Dividends Magazine, 2020 Edition

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Dean’s Welcome W

hat can I say about 2020? Unquestionably, it has been a pivotal year. A year where we learned how to teach and meet using various modalities. A year

that began much like any other but quickly made us realize how much we truly live in a virtual world. Webex, Facebook Live and Zoom taught us that we can still have academic conferences and church services, raise money, teach classes and even hold concerts while staying apart.

The faculty and staff of the College of Business have been amazing throughout.

They have worked twice as hard to accommodate both in-person and online classes.

I am proud of every member of the COB family for their positive attitudes and their willingness to go the extra mile for our students. Hybrid, in-person and online classes are being taught this fall. COB students are experiencing classes in Humphrey Coliseum, McCarthy Gym and Bettersworth Auditorium, as well as within Allen and McCool Halls.

And despite the pandemic surrounding us, we began fall 2020 with another record enrollment for the College! We now have well over 3,400 students! In fact, over the last three years we have grown by 20 percent, a rate that exceeds any other college on campus. We have more than 400 MBA students on-campus and via distance education.

We celebrated several big wins in 2020. A team of finance students led by Dr. Matthew Whitledge won first place in a nationwide banking case competition, competing against 37 other teams. This marked the first win for a Mississippi team, who received accolades from Governor Tate Reeves.

The Idea Shop, our downtown extension of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, received the Mississippi Main Street Association Entrepreneurial Endeavor Award, which came on the heels of winning the Starkville Main Street Association’s Partner of the Year Award. Our funded student businesses continue to thrive, and startups have been streaming into the Center this fall.

Our Boots to Business Revenue Readiness program has been busy preparing hundreds of veterans to open their own businesses. The classes are virtual, and the students are scattered around the world. In the second year of the grant, our team of instructors, led by Director Debbie Scott, graduated more than 400 students, several of whom have already opened businesses.

Finally, I am saddened to have to mention the passing of two alumni who have meant a great deal to me in my 10 years at MSU. Drew Allen was a past President of the Executive Advisory Board and one of the first people with whom I visited in August 2011. He was the COB’s 2011 Alumni Fellow and President and CEO of Allen Beverages, Inc. Drew was a prince of a man and always had a smile on his face. We also lost Louis Hurst, Jr., this year. Mr. Hurst had a 32-year career as a bank examiner and later as Assistant Director of the FDIC’s Memphis region. He loved students, and his legacy will live on through the many scholarships he established in the COB and around campus. May they rest in peace.

We hope you enjoy this edition of Dividends – you’ll find some of 2020’s good news inside. Thank you for your continued support of the College of Business, and Hail State!

Sharon L. Oswald, Dean

Executive Advisory Board David P. Abney

contents Dividends is a publication of the College of Business at Mississippi State University | 2020

Boyce Adams, Sr.

2 Making Bath Time Lots of Fun

Richard C. Adkerson

Move over, Rubber Duckie – there’s a new favorite bath toy in town!

Marsha Blackburn Mary Childs

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William Anthony Clark James A. Coggin Cynthia Cooper Helen Currie Thomas F. Darnell

6 Simply the Best Banking students bring home the title in a high-profile national competition.

10 Telling the MSU Story Dr. George Verrall has known the University as student, educator and administrator.

14 Rising Cybersecurity Threats

Cybercrime is up as much as 300 percent since the pandemic started. Dr. David

Larry Favreau

Sikolia offers protective tips.

Haley R. Fisackerly Linda M. Garrett Jan L. Gwin John M. Hairston John F. Hill Shawn Hunter

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Joe Iupe, Jr.

18 From Siberia to Starkville Alumna Zhenia Sandanova has found the American dream is alive and well.

22 The Right Fit

MBA student Cheyenne Conkin is driven to help students find their place.

26 Building the New

Cairo, New Orleans, Starkville – new COB Development Director Stephen Lack has found a home in the COB.

Paul J. Karre Lewis F. Mallory, Jr. Don Mason Frank H. McWhorter, Jr. Lee Miller Mickey Milligan C.R. Montgomery

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Roderick A. Moore

30 A Buzzworthy Business An e-commerce solution by an MSU E-Center startup is grabbing attention.

34 Like Father, Like Son

Alumnus Ken Robinson is working to build a better, fairer society.

38 Crowning Achievements

Riley Vergara-Cruz’s college years have been filled with academics, activities and a business she started at 14.

Debrah Oberkirch

42 Jazzing Up the Finance World

Dr. Tom Miller’s insights benefit his students, consumers and the federal government.

Shirley Olson Gee Gee Patridge

46 A Selfless Gift Student Reagan Scott’s organ donation changes the life of a stranger.

Richard Puckett, Sr. R.L. Qualls Joe G. Rice, Jr.

50 A Big Picture Approach From classes to community, student Khylar Cain strives to do it all well – and

Ken B. Robinson James Rouse

succeeds.

Kathy St. John

54 Fasten Your Seatbelt!

Dr. Christopher Boone shares how the pandemic has been a catalyst for logistics

William A. Taylor, III Cyndi A. Tucker

and transportation.

Jimmy L. Walden

58 Online Moves Onward

MSU’s popular online business degree offerings continue to grow and expand.

Loretta Walker Loyd “Aldie” Warnock

62 Professor in Progress Marketing PhD student Christian Barney is passionate about both learning and

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teaching.

66 Double Duty

A trio of Business Bulldogs eagerly introduce MSU to new and potential students.

Dividends is published

by Tellōs, LLC. www.telloscreative.com

COVER: 2020 has been challenging, but it’s had pluses, too. This issue of Dividends focuses on the COB’s good news and inspiring people!

70 Rising to the Challenge

Many in the MSU family stepped up to make a difference during the pandemic.

75 News Briefs

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Making Bath Time Lots of Fun Move over, Rubber Duckie – there’s a new favorite bath toy in town!

By Emily Daniels o say 2020 has been a difficult year would be a major understatement. What started as a new decade of hope and promise for many changed in an instant, as a pandemic loomed over the world like one giant raincloud. Families were forced to isolate, schools were closed, events and travel were banned and longtime businesses were forced to find new ways to operate or close their doors for good. But “sunny days are sweeping the (COVID-19) clouds away” for one small Mississippi business.

Starkville-based company Glo® far exceeded its Christmas 2019 sale numbers – which had already been a record-high – this past Easter, due to their hot-selling product Glo Pals®. Oh, and they also recently secured a partnership with your favorite children’s show, “Sesame Street.”

and (current CEO) Hagan Walker through the MSU Center for Entrepreneurship & Outreach (E-Center). Initially created as a class project, Glo Cubes – liquid activated, light up drink cubes – became an instant hit with bartenders and partygoers alike. Alumna Anna Barker joined their team as Vice President of Business Development in 2017, and soon they expanded their reach to glowing bath bombs and light up sensory bath toys – Glo Pals.

Glo Pals were inspired by a child with autism who was terrified of taking baths. The child’s mother had received a Glo cube in a drink at a restaurant. As she gazed at the twinkling light in her glass, she thought of her son, who was severely autistic and terrified of water. Nightly bath routines had become a real struggle in their household, as they had tried nearly everything to overcome his fear. When she returned home, she had the idea to toss a Glo cube in the bath water, and as she did, the entire tub lit up with bright, vibrant colors. Her son was instantly mesmerized and turned his focus to this new magical “bath toy.” It was the first time in weeks that her son had taken a bath without crying.

The mother, a California resident with no ties to MSU or Mississippi, researched the Glo company to tell them how much their product meant to her family. After hearing her story, the team quickly realized that maybe their tiny, sparkling party cubes could have a much bigger presence than they had first imagined.

“We learned that for a lot of children and adolescents who are on the autism spectrum or have sensory processing disorder, baths can be a real nightmare. They’re confined to a small space, it’s loud, [water’s] touching them all over, and it creates a sensory overload which can lead them to panic,” Barker explains. “Children love light, and research has shown that children on the spectrum can be especially attracted to light sources. Glo only works in the water, and because it must be in the water to play with it, it creates a redirection of their senses. They begin to Image courtesy of Glo

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Glo was established in 2015 by then-students Kaylie Mitchell

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But first, a little backstory.

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associate an activity such as taking a bath as a positive experience.”

The Glo team got together to brainstorm ways to package a product geared toward an entirely different market – children. Barker led the efforts, sketching a couple of ideas on the back of a piece of paper.

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“I drew these little characters who could each have a different personality, color and backstory, and they could represent the individuality of almost every kid!” she shares.

The first four they designed were Pippa, who glows green; Alex, who glows yellow; Lumi, who glows purple and Sammy, who glows red. Each of their first initials spells out “PALS.”

Glo Pals were popular sellers last Easter and Christmas.

Photos courtesy of Glo

The team introduced Glo Pals at market in January 2018 and started shipping in March of the same year.

“In the first half of 2018, we picked up 400 retailers across the United States and Canada,” says Walker. “By the end of that year, we had picked up 600 more. We now have 17 employees in a much larger building [The Rex Theater in Downtown Starkville], but back then we had a small team of three full-timers and five part-timers who were working overtime to keep up. Things got so busy during Christmas that we had family and friends sitting on the floor packaging boxes because we were out of space!”

Glo Pals are sold by retailers such as Nordstrom, Ulta, Macy’s, Urban Outfitters, Learning Express, Uncommon Goods, Kaplan Early Learning and Target online. Additionally, they are available for purchase at nearly 1,200 small retailers across the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Six months after launching the first four “Pals,” Glo released a blue Pal, Blair, named after the Blair. E. Batson Children’s Hospital, to raise money to support the 150,000 children who are treated there each year. Now, a portion of the proceeds from each Glo Pal purchase is donated directly to Batson Children’s Hospital and Children’s of Mississippi. Patients come to the pediatric center from all of Mississippi’s 82 counties to receive comprehensive medical care for everything from common or chronic childhood illnesses to serious or life-threatening trauma.

“After our first year of sales, we were able to donate $10,000 to Children’s

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of Mississippi and Batson, and we were able to double our donation in the second year!” exclaims Barker. “We looked at other organizations that are all, of course, very worthy, but the partnerships with the children’s hospitals in Mississippi really aligned with us. Hagan and I were both planning to go out of state for jobs after graduation, but we decided to stay, in part to try to play a small part in the startup culture that the E-Center has created in Mississippi. It only made sense to us to first show our commitment to the well-being and the health of the children of Mississippi – our future.”

“When we met in Dallas, I was discussing how autism research had influenced our decision to produce the Glo Pals,” recalls Barker. “We met with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street in New York, where they told us about Julia, a Muppet they introduced a few years ago, who is autistic. They’ve been very protective of licensing her to anyone because of what she represents. With Julia, they didn’t want to throw that license out to just anyone because they wanted to know that it was being handled with the kind of care and consideration she needs.”

“What’s so cool about Sesame Street is that it can take a topic like autism that is incredibly complex, and often difficult for adults to understand, and break it down to this very rudimentary level that a child can comprehend,” says Barker. “We’re really excited to bring all these characters that people have loved for decades into the Glo Pal world. To merge a young company like ours with Sesame Street, which has such a global presence, is an amazing opportunity, and I don’t think we could be where we are today without the support of the Starkville community and the MSU Center for Entrepreneurship & Outreach, who have been cheering us on every step of the way.”

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Sesame Street gave Glo its blessing to release Julia and her friend Elmo first and eventually release an entire line of Muppet character “Pals.” The anticipated launch date is in January 2021.

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When they got back to Starkville, the Glo team continued having calls with the Sesame Workshop representatives to discuss different projections and Glo Pal mockups. Before New Year’s Eve they had secured a deal, and the contract arrived the first week of January 2020.

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In October 2019, while showcasing the Glo Pals at the Dallas Toy Fair, they hit it off with the Senior Director of Licensing for Sesame Street, who was so impressed by their luminescent sensory toy that she requested they meet with her team to discuss a possible partnership.

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In early March, Anna Barker and Hagan Walker (second and third from left) made a contribution to Children’s of Mississippi and Batson Children’s Hospital from proceeds of Glo’s second-year sales, doubling what they were able to give the first year.

Photo courtesy of Glo

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Simply the Best T

he Bulldogs brought home a national title last spring.

“When they announced third place and then second place, I was thinking that we had probably gotten fourth or fifth,” recalls team member Juan Benavides. “Then they announced that we had won, and I was ecstatic. I was at my new job and flipped out!”

“I feel honored and grateful to have won this for MSU,” Benavides says. “The aftermath was super exciting, especially getting recognized by the governor and many other prominent leaders and business executives.”

The competition is a component of the Community Banking in the 21st Century Research and Policy Conference. This invitation-only annual summit is sponsored by the Federal Reserve, the CSBS and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). As the nation’s premier conference for community banking-related research, it gathers regulators, bankers, academics and policymakers and features speakers like the Federal Reserve and FDIC chairs.

The conference’s first collegiate case study competition was held in 2015 among four teams.

This year, 37 teams competed, representing 33 schools across 18 states. The focus was the impact of the Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering requirements on community banks.

“The competition is a way for students to look at a real world problem and engage local community leaders to address the proposed question,” says Whitledge. “The topics are typically ones that impact community banks differently than larger banks.”

Whitledge is no stranger to the conference. He was invited to attend in 2015 as an Emerging Scholar, a program established that year to support PhD students whose dissertations focus on a banking-related topic. The following year, he presented a paper at the meeting, along with a fellow PhD candidate and a faculty advisor.

Community banks are a part of the fabric of Mississippi and its economy. There are 65, representing 92 percent of the total number of banks.

“Community banks are more easily identified than described,” shares Whitledge. “But they develop relationships with their customers, whereas larger banks are more transaction based.

[Community banks] are based in the communities where they make loans and understand the challenges of living there. In Mississippi, it means they have to understand its people and its economy, which includes tourism, agriculture and education.”

Last February, officers of Citizens National Bank met with the team. From left are team advisor Dr. Matthew Whitledge, team members Jake Mlsna and Liam Benson, CEO Archie McDonnell, team members Kirk Wright and Juan Benavides, CFO Jeremy Stringer and team member Byron McClendon.

Photo courtesy of Matthew Whitledge

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“This shows that Mississippi State University students can compete with any student nationally,” states Dr. Matthew Whitledge, Assistant Clinical Professor of Finance and team advisor. “Our good quality, intelligent, hard-working students are exactly what leading employers are looking for. This team represented MSU very well!”

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The contest was the national Conference of State Bank Supervisors’ (CSBS) Community Bank Case Study Competition. The winners were five MSU finance students – Benavides, Liam Benson, Byron McClendon, Jake Mlsna and Kirk Wright.

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By Kirsten Shaw

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To join MSU’s team for the competition, students submitted applications, and Whitledge selected them based on GPA, previous coursework, interest in banking and faculty recommendation. Team sizes are limited to five, all undergraduates.

Each team composes a paper that assesses the financial performance of a particular bank, addresses the topic question and makes policy recommendations. (An accompanying video presentation requirement was waived this year due to COVID-19.) Entries progress through several rounds of judging by regulators, bankers and academics, who use a published rubric.

“I wanted to participate to gain a more hands-on knowledge of the banking industry, learning from the senior executives of a community bank,” says Liam Benson. “This project allowed us to learn how to

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deal with challenges head on, and I think that was a very meaningful experience.”

The Bulldog team’s study focused on Meridian-based Citizens National Bank (CNB), whom they found to be an enthusiastic partner. In February, the students were invited to headquarters to meet with CEO Archie McDonnell, CFO Jeremy Stringer – a 2007 MSU banking and finance graduate – and Kelly Menard, Vice President/Compliance Manager.

“The bank was wonderful – accommodating and helpful at every level,” notes Whitledge. “The top officers spent over an hour talking with the team. Bankers who are early in their careers don’t typically have that kind of access to leadership.”

“What stood out most to me was the professionalism of these young men,” comments Stringer.

“I was extremely impressed with their dedication to turning in a top level project and making themselves and their University proud. They were given a very complex and difficult banking subject, and they were able to figure it out and produce a quality paper that will be useful to people in the industry. It was an honor to work with them. And I always like to see my school win!”

The CNB Board of Directors conferred special recognition on the team, honoring them with an official resolution in July.

The students met weekly during the spring semester, going virtual when campus closed after spring break. Working remotely was a challenge at which they excelled, coordinating efforts from three cities in two time zones. They were committed to the project, keeping at it even after the semester ended and several had graduated.

“All of my teammates were great to work with,” says Jake Mlsna. “I didn’t know any of them prior to this, and I wasn’t sure what to expect from the whole experience. All the guys are very hard workers, and I never felt like someone wasn’t doing their part.”

“This experience helped us gain valuable knowledge on how to interact with the ‘higher ups’ in an organization,” adds Benson. “It also was a great way to gain experience with professional writing and research.”

As the 2020 winners, each student and their advisor received a $1,000 scholarship. The team was invited to present their findings at the conference, along with a representative from CNB. Usually held at the Federal Reserve in St. Louis, this year the event convened online in late September. Their paper is also being published in the 2020 CSBS Journal of Community Bank Case Studies.

Simply participating in the competition is a plus for the résumé, but the ability to claim being

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best in the country is a tremendous advantage.

“I’ve witnessed winning students receive multiple job offers on the spot after they presented at the conference,” observes Whitledge.

an internal audit intern at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi.

The team’s success can be credited to exceptional individual skills, as well as respect for one another’s talents and appreciation of the resources backing them up.

“Our team was filled with some of the best students in the Finance Department,” states Benavides. “These guys are intelligent, competitive, passionate and hard-working. Dr. Whitledge showed support and gave incredible advice throughout the whole process. Our professors were there when we had questions and were very supportive.

