Mississippi State University Foundation
Inside Spring 2020 Honoring the Bagleys p. 4 | Why Give? p. 20 | Gardening Tips p. 30 Spring 2020 | FOUNDATIONS
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Volume 20 | Number 1 PRESIDENT AND CEO MSU FOUNDATION John P. Rush BOARD CHAIR MSU FOUNDATION D. Hines Brannan Jr. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Cathy Lammons MANAGING EDITOR Amy Cagle GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hailey Hannis WRITERS Amy Cagle Addie Mayfield CONTRIBUTING STAFF Erica Way, Marketing Manager CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Megan Bean Logan Kirkland Beth Wynn •••
Post Office Box 6149 Mississippi State, MS 39762 phone: (662) 325-7000 fax: (662) 325-8426 msufoundation.com
Foundations is published two times per year by the Mississippi State University Foundation. Please send comments and questions to P.O. Box 6149, Mississippi State, MS 397626149 or phone (662) 325-1006. The Mississippi State University Foundation Inc. is a nonprofit organization that assists the university in accomplishing its goals and mission by cultivating and soliciting private support and ensuring stewardship for all contributions benefiting Mississippi State University. 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. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (662) 325-5839.
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viewpoint contents
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Campus Views Pictorial view of campus in spring
features 4 | James and Jean Bagley A salute to the vision of longtime MSU philanthropists
18 | Boyce Adams Longtime entrepreneur inspires others to pursue goals
8 | Margaret Taylor Alumna honors mother with teaching scholarship
22 | Deonante Frazier Provost Scholar expresses gratitude for MSU experience
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Noteworthy News 24 | College of Education Academic unit experiences growth 30 | Spring in Bloom Gardening tips with Gary Bachman
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32 | Personnel Changes Promotions for key professionals 36 | Foundation Leaders Meet our incoming officers, members
In Each Issue 03 | Viewpoint Foundation President and CEO 13 | Student Perspective Kenley McMullan in her own words 1 4 | Foundation Favorites Jack McCarty proposes leisure activities
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1 6 | Campus Views Spring unfolds at historic MSU 20 | Why Give? Tennessee Valley Robotics prepares 4-H'ers for job market 29 | Get to Know Meet MSU fundraiser Trish Cunetto 34 | Then and Now Famous Maroon Band makes history 35 | Achievements A closer look at Hail State Giving Days 39 | Foundation Board A complete list of our voluntary board
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Our Cover Tulips and hyacinths canvas the ground near Lee Hall, which houses MSU President Mark E. Keenum and his administration. COVER PHOTO MEGAN BEAN
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viewpoint
MSU weathers challenges, forges ahead with impact The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges for our university community and our world. In addressing the risks and uncertainty surrounding the disease, Mississippi State University leadership has made many difficult decisions, including delivering all coursework online or through other remote instruction for the remainder of the semester. By restructuring the spring graduation ceremony, MSU helps ensure the safety of all students, faculty, and staff. Although the graduation ceremonies for our 2020 graduates will be much different than initially planned, the significance of their accomplishments is no less deserving of such recognition. MSU is considering ways to honor these graduates. As we navigate this new, unfamiliar territory, I am grateful for the enduring spirit and cooperation of the MSU community. In reflecting on past events of this new decade, I ponder on the meaning of the word "commencement." We typically associate the word with the end of a student's journey toward a degree, but the actual definition implies the beginning of something. Likewise, the official close of the semester will mark a momentous milestone in the lives of our spring graduates as they trade their role as "student" for that of "alumnus." The end of one path marks the beginning of another path. This thought also brings to mind the impact of Jim and Jean Bagley, two Bulldog faithfuls that I am blessed to have considered dear friends. Like many, I was deeply saddened to learn of their passing earlier this year. I had the great opportunity to work closely with Jim and Jean for many years and learn why they chose to invest in the future of MSU and the students who would attend here. Jim possessed strong feelings that MSU provided him with the tools to embark on an amazingly successful career. Aside from being very generous, Jim and Jean were very precise about their gifts and the longtime impact of those gifts. As a result, most of their gifts established endowments, and because of their strategic giving, their legacy lives on through the investments they poured into our campus. I am glad to know that future generations embarking on new chapters at MSU will benefit from Jim and Jean
Bagleys' dedication. Like Jim and Jean, the generosity of every loyal benefactor has helped transform the trajectory of this institution over the years. It is a clear reminder of the new beginnings we all have the power to create. The soon-to-be alumni who will graduate in May are perhaps the most immediate outcome of such support. I look forward to seeing how their gratitude will be put into action, forging a new wave of benevolent patrons who believe in the future of Mississippi State. Similarly, another commencement is approaching with the completion of Infinite Impact. It is truly outstanding to see all that has been accomplished throughout this ambitious endeavor, thanks to the strength and shared vision of the Bulldog family. Yet, as we continue on this journey toward the campaign close, I hope your commitment and passion remain steadfast because the impact is only just beginning.
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Engineering a legacy BAGLEYS LEAVE LASTING IMPACT
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It’s been almost two decades since James and Jean Bagley positively altered the course of engineering education at Mississippi State University. Through careful planning, their monumental gift elevated the level of the engineering college’s prestige and gave it a mark of distinction as the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. The transformational $25 million endowment further defined Jim’s legacy as an engineer, an entrepreneur, and a visionary. The gift also created a legacy for the Bagley family name that will withstand time. Earlier this year, the MSU community joined the Bagley family in mourning the loss of the couple. Jean Bagley passed away February 6 at age 80; Jim Bagley died February 17 at age 81. The Bagleys are former Jackson residents who met while attending Forest Hill High School. After marriage, they lived for many years in Los Altos, California, where Jim was longtime executive chairman of the board of Lam Research Corporation in nearby Fremont. Following retirement, the couple resided in Coppell, Texas. Over their lifetime, they were devoted to their family of three children, their grandchildren, and the causes they held dear, including education on all levels. At Mississippi State, Jim’s university, the pair extended their generosity to an unprecedented level. The Bagley investment was more than making the single largest gift in MSU history—$25 million. It was about financially supporting the college over time with a cornerstone commitment—advancing the competitiveness of the large academic unit nationwide. The James Worth Bagley College of Engineering became MSU’s first named academic college when the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) Board approved the naming upon its 100th anniversary as a formalized college. “The Bagley impact is astounding. The endowment has fueled total engineering
enrollment growth by 88 percent, allowing the college to more than double the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded annually and swelling Ph.D. production by more than 500 percent,” said Jason Keith, Bagley College dean. “We are forever grateful for the generosity and steadfast involvement of the Bagleys.” At the time of Jim’s initial involvement with MSU in the late ’90s-early 2000s, Wayne Bennett was engineering dean. He recalls the caliber of person the college hoped to find for a unique investment—eventually the charge led them to Jim, a member of the college’s advisory board who realized there was a need to philanthropically forge the lead with a collegewide endowment to
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Jim Bagley was longtime executive chairman of the board of Lam Research Corporation in California.
