Foundation Favorites

Jack McCarty, a proud alumnus and executive director of development for the MSU Foundation, enjoys sharing more than just investment advice with alumni and friends. His passion extends to sparking people’s interest in a range of topics from entertainment to news. Here’s a sundry of Jack’s latest “top picks” that he hopes all Bulldogs will pass along to others.

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MSU’s STATEwide Impacts | Reservoirs of Hope

A team of agricultural and biological engineering researchers at MSU has found that on-farm water storage systems not only retain significant volumes of recycled surface water for irrigating crops, but also substantially reduce farm runoff of nitrogen, phosphorus, and other potential environmental pollutants. By advancing the use of these innovative systems in the Mississippi Delta region, where nearly all the row-crop acres are irrigated with water extracted from the Mississippi Delta Shallow Alluvial Aquifer, the team is helping to improve water quality, protect our natural resources, and enable the state’s largest industry to be more sustainable.

Forever Maroon and White | The Legacy of Louis A. Hurst Jr. (1925-2020)

A Poplarville native and 1949 MSU accounting graduate, Louis was a proud Bulldog who generously invested his time and resources to benefit his alma mater, namely supporting scholarships. He gave numerous students the opportunity to pursue their educational goals through a Presidential Endowed Scholarship he created in the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College and another scholarship in the College of Business. Kind, loyal, interesting, engaging— bearing all these qualities, Louis was a great philanthropist and an even better friend whose legacy will continue at MSU.

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Image courtesy of MSU Office of Agricultural Communications

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Mississippi Meals | Doe’s Eat Place

What is the best restaurant in Mississippi, you ask? Well, the original Doe’s Eat Place in downtown Greenville has to enter the conversation. Dress fairly casual and walk through the kitchen on your way to an awesome steak. I also recommend trying the fries, a Doe’s salad, fried shrimp, and ordering tamales to go! While you’re there, be on the lookout for local MSU supporters like Anita Bologna, Charlie Nelson, Bubba Simmons, Emery Skelton or Gibb Steele. You can’t beat great food and great company.

Scenic Autumn Getaway | Explore the splendor of the Green Mountain State

Vermont makes the perfect fall road trip. Rent a car in Burlington and take off—but not before enjoying an outdoor dinner anywhere along the streets of downtown. If you have more time to spend, fly into Boston and drive up from there. Venture to out-ofthe-way places like Peacham, a classic, old, small New England town with gorgeous scenes and photo opportunities that you’ll want to set as the wallpaper on your phone. Be sure to stop in Waterbury, home of Ben & Jerry’s first ice cream factory, to grab a scoop or two of your favorite flavors. Adventurous types should get a guide and catch a smallmouth bass on Lake Champlain. Don’t do it all in one trip— you will want to go back!

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Hunting for Knowledge | Deer University Podcast

Fall in Mississippi marks the beginning of two important seasons—football and hunting. If you’re interested in the latter, check out Deer University, a podcast by MSU professors and co-directors of the university Deer Lab, Bronson Strickland and Steve Demarais. Covering a range of topics related to deer biology and management, from culling and nutrition to rut movement patterns and common diseases, the researchbased podcast seeks to help listeners improve their wildlife management skills and hunting experiences. In the College of Forest Resources, Bronson is the St. John Family Endowed Professor of Wildlife Management, and Demarais is the Taylor Endowed Chair for Applied Big Game Research and Instruction.

MSU History Lesson | “The Quarterback Whisperer: How to Build an Elite NFL Quarterback”

What do Tom Brady and former Bulldog quarterback Dave Marler have in common? Bruce Arians. Arians, who coached Marler in ’78 during his first stint on the MSU coaching staff, has since become one of the most successful NFL coaches and is Brady’s coach today. Read all about the larger than life visionary who trained some of the greatest quarterbacks in the game in “The Quarterback Whisperer” by Bruce Arians and Lars Anderson. After finishing this great and easy read, check out Anderson’s “The All Americans” for a riveting, true account of four players’ journeys from the football field to the battlefield during World War II.