“The win could not have happened without the substantial professors, exceptional resources and the quality of education that is given through the College of Business.”

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Photo by Juan Benavides

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Benavides and Wright at CNB’s Meridian headquarters in February

Mlsna is a Tupelo-based Enterprise Risk Management Analyst for Renasant Bank.

Most of his teammates likewise have launched their careers. Benavides is a Credit Analyst at Planters Bank in Indianola, MS. Benson is now in Auburn, ME, working as the Secondary Market Coordinator in the mortgage department of Androscoggin Bank. McClendon is with the Mississippi Division of Banking and Finance, training to become a bank examiner.

Kirk Wright is in his final semester as an undergraduate.

He served over the summer as

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“This has been a great experience for me and my career,” Mlsna remarks. “In March, I applied for the Swayze Award [presented by the Mississippi Young Bankers to the state’s top banking student], and I think that the CSBS competition is a very large factor in my winning it.

I also feel like working in the competition helped me get my current job at Renasant.”

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Telling the MSU Story W

alking the Mississippi State campus with Dr. George Verrall can be pure joy and an education.

The longtime Starkville citizen understands it brick by brick. He’ll even tell you when to sidestep a particular portion of sidewalk upturned by a massive root, a sidewalk he remembers was once smooth and straight. To him, each brick represents a story of State’s history, presidents, students and moments.

“I remember arriving in a world you cannot truly imagine,” Verrall says of the then all-male version of Mississippi State. “Old Main Dormitory, with about 800 students, was the largest male dormitory in the world except for [the U.S. Military Academy at] West Point and the University of Moscow…and those had cafeterias that took up space. Ours was all students.”

His recollections include playing pinochle with buddies while listening to football games through an open window; the Korean War veterans and students on his floor from around the state; the “hitchhike stand” on the edge of campus where guys could find rides to nearby Mississippi State College for Women (now Mississippi University for Women) and mistakenly being given a dorm key which turned out to be a master, opening up such things as supply closets where the first-years could replenish the toilet paper upperclassmen “borrowed” to shred for touchdown confetti at games.

Verrall loves one particular memory from those first days, of a short, older man who approached a small cluster of slightly confused freshmen that included Verrall.

“He said what you always say in Mississippi – ‘Where are you boys from?’” he shares. “So, we told him, and we talked. We had no idea who he was.”

Within moments, the group learned the identity of their friendly new acquaintance: Dr. Benjamin Hilbun, President of Mississippi State University.

So began the student career of the future Professor of Finance and Economics who majored in, surprisingly, mechanical engineering.

Adding finance to earn a second undergraduate degree led to an opportunity for Verrall to teach two sections of statistics – putting him in front of a class for the first time.

It would be a good while before he stepped in front of another. Instead, he went to the U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School, followed by roles as supply officer and associate cryptologic officer aboard the USS Conway. This took him through the Suez Canal to Saudi Arabia, among other places.

Given the opportunity to be career Navy, he declined in favor of an engineering job with Mississippi Power Company. Stationed deep in the woods on the Mississippi-Louisiana state line, building high

George Verrall enjoys sharing stories from his student days onward.

Photos by Megan Bean

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The memories start from the beginning and flow forward.

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“Remember” is an oft-used word from this man who arrived here during the 1950s from Gulfport, MS, dropped off by a bus in the middle of the night at a campus he had never seen – one chosen by his father while the son was out of the country. It became a place – a home – where he earned four degrees, taught countless students, headed departments both academic and administrative, met his wife Kay who taught French and even returned from retirement for another go-round.

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By Carolanne Roberts

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George Verrall with Dean Sharon Oswald during the Centennial Celebration in 2015, when he was recognized as one of the COB’s Notable Faculty.

Photo by Keats Haupt

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tension power lines, he felt the tug of academia. The prospect of being in an intellectual atmosphere, surrounded by students eager to learn, held strong appeal.

Luckily for countless students and Mississippi State itself, George Verrall returned to MSU and never looked back. An MBA and a DBA, both earned at the University, were added to his strong credentials.

He counts among favorite courses Labor Economics and Labor Law, a management class called Motion in Time and any course addressing the human aspect of economics.

“I like the logic and the thought of economics,” he explains. “I’ve been called an institutionalist, not a mathematical economist. I like to teach why people do what they do.”

Along the way, he also enjoyed teaching Wage and Salary Administration, Government Regulation of Business, Managerial Economics and Business Policy, among others. Then, more than 10 years in, the road forked with an opportunity he had never eyed: administration. He was named Assistant Dean and later Associate Dean of what was then called the College of Business and Industry.

Verrall, who continued teaching certain classes, says, “I wasn’t stepping away from the students but was stepping toward them even more.”

He served MSU over ensuing years as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Vice President of Business Affairs. His roles involved a good deal of work on behalf of Mississippi State with the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning board, which governs the state’s public universities.

“I think I liked the administrative side better,” he says. “It’s what I really liked to do, and I was good at it.”

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Whether serving on the faculty or in administration, he ranked students his top priority.

“I would always say to them, ‘I see each one of you. You’re not a sea, not a mass. You are individuals to me,’” he recounts. “I knew that if a professor tried, students would respond. I would like to think I made a difference.”

Yet, less than two years later, his phone rang.

“Can we talk you back from retirement to serve as Provost?” came the request, and he graciously put aside his list and returned for another two years.

“I was glad to do that, but after the few years I decided it was time to retire a second time,” Verrall shares.

And there he remains, busier than ever, working to accomplish “The 25.”

“I focused specifically on $5 paper bills issued either by the U.S. government or individual companies like Mississippi banks, railroads and lumber companies,” he says.

In non-pandemic times, Verrall finds himself on campus at least once a week for visits or lunch with colleagues. And he will also give that impromptu campus tour when the opportunity arises. That notion prompts him to offer a few more tidbits.

“For example, I can take you to Allen Hall’s roof, where you can see the reach of campus from north to south, east to west,” he says.

“We might be walking down a particular sidewalk, and you’ll notice it’s different – then I’ll point out the cross-hatching and how it slopes up higher on one side than another,” he says. “This sidewalk was here years ago before we had any paved streets on campus. A gravel road curved and went in front of the buildings, and the sidewalk accommodated it so the Model Ts could drive over the sidewalk and continue on. There are things like that all over campus.”

So, did this man with the four MSU degrees and decades of service ever think about taking his talents elsewhere?

“Every time I even thought about leaving, somebody came along and asked me to be an Associate Dean or Department Head, and I decided I like where I am,” he remarks. “I like the people, the smalltown life and Mississippi State. So I’d just as soon stay right here.”

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His collections of Pogo Possum memorabilia (from the Walt Kelly comic strip) and Black Wing pencils continue to grow. Residing in the campus library is his impressive assemblage of Mississippi money dating from Civil War years forward.

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“The big ones are done, but, well, the electric train isn’t anywhere near where it’s supposed to be,” he begins. “I’m throwing away junk. And I treated myself to a John Deere riding mower.”

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Verrall had returned to the College of Business as Head of the Department of Finance and Economics when he retired in 2000. The time had come to tackle his list of “25 Must-Do Items in Retirement,” which had been patiently waiting for some years. On it were things like building a workshop, keeping the books for the Methodist church and tending to other people and his yard.

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By David Sikolia

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Cybercriminals are known to access the cybercriminal underground markets found on the dark web to trade malicious goods and services, such as hacking tools and stolen data. The dark web is a part of the Internet that is not indexed by search engines and requires specific browsers to access. On the dark web you can buy credit card numbers, counterfeit money, stolen usernames and passwords, software, etc. Cybercriminal underground markets are known to specialize in certain products or services.

For most of 2020, we have been facing a global health crisis unlike any other in more than 100 years. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all segments of the population on Earth. It is more than just a health crisis; it is an economic and social crisis as well. Cybercriminals, exploiting the vulnerable situations in which many people find themselves, have increased their criminal activities in this time period. An article on Engadget.com gives some idea of the growth: “Instances of cybercrime appear to have jumped by as much as 300 percent since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the FBI. The Bureau’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) said in April that it was receiving between 3,000 and 4,000 cybersecurity complaints every day, up from the average 1,000 complaints per day the center saw before COVID-19 took hold.”¹ Much of this jump can be attributed to America’s daily activities increasingly moving online. A report from Stanford University in late June stated that 42 percent of the U.S. labor force was working from home full-time.² In addition to the millions of employees working from home, millions of students, from elementary to university, are taking virtual classes online. This increase in online activities is not limited to the United States alone but is happening in virtually every country on the globe. As schools have shifted to online learning

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These criminals, referred to as cybercriminals, are individuals or teams of people who use computer technology to commit malicious activities on digital systems or computer networks with the intention of stealing sensitive organizational information or personal data and generating profit. There are many types of cybercriminals including hacktivists, state actors, online stalkers, cyberterrorists, cybercrime part-timers, malicious insiders, career cybercriminals and organized criminal gangs (for example, drug dealers).

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ybersecurity is defined as the act of securing and protecting individuals, businesses, organizations and governments that are connected to the Internet and the web. It involves the protection of networks, devices, programs and data from attack, damage or unauthorized access. Cybersecurity is important because it encompasses everything that pertains to protecting our personal information, intellectual property, data and government and industry information systems from theft and damage attempted by criminals and adversaries.

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Rising Cybersecurity Threats During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Tips on Staying Safe Online

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and organizations to remote working to protect their members from COVID-19, cybersecurity threats have continued to rise.

The FBI reports a spike in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims filed using stolen identities. Criminals have used virtual meeting platforms like Zoom to broadcast child sexual abuse material to unwitting participants of school, church or other online gatherings. Scammers are marketing fraudulent and/or unapproved COVID-19 antibody tests, potentially providing false results. In addition, fraudsters are seeking to obtain individuals’ personal information (names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers) and personal health information, including Medicare and/or private health insurance information, which can be used in future medical insurance or identity theft schemes.

The challenges, therefore, are how to secure new remote working practices while ensuring that critical business functions operate without interruption and how to keep organizations and individuals protected from attackers exploiting the uncertainty of the situation.

Unlike employees in a work setting, home users are not subject to training, nor are they protected by a technical staff dedicated to keeping security software and hardware current. Thus, with more than one billion people with access to the Internet, individual home computer users represent a significant point of weakness in achieving the security of the cyber infrastructure.

As we get used to work and school at home during COVID-19, our devices and the Internet are playing a big role in keeping us connected. However, it is important for each one of us to take individual responsibility and implement computer security steps to stay safe online.

These actions include reviewing and updating your privacy settings on social media, installing anti-virus software, encrypting your files, connecting to video chats safely, getting rid of accounts you no longer use and learning how to deal with the COVID-19 information overload. However, these three steps are among the most crucial: updating your phone and computer apps, thinking before clicking on a link in an e-mail and using secure passwords.

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The first thing you need to do is update the apps and applications you use. People working from home might use older computers with older versions of software compared to their computers at the workplace. It is important that your devices and any computer programs that communicate with the Internet be up to date to reduce the risk of attack. If you are using old versions of applications or apps, it is likely there will be software bugs that can leave your devices vulnerable. Software updates often include software patches that repair security holes that have been discovered, as well as fix or remove computer bugs.

¹ https://www.engadget.com/fbi-cybercrime-complaints-increase-fourfold-covid-19-091946793.html ² https://news.stanford.edu/2020/06/29/snapshot-new-working-home-economy/

David Sikolia Dr. David Sikolia joined the Management & Information Systems Department in 2018 as Clinical Assistant Professor. He holds a PhD in information systems from Oklahoma State University, as well as a master’s degree in information systems from Baylor University and a BS in computer science from Africa Nazarene University. Prior to his move to Starkville, he served on the faculty of Illinois State University. Sikolia has several years’ experience developing and teaching cybersecurity courses. His research interests include information assurance and security and the use of Grounded Theory Methodology.

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Cyberthreats continue to rise during the COVID-19 pandemic. But we can continue to be productive in our online work, studies and social lives and be cybersecure at the same time.

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Third, do not use the same password for multiple accounts. Using the same password across multiple accounts makes it easy for cybercriminals to access your online accounts. If the hacker has the password for one service, it is a no-brainer for him or her to check on whether that password has been reused on other sites. Hackers use sophisticated techniques such as phishing attacks and advanced password cracking methods to access your data, which can be sold later on the dark web. The thing on which all security experts agree is that you should use a unique and strong password for every account you have. It is understood that we subscribe to a lot of different online services and are forced to generate a lot of different passwords. The human memory cannot keep up with the dozens of usernames and passwords required for the different sites, which is why we use easy to remember passwords such as a pet’s name or reuse the same passwords across multiple sites. A simple solution would be to use a password manager. If money is a concern, there are some excellent password managers on the market that are free.

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Second, think before you click. Phishing scams try to exploit fear and uncertainty, and those linked to COVID-19 are no different. When you receive an e-mail, download a file or files from the Internet or click on a link, think of the following: Is this file from a trustworthy source? Does the e-mail seem genuine, looking at factors like the source address, spelling and context? Is the link legitimate, such as the destination of the URL? If the phishing attacks come from cybercriminals, they are most often seeking to access devices so they can steal financial information. They can also use ransomware to lock down the device and try to extort money to unlock it again. To protect your information in a phishing attack, you should never disclose your usernames and passwords; never assume an e-mail, text message or phone call is authentic; don’t let yourself be rushed and listen to your instincts.

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By Carolanne Roberts

“As a child, I joked that one day I’d buy them a fancy new foreign car, and my father would laugh with me,” she says, recalling the temperamental red Lada her parents drove (and drove) in the dark years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. “Even when other people were finally switching to new cars, my parents were investing everything they had in me and my sister. They wanted us to succeed and kept cutting themselves short so we could.”

The new car, a shiny grey Nissan, stands as a symbol of Sandanova’s success and the close relationship she maintains with her parents, both university professors halfway around the world.

As an Enterprise Financial Analyst at International Paper in Memphis, she continues the personal journey begun at age 15 when she landed in Tupelo – after hours of travel and four layovers – to attend high school in neighboring Saltillo.

“I had learned British English in my home school,” she says, recalling encountering the Mississippi Southern accent. “There were so many expressions, like, ‘How ’bout them apples?’ I’d say, ‘What apples?’”

A quick study who also knows some German, Sandanova found the puzzle pieces falling into place. A good year in Saltillo was followed by a return to her Russian high school, then she came back to Mississippi and attended Itawamba Community College. Entering Mississippi State as a junior, what had been the glimmer of an idea to pursue a finance degree took hold. It turned out to be the right school and the right degree.

“I felt such support from the school,” says Sandanova, recalling one particular day when, as she prepared for an internship interview, she realized her wardrobe looked more student-casual than aspiring professional.

The Dress Your Best Closet in the College of Business was able to help outfit her from the ankles up. Something was still missing, however.

“I definitely didn’t have the right shoes,” she says. “Then Dean [Sharon] Oswald came out of her office, asked me my size, and gave me a pair of her own shoes for the interview! Without any hesitation, she helped me. That’s how much she cares about the students.”

Photo by Emily Daniels

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brand-new car. One that could make it up a Russian hill without gasping, one in which the driver’s seat wasn’t permanently stuck in recline. The notion of that new car – to give to her parents in Siberia – became Zhenia Sandanova’s personal mission. And after earning both an undergraduate degree and an MBA from Mississippi State University, she proudly and joyfully fulfilled that promise to them.

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From Siberia to Starkville: An American Dream

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Having dreamt of traveling, Sandanova celebrated her first graduation with an internship at FedEx in Memphis, followed by a two-week driving trip across the country, a Caribbean cruise and a return to Russia before the MBA program began.

Sandanova fulfilled her promise, and her parents traded in their old red Lada.

Photos courtesy of Zhenia Sandanova

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Sandanova went on to make Dean Oswald, her parents and herself proud by earning an MBA. Before that, as an undergraduate she was tapped by the MSU Alumni Association to be an Alumni Delegate, serving as a liaison between students and graduates of the University. She also helped launch the International Student Organization for Languages and Cultures to provide free tutoring to foreign language students on campus.

The organization remains active today.

“I absolutely loved that MBA program. It’s a cohort program, and my team became a tight group of friends,” she explains of the intensive, no-moment-wasted process.

Then, with two MSU business degrees, great promise and a good offer from International Paper (IP), Sandanova faced a problem.

“I was required to go back to my home country for two years before I could even consider the job here,” she says. “But IP explained that they have large operations in Russia, which was mindblowing to me. They said I could work for them there, and then they’d bring me back to the U.S. That’s what we did. I returned a year ago.”

Sandanova’s experience and skill set are ideal for her present IP position. The Enterprise Financial Analyst role involves looking at manufacturing costs across all IP’s mills in the United States and Europe.

“I use my Russian, and it helps that I have the relationship with the mill in Russia too,” she notes.

In the country on a three-year work visa, she enjoys her time working, running and discovering Memphis.

“It’s cool to say to my Russian friends that I am in the same city where Elvis lived,” she adds.

Appointed this year to the MBA Advisory Board, Sandanova looks forward to meetings in Starkville when the COVID-19 situation resolves.

“I’d already been back for a couple of meetings earlier in the year and hope to bring some new

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ideas and maybe a different perspective from the view of a recent graduate,” she explains. “I met with the MBA students who graduated this year, and they asked me about my experience. They were also networking with me as an employer, so it was interesting to see from the other side of the table.”

“I think it was hard for them to let me go at age 15,” Sandanova says. “I basically moved out permanently except for visits home.”

