capabilities to facilitate the research of new faculty member Andrea Strzelec.

Hongjoo Rhee, an associate research professor, and Haitham El Kadiri, the Coleman and Whiteside Endowed Professor in Mechanical Engineering, oversee steel hot rolling on the recently installed reversing rolling mill capable of hot or cold rolling a variety or steel alloys and other metallic materials. Located near Eckies pond on MSU’s main campus, the steel research facility contains equipment that covers the full range of steel production from a small-scale blast furnace to casting to final heat treatments. Work in this facility is funded

by Army Research Lab, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and various steel companies including SDI Columbus.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

23

Byron Williams, a Jack Hatcher Engineering Entrepreneurship Chair and associate professor of computer science and engineering, serves with Randy Follett, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering (not pictured), as co-adviser of Mississippi State’s EcoCAR 3 team. Now ending its final year of competition, EcoCAR 3 is the latest in MSU’s long and successful history in Advanced Vehicular Technology Competitions including ChallengeX, EcoCaR and EcoCAR 2.

Sponsored by GM and the U.S. Department of Energy, the AVTC are considered North America’s premier collegiate automotive engineering competitions. Mississippi State has earned four first-place overall finishes since 2007 in the invitation-only challenges.

center’s high-end research. CAVS also works closely with the U.S. Army Engineering Research and Development Center in Vicksburg.

Roger King, who led CAVS from 2009 until his retirement in 2017, placed an emphasis on international partnerships and funding. Those efforts resulted in research partnerships in the United Kingdom, Korea and Japan, among other countries. Additionally, the center’s work for the Department of Defense showed organizations like NATO that MSU was capable of completing large defense research projects.

“If you want to say we’re doing world-class research, then the rest of the world better be funding your research,” King said.

“The international partnerships take a lot of effort, but they help the university become a global university.”

By being proactive and identifying key personnel and equipment needs, CAVS has built up internationally recognized expertise in additive manufacturing, computational fluid dynamics, human factors and other areas. King also emphasized working with the university’s academic faculty, which helped the university bring in expertise in diverse areas.

24

SUMMER 2018

IMPACTING MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY In addition to having a significant impact on the state of Mississippi, CAVS provides tangible benefits to Mississippi State University, starting with elevating its research portfolio.

Over the last 10 years, CAVS has employed approximately 2,000 graduate and undergraduate students through its research

programs. MSU’s engineering students, as well as those in other disciplines, have excelled in student competitions such as ChallengeX and EcoCar. The students also have had the opportunity to work on projects like “Car of the Future” or the new “Halo” project, an all-electric, self-driving SUV. Because of these opportunities, MSU becomes more competitive for students interested in certain engineering fields, Walden said.

“Our graduates are in management levels at PACCAR,

CAVS Director Clay Walden is given a tour by team members Vance Hudson, a mechanical engineering junior, and Matt Bilson, mechanical engineering graduate student, of MSU’s EcoCAR 3 entry as it is prepared for the final phase of the four-year challenge. The invitation-only field of 16 North American universities was tasked with redesigning a Chevrolet Camaro using emerging automotive technologies, while still maintaining the iconic car’s performance.

Ford and General Motors,” Walden said. “We have our graduates everywhere. While CAVS does not have a primary education focus, we certainly provide an opportunity to greatly enrich educational experiences through working on our research projects. That’s very important to us.”

In addition to attracting students, CAVS also helps MSU bring in highquality faculty researchers, which enhances the reputation of the center and the academic departments in which they teach.

“We are regularly helping support startup packages for new hires,” Walden said. “We’re glad to do that because it keeps bringing in new thoughts, new perspectives and new challenges to our organizations. When we’re asked to be involved in some of those hires, we’re very happy to assist. I believe that it makes Mississippi State a more competitive place.”

By retaining a substantial, diversified research portfolio, CAVS also helps MSU maintain its standing as one of the nation’s top 100 research institutions, all while solving global challenges and working to meet local industry needs.

“CAVS is one of the premier multidisciplinary research centers at MSU and is a great example of how we can bring faculty from across the entire university to address global challenges with cutting-edge research, capitalizing on all of the strengths of a major land-grant university,” said David Shaw, MSU’s vice president for research and economic development.

“CAVS is the embodiment of MSU’s commitment to making a difference in the lives of Mississippians through research and economic development efforts that support industry and federal research partners.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE In taking the reins of CAVS, Walden accepted the task of keeping CAVS prepared for the future.

Although CAVS has invested approximately $20 million in equipment since it opened, the center will continue to make strategic infrastructure investments that will allow CAVS to be competitive for research funding, Walden said.

Additionally, Walden said he hopes to bring in personnel that will keep the center moving forward.

CAVS will focus its research on areas that are growth oriented and relevant to Mississippi. An emerging focus is autonomous mobility, both within automotive and aerial systems. For example, human factors researchers at CAVS are using virtual reality to test pedestrian reactions to autonomous vehicles.

“Semi-autonomy will be big in the future,” Walden said. “Ninety percent of accidents are human error. What happens if an advancement in that field cuts that by two-thirds? A very minor thing could have a big effect on safety and crash reductions. I think it’s an exciting time to be in the vehicular industry and it’s an exciting time at Mississippi State and for what we can do at CAVS. I’m convinced we have a niche role to play in some of these future technologies.”

As Mississippi, and the Golden Triangle in particular, continue to grow its manufacturing base, Walden is hopeful CAVS and MSU can help recruit more research and development activities to the region, providing an additional boost to the economy.

“There have been studies that show the level of innovation increases when the design and development activities happen close to the manufacturing activities,” Walden said. “We want to continue to work with the Mississippi Development Authority and other economic agencies around the state to help recruit advanced manufacturers, as well as we try to recruit the R&D activities that will be moving into our region. We certainly see this area around Starkville as a hub connecting R&D and manufacturing. That’s some of the exciting opportunities that we have.” n

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

25

26

Mississippi State has a long history of preparing students for careers in medicine, including many medical professionals at the Longest Student Health Center. It’s a legacy that will continue to grow as the university unveils new academic and support programs meant to ensure medical-school success for pre-med students like those pictured. FRONT (L-R) Clinic nurse Heather Summerlin, who studied biological sciences; biological sciences sophomore John Payne; and microbiology senior Hasna Khandekar. MIDDLE (L-R) Biochemistry and microbiology double major Parker Taylor, biological sciences senior Katelyn Jackson and center director Dr. Clifton Story (general science, ’91). BACK (L-R) Dr. Robert “Ryan” Looney (biochemistry, ’07) and pharmacist Sarah Renicker (general science, ’17).

SUMMER 2018

T H E BUL LDOG PRESC R IPTION

By Amanda Meeler, Photos by Beth Wynn, Megan Bean & Dan Leveton

Around the world, hundreds of medical professionals boast M.D.s rooted in Maroon and White. With every graduating class, that number grows as newly minted bachelor’s graduates make their way to medical schools across the country.

These Mississippi State graduates have long been a steady presence among incoming classes at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. In the fall of 2017, Bulldogs made up more than a quarter of the students entering both the medical and dental programs, giving MSU more students in the class than any other university in the state.

Now, thanks to new programs designed to prepare students for careers in medicine, those numbers will only keep growing.

T

o establish direction for pre-med students, MSU’s College of Arts and Sciences introduced the Dr. A. Randle and Marilyn W. White Pre-Medical Advisory Office. Housed in Harned Hall, the office was officially established in 2016 by a gift from its namesakes.

The inspiration for their gift was simple.

White, a 1966 chemistry graduate, wanted to ensure that all pre-med students received the same support both he and his daughter Rachael

had in establishing a pre-med foundation at Mississippi State.

The advisory office, led by director Mary Celeste Reese, offers support and resources to students of all majors who are pursuing entrance into medical, dental and other professional health programs.

The organization of a formal pre-med center offers MSU students a chance to prepare for every step of the application process, including the Medical College Admissions

Test. The university also partners with Starkville’s OCH Regional Medical Center, ensuring students can shadow professionals and gain the experience necessary for applying to medical school.

“With the addition of this office, we’re doing a better job at getting students the information that they need in order to be a competitive applicant,” said Reese, an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Biological Sciences.

Senior Reed Bigham had his sights set on a career in medicine before

even stepping foot on campus. Wanting to combine his experience working at a veterinary clinic and an interest in prosthetics, the Tupelo native enrolled in biomedical engineering courses, with the intention of going to medical school. But initially, his path to get there wasn’t as clear as his aspirations.

“When I was coming in, we didn’t have a pre-med advising office,” Bigham said. “So, I kind of lost track of what my focus should have been on for medical school.”

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

27

That’s where Reese and the office’s resources come into play. While her role changes from student to student, she has found that much of it follows a simple theme—reassurance.

“Millennials are seen as technology-based people, but a lot of times they need a human to sit here and tell them that either they’re doing everything right or to analyze what they need to adjust,” Reese explained.

“I’m their advocate, their cheerleader and sometimes I have to be their critic. But ultimately, I’m that human voice to guide them.”

Initial decisions about which extracurriculars or volunteer opportunities to pursue can be overwhelming for some. For Bigham, it manifested into a passion to educate others going through the same thing.

He now helps Reese as an intern in the advisory office and uses his personal experiences to help guide other pre-med students.

“This office has the ability to align people’s ambitions with what they are good at and how it can help them get into medical school,” Bigham said. “We’re not just trying to fill up a spot on a resume.”

C

omplementing the efforts of the pre-med advisory office, MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering is also encouraging advancement in medical-related careers, having added a biomedical engineering bachelor’s program to the Department of Agricultural and Biological

28

SUMMER 2018

Engineering, which already administered a graduate program in the subject.

Although biomedical courses were previously, and still are, offered as a concentration within the biological engineering degree program, it became approved as a stand-alone degree in 2017, allowing students to study the integration of engineering and life sciences, and apply it to human health.

From an undergraduate perspective, Bigham said he thinks the new major allows students to better specialize in preparation for their careers.

“After working in an orthopedic clinic over the summer, I learned that I really enjoy joints and bones, and the stresses they can take,” Bigham said. “Since biomedical engineering is its own major now, I was able to specifically take a course in biomechanics. With so many students having different interests, it’s great to be able to take specific classes that appeal to us.”

Steve Elder, a professor and undergraduate coordinator of the biomedical engineering program, said he believes the degree offers students more opportunities in both the classroom and career field.

“I believe an actual degree in biomedical engineering will not only increase the competitiveness of our students in the job market but also our visibility as a program to the biomedical industry,” Elder said. “I think it’ll

lead to more opportunities for students through internships or research partnerships.”

Elder’s predictions proved true for Bigham, who had an opportunity to intern with a local orthopedic clinic and work alongside biomedical engineers in the field.

“It was surreal to work with biomedical engineers that at one point had been on the same path that I am now,” Bigham said.

T

he push for educational resources in premedical studies isn’t limited to MSU’s Starkville campus. The undergraduate kinesiology program at MSU-Meridian has also seen success, including an uptick in acceptance rates for graduates applying to professional health care programs.

Started in the fall of 2014, the kinesiology curriculum is designed

“Millennials are seen as technology-based people, but a lot of times they need a human to sit here and tell them that either they’re doing everything right or to analyze what they need to adjust. I’m their advocate, their cheerleader and sometimes I have to be their critic. But ultimately, I’m that human voice to guide them.” ~ Mary Celeste Reese “The experience helped me narrow my focus to tissue engineering and how I could help progress medical research as a doctor.”

The future looks bright for Bigham and others pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering, as the development of new medical technology pairs with an aging population. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 23 percent growth in the employment of biomedical engineers from 2014 to 2024, with potential employers including medical, educational and research institutions.

to meet the needs of all students interested in pursuing a future in the medical field, according to Laura Hilton, the interim coordinator of MSUMeridian’s kinesiology program.

While emphasizing individual faculty interaction and local networking, MSU-Meridian’s kinesiology program also provides unique technology to broaden student perspectives, including a DEXA bone density scanner and Mississippi’s only Anatomage Table, a virtual dissection table with a digital cadaver.

TOP: Seniors Reed Bigham, biological engineering, and Keauna Hilton, microbiology, await appointments with Mary Celeste Reese, who is seen meeting with Sydney James, a biochemistry senior, in the premed advising office. Biomedical engineering graduate student Cameron Boswell (MIDDLE) and senior Jasmine Ferrell (BOTTOM) perform tests and evaluate data to study the structural mechanics of tendon tissue as part of a project with Lakiesha Williams, a biomedical engineering doctoral alumna and associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, where she studies bio-inspired design.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

29

TOP: Dr. Pamela Lacy specializes in high-risk pregnancies with Physicians and Surgeon’s Clinic in Columbus and has used her insight into the needs of pregnant women to open a maternity store. MIDDLE: Laura Hilton, interim coordinator of MSU-Meridian’s kinesiology program, demonstrates the digital cadaver to student Damian Roberts. Housed in the Kress Building, MSU-Meridian has Mississippi’s only Anatomage virtual dissection table. BOTTOM: Now an emergency physician in Winona, Dr. Christopher Behr turned a bachelor’s in zoology into a nearly 40-year medical career, starting as a flight surgeon with the Navy.

30

SUMMER 2018

Being located in what many call Mississippi’s medical hub, also gives MSU-Meridian’s students a unique learning experience. Its proximity to a variety of health care providers, including the

the country or right at home in Mississippi, distinguished alumni are drawing from a common foundation of an MSU education to make lifesaving strides in the field of medicine.

In 2000, he returned to serve the place that had given him so much. Behr now practices emergency medicine at Tyler Holmes Memorial Hospital in Winona, a role he describes as “hours of

“I believe our relationships with the local hospitals and clinics is one of the key features to MSU Meridian’s kinesiology program and a major benefit for our students. Because of those connections, the students are able to get hands-on experience with professionals in the specific areas of study that they intend to pursue.” ~ Laura Hilton hospitals and physicianaffiliated clinics of Anderson Regional Health System and Rush Health Systems, gives medicalschool hopefuls access to real-world experiences in almost any field they might wish to pursue.

“I believe our relationships with the local hospitals and clinics is one of the key features to MSU Meridian’s kinesiology program and a major benefit for our students,” Hilton said. “Because of those connections, the students are able to get hands-on experience with professionals in the specific areas of study that they intend to pursue.”

These ongoing efforts to better prepare premedical students only serve to enhance Mississippi State’s long history of producing graduates who care for patients’ health. Whether across

M

ississippi State University is more than just an alma mater for Dr. Christopher Behr— it’s home.

Part of a devoted Bulldog family, Behr’s ties to Mississippi State’s Starkville campus run deep. His father, Lyell, was a prominent figure on campus, serving as a professor, department head and eventually the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences during his 33-year tenure and cementing a deep dedication to the university within his family.

Behr earned a bachelor’s in zoology from Mississippi State in 1978. He then continued his education in pursuit of a career in medicine at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, before serving in the U.S. Navy for four years of active duty as a flight surgeon.

boredom interspersed with seconds of panic.”

“Though much of what we do is mundane,” he explained, “it’s the big stuff that’s rewarding, when you know you’ve had a part in a favorable outcome.”

Behr maintains his daily motivation with a particular lesson he learned during his time at Mississippi State: “The harder things get, the harder you’ve got to work.” He considers that truth a major factor in not only his personal development but also his ability to remain grounded in a chaotic medical career.

“Ultimately, I just want to be able to look back and know that I helped people and made a difference for the better in their lives,” Behr said. “As a physician, I could live anywhere I might want.