generate earnings for strategic areas of growth. “Jim Bagley addressed needs identified in the college’s strategic plan as critical for moving to the next level of excellence. His action of creating an endowment carried a double impact: It brought the enhanced recognition of a named college and the resources to accomplish major change,” said Bennett. “Jim and Jean will forever be remembered for their Maroon and White spirit of giving.” In making his investment, Jim realized there was great potential for the university, the state, and the engineering industry. Jean, of course, was a pillar of support behind him once he outlined his plan, and he thought there was “real wisdom on her part to take a long-term view.” Leaving a legacy at his alma mater struck a chord with Jim, who declared, “My interest was not so much in naming the school for the family or for me, but to see that it got done. The Bagley College will be part of my family history, and Jean said, ‘think about what this will mean to your children and grandchildren.’ Naming the college became more compelling than something else I could do.” For the engineering students and faculty, the Bagley endowments reap rewards every day. Jim’s vision and generosity were instrumental
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in enabling future engineers to pursue topnotch undergraduate and graduate education at Mississippi State and strongly impact the engineering industry they will enter as graduates. “It was a dream come true to help bring this endowment to our university,” said John P. Rush, a former engineering fundraiser and two-time alumnus who now serves as vice president for Development and Alumni and CEO of the MSU Foundation. “My life is forever changed by working with the Bagleys, who taught me about generosity and making giving bigger than recognition on a personal level.” He continued, “The Bagleys are a wonderful example of how contributions heighten the impact of giving because an endowment creates substantial opportunity.” Over time, the Bagleys significantly supported Mississippi State with nearly $36.4 million, including support for endowed chairs to attract high-caliber faculty, graduate fellowships to expand research activities, undergraduate scholarships for talented students, the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Partnership School at MSU, and resources for facility preservation and renovation. Jim
understood the importance of private support from serving multiple terms on the advisory boards of the Bagley College and the MSU Foundation and voluntarily helping guide the university’s successful capital campaigns. An obligation to the state of Mississippi was important to Jim, who was a firm believer in hard work and perseverance. Growing up, he delivered newspapers and later worked at a gas station, but his boyhood dream of becoming an engineer brought him to Mississippi State. The first-generation college student attended with a student loan and through the co-op program, working for Mississippi Power and Light for two years and earning a scholarship from the company for his junior and senior years. Upon completion of his bachelor’s in electrical engineering in 1961, Jim began his career with Texaco. Later, with a graduate assistantship at the now Paul B. Jacob High Voltage Laboratory, Jim returned to obtain a master’s degree from MSU in the same academic field in 1966. After graduation, Jim joined Texas Instruments where he spent 16 years. Next, he was president, COO, and vice chairman of the board for Applied Materials Inc. He then steered OnTrak Systems Inc. and merged the company with Lam Research Corporation, where he advanced the nation’s semiconductor industry over four decades. Jim
Jim and Jean spent their later years living in Coppell, Texas.
retired as executive chairman of the board of Lam Research Corporation, a California-based leading supplier of wafer processing equipment and services. Mississippi State acknowledged Jim multiple times for his achievements. For the engineering college, he was a 1991 Distinguished Engineering Fellow and 1994 Alumnus of the Year. In 2009, he was saluted as the university’s National Alumnus of the Year. In 2005, Jim was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science from MSU and gave the commencement speech. At MSU, the Bagley impact will continue because Jim engineered his gift in a way to create a chain reaction. Because of his inspiring example, engineering education and research at the university is forever transformed and poised for the future.
STORY AMY CAGLE PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
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Margaret Taylor and Evelyn Phillips
ALUMNA CONTINUES MOM’S TEACHING LEGACY WITH SCHOLARSHIP As Margaret Dodd Taylor reflects on her life this Mother’s Day, she’ll find joy in knowing the scholarship she lovingly created as a memorial for her late mother will have its first recipient. The $100,000 endowment she established at Mississippi State University will enable her to bring scholarship opportunities to future generations of teachers in honor of her mother’s passion for education. Doris Haddix Dodd was a first-generation college graduate and lifelong educator, influencing more than 700 students, ages 8-9, throughout her career. The MSU alumna was a third-grade teacher in Florida for 30 years, teaching at Oakland Heights Elementary School and Elliott Point Elementary School. She graduated from Mississippi State in 1957 with a degree in industrial education and later earned
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her teacher certification from the institution. “When I think of my mother, I think of her as a thirdgrade mother to all those little lives she touched,” said Taylor. “I know over three decades she impacted many lives, and I’m grateful she was able to share her talents and her giving nature with others.” The inaugural holder of the Doris Haddix Dodd Endowed Scholarship will be Evelyn Phillips of Louisville, a sophomore who will receive $4,000 for the coming academic year. Phillips’ major field of study is special education and following graduation she’ll teach at the K-12 level. Phillips loves to write, having interned with the Winston County Journal and now as a student employee for the MSU Office of Agricultural Communications. She’s
also a member of Reformed University Fellowship and the Association of Educators at Mississippi State. “I am honored and thankful to be the first recipient of this scholarship because it gives me an extra reason to continue this physically and emotionally challenging career path. I find myself growing to love teaching and special education more every time I interact with the students at my practicum sites,” Phillips said. “I hope to continue Mrs. Dodd’s legacy not only by educating my future students and discovering more ways to help each one, but by caring for them in every way I know how and serving an important need in my community wherever I teach.” Phillips anticipates the additional obstacles ahead of her in the classroom. “A teacher’s job is not limited to making sure students know every piece of information in their textbooks. I want to demonstrate patience, respect, and a sense of understanding to each person that will walk into my classroom and inspire them to use all their abilities to succeed,” said Phillips, who also receives an Academic Excellence Scholarship and a federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant that commits her to teach in a high need field and low income area for four years. Over time, the Doris Haddix Dodd Endowed Scholarship will assist more full-time students like Phillips during their junior and senior years of majoring in elementary or special education with demonstrated financial need and a minimum 3.0 GPA. Preference will be given to students in the College of Education from Winston or Monroe counties in Mississippi. Taylor understands the importance of scholarships firsthand, having received the E.B. and Ines McCool Scholarship as she followed her mother’s footsteps at MSU. She graduated with three degrees from the land-grant
institution—a 1982 Bachelor of Science in Special Education, a 1983 Master of Science in Education, and a 1985 Education Specialist. She taught for several years before home schooling her children. She and her husband William A. “Lex” Taylor III, a 1977 Bulldog general business administration graduate, met while she was attending Mississippi State. He is chairman and CEO of the Taylor Group Inc. and president of Taylor Machine Works Inc. They reside in Louisville with their three children—daughters Alexis and Bailey, and son Alex, a freshman studying business at Mississippi State. Taylor affectionately recalls how her mother always encouraged others, including the way she lovingly showered her children and grandchildren with wonderful books. “Our home libraries began with childhood books she gave me and my brother Wesley and then her grandchildren. She would always write the date and a note on the inside cover in the perfect cursive penmanship she taught to her students,” said Taylor. Over her life, Taylor has passed along that devotion to education, particularly to her daughter Bailey. “Bailey has now joined Grace Christian School in Louisville, becoming the third generation of Dodd family women to become teachers, and I have tremendous pride in that,” Taylor said. Taylor also has a compelling desire to assist students in her area. She substitutes as a teacher locally, and she volunteers with the Mississippi Scholars, an initiative managed by the Public Education Forum of Mississippi, an affiliate of the Mississippi Economic Council, and often arranges and accompanies prospective students on MSU visits. She also serves on the MSU College of Education Advisory Board. “To me, teaching is a vocation, a calling to serve that
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ts Dodd with her paren
and oris, Wesley ily: Albert, D tes ua ad gr SU lM Margaret—al
m The Dodd fa
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Dodd (back, left) poses with her third grade class at Oakland Heights Elementary in Florida.