On their calls, her father, an ardent NBA fan from afar, loves to talk about the Memphis Grizzlies with Sandanova. And both parents learn with interest about their daughters’ personal and professional lives.

“Every time we call them, they say, ‘Today is a holiday because we get to talk to you!’ I know they miss us so much, and our calls make them so happy,” Sandanova says.

she remarks. “All we remember was being surrounded with love. If you’re happy at home, you really don’t know what you don’t have.”

When, in the future, Sandanova’s parents come here to visit – get ready, Grizzlies! – that trip will most certainly include an excursion to Starkville to celebrate the site of their daughter’s achievements and success.

“You know, I had a choice of Ole Miss or Mississippi State,” Sandanova says. “State sent me handwritten letters and all these handwritten postcards. I was so touched, and it felt like family.

“It still feels like family now.”

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“We didn’t realize it was such an historic time we were going through,”

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Sandanova’s sister, two years her elder, was born in the Soviet Union before its collapse; Sandanova’s birth certificate, on the other hand, reads Russia. Their parents never dwell on the tough era when their girls were born – sleeping on fold-out couches, selling food and handicrafts on the street, eating mostly porridge and soup.

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It is second nature for Sandanova to live in two worlds. The time difference between Memphis and her parents’ home in Siberia is 12 hours – half a day, literally night and day – but phone calls, often long ones, shrink the miles. Her parents keep up with both daughters this way; Sandanova’s sister is an orthodontist in Moscow.

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Growing up during a challenging era in their country’s history, Sandanova and her sister knew only that they were in a happy, loving home.

Photos courtesy of Zhenia Sandanova

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The Right Fit A

s the People’s University, Mississippi State holds something for every student. Cheyenne Conkin started here as a shy undergraduate, but becoming involved in the College of Business led her to discover a passion for helping others find their places. Now an MBA student and an international business grad with marketing and French degrees, she plans to become a college recruiter. Dividends’ Emily Daniels caught up with her for a chat. n Where you are from, and what made you want to come to Mississippi State?

n Did you know you wanted to study international business before you came?

I actually didn’t know what the end goal was. I had taken French classes in high school and really loved them but realized that French probably wasn’t going to be my career. So, when I saw that I could do business with French and combine two things that I love and will work for me in the future, I chose to do international business.

n Tell me about your activities on campus. You’ve been involved in a lot, especially within the College of Business.

The first thing I got involved with heavily was College of Business Ambassadors. I started in the spring semester of my sophomore year, and I was super shy. I would go to meetings and not talk to anyone, not volunteer for anything I didn’t need to volunteer for. But that’s where I met Shelby Baldwin, who was President of Undergraduate Women in Business (UWiB) at the time. She told me, “I think this organization can be really good for you.” After only being in UWiB for a semester, I was selected as Vice President of Programming. I was in charge of planning events, working with social media, promoting anything we did on campus and planning our annual trip to Harvard for the Intercollegiate Business Convention.

n Does everybody attend that, or is it a select group of people from UWiB?

We have an application process. [On the application] we basically ask, “What would this opportunity mean for you? What will you do with the skills that you’ll learn from this?” I think last year, there were 15 girls who went. Some got scholarships for flights, and for all of them, [UWiB] paid for the hotel. A lot of fundraising goes into it.

n Did you hear any advice from anyone at the conference that stood out in your mind?

The thing that stood out the most to me was the final speaker – Diane Von Furstenberg, the creator of the wrap dress. She told us about her journey. At the end she said, “I want everyone here to know

Photo by Megan Bean

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I am from Huntsville, AL, but I moved there when I was 11 years old, so I really had no allegiance to Alabama or Auburn. I wanted to tour Mississippi State because no one else from my high school was coming here. I wanted to meet all new people, do all new things, have a new experience. So I came to tour without ever having been here before. Once I stepped on campus, I was like, “Yep, this is it.

This is where I’m supposed to be.” It was the only application that I finished for colleges.

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By Emily Daniels

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that no matter where you come from, no matter what background you’re from, don’t ever stop. Don’t ever stop because things get hard. Don’t ever stop because there are obstacles in the way. Don’t ever stop because someone tells you you need to. If you want something, just keep going.”

Getting back to the College of Business…. What made you get involved with Kelsey Waters, the Assistant Recruiting Director?

I realized that I really loved talking with students. It got to the point where I was signing up to be the Ambassador for every single campus visit because I wanted to meet with as many students as I could. When I found out that Kelsey [who is also the Ambassadors’ advisor] offered an internship, I was like, “Sign me up!” It was the best summer ever – right before school got out, I got the internship, then I went to France, then I got to come back and start my internship!

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n Where did you go in France?

I was in Tours, about two hours south of Paris. They call it the Heart of France because it’s dead center. [My friend and fellow business student] Riley Vergara-Cruz and I were there for about two months, and before our actual program started, we also went to Barcelona and Rome.

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When you returned to your internship, what responsibilities did Kelsey give you?

I meet with a lot of families and share my experience and how the College of Business has helped me and how I think As an international business undergraduate, Conkin studied I see the students fitting into the College. for two months last year in France.

It is about academics, but I think it’s also Photo courtesy of Cheyenne Conkin about finding your fit outside of academics.

UWiB and Ambassadors were huge for me in finding my place in the College of Business. One of the main things I do is help students figure out what their place is going to be. I also create PowerPoint presentations for Kelsey, design postcards and help create a lot of brochures and promotional pieces for recruitment.

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n So, how long have you served as her intern?

This is my second year. Now I’m technically a graduate assistant, but basically it’s the same.

n Do you want to be a recruiter when you get done with school, or do you have other plans in mind?

n How do you think the MBA that you’re pursuing is going to help you once you’re done?

It’ll mostly help me with knowing the business side of things because my undergrad was in marketing and French, and those are very select fields. I want to be a little more well-rounded in all [areas].

And I want to go into higher education, but if 20 years down the line I wake up feeling differently, I want to have it in my back pocket so I can make a 180° and still be prepared.

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Being a recruiter is definitely the main goal, and I think that’s because of the direct relationships with students…and that doesn’t stop after they’ve been admitted. Students who are maybe two years into their programs still come and see Kelsey all the time. Kelsey is that first face they knew from Mississippi State. Like I was saying before, college is about more than academics. If I had solely focused on my academics, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today. I don’t think I’d be in grad school or doing this job for the College of Business. So I want to help other students find those moments for themselves and figure out who they want to be when they graduate.

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I always tell students that I wish I’d gotten involved sooner. I waited until the end of my sophomore year, and I feel like I missed so many opportunities. That’s why when I meet with students now I tell them, “As soon as you get on campus, you want to find your fit. You want to find your thing.”

n What made you want to get involved in that first organization – Ambassadors?

Well, it was mostly because of Riley [who was a member]. I think she knew I was struggling to find my fit. She said, “It doesn’t have to be that much, if you don’t want it to be.” It really is dependent on you and what your schedule is and what you want to get out of it.

n Once you graduate with your MBA, do you have plans in mind?

I’ve been thinking about moving to Texas – the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I really don’t know. At some point, I hope to get a master’s or a doctorate in student affairs. I am hoping to be at a university that would allow me to do that with them.

n Do you think you’ll be using your marketing or French alongside a recruiting position?

I’ll be using my marketing background a lot. That’s why Kelsey and I have focused on it so much in my internship – because we know it’s going to be such a valuable skill when I go off and get a job.

With my French, I’ll use the experiences I’ve had, like my study abroad and the experience of being in two colleges at the same time. But I don’t think I’ll be speaking French much.

n Did your parents think you were crazy when you told them you were going to go to school out of state?

Yeah, my dad really wanted me to go to Auburn. Both of my sisters went to in-state schools. I think my parents mostly just wanted me to not be so far away.

n It’s really not that far.

All they heard was that I wanted to go out of state and move four hours away, and they knew nothing about the school. But they had the same feeling [as me] after we came to campus: “This is it. This is for sure where I’m going to be for the next four years.”

Editor’s update: Just before press time, Conkin accepted a position as an Academic Recruiter for the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas-Arlington.

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n Is there anything you wish you could have done differently?

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Building the New “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” – Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful Warrior

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“While I was in high school, my dad – who was an engineer – was working in Iraq, so we were traveling back and forth to the Middle East a lot,” says Lack. “My decision to attend Southern Miss was largely based on the fact that their international studies program had a concentration in Middle Eastern studies and a minor in Arabic.”

Lack initially wanted to work as an engineer in the Middle East like his father, but he soon became more interested in refugee studies so he could one day work in refugee camps inside conflict zones. Shortly after graduation from USM, Lack flew to Egypt to continue his education in Cairo for the next four years.

“As part of my master’s degree, I interned and was promoted as a refugee camp manager in Yemen for a while, because I spoke Arabic and could write a report in English,” he recalls. “That was right around the time the revolution started – the Arab Spring – and the only class still taught on the campus was our program. I vividly remember one time when the building beside us was burning down because the people on top of it were throwing Molotov cocktails off at the authorities, who were throwing them back! We would have to run across the square to get to class.

It could be scary at times, but I think of it as a unique opportunity because what you were studying in class was happening right outside the window.”

After completing his master’s degree, Lack returned to the United States. He planned on going back to the Middle East – and even had a job lined up in Turkey – but because of the civil war and protests, Americans were restricted from traveling there.

“Honestly, it was a good thing, because I met my wife Anna Catherine soon after I returned,” he says. “She was living in Huntsville, AL, and I was in Starkville. After we were married in 2015, I was working in New Orleans and she was finishing her clinical fellowship in speech pathology in Houston. So, our first month of marriage was apart, but our whole relationship up to that point was long distance. It just made it that much better when we were together.”

Photo by Beth Wynn

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Lack comes to us from the University’s James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, where he served as Assistant Director of Development. A longtime State fan, Lack grew up in Kingsport, TN. He attended the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies in 2010. He later earned a Master of Arts in migration and refugee studies from the American University in Cairo, Egypt, in 2013.

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his year has certainly brought about many changes, and the College of Business is no exception.

In May 2020, we welcomed a new lead fundraiser. Stephen Lack will oversee alumni and development activities of the College and the Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy, helping us continue to build a reputation of success.

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By Emily Daniels

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While in Louisiana, Lack served as Business Resource Coordinator for Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, and he designed and developed the Refugee and Immigration Workforce Development Program for the organization.

“The program had been dormant since [Hurricane] Katrina, and once I got it up and running again, it got to the point where everyone had gotten hired and there was nothing left to do,” he says. “So, I made a list of what I really liked about my job, which was mainly the development part, and I started looking around for opportunities that would fit that description.”

Lack had a couple of friends who worked in development at different universities, and he reached out to them to learn more about what their jobs entailed. After doing a little more research, he decided that university fundraising and development was something that he would really enjoy. But there was one problem – he had no experience.

Soon after they reached their goal, a development position opened at Mississippi State, and he reached out to executive director of development at the MSU Foundation. Things were falling into place.

“We loved New Orleans, but we were ready to get to Mississippi State!” he exclaims. “It was 2018, and we were expecting our first child. We had decided that one day we wanted to raise our kids here in Starkville. I’ve always had Starkville and MSU ties. My grandparents are from here, my mom grew up here and she met my dad at State. And one of my distant relatives, John Crumpton

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“I went to my boss and said, ‘This is the career path that I want to take, and I would like to do it at Mississippi State, but I need some experience,’” states Lack. “He was really understanding and helped me look for development opportunities. That’s when the director of development where I worked created a position for me. My assignment was to help raise money for the Head Start program. What was supposed to be a two-year project with a goal of $2 million was funded in just six months.”

While a grad student in Egypt, Stephen received a visit from his family. Here, he and his granddad – the late Joe Tom Mosley, an MSU alumnus – visit a Cairo market.

Photo courtesy of Stephen Lack

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Hardy, served as University President from 1900 to 1912.”

After accepting the job offer, Lack, his wife and their six-month old son Hodson had only two weeks to pack up and move before he began his new role as Assistant Director of Development for the Bagley College of Engineering.

When asked what he loves most about his position, he is quick to reply.

Lack says that there are many ways to support the University with which future donors may not be familiar.

“For example, a lot of people in Mississippi have generational land, but maybe their children live far away and cannot manage it,” he comments. “You can leave it to Mississippi State’s Bulldog Forest, and we’ll manage it in perpetuity with your family’s name on it, and the money made from the timber would go to the scholarship, professorship or program of your choice.”

Another opportunity to support MSU is through a charitable gift annuity, which is a gift that can provide a secure source of fixed payments for life.

“Basically, you transfer cash or property to the University, and in exchange we promise to pay fixed payments to you for your lifetime, while also supporting something that you are passionate about,” explains Lack. “You will also receive a charitable income tax deduction for the gift portion of the annuity.”

He goes on to add, “It’s really exciting when you come up with a custom-crafted scholarship that is unique to that person, and it really resonates with him or her. You’re presenting that person with the opportunities, and when it works perfectly, it’s exciting. You’re changing lives on both ends, and that’s a pretty cool place to be.”

For more ways to support Mississippi State University or the College of Business, contact Director of Development Stephen Lack by phone at 423-292-9932 or via email at slack@foundation.msstate.edu.

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The College of Business is one of MSU’s largest academic units, and fundraising is pivotal to support quality education and maintain a competitive edge among the top schools in the nation.

Gifts provide funding for scholarships, innovative programs and building enhancements, as well as attracting and retaining prestigious faculty.

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“Several things come to mind, but I would definitely say the relationships,” he shares. “I get Life in the Middle East could be a bumpy ride at times. to meet some great people and Photo courtesy of Stephen Lack essentially serve as their investment advisor, not just a fundraiser. I love learning about them and why they’re giving and what their passions are. And then I get to make that happen.”

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“After a year in the position, we welcomed our daughter, Shellie Lou,” he notes. “And the year that followed, an amazing opportunity came open in the College of Business as Director of Development. With a few years of experience under my belt, I felt like I was ready to take the next step.”

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A Buzzworthy Business I

n its first month, an online clothing store started by a trio of Mississippi State student entrepreneurs made $3,000. In the second month and for several thereafter, the revenue rose to $50,000 per cycle.

What made the difference? The addition of “brand ambassadors” or “micro-influencers” who ramped up the store’s profile on social media, leading to the next, even more successful step on its journey.

In a short interval, putting out a call on social media, the three entrepreneurs amassed a pool of 9,000 ambassadors from around the world, each touting the clothing store and its wares to their own unique social media networks. In return, these influencers received perks such as discounted products and a percentage of the sales they helped generate. With the sudden success this brought, the team very, very briefly flirted with dropping out of MSU, but they stayed the course, valuing each class as a building block to improve their business acumen.

Their success also came with baggage – in this case, managing and tracking the many brand ambassadors.

“We would wake at 8 a.m. and get to bed at 2:30 a.m.,” recalls Baldwin of a time when they had to learn and deal with the demands of order fulfillment and tracking the ambassadors and the unique codes linking each to a sale. “At that point we were also juggling classes, papers and exams, too.”

The first pivot toward sanity and success came with the notion of building a software application to manage the ambassadors.

“Our clothing store wasn’t supposed to be a long-term business,” says Baldwin. “We were trying our skills at e-commerce and marketing, so when we came up with the idea for this new app that could solve our own problems, we pivoted. The second pivot came with the realization that our problemsolving app could be something for other Shopify merchants, too.”

The team entered the E-Center’s 2019 Startup Summit, where they pitched their app idea and swept both their own category and ultimately the entire competition, winning $9,000 total. They went on to triumph in the Fourth Annual SEC Student Pitch Competition in October 2019 for another $5,000 award. “[The SEC competition] connected us with people we never would have had the opportunity to meet and gave MSU bragging rights, too,” says Waddy.

Waddy, Baldwin and Johns are termed non-technical founders – businesspeople, not software

(from left) Calvin Waddy, Shelby Baldwin and Brandon Johns Photo Courtesy of Rocketing Systems, Inc.

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Brandon Johns, a December 2020 management graduate, met his older peers in the MSU Entrepreneurship Club while all were still students. They found that the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach (E-Center) inspired their dialogue and plans, with concepts and possibilities sketched out on its glass walls. It was Johns, having started his first business in third grade, who brought the idea of brand ambassadors to the wall – and to his new partners.

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“When we first started our business on Shopify – which is a platform where merchants create and manage an online storefront – we tried to do the marketing ourselves,” says 2019 marketing graduate Shelby Baldwin, of her efforts with Calvin Waddy, a 2018 business administration alumnus.

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developers – of their app Buzzbassador. In fact, actual construction of Buzzbassador was outsourced through connections the three found on the Shopify site. Their app is now in the Top 10 of its Shopify category. It is available in the Shopify App Store, one of many opportunities available for merchants worldwide to find assistance with their e-commerce.

The team formed a C Corp for their product in 2020, operating as Rocketing Systems, Inc.

Up and running, Buzzbassador happily does it all for its merchant users.

It helps onboard ambassadors, provides them a landing page of essential information, assigns them unique codes, tracks sales, manages rewards and rallies to other tasks, from major to miniscule.

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During the journey, E-Center mentors – Director Eric Hill, Outreach Director Jeffrey Rupp and others – have listened and advised the team. The Center also enabled introduction to the Bulldog Angel Network, a Mississippi-based fund founded by venture capitalist and MSU alumnus Wade Patterson to provide investments for early-stage companies with MSU ties. After hearing skillful pitches perfected in the E-Center’s VentureCatalyst™ program, the Network’s members awarded a $90,000 convertible note to the team.