And I live here.”

P

artaking in lifegiving moments is a task that Dr. Pamela Lacy encounters daily. As an OB-GYN specializing in high-risk pregnancies, infertility and preventative medicine at Physicians and Surgeon’s Clinic in Columbus, she has learned to consistently expect the unexpected and rise to the challenges presented to her—both characteristics of the career she loves and embraces.

In 2006, Lacy became her clinic’s first female OB-GYN. She’s currently Baptist Memorial Hospital’s chief of staffelect, putting her on track to become the first female to hold that position with the hospital in 2020.

Yet after long hours of bringing life into the world and educating others on women’s health, Lacy’s work is far from over.

While keeping the delicate balance between being a doctor, wife and mother, she also is changing the shape of her community.

After realizing the lack of retail options for new and expecting mothers in the area, she opened a maternity store.

“This area is too big not to have a maternity store, and one door really just led right into another,” Lacy said. “Who would know better about the needs and desires of pregnant women than their OB?” The 1997 alumna believes much of her success and drive originated from the foundation she laid while pursuing an undergraduate ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

31

degree in biological sciences, with an emphasis in premedicine, at Mississippi State.

“In medical school, you’re either going to sink or swim, and I felt very prepared for that environment coming from State,” Lacy said. “At State, I learned how to work hard. I knew if I wanted to excel, I would have to give it my all. There are no excuses.

That’s a lesson that I still carry with me today.”

F

or doctors Chris and Becky Waterer, Mississippi State University not only set the foundation for their careers but also their lives together.

While enrolled in a French course as MSU freshmen, the pair met and quickly bonded over their similar backgrounds and ambitions.

The commonalities continued as both Chris and Becky intended to pursue a degree in biology and, eventually, a career in internal medicine.

“We continued to work together to help each other be the best we could be and reach the highest levels we both could achieve,” Becky said. “We didn’t look at it as a competition but a way to help each other and work as a team.”

After graduating from MSU in 1981 then continuing to medical school and internal medicine residencies at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the opportunity to serve their home state was appealing to both doctors, who have now been married for more than 30 years.

“Having both grown up in Mississippi, we were

32

SUMMER 2018

keenly aware of the health care needs and challenges for the people of the state,” Chris said. “We were committed to staying within the state to help improve the health care of all Mississippians.”

And stay they did. Chris has practiced interventional cardiology in the Jacksonarea since 1992, and Becky spent nearly 20 years as the director of student and employee health at UMMC. Even after transitioning into her current role as vice president of medical affairs with Magnolia Health Care, Becky has remained focused on serving the people of Mississippi through improved care and costeffectiveness for members.

Now, with an additional role as grandparents preparing a new generation of Bulldogs, the couple reflects fondly on their time together at MSU and the role it played in shaping their lives, both personally and professionally.

“Without a doubt, knowing what we know now, we would do it again from the beginning at MSU,” Chris said.

R

elying on his experiences as an undergraduate engineering student is instinctive to Mississippi State alumnus Dr. Johnny Sandhu.

“I still go back to my engineering background when I look at a patient,” Sandhu said. “I think, okay, what was the outcome here?

What were the variables that contributed to this problem and what can we do better to prevent it from happening again?”

Now the chief of neuroradiology at the University of Florida, College of MedicineJacksonville, Sandhu began his time at MSU in aerospace engineering—then mechanical engineering—before his ultimate career vision became clear. After a specific physics lesson on the eye, he said he began recognizing the parallels between the human body and machines. He re-evaluated his major with his advisers, landed in biological engineering and began pursuing his interest in applying engineering skills to improving people’s health.

prepared for the challenges he faced, a fact he attributes to the academic rigor of Mississippi State’s engineering program.

“I think an engineering background is something that’s really underestimated by other people in medicine,” Sandhu said. “There was nothing I encountered that was conceptually as hard as engineering mechanics or thermodynamics.”

Nearly a quarter of a century has passed since he graduated from his alma mater in 1994, but Sandhu holds firm in his belief that

“Medicine is about people and Mississippi State is about people—that’s why we call it the People’s University. I think it’s the perfect place to get ready for med school, and I encourage students to not let anybody tell you differently. The books are the same no matter where you go but the people aren’t.” ~ Dr. Johnny Sandhu

His medical training sent Sandhu across the country, as he attended medical school at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, completed a radiology residency at the University of Miami and then a neuroradiology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. But regardless of where he went, Sandhu said he felt fully

the Mississippi State and premedical education naturally go hand in hand.

“Medicine is about people and Mississippi State is about people — that’s why we call it the People’s University. I think it’s the perfect place to get ready for med school, and I encourage students to not let anybody tell you differently,” Sandhu said. “The books are the same no matter where you go but the people aren’t.” n

TOP: Drs. Chris and Becky Waterer, both 1981 general science graduates, met in a French class. Now more than 30 years married, the Jackson-based couple has health-care careers rooted in a Bulldog education. BOTTOM: Dr. Johnny Sandhu is chief of neuroradiology at the University of Florida Medical School in Jacksonville. As a student at Johns Hopkins University medical school, he studied brain tumor immunotherapy with three fellow Bulldogs. He completed a neuroradiology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School where he served as a faculty member until 2010.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

33

Our PEOPLE

A BULLDOG THROUGH AND THROUGH Exxon Mobil Canada leader cherishes close ties to alma mater

By Sasha Steinberg, Photos submitted

34

SUMMER 2018

Found on maps as early as 1519, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the oldest European settlements in North America.

A

14-hour time difference in Malaysia didn’t stop her from staying up late to watch Dak Prescott lead the Bulldogs in a historic rise to No. 1 in 2014. Being more than 2,700 miles away in Canada didn’t stop her from tuning in as Coach Vic Schaefer led women’s hoops to a record-breaking, undefeated regular season.

No matter how far away her career may take her, Carman H. Mullins remains committed to surrounding herself with Maroon and White.

“I was born and bred a Bulldog; it’s in my blood. My uncle is Kent Sills, who led the band for many years. My first cousin is Dr. Al Sills, who is the chief medical officer for the NFL. My dad went to Mississippi State for mechanical engineering,” the Yazoo City native said. “In our family, we are Bulldogs through and through.

“What sets Mississippi State apart is the family atmosphere. No matter where you are in the world, there’s an instant connection when you see a person with a Mississippi State shirt, hat or cowbell,” she continued. “I don’t get the chance to come back much, but I definitely keep in touch and cheer from afar.”

Mullins oversees country operations as president of Exxon Mobil Canada, which is headquartered in Newfoundland. It’s her latest international appointment since completing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1996.

She began her career as a facility engineer for Exxon Corp. in New Orleans, prior to the company’s merger with Mobil Corp. to become the world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company. Over the next 11 years, she held progressively senior technical, supervisory and planning roles in various assignments in the United States.

In 2010, Mullins took her first post abroad as surface engineering technical manager and then Horn River project manager for Imperial Oil Resources in Canada. She moved in 2013 to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to assume duties as surface technical general manager with the Exxon Mobil Exploration and Production Office, where she later became senior general manager. She returned to the Great White North in January 2017 to assume her current role.

“I’ve worked my 21-year career in the upstream part of Exxon Mobil, so we are exploring, developing and producing oil and

natural gas versus our downstream business, which is processing those resources in our refineries and chemical plants around the world,” Mullins explained. “I have teams in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, and our primary business is supporting huge offshore facilities in the north Atlantic that not only are producing oil and natural gas but doing so in a way that is safe for our employees and the environment.”

Mullins said she enjoys putting her engineering background to use while discussing current projects and new opportunities with engineers, geoscientists, accountants and other Exxon Mobil

“What sets Mississippi State apart is the family atmosphere.

No matter where you are in the world, there’s an instant connection when you see a person with a Mississippi State shirt, hat or cowbell. I don’t get the chance to come back much, but I definitely keep in touch and cheer from afar.” ~ Carman Mullins employees from different disciplines. At least once a quarter, she dons a winter survival suit and flies via helicopter to visit employees at Exxon Mobil Canada’s offshore facilities in the north Atlantic.

“I think the greatest thing about having an engineering degree from Mississippi State is that it teaches you how to break down and solve all types of problems,” Mullins explained. “Every day, I get to work with great people who are helping to take on different challenges. I’ve never come to work a day where I didn’t learn something.”

Mullins lists the November 2017 launch of Exxon Mobil’s Hebron oil platform as a highlight of her career. Located in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin, Hebron is a standalone, reinforced concrete structure designed to withstand sea ice, icebergs, and meteorological and oceanographic conditions while storing approximately 1.2 million barrels of crude oil.

“If you think of six football fields stacked

on top of each other sitting in the ocean, that is what we built,” Mullins said. “There is more concrete in the base of this facility than in the Empire State Building, enough to fill up 54 Olympic-sized swimming pools.”

Mullins said explaining the scientific advances and processes that go into obtaining crude oil is an important aspect of being a leader in the field.

“As an industry, we also need to continue talking with members of the public, so they can understand and have an appreciation for how a barrel of oil goes from underneath the ground, how it is drilled, produced, processed and ends up at the gas station where it goes into your tank,” she explained. “There are a lot of steps in that journey, and sharing our story is a fun thing to do.”

Outside of work, Mullins said she enjoys spending time with her husband and fellow 1996 MSU mechanical engineering graduate Jason Mullins and their children, 13-yearold son Henley and 8-year-old daughter Sydney. She also is a passionate supporter of community organizations, including the Canadian Cancer Society and the United Way. “My mom passed away from cancer, so the Canadian Cancer Society’s cause is very near and dear to my heart,” Mullins said. “Every year I’ve been a part of Exxon Mobil, we also have supported the United Way. I’m proud that being a good community citizen and partner is a very big part of our company culture.”

This passion for hard work and caring for others is something Mullins attributes to her childhood in Mississippi and years at Mississippi State. She said her mechanical engineering studies and active involvement in the Student Association, Delta Gamma sorority and Roadrunners gave her a solid foundation for the rewarding career she enjoys today.

“As a leader, you need to empower your team members to be better than they are without you, and I think Dr. Jimmy Abraham gave us those fundamentals by teaching us how to communicate and welcome new students to campus,” Mullins said, speaking of the former Roadrunner adviser. “Getting that full experience at Mississippi State made me well rounded and gave me perspective on how I could be successful in the business world. I feel very fortunate.” n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

35

Our PEOPLE

Alumnus’ journey takes him from Starkville to space exploration history

By James Carskadon, Photo by Megan Bean and submitted

G

rowing up in Golden, Mississippi, Jerry Bostick knew where he would attend college. His mother, Lois Ann Bostick, held two degrees from Mississippi State University, and his older sister had already enrolled.

Yes, Bostick was always going to be a Bulldog. The bigger question was what he wanted to study and where he hoped to land after graduation. What he did not know at the time was that one day he would be among the Bulldogs who helped man land on the moon.

“I took an aptitude test when I was in high school and it said I should either be a funeral director or an engineer,” Bostick said. “I wasn’t sure what an engineer was, so I checked out a book in the library titled, ’What engineers do.’ I wanted to work outside and build things, so I enrolled in civil engineering.”

Although he studied civil engineering when he came to Mississippi State in 1957, Bostick admits he was actually interested in the aerospace field. By his senior year, he was

36

SUMMER 2018

planning to take a job with Boeing, where he would be calculating the center of gravity for new airplanes. However, a chance encounter with a NASA recruiter completely changed his career path.

“I went by the placement office with a friend of mine,” Bostick said. “The placement director said ‘I know you’ve already accepted a job, but I’ve been trying to get NASA to come down here for months. They’re finally coming but now they don’t have anybody to talk to. Would you please sign up and just talk to this guy?’ I don’t remember the gentleman’s name, but he convinced me that if I was going to be a structural engineer, the only place to work was at the NASA Langley Research Center. So that’s where I went.”

Unfortunately, Bostick soon realized the work being done at the research center was more theoretical than he hoped. He wanted to work toward a clear goal. That chance came when he heard about a group on the other side of the Virginia-based center that was working on manned space flight.

When he went there for an interview, they

informed him they did not need any civil engineers. Thinking he would be stuck with his research group, Bostick started to leave, but on the way out, he happened to cross paths with the “Father of Mission Control” Christopher Kraft.

Once Kraft learned Bostick was a civil engineer, he made him a part of the manned space flight group because the unit “may need somebody to survey the moon.”

From that point on, Bostick was part of the team that would spend most of the 1960s working to put a man on the moon. He was relocated from Virginia to the Manned Spacecraft Center, now Johnson Space Center, in Texas, where his life became a blur of preparation and rocket launches. He served as a flight dynamics officer in mission control.

“We would fly missions about every two months,” Bostick said. “We would land a mission, take half a day or a whole day, then come back and start simulating the next flight. We didn’t really have any time to appreciate what was going on or what America had accomplished.”

Jerry Bostick’s high school diploma was presented to him by then-Vice President Richard Nixon. Bostick graduated as valedictorian from the Capitol Page School in Washington, D.C.

When Jerry Bostick graduated from Mississippi State in the early 1960s, President John F. Kennedy had just announced his goal of putting man on the moon by the end of the decade. During his time with NASA, Bostick played a key role in helping America reach that goal as he served as a flight dynamics officer in mission control for the Apollo missions.

When Ron Howard and Tom Hanks were filming Apollo 13, Bostick helped keep the movie scientifically accurate while working as a technical consultant.

The biggest success came with Apollo 11 in 1969. Bostick was in mission control when astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. With the 50th anniversary of that landing coming next year, he still divides his life as before man landed on the moon and after.

“It was a feeling of great satisfaction,” Bostick said. “It was unbelievable, but also it brought back memories of an old Peggy Lee song, ‘Is that all there is?’ What do we do for an encore? That was really a question a lot of us had. We worked as hard as ever on the rest of the missions, but we did wonder how we could top this.”

In 1970, Bostick was again in the control room, this time for Apollo 13. When an oxygen tank exploded two days after the launch, the astronauts and flight officers on the ground worked to develop a way to bring the team safely back to Earth, which they did on April 17, 1970. The dramatic tale of Apollo 13 has been told many times, but the most prominent version was sparked by an idea from Bostick’s son, Mike.

In 1994, Mike was working for acclaimed director Ron Howard. When Mike heard author Jim Lovell was writing a book about the Apollo 13 mission, he gave Howard a synopsis of the book and suggested he turn it into a movie. That idea led to the 1995 film “Apollo 13,” which starred Tom Hanks and won two Oscars.

Although previous plans to dramatize the Apollo 13 mission made Bostick skeptical, he, along with flight director Gerry Griffin, served as a technical consultant for Ron Howard’s film after being assured the movie would properly portray the mission.

“I spent a lot of time with the actors,” Bostick said. “They were much more interested in what we had to say than I expected. They were like sponges, they wanted more and more. Ron was very good to his word. There were only three or four things in the movie that we objected to, but they weren’t major.”

Bostick stayed at NASA through the Apollo and Skylab programs. He left NASA

in 1985 to become vice president for civil space at Grumman Aerospace Corp., where he worked for 11 years before retiring in 1996. In addition to Apollo 13, Bostick has worked as a technical adviser for the movie “Armageddon,” the HBO series “From the Earth to the Moon,” and other space-based productions.

From the time Bostick met the NASA recruiter at Mississippi State to the time he left the organization in 1985, he said he thrived under the pressure of working toward historic feats while keeping those involved safe. He was one of 22 Mississippi State graduates involved in the Apollo missions.