remains with you throughout your life. A teacher must have a servant’s heart. I know sometimes looking at the whole village is overwhelming; however, touching one life and making a positive difference is key, and I try to do my part in my community, having learned that from my mother,” Taylor said. Born in the Louisiana town of Shreveport, Dodd grew up in Aberdeen, Mississippi. She graduated from Aberdeen High School and married Albert W. Dodd, an MSU 1958 electrical engineering graduate, also from Aberdeen. After college, the couple briefly lived in Mobile, Alabama, where Albert worked for Brookley Air Force Base. They later settled in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and Albert enjoyed a long career with Eglin Air Force Base. A great emphasis on education was always present in the Dodd family home. Along with teaching in the local school district, Dodd was a longtime second-grade teacher for both Sunday School and Vacation Bible School at her local church. “Growing up, I remember Mama’s students riding their bikes to our house to give her a picture they had drawn or a small trinket. She clearly was loved,” said Taylor. “However, if you were a student with inappropriate behavior you had met your match with Mrs. Dodd because she was a very determined teacher who expected the best effort of every individual.”
Taylor vividly recalls staying after school to help her mother. “I literally grew up in a third-grade classroom. When I was in elementary school, I spent afternoons in her room cutting out letters for bulletin boards, cleaning chalk boards, shelving books, and straightening the room because she stayed after school an hour or two every day. Many, many days during summer break, Wesley and I were at school preparing the classroom while Mama worked on lesson plans,” Taylor said. In her later years, Dodd returned to Mississippi since Wesley, also an MSU alumnus, and his family reside in Madison. She died in 2017, and her husband preceded her a decade earlier. “I’m very happy to remember Mama by setting an example that scholarships enable MSU to produce great teachers who will be exceptionally prepared to lead their classrooms and inspire their future students,” said Taylor. “I know my mother would have been proud to have her name perpetually associated with her vocation, and I know my father would be proud that she is forever connected to our university. The Dodd family legacy will always be a part of teaching through the MSU endowment.”
STORY AMY CAGLE PHOTOGRAPHY/DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED
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student perspective
16 when I l” Bulldog until 20 become an “officia lly tua ac n’t town of did I Although at heart. My home ays been a Bulldog alw ve ha I n, ma ar the sh enrolled as a fre ough to grow up ne I was fortunate en so , ille rkv Sta m fro Louisville isn’t far my alma mater. knew would become s ay alw I t even more place tha iversity was made Mississippi State Un to me co to ion rtunity My decis e scholarship oppo earned an incredibl d ha I t tha d TP rne clear when I lea (METP). As an ME Teaching Program in e nc lle ce Ex i pp er future through the Mississi connections with oth le make numerous ab en be ve ha I , hort members. Scholar my fellow METP co relationships with se clo ild bu thankful d an educators onships, and I am dependent on relati hly hig so is on be ati The field of educ helped push me to students who have low fel d an y ult fac for both my METP rsion of myself! ve st be e lut to study so the ab holar is the chance being an METP Sc of rt pa g itin was an exc Another and Oxford, and it ndon, Cambridge, Lo d ite vis I er nd mm abroad. Last su on systems in Engla explore the educati to le ab s wa I e! nc ssroom when incredible experie apply in my own cla strategies I plan to w ne me so d rne n Support and lea the Robert M. Heari I am so grateful to l. fal xt ne ing have the ch I begin tea d truly helping me olarship possible an sch s thi g kin ma Foundation for rience at MSU. is almost over. best student expe e my time at MSU aching, I can’t believ pro ap on ati du r, New gra With an orientation leade campus, serving as on e tiv ac ry ve d which have I have staye r, and tutor—all of SS Program mento CE AC or, sel un n’t co Maroon Camp good teacher. I ca at it means to be a wh of e tiv ec rsp t as so many have helped shape my pe s of my students jus live the o int nt me ge will always be a wait to pour encoura mpus every day, I h I won’t be on ca ug ho alt d An . me done for art! proud Bulldog at he
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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.
1. Riding in Style | Superstar Solutions Bulldog alumnus and current MSU Foundation board member George D. Pillow Jr. knows a thing or two about riding in style. His Florence, Alabama-based business, Senators Coaches, crafts luxury buses that are the preferred choice of travel among music royalty and other celebrities. Among the organization’s clientele are AC/DC, Jimmy Buffett, Elton John, John Mayer, The Rolling Stones, and ESPN’s “College GameDay” crew, just to name a few.
2. Spring Destination | Red Rock Country in Arizona After catching a flight to Phoenix, rent a car and head north. Visit the artist community of Jerome before spending a few days taking in the sights at Red Rock State Park in Sedona. While you’re there, be sure to have dinner at Mariposa—it’s top shelf and has an awesome view. For breakfast, stop by the Wildflower Bread Company.
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3. Pigging Out | Neon Pig Cafe For a great lunch, stop by the Neon Pig in Tupelo. This old-school butcher shop is famous for its Smash Burger, but if you’re looking for a different option, I always recommend ordering whatever is listed as the daily special. Before you leave, make sure to buy some meat to take home for the grill.
Read All About It | “Geronimo: Leadership Strategies of an American Warrior,” Mike Leach and Buddy Levy In preparation for the upcoming 2020 football season and to better understand the brilliant mind of MSU’s new head football coach Mike Leach, check out his inspiring historical account of Apache leader Geronimo. This compelling book illustrates timeless lessons in leadership and the tactics we can all apply to succeed when the odds are against us.
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Tune In | “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” If you enjoyed director Ken Burns’ recent miniseries, “Country Music,” you should also watch another sweeping documentary from the talented filmmaker, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” This six-episode series tells the story of some of nature’s most incredible features and the Americans who devoted themselves to saving these treasured lands.