Patterson, impressed, keeps in touch with Waddy, Baldwin and Johns.

“The number of feature possibilities [in their app] is infinite, and I can see them going even deeper into the Shopify market,” he says.

In late October, Rocketing Systems became the first Mississippi company to showcase at Venture Atlanta, a In conceiving a solution for a challenge faced with their online clothing store, the Rocketing team leading venture capital realized they had an idea that could be the basis for a more far-reaching tech company. conference in the Photo Courtesy of Rocketing Systems, Inc. Southeast. The team’s selection marks them as a prominent rising technology company in the region – as well as one of this year’s youngest group of participants.

“Venture Atlanta went really well for us!” shares Baldwin. “We made solid connections with angel investors, venture capitalists and other investment funds and firms around the country. There was a lot of interest in our product and the “buzz” – pun intended – we’re creating in the Shopify and marketing automation space. We even caught the attention of the chief technology officer at Shopify, Jean-Michel Lemieux, who was a keynote speaker. He tweeted me to congratulate us on our success, so that was pretty exciting!”

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At this writing, Rocketing Systems has raised more than $435,000 from various sources. The team continues to actively raise capital for their seed round, with several deals in the pipeline.

Earlier in the year, just as Rocketing Systems was indeed rocketing, along came the pandemic.

Which, as it turns out, has not been a deterrent.

During spring and summer, Starkville-based Waddy and Baldwin communicated virtually with Johns at his home in Tennessee, and they kept an unflagging pace.

Their success begs the question: Is it time to consider selling Buzzbassador while it is strong on the upswing?

Baldwin is quick to say, “In the next several years, we will concentrate on giving the best possible experience to our merchants and solving the problems for which it was created.”

“They’ve raised a significant amount of funding on a respectable valuation in the middle of a pandemic and civil unrest,” comments Hill. “And the fact that Mississippi State gets the attention it does means so much more to me because this is an example of what can happen when we work together in our state.”

He also notes that such successes resonate with talented young people who might otherwise leave Mississippi to seek their futures.

“Our program is offering the highly educated ‘under 30s’ a chance to get jobs and stay here,” he says.

Baldwin, herself a Mississippian, has no plans to leave.

“The E-Center still provides us mentoring,” says the company’s chief marketing officer. “We give Eric Hill updates regularly, and he points us to opportunities. We went there often when we could go places in person more easily.”

“We could not have done this all on our own. The E-Center has been fundamental in getting us started,” adds Waddy, the CEO. “The E-Center and its structured environment was important to me – not having that would’ve been detrimental. It has been the difference between Buzzbassador or working for somebody else right now.”

The team will remain intact too.

“You have three of us brainstorming together,” says COO Johns. “You have people by your side who are there for you no matter what. When we started with clothing in 2018, the thought of owning a Shopify application to help other businesses never crossed my mind. It’s amazing what has happened in just two years by being immersed in a market and learning and pivoting.”

At end of day – but not end of story – it is all about technology, how to use it cleverly and efficiently and mentorship from sources like the E-Center.

“I’m thankful to be in this generation where everything is so accessible,” says Baldwin. “It makes doing business so much more fun and makes us passionate about it.”

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Eric Hill steps in with praise.

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Waddy allows that selling is, of course, an ultimate goal but agrees, “We need to be totally committed to what we’re doing now.”

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“COVID-19 is a horrible thing,” says Waddy, who has been taking the cue to hunker over his computer and grind away. “But because everything is more online than ever right now, this time has been good to us. Merchants are trying to find new ways to attract customers. We’ve seen a 29 percent month-over-month increase in our organic installations – meaning no paid advertising went in to attract those customers – since the start of the pandemic.”

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Like Father, Like Son

By Carolanne Roberts

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ohn Robinson from Eupora, MS, would be so proud.

“My father had wisdom,” Ken Robinson recalls of the many heartfelt lessons that loop and replay in his mind yet today. “He talked to me about the values of getting more done with people than by yourself. Of the importance of values. And to be candid, honest and transparent, treating people with respect. I was always amazed by the people who would stop to ask his advice on things.

But for Ken, the long-ago messages play back, laced with memories.

“He told me back then that if you show yourself to be aspiring, people will help you,” Robinson says. “I always felt that way with my professors at Mississippi State.”

Robinson’s mid-1970s years in Starkville came at a time when integration was an ongoing national issue.

“I found my professors at State to be very fair,” he recalls. “Some were tough, but all were fair. That experience has helped me throughout my career. I found that people who took me under their wings and coached me became a part of who I am. Mississippi State was an extension of the values I learned growing up.”

The important word “value” peppers Robinson’s conversation and his actions. It certainly informs his long-time work with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, located in Cincinnati just steps from the Ohio River – that great barrier that once separated the southern slave states from the free northern states. His involvement in what the Center’s website describes

Photo by Dana L. Day

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John Robinson lived to see his son, the youngest of six, graduate in 1977 with a banking and finance degree from Mississippi State University – the first college graduate in the family. He also saw Ken’s marriage and the beginnings of a successful lifelong career at Procter & Gamble (P&G) in Cincinnati. He did not live to see Ken and wife Windy’s three children – Kevin, a broadcast meteorologist; Tim, who works in finance with General Electric, and Kenisha, a medical assistant eyeing med school – graduate from college. Nor did he know of the international scope of Ken’s P&G career, which included a stint living in Saudi Arabia with his family and travel to almost 60 countries. He did not witness the key role Ken played in establishing and perpetuating the $110 million National Underground Railroad Freedom Center or all the other board service and nonprofit work, which today includes an initiative to mentor young African American males.

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“As a kid, I never focused on his lack of education – he only finished the sixth grade. My father always displayed through experience, not academics, a positive mindset, a can-do attitude and none of this ‘woe-is-me’ questioning about why something happened. That’s something I’ve used throughout my career and also with my kids.”

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With wisdom, love and personal example, he reared son Ken, who has taken his father’s nuggets of knowledge forward to do good things. He has brought up great children, given of himself to causes that matter and ventured – even when comfortable retirement is possible – into the realms of social justice, making differences where change was needed.

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At the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Robinson reflects on the courage, cooperation and perseverance needed to address challenges both past and present.

Photo by Dana L. Day

as “a museum of conscience, an education center, a convener of dialogue and a beacon for inclusive freedom everywhere” began in 1999, five years before its opening. He chaired the Center’s finance committee for 13 years and has been lauded with the distinction of Honorary Co-chair of the organization he continues to serve.

“The principles of courage, cooperation and perseverance are embedded into the story of the Freedom Center,” he says. “Courage for people to stand up for what is right and to help people, cooperation of the people – the abolitionists and others – and perseverance to continue to fight for beliefs even when times are tough. I think these principles hold together today with the things we need to address.”

Again, as it admirably seems with Robinson, there’s always a cause to champion.

“The Freedom Center tries to take the lessons learned and apply them to contemporary times – human trafficking, unconscious bias and other things today that are different from slavery but demand the same principles,” he remarks. “Ohio is a particular hot-bed of human trafficking along the I-75 corridor, and we have gotten funding to help address the issues. It does seem that the calls to the hotline have increased with the awareness being created. We’re by no means suggesting that the Freedom Center is totally responsible for that, but we’re part of the overall effort.”

Does this sound like a man who concluded his P&G career in 2016, using the term “transition” rather than “retirement?” His transition/retirement lasted about 30 days before Robinson stepped

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into the new-to-him energy industry, joining Fortune 100 company Exelon at its Chicago base.

He transitioned out once more in late March 2020 as the COVID era began, and he and Windy moved to their newly built home in South Florida. With the quarantine and civil unrest facing the country in tandem, Robinson made new resolutions.

Already the approach is clear to the men.

“It’s important for us to listen to [these young men], for there’s a lot of hopelessness and pentup anger,” Robinson observes. “We need to see the world through their eyes, as opposed to saying, ‘Hey, look at me, listen to me because I’ve been successful.’ There’s this whole notion that we’re going to ‘fix them’ as opposed to seeing this as a problem that has grown over time and needs to be addressed. As I reflect, there were times when if I had gone the path of anger and despair as opposed to staying focused with perseverance, I might have gone a different way myself.”

“He taught me, ‘Do what you say, say what you’ll do, and nothing in between,’ ‘your word is your bond’ and so much more,” he shares. “It all goes back to the notion of positive attitude. If you bring together the powers of positive belief, your passion and your tenacity, you can work through situations.”

Robinson once spoke of tinkering around the house and of tending plants post-career, but the chances are growing slim as the options multiply. Maybe he’ll manage occasional work on the farm back in Mississippi, but otherwise, “I probably won’t get to the others.” What he will do instead is take what he learned at home, at Mississippi State and around the world and put it to good use.

His father would be so very proud.

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As he goes about these good works, Robinson is guided and inspired by his father’s words.

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At the other end of the equation, Robinson also serves on the national Executive Leadership Council, a board of senior African American leaders who focus on getting more African American businesspeople into the C-suites of the world and onto more corporate boards. The group’s philanthropic work focuses on students in historically black colleges and universities.

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“I think the plight of young African American men is not very bright, and I have a lot of interest in getting involved,” he explains. “A very good friend [who worked with Robinson in his last post at P&G as Vice President of Global Diversity & Inclusion] and I now live three miles apart here in Florida, and we have a lot of time and a lot of energy. We talk about what we can do.”

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Crowning Achievements I

t is often said that college is the shortest four years you’ll ever experience, but Riley VergaraCruz has certainly covered a lot of ground during her time on campus. A senior International Business (IB) and French double major from Franklin, TN, Vergara-Cruz has served as a member of half a dozen high-profile student organizations at Mississippi State – holding officer positions in nearly every one – all while juggling a small business that she’s owned since she was 14.

“It was a great way to meet new people, and I think it really helped me get my foot through the door, because we worked with the Student Association Executive Council and other campus organizations, like Dance Marathon,” she says.

Dance Marathon is a nationwide movement involving college and high school students at more than 400 schools across the country, all raising money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

MSU’s Dance Marathon students spend a year learning invaluable leadership and life skills while raising funds and interacting with patients and families from Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis. The year culminates with a nine-hour event where the students stay on their feet through dancing, games and entertainment in celebration of the total amount raised that year.

Vergara-Cruz became involved her freshman year, reaching out to local businesses and corporate sponsors for donations. The following year she served as Co-director of Dance Marathon Relations, where she spearheaded the entire event. As a junior, she was the Vice President of Logistics, and this past year she served as the Emcee of the event.

“Dance Marathon made a huge impact on me because each year you get to know the awesome patients and families that you are raising money for and, at least for one night, help them have fun and forget all the suffering they have been through,” she says. “I wish more people knew about it because it is a really fun and rewarding philanthropy.”

Vergara-Cruz was also an active member of Delta Gamma sorority, where she was elected to serve in a number of executive positions, including Vice President of Programming, where she

Photo by Megan Bean

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Soon after arriving on campus, she became involved in Freshman Edge, a community service and leadership program offered within the Student Association to help first-year students learn the skills to become better leaders.

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“My parents instilled in me the value of a strong work ethic,” says Vergara-Cruz. “If I wanted to go to college, I was going to be the one to pay for it. They taught me and my two brothers early on that if you wanted to do something, you had to make sure you could make it happen. Mississippi State was very accommodating when it came to finances for out-of-state students, and they helped me earn a lot of scholarships. When I learned about the IB program – how I could major in business, which was more versatile and practical while also studying other cultures and the French language – it wasn’t even a question as to whether or not I should go anywhere else.”

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planned all of the sisterhood events, parties and chapter retreats throughout the year.

“I planned our chapter’s 50th anniversary gala at The Mill in Starkville,” she says. “It was my favorite event during my term as VP of Programming because there were more than 200 women – active members and alumni, all in one room. It was pretty special.”

Her junior year at State, Vergara-Cruz was elected to serve on the Bulldog Bash committee as Assistant Director, then Director in her senior year. Created in 1999, Bulldog Bash has grown to become Mississippi’s largest free outdoor concert. Typically drawing around 35,000 participants, the event takes place on a fall Friday night prior to an SEC home football game.

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“My involvement with Bulldog Bash was a turning point for me regarding a possible career path,” she shares. “I think I would really like to work in the entertainment or music industry. My marketing classes and experience planning such a major music event made me realize that doing something like marketing research for the industry could be the perfect fit for me.”

Along with completing a course of study as rigorous as the International Business program, Vergara-Cruz is active in the College of Business, serving for two years as a COB Ambassador and working this past semester as a marketing intern in the Dean’s Office.

Vergara-Cruz owns a children’s event business, Dreams Do Come True Princess Parties, started when she was 14.

Photo courtesy of Riley Vergara-Cruz

As if she were not busy enough, Vergara-Cruz still manages to find time to continue running a business that she established as a freshman in high school.

“Growing up, I was really involved in musical theater in our town, and every year we helped the community theater raise money for a scholarship fund for the seniors,” she says. “My freshman year, we did a photo booth fundraiser at our town’s Pumpkin Fest, and we all dressed up as princesses, taking pictures with the children. Several moms asked us if we did this for birthday parties, and I told them, ‘No, but we definitely can!’ and I handed them my mom’s business card.”

After borrowing a dress from her high school’s theater department, her friend made an appearance at the first party, transformed as Cinderella. It was an instant hit, and shortly afterward the calls came rolling in from parents requesting actors for their children’s princessthemed birthday parties.

“I thought to myself, ‘This could actually be a business,’ and I asked my mom if she would help,” recalls Vergara-Cruz. “We started gathering old prom dresses from thrift stores and consignment shops and asked theaters if we could have any old costumes they weren’t using anymore. We would change the costumes up to look as close to the traditional princesses as they could get.”

Vergara-Cruz began promoting the new company – Dreams Do Come True Princess Parties – on social media. She asked her theater friends if they would be interested in dressing up as princesses, and she would attend the parties with them as their assistant.

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“When they go to the parties, they sing a song, teach a dance, read a book or play a game and give out a ‘happy’ such as a sticker or bracelet,” she explains.

When Vergara-Cruz was a senior in high school, her mother Blandina, had the opportunity to lease the entire building where she worked as a hairdresser. She asked her daughter if she wanted to lease the building with her to open their own party venue. They did, and appropriately named it Riley’s.

Vergara-Cruz says that they have three full-time managers – college students who have been with the company from the beginning. They have many part-time employees who serve as characters, who are high school students and a few adults – musicians who work there for fun while trying to get their big breaks in nearby Nashville.

This school year has looked a little different for Vergara-Cruz.

Prior to 2020, many graduates could reminisce about their last year of college with a smile – hanging out with friends at sporting events, celebrating the last day of class and throwing their caps in the air at graduation. Currently, classes are almost entirely online, social distancing and masks are mandatory and classes will end before Thanksgiving. But she doesn’t let it get her down.

“I’m a very physical learner, so taking online or hybrid classes might be a bit of a challenge, but I see it as a good learning experience,” she says. “It’s all new – not just to me, but to everyone. We are all learning new and innovative ways to socialize, conduct class and even conduct business, and I can look back proudly and say I was a part of that history.”

Vergara-Cruz (front, third from left) and the fellow members of her 2018 Dance Marathon Leaders Council.

Photo courtesy of Riley Vergara-Cruz

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“It’s been really fun having a business as a College of Business student,” she states. “I feel so fortunate to be able to apply the concepts I’m learning in the classroom to a real-life business.”

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She says after she went to Mississippi State, her mother slowly began taking the reins of the company and loves it. Vergara-Cruz is still able to run the two websites, www.dreamsdocometrueprincessparties.com and www.RileysFranklinTN.com, as well as their social media, while in school.

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“Riley’s is the umbrella company for Dreams Do Come True,” Vergara-Cruz says. “Now on Thursdays through Saturdays, we do all children’s parties, not just princesses. We host superhero or rock star parties, spa parties, karaoke and anything else you can think of at that venue. But if a client wants a party at home, we can still do that, too!”

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Jazzing Up the Finance World W

hen Dr. Tom Miller, Jr. gazes out at his classes – whether it’s Financial Management, Investments, Consumer Finance or Senior Seminar – he can always tell who’s texting.

“They’ll look me in the eye and admit it,” he says, most impressed. “They are so brutally honest.

Then I’ll ask if it’s allowed, and they answer, ‘No sir.’ They always say ‘sir.’ These students are such darned good people – and it makes me want to try hard for them.”

society,” he says. “And I know they follow through. I tell my colleagues at other schools, and they’re amazed by Mississippi State’s students.”

Such insight into his students, as well as his expectations for them, are characteristic of this man who holds the Jack R. Lee Chair of Financial Institutions and Consumer Finance.

His students benefit not only from their professor’s teaching but also from those things he does outside the classroom – including research, speeches to consumer groups, congressional testimony and service on the Academic Research Council of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Miller – who wears a tie to class, complete with Windsor knot and signature tie chain, to honor his profession, his parents and his students – was not always in front of a class or deep in research.

The career leap from business office to campus came after three years of contemplation and thoughtful exercises from What Color is Your Parachute, which proved a good guide for change.

“My career was great as a corporate economist for a Fortune 500 company, but I wanted more,” he comments. “As I did those exercises, I realized I was returning to the idea of research and teaching – and I thought, ‘yes, there’s a career in that for me.’”

Along the way, he also worked as a retail commodities futures broker, having earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in economics from Montana State University in his home state. A PhD from the University of Washington followed later.