“Space exploration is not an easy task.

It takes the best and brightest,” Bostick said. “Something always comes up that you have to figure out in real time. I didn’t think of it as pressure, I thought of it as a responsibility. I for damn sure wasn’t going to let anybody down. It’s a great responsibility, great opportunity to be involved in something like that. I just made sure I didn’t let anybody down.” n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

37

Our PEOPLE

THE POWER OF TWO

Summer break proves packed with life-changing experiences for recent MSU graduate

By Susan Lassetter, Photos submitted

38

SUMMER 2018

Be the Match reports that every 3 minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer.

W

hen Hannibal Brooks looks back on 2017, it all comes down to two: two months, two minutes, two weeks, two days, two life-changing experiences.

It started in the spring at Mississippi State, when Hannibal and his twin Malcolm swabbed their cheeks as part of a campus-wide event for National Bone Marrow Registry Day. Just two months later, he received the call that he had matched with an anonymous patient. Malcolm got the same message, about the same patient, two minutes later.

Two weeks passed and the pair headed to New Jersey for a battery of tests to finalize the match. Though the identical twins have the same marrow type, it ultimately was Hannibal who got the nod.

Then, just two days after the brothers crossed the Humphrey Coliseum stage to receive bachelor’s degrees in food science, nutrition and health promotion, Hannibal lay in a hospital bed at Hackensack University Medical Center. He was sore and down a few ounces of tissue but happy with his decision.

“All I knew was that the recipient was a 14-year-old girl from Illinois with leukemia, but I was happy to do it. And I just got an update that she’s doing well,” Hannibal explained, noting he plans to attend the annual Gift of Life Gala, which raises money for marrow transplants and offers donors the opportunity to meet their recipients.

Only about 30 percent of those who register as donors are ever matched with a patient, but Hannibal said his and Malcolm’s odds were higher due to the need for donors with African ancestry. The genetic markers used to pair donors and patients are hereditary, meaning a person is more likely to find a match in someone from the same ethnic background. Currently, only 66 percent of African Americans in need find donors, the lowest of any reported group including Caucasian, Hispanic, Native American and Asian.

“Cancer touches everyone and donation is a way you can do something about it,” Hannibal explained. “It’s not scary; you’re changing someone’s life.”

For Hannibal, the actual donation only took about an hour. He explained that a series of small shots were administered to mobilize the marrow. The doctors then inserted a hollow needle into the iliac crest, commonly

called the hip bone, to withdraw the material.

“I took four or five days to recover but I was able to walk the second day,” Hannibal recalled. “After donation, you’re just really sore, like if you had a really intense workout.

It wasn’t too bad.”

Hannibal said he recovered at home in Pensacola, Florida, watching episodes of the popular quiz show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” often with Malcolm. Selfproclaimed trivia junkies, the twins have always been fans of any kind of trivia game or TV show. As undergraduates, they were part of the intercollegiate MSU Quiz Bowl team and helped the university advance to the College Bowl national competition at an Institute of Food Technologists conference—a point of pride for the department, which “I SAID, ‘YOU KNOW YOU DON’T HAVE TO AUDITION IN PERSON. WE COULD MAKE A VIDEO.’ I LOOKED AT A LOT OF AUDITION VIDEOS ONLINE AND THEY WERE KIND OF LACKING IN PRODUCTION VALUE. I THOUGHT WE COULD MAKE SOMETHING TO STAND OUT.” ~ HANNIBAL BROOKS hadn’t ranked in the knowledge-based competition in 10 years.

It was with all that in mind that Malcolm had an idea.

“I said, ‘You know you don’t have to audition in person. We could make a video,’” Malcolm recalled. “I looked at a lot of audition videos online and they were kind of lacking in production value. I thought we could make something to stand out.”

Once Hannibal agreed to the idea, Malcolm started working on a concept and script, drawing on their experience with MSU’s Silver Screeners Film Society and, more surprisingly, his food science classes.

“My last semester at State, I had a class with Dr. Michael Breazeale where we talked about strategic brand management,” Malcolm explained. “He said, ‘You need to figure out what your brand is.’ So, with Hannibal I asked, ‘What is he?’ and put a funny spin on it.”

In just 30 seconds, the resulting video showcases a sun-loving, flag-waving, twinhaving, cowbell-ringing, graduate-school

attending food scientist in need of some quick cash. It’s entertaining, engaging and in less than 48 hours had attracted the attention of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” producers.

“I got an email the day after submitting the video,” Hannibal said. “They had me go through a test to assess if I’d be able to compete. I did well enough that they kept passing me along until they said ‘We’re going to have you on the show.’”

So, two days before the twins were scheduled to start graduate school in the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, they flew to Las Vegas for filming—Hannibal as a contestant, Malcolm as his lifeline, both wearing tropical print shirts.

“The process was fascinating,” Hannibal said.

But Malcolm added, “You feel a lot of pressure being someone’s lifeline.”

Hannibal made it to the $30,000 question before calling on Malcolm. Together the twins came up with the right answer to keep him advancing in the competition, but a $1-million payout was not in his future.

Hannibal ultimately left with $5,000 and tickets to see Penn and Teller, Malcolm earned a spot in the contestant pool for future episodes, and they returned to the Southeast to begin graduate school.

Though they didn’t intend to shadow each other through their collegiate careers, Hannibal said Malcolm’s explanations for pursuing food science at Mississippi State were persuasive. While at State, he said he began to understand how his new knowledge could be applied, specifically to combine his creativity with business.

For graduate school, it was Hannibal’s conviction that spurred Malcolm into an academic program. Curriculum-completing international immersion experiences will soon send the brothers to different countries and they plan to pursue separate paths following their graduation from Virginia.

But, ultimately, they said they think their professional pursuits will converge again.

“We have a lot in common, and it’s not that we always agree but our decision-making process tends to lead us down similar paths,” Hannibal explained. “I think it’s good because we work great as a team. We’re not inseparable, but we can accomplish a lot together.” n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

39

Our PEOPLE

Mississippi A&M College’s 1932 nickname was the “Maroons” for State’s uniform color. “Bulldogs” became the official title for MSU’s team in 1961.

At age 100, Thompson recalls the beginnings of an MSU legacy

By James Carskadon, Photos submitted

“I told them I didn’t know anything about football, all I know is baseball. They said, ‘Don’t you worry about it, we’ll teach you.’ I never saw a football game until I played in the first one. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.” ~ Harold “Tommy” Thompson 40

SUMMER 2018

In 1935, Harold “Tommy” Thompson was the typical wide-eyed freshman on the thenMississippi State College football team.

A native of Egypt, a small town in northeast Mississippi, he had no plans of attending Mississippi State, but his athletic talents caught the eyes of two people scouting talent for the Maroons football team.

However, Thompson’s learning curve was steeper than most.

“I told them I didn’t know anything about football, all I know is baseball,” Thompson said. “They said, ‘Don’t you worry about it, we’ll teach you.’ I never saw a football game until I played in the first one. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.”

During one game, Thompson earned the nickname “Wrongway” after picking up a loose ball, returning it the wrong way to the MSU 10-yard line. Fortunately for the Maroons, Thompson was tackled by his roommate, Edward W. Scott Jr., a future Air Force brigadier general.

Now 100 years old and living in Denver, Colorado, Thompson can still vividly recall the time he spent in Starkville over 80 years ago. For Thompson, the fond memories of MSU have evolved over time, much like the campus itself. Since his graduation from MSU in 1939, Thompson’s family tree has grown full of Bulldogs as many kids and grandkids have attended the land-grant university. Even now, one of his grandsons is enrolled at the university, and others plan to follow.

For this younger generation of Bulldogs, Dudy Noble means the state-of-the-art baseball stadium that bears his name.

However, for Thompson, the late Bulldog baseball coach and athletic director was a “best friend.”

Thompson said two of his interactions with Noble had a significant impact on his life. In fact, without Noble, Thompson would likely still be going by “Harold.”

“The first time Dudy Noble ever saw me, he asked what my name was,” Thompson said.

“I told him my name was Harold. He said, ‘Harold? Forget Harold, your name is Tommy from now on.’ It’s been that way ever since.”

Later, when Thompson was struggling with academics and wanted to return home to Egypt early in his college career, a happenstance intervention from Noble kept him on the path toward a degree.

“I was on my way to catch a bus and go home, but Dudy Noble just happened to see me,” Thompson explained. “He convinced me to stay and I was able to make it through all my classes.”

As Thompson got the hang of football and classes, he thrived socially at MSU. He picked the biggest room he could in the famed Old Main Dormitory, which became a social hub for his friends. He helped organize school dances, bringing in big bands from Chicago to fill Perry Cafeteria with music. He didn’t join a fraternity but he did form his own social club.

Thompson graduated from MSU with a degree in business. His career stints included repairing airplanes in Memphis, Tennessee, during WWII. Then, after returning to Egypt with his wife, Rosemary, a 1976 graduate, he started a Jeep dealership, an auto repair shop and a general store. Later in life, he ran a large company that manufactured pants in Okolona and worked for the Mississippi Department of Agriculture.

Although the Mississippi State coaches and players have changed continuously over the decades since he left MSU, Thompson has been a regular fixture at Bulldog football games. On his 100th birthday, he received an autographed football from current MSU head coach Joe Moorhead, who was hired 79 years after Thompson’s last game in maroon.

At the family party, the cake was dedicated to “our football hero” and featured a sketch in the icing of a college-aged Thompson wearing his No. 8 jersey.

Thompson said the secret to living to 100 is to “live a clean life and have fun.”

He proudly recalls having a lot of fun during his time at State. He has encouraged the generations after him to have the same fun he did at MSU, which will help the Thompson family tree continue to grow Bulldog branches for the next 100 years and more. n

I M AG I N E I N N OVAT I O N OV E R F LOW I N G W I T H P O S S I B I L I T I E S.

WE ARE .

Imagine a world where there is enough water to meet all of our needs. A world where water scarcity and increasing shortages are no longer a problem. Where better irrigation solutions spur recycling of nutrient-rich water that secures the livelihoods of farmers and paves the way for a cleaner environment.

Imagine a world where the spark of an idea grows into a solution that molds the future.

We are, at Mississippi State University, where we ring true. MSSTATE.EDU

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

41

T H E A L L U VI AN HO TEL • THE ALLU VIA N SPA • VIK IN G COOK IN G SCH OOL • GI AR D I NA’S

A cosmopolitan boutique hotel deep in the Delta 318 Howard Street Greenwood, MS 662.453.2114 thealluvian.com

Giving + Getting the most from your assets When most people think about making a charitable gift, they think of giving cash. While we welcome gifts of any kind to help support Mississippi State University, there are many ways you can benefit through making a gift of other assets to us.

• • • • •

You can avoid paying capital gains tax if you give appreciated assets.

You will receive a charitable deduction for your gift which can lower your tax bill.

You can make a gift today while preserving your cash for immediate or future needs.

You and your family can receive benefits such as lifetime income.

You may be able to make greater gifts than you ever thought possible.

For more information on how you can give and get the most from your assets, contact the MSU Foundation Office of Planned Giving.

MSU is an AA/EEO university.

Wes Gordon, Director of Planned Giving (662) 325-3707 | wgordon@foundation.msstate.edu

42

SUMMER 2018 PG-Ad_AppreciatedAssets_HalfAd_505.indd

1

9/25/17 9:19 AM

Our PEOPLE

By Amy Cagle, Photos by Russ Houston

The MSU Alumni Association honors some of its most dedicated graduates and volunteers each year with a special campus ceremony. Themed “family,” this year’s Alumni Awards Banquet and Leadership Conference was held in February at The Mill at MSU Conference Center in Starkville. Around 400 Bulldogs from across the nation attended the event.

Honored during the Feb. 2 banquet were the university’s 2018 National Alumnus, the 2018 College Alumni of the Year, the 2017 Outstanding Young Alumna and the 2017 Distinguished Service Award recipients. Additionally, the 2017 outstanding alumni chapters were honored. The featured speaker for the evening was MSU President Mark E. Keenum, who also participated in the awards presentations.

The following day, some 190 chapter leaders and volunteers from around the nation gathered for the annual leadership conference. The association’s annual business meeting and chapter roll call, conducted by Brad M. Reeves, national alumni president, began the day. Conference participants heard informative presentations by many key MSU leaders, shared ideas and networked with other chapter volunteers throughout the Saturday.

Over the next few pages, the 2018 awards banquet and leadership conference is highlighted. For a more detailed recap of events, including commemorative videos and photos, visit www.alumni.msstate.edu/banquet and view the Alumni Association’s Facebook page at facebook.com/msstate.alumni.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

43

Our PEOPLE

Qualls receives highest alumni honor .L. Qualls has made an R impact like few other graduates for his distinct

achievements as an author, banker, educator and corporate executive. In 2018, a pivotal new chapter began for Qualls as he was honored with Mississippi State University’s highest accolade—National Alumnus.

Qualls was born in 1931 and grew up in Burnsville.

His parents, Wes and Letha Qualls, farmed the land, and his grandfather, Wesley Qualls, was the only blacksmith in the area— making the family well known in Tishomingo County.

For his education, Qualls attended Gravel Hill School and later Burnsville High School, where he was a member of Future Farmers of America.

As an FFA project, he captured the title of “Corn King” of Mississippi by harvesting 154 bushels from only one acre of rich bottomland. To claim the honor, he first needed an FFA jacket from then Mississippi State College, and that initial visit began a decades-long association.

In the over 60 years since then, the “Corn King” remains known for his hard work and perseverance, along with a wealth of many other achievements that have enabled him to become one of Mississippi State’s most distinguished graduates.

A strong vocation and great education have been the basis of Qualls’ lifetime of success.

He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics from Mississippi State University in 1954 and 1958, respectively. While at State, he was a resident of legendary Old Main Dormitory and among his affiliations were Alpha Zeta, Beta Gamma Sigma, Blue Key and Omicron Delta Kappa. He was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon social fraternity and served the

44

SUMMER 2018

Interfraternity Council. Qualls also devoted his service to the ROTC as a lieutenant.

Following MSU, Qualls completed doctoral study at Louisiana State University.

He later received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Whitworth College and an honorary Doctor of Business Administration from the University of the Ozarks, where he served five years as president and later was chairman of the board of trustees. Qualls left the university to help the state of Arkansas on a higher level as director of the Department of Finance and Administration for Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton.

Another significant chapter in Qualls’ life revolved around the corporate sector. He joined Baldor Electric Co., an NYSE company, in 1986 as executive vice president of finance and planning. He was elected president in 1990, then served from 1992-97 as CEO, and was vice chairman until year-end 2000. During his tenure as lead executive, the company reported 27 straight quarters of both increased earnings and sales growth, and Baldor was twice selected as one of the 100 Best Companies to work for by Fortune Magazine.

Before joining Baldor, Qualls held senior-level positions with Bank of America. Additionally, he was senior vice president of marketing at the Bank of Mississippi. While there, Qualls and his team earned a record three consecutive Gold Coin awards from the national Bank Marketing Association.

Today, Qualls serves as cochairman of Taylor Companies of Washington, D.C., an investment banking merger and acquisition firm with offices in Washington, Paris and Stockholm. He is also a former

MSU President Mark E. Keenum and Dr. R.L. Qualls presiding independent director of the Bank of the Ozarks, having served from 1997-2016.

The education field has also brought Qualls much success.