Photo courtesy of PBS
The Scenic Route | MSU’s Tree Campus In honor of MSU’s Tree Campus USA designation by the Arbor Day Foundation and to see the university’s beautiful landscape from a unique perspective, take a young person around campus with a tree identification book. I highly recommend “The Sibley Guide to Trees.” Across the scenic campus stand more than 150 memorial trees planted as tributes to beloved members of the Bulldog family, as well as the famed “Moon Sycamore” in The Junction, which was grown from one of the 500 seeds that accompanied the Apollo 14 astronauts into the cosmos in 1971.
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Campus Views
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Spring unfolds at historic MSU Spring and sunshine have arrived at Mississippi State University. The landgrant institution has one of the most striking campuses in the Southeast and is known for its lush grounds that welcome many visitors and prospective students. In particular, beds of daffodils can be seen across the campus along with a variety of other flowers and plants. The bountiful landscape brings opportunities for both scientific study by students and faculty and opportunities for instruction and public education.
PHOTOGRAPHY MSU OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
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Donna (center) and Boyce Adams (back, right) with their family
Worth the risk Alumnus encourages others to chase their dreams Entrepreneurs are imaginative pioneers who dedicate their work to bringing new visions to life. As exciting and adventurous as their endeavors can be, they can also be equally as frightening and challenging because entrepreneurship in short is risky business. Thankfully, budding innovators at Mississippi State can confidently pursue their novel ventures knowing they have the muchneeded guidance and support of a seasoned mogul and fellow Bulldog, Boyce Adams. Adams and his wife Donna recently extended their previous commitment to the Entrepreneurship Advancement Fund. The Columbus couple’s initial gift to the fund in 2014 was critical to the establishment of the MSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach (E-Center) in McCool Hall. Likewise, their latest gift will provide valuable assistance for business start-ups, competitions, student and faculty travel, guest speakers, and additional
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administrative and operational support to promote and enhance E-Center programming and outreach. Founded in 2009, the MSU E-Center is a universitywide resource with a vision to create a culture of entrepreneurial activity that empowers students, faculty, and community members to launch and grow successful companies. Beyond its main office, located on campus in McCool Hall, the center also serves patrons through additional locations in Starkville including the Business Incubator in the Thad Cochran Research and Economic Development Park, E-Center Downtown in the Greater Starkville Development Partnership building, and the Idea Shop, which houses the Turner A. Wingo Maker Studio. In addition to providing well-equipped spaces dedicated to creation and imaginative exploration, the MSU E-Center provides support for business and product development and links rising entrepreneurs with valuable mentorship
opportunities through a collaborative and growing network. Faculty advisers from across disciplines coach students on a range of areas from technology to finances and an executive-in-residence program makes senior business leaders throughout the region accessible to budding entrepreneurs seeking advice and encouragement. The ultimate goal of the MSU E-Center is to cultivate outcomes which form real cash flowing businesses that employ people in Mississippi. It’s not just a great educational experience, but also is a true business experience in a concrete way. Over the last decade, the MSU E-Center has generated an incredible amount of success that is not only benefiting makers, but also is contributing to economic development throughout Mississippi. On average, MSU students are launching about 80 new businesses a year, resulting in the creation of full-time jobs upon establishment. Such investments are especially important for growth and development in rural communities. No stranger to the ins and outs of business development, Adams understands that sometimes it takes a little extra encouragement for a person to take the next step and act on their idea. Accordingly, the longtime MSU benefactor was eager to extend his support to an area that does just that. “Fear of failure can keep people from pursuing their goals. I have always said that everyone needs mentors to help in their development, and the E-Center embodies that by offering built-in mentors to help along the way,” said Adams. “I am glad to support a program that helps others see just how far their dreams can take them when they put their minds to it.” In addition to his recent support for the Entrepreneurship Advancement Fund at MSU, he also is currently involved with the Innovate North Mississippi Angel Fund and the Bulldog Angel Investment Group. Both groups invest in and mentor start-up student companies that originated from the university and throughout the state. “Having programs that support entrepreneurship in Mississippi is extremely valuable, especially in technological and software development,” Adams said. “These types of jobs will grow opportunities and help keep talented young people in the state.” A Mississippi native, Adams was born in Macon, and his family soon moved to Gulfport where he was raised. He graduated with a degree in marketing from the MSU
College of Business in 1980 and relocated to Columbus. There, he began his career in the oil industry, developing software to improve operations from the field to the front office. In that role, he saw firsthand the importance of automation with the emerging development of early Windows operating systems. Adams later worked with an accounting firm, where he brought the same keen vision to the profession during a time when technological advances transformed the financial services industry. In 1992, Adams co-founded BankTEL Systems with a mission to develop software solutions that would use automation to improve efficiencies and reduce costs among banking and accounting institutions. Under his leadership, BankTEL became a leading supplier of auxiliary financial software in the industry and was recognized as one of the fastest growing private companies in the state. Following BankTEL’s acquisition last year by Charlotte, N.C.- based AvidXchange, Adams remains active as a consultant and adviser. BankTEL continues to serve over 1,800 financial institutions in 50 states, as well as many countries in the Caribbean and Central America. The MSU College of Business recently honored Adams’ professional accomplishments and outstanding commitment to service by selecting him as its 2020 College Alumnus of the Year. He was previously recognized as the college’s 2014 Alumni Fellow and was named among the Top 100 business graduates for the college’s centennial celebration. At MSU, Adams is a current member of the advisory boards for the MSU Entrepreneurship Center and the College of Business and serves on the Bulldog Club board for athletics. Adams’ wife Donna, a graduate of the Mississippi University for Women and the University of Mississippi, shares his passion for investing in others. The couple has generously given to MSU athletics over the years and also established the BankTEL Systems Annual Scholarship. Support for the MSU E-Center from visionary contributors like the Adams family is vastly important in cultivating rising innovators whose dreams have the potential to define tomorrow’s markets and shape a new era. They are demonstrating to others that by investing in the pioneers of the roads less traveled, greatness is found— and the risk is worth it. STORY ADDIE MAYFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
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WHY GIVE ? Tennessee Valley Robotics powers support for future leaders Traditional perceptions of the 4-H Youth Development Program often align with its deep-rooted history in agriculture and bring to mind county fairs and blue-ribbonwinning livestock. Although the century-old organization continues to uphold its foundational programs, its portfolio has greatly expanded in the last several decades to better serve a modern world. Today, 4-H’ers across the nation are just as likely to be showing cattle as they are to be programming robots—a concept Tennessee Valley (TNV) Robotics is eager to support. Tennessee-based TNV Robotics was founded by Charley Spencer, a retired financial analyst from Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), in 2017 to support robotics in education. The nonprofit organization is committed to further instilling much-needed STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills among students to better prepare them for the future job market. “I became involved with school robotics programs about 20 years ago through TVA's Partners in Education, which is an outreach initiative that encourages TVA employees to get involved in local schools through their specific fields of work,” said Spencer. “Upon retiring from TVA, I started Tennessee Valley Robotics to be able to continue assisting students across the Tennessee Valley.” After years of seeing firsthand the importance of engaging kids in STEM related activities at a young age, Spencer began searching for ways to grow the impact of TNV Robotics. When he learned of 4-H’s addition of robotics programs, he knew this would be a valuable