After completing the PhD in 1992, he joined the faculty at the University of Missouri and during his time there also served as a Visiting Associate Professor at Washington University in St. Louis. He moved to Saint Louis University (SLU) in 2003, where he served as teacher, researcher and administrator. Adding to his academic accomplishments, he has co-authored two textbooks, Derivatives: Valuation and Risk Management and Fundamentals of Investments: Valuation and Management, the latter of which is now in its ninth edition in both print and e-book formats.

“The change to teaching was the best decision I ever made,” he states. “That self-reflection led to my academic career, which put me in touch with what I really wanted to do.”

Photo by Beth Wynn

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“I tell them that I leave it to their honor to make good their debt to

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For the record, Miller does impose a $5 fine for texting, to be directed to their favorite charity.

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With the practices of reflection and discernment honed at the Jesuitled SLU, Miller was also open to the move to Mississippi State.

One incentive, beyond the solid College of Business programs and people, was the Jack R. Lee Chair.

“It turns out that the funder of the chair and I share a common interest in free market solutions to financial problems,” says Miller.

“Holding this position has allowed me to create a course in consumer credit. I’ve also spent valuable time exploring aspects and dispelling myths about small dollar lending.”

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To that end, his current research focuses firmly on this topic. His book entitled How Do Small Dollar Non-Bank Loans Work?, published by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, clearly outlines the process.

“It’s designed to shine a light on the subject for state legislatures, the financial press or interested citizens,” he says of the plain-language 72page primer.

Topics covered include break-even APR, payday loans, pawn loans, installment loans and other aspects of this important credit landscape.

He included a glossary of industry terms to further de-mystify the process.

Why this particular subject at this particular time? It is a matter of outreach, the need for research and the audience itself.

“When I did research in derivative securities, a very small number of people were impacted, but small dollar lending affects many people,” he explains. “It’s the aim of my research to maintain freedom of choice for consumers.”

Two important current questions along the small dollar loan landscape are: How does the market set lending rates, and how do consumers, often with limited resources, figure out how to allocate their money across all their demands? Miller does not openly advocate by directing lenders or consumers toward a certain path but rather lays out facts. His goal is to allow informed consumers to determine their own behavior, learning from experiences and facts as they go. He believes that consumers can make decisions for themselves better than policymakers.

Facts – and opinions, too – are what he offered in testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016, having first submitted a five-page brief to inform the questions that committee members would pose during a hearing on small dollar nonbank loans. Likewise, expertise and informed opinions are the backbone of the CFPB’s Academic Research Council.

“We report to the director herself,” Miller says. “She has spent entire days meeting with us and wants our unbiased, unvarnished opinions and facts. And I do feel we are making a difference.”

In normal times, the seven-member council meets with CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger in the federal agency’s Washington, DC, headquarters, usually twice a year.

Miller’s many past publications contribute to making a difference, and undoubtedly his planned research will, too. Studies that are in progress or recently released cover such topics as the major issues in small dollar consumer credit, traditional installment loans and the effect of interest rate caps on the market.

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basketball player who always longed to be in the band is now doing just that.

During post-graduate days in Michigan, he took life-changing lessons from an elderly Detroit jazz saxophonist, but he set that world aside at the birth of his son. Returning to the sax 20 years later, technology has allowed him to connect with “the best saxophone craftsman in the world,” Randy Jones, from whom Miller buys his horns. These days, he also takes “text lessons” from famed New York-based master Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, to whom Miller sends videos for critique.

Miller also attends jazz camps in better times and plays in the Starkville Community Band, alongside Famous Maroon Band members.

“There’s never an end to what you can learn in jazz, so it’s a lifelong pursuit,” he remarks.

Speaking of learning, that is what Miller thrives on at Mississippi State.

“I love feeling that I can make a difference in students’ lives,” he concludes. “I just love to see them learn things. It’s so fulfilling.”

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Miller brings the experience of a Fortune 500 corporate economist to the classroom.

Working at home made it easy to step away at the end of his day for a music break – his beloved tenor saxophone plays an important role in off-hours engagement.

The former high school football and

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During the spring and summer, Miller worked from his home office in the company of Betty, his Jack Russell terrier, and Salley, his foundon-the-side-of-theroad yellow dog.

The two were hits in his Zoom classes.

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“I think the interesting thing is the next question you’re working on,” adds Miller, noting that for him this includes the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the small dollar loan market.

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A Self less Gift

By Allison Matthews eagan Scott says she’s not the type of person who would donate an organ to a stranger; however, that’s exactly what the Pensacola, FL, native did when she learned of another student’s need of a lifesaving kidney transplant.

The experience has changed both her life and that of the recipient, Keith Fell, Jr., a Louisiana State University student also from Pensacola.

It was fall of 2019 when Scott saw an online plea by Fell’s mother to find a matching kidney donor for her child. Scott felt compassion for someone her own age going through a difficult health crisis and took a short Mayo Clinic survey that was attached to the social media post. To her surprise, she soon got a reply that she was a potential match.

The Clinic called to ask if she would proceed with a blood sample, which she completed at MSU’s Longest Student Health Center. The results showed she was an excellent match for Fell, who had seemed healthy throughout his childhood but had unknowingly developed kidney failure.

“I talked to my parents, and at first they were hesitant because it was all new to us,” Scott recalls.

Nevertheless, she proceeded through a rigorous process of physical and psychological tests to confirm her eligibility to donate.

“I remember walking around thinking, ‘What am I doing here?’” Scott says of the process that caused purple bruises on her arms from all the needle sticks. “Like most people, I hate needles! It was a very big deal for me. It was so hard to wrap my head around what I was doing.”

She explains that the very thorough screening process goes over all the reasons people might choose not to donate, including health risks and the possibility of needing another kidney themselves in the future.

“They want to make sure you have the right intentions, and they give you all the negatives,” Scott says. “They really make sure you actually want to do it and that you know all the information.”

The recipient and his family were not aware at that point that she was a potential match. She questioned herself repeatedly, wondering if she should take the risk for a young man whom she

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Upon presenting Scott with the award in July, Bourgeois told her, “You provide hope and joy in a world that desperately needs people like you. My hope for all MSU students is for them to go out into the world and make a difference. You knocked it out of the park.”

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The successful surgery took place in December 2019. When MSU’s Dean Thomas Bourgeois heard about the senior accounting major’s selfless generosity, he knew she would be a worthy recipient for the Dean of Students’ Award of Excellence, bestowed on students who exemplify exceptional standards of character. The award, established in honor of retired Dean of Students Mike White, was created 14 years ago. Scott is only the 10th student to receive the honor.

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didn’t even know. She moved forward, making a pros-and-cons list as she considered her choices.

Her parents were supportive and did not try to persuade her in any way as she made her decision.

“Mom was with me, and that was very much needed,” she recalls of the donor testing that took place during her fall break.

As she moved toward a final determination, her thoughts seesawed from “No, this is scary, and I’m definitely not going to do it” to “Yes, these people need help.”

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In the end, the reasons to donate outweighed the reasons not to. Scott was inspired by other donors and recipients she met in the hospital waiting rooms, and her chance of having future kidney problems was very low.

“I did a lot of research, and one of the main points I considered was that if I were in his position, I wouldn’t want to be on dialysis,” she states.

“I decided I don’t want to hoard my organs,” she concludes.

“I don’t want to have the attitude that I might need this kidney later, so I’m going to let you die because of the smaller chance that I might need it in the future.”

Dean Thomas Bourgeois presented the Dean of Students’ Award

of Excellence to Scott, the 10th recipient in 14 years.

The timeline of Photo courtesy of Thomas Bourgeois events allowed the surgery to be scheduled during Christmas break, and she didn’t have to miss school. Scott and Fell did not meet until the day before surgery, which took place at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL, on December 13.

“The kidney started working before they even sewed him up in the O.R.!” Scott says.

Her own recovery entailed some pain and discomfort for only about a week, and she was amazed at how quickly she felt back to normal.

“I was doing a lot better than I expected,” she says. “I healed so fast, I actually moved to Memphis on January 5 and started an internship the next day. All in all, it was a lot less painful than I expected. I started working 40 hours a week during tax season and had no issues.”

Scott went on to graduate summa cum laude in May with her bachelor’s degree in accounting.

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She has a job offer with Dixon Hughes Goodman to work in the accounting firm’s Memphis office beginning in the fall of 2021, when she expects to complete her master’s program and take the CPA Exam.

Scott’s undergraduate years at Mississippi State, where both parents and her older sister also attended, were a full and rewarding experience that included her stint as manager of the women’s tennis team and the completion of two internships.

“I had the best four years of my life,” she says. “I haven’t wasted a second, and I have zero regrets in college – I’ve done everything I wanted to do.”

Scott said she has great respect for university leaders, so being recognized by Dean Bourgeois – as well as MSU President Mark Keenum, who also met with her in July – is an honor.

She says donating her kidney has been “100 percent the best experience of my life.” She recently signed up to become a bone marrow donor.

She continues to keep in close contact with Fell. His mother, who posted the notice that connected them, passed away over the summer. Scott hopes to stay in touch with Fell and the rest of his family “forever.”

The response from others has been overwhelming support – even from people she hadn’t talked with since middle school.

“I’ve never felt so loved and supported in my life,” she comments. “My closest family members were worried, but I can’t believe how supportive my parents were. They didn’t try to persuade me one way or another. They were very open and always there for me. I have even more appreciation for them now.”

Scott still insists, “It’s so unlike me and out of the blue for me to do this.”

But she also says her perspective has changed.

“Instead of assuming someone else will help, it’s good to be the person that offers help.”

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Photo by Megan Bean

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MSU President Mark Keenum met with Reagan Scott in July to congratulate her and hear about her experience.

“Obviously, I love it here, so I didn’t want to move,” she says.

“I love the teachers and feel comfortable.

Grad school puts you on the right track to getting your CPA, and Mississippi State is really good at setting you up with internships, most of which lead to jobs.”

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In June, she became a graduate student in MSU’s Master of Professional Accountancy program and is a graduate assistant for the Adkerson School of Accountancy.

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A Big Picture Approach

By Kirsten Shaw

see business from a different perspective than people who are in other areas,” remarks Khylar Cain. “You can see the overall process because you’re not in the middle of things – you’re kind of back from it.”

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“I’m interested in the total business realm,” she says. “I feel like accounting is one of the more stable careers. I like to be knowledgeable, and things are constantly evolving, so it will be a career where I can continue to learn as I go.”

She continues, “African American studies is almost more about personal enrichment for me, but I do think it will help me build interpersonal relationships and help in the office space when I’m in diverse environments.”

The foundations of her career are being built at Mississippi State, and Cain is appreciative of the faculty who have started her down the path.

“Mrs. [Angela] Pannell taught both of my Principles of Accounting classes,” notes Cain. “They were my first accounting courses, and they gave me confidence. The way she presented the material was really accessible, and she was always willing to help if there was something I didn’t understand at first.”

“It has been a joy to watch Khylar grow as a student,” responds Pannell, Instructor of Accountancy.

“Khylar was always prepared for every class, in part because she read the material before class and was willing to ask questions when she did not understand a concept. In class I always say, ‘There are no bad questions in accounting.’ When students of Khylar’s ability ask questions, it helps others feel more confident to ask their own questions.”

In helping her peers, Cain goes beyond setting an example.

“It was always evident that Khylar put in the necessary time for homework and study,” Pannell continues. “This allowed her to assist classmates who struggled to understand various concepts. I have also watched Khylar tutoring as a member of Beta Alpha Psi. She has the ability to help those following behind her grasp basic accounting concepts. I imagine that Khylar will always reach back to those who follow behind her and lend them a helping hand to move forward.”

Cain’s academic accomplishments, determination, ethics and leadership are some of the factors that led to her selection as a 2020 PCAOB Scholar. Each year, the congressionally-appointed Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) awards $10,000 scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students, funded from monetary penalties assessed in the course of the Board’s oversight of the audits of public companies, brokers and dealers.

Photo by Beth Wynn

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Certainly her academic efforts have benefited from this interest in knowing how things work and fit together in the big picture. Cain is an accounting major with a minor in African American Studies.

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hen you talk with Khylar Cain, you get the impression this is her approach to more than her studies. The Eupora, MS, senior comes across as a thoughtful and reflective person – quiet not out of shyness but from a desire to listen and understand before taking action.

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“I really like accounting because in a way you’re behind the scenes and

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Nominated by Dr. Shawn Mauldin, Director of the Adkerson School of Accountancy, Cain is one of 234 recipients this year among thousands of accounting students nationwide. The scholarship can be a game changer for a student, at the same time drawing attention to the quality of his or her school’s program.

“Khylar is an exceptional student and worthy of this scholarship,” states Mauldin, who nominates a student each year. “In many cases, the PCAOB scholarship allows the student to complete his or her undergraduate or graduate degree without taking on more debt. The School benefits because we’re more likely to be able to keep some very smart and talented students at Mississippi State University.”

Choosing Mississippi State in the first place was an easy decision for Cain – a family tradition of sorts. Her dad is an alumnus, and her brother Khalil – now a junior high teacher in Kosciusko, MS – was an MSU education major when she enrolled.

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“Khalil was extremely helpful in the transition process,” recalls Cain. “I went to a really small high school. It’s a big change to go from a graduating class of 55 to having 100 students in your first class!”

That experience, coupled with her compassion and natural inclination to help others, have led her to reach out to potential students through the College of Business Ambassadors (COBA) program and the University’s SPARK program. As an Ambassador, she helps recruit freshmen and transfer students.

“We write them postcards and e-mails, answer their questions, show them around McCool and generally just be transparent with them about our experiences,” she says.

Cain and her fellow Ambassadors work with Kelsey Waters, COB Assistant Director of Recruiting and Events. The COBA team consists of 40 or fewer business students selected to represent the College based on qualities like integrity, leadership, enthusiasm and love of MSU. “Khylar is one of the most intentional students I have worked with in my 10 years of recruiting experience,” comments Waters. “She is very logical, and that makes her a great accounting student, but it also makes her a wonderful student leader. The way she looks at the whole picture, she is able to really meet students where they are and offer guidance.”

Cain enjoys the work, and she enjoys the people involved.

“As College of Business Ambassadors, we helped with Academic Insight last year,” she shares regarding an event that introduces potential students and their families to the College of Business. “There was a great turnout. It was the first time all the Ambassadors got to bond outside class. We held doors and greeted parents and students and answered questions…. It doesn’t sound exciting, but we had a great time together. And I had the same questions [as the visitors] when I was in their shoes, so it felt good to answer those Cain (second from left) was a SPARK crew leader in 2019; here, she is shown with (from left) peers Chelsi Floyd, Kayla Williams and Sydney Wicks.

Photo courtesy of Khylar Cain

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questions and reassure them.”

On track to graduate this spring, Cain plans to enroll in the Adkerson School’s MPA program, then take the CPA Exam and begin her career in Mississippi.

“Mississippi State as a whole, and especially the College of Business and the accounting program, stays on top of technology and techniques that are being used in the marketplace,” she observes. “They prepare us for the future, whether we’re going to grad school or straight into careers.”

Well-equipped with her education, Khylar Cain will succeed because of who she is – a smart, kind, focused big-picture thinker.

“Khylar listens, absorbs and genuinely cares about the people she interacts with,” says Kelsey Waters.

“Given her grace and sincerity, I think Khylar will be one of our most impactful alumni. She is going to make great change in whatever community she touches.”

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It is no surprise that Cain, whose name consistently appears on the President’s List, brings her talents to other campus organizations like accounting honor society Beta Alpha Psi and University Women in Business.

She is active in the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center’s I.D.E.A.L. Woman Program (Intelligent, Dignified, Elegant, Cain was named I.D.E.A.L. Woman Member of the Year for 2018-2019.

Ambitious Leaders) and was its 2018Photo courtesy of Khylar Cain 2019 Member of the Year. In this leadership organization, members hear from guest speakers, host events and perform community service like helping the United Way with Thanksgiving donations and working in the Starkville High School concession stand during games so parents are free to watch their kids. Cain also works with Dresses of Hope MSU, collecting donated prom dresses and distributing them to high school students.

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“Some of our 2019 participants enrolled at Mississippi State and have started this fall,” she notes. “For them to know people before they come here is comforting.”

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She has also helped rising high school seniors plan their futures through MSU’s SPARK – Students Paving a Road to Knowledge – program. This summer leadership conference invites underrepresented rising high school seniors to campus, introducing them to various avenues available after high school and equipping them to choose a path and prepare for it. In 2019, Cain was a crew leader for a group of 16 participants. She was chosen as Codirector of Logistics for this year, when the event was postponed and held as a virtual webinar series throughout the fall.

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By Christopher A. Boone

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For those within the industry, the COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst, accelerating the focus on digital transformation efforts. The 29th Annual Study of Logistics and Transportation Trends, completed in partnership with Mississippi State University, the University of Tennessee, Georgia College and Logistics Management magazine, surveyed more than 290 logistics and transportation professionals to gain added insights into how their organizations are responding to the new pace of digital transformation.