He was an assistant professor of finance at Mississippi State University with a joint appointment as economist and director of research at First Federal Savings and Loan Association in Jackson. Beyond MSU, his resume includes appointments at Louisiana State University, Rutgers University, Southern Methodist University, University of South Alabama, St. Gregory’s University and Vanderbilt University.

Qualls has also authored and published a number of books and articles, including “Entrepreneurial Wit and Wisdom” and “Strategic Planning for Colleges and Universities: A Systems Approach to Planning and Resource Allocation.” Also, “Playing by the Rules—How Our Most Successful Leaders

and Managers Do It” contains 42 axioms that Qualls collected over time from some of the nation’s most successful managers and leaders in the corporate and financial world.

Along with an impeccable professional resume, Qualls is equally proud of his personal accomplishments. He and his wife, Nancy, live in Little Rock, Arkansas. Together, the couple shares four children—Stephanie, Kathleen, John and Maureen— and seven grandchildren.

The Quallses return to campus often. He loyally gives his time by serving on the College of Business advisory board and the MSU Foundation board. They also generously support the academic curriculum of the College of Business by providing for faculty support, student-led business start-ups and administrative operations of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach. They give in appreciation for all his MSU education helped him achieve. n

Academic colleges honor alumni of the year Mississippi State University’s academic colleges have selected a slate of impressive Bulldogs as their 2018 College Alumni of the Year honorees. These individuals are honored for their many accomplishments and the Bulldog spirit they embody in their personal and professional lives.

Alfred “Al” Rankins Jr. of Madison, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Howard E. Shook Jr. of Douglasville, Georgia, College of Arts and Sciences

Rankins received master’s and doctoral degrees, both in weed science, from MSU in 1996 and 1999, respectively. He began his career at MSU as a tenuretrack assistant professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and a specialist with the Extension Service. He next served as deputy commissioner for the board of trustees of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, where he was chief academic and student affairs officer. In March, Rankins was appointed commissioner for the IHL, marking the first time an African American has been selected to oversee Mississippi’s university system. Additional highlights of Rankins’ career include service as the 19th president of Alcorn State University, where he completed his undergraduate degree, and as acting president of Mississippi Valley State University. He is a native of Greenville.

Shook graduated from MSU in 1962 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. He enjoyed a long career with DuPont as a research chemist, amassing seven U.S. patents—two of which covered chemical processes still active in Orange and Victoria, Texas, and Chalampé, France. He also earned two DuPont Special Compensation Awards. Shook received a doctoral degree in organic chemistry from Duke University.

Shook concluded his career with Westinghouse, retiring in 1996. He is a native of Belmont.

Cristi C. Moore of Atlanta, Georgia, College of Architecture, Art and Design

Moore earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in marketing in 1990 and a second bachelor’s degree in human sciences with an interior design focus in 1998, both from MSU. She is a design director, hospitality design leader and senior associate for Gensler, the world’s largest architecture design firm. At Gensler, Moore has partnered with studio leadership to develop the firm’s Atlanta Hospitality Practice area as a standard of excellence for the Southeast region. Building on her MSU education, Moore also earned a Master of Arts in design management and strategy from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She is a native of Starkville.

Paul J. Karre of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, College of Business

Karre earned a bachelor’s in business administration with a concentration in management from MSU in 1974. In an over 40-year career with International Paper, he held a variety of business, human resources and corporate roles, including a stint as IP Europe’s director of human resources. In 2000, Karre was appointed IP’s vice president of human resources.

He was elected senior vice president for human resources and communications in 2009, holding that role until his retirement in 2015.

He is a native of Natchez.

Janice I. Nicholson of Florence, Alabama, College of Education

Nicholson received master’s and doctoral degrees in elementary education in 1967 and 1977, respectively. Over a 50-year career, she was with the University of North Alabama for 37 years in teaching and administrative positions. She retired from Blue Mountain College, where she earned an undergraduate degree, as executive vice president for Student Affairs and Graduate and Special

Programs in 2012. From 2015-17, Nicholson was interim head of the MSU Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education.

She is a native of Booneville.

Gerald W. “Jerry” Thames of Duluth, Georgia, James Worth Bagley College of Engineering

Thames earned from MSU a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering in 1970 and an MBA in 1971. He later recieved a Master of Science from MIT. After beginning his career with AT&T, Thames built major companies in the U.S. and Europe.

He spearheaded British Telecom’s global initiative; built Global TeleSystems from concept to a $7 billion public company; built a private entity for Lehman Brothers; and assisted Booz Allen Hamilton in reopening their Mideast markets. Thames also rebuilt the Iraq communications systems and post office after the Iraq War for the U.S. government and served in the standup of the new National Counter Terrorism Center. He is currently chairman of the Christian Heritage International and Georgia Center for Opportunity. He is a native of Starkville.

Dr. Todd R. Henderson of Charlotte, North Carolina, College of Veterinary Medicine

Henderson earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from MSU in 1992. He is the president and CEO of Nutramax Laboratories Inc. Before joining Nutramax in 1994, Henderson was the owner of TLC House Call Practice in his native Maryland. He earlier was a veterinarian with Animal Clinic of Harford County before beginning his career with Kissimmee Animal Hospital in Florida. Henderson has further served his profession as an adjunct assistant professor for the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. n

Alfred Rankins Jr. (L) with Dean George Hopper

Cristi Moore (R) with Dean Jim West

Howard Shook Jr. (R) with Dean Rick Travis

Paul Karre (R) with Dean Sharon Oswald

Janice Nicholson (L) with Dean Richard Blackbourn

Gerald Thames (L) with Dean Jason Keith

Dr. Todd Henderson (L) with Associate Dean Ron McLaughlin

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

45

Our PEOPLE

Adams named Outstanding Young Alumna The MSU Alumni Association annually salutes the university’s most outstanding young alumnus or alumna. For 2018, Janelle Finley Adams proudly accepts the Outstanding Young Alumna honor with pride, pledging to passionately continue her efforts to represent the growing number of young Bulldog alumni across the world.

While attending Mississippi State University, Adams earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s degree in kinesiology in 2009 and 2010, respectively. She is an advancement services specialist for the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at the University of South Alabama, near her home in Mobile.

For Adams, her involvement with Mississippi State remains a priority. From 2015-17, she served as president of the Mobile MSU Alumni Chapter, becoming both the youngest individual and the first African American to serve in that capacity. Earlier, Adams was chapter vice president, and she presently serves as a member of the MSU Mobile chapter board. In the Mobile area, Adams volunteers as a United Way Ambassador and with Habitat for Humanity. She also serves the Mobile Jaycees Board as treasurer and Greater Gulf State Fair as a board member and officer. n

46

SUMMER 2018

L-R: Byrd, Fandel, Jones and Schmidt

FOUR VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE SERVICE AWARDS Four dedicated alumni are Distinguished Service Award recipients for work with their respective alumni chapters on behalf of Mississippi State University. MSU graduates Dr. Thomas R. “Tommy” Byrd of Brandon, Kimberly C. “Kim” Fandel of Belden, W. Brad Jones of Atlanta, Georgia, and Alison G. Schmidt of Birmingham, Alabama, were honored for their service in 2017.

Mississippi native Byrd, owner of Florence Dental Clinic, earned a bachelor’s degree in biological engineering from MSU in 1981 and later earned a Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. For the past decade, Byrd has been a dynamic leader in the Central Mississippi Chapter—where he has served as chapter president, chapter vice president and chairman of the annual Summer Extravaganza.

Byrd also has served the MSU National Alumni Board.

Byrd works to recruit outstanding students from Hinds, Madison, and Rankin counties. Beyond his home state, he has been part of mission trips to the Caribbean and Central America, and he has been integral in an MSU Global Medical and

Dental Brigade to assist an underprivileged population.

Starkville native Fandel has enjoyed an over 25-year career in education. During that time, she has helped lead many students to Mississippi State University. She earned a bachelor’s in business administration with a marketing concentration in 1987 and a master’s in elementary education in 1994, both from MSU. Today, she works as an art specialist at Milam Elementary School in Tupelo.

Fandel is a tireless MSU volunteer, giving her time and resources to the Lee County Chapter as she enthusiastically mentors new local officers, sharing with them her extensive knowledge of chapter management at all levels. In the chapter, she has served as president, secretary and chapter board member. From 201117, Fandel devoted her time as a National Alumni Board member.

Mississippi native Jones is accomplishing great things as an MSU Bulldog in the state of Georgia. Jones is a 2000 MSU industrial engineering graduate, who later earned both a master’s in industrial and systems engineering and a doctoral degree from Georgia Institute of

Technology. He is owner and CEO of Life Well Promotions LLC. Within the Atlanta chapter, Jones encourages students from Georgia to enroll at MSU through chapter scholarships.

While scholarship committee chairman, he helped grow the Atlanta Chapter scholarship from an annual award for one recipient to annual awards for multiple students. He also mentors youth and young professionals in the Atlanta community.

Schmidt earned a bachelor’s of professional accountancy and a master’s of taxation from MSU in 2002 and 2003, respectively. She uses her degrees as a CPA and managing director of financial planning for Medical Properties Trust Inc., where she serves the corporate philanthropy committee.

Schmidt has immersed herself in all aspects of promoting MSU as she serves as one of the Birmingham chapter’s primary contacts for events. She has been a member of the board since 2006 and treasurer since 2008. She readily serves the golf tournament and student recruiting committees and helps coordinate the Bell Center Tailgate Challenge that aids young children at risk for developmental delays. n

Association salutes outstanding alumni chapters The MSU Alumni Association includes 101 chapters and clubs worldwide, and 46 of them were honored during the banquet. Some 730 association and chapter events were held on behalf of Mississippi State in 2017, and chapters played an integral role in this accomplishment. Gold, silver and bronze cowbells were given to representatives of the top chapters in each category, while others obtained the status of Honor Chapter. Chapters also received special recognition banners on behalf of their achievements.

GOLD: Panola County Chapter represented by Lisa Newcomb; Atlanta, Georgia Chapter represented

by Michelle Sherman; George-Greene Chapter represented by Marissa Landon; and Central Mississippi Chapter represented by Chris Meyer.

SILVER: Lawrence-Jefferson Davis Chapter represented by John Catt; Oktibbeha County Chapter represented by Matt Matthews; Simpson County Chapter represented by Beth Luper; and Huntsville-Decatur, Alabama Chapter represented

by Brian Sabourin.

IN-STATE HONOR CHAPTERS: Back Row (L-R): Tishomingo County Chapter – Jon Riley; Claiborne-Jefferson Chapter – Beth Cade; Leflore-Carroll Chapter – Matthew Waldrop; Lauderdale County Chapter – William Sanford; Chickasaw County Chapter – Todd Bennett; Warren County Chapter – Tom Kendall; Washington County Chapter – Andy Dixon; Lowndes County Chapter – Anberitha Matthews; and Lee County Chapter – Jacob Beane Front Row (L-R): Marshall-Benton Chapter – SaSha Marsh; Southwest Mississippi Chapter – Greg Wilkinson; Marshall-Benton Chapter – Jessica Campbell; Clay County Chapter – Sandra Murray; Clarke County Chapter – Lisa Riley; Grenada-Montgomery Chapter – Stephanie LeClair;Yazoo County Chapter – Jack Alexander; Pine Belt Chapter – Nick Thompson; Leake County Chapter – Patty Roberts; and Bolivar County Chapter – Cheryl Comans

OUT-OF-STATE HONOR CHAPTERS: (L-R): Memphis, Tennessee Chapter – Daniel Roberson; Greater Chattanooga, Tennessee Chapter – Patsy Fowlkes; Greater Orlando, Florida Chapter – Michael Moore; Nashville, Tennessee Chapter – Russ Bradford; and East Texas Chapter – Pete Weisenberger

DESIGNATED HONOR CHAPTERS FOR ACHIEVEMENTS EARNED IN 2017

BRONZE: Mississippi Gulf Coast Chapter represented by Jeff Ellis; Greater Houston, Texas Chapter represented by Patrick White; and Union County Chapter represented by Will Bowlin.

Birmingham, AL Bolivar County Charlotte, NC Chattanooga, TN Chickasaw County Claiborne-Jefferson Clarke County Clay County Dallas, TX DeSoto County East Texas Fort Worth, TX

Grenada-Montgomery Lauderdale County Leake County Lee County Leflore-Carroll Lincoln County Lowndes County Marshall-Benton Memphis, TN Mobile, AL Nashville, TN New York, NY

Orlando, FL Pine Belt Rocky Mountain (Denver, CO) Saint Louis, MO South Texas Southwest Mississippi Tishomingo County Warren County Washington County Washington D.C. Yazoo County ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

47

Our PEOPLE

A

2018 Alumni Leadership Conference

The annual business meeting and chapter roll call led off the leadership conference, conducted by Brad Reeves, national alumni president. Marshall Ramsey, Pulitzer finalist and nationally syndicated editorial cartoonist, presented “A Cartoonist’s Guide to Leadership: How to serve using hope, humor and hard work.” Additionally, best practices for leaders in a TED Talk format was shared by volunteer leaders. Other highlights included news from Athletic Compliance shared by Steve Smith, associate athletic director for compliance, and updates from student affairs by vice president of the division, Regina Hyatt.

C

D

E

F

A: Beth Luper (left) of the Simpson County Chapter with leadership conference guest speaker Marshall Ramsey, Pulitzer finalist and nationally syndicated editorial cartoonist. B: David Jones, former national alumni president (left), with John Dickerson, assistant vice president for enrollment (center), and Naron Remillard, director of student recruitment (right).

Both Dickerson and Remillard are with the MSU Office of Admissions and Scholarships. C: Ali Reardon of the MSU Bulldog Club (left) with Anberitha

48

SUMMER 2018

B

Matthews of the Lowndes County Chapter. D: Ann and Danny Hossley of the East Texas Chapter receive their conference “swag” from Alumni Delegate Matthew Criddle. E: L-R: Nick Simmons of the Northwest Florida Chapter, Creath Edens-Townsend of the Mobile, Alabama Chapter; Arlene Baker of the Orlando, Florida Chapter and Stephanie Wofford, also of the Mobile Chapter. F: MSU head football coach Joe Moorhead shares an update about MSU Athletics with conference participants.

Embark on an

ADVENTURE with the MSU Alumni Association

2019 Destinations* march

• Singapore, Thailand and Angkor Wat april

• Amsterdam to Antwerp • Normandy to Honfleur: 75th Anniversary of D-Day may

• Southwest National Parks • Miami to San Francisco • Lisbon to London june

• Stockholm to Copenhagen • Journey through Europe Rhine River Cruise • Arctic Expedition JULY

• Alaska to Seattle • Iceland • Cambridge Oxford Cotswolds • Canadian Rockies August

• Rome to Venice SEPTEMBER

• Toronto to Vancouver by Rail • Paris Noir • Wines of the Pacific Northwest: Clarkson to Portland

*A L L T R I P S A N D DAT E S S U B J E C T TO CHANGE. VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR T H E M O S T C U R R E N T I N F O R M AT I O N .

alumni.msstate.edu/travel

The MSU Alumni Association annually sponsors trips across the globe through the Traveling Bulldogs program. Itineraries are booked through 2019. Our program also includes fan travel, featuring trips for select away football games in 2018! Explore the Alumni Association website for more information at alumni.msstate.edu/travel or contact Libba Andrews at 662.325.3479.

At Mississippi State University, we are proud of our highly ranked graduate programs. We invite you to take that next step, whether it be on campus or online in one of our Distance Education programs.