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investment by which to reach more students, particularly in some of the region’s more rural areas. Accordingly, the nonprofit organization recently committed $25,000 in support for the 4-H Robotics Youth Development Program, a joint effort between the MSU Extension Service's 4-H and MSU Extension Center for Technology Outreach. The addition of the robotics programming to MSU Extension 4-H enhances the organization’s mission to improve the lives of 4-H’ers across the state by facilitating fun and engaging lessons that help youth gain skills necessary to succeed in today’s digital economy. And with more than 60,000 members, MSU Extension 4-H is well positioned to drive such interactive STEM education across the state. In recent years, 4-H Robotics has surged in popularity and is a favorite among many participants. TNV Robotics’ generous commitment will provide immediate support for advanced robotic equipment and training within the 36 TVA counties in Mississippi. The gift will also help with the facilitation of the 4-H Robotics Academy at MSU. Offered to Extension agents, volunteers, and teachers, the event will mobilize outreach efforts by instructing participants on the various ways to launch robotics programs in local communities, implement 4-H Robotics and coding in classrooms, and host robotics camps for various ages. “STEM lessons are extremely important for students as they prepare to enter the 21st century workforce,” said Spencer. “Through robotics, students can learn more
L-R: 4-H members Riley Shaw, Abigail Shaw, Isabel Brabham, and Robert Rice Jr.Â
than just how to code. They can learn skills in leadership, community involvement, communicating across different technology platforms, finding their passions, and teamwork, which will position them for success well beyond their school years.� After more than 100 years of empowering the heads, hearts, hands, and health of young people, 4-H remains a thriving asset to rural and urban communities alike. The revolutionary mechanizations of the agricultural industry have transformed much of everyday life, and keeping pace, so too has the progressive nature of the 4-H organization. With private support from individuals and organizations like TNV Robotics, MSU Extension 4-H will continue to proactively shape the next generation of leaders into dynamic, well-rounded innovators who know the value of hard work and a good education.
STORY ADDIE MAYFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
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student perspective
Bagley College
offers bridge o he future Deonante Frazier will graduate this spring, but the impact of his student experience will still serve as an inspirational beacon in his pursuits. Like many other MSU students, Deonante’s path has been shaped by private gifts, for which he is grateful and hopes to one day pay forward into the lives of others.
Growing up, I always enjoyed problem solving and thinking outside the box to figure things out. But before coming to Mississippi State University, I never imagined the possibility of an actual career as a real-world problem solver. Now, thanks to my experience at MSU, I am looking forward to an exciting career in engineering after graduation. Before beginning my freshman year at MSU, I participated in the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering’s Summer Bridge Program to help me narrow down and better understand the area of engineering that held my interest. I was initially drawn to the technical aspect of computer engineering, but later found my passion in chemical engineering. The program, which was sponsored by Dow Chemical, was extremely beneficial because I was able to earn the Dow Summer Bridge Scholarship and make some important connections that have continued to impact my life. At the National Society of Black Engineers regional summit last year, I presented my resume to a representative from Dow and told him how the Summer Bridge Program inspired and helped
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direct my educational pursuits. That connection was a springboard for my future career as I was eventually offered a full-time position with Dow following graduation. I am so grateful for the support and opportunities I have had and try every day to give back in some way. As a Provost Scholar in the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College and an active member of several student engineering organizations, I have been able to travel to conferences and present my own research on several occasions. I am also a chemistry tutor through the Office of Diversity Programs in the Bagley College because I want to encourage more minority students to pursue degrees in engineering. So much has been invested in me through Mississippi State and the Bagley College. I hope to one day invest in future students who are beginning their journey. Deonante Frazier Senior, Chemical Engineering Utica, MS
PHOTOGRAPHY MEGAN BEAN
noteworthy news
College of Education strengthens mission with gifts
There is no better opportunity for positive change in Mississippi than in its grassroots— education. At Mississippi State University, the College of Education stands ready to lead, and changing tomorrow through education today is the mantra it practices every day. Building on the strength of the work in place, the college’s passion is to expand teaching, research, and outreach to help ensure every child growing up in Mississippi has a chance for success. The generosity and vision of alumni and friends can make this happen with gifts.
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For over a century, the College of Education has been preparing highly qualified students and professionals to serve as teachers, administrators, supervisors, counselors, and other education-related professionals. The college is dedicated to offering nationally accredited programs based on essential knowledge, sound practice, relevant research, and realistic training, and its efforts are increasing. Beyond campus, two distance degree programs offered by the college are among the nation’s best—the Bachelor of Education degree program and the elementary education/early childhood education program. Infinite Impact will provide resources to maintain and strengthen the college’s mission and initiatives. It is with the generosity of loyal alumni and friends that the university can positively impact the world through education. The following outlines specific areas of the College of Education where Infinite Impact gifts can make strides possible.
.
Endowed Chairs and Professorships
The College of Education needs to recruit and retain exceptional faculty to teach the thousands of students who are counting on MSU to prepare them for a meaningful future. To flourish, talented students need innovative teachers; however, there exists the challenge of hiring high quality faculty in a competitive marketplace of peer institutions and commercial organizations. Endowed faculty positions provide leverage with which to entice top educators and researchers in their fields by giving them additional salary support and funds for research. World-changing research takes place in the College of Education every day, and endowed positions can help make this possible in perpetuity. Chairs may be established with a minimum gift of at least $1.5 million, while a professorship requires at least $500,000.
Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program Being a good teacher is more than just knowing the subject matter, and the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program (METP) focuses its efforts on achieving that. METP is an innovative program designed to attract the best and brightest students who want to become elementary, special education, mathematics, science, and English teachers in Mississippi. Funded by the Jackson-based Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation, METP creates a unique honors college style learning experience for high achieving education students and promotes collaboration between students and faculty across the university campus. The majority of the program’s students are from Mississippi, but the program also draws future teachers from other states. METP seeks to attract the top-performing high school seniors to teacher education programs with full scholarships and professional incentives. The program also provides stipends to study abroad or for off-campus learning activities such as visiting high-performing schools around the nation or abroad. All METP graduates make a five-year commitment to teach in Mississippi.