The study revealed a number of interesting and timely insights. n

The COVID-19 Crisis Is a Pivotal Moment in Digital Transformation

Some have suggested the COVID-19 crisis vaulted consumer and business adoption of digital technologies five years forward in only eight weeks.³ The sudden need for better asset and product visibility, skyrocketing e-commerce demand, the shift to remote work environments and requirements for contactless interactions certainly had a profound effect on transportation-related digital transformation efforts. Over 74 percent of carriers and 78 percent of shippers agreed the conditions created by the COVID-19 crisis were a catalyst for transformational projects. n Transformation Is Not (and Has Never Been) Just About Technology While technology is certainly necessary for the digital transformation of logistics and transportation, history has shown technology alone is rarely sufficient to deliver the desired value. In the early 1900s, companies that had made significant capital investments in horses and wagons were skeptical of transitioning to motor trucks. Those that did adopt trucks often committed what an anonymous writer in 1914 called the “horse-pace-blunder.” As cited by Traffic World:

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Transportation is a vital part of the supply chain that underpins and enables the lifestyles and conveniences we have all come to expect and on which we rely. Transportation is also an essential component of our economy. Total business logistics costs in the United States were more than $1.629 trillion in 2019, accounting for approximately 7.6 percent of gross domestic product. More than 65 percent of this cost ($1.059 trillion) was spent on transportation.¹ The trucking industry alone moved an estimated 11.8 billion tons of freight in 2019, and 7.95 million people were employed in trucking-related jobs.²

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arely has the importance of transportation been more evident or acknowledged as during the first few months of 2020. The COVID-19 crisis elevated stories of logistics issues from the warehouse floor to front-page news. It also highlighted the essential services provided by logistics and transportation professionals. The added and well-deserved attention allowed many from outside the industry to understand and appreciate the impact logistics and transportation have on nearly every facet of our lives.

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Fasten Your Seatbelt!

Digital Transformation Is Driving a New Era in Transportation

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“Many businesses committed the ‘horse-pace-blunder’ or ‘the application of motor trucks to conditions especially developed for horse pace.’ Motor trucks, he wrote, ‘must be operated at truck pace.’ That meant lengthening the distance between stops and increasing the number of daily runs to get the most productivity out of the truck.”4 Organizational strategy, structure, processes and technology all must be aligned to create new value and avoid the horse-pace-blunders of the past. To gain insight into the current state of alignment between strategy and technology, study participants were asked to characterize their organizations’ overall strategies as well as the tactical and operational objectives of their business areas during the last year.

The majority of respondents (55 percent) characterized their organizational strategies as a mix, balancing cost and service. This aligned with a significant shift in the tactical and operational objectives. Over 36 percent of respondents reported “maximizing profitability” as their primary objective, a 29 percent increase from 2019. We believe these shifts highlight a growing focus on cost to serve and adoption of technology to gain operational efficiencies while meeting rising customer expectations. n Visibility Is Essential to Digital Transformation When asked which types of technologies would prove to be most important in the next three years, the clear number-one response was visibility. From a logistics and transportation perspective, visibility refers to having near real-time access to quality customer, product or supply information. Many survey participants referred to the “Amazon Effect” when describing the visibility needed to satisfy customers’ increased expectations regarding the location and expected delivery of in-transit shipments. Others referred to the potential value and impact increased visibility offers for improving asset utilization and increasing operational efficiencies.

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Other technologies rated highly in this year’s study included predictive analytics, artificial intelligence, warehouse automation and digital shipping documents (i.e. electronic bills of lading).

When viewed collectively, these technologies highlight a couple of important trends. First, the emphasis on predictive analytics and artificial intelligence points to efforts to make better and faster decisions.

Second, the focus on warehouse automation and digital shipping documents reflects continued efforts to leverage technology to reduce costs and increase the efficiency of processes that have historically been labor intensive and time consuming.

n Successful Transformation Requires the Right Skills and Talent

In summary, the timing of the 29th Annual Study of Logistics and Transportation Trends provided insights into a thriving industry navigating its way through unprecedented circumstances. While there are still many challenges and changes ahead, the future of industry is bright and exciting.

There has never been a time when we were prouder or more grateful to be part of the logistics and transportation community.

¹ 31st Annual Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals State of Logistics Report ² American Trucking Associations American Trucking Trends 2020 ³ https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-COVID-19-recovery-will-be-digital-a-plan-for-the-first-90-days 4

“From Horse to Highway,” Traffic World Celebrating 100 Years 1907-2007 by William B. Cassidy

Christopher A. Boone Dr. Christopher A. Boone serves as an Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management in the College of Business. He received his PhD from Auburn University and previously taught at Texas Christian University, where he served as Director of the Master of Science in Supply Chain Management Program.

Boone is an award-winning teacher and researcher with articles published in some of his field’s most prestigious journals including the Journal of Business Logistics and the Journal of Supply Chain Management. His current research interests include logistics and supply chain strategy, decision making and digital transformation. Previously, Boone served for 22 years in the U.S. Air Force, in a career that included a variety of logistics and leadership positions.

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When asked about the types of skills needed, participants indicated a balance between soft and hard skills was most desirable. The model new employee would possess core knowledge of the industry, be able to work with and analyze data, have strong critical thinking and communication skills, be flexible and adaptable to changing environments and have a strong work ethic.

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Digital transformation requires different skills and new types of talent. This is not unique to the transportation and logistics industry. However, study participants indicated that recruiting, developing and retaining the right digital talent was especially challenging for transportation companies. Most felt this was largely due to a lack of awareness among recent college graduates regarding the increasingly digital nature of the industry and the rewarding opportunities for career growth and development.

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Nearly 81 percent of those surveyed believed the increased digitalization of transportation will lead to a greater reliance on robust digital platforms. Digital freight-matching platforms and mobile apps from well-known providers (e.g. C.H. Robinson, J.B. Hunt, etc.) as well as those from popular startups (e.g. Convoy & Uber Freight) stand to benefit carriers and shippers by helping increase revenues, reduce costs and generate real-time data insights. Other platform-based models look to enable greater collaboration and even fleet sharing.

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Online Moves Onward

By Joni Seitz

Building a Landmark Program

By 2005, the advancement of technology and the nationwide upward trend of online education allowed the program to go entirely online. Smith was hired that year as the full-time manager of the MBA online degree program, charged with growing it through recruitment and advising activities.

“We entered the market before there was a lot of competition,” recalls Smith. “We were very competitively priced, and a recognized brick and mortar school, so it didn’t take many years to grow to 300 students, representing 49 states and 12 or 13 countries.”

As more competitors entered the market, the program took another stride forward. ”We wanted to set ourselves apart and improve the quality of our program and our graduates,” shares Smith. “We made the decision to become much more selective in our admissions. This did have the immediate effect of dropping our enrollment numbers to about 50 percent of previous levels. But we also focused on improving best practices for online delivery, at a time when U.S. News & World Report was starting to rank online graduate programs. We were consistently ranked in the top 25 to 50 online MBA programs for many years [and are currently]. This helped us recruit students and maintain steady growth again.”

The events of 2020 have led to a significant leap in enrollment, with the fall semester surpassing 400.

Smith says students are drawn to the program because they know they will receive the same quality education from experienced faculty members online as they would on campus.

“In addition, the online MBA is not set up as a cohort, which allows our students to begin their studies any semester that suits their schedule,” she remarks. “They are mostly adult learners with families and other commitments, making this flexibility extremely important to our ability to serve them well.”

Smith’s efforts and availability have made an impact on many, the world over.

“Cindy was extremely helpful from admissions though graduation,” states alumnus Brandon Charters. “I think the key factor was that she understood pursuing a degree while continuing to meet the demands of the military wasn’t an easy task.”

Cindy Smith has retired after 16 years as Director of the Online MBA Program.

Photo by Beth Wynn

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Its roots date to 1998, when MSU saw an opportunity to serve members of the U.S. Marine Corps in Japan who were seeking remote access to a quality MBA program. The University presented them with a viable plan for delivering course material through interactive video classrooms.

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indy Smith, Director of the online Master of Business Administration degree program for 16 years, helped propel one of Mississippi State’s flagship online programs into the future.

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Online education at Mississippi State has grown impressively over the years. This fall, a business administration minor was added for non-business majors, and master’s degrees in public accountancy and taxation are in the works for the fall of 2021. Degree programs offered by the College of Business and MSU Online regularly appear in national rankings, and with 2020’s increased focus on digital learning, they are more in demand than ever. Here, we focus on a leader who built up one of our original and most successful online programs and on a more recent addition to the curriculum that has seen impressive growth in a short time.

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Charters started the program as a U.S. Air Force lieutenant assigned to Columbus Air Force Base (CAFB). He held a bachelor’s degree in economics and wanted to explore an advanced degree to continue his professional development. At issue was the fact that he would certainly receive an assignment that would require him to leave the area before he had time to complete a traditional oncampus degree program.

After learning about MSU’s online MBA at the CAFB education office, Charters was introduced to Smith, who deftly guided him through the program information. Shortly after being admitted, he was reassigned to Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM. He found the program was flexible enough to continue his education in a seamless manner. Charters completed his degree and left military service two years later.

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“Brandon’s integrity and drive to succeed were apparent from the start,” shares Smith. “It has truly been a pleasure to be part of his journey. His future is bright.”

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“My experience in the Air Force, combined with the business skills I learned through MSU’s exceptional online MBA program, prepared me to speak the language of business,” says Charters. “That made a significant difference in my ability to secure employment in the private sector.”

Students have always been a driving factor for Smith, who retired in July. Looking back on her years at the helm of the landmark program, she finds it difficult to say what was most rewarding.

“I enjoyed the challenge of growing the size of the program and improving the quality,” she says. “I am proud of the hard-working faculty who embraced online delivery of classes before the University had any experience with this, and before there was an infrastructure to support them. I admired the students who made sacrifices of time with friends and family - and of money - to complete their degrees while working full-time jobs.”

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While her presence is missed, Cindy Smith’s influence will long be felt as her legacy lives on in the growing MSU Online MBA program.

Online BBA Takes Off

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aunched in the fall of 2018, Mississippi State’s online Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program has quickly become one of MSU’s most popular and flexible online degree programs. In the past academic year alone, the number of students doubled, and there are now more than 200 taking courses.

“The University’s name recognition and its reputation as a leader in online education are primary reasons for the online BBA’s early success,” explains Mark Jimerson, MSU Online’s Coordinator for College of Business Programs.

“We have the ability and the infrastructure to help students achieve their goals,” adds Chris Pilgrim, the College of Business’ Assistant Director of Online Learning. “One advantage to our program is that if students have transfer credits from past college work, we can apply up to 61 hours toward their degrees. We look at past coursework as a bridge to the degree a student is currently seeking.”

The online BBA is a professional, business based, comprehensive degree that can assist students’ growth into the fields of marketing, finance, management, branding, entrepreneurship, human resources and insurance. The online component provides participants the opportunity to complete their degrees on their own schedules and access courses and student support services from anywhere.

“Most of our students are raising families, working full time and juggling community commitments,” Jimerson says. “Many times, these are individuals who have taken a hiatus and are a bit afraid of getting back into the school groove. That’s why the flexibility and support we offer are so important.”

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Photo by Logan Kirkland

Dalton Spiers benefited from the flexibility of MSU’s online BBA, which enabled him to complete his bachelor’s degree in December 2019. Spiers works as an admissions and records specialist at Pearl River Community College and is following a career path in higher education.

“Many people wondered why I wanted a business degree if I plan to continue working in higher education,” he says. “My ultimate goal is to become an administrator and continue to work with students. The BBA allows me to take a business approach to education.”

Asked why he chose MSU’s online BBA program, Spiers replies that from his first request for information through to graduation he was made to feel like he mattered. He gives high marks to the MSU online community and describes it as close knit and student oriented.

“I was able to complete 100 percent of my degree online and feel like I did not miss anything,” he states. “I always felt like I was a part of the student body just like I would have as a traditional student.”

That inclusive experience comes in large part from interaction with an involved and responsive staff.

“From the moment a student expresses interest in our online BBA program, he or she is assigned a program coordinator,” says Pilgrim. “Program coordinators provide information, not only about the program, but also to address a student’s individual needs. Working with academic advisors, they help choose courses toward achieving a student’s personal career goals.”

Spiers has high marks for Jimerson, his program coordinator. He describes having a great deal of communication and guidance from him.

“Mark is the person I have to brag on!” Spiers shares. “He truly made my experience the best it possibly could be.”

Spiers had such a good experience, in fact, he immediately began pursuing the MSU online MBA. “I enjoy engaging with passionate students like Dalton,” responds Jimerson. “It is important to take the opportunity to walk students through the online BBA experience – from their applications to submitting transcripts and applying for financial aid or scholarships. We work to support them so their entire experience as an MSU online student is a good one.”

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The online BBA has quickly become one of MSU’s most popular online programs.

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Professor in Progress

By Kirsten Shaw

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It was a path discovered near the end of her undergraduate years at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

“I was trying to figure out what to do,” she recalls. “A professor asked what interested me. I told her I love research – it’s so interesting to try to answer questions scientifically and then to share what you learn with others. She said, ‘So, you want to be a professor.’”

It did not take long for Barney to realize the career would suit her well. She completed a marketing degree followed by an MBA at the University of Montana, before turning her sights southward.

The study of marketing holds endless questions and possible directions that Barney is eager to pursue.

Asked what she likes about the field, she replies, “The applied psychology – it’s fun to see it in everyday life. I love going to Walmart at the beginning of the year, when freshmen are shopping for themselves for the first time. It’s interesting to watch the decision-making process and think about how those decisions might be influenced.“ For her doctoral dissertation, Barney is investigating how “storytelling” can affect online purchasing behavior. She has learned that when online product descriptions are narrative, shoppers view the items as more customized to themselves and therefore may be willing to pay more.

For example, a partial description of The J. Peterman Company’s Harrington jacket reads, “James Dean wore it in Rebel Without a Cause. Elvis wore it. McQueen, too…. Has the same chops as a WWII flight jacket. Looked cool at Heathrow in 1972. Still does. Keeps you dry if you catch a downpour on the back nine. Looks great with or without a Lambretta.”

The description of a Harrington jacket on another well-known retailer’s site reads, “We updated this take on the classic bomber jacket by removing the standard ribbed waist and replacing it with a sleek straight hem, for a more relaxed feel and a thoroughly contemporary look. It’s lightweight and casual and makes for the perfect transitional layer.”

Most shoppers, Barney has found, would ascribe higher value to the Peterman jacket because it gives them an image to which they can connect their own experiences, making the product feel individually suited to them.

“Everyone is reading the same thing, but everyone creates their own stories with that

Photo by Beth Wynn

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“My little sister did a year in business here, so I was able to come visit her and saw that it was a really nice place,” says the Onalaska, WI, native. “The people are absolutely amazing.

The heat in the summer kills me every year, but the people make it worth it…and there’s air conditioning everywhere!”

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Mississippi State landed on Barney’s radar when her sister participated in the National Student Exchange program, which offers undergraduates “study away” opportunities at U.S. and Canadian institutions.

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he concept of “do what you love, love what you do” must have come about because of people like Christian Barney. The PhD student is now in the fifth and final year of her marketing studies at Mississippi State, and there’s no doubt she is on the right path.

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description,” observes Barney. “Think about a movie you’ve seen that was different from what you imagined after reading the book.”

Barney performs many of her experiments in MSU’s Market Innovation Lab and Observatory (MILO), where technology like eye tracking and galvanic skin response enables her to study what captures the attention of participants as they view products online. She has also gone into the field by working with a local store, recording what draws the interest of volunteer shoppers.

Her research hasn’t been limited to online buying behavior. A topic she’s had fun exploring with faculty and peers is the marketing of embarrassing products. She has looked at how a product’s packaging can affect buying decisions, for instance, and her latest project has shown how humor in advertising can help negate the embarrassment of buying a particular item.

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Somewhat unusually, Barney dove into research from the very beginning of her PhD program.

Her self-motivation and drive to produce the best possible output have carried throughout her MSU student career, impressing her dissertation advisors among others.

“With Christian, it’s ‘wind her up, and let her go,’” says Dr. Joel Collier, advisor and Director of the Marketing PhD Program. “Some students require a lot of guidance and editing in the beginning, but she hasn’t needed much of that. The quality of the product she would bring to us from the start is testimony to her own skill building. We quickly moved to a role that was more like that of co-authors than mentors.”

Barney enjoys working alongside colleagues in the Department of Marketing, Quantitative Analysis and Business Law (MQABL). She has recently been taking part in a study on bereavement with her other advisor, Associate Professor of Marketing Dr. Mike Breazeale, as well as Dr. Carol Esmark Jones of the University of Alabama and Dr. Jennifer Stevens of the University of Toledo.

The team has been studying how people deal with a deceased loved one’s possessions and ways to help them through the process.

“We found one way to make it easier to give things away is for the person to take and keep pictures of the items,” notes Barney. “It also helps if they give items to people who share the same values as the deceased.

For instance, if the loved one was a fisher, it’s comforting to give the poles to someone who likes to fish.”

“Christian is a natural when it comes to research,” observes Breazeale. “She is innately curious and has a knack for finding new angles to examine and for bringing various streams of research together in a cohesive way. She’s equally adept at leading a project and being a supportive co-author.

I look forward to the

Barney earned MSU’s COB Graduate Student Research Award in 2018 and 2020. Here, at the 2018 awards banquet are (from left) University President Mark Keenum, COB Research Support Award recipient Schanna Beckham, Barney, COB Faculty Research Award recipient Dr. Frank Adams, Dean Sharon Oswald and MSU Provost David Shaw.

Photo by Beth Wynn

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research that she will produce as she grows and adds to her skill set.”

“Christian’s students love her,” says Breazeale. “She brings a lot of real-world examples into her lessons, and that allows her to teach material in a way that sticks with them. She also likes to bring her research into the classroom so that her students’ perspectives can inform her while she shows them the importance of managerially applicable research.”

“I do a lot of hands-on projects where students figure out how they would operate in a given situation or resolve a certain issue,” Barney says. “I might give them a simulation in which they’re managers who have to work through a situation related to the material covered. Or they might be asked to create an ad based on what they’ve read. Students have a brilliant capacity for figuring things out.”