50

SUMMER 2018

8

BY THE NUMBERS 2-MINUTE

LUXURIOUS

WALK TO

CONDOMINIUMS

FOR SALE

TO

3/4 MILE HUMPHREY

DAVIS-WADE STADIUM

1,400 +/-

COLISEUM NUMEROUS

S Q UA RE FE E T

PRICES BEGIN AT $470K

2&3 BEDROOM UNITS

AVAILABLE

AMENITIES

PRIVATE BALCONIES • SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY • QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS HARDWOOD, PORCELAIN AND BROADLOOM CARPET FLOORING RESERVED COVERED PARKING • AND MORE!

STARKVILLE’S EXCLUSIVE ADDRESS

550RUSSELL.COM

662.323.8700 ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

51

Our PEOPLE

DOWNLOAD THE APP 52

SUMMER 2018

1

SEARCH FOR MISSISSIPPI

STATE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION IN AN APP STORE.

2

DOWNLOAD THE APP AND FOLLOW

THREE SIMPLE PROMPTS TO FIND AND AUTHENTICATE YOUR IDENTITY.

EXCLUSIVE MOBILE APP READY FOR BULLDOGS The Mississippi State University Alumni Association is

launching a mobile app to engage Bulldog students and alumni in a meaningful way – reaching them right where they are.

There are more than 2 billion smartphone users in the world, and in April the MSU Alumni Association joined this global movement with an app available to the university’s more than142,000 living alumni and countless friends. The app will be available for currently enrolled students in the summer.

The MSU app will deliver notifications to alumni in a timely manner that will encourage participation with the university. It also will create a virtual fence around a specific geographic area to enable the user to receive messages, alerts and other MSU information while within the area. This location-based service will provide a mobile check-in at events such as tailgates, reunions, chapter events, Senior Celebration and Ring Days.

The MSU app features a virtual membership card for all alumni and students. The card will feature a QR code that stores benefits for members.

The app is also designed to enhance the student experience at MSU. Traditions and activities will be searchable alphabetically or by class year. This interactive app will help students complete traditions like the “MSU Bucket List” through photos, video or scanning the QR code. Completion of these activities can be shared

CONNECT WITH BULLDOGS EVERYWHERE THROUGH THE NEW MOBILE APP OFFERED

BY THE MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.

socially, which builds on the experience. Additionally, there is a leaderboard feature that ranks the performance of active users.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

53

Our Our PEOPLE PEOPLE

The Mississippi State University Alumni Association held the second formally organized BLACK ALUMNI WEEKEND in February. More than 700 participants came together for a weekend of educational February 16-18, 2018 and social events titled “Pioneers, History Makers and Future Leaders.� For more information on this event and other MSU Alumni Association events, visit alumni.msstate.edu.

54

SUMMER 2018

BAW18 Chair Connie Spells Raines (’85) welcomes attendees at the opening session.

Panelists Veronica Scott (’03), Marilyn Crouther (’87), Harvest Collier (’72), and Field Brown (’14) at the opening panel discussion

MCs Veronica Waters Becton and Tabora Cook (‘14); BAW18 Event Chair Connie Spells Raines (’85) and Vice Chair Carmen April Washington (‘02) present cowbells to five honorees, Ra’Sheda Boddie Forbes (’08), Veronica Scott (’03), Field Brown (’14), Micheal Cristal (‘85), and Edward Boclair (’83)

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

55

Our PEOPLE

MSU Athletic Director John Cohen (’90) (bottom right) and head football coach Joe Moorhead address the crowd at the athletic luncheon.

56

SUMMER 2018

Comedian and Mississippi native Rita Brent entertains the crowd at the pre-game networking reception.

Attendees visiting during BAW18 check in

Lashell McCullough Vaughn (’82), Clinton Vaughn (’80) and James Collins (’81) with Vic Schaeffer, head women’s basketball coach

Attendees enjoyed the pre-game networking reception.

National alumni board member Edward Sanders (’06) and BAAC Chair Robert Barnes (’72) visit between sessions.

Jasmine Murray, former Miss MSU and Miss Mississippi, and Micah Stampley, nationally known gospel singer-songwriter, perform at the Gospel Brunch.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

57

Infinite IMPACT

Transformative opportunities endure through memorial endowment By: Addie Mayfield

S

ydney L. Cate Jr. was a leader in many ways. An entrepreneur, veteran and altruistic public servant, he was deeply devoted to higher education and the arts and helping others to achieve their goals. Although he never attended Mississippi State University, Cate’s encouragement continues to impact the academic pursuits of MSU students through an endowed scholarship he created in memory of his father nearly two decades ago.

Born on October 29, 1922, in Grace, Idaho, and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, Cate earned an engineering degree from the University of Utah and later attended Stanford University’s Executive Development Program. After serving as 1st Lieutenant Aide-de-Camp in the U.S. Army during World War II, Cate founded Bannock Steel, a heavy equipment company in Idaho Falls, Idaho. In 1960, he expanded the business into a major steel fabrication firm through a merger with Gate City Steel of Boise, Idaho.

Cate and his family later moved to Gate City Steel’s headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, where he became deeply committed to the area’s business and philanthropic communities. Serving on the boards of numerous corporations, he contributed to many local organizations and foundations. As a member of the Young President’s Organization and the World Business Council, Cate and his wife, Betty, traveled throughout the world.

In 2000, Cate created the Sydney L. Cate Endowed Scholarship in the MSU James Worth Bagley College of Engineering.

Memorializing his father, Sydney L. Cate Sr., a 1917 Mississippi A&M engineering alumnus, the award ensures promising students are afforded the opportunity to study engineering at his father’s alma mater.

“My family is proud of the charitable work that my father has done over his lifetime,” said Cate’s daughter, Rebecca.

“He spoke to us about my grandfather, who was from Tate and DeSoto counties in Mississippi, and his financial struggles to receive his engineering degree at Mississippi A&M prior to World War I.”

58

SUMMER 2018

Recognizing the difficulties his father faced and worked to overcome in pursuing a higher education, Cate was committed to supporting other ambitious students in earning their degrees. In addition to his scholarship at MSU, Cate also contributed to engineering scholarships at the University of Nebraska and the University of Utah.

The Sydney L. Cate Endowed Scholarship, which gives preference to students from Tate and DeSoto counties, as well as those from single-parent homes, has provided financial support for 17 MSU students to date. As an endowment, the gift will continue to uphold Cate’s legacy of investing in educational opportunities for years to come.

Jeremy Wigginton, a 2005 biological engineering graduate, was the first recipient of the scholarship award in 2001. Like Cate’s father, Wigginton faced many difficult times as a child. Several years after losing his mother to breast cancer on his 11th birthday, Wigginton’s father died from complications of alcoholism. Despite the tragedy, the Belmont native pushed himself and graduated valedictorian of his senior class.

Inspired by many of the doctors who helped his mother during her battle with cancer, Wigginton said he knew he wanted to one day become a doctor to help people. He began searching for the support needed to enroll in the biological engineering program at MSU, a precursor to medical school. That opportunity arose when he was awarded the Sydney L. Cate Scholarship.

Following graduation, Wigginton went on to earn a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson. Today, he continues to lead a progressive career in medicine in New Orleans—a dream that may never have been attained without Cate’s private support and encouragement.

During his lifetime, Cate kept in touch with many of his scholarship recipients, including Wigginton. Despite never meeting them in person, Cate saved each letter, reading and sharing them with his children

Sydney L. Cate Jr.

on many occasions. Following his passing in July 2017 at the age of 94, Cate’s daughter, Rebecca, found the letters, which he had saved in his personal files. She plans to uphold his outreach by continuing to receive the award recipient’s letters and share them with her family.

“It is a great reminder that my dad’s legacy continues,” Rebecca said.

The current 2018 recipients of the Sydney L. Cate Endowed Scholarship are Kendall Billingsley, a junior biological engineering major from Nesbit; Joseph Carter, a freshman biomedical engineering major from Horn Lake; and Anna Kate Goldman, a senior biological engineering major from Nesbit.

“A major influence for coming to MSU was the outstanding engineering program offered here,” Billingsley said. “Without the Sydney Cate scholarship, I would have been struggling to pay for my education.”

Billingsley explains that beyond helping to relieve the financial burdens of her education, the scholarship has also served as an incentive to continue doing well in her classes.

“Scholarship support really makes a difference in the lives of students,” Billingsley said. “It can be a determining factor in what allows someone to continue their education and one day obtain their goals of bettering their lives.”

For more information on how to create endowed scholarships at MSU, contact Jack McCarty, executive director of development for the MSU Foundation, at (662) 325-9580 or jmccarty@foundation.msstate.edu. n

FAMILY’S MUSICAL HERITAGE INSPIRES GIVING

By Addie Mayfield

A 2004 chemistry graduate with a passion for music instilled in him by his mother and her siblings, Greg Stowers fondly recalls many memories of his family singing and playing music together. After his uncle passed away in 2016, he decided to extend this family tradition to his alma mater by creating the Ronald “Ronnie” Irvin Bailey Memorial Endowed Music Scholarship in the College of Education.

“Every family has something that keeps them together. For my family, it’s music,” Stowers said. “My mother and her siblings were all involved with music, and my sisters and I have also shared that same love for music. This endowed scholarship is a way to honor our mother and create a lasting legacy to her brother.”

Ronnie, born exactly 11 months after Stowers’ mother, Debra, was a naturally gifted musician. While Debra dreaded piano lessons, Ronnie picked up the skill with ease. Always working on and composing new music, Ronnie also mastered the organ, drums and guitar, and was an exceptional singer. He was an ordained minister of music in Greenville, and through the help of family in Memphis, Tennessee, he put out several CDs that have been picked up across the region.

In addition to his musical talents, Ronnie was also an innovator. His “tinkering spirit” helped him imagine new ways to build and improve innovative creations. That same spirit resulted in the evolution of Staxx guitars, a revolutionary double-necked guitar he patented with plans of manufacturing prior to his death.

Through the newly established scholarship, Stowers and his family hope more students will be inspired by their shared passion.

Furthermore, as an endowment, the award will pay tribute to their musical heritage and carry Ronnie’s legacy through future generations of Bulldog students.

“I hope that other young people who

Greg Stowers (center) with parents (left), Cottrell and Debra Bailey Wynne of Greenville, and sisters (right), Monica Stowers Taliaferro and Monay Stowers Freeman, both of Dallas, Texas

come here will get as much joy from music as we have,” Debra said. “Through the good times and the bad times, music is always something that uplifts you. I am excited to see how well this scholarship enriches students’ lives at Mississippi State.”

The Ronald “Ronnie” Irvin Bailey Memorial Endowed Music Scholarship will

“My time at Mississippi State was wonderful and gave me all the tools I needed to succeed. Being there taught me how to be a responsible adult, how to interact with a diverse group of people, how to study and have fun, and most importantly, how to ring a cowbell.“~ Greg Stowers assist full-time music majors who maintain a 3.0 GPA. Preference will also be given to students from Ronnie’s hometown of Greenville.

“It makes me very proud and excited to see the love and support from the Stowers family that has transpired into this scholarship award because Mississippi State is a family too,” said Richard Blackbourn, dean and professor of the College of Education. “We are very appreciative of this gift and are grateful for all the students this will benefit in the future.”

A native of the Mississippi town of Lena, Stowers currently makes his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he serves

as an environmental analytical chemist at Dow Chemical Co. Dow is one of many corporations that match gifts made by their employees to educational institutions, enabling Stowers to double the impact of his gift to MSU. Through his ongoing commitment and utilization of the matching program, he hopes to grow the endowment to one day provide recipients with a full scholarship.

Music isn’t the only area where Stowers helps students succeed. He also finds time to volunteer as a STEM Ambassador. Short for science, technology, engineering, and math, the STEM Ambassadors program connects Dow employees with local schools to mentor students and instill a deeper learning of science.

From investing in scholarship support to contributing his time as a tutor, Stowers’ efforts are helping more students gain a quality education. In reflecting on his time as a student at MSU, Stowers recognizes the importance of giving back and helping to make opportunities for similar student experiences possible.

“My time at Mississippi State was wonderful and gave me all the tools I needed to succeed,” Stowers said. “Being there taught me how to be a responsible adult, how to interact with a diverse group of people, how to study and have fun, and most importantly, how to ring a cowbell. I have always wanted to give back to the college that gave me so much.” n ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

59

MISSISSIPPI STATE CLASS RING

TRUE MAROON

B part of th tradition!

ALUMNI.MSSTATE.EDU

3719_USSP_NCAA_MIssStAlumniProgramAd_FINAL.indd 1

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

61

STATE ments For the third consecutive year, Mississippi State University’s exceptionally maintained campus has earned recognition as part of the Professional Grounds Management Society’s 2017 Green Star Awards competition. MSU was one of four Honor Award recipients in the University and College Grounds (Mid-Size)categories.

Mississippi State architecture student Zachary Henry was one of seven students recognized by the 2017 HERE+NOW: A House for the 21st Century Residential Student Design Competition. The fifth-year student from Powell, Tennessee, received honorable mention for his project, “Affordable Housing for the 21st Century: A Housing Solution for Poverty in the Neglected Mississippi Delta.”

Mississippi State architecture seniors Omkar H. Prabhu, a native of Mumbai, India, and Curtis M. Reed of Montgomery, Alabama, took first- and second-place, respectively, in the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association Sustainable Versatility Design Awards challenge.

Merrill Warkentin, the James J. Rouse Professor of Information Systems in MSU’s College of Business, is one of five scholars worldwide to be recognized with the 2017 Outstanding Service Award by the International Federation for Information Processing.

Mississippi State’s Carl Small Town Center received two statewide awards for its “Marking the Mule” project focused

on advancing citizen engagement in the Marks community. Director Leah F. Kemp recently accepted a 2017 Public Outreach Award from the Mississippi Chapter of the American Planning Association. The award recognizes an individual or program that uses information and education to raise awareness about the value of planning among communities and locales. The project also received an AIA Design Award from the Mississippi Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Emily Salmon-Wal, a graduate student and Mississippi State research engineer based in Vicksburg at the Institute for Systems Engineering Research, received a scholarship from the Gulf Region Intelligent Transportation Society.

During the December MSU Class Ring Ceremony, MSU President Mark E. Keenum proudly presented the students with their rings at the Chapel of Memories. Each honoree was recognized and given an opportunity to ring a special gold cowbell three times, signifying the university’s trifold mission of learning, research and service. At the ceremony’s close, recipients joined in unison to place the rings on their fingers in anticipation of becoming future Bulldog graduates. Official MSU rings are available for purchase through the MSU Alumni Association.

62

SUMMER 2018

AROUND CAMPUS

Former national presidents of the MSU Alumni Association gathered in the Hunter Henry Center’s lobby as part of Former National Presidents Day on March 9.

The group is collectively recognized biennially for their loyal service. Those former national presidents in attendance included: FRONT ROW (L-R) Gary Blair, Charles Cascio, B.B. Hosch, Betty Black, Clay McWilliams, Bill Long, A.D. Hunt, Camille Young and Steve Taylor; MIDDLE ROW (L-R) Joe Bryan, Ronnie Walton, Brad Reeves, David Jones, Walter Becker Jr., Jackie Ford and Lamar Connerly; BACK ROW (L-R): Jeff Davis, the association’s executive director, Jerry Toney and Tommy Roberson.

Marion W. “Will” Evans, head of the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion, received the Sarah Mazelis Award for outstanding performance by a practitioner at the American Public Health Association annual meeting.