Music Building
Students and faculty in the Department of Music in the College of Education at Mississippi State University have an opportunity to creatively collaborate in harmony in a new state-of-the-art musical environment. Located on the southeast side of campus, the nearly 37,000-square-foot building will bring much-needed classroom and studio space for vital teacher and student interaction. Planned construction on Hardy Road will position a new building adjacent to the existing band and choral rehearsal hall. A courtyard will adjoin the two, while an outdoor plaza will connect the new building and the existing Lance Practice Field. This configuration between new and Planned MSU music building for Hardy Road Spring 2020 | FOUNDATIONS
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Above: MSU and Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District personnel tour the Partnership School under construction on the university's campus. Right: A rendering of the new Partnership School slated to open this fall.
existing structures will ensure the Department of Music becomes the campus center of musical arts and culturally enhances the Starkville-MSU community. The building will also advance the university as an enviable All-Steinway School as awarded by Steinway & Sons, the internationally renowned manufacturer of pianos. Additional funds are needed for the purchase of Steinway pianos and for an endowment from which the earnings will ensure proper maintenance of these pianos over time. Once complete, the facility will help the College of Education recruit top music students and top music faculty from across the nation. Developing quality music educators for Mississippi and the Southeast region and providing advanced study of music in the liberal arts tradition are the primary missions of the Department of Music. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, the department currently offers undergraduate degrees in music and music education, with specific concentrations in instrumental music, vocal music, piano, and guitar. The department also offers minor fields of study and a summer only Master of Music Education degree program. A cornerstone commitment for the entire facility will bring with it a special naming opportunity. Donors may also name featured areas in honor or in memory of family members, friends or mentors. All commitments are payable over a five-year period.
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Partnership School at MSU
Historically, the state of Mississippi has struggled with education. To help address this challenge, as well as others, the College of Education will help lead a new Partnership School at Mississippi State that will extend beyond the needs of our state to have national impact as a model for rural education and rural teacher education. The 128,000-square-foot facility for the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Partnership School will open to its first class of students in fall 2020. The MSU campus school will serve every sixth and seventh grade student in the local district and also will be a demonstration site for student teachers and faculty members. It will provide educational lessons for local district and MSU students as the two entities work jointly to identify collaborative efforts on curriculum, instruction, assessment, and evaluation. In addition, preservice teachers and teachers enrolled in graduate programs will engage in field experiences in the school to observe, firsthand, instructional practices they are learning in coursework. The learning environment of the Partnership School will extend beyond its walls. Gardens, outdoor classrooms, and other facilities will help foster health and wellness for students. Preservice teachers will learn about the benefits of gardening and health and wellness education
to promote healthy living across Mississippi after they graduate. These outdoor features are possible through a grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Mississippi. The grant supports the school district’s overarching goal to create school environments that emphasize healthy living. By participating in observations at the Partnership School, College of Education graduates will master effective teaching practices they can carry to schools across the state. In addition to the impact this model will have on our campus, students, teachers, and administrators from across the state will engage in observations and professional development to obtain valuable knowledge and research for their home districts. Beyond committed support, Mississippi State currently seeks additional gifts for the endeavor. Through Infinite Impact, generous support for the Partnership School will mean essential knowledge, sound practice, relevant research, and realistic training are paramount in the lives of students and faculty.
Scholarships and Graduate Fellowships
A strong merit and need-based scholarship program allows MSU to compete for the brightest students while maintaining high academic standards in an environment enriched with diversity. These scholarships often make the difference in students’ success, as they alleviate some of the financial burdens and allow recipients to focus on their studies to become talented teachers, administrators, and educational researchers. Annual scholarships of any amount are essential, and endowed scholarships begin with $25,000. These scholarships can benefit qualifying students annually in any of the college’s seven departments: Counseling, Educational Psychology and Foundations; Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education; Instructional Systems and Workforce Development; Kinesiology; Educational Leadership; Music; and the Division of Education on the Meridian campus. Likewise, fellowships can help the college attract the best graduate students from around the nation in all fields of study. Since many students incur the burden of student loans during their undergraduate study, they are in need of fellowships as a means of supporting themselves in order to pursue a graduate education. Gifts through Infinite Impact can generate a competitive stipend for a student pursuing a higher degree and simultaneously advance quality education in our nation as these professionals later enter the workforce. In the College of Education, graduate fellowships begin at $250,000, while post-doctoral fellowships start at $300,000.
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The EXPRESS Yourself! art program creatively engages individuals with disabilities.
T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability
Mississippi State continues as a national leader in the effort to accommodate students and make the MSU campus more accessible to individuals with physical challenges and mental limitations. The T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability has long served students, children, and families with its mission to ensure persons with disabilities are able to continually benefit from technological solutions and advances in the field of assistive technology. The T.K. Martin Center maintains a state-of-the-art clinical, research, and training program with a dedicated staff that includes special education teachers, speech and occupational therapists, case workers, engineers, and researchers. Two primary programs, EXPRESS Yourself!, an art program for individuals with disabilities, and Project IMPACT, an early intervention preschool program, are thriving. The College of Education seeks additional gifts to endow a generous bequest from the late Lorene G. Martin, who shared a love of MSU with her late husband, T.K. Martin, the center’s namesake. The endowment will continue the center’s work in perpetuity—entwining the couple’s legacies with MSU forever. Gifts can help the college reach
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its goal for the Theodore K. and Lorene G. Martin Endowed Fund for Excellence and honor a lifetime of special accomplishments that impact people every day.
Infinite Impact begins now.
Infinite Impact will enable the College of Education to make strides in teaching and learning, discovery, creativity, globalization, and outreach. Loyal support from faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends can collectively set examples and lead foundations, corporations, and individuals nationwide who are capable of larger gifts to support Mississippi State and the College of Education. Alumni and friends can learn more about the College of Education at www.educ.msstate.edu, as well as through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @CollegeofEd_MSU. For assistance with giving opportunities, contact Trish Cunetto, the college’s director of development, at 662.325.6762 or at tcunetto@foundation.msstate.edu.