This semester, she has been teaching senior-level Consumer Behavior. While her education has basically been continuous, she does bring marketplace experience to the classroom. Summer employment for a digital creative agency in Seattle included clients like Coca-Cola and Microsoft.

She has also worked in Internet retailing at Mason Companies in Wisconsin and served as an annual giving officer at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

“I cannot say enough good things about Mississippi State University, particularly the professors in MQABL,” she states. “They’re so good here at finding the best and smartest people, and that includes faculty, staff, PhD students and other students. They make me so happy I came. I can’t imagine being as successful in any other program as I’ve been here.”

“One reason she’s been successful is because she’s well suited to the type of program we have, which is more hands-on than some others,” observes Collier. “It’s almost apprentice-like – mentoring PhD students into professors.”

As Barney completes her PhD next spring and prepares to take that step from student to professor, she will surely have her choice of offers. The university that successfully recruits her will get a faculty member who is the complete package – passionate about her field, passionate about learning and passionate about teaching.

“I really love my job,” she shares, “And I’m very glad I get to do this.”

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For Barney, a significant value of research is in sharing what she learns – especially with students. Her enthusiasm for marketing is infectious, and she brings creativity to her teaching.

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“She’s been published in some journals that even established professors have a hard time getting into,” comments Collier. “That speaks volumes for the quality of her work.”

Photo by Beth Wynn

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Barney and dissertation advisor Dr. Joel Collier discuss her use of equipment in the Market Innovation Lab and Observatory.

It is no surprise that Barney has earned the University’s COB Outstanding Doctoral Researcher Award twice – the first to do so in 15 years or more. Last spring, she was named to the MSU Graduate Student Hall of Fame. She has been published in the Journal of Retailing, Harvard Business Review and the Journal of Business Research, and she has several more articles under review.

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Double Duty

By Kirsten Shaw

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It can be daunting. Reassurance from someone who’s been in their shoes can make all the difference.

Offering encouragement and inside information to new Bulldogs are three of the College of Business’ own: Julie King, Ann Fava Peters and Kennedi Pigues. These young women have been doing double duty,

“Orientation Leaders (OLs) are enthusiastic students here to serve new incoming students and their families as they make the transition to MSU,” says Kylie Forrester, Director of Orientation and Events for the University. “They work closely with staff in the preparation and implementation of the Orientation Program and other on-campus recruiting events. Orientation Leaders are expected to know general information about the University and serve as point persons for new students. They lead campus tours, write postcards to prospective students, lead Dawg Talk presentations and participate in service projects around campus and in the Starkville community.”

The selection process is competitive, and students can only serve once. Those chosen tend to be very hard-working and service-minded, but otherwise there is no “OL mold.”

“We aren’t necessarily looking for a certain type of student – we need all types! Every year we’re simply trying to build the best team that represents our student body, made up of students who are willing to give back to this University,” Forrester comments. “Selection is like putting together a puzzle; no two pieces are alike, but with the right pieces – even with all their differences – they fit together perfectly!”

Ann Fava Peters, a Business Administration junior from Oxford, knew from the start that being an OL was something she wanted to do.

“The second time I ever set foot on campus was for orientation,” she says. “I loved my Orientation Leader, Hannah Wootton. She helped me get to know the University on a level I didn’t expect; she was a very intentional person. I wanted to do the same for others.”

For Julie King, a third-year student with senior hours, the idea came later.

“Someone suggested I try out, and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do it,” says the Charlotte, NC, accounting major. “I wanted to show my love of the University to new students!”

Orientation for incoming freshmen and transfer students is usually held on campus in several two-day sessions throughout the summer. It is a time when they register for courses and staff shares information covering areas of campus life such as health, money matters, housing, parking and dining. A favorite component is Dawg Talks, when participants get to hear the student perspective from Orientation Leaders and ask them questions.

From left: Julie King, Kennedi Pigues, Ann Fava Peters Photos by Megan Bean

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Ambassadors.

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volunteering as both MSU Orientation Leaders and College of Business

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ollege is a new world for students, one where many do something they’ve never done before: start from scratch. They have to figure out how to meet new friends, how to fulfill their responsibilities without prompting from parents and teachers, how to get to class and the cafeteria and Walmart. They have to make their own decisions, whether choosing a major or a laundry detergent.

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This past summer, due to COVID-19, orientation took place online. While the same information was provided, the OLs were challenged to connect with their groups digitally before, during and following those sessions. It required some creative adjustments.

“We were in contact with our orientation groups by phone, text and e-mail and met with them on Webex,” notes Kennedi Pigues, an accounting senior from Nesbit, MS. “The first few sessions were tough because we were figuring out how to get our group members to interact with us. I learned to start by sending a photo of myself with my OL clipboard, then they would send me pictures, and it led to more back and forth.”

“I’d send icebreakers to the groups every day before orientation to get to know them, and I’d text them individually,” adds Peters. “One of my freshman groups wanted to get together once they arrived on campus for the fall semester. That was exciting to me!”

They found that relaying something about themselves also encouraged group members to engage. Pigues often imparted that she has been to Disney World six times. Peters, a certified diver, would tell a story about an unnerving night dive in Belize.

“One of the nice things was that my groups had my contact information so they could ask questions even after a session was over,” King says.

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She also drew them in with fun facts, like the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore boasts the only escalator in Oktibbeha County.

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Laughs King, “Once or twice, some thought they were hearing from a robot or a recording at first. So I learned to start by telling them I’m really live and there to interact with them.”

The OLs know how new students feel and have an earnest desire to make it easier for them.

“I wrote a letter to myself to remember why I volunteered once I was in the thick of it,” remarks Peters. “I wrote, ‘Just remember how nervous and clueless you were when you were going through orientation!’ It helped me to be patient and supportive.”

While there was a learning curve, the online format in some ways offered more connectedness.

“Nothing can compare to meeting someone in person,” comments Peters, “But it was nice to get to know students as individuals, outside a group situation.”

Pigues adds, “Sometimes before I answered a student’s question, another member of the group would jump in and help out. It was nice to see them engaging with each other.”

Becoming an Orientation Leader is no small undertaking, even in a normal year. After selection and some recruiting work in the fall, they begin intensive preparation in January. The group meets each weekday to learn all things MSU and do activities like team building exercises. The 10 hours per week also includes assisting the orientation staff.

This past year, spring break found the OLs on a retreat in Hilton Head, SC, where they were involved in team bonding exercises and also enjoyed unstructured time together.

“We’d spent time together in class, but this was our first opportunity to have deeper conversations,” notes Peters. “We had a house and stayed in and cooked one night, went to the beach, stayed up late and talked.”

With that much camaraderie, it’s no surprise that fast friendships were formed.

“One of my favorite aspects is how close our group of 23 Orientation Leaders became and how well we worked together as a team,” states King. “I benefitted so much from the experience!”

“I love them with my whole heart,” shares Peters. “It’s people I would’ve never put together, and we’re family!”

Peters, Pigues and King also bring their enthusiasm and passion for helping others to the

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College of Business Ambassadors (COBA). COBA members are the student extension of the College’s recruitment process. They are selected through a competitive interview process and are chosen based on willingness to serve, moral character, love of Mississippi State and enthusiasm.

“As classes of 40 or fewer, the students are chosen to represent the College of Business and all that we stand for – leadership, integrity, opportunity and intentionality,” says Kelsey Waters, COB Assistant Director of Recruiting and Events.

“We let them know they’re not alone in this,” remarks Pigues. “During Academic Insight last spring, I was with a group of three transfer students. I stayed with them and talked to them the whole time. It’s cool to see how just talking to somebody and sharing your own experiences can help them make a decision in the long run.”

“I tell [Academic Insight participants] the College of Business is a great place to follow your passions,” says King. “It offers a lot of different careers. You can be innovative and creative. And the professors and leaders are here to help students in every way they can.”

“Mississippi State really is the ‘People’s University,’” Pigues tells potential students. “Here, they do everything possible to help students succeed. That’s what you want in a school – you want people to advocate for you and even be there for you when the time comes to graduate and look for a job.”

Being there to help students succeed is a practice MSU begins even before they enroll. It is an approach that works because of people like Kennedi Pigues, Julie King and Ann Fava Peters.

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Ambassadors meet weekly, reviewing the students who have applied and hearing from speakers in departments like the Career Center and the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center. They speak to visiting families and give tours of McCool Hall. They write Meeting with orientation groups online brought challenges and unexpected benefits. postcards, e-mails and texts.

Photo courtesy of Ann Fava Peters They also help with Academic Insight Days, in which the COB offers incoming students the opportunity to meet with departmental representatives and current students.

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“They’re the faces of McCool Hall and an incredible reflection of the potential students have by joining the College of Business,” states Waters.

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These students work with Waters, reaching out to potential students to help answer questions about majors, involvements and professional opportunities. They are able to share their stories of internships, study abroad trips and campus life to help provide a well-rounded view of the Business Bulldog experience.

They also meet with visiting alumni and industry professionals who visit campus.

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Many are the stories of struggle and havoc related to COVID-19, but through it we have seen examples of compassion and community strengthening that have given us encouragement. Individuals within the MSU family have applied their gifts and expertise to resolve various difficulties.

Here are a few of their stories.

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Mississippi 30 Day Fund

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or MBA candidate Madison Grant, the Mississippi 30 Day Fund was where she found her calling to help during this critical time that challenged business survival.

As the fund was being set up, Jeffrey Rupp, Outreach Director for the Entrepreneurship Center (E-Center), received a call from the nonprofit’s Executive Director Julia Grant (no relation to Madison) asking for the help of MSU students to screen applications and pass on those that were qualified.

Madison Grant recalls getting an e-mail from Rupp asking for volunteers, and after a couple of training sessions she was ready to go. She is now one of the top two reviewers in the state based on the volume of work she has done. She has reviewed more than 250 of the 700 applications submitted, and that number continues to rise.

“This was very real to me,” Madison says. “I had helped some extended family members move out of their building when they had to shut down their business due to the economic consequences of the virus. This was their family’s livelihood.”

Rupp reports that out of the roughly 500 applications the young E-Center participants have vetted, at least half were women-owned businesses and approximately 55 percent were minorityowned businesses.

“This is a good way for the University to fulfill its mission of serving and for our students to ‘pay it forward,’” shares Rupp.

“It takes a lot of hard work, grit and determination to own your own business,” adds Madison. “It’s been a true honor for me to be able to help by reviewing these applications. Being a student, I don’t have the financial ability to support these struggling companies, but I do have the skills and resources to help in this way.”

By Kathy Kenne Top left, Madison Grant; top right, Carlton Young; bottom left, Emily Marett; bottom right, Rahul Gopal Photos courtesy of Rahul Gopal, Emily Marett, Anderson Regional Health System , MSU Office of Public Affairs, Oktibbeha County Hospital, Rush Health Systems

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“The students from the Mississippi State College of Business along with students at the University of Mississippi School of Law have been absolutely instrumental in funding small businesses throughout the state,” says Julia Grant. “They have the first look at all of the applications and are positively key in streamlining the approval process! We are so thankful these Bulldogs decided to join forces with their would-be rivals over at Ole Miss to work together for the good of Mississippi.”

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“At first, the leaders of the 30 Day Fund asked that graduate students process the applications, but I felt the undergraduates and recent graduates involved with the E-Center were more than qualified to do this,” states Rupp. “They have all participated in peer reviews of start-up businesses.

They’re very familiar with the aspects of business ownership.”

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Started by MSU alumna Marie Sanderson and her husband Brian, the nonprofit Mississippi 30 Day Fund provides forgivable loans to Mississippi-based small businesses. The objective is to provide quick financial assistance to businessowners struggling to keep their doors open as they navigate the effects of COVID-19 on their businesses.

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ampusKnot has a somewhat different story. This past spring, when schools across the country moved to online platforms, this young enterprise experienced a significant uptick in its business.

CampusKnot provides a social media type platform to enhance interaction among students and teachers. It provides quick access to course material where it is easily managed by teachers, along with an opportunity for discussions and feeds.

“When the shutdowns began in March, we started seeing insane numbers of visits to our website,” says Rahul Gopal, Co-Founder and Co-CEO. “We were suddenly getting a lot of attention not just in the U.S., but from around the globe.”

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CampusKnot was nurtured in its early stages by the E-Center. Gopal holds engineering and MBA degrees from MSU, and all seven of the Starkville-based team members are MSU graduates – six from the College of Business. There is a subsidiary in India as well, with the Starkville office being the business headquarters.

“We are working with both institutions and individual professors,” shares Gopal. “We’ve also picked up clients from nontraditional entities such as cosmetology schools and other vo-tech institutions.”

Total user numbers have jumped from an average of 6,000 per semester to 23,000. The company has clients in 15 states as well as Canada, Italy, India and the Philippines.

“CampusKnot is a great aid to LMSs (learning management systems),” states Gopal. “We bring an informal way to communicate across the classroom.”

Dr. Ben McLarty is an Assistant Professor of Management and Information Systems in the College of Business and has been using CampusKnot for a few years.

“In an auditorium setting when you ask a question and try to get students to respond, you may get one or two who are willing to talk,” says McLarty. “CampusKnot is a digital format, so students have the ability to post questions. You get more into the flow of a conversation, not with a half dozen students in a class of 200, but with dozens and dozens of them. The things I really like about it are its ease of use and its affordability – and it gets the job done!”

Although the pandemic has provided a surge in business for the young company, its leadership felt called to do what they could to help the situation.

The platform was offered free of charge to all teachers, professors and students until July 31 to aid in transitioning from the physical classroom to online classes.

The company has also been working overtime to integrate their platform with programs like Zoom and Webex that have made working and schooling from home possible.

“Our goal is to continue to grow and innovate,” says Gopal. “We want to put the state of Mississippi on the tech map!”

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Starkville SEW Strong

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e had no idea this would ever get so big! We didn’t know how we were going to get 500 made.”

“I saw a Facebook post of a hospital in Indiana asking volunteers to help them with their mask shortage, along with instructions for making the masks,” she shares. “It made me think how bad things really were and that I could do something to help.”

“This group is very organic,” says Marett. “Someone will post a need from a friend or relative, and whomever wants to, will jump in and volunteer to sew for that organization. That way people are sewing for someone they really care about and are connected to.”

Although the initial push has quieted down, the organization maintains a list of about 100 active sewers with 600 Facebook group members. Many community residents have donated fabric, so the funding hasn’t been an issue.

All of this work has earned Marett the title of MSU Maroon Volunteer Center Faculty Volunteer of the Year. She is quite worthy, leading a movement that has produced more than 7,000 masks.

“I am humbled beyond words to have had this experience,” she says. “Starkville is truly an amazing community, and I am so happy I had a small part in supporting those working the front lines of this crisis.”

And Starkville SEW Strong is here to stay.

Marett says, “I haven’t thought too much beyond this, but there’s always a need for charitable sewing.

I’m sure we’ll find more needs soon!”

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Marett and Fron developed a Facebook group and called on the community and Marett’s Girl Scout troop to help sew masks. The response was tremendous. Within two weeks, they had delivered 1,000 masks to OCH, but the group members wanted to keep going. So, through networking they continued to reach out to meet the needs of nursing homes, clinics and other medical providers in the Starkville area.

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Marett contacted a friend who is a nurse at OCH to see if they had a need, and the “Yes!” came back loud and clear. Coincidentally, Marett’s friend Holly Fron had contacted the hospital about the same time with the same thing on her mind. The two decided to work together to try to reach a goal of making 500 masks.

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These are the words of Dr. Emily Marett, Instructor of Management at the College of Business.

She’s referring to her idea to get a group of stitchers together to help Oktibbeha County Hospital (OCH) obtain much needed face masks when the COVID outbreak occurred.

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MSU Meridian

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pproximately 60 percent of the population of Meridian and the surrounding area works in healthcare. So needless to say, there was an overwhelming number of people in need of personal protective equipment when COVID-19 struck. Anderson Regional Health System and Rush Health Systems were faced with keeping almost 2,000 employees as safe as possible while they treated patients.

Both are blessed to have Dr. Carlton Young on their boards of directors. Dr. Young is Professor of Healthcare Administration in the Division of Business at the MSU Riley Campus in Meridian.

He is also a member of MSU’s Faculty Research Advisory Committee. Serving on that committee with Young is Dr. Linkan Bian, Associate Professor for Industrial Systems Engineering in the Bagley College of Engineering.

When the pandemic arose, Bian asked Young if the College of Engineering’s 3D printers could be of any help to the Meridian hospitals. Young spoke with the CEOs of both health systems, and it became readily apparent that there was a critical need for face shields. Most protective equipment of that nature had been manufactured in China, and it was no longer being shipped to the United States. After consultation with the hospitals regarding a design that would protect frontline workers from the COVID-19 pathogens, production began in late March and continued throughout April.

“With PPE in short supply through our normal procurement channels, innovation became a critical factor in making sure our staff and patients were protected,” says John G. Anderson, President and CEO of Anderson Regional Health System. “Many, many thanks to MSU’s faculty and researchers for developing a face shield that could be produced with easily obtainable supplies.”

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Rush Health Systems Chief Executive Officer Larkin Kennedy echoed Anderson’s comments, “The donation of these face masks from Mississippi State University helped ensure our front-line staff remained safe while caring for patients.”

Rush Health Systems’ surgical staff show their appreciation to Mississippi State University after receiving their first shipment of 3D face shields.

Young remained in close contact with the medical centers to monitor implementation as well as consult on a variety of issues related to healthcare services and COVID-19 in particular.