Wendy Herd, an associate professor of English is Mississippi State’s selection for 2017 Humanities Teacher of the Year.

She was among some 30 higher education representatives the Mississippi Humanities Council recognized for outstanding achievements.

Debra S. Munsell is now leading the implementation of MSU-Meridian’s new graduate program in physician assistant studies.

George Hopper, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station director and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences dean at Mississippi State, received a 2017 Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors ESS Excellence in Leadership Award during the APLU’s recent annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Jonas King, an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, is receiving a new innovator grant from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, a nonprofit organization established in the 2014 Farm Bill. He is one of only seven national recipients of the second annual New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award.

Mississippi State continues to rank high among America’s top universities for veterans. The university earned the 2018 Military Friendly Schools Gold Medal for its veteran-oriented campus culture, as well as being ranked No. 44 out of more than 600 colleges surveyed for the Military Times Best: Colleges 2018 rankings.

The Gillon family celebrated Thanksgiving in a new home after the ninth Mississippi State Maroon Edition Habitat for Humanity home was dedicated during a ceremony in Starkville.

MSU, City of Starkville and Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity officials came together to celebrate the new home, built by volunteers for Kareema Gillon and her two young children, Korrine and Dorione. As part of the university’s Maroon Edition program, MSU students, faculty and staff volunteered to build the house.

Nearly 130 students are new members of Mississippi State University’s chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest, largest and most selective honor society for all academic disciplines. Membership is limited to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of second-term juniors.

A Virginia student recently completed a graduate degree at Mississippi State as the university’s third Janos Radvanyi Memorial Scholar. Christina E. Gusella of Alexandria received a master’s in history, with research focused on cultural diplomacy of the former Soviet Union. She also was a Department of History teaching assistant preparing for a career in academia.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

63

STATE ments

Air Force ROTC cadets at Mississippi State are supervising the military branch’s national student community service operations. The university’s Detachment 425 defeated a University of Tennessee, Knoxville peer organization in competition to become national headquarters for the Arnold Air Society. The prestigious designation is a first in AFROTC’s seven-decade history on the Starkville campus.

MSU landscape architecture students recently designed and presented campus master plans for a Memphis-area high school. Seventeen undergraduates and two master’s students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences landscape architecture major spent the semester reimagining the master plan of Bolton High School in Arlington, Tennessee. Located in a small town just northeast of Memphis, the high school plans to return to its rich agricultural roots as an agriculture optional school.

A new report from the National Science Foundation again finds Mississippi State ranked among the nation’s top 100 research institutions and the Magnolia State’s leading research university. The recently released NSF Higher Education Research and Development Survey for Fiscal Year 2016 places the university at 93rd overall among public and private institutions in the country, based on $239.4 million in total research and development expenditures. It is ranked 60th among non-medical school institutions, and 64th among public institutions.

64

SUMMER 2018

Jana Berkery

Georgia Luann Carter

Trish Cunetto

Foundation fills three fundraising posts In an effort to further fundraising priorities for Mississippi State University, the MSU Foundation has placed three veteran staff members in new roles.

Starkville native Jana Berkery became assistant director of development for the College of Business and its Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy in January. She joins Zack Harrington, a veteran fundraiser and fellow alumnus who is the college’s director of development, as the pair seek major gifts for both units.

Berkery graduated from MSU in 2005 with a degree in sports communication and a minor in marketing. She began working at her alma mater in 2011 as coordinator of annual giving for the Bulldog Club athletic fundraising organization. She also has previous higher education experience with Mississippi University for Women and University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Succeeding Berkery as director of annual giving is Georgia Luann Carter, a Canton native who assumed the position in February. In the role, she will direct fundraising efforts that typically focus on gifts made to any MSU area on a continuing basis.

Carter also will be responsible for securing annual gifts for the institution and its academic colleges through direct marketing efforts and overseeing the university’s Bulldog Calling Center with some 20 student employees who work to build partnerships and update database records for MSU graduates and friends.

Carter holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Delta State University.

Before coming to MSU, she served

as a resource manager with Luckie & Company in Birmingham, Alabama, and in marketing and sales with Birmingham Printing. Her previous experience included various marketing roles with department stores including Parisian, Profitt’s and McRae’s.

The MSU Library has a new fundraiser in Trish Cunetto. She welcomed responsibilities with major gift fundraising for the MSU Library, one of six presidential libraries in the nation, in February. Since 2012, Cunetto has served as the College of Education director of development and will continue in that role simultaneously.

A 1986 elementary education graduate and Starkville resident, Cunetto initially joined the MSU Foundation fundraising team following an accomplished career in the classroom. A Columbus native, she was a public-school teacher for 25 years. She began her career at Lower Elementary in Quitman, then taught at West Side Elementary in West Point before serving as a kindergarten teacher at Starkville’s Sudduth Elementary. She has a long list of careerrelated leadership activities including service with then-Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour’s Teacher Advisory Committee and the Mississippi Superintendent’s Advisory Committee.

All MSU Foundation fundraising personnel are working to further the university’s Infinite Impact campaign.

A complete list of personnel and a link to the university’s Guide to Giving can be found at www.msufoundation. com. Also, the latest foundation news is available on Twitter @MSU_Foundation.

AROUND CAMPUS Eighteen architecture students in Mississippi State’s College of Architecture, Art and Design recently presented master plan and building proposals for a forestry and wildlife outreach center in Mississippi’s largest urban natural area. The student projects were part of MSU Assistant Professor Jacob A. “Jake” Gines’s fall-semester introduction to mass timber studio course supported by the Mississippi Forestry Foundation, the fundraising arm of the Mississippi Forestry Association.

Longtime faculty member Dan Seale is the inaugural James R. Moreton Endowed Fellow in the College of Forest Resources at Mississippi State University. The James R. Moreton Fellow in Sustainable Bioproducts was established through a gift from James Reginald Moreton, a 1956 mechanical engineering alumnus.

After a career in banking as founder and CEO of First Federal Savings and Loan, Moreton moved into the industrial access mat business.

Bronson Strickland, a wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture extension professor, has been named the St. John Family Endowed Professor of Wildlife Management in the College of Forest Resources.

After more than a year serving in an interim role, Nicole Rader, a Mississippi State sociology professor, is now associate dean for academic affairs in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences.

She succeeds Rick Travis, who moved into the dean’s position in 2016.

Pamela Scott-Bracey, an award-winning College of Education faculty member at Mississippi State recently was named Collegiate Teacher of the Year by the Southern Business Education Association.

Angie Chrestman, a Mississippi State alumna with approximately 15 years of career services experience is now leading MSU’s Career Center.

She served as the interim director since Scott Maynard retired in 2017 after leading the center for nine years.

Thomas R. Gregory III, a Mississippi State alumnus and community planner for the university’s Carl Small Town Center, recently was elected to a one-year term as presidentelect of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Planning Association. In January 2019, he will begin a two-year term as the organization’s president.

Licensed psychologist and assistant professor E. Samuel “Sam” Winer is being recognized as an APS Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science.

Four of Mississippi State’s distance education programs are recognized in the 2018 U.S. News & World Report online programs rankings, with two programs ranking in the top 50 nationally. The MSU College of Business’ Distance MBA program remains one of the best in the country at No. 22 in U.S. News’ Best Online MBA Program rankings, once again achieving the highest ranking of any online MBA program in Mississippi. The ranking also marks the fourth consecutive year MSU’s Distance MBA program has ranked in the top 25 nationally.

Mississippi State is among more than 100 senior higher-education institutions being praised by the international honor society for students at two-year colleges. The university recently was named to the 2018 Transfer Honor Roll of Phi Theta Kappa.

Junior Emmalyne J. Kwasny, who is focusing on journalism in the university’s Department of Communication, has been named the Southeast Journalism Conference’s College Journalist of the Year. As editor-in-chief of The Reflector, MSU’s twice-weekly broadsheet, she also was honored with fourth place in the Best of the South special event reporter/editor category and third in design and page layout during the onsite competition.

Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State University, has been elected to the board of trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH).

Mississippi State University’s Office of Public Affairs is being hailed as one of the nation’s top communication and marketing teams by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education District III. MSU won the Platinum Award — the CASE III competition’s top prize — for its “We Ring True” branding initiative.

MSU also gained top honors in the advertising subcategory for the university’s 2017 television commercial and won two Awards of Excellence in the programs and projects subcategory for the university’s branding strategy and for external communications, which includes media and public relations, social media and advertising.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

65

AROUND CAMPUS

STATE ments Dr. Sharon Grace, a clinical professor, and Dr. Gary D. Norsworthy, an adjunct professor, in the College of Veterinary Medicine are major authors of “The Feline Patient, Fifth Edition.” This is the fifth time these MSU-associated veterinarians have teamed up to produce a textbook for the practicing veterinarian.

MSU senior Mallory Eubanks of the sociology department was selected by the Washington Spirit 16th overall in the National Women’s Soccer League draft becoming the highest draftee in program history.

Katherine Flowers of the

university’s English department received the James Berlin Memorial Outstanding Dissertation Award, an international recognition of the Conference on College Composition and Communication.

Marisa G. Laudadio, a

Administrators from Mississippi State University and the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture signed a cooperative agreement designed to train workforce entrants for the midwestern state’s burgeoning poultry industry. The newly developed program includes three semesters in Nebraska and a semester in Mississippi State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Upon completion of the program, students will earn an Associate of Applied Science in Animal Science degree from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, with a concentration in poultry science.

political science/pre-law and communication/public relations double-major from Walnut, is among 73 undergraduate students from around the country to receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Cambridge, Massachusetts for the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government’s prestigious Public Policy and Leadership Conference. She was accompanied by MSU political science and sociology double-major Emily L. Tingle of Vicksburg, who was selected in 2017 but unable to attend last year’s conference.

A faculty member since 2011, Julia Osman accepted the position of director of Mississippi State’s Institute for the Humanities. The associate professor succeeds William Anthony Hay, who completed his successful term and continues his full-time work as an associate professor in MSU’s Department of History.

Computer engineering senior

Khalil N. Markham of Biloxi,

who is also part of the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College has been selected for the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs’ Junior Summer Institute in Public Policy and International Affairs. MSU’s third PPIA Fellow in four years, he is receiving a $1,000 stipend, meal stipend, housing accommodations and round-trip airfare. As part of the fellowship experience, he will engage in discussions with other emerging leaders from around the country who are driven to make a difference through service to their communities.

66

SUMMER 2018

Professor of Educational Leadership Dr. Linda T. Coats of MSU’s College of Education, center right, and Community Outreach Veterinarian Dr. Brittany S. Moore-Henderson of MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, center left, were among campus and community leaders recognized during the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning’s annual Diversity Awards ceremony for their impact in advancing diversity and encouraging understanding and respect.

After a national search, Allen S. Parrish has been named associate vice president for research and professor of computer science and engineering at Mississippi State. He is a professor and founding chair of the Department of Cyber Science at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He previously served as associate vice president for research at the University of Alabama.

Another Mississippi State junior architecture student will experience the trip of a lifetime and learn more about her field this summer through firsthand visits to some of the world’s most renowned buildings. Maria I. Ory of Destrehan, Louisiana, will use the $20,000 Aydelott Travel Award to visit and research buildings in Austria, China, Mexico and Spain. She is the third MSU recipient since the endowed award was established in 2016.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

67

STATE ments

AROUND CAMPUS

BULLDOGS LAND DOUBLE FINAL FOUR APPEARANCESÂ

68

SUMMER 2018

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

69

STATE ments

HAIL STATE GIVING DAYS TOPS EXPECTATIONS

Every spring, the Mississippi State University family anticipates Hail State Giving Days, the online philanthropy event with a goal of 1,000 donors. The 2018 event coincided with the observance of MSU’s official 140th birthday on Feb. 28 and extended through March 1.

During the event, 1,032 donors from 31 different states honored the university with a special birthday gift. As a result, more than $710,000 in gifts for areas across MSU became part of the ongoing Infinite Impact campaign.

MSU President Mark E. Keenum cuts the university’s 140th birthday cake donated by Aramark. The party was organized by the MSU Alumni Association and presented by Renasant Bank. Giveaways, party favors and a photo booth with Bully highlighted the occasion.

Spice up your kitchen - Bulldog style!

Bring Mississippi flavor into your kitchen with the special Mississippi State University limited edition of A Mississippi Palate – the coffee-table cookbook with 105 Mississippi heritage recipes by acclaimed chef Robert St. John and 66 beautiful watercolors by Wyatt Waters, with his home state as the subject.

This special edition features exclusive back cover art of one of the Bully statues in The Junction, with Davis Wade Stadium in the background. Each book is autographed by both chef and artist and accompanied by a signed and numbered print of the Bully statue.

Collectively, the chef and artist are commentators and chroniclers of Mississippi culture – one using a cast iron skillet, the other using a #42 da Vinci brush – both armed with a deep love for the beautiful state of Mississippi.

Order yours today at msufoundation.com/cookbook or call 662-325-7000.

70

SUMMER 2018

GIVING BACK

Foundation names officers, incoming members for 2018 As Infinite Impact surpasses the $835 million mark, the largest fundraising endeavor in Mississippi history continues to be driven toward a $1 billion goal by the MSU Foundation and its 47-seat board of directors.

Again in 2018, the MSU Foundation is being led by Earnest W. “Earnie” Deavenport Jr. of Greenville, South Carolina, who is entering his third term as board chair. He is joined by returning 2017 officers D. Hines Brannan Jr. of Atlanta, Georgia, vice chair, and William A. “Lex” Taylor III of Louisville, treasurer. The three alumni began new one-year terms January 1.

Mississippi native Deavenport earned an MSU chemical engineering degree in 1960 and received a 2011 honorary Doctor of Science in the fields of business and engineering from the university. He is the retired chairman and CEO of Kingsport, Tennessee-based Eastman Chemical Company.

A 1970 industrial engineering graduate who earned an MBA the following year, Brannan is a retired managing director of Accenture. Fellow alumnus Taylor is chairman and CEO of Taylor Group Inc. and president of Taylor Machine Works Inc. He earned a general business administration degree in 1977.

Other leadership includes John P. Rush, MSU vice president for development and alumni, who serves as board president and CEO; David Easley, executive director of finance, who is chief financial officer; and Jack McCarty, executive director of development, who serves as secretary. All three are MSU graduates.

Beginning inaugural three-year terms in 2018 are: Timothy S. “Tim” Duncan of Houston, Texas. A 1995 petroleum engineering graduate, Duncan is president and CEO of Talos Energy Inc. Paul J. Karre of Pawleys Island, S.C. A 1974 graduate in business administration with a management concentration, Karre is the retired senior vice president of human resources and communications for International Paper.

Joffrey R. “Jay” Pryor of Houston, Texas.

A 1979 petroleum engineering graduate, Pryor is vice president for business development of Chevron Corp.

Seven alumni who have previously served are returning to the board in new three-year terms.

They are: Hassell H. Franklin of Houston. The 1959 management graduate is chairman and CEO of Franklin Corp.

David B. Hall of Meridian. A 1999 forestry and 2002 MBA graduate, Hall is CEO and president of Hall Timberlands.

Wilbert G. “Mickey” Holliman Jr. of Belden. A 1960 industrial management graduate, Holliman is the retired chairman and CEO of Furniture Brands International. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science by MSU in 2017.

Malcolm B. Lightsey Sr. of Ridgeland.

A 1961 bachelor’s and 1963 master’s of mathematics graduate, Lightsey is the retired president and CEO of SunTech Inc. M. Diane Roberts of Louisville, Kentucky.