STORY AMY CAGLE PHOTOGRAPHY MSU OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS/SUBMITTED
Get to know
TRISH
CUNETTO
Trish Ashmore Cunetto is proof that good teachers never really retire. After a rewarding 26-year career as a kindergarten teacher, Trish remains passionate about teaching—although her primary audience is now the alumni and friends she helps educate about the importance of philanthropy. A native of Columbus and 1986 MSU elementary education graduate, Trish is the director of development for the College of Education and the MSU Library. She and her husband Dominic, a fellow MSU graduate, live in Starkville and enjoy MSU baseball games and following Bulldog-turned-Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Dak Prescott. What’s it like to help secure support for MSU? Meeting students who benefit from scholarships and programs like the T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability is very rewarding, and I am grateful to help build support for those areas. I feel truly blessed to have enjoyed two very different careers that allow me to impact students’ lives. Most unique gift you’ve closed? Several years ago, I closed a gift by best-selling author James Patterson and his wife Sue for teacher education scholarships. I have read almost all of his books and meeting him was exciting. He supports 16 scholarships for students in the college. Favorite thing about Starkville? I love the energy surrounding a college town, and the community is very supportive. I think sometimes we take for granted living in a place where people love to visit! Favorite spot on campus and why? My favorite campus spot is the MSU Chapel of Memories where I married my husband. What’s neat about the College of Education? Without teachers, we would have no students at MSU. Teachers have the most important job and the opportunity to make a profound impact on the lives of those they teach. Spring 2020 | FOUNDATIONS
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Spring in bloom
Gardening with Horticulturist Gary Bachman
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As spring ushers in warmer temperatures and longer days, more people are eager to get outside and put their green thumbs to work. Whether a tried-and-true gardening expert or a beginner looking to find their budding potential, the gratification of seeing one’s efforts bloom into life is a reward that never tires. And when it comes to the best advice for lawn and gardens, growers across the South turn to Gary Bachman of the Mississippi State University Extension Service. A research professor of horticulture at MSU’s Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, Bachman is a Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science and was named a Great American Gardener by the American Horticultural Society in 2019. He also is the voice and face of “Southern Gardening,” an award-winning television, newspaper, radio, and social media franchise by the MSU Extension Service that is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Follow along as Bachman shares some insight into a flower he recommends for gardeners of all skill levels looking to add a boost of color to their summer landscapes—zinnias. Zinnias are annual flowers that perform extremely well in hot and humid Mississippi gardens and landscape. In fact, home gardeners can have these beautiful flowers blooming from May all the way through to frost in fall. One group of zinnias are the Zinnia elegans. These long-stemmed classics feature gorgeous colors, large pom-pom flower heads, and great vase life, making them perfect for cutting and showing
off in arrangements. Another group of head-turning zinnias are the free flowering Profusion and Zahara zinnia series. Profusion zinnia begin blooming in early spring and continue into the fall season; that’s certainly good news for long bloom periods in Mississippi landscapes. They are available in many colors and will typically grow up to 12 inches tall and wide. The plants are compact with good strong branching to support the numerous flowers that completely cover the plants. And the best part is Profusion zinnia don’t have to be deadheaded. Like their cousins Profusion, Zahara zinnias have excellent branching to support robust mounds of colorful flowers and also maintain a natural resistance to powdery mildew. Zahara zinnia plants come in a variety of colors as well as single and double flowers. In particular, these flowers resemble dahlia blooms. Zinnia are easy to grow from seed and require very little in terms of maintenance except for consistent fertilization and moisture. A technique to keep fresh flowers all season is to succession plant every three weeks. Simply sprinkle seeds in the garden, which results in a kind of cottage garden look. Or they can be germinated in small pots and transplanted into specific garden locations. For more on “Southern Gardening” and Gary Bachman’s latest tips and information on lawn and garden care, visit http://extension.msstate. edu/shows/southern-gardening. PHOTOGRAPHY GARY BACHMAN
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noteworthy news
Division names new leaders, gratefully acknowledges retirees
Two longtime Mississippi State University personnel have assumed integral roles in the Division of Development and Alumni. Janet H. Carraway and Leann Markham, both MSU graduates, are now in financial and information systems leadership positions vacated at the close of 2019 by retiring veteran employees.
CARRAWAY
MARKHAM
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Janet Carraway became the executive director of finance for the MSU Foundation in January, succeeding David D. Easley, who retired after a 32-year MSU career in December. Additionally, Carraway serves as chief financial officer of the MSU Foundation’s board of directors, beginning her first one-year term Jan. 1, 2020. Most recently, Carraway was director of finance and budget with the MSU Foundation for many years, supervising the accounting and business office of the MSU Foundation and Alumni Association. A 1984 and 1991 graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accountancy and a certified public accountant, Carraway has helped lead financial reporting within the Division of Development and Alumni since 1993 when she joined the MSU Foundation as an accountant. A native of Starkville, Carraway grew up as the daughter of an MSU agricultural economics professor. She began her career in public accounting and worked for a utility company before joining the university in 1992. Additionally, Carraway has served as a lecturer for financial accounting classes in the College of Business. Leann Markham has joined the Division of Development and Alumni as executive director of information services, succeeding Vickie Brown who retired in December 2019 after more than 30 years of MSU service. Markham previously worked in Information Technology Services (ITS) at Mississippi State for 20 years. She began her career in ITS as a graduate assistant in 1997 and then progressed through the department in various roles including database analyst, senior programmer analyst, systems analyst, and senior systems analyst. After a brief stint as an assistant professor of management information systems at Mississippi University for Women in mid-2014, Markham returned to MSU in late 2015 as a senior systems analyst and team leader with Enterprise Information Systems (EIS), one of three primary units of ITS. During her time with EIS, she supported the areas of account services, human resources, payroll, document imaging, facilities management, and development and alumni, where she was an analyst working with the division’s conversion to the Banner database.
A native of Red Bay, Alabama, Markham earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in business information systems in 1997, a master’s in business information systems with a minor in accounting in 1998, and a doctorate in community college leadership in 2009, all from MSU. She has taught classes at MSU, Mississippi University for Women, East Central Community College, and Itawamba Community College.
As Carraway and Markham assumed their new roles, the Division of Development and Alumni bid farewell to Easley and Brown, recognizing them for their longtime loyalty and dedication. Easley proudly earned a Bachelor of Professional Accountancy degree from MSU in 1978 and began his career with the university in 1987 as business manager for the MSU Alumni Association and MSU Foundation. He became CFO of the MSU Foundation in 1994 and was named executive director of finance in 2007, holding the position until retirement. Brown began her career at MSU in 1989 with the MSU Bookstore and became a systems administrator for the MSU Alumni Association and MSU Foundation in 1991, then business administrator in 1994. By 2001, she became associate director of the MSU Alumni Association, then director of information technology followed by director of information services. Brown retired in December 2019 as executive director of information services. She earned two degrees from MSU—a 1985 Bachelor of Business Administration from the College of Business and a 2001 Master of Science from the College of Education.
EASLEY
For more on the work of the Division of Development and Alumni, visit devalumni.msstate.edu.