“It was gratifying to me that Mississippi State was able to step up and almost immediately provide an essential piece of hardware to keep a system working,” shares Young.

Young’s position at MSU goes far beyond the classroom. He believes strongly in the University’s public service mission. He has worked with area healthcare organizations on efforts to improve delivery for underserved populations and rural healthcare providers.

He also helped establish the MSU Healthcare Systems Working Group, which was recently awarded a grant to develop skills training for healthcare employees utilizing virtual reality technology.

As Dr. Young strives to help improve the lives of Mississippians, he simply says, “I am grateful for the opportunity.” And he genuinely means it.

Anderson Regional Health System’s ICU nurses (from left) Makayla Jenkins, Melissa Wright, Hannah Cain, Cynthia Stewart and Madison Wright model the new face shields MSU faculty produced.

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news briefs

This fall, MSU announced a gift of more than $1.7 million from the Richard C. Adkerson Family Foundation. The gift to the Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy will strengthen accounting education through accessibility with the establishment of online Master of Professional Accountancy and Master of Taxation programs, and it will bring fellowships to African Americans who enroll full time in these programs.

Additionally, the gift endows a student chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants for underrepresented undergraduate students to engage with professionals in the fields of accounting, finance and related business professions. Richard Adkerson, a 1969 alumnus, is the longtime CEO of FreeportMcMoRan Inc., the foremost global copper producer.

Marler Named MIS Department Head Dr. Laura Marler, the Jim and Pat Coggin Endowed Professor of Management in MSU’s College of Business, was named Head of the Department of Management and Information Systems. As a researcher, Marler examines proactive personality and behavior in the workplace, as well as understanding the management of human talent in family firms. Her work has been published in a number of leading scholarly journals, and she also serves on the editorial boards of four journals.

Marler co-founded the College’s Family Business Education Initiative in 2018 and conducts outreach sessions for small businesses in the region. She holds a BS in accounting from Louisiana College and, from Louisiana Tech University, an MBA and a DBA in organizational behavior and human resources.

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Gift Expands Accessibility to Accounting Education

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Boyce Adams, Sr., a 1980 marketing graduate, is the 2020 College of Business Alumnus of the Year. He began his career in the oil industry, developing software to improve operations from the field to the front office. He later worked with an accounting firm, bringing his vision to this profession. By 1992, Adams co-founded BankTEL Systems and was President and CEO for many years. BankTEL became a leading supplier of auxiliary financial software in the financial services industry. In 2019, AvidXchange acquired BankTEL, and Adams now serves as a special adviser. Adams is also involved with the Innovate North Mississippi Angel Fund and with the Bulldog Angel Network investment group that mentors startup companies originated by Mississippi State students, faculty and staff. At MSU, Adams was honored by the College of Business as its 2014 Alumni Fellow. He is a member of the COB Dean’s Advisory Board, the MSU Entrepreneurship Center Advisory Board and the Bulldog Club Board. He was also named to the College’s Top 100 for 100 Years in 2015.

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COB Alumnus of the Year

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news briefs New 2020 Faculty and Staff

Victoria Anderson

Tim Basel

Robert Blakely

Casey Camors, PhD

Joshua Carroll

Recruiting & Events Coordinator, Graduate Programs in Business

Head Golf Professional, MSU Golf Course

Instructor/Mentor, B2B Revenue Readiness Program

Assistant Professor, Adkerson School of Accountancy

Instructor/Mentor, B2B Revenue Readiness Program

Mel Fugate, PhD

Danielle Gaude

Pamela Hill

Bingyan Hu, PhD

Todd Jones, PhD

Professor, Management & Information Systems

Program Assistant, PGA Professional Golf Management

Instructor/Mentor, B2B Revenue Readiness Program

Assistant Professor, Marketing, Quantitative Analysis & Business Law

Assistant Professor, Department of Finance & Economics

Stephen Lack

Elissa Landers

Myles Landers, PhD

Mariah McCulloch

Lilly Pogue

Director of Development, College of Business

Admissions & Academic Advising Specialist, Graduate Programs in Business

Assistant Professor, Marketing, Quantitative Analysis & Business Law

Academic Records Assistant, College of Business Academic Advising

Assistant Director of Development, College of Business

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Welcome to the College of Business!

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Sheida Riahi, PhD

Erika Scott

Kristen Skinner

Matthew Smith

Program Coordinator, B2B Revenue Readiness Program

Instructor, Marketing, Quantitative Analysis & Business Law

Assistant Director, PGA Golf Management

Administrative Assistant I, College of Business Dean’s Office

Instructor/Mentor, B2B Revenue Readiness Program

IS Publications Rank High

Michelle Taylor, PhD

Yueran Zhou, PhD

Instructor, Department of Management & Information Systems

Assistant Professor, Marketing, Quantitative Analysis & Business Law

The IS faculty of the Management and Information Systems Department ranks fourth in the SEC and 48th in the world in scientific journal publications for the last decade in the top six journals known as the “Association for Information Systems Senior Scholars Basket of Journals.” Only four other SEC schools rank in the top 100. Dr. Merrill Warkentin, the James J. Rouse Endowed Professor of Information Systems, was 37th among global IS scholars for 2010-2019.

A Champion for Veterans MSU’s Boots to Business (B2B) Revenue Readiness Program Director Deborah Scott was named Veterans Small Business Champion of the Year by the Mississippi Small Business Administration. Housed in the College of Business, the program is a business learning and development opportunity for military veterans who have completed the B2B Introduction to Entrepreneurship program.

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Natalie Stetson Rhodes

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news briefs Scott to Lead Golf Program

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Adam Scott, PGA, is the new Director of the PGA Golf Management Program. Scott had served as the Head Golf Professional at the MSU Golf Course since June of 2018. Prior to that, he was the Director of the PGA Golf Management Program at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and the Assistant Director at Mississippi State. Adam is a 2007 graduate of the MSU program and holds an MBA from MSU. He currently serves as Gulf States PGA Mississippi Vice President.

Retirements

Dividends Takes Gold The 2019 edition of our College of Business magazine, Dividends, took home the Gold Award at the Advertising and Marketing Professionals (AMP) Golden Triangle Region Awards Luncheon in March.

Marketing & Communications Coordinator Emily Daniels and Dean Sharon Oswald accepted the award from AMP President Kathy Kenne.

Two members of our College of Business family retired this year, and we extend a heartfelt “thank you” for the positive impact they have made on students and colleagues alike during their years of service. Best wishes for a long and happy retirement!

A Shark Tours the E-Center Dr. Noel Addy

Cindy Smith

Associate Professor, Adkerson School of Accountancy

Director, Distance & Executive Education Graduate Programs in Business

Kevin Harrington, an original “Shark” on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” toured the Center for Entrepreneurship & Outreach in February and even mentored several of our student entrepreneurs. Harrington visited MSU’s campus as part of the Student Association’s Global Lecture Series.

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This past fall, Mississippi State University partnered with the Mississippi Small Business Development Center (MS-SBDC) to produce a series of videos aimed at helping businesses navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

Faculty and staff in the College of Business developed the ninepart series with the MS-SBDC. The project is one of several funded with CARES Act monies allocated to help the state’s small businesses. Covering a wide variety of topics, the videos address the survival, growth and sustainability of family businesses and their special needs. The series is an outreach of the COB’s Family Business Education Initiative.

Last fall, the Marketing Management MBA class taught by Dr. Joel Collier did a project for the Make-AWish Foundation, with teams within the class competing against one another. The winning team started a discussion with Vowell’s Marketplace, proposing a “Round-It-Up” campaign to benefit the nonprofit. It led to Make-a-Wish signing a contract with Vowell’s to run the proposed “Round-It-Up” campaign from August through October. With every purchase at 14 Vowell’s locations, patrons were prompted to consider rounding up their purchase amounts to benefit Make-A-Wish.

Strings Attached In October, the MSU Idea Shop hosted a series of workshops for eight junior and senior high school guitar players to build and customize their very own Les Paul style electric guitars.

Made possible through a grant from International Paper, the program taught basic woodworking, electronics, soldering and musical performance.

It concluded with a public concert in November in Downtown Starkville.

Best in Banking College of Business student Jake Mlsna was selected as the 2020 Orrin H. Swayze Scholar by the Mississippi Bankers Association (MBA) Education Foundation and the Mississippi Young Bankers section of the MBA. The $5,000 scholarship is given annually to Mississippi’s most outstanding banking and finance student.

Also recognized was COB student Mandy French, who was named one of four MYB Scholars and received a $1,500 scholarship.

M I S S I S S I P P I STAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

Video Project Helps Businesses Through COVID-19

Wishful Thinking

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MSU’s Idea Shop, a downtown makerspace and retail storefront, received the Partner of the Year Award from the Starkville Main Street Association during the Greater Starkville Development Partnership’s annual awards banquet on February 4.

Subsequently, the Mississippi Main Street Association presented its Outstanding Entrepreneurial Endeavor Award to the Idea Shop during its annual recognition program. The 2,000-square-foot facility on Main Street is part of the MSU Center for Entrepreneurship & Outreach.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Idea Shop Earns Honors

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MSU-Meridian student Jake Bohannon won the case study challenge in marketing and leadership at the DECA National Leadership Conference. Bohannon, who also serves as Treasurer of the MSU Graduate Student Association, is a Professional MBA student. DECA – an international organization focused on preparing future leaders for careers in marketing, hospitality and management – has an active chapter at MSU-Meridian. Last spring, the chapter hosted the Mississippi Collegiate DECA Career Development Conference, attended by more than 100 members, and all the statelevel leadership team members were MSU-Meridian students.

In Memoriam E. Andrew “Drew” Allen II (1952-2020) Drew Allen was a College of Business Executive Advisory Board member and its past President. The President and CEO of Allen Beverages, Inc., a Pepsi distribution company, he was a 1974 marketing graduate. Allen was named COB Alumni Fellow in 2011 and recognized as one of the College’s Top 100 alumni in 2015.

Daniel “Danny” E. Hossley (1942-2020) Danny Hossley, a 1965 business alumnus, was posthumously honored as Mississippi State’s 2020 National Alumnus of the Year. He founded Hossley Lighting Associates, which continues today as one of the country’s largest independent lighting sales organizations. A recipient of the MSU Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award, Hossley led a grassroots effort for the organization, founding its East Texas Alumni Chapter.

Louis A. Hurst Jr. (1925-2020) Louis Archie “L.A.” Hurst, Jr. graduated from MSU with a BS in accounting. He worked for the FDIC for 32 years as a Bank Examiner and an Assistant Director of the Memphis Region.

Upon retirement, he joined the MSU Foundation Board of Directors; he also served on the COB Executive Advisory Board.

Understanding the importance of education, he invested in students through scholarships and other university gifts.

DIVIDENDS

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FA L L 2 0 2 0

FA L L 2 0 2 0 | D I V I D E N D S n David B. Allen (BS banking and finance, ’71) and his managing partners at Atlanta-based Ashford Advisors were recognized with two GAMA International Leadership Awards. The awards recognize excellence in traditional and contemporary field management.

n Assistant Professor of Accountancy and Bill Simmons Professor Dr. Nathan Berglund received the Adkerson School of Accountancy (ASAC) 2020 Outstanding Researcher Award. n MSU’s Beta Alpha Psi chapter and advisor Dr. Clyde Herring received Superior Chapter status for the second year in a row.

The international scholastic and professional society recognizes excellence in accounting.

n Supply chain students Haley Boyles, Elizabeth Dell’Orco, Jonathan Gonzalez and John Mason Hooper represented MSU in the first Raytheon Technologies Invitational Business Case Competition at Texas Christian University. Dell’Orco was a member of the winning team, and Gonzalez was on the third place team, which was also recognized for most creative solution. n Accounting students Jesslyn Brewer and Maura Chiles each earned a $2,500 scholarship from the Mississippi Society of CPAs this fall.

n MBA Venture Pathway program student Reese Dunne will participate in the prestigious Fulbright UK Summer Institutes program in Scotland next summer. n Professor of Management Dr. Mel Fugate was listed among the 20 most cited professors at Mississippi State University. n Former MSU Center for Entrepreneurship & Outreach (E-Center) start-up Meta Games launched its first indie-smash game, “Slayers for Hire” on Steam earlier this year. This has been a six-year dream for founder Ryan Gilbrech. n Adkerson School of Accountancy student Michael Groves was selected as the Federated Schools of Accountancy’s Outstanding Graduate Student earlier this year. n Alan Hargett (BBA banking and finance, ’89) is now chief executive officer of Planters Bank, headquartered in Indianola, MS. n E-Center Director Eric Hill participated in the online International Conference on Entrepreneurship and Innovation hosted by the Sultan Moulay Slimane University in Morocco, joining other speakers from the United States, France, Poland, Senegal and Morocco. His topic was “Building Companies and Why Startups Fail.” n Tom Kendall (BS agricultural economics, BA general business administration, ’89) was named President of Trustmark Bank’s Meridian office. n Los Angeles-based Germany Kent (BS business information systems, ’98) was honored with a prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for her work “Tragedy in Thousand Oaks,” focused on the 2018 shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill. n A 25-year employee of foodservice distributor US Foods, Paige Moses Long (BS business administration, ’86) was promoted to Major Account Executive in the Jackson warehouse. n Claire Massey (BS business administration, communication, ’11) joined Gambel Communications of New Orleans as a Communications Strategist.

n Instructor of Accountancy Angela Pannell received the ASAC 2020 Outstanding Teaching Award. n Johnny Ray (BS banking and finance, agricultural economics, ’86) was elected Chairman of the Mississippi Council on Economic Education board of directors. He is Executive Vice President and Jackson Regional President for BankFirst. n Miranda Moore Reiter (BS business administration, French, ’03) received an InvestmentNews 40 Under 40 Award for leadership, accomplishment, promise and contribution in financial planning. A certified financial planner, Reiter is a financial advisor and a doctoral candidate in financial planning at Kansas State University. n MBA graduate and advisory board member Zhenia Sandanova was featured in the May 16, 2020, edition of Humans of New York (HONY). According to creator Brandon Stanton, “HONY symbolizes and showcases people who currently seek, as well as people who live, the American Dream.” n MBA student Samantha “Sam” Seamon of Prattville, AL, was presented this year’s Student Leadership Award by The Society of American Foresters. n The spring semester’s Strategic Branding class, taught by Dr. Mike Breazeale, developed a branding campaign for the accelerated degree programs at MSU. Entitled “Thrive in Five,” the brand has been adopted and is being promoted by the MSU Office of Public Affairs. n Associate Professor of Finance Dr. Alvaro Taboada, graduate student Robin Tang and undergraduate student Choteau Kammel were the College of Business winners of 2020 MSU Research Awards. Feng Xu received the MSU Graduate School’s Graduate Research Award. n Charles “Chip” Templeton, Director of MSU’s Small Business Development Center, earned the Economic Development Finance Professional certification from the National Development Council. n Danny Walker (BS agricultural engineering technology and business, BS banking and finance, ’84) was named one of Mississippi Business Journal’s CEOs of the Year for 2019. He has been CEO of Heartland Catfish, the country’s largest single producer of farmraised catfish, since its founding. n John Walker (BS accounting, ’94) was named to the executive committee of the Public Relations Society of America’s Counselors Academy, which helps Society members succeed by promoting collaboration and professional development. He is founder and Managing Partner of Chirp PR in Atlanta. n Scott Waller (BS business information systems, ’10) was selected to serve on the Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which focuses on leadership, policy and best practices by identifying emerging issues that impact chambers and their members. He is President and CEO of the Mississippi Economic Council. n Accounting alumnus Stephen Woo (BPA accounting, ’94, MTX ’95) received the MSU Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award.

He is a member of the Adkerson School of Accountancy Advisory Council and is highly involved in the Memphis, TN, alumni chapter.

M I S S I S S I P P I STAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

n Director of the Marketing PhD Program and Tommy and Terri Nusz Professor of Marketing Dr. Joel Collier released his new book Applied Structural Equation Modeling Using AMOS: Basic to Advanced Techniques, available for purchase on Amazon.

n Accounting student Bailie Morgan was selected as the Mississippi Society of CPAs’ Outstanding Undergraduate Accounting Student at MSU this past spring.

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n The College of Business Ambassadors were recognized as one of MSU’s top three student organizations during the Student Association awards program in April.

n Assistant Professor of Accountancy Dr. Lauren Milbach was selected as a recipient of the AAA Financial Accounting and Reporting Section’s (FARS) Excellence in Reviewing Award, which recognizes excellence in reviewing papers as part of the paper selection process for the FARS Midyear Meeting and AAA Annual Meeting.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

n Chad Boyd (BPA accounting, ’96, MTX, ’97) is now a tax partner with Reynolds, Bone & Griesbeck PLC in Memphis, TN.

n Chase McPherson (BBA business information systems, ’12) was named Vice President of Trustmark Bank’s main office in Tupelo.

ASSETS

n Business information systems student Anna Bass was selected as the 2020 recipient of the Moore Award. Named in memory of program founder Dr. Charles Moore, the award is given annually to the top BIS undergraduate student.

n Assistant Professor of Management Dr. Ben McLarty served as a guest editor for the Journal of Small Business Management’s special issue “Advancing Entrepreneurial Mindset: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go?,” to be published in tandem with the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship 2021 conference.

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Mississippi State University College of Business P.O. Box 5288, Mississippi State, MS 39762

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. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Compliance and Integrity, 56 Morgan Avenue, P.O. Box 6044, Mississippi State, MS, 39762 (662) 325-5839.

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