Roberts, who earned bachelor’s and master’s in zoology in 1963 and 1964, respectively, is a retired associate professor of business at Indiana University East.

Cynthia M. Stevens of Alexandria, Virginia.

A 1983 political science graduate, Stevens serves as Management Principal Government Relations for Deloitte LLP. Anthony L. Wilson of Gulfport. A 1987 electrical engineering graduate, Wilson is the chairman, president and CEO of Mississippi Power Co. Also joining the board, by virtue of position, are Bradley M. “Brad” Reeves of Ridgeland, the university’s national alumni president, and Thomas B. “Tommy” Nusz of Houston, Texas, in his first year as president of the MSU Bulldog Club. Reeves, who earned a bachelor’s in business administration, with concentrations in management and construction of land development in 2002, is a partner at the law firm of Randall, Segrest, Weeks, Reeves and Sones PLLC. Nusz, a 1982 MSU petroleum engineering graduate, is CEO and chairman of Houston-based Oasis Petroleum, which he co-founded.

For more information on the work of the MSU Foundation and access to the university’s Guide to Giving, visit www.msufoundation.com or follow the MSU Foundation on Twitter @MSU_Foundation.

DEAVENPORT

BRANNAN

TAYLOR

DUNCAN

KARRE

PRYOR

FRANKLIN

HALL

HOLLIMAN

LIGHTSEY

ROBERTS

STEVENS

WILSON

REEVES

NUSZ

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

71

72

SUMMER 2018

RIDE WITH

PRIDE

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

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

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

73

STATE ments

1960s

1980s

The city of Lucedale declared August 4 to be James E. Corley Day. Corley (B.S. mechanical engineering, ‘63) received this honor in recognition of his civic work and years of volunteer service to the city. He returned to Lucedale in 1995 after retiring from an engineering career.

Ted Kendall IV (B.S. agricultural economics, ‘82) was named by Agricultural Secretary Sonny Perdue as chairman of the Farm Service Agency State Committee. The group helps administer agricultural conservation, production adjustment, price support and livestock programs in the state.

Louis Valentine (B.A., M.A. management; ‘65, ‘66), who was recently sworn in as alderman-at-large for Lucedale, was named to the Mississippi Municipal League Hall of Fame.

1970s William P. “Bill” Gardner (B.S. banking and finance, ‘74) has been named a Forbes Coaching Council Contributor, whose work can be found on the publication’s website.

He lives in Austin, Texas, where he owns a leadership coaching and development business.

Mike Smith (B.S. electrical engineering, ‘75) retired after 47 years with Singing River Electric. He began his career with the utility provider in 1970 as a cooperativeeducation student and retired as manager of the organization.

John Clark (B.S., M.S. horticulture; ‘78, ‘80) was named to the Arkansas Agricultural Hall of Fame. A distinguished professor at the University of Arkansas, he is considered one of the country’s preeminent experts in the field of fruit crop genetics and breeding.

Lynn Phillips-Gaines (B.A. communication, ‘78) is ranked among the Best-In-State Wealth Advisors by Forbes.

Tracy L. Harris III (B.S. animal science, ‘79) was promoted to vice president of sales for professional brands with Central Life Sciences. He has been with the company for more than 16 years, most recently serving as senior director of sales for the Professional Agricultural Products division.

74

SUMMER 2018

Tom Reisenbichler (Bachelor of Architecture, ‘82) was named one of the “Dallas 500” for 2018 by DCEO magazine, an honor that recognizes the most powerful and influential business leaders in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He is managing director of the Dallas branch of Perkins+Will, a global architecture and design firm.

Cindy Stevens (B.A. political science, ‘83) has been appointed managing principal of the Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission by Gov. Terry McAuliffe. She is management principal, government relations of Deloitte LLP. Sukant Misra (M.S., Ph.D. agricultural economics; ‘86, ‘89) was named vice provost of international affairs at Texas Tech University. He served in numerous positions since joining the university in 1993, most recently as associate dean for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Prior to joining Texas Tech, he worked at the University of Georgia.

Brian Marsh (B.S. mechanical engineering, ‘87) was named president and CEO of Goodwill Arkansas.

Archimania, an architecture collective based in Memphis, Tennessee, was ranked 13th in Architect magazine’s 2017 top 50 firms for design. Todd Walker (Bachelor of

Architecture, ‘87) is a partner and principal for the firm, which employs many Mississippi State alumni as architects and designers.

U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr Thomas Brian Bailey (B.B.A., ‘89) retired from service in Mobile, Alabama. He first enlisted in the National Guard in 1986 before joining ROTC at Mississippi State and ultimately earning an Army commission. He began his Coast Guard career at Air Station Clearwater in 1998.

Britt Virden (B.A. political science, ‘89) of the law firm Campbell DeLong, LLP in Greenville, was selected as a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a national organization of trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of civil jury trials in America. He most recently served the nonprofit as chief operations officer. Prior to joining Goodwill in 2013, he held leadership positions with Envirotest in Arvada, Colorado, and Essilor Laboratories of America in Dallas.

1990s Marion Harris (B.S., M.S. mathematics; ‘91, ‘93) has been named vice president of the Mobility Business Group of Ford Motor Company.

He previously served as chief financial officer and treasurer of Ford Motor Credit Company. He has been with Ford since 1999.

Janna Hadden (Bachelor of Professional Accountancy, ‘94) was named deputy director for the Mississippi Department of Transportation Budget Division, which she has served for eight years. She previously worked for the Supreme Court of Mississippi as deputy finance director.

Know a Bulldog who has news or a recent promotion? Send an email to alumnus@msstate.edu.

“The Fighter,” the latest novel by Michael Farris Smith (B.A. communication, ‘94) was released in March. It can be found in stores along with the Mississippi Author Award winner’s other titles, “Rivers” and “Desperation Road.”

Amy Smith Thompson (B.A. psychology, ‘95) is now student services manager for Mississippi State-Meridian. She was previously assistant director of student affairs at Concorde Career College in Memphis, and has taught in community colleges in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arkansas.

Live Oak Engineering recently marked a decade of existence. Now with offices in Biloxi and Birmingham, Alabama, the firm was established by Patrick Plourde (B.S. civil engineering, ‘96) in his own garage.

John Rounsaville (B.S. agribusiness, ‘97; Master of Agribusiness Management, ‘98) was named Mississippi’s director of USDA Rural Development by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. He previously served as state director during the administration of President George W. Bush. He has two decades of experience in economic and community development, infrastructure planning and public policy.

2000s Jane Hulon (Ph.D. education, ‘00) became the eighth president of CopiahLincoln Community College in July. She most recently served as vice president of the Wesson campus but had also been vice president of instructional services, academic dean of instruction and director of planning and research.

Kris Patrick (B.S. chemical engineering, ‘00; MBA, ‘09) has been named the president of Ergon Refining Inc. and Ergon–West Virginia Inc. He will

provide leadership in manufacturing operations, supply and distribution, planning, and sales and marketing. He joined the company in 2000 as a process engineer and most recently served as senior vice president of refining, planning and supply. He is a member of the board of directors of the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers.

Larkin Kennedy (Bachelor of Business Administration, ‘01) has been named president and CEO of Rush Health Systems in Meridian, becoming the fifth person to lead the organization. He has been with Rush since 2010, previously serving as vice president of physician and clinic services, administrator of Rush Foundation Hospital and president of the health systems’ hospital division.

Stephen T. Masley (B.B.A banking and finance, ‘02) was named a “Rising Star” by Mid-South Super Lawyers. He is a Jacksonbased litigator with McGinchey Stafford and focuses on the area of consumer finance.

Hunter Butler (B.S. biological engineering, ‘03) was honored as the Early Career Pediatrician of the Year in the state of Tennessee by the Tennessee chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He has been a pediatrician at Springfield Children’s Clinic and Pleasant View Children’s Clinic since 2011.

Josh Foreman (B.A. communication, ‘05) and Ryan Starrett recently published “Hidden History of Jackson,” which details little-known stories from the area.

CLASS NOTES

Jonathan Johnson (B.S. civil engineering, ‘06) has been named principal owner of Pickering Firm Inc., which is headquartered in Memphis. He is based with the civil engineering team at the company’s Flowood office.

Libby Huff King (B.A. communication, ‘06) was promoted to sales director for Trezevant, a senior living community in Memphis that she previously served for five years as sales counselor.

She also worked as advertising director for RSVP magazine.

Michael Robert (B.S. mathematics, ‘08) has earned a Fulbright scholarship for Zika research. The professor in University of the Sciences’ Department of Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, will use his funding to conduct research in Argentina this summer.

Jibonananda “Jibo” Sanyal (M.S., Ph.D. computer science; ‘09, ‘12) was a Knoxville Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree for 2017.

He is a scientist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and team leader for Scalable and High Performance Geocomputation at the lab.

2010s Aaron Feld (B.B.A. management of construction and land development, ‘10; M.S. kinesiology, ‘13) was named strength and conditioning coordinator for the University of Oregon’s football program. He joins the Ducks having spent the last three years with the University of Georgia as assistant coordinator.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

75

STATE ments

2010s Meryl Fisackerly (B.A. communication, ‘10) is now director of programs and events for the Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce. She previously worked in sales for Columbus Brick Company and donor relations for Palmer Home for Children. She succeeds Emily McConnell (B.A. communication, ’14; M.S. kinesiology ‘16), who left the position to serve as project manager for Golden Triangle Development LINK. Scott Waller (B.S. interdisciplinary studies, ‘10) was named president and chief executive of the Mississippi Economic Council, the state chamber of commerce. An 11-year veteran of the council, he had served as interim leader since Blake Wilson retired in June after 19 years.

Kellon Lawrence (B.B.A. ‘11, MBA, ‘12) has joined Morgan Stanley in Jackson as a financial adviser. He earned his Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2017.

Army National Guard 2nd Lt. Aubrey Miller Faulk (B.S. psychology, ‘13) completed Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia.

As seventh in his class, he graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate with Honor and Distinction. He is assigned to the Mississippi 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team, known as “Dixie Thunder.”

Kelly Brewer (MBA, ‘14), who serves as director of engineering for the Portland, Maine-based Tilson, has been named a Top Young Professional in New England

by Engineering News-Record. She is one of just 11 professionals in the region to earn the recognition this year.

76

SUMMER 2018

CLASS NOTES U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Hunter S. Hespen (B.S. criminology, ‘14) was named the 2017 junior sailor of the year serving at Naval Base Kitsap in Bangor, Washington.

Dak Prescott (B.S. interdisciplinary studies, ‘14; M.S. workforce education leadership, ‘15) leads all NFL players in jersey sales, according to the NFL Players Association’s sales figures for March through November 2017.

The Cowboy’s quarterback joins QBs Tom Brady, Patriots, and Russell Wilson, Seahawks, as the only players to hold the top position for consecutive sales quarters.

Leighton Hill (B.A. communication, ‘17) is now media and marketing coordinator for Ross & Yerger Insurance.

Headquartered in Jackson, it is one of the largest independent, privately-held insurance agencies in the Southeast.

Jo Ann Streiff Herold (attended) was recognized by the American Marketing Association of Atlanta for exceptional marketing and community efforts at the American Marketing Association awards.

She is chief marketing officer for the Honey Baked Ham Co. and previously held executive positions for Arby’s Restaurant Group and Interface Inc.

BIRTHS Eleanor Ann Lawrence, Nov. 13, 2017 to Rae Ann Lawrence (’13, ’15) and Kellon Lawrence (’11, ’12) of Jackson.

Forever MAROON David Anderson (attended) 66, Baton Rouge – After leaving State he returned home to work on Longleaf Farms in the cattle, timber and farming operations. — Jan. 27, 2018

Carolina, Charlotte, and she was a member of the Osage Missouri Historical Society, Clan Baird Society and the Manakin Huguenot Society. — Jan. 4, 2018

Vernon Clifton “Cliff” Bice (retired Extension agent) 81, Auburn, Alabama –He spent most of his career as an Extension agent for Auburn University and Mississippi State University, starting as an assistant county agent in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. He later worked for Auburn as a radio and television editor. In 1974, he became news editor for the MSU Extension Service. — Jan. 2, 2018

James E. Corley (B.S. mechanical engineering, ’63) 76, Lucedale – He worked in Huntsville, Alabama as part of the Saturn rocket design team before joining Saudi Aramco Oil Company in the 1970s. Actively involved with civic projects following his retirement, he was recognized with the DAR National Community Award and James Corley Day in Lucedale. Among his civic works, he was involved with the placement of a statue at the public library, a veteran’s memorial sundial and the Nancy P. Corley Bridge. — Oct. 11, 2017

Jackson Brown (B.A. political science, ’69) 72, Starkville – He received a Juris Doctor from the Jackson School of Law, now the Mississippi College School of Law, and returned to Starkville to practice law for 46 years until his death. He became the first Mississippian to practice under the Limited Practice Act. He often performed pro bono work and was best known as a criminal defense attorney. He served as attorney for the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors for more than 18 years.

— Feb. 24, 2018

Christine Weaver Danehower (B.S. chemical engineering, ’91) 49, Baton Rouge, Louisiana – She attended George County High School, during which time she worked with Mississippi Power. Following her graduation from State, she joined Dow Chemical, holding both technical and managerial positions during her career. — Oct. 11, 2017

Jimmie Anthony “Poppie” Bufkin (B.S. chemical engineering, ’70) 69, Cedar Park, Texas – He began working for Amoco Chemicals in 1973 and was recognized by the CEO for developing leading-edge organization and performance systems. He was managing director of Amoco-BP Chemical’s petrochemical plant in Malaysia from 1997 until his retirement in 2003. He then began to volunteer with SCORE, mentoring small business entrepreneurs in the Austin area. — Dec. 6, 2017

Roy Derrell Doss (M.S. vocational education, ’70; retired Extension agent) 84, Oxford –He served two years in the Army after graduating from Mississippi State but later returned to the university to complete a master’s. He joined Extension in 1958, serving in Iuka and Aberdeen before retiring as county agent for Monroe County. He received the Distinguished Service Award from Extension.

He served as president of the Monroe County Farm Bureau Board and received the Excellence in Leadership Award from the bureau’s federation. — Jan. 3, 2018

Martha Elizabeth Lampkin Colvard (friend of the university) 104, Charlotte, North Carolina – As the wife of former Mississippi State University president and namesake of the Colvard Student Union, Dean W. Colvard, she moved more than a dozen times and organized more than 300 functions as she supported her husband through his career.

The couple settled in Charlotte where he was chancellor emeritus of the University of North

Lynn Holloman Fusinato (B.S. chemistry, ’68) 71, Richardson, Texas – Following her graduation from State, she earned a master’s from the University of Tennessee.

She worked as a chemist until she decided to change career paths. She earned a bachelor’s in computer science from the University of Florida before starting a career with Texas Instruments in Texas. She later earned a master’s in the field and went to work for

Ericsson, a Swedish telecom company. — Jan. 11, 2018 George W. Garrison Jr. (B.S. animal science, ’64) retired Extension agent) 75, Greenwood – A graduate of Buena Vista High School, he was a state and national 4-H Swine Record winner in 1961 and a 4-H achievement record winner in 1963. While at MSU he was a member of the Farm House Fraternity, Alpha Zeta Fraternity, 4-H and Block and Bridle.