BROWN
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Then and Now Famous Maroon Band marches stronger each decade
One of the oldest traditions in the Southeast is the marching band formally established as a military band in 1902 at then Mississippi A&M College. Since then, the band has become the largest by membership in school history. The name "Famous Maroon Band" gets its origins from when the A&M band competed against Alabama for a trophy in 1926. The 40-member group earned the moniker, “Famous Forty” with their secret weapon—new, non-military themed uniforms they debuted to thunderous applause, capturing the trophy after Alabama conceded. In the 1930s, a sportswriter coined the "Famous Maroon Band" and the name remains. At 118 years strong, the band is part of the College of Education’s nationally accredited Department of Music. MSU alumna and Director of Bands Elva Kaye Lance guides members from 19 U.S. states and Colombia, South America. The 420 Bulldogs have many career aspirations and represent academic majors from every MSU college and school. With its rendition of the "Hail State" fight song, the Famous Maroon Band is the ‘soundtrack’ for many significant events. 34
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achievements
8
48 hours
Colleges Featured
81
Students Involved
50 States
1,249 GIFTS 119
Faculty & Staff Involved
$371,442
Funds Raised
214
First-Time
Donors
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noteworthy news
Leading the way
New board leaders, members in place
BRANNAN
WILSON
MCDANIEL
Mississippi State University is fortunate to have dedicated alumni and friends with a willingness to help guide its fundraising activities. For nearly six decades, the MSU Foundation has been assisting the university in attracting support from private sources. In 2020, an impressive slate of loyal alumni are serving as leaders of the 48-seat board while 10 other alumni are beginning new terms as members. Incoming officers with new one-year terms that began Jan. 1 include three alumni returning to offices they initially held in 2019. They are: D. Hines Brannan of Atlanta, Georgia, as board chair; Anthony L. Wilson of Gulfport as vice-chair; and Mike M. McDaniel of Houston, Texas, as treasurer. A Mississippi native of Woodville, Brannan has loyally been a member of the MSU Foundation board for more than a decade, earlier serving as vice president for three terms and as treasurer for three terms. At MSU, he also was a founding member of the advisory board for the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering and an executive-in-residence for the college. He earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering in 1970 and an MBA the following year, both from MSU. He is a retired managing director of Accenture, one of the world’s largest management consulting firms. Fellow Mississippi native Wilson hails from D’Iberville. He earned his electrical engineering degree in 1987 from MSU and later an MBA from the University of Southern Mississippi. He currently serves as chairman, president, and CEO of Mississippi Power Company. Earlier he was executive vice president of customer service and operations for Georgia Power. McDaniel, who holds a 1979 bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from MSU, is a Mississippi native of Cleveland. He is currently the president of Saber Power Services LLC, having earlier been CEO of M3 Resources LLC. McDaniel also has previously served as a board member. Rounding out the remaining board officers are MSU personnel. John P. Rush, vice president for development and alumni, is the board’s president and CEO; Janet H. Carraway, executive director of finance, is chief financial officer; and Jack McCarty, executive director of development, serves as board secretary. All are proud MSU graduates.
New members beginning inaugural three-year terms in 2020 are: —George H. Bishop of Sealy, Texas. A 1958 petroleum geology graduate, Bishop is founder and president of GeoSouthern Energy
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Corporation, which has grown into one of the largest, privately held producers of oil and gas in the country. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service by MSU in 2019. —Frederick V. “Fred” Buie of West Des Moines, Iowa. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial engineering he earned from MSU in 1978 and 1991, respectively. Buie is president and CEO of Keystone Electrical Manufacturing Company. He has served the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering advisory board and was named a 2008 Distinguished Engineering Fellow.
BISHOP
BUIE
LEE
WILLIAMS
BRYAN
CLEVELAND
JORDAN
NUSZ
—Francis C. "Franc" Lee of Flowood. He is a 1989 banking and finance graduate of MSU and president of Tower Loan. He was the College of Business Alumnus of the Year in 2012. —Laurie R. Williams of Madison. She is a 1979 MSU communication graduate who later earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi. Williams works as manager of member engagement for Molina Healthcare. She has served the College of Arts and Sciences deans/directors advisory board and was selected as the college’s 2015 Alumni Fellow.
Six alumni who have previously served are returning to the board in 2020 for new three-year terms. They are: —George W. Bryan Sr. of West Point. A 1967 Bachelor of Business Administration graduate of Mississippi State University, Bryan is owner of Old Waverly Golf Club. For the College of Business, he was an Alumni Fellow in 1992 and Alumnus of the Year in 1996. He has served the dean’s advisory board for the college since 2008. —Randy J. Cleveland of Fort Worth, Texas. A 1983 petroleum engineering graduate, Cleveland is the retired vice president of Americas for ExxonMobil Production Company. For the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, he was a Distinguished Engineering Fellow in 2008 and the college’s Alumnus of the Year in 2019. —Mark S. Jordan of Canton. A 1976 landscape architecture graduate, Jordan is a real estate developer with Mark S. Jordan Companies. He was the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumnus of the Year in 2011. —Thomas B. “Tommy” Nusz of Houston, Texas. A 1982 MSU petroleum engineering graduate, Nusz is CEO and board chairman of Houston-based Oasis Petroleum, which he co-founded. For the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, he was named a Distinguished Engineering Fellow in 2002 and honored as Alumnus of the Year in 2013.
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—William A. “Lex” Taylor III of Louisville. A 1977 general business administration graduate, Taylor is chairman and CEO of the Taylor Group Inc. and president of Taylor Machine Works Inc. He was the College of Business Alumnus of the Year in 2007, and he has served multiple terms on the college’s deans/directors advisory board.
TAYLOR
TERRESON
—Douglas T. “Doug” Terreson of Point Clear, Alabama. A 1984 petroleum engineering graduate, Terreson is head of Energy Research for Evercore ISI. He was the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering Alumni Fellow in 2001. He also holds an MBA from Rollins College. By virtue of position, the current president of the MSU National Alumni Association board of directors, Sherri Carr Bevis of Gulfport, holds a board seat. Bevis earned a 1986 communication degree from MSU and currently serves the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office as Assistant Secretary of State for External Marketing.
BEVIS
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Chartered in 1962, the MSU Foundation administers most of the campus-based fundraising activities and endowment funds. On average, the MSU Foundation raises in excess of $100 million per year. More on the MSU Foundation’s work can be found at www.msufoundaton.com.
foundation board
Officers:
CHAIR — D. Hines Brannan | Managing Director of Accenture (retired) | Atlanta, Ga. VICE CHAIR — Anthony L. Wilson | Chairman, President and CEO of Mississippi Power Company | Gulfport, Miss. TREASURER — Mike M. McDaniel | President of Saber Power Services LLC | Houston, Texas PRESIDENT AND CEO — John P. Rush | Vice President of Development and Alumni, Mississippi State University | MSU MSU SECRETARY — Jack R. McCarty | Executive Director of Development, Mississippi State University | MSU CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER — Janet H. Carraway | Executive Director of Finance, Mississippi State University | MSU
Members:
Richard C. Adkerson | Vice Chairman, President and CEO of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. | Phoenix, Ariz. William B. “Bill” Berry | CEO of Continental Resources Inc. | Oklahoma City, Okla. Sherri Carr Bevis | National Alumni President | Assistant Secretary of State for External Marketing, Mississippi Secretary of State's Office | Gulfport, Miss. George H. Bishop | Chairman of the Board for GeoSouthern Energy Corporation | Sealy, Texas George W. Bryan Sr. | Owner of Old Waverly Golf Club | West Point, Miss. Frederick V. “Fred” Buie | President and CEO of Keystone Electrical Manufacturing Co. | Des Moines, Iowa Albert C. Clark | President and CEO of C.C. Clark Inc. | Starkville, Miss. Randy J. Cleveland | Vice President, Americas for ExxonMobil Production Company (retired) | Fort Worth, Texas Helen M. Currie | Chief Economist for ConocoPhillips | Houston, Texas John D. Davis IV