He began his career with Extension in 1965 as a 4-H livestock agent in Leflore County. He received the Dixie National Livestock Show premier exhibit award 15 years in a row, in addition to numerous other honors for his work. — Nov. 30, 2017 Kenneth Ray Hall (B.S., M.S. aerospace engineering; ’65, ’68) 74, Fort Worth, Texas – After completing his degrees at Mississippi State, he received a doctoral degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas, Austin before joining NASA at the height of the “Space Race.” He later worked on the faculty of both his alma maters and the University of Southern Mississippi. Throughout his career, he contributed his knowledge to projects not only at NASA but also Honeywell, Lockheed Martin MFC, Compass Systems, Insitu and L2 Aerospace. — June 21, 2017 William Thomas Hegman IV (B.A. political science, ’74) 66, Carthage – A native of Holly Bluff, he was a farmer; owner and operator of a charter flight business; pilot for Penske Racing team; transatlantic ship captain; real estate agent; and owner of the solar panel installation business, Mississippi Solar. — Jan. 21, 2018 Roy Gene Hicks (B.S. mechanical engineering, ’50) 92, Leakesville – He served in WWII as part of the U.S. Army Air Corps.

He worked in the aerospace industry during the Apollo Program, where he was responsible for the hydraulics system on the Saturn V rocket booster. He later made a career shift to the petroleum industry, retiring from Shell Oil Co. A Greene County farmer for 50 years, he was a 32nd degree Mason and longtime member of First Baptist Church of Leakesville where he served as a deacon. — Dec. 16, 2017 ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

77

Forever MAROON Jimmie Hemphill Howard (retired Extension agent) 86, Columbus – A native of Louisville, she graduated from the Mississippi University for Women and retired from the Mississippi State Extension Service as the home economist for Lowndes County. She was a member of the First Baptist Church, where she volunteered for Love-in-Deed, and was a member of the Pilot Club. — Dec. 13, 2017 Dennis E. Johnston (B.S. animal science, ’52; M.S. animal science, ’56) 88, Memphis, Tennessee – He was raised in Starkville and served as a 2nd lieutenant in the Air Force during the Korean War. He spent his career with the Upjohn Company. — Jan. 6, 2018 John Miles Johnson (B.S. agriculture and extension education, ’54) 87, Starkville – He was a veteran and lifelong member of the Freemasons, Scottish Rites and Shriners. — Feb. 22, 2018 Chelsea Clark Lanier (B.S. architecture, ’10) 30, Decatur, Alabama – Following her graduation from Mississippi State, she earned a master’s in design build from Auburn University. She was a graphic designer for Creative Design Circle of Huntsville, Alabama, and enjoyed drawing, painting and making jewelry. — Jan. 7, 2018 Charles E. Martin (B.S. industrial technology, ’62) 78, Stewart, Tennessee – A native of Yalobusha County, he was part of ROTC and president of the Baptist Student Union while at State. He worked as an industrial engineer for 13 years in Corinth; Albany, Georgia; and Grenada. In 1975 he made a career change to newspaper publishing, serving as publisher and general manager of the Tate County Democrat, the Yazoo Herald, and the Courier-Index in Arkansas. He relocated to Tennessee in 1988 after being named advertising director of the Daily Herald in Columbia. He was active in his communities and churches as president of several civic organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Jaycees, and Lions Club. He was also a deacon, church treasurer and Sunday School teacher, as well as a strong supporter of the March of Dimes and other charitable causes. — Feb. 19, 2018

78

SUMMER 2018

William “Bill” Merritt Jr. (B.S. general business administration, ’79) 60, Gallatin, Tennessee – A native of Jackson, he was a member of the Army ROTC while at State, earning a commission as a second lieutenant.

He served four years in Germany before being discharged as a captain. He was an entertainer driver for Roberts Brothers Coach and a member of Epworth United Methodist Church. — Feb. 8, 2018

Alvin Ted Pullin (B.S. agricultural economics, ’51; M.S. agricultural economics, ’68; retired Extension agent) 89, Polkville – He taught mathematics at Taylorsville School before starting a 30-year career with the Mississippi State Agricultural Extension Service as a county agent and 4-H mentor in Lawrence County and later a fruit and vegetable marketing specialist based in Jackson. — Dec. 30, 2017

James H. “Jim” Mitchell (B.S. finance, ’58) 84, Baton Rouge, Louisiana – A U.S. Army veteran, he worked in the professional banking industry for more than 30 years, spending most of that time with Fidelity National Bank. He was very active in the Baton Rouge chapter of the MSU Alumni Association. — August 2017

Col. Howard T. Richardson (B.S. general business, ’47) 96, Ridgeland – He joined the Air Force, earning a commission as a second lieutenant. He served with the Mighty Eighth Air Force in England, completing 35 combat missions. Upon returning to the U.S., he had assignments with the Pentagon and Strategic Air Command before returning overseas for assignments in Germany. He received the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Presidential Unit Citation and European Campaign with four battle stars. He retired as a full-bird colonel after 30 years of service. — Jan. 20, 2018

Danny Owen (retired Extension agent) 60, Iuka – He served as county coordinating agent for the Mississippi State University Extension Service until his retirement in 2015. An active member of his community, he served as board vice president for the Tishomingo County Farm Bureau, president of the Mississippi Master Gardeners and a board member with the county fair. — Nov. 21, 2017 Angelo S. Pagano (B.S. chemistry, ’52) 96, Alachua, Florida – A WWII veteran, he joined Rohm and Hass Corp. at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, following his graduation from State. He worked with a research group developing propellants for the Redstone Rocket Program, a forerunner of NASA. He retired in 1986 from a research laboratory in Pennsylvania. He was author or co-author of many technical articles and procedures in chemistry journals, and a patent holder. — Feb. 8. 2018 Clement Domenic “CD” Pangallo (M.S. education, school administration, ’71; Ph.D. education, ’73) 74, Washington, D.C. – He served as a captain in the Air Force and had a career with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management as chief of the Planning Division, Workforce Training Service. He most recently served as managing director for the American Institute of Architects. — Jan. 24, 2018

Wallie Rone (B.S. aerospace engineering, ’54) 83, Marietta, Georgia – A native of Ethel, he joined the Air Force and served as a navigator for three years. He later enjoyed a 34-year career with Lockheed Aircraft. He was an elder at Mt. Paran North Church of God. — June 11, 2016 John B. Rosamond (B.S. finance, ’58) 81, Fairfax, Virginia – A former deputy assistant secretary of defense, he was a member of the golf team and SAE fraternity while at Mississippi State. — Jan. 28, 2018 Charles Wesley Sappington Sr. (B.S. dairy sciences, ’55; M.S. sociology, ’67; retired Extension agent) 84, Zachary, Louisiana – He was involved in ROTC at State and began active military service following his graduation. He served in Germany until 1957 and upon returning stateside spent nine years in the Army Reserve and Mississippi Army National Guard. He earned a doctoral degree from Florida State then returned to Starkville

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

where he began working with the Extension Service. He served in a variety of positions before being promoted to state leader of 4-H Youth Development in 1970. He retired in 1989. — Jan. 29, 2018 Millie Sellars (B.S. horticulture ’57)(retired staff) 82, Starkville – She came to Mississippi State with a pre-veterinary focus, but soon changed to horticulture before moving to Germany with her husband, who was in the military. Upon returning to Starkville in 1973, she held teaching positions at both Starkville High School and Starkville Academy before joining the staff at MSU, ultimately retiring as business director of the Bagley College of Engineering Dean’s Office. She was actively involved in the preservation and restoration of historic buildings and worked with the Oktibbeha County Humane Society for many years. — Jan. 4, 2018 Guy Brown Springer (M.S. animal nutrition ’69; retired Extension agent and faculty) 76, Pontotoc – A native of Florence, Alabama, he spent more than 27 years with Mississippi

State University, beginning as an Extension agent and retiring as the state equine specialist and professor. He worked extensively with 4-H and was a longtime member of the Mississippi Quarter Horse Association, which he served as vice president and president in the late 1990s.

He served as Ring Master for Dixie National for more than 20 years. — Nov. 3, 2017 Danny Ray Thorpe (B.S. banking and finance, ’70) 69, Brandon – He worked as a consultant for Affiliated Computer Services and was a former member of the National Guard. — Feb. 8, 2018 David Young Jr. (B.S. entomology, ’48; M.S. entomology, ’49; Ph.D. entomology, ’65) 94, Ridgeland – He volunteered for the Navy Medical Corps and received an honorable discharge in 1945. Following his graduation from Mississippi State, he served as district entomologist with the State Plant Board in Tylertown until 1955. He then joined the Extension Service as assistant entomologist, and in 1970 was promoted to leader of Extension Entomology. He served

on 16 national committees, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Advisory Committee on Pest Management and the National Cotton Council’s Boll Weevil Eradication Guidance Committee.

He earned the MSU Alumni Association Faculty Achievement Award in 1970 and the Governor’s Outstanding Mississippian Award in 1973, in addition to many other honors throughout his career. In 1982, the Mississippi Legislature passed a concurrent resolution recognizing his major contributions to the Mississippi agricultural industry and was the only person to ever receive two USDA Superior Service Awards back to back. He served in numerous leadership roles in state entomological organizations helping bridge the gap between researchers and the people of Mississippi. — Nov. 25, 2017 Connie Glenn Wilkerson ( B.S. forestry, ’58) 81, Lucedale – A veteran of the Mississippi Army National Guard, he was a forester with International Paper Co. for 32 years and justice court judge for George County for 12 years.

— Dec. 29, 2017

Remembering R. Rodney Foil R. Rodney Foil, who dedicated 30 years of service to Mississippi State as an administrator, died Feb. 4, 2018. He was 83.

A native of Bogalusa, Louisiana, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Louisiana State University and was a doctoral graduate of Duke.

He spent 11 years on the faculty at LSU before coming to Mississippi State.

As a Bulldog, Foil served as head of the Department of Forestry and dean of the then School of Forest Resources. He was also associate director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station before being named director in 1978. He assumed the role of vice president of the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine in 1986 and held the position until his retirement in 1999.

Following his retirement, he served the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service for the U.S. Department of

Agriculture and oversaw the CSREES Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems. He also served as chair of the CSREES Board of Agriculture and, in 2004, was among the first to be inducted into the CSREES Hall of Fame.

Among a long list of accomplishments, he was recognized for contributions by the Society of American Foresters, Mississippi Seedsman Association, MSU”s College of Veterinary Medicine and LSU’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Management, among others.

The R.R. Foil Plant and Science Research Center, known to many as North Farm, is part of Foil’s legacy. It consists of approximately 750 acres, including 550 acres of tillable land for research projects in a diverse agricultural community.

The Rosalind and Rodney Foil Teamwork Award is given for exemplary collaboration efforts in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine.

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

79

Back STORY

WITH MARTY WISEMAN My father was typical as a member of the “Greatest Generation”. A 1941 Mississippi State graduate, he believed, as so many of that era did, that one was loyal to a fault to those things of importance. In addition to God, family and country his beloved Mississippi State University must be added to that group.

When it came to rearing me, his and my mother’s only child, he often cited Proverbs 22:6 which states, “Raise up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it,” as a sufficient directive not only to infuse me with moral qualities but to also serve as proof that anything other than a desire to attend Mississippi State on my part would be tantamount to sin of the Old Testament variety. Hence, as a young child, I spent many a Saturday riding the 60 miles up Highway 12 from Kosciusko to the Mississippi State campus.

I learned early on where the best eating spots on campus could be found and I usually made a beeline to the old “DP” where one could acquire a near quart-sized chocolate milkshake for a mere quarter.

Each fall, however, during the 1950s and 1960s there was one day when an altered set of priorities was enforced by my father. This was homecoming and before I was allowed to romp freely on the State campus I was required to stand in a long line winding through the old alumni house to shake hands with Mississippi State’s most adored alumnus, Sen. John C. Stennis. At such an early age I didn’t know exactly why this mere human was so important but I had heard enough to place him into a category of deity. Indeed, each time I stood before him the senator seemed to be 10 feet tall.

My father had returned from Europe following World War II and put his animal husbandry degree to use with the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service.

Thus, he became one of the many Extension employees who in 1947 were called upon to be the “boots on the ground” in the campaign to help elect former Mississippi

80

SUMMER 2018

Marty Wiseman (left) with his father Robert.

State cheerleader John Stennis to the United States Senate to succeed the late Theodore Bilbo. Senator Stennis emerged from a pack of better known contestants to win that race and to all Mississippi State folks everywhere he became “our senator” and as such rarely ever missed an opportunity to as he often said, “walk the hallowed grounds of his alma mater”.

Following four degrees from Mississippi State University, a time of work with the Mississippi State Extension Service, appointment as a faculty member in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, I was appointed director of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government. For the next two decades it was never just a job but rather a sacred trust – a trust given me to do all in my power to do my best to honor the name of Sen. John C. Stennis as his career brought honor to all with whom he shared his alma mater. n W. Martin “Marty” Wiseman is an emeritus professor in Mississippi State’s Department of Political Science and Public Administration. He spent more than 30 years with the university’s John C. Stennis Institute of Government, including 22 years as its director until his retirement in 2014. He also spent nearly 20 years in the classroom, teaching a variety of undergraduate and graduate-level courses.

The son of Robert Wiseman of Kosciusko, he holds a bachelor’s in political science (’73), master’s degrees in political science (’74) and public administration (’80) and a doctoral degree in sociology (’86).

RESPONSES |

Back STORY Alumnus Winter 2018 Marvin R. Turnipseed (B.S. animal science, ’56; M.S education ’63) “My family lived in northern Carroll County. The rural mail carrier picked up mail at our home around 10 a.m. every day. The post office had a mail truck crossing the state on U.S. Highway 82 from Greenville to Columbus every mail-carrying day. My mother often wrote letters to me. When she did, she got it in the mailbox in time for the mail carrier to pick it up. He got it to Carrollton in time for the mail truck to pick it up. He got it to Mississippi State in time for me to get it out of my box at 6 p.m. It was nice getting mail so promptly, especially when my mother happened to enclose $10 in the envelope, too.”

Calvin H. Gray (B.S. accounting, ’66; M.S. public accounting, ’69) Linda C. Gray (B.S. accounting, ’68) “After graduating from Mississippi Delta Junior College in 1964, I enrolled at Mississippi State University that fall. My address was P.O. Box 2194.

Almost every day during my first year, I received a letter from a brown-eyed girl in Greenville. We married in June 1965. She joined me at MSU and received her mail in this P.O. Box, too.

We continued to get mail at the box until we finally departed MSU in early 1969. Since then, we’ve lived in Alabama, New York, Maryland and Texas” Calvin Kelly (B.S. communication, ’75) “My favorite two memories of the Mississippi State post office are the delicious chocolate chip cookies my mother sent me during my freshman year and the letters from my sweet Auburn girlfriend during my junior year. I had P.O. Box 4501, Mississippi State, MS 39762 for all four college years.”

In this University Archives photo from the 1940s, students wait to board a bus in front of the campus YMCA building, formally the MSU U.S. post office. Help us uncover more specifics about this image or share your memories of traveling to, from and around campus by contacting our office. Please include your major(s) and graduation year(s) as some responses may be published in print or online with the next issue. alumnus@msstate.edu

Alumnus Magazine P.O. Box 5325 Mississippi State, MS 39762

@AlumnusMag

ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

81

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

ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED

FORGED BY

Mississippi State’s new head football coach Joe Moorhead brings to Starkville a work ethic rooted in Pennsylvania’s steel country and a motivation to win championships.

p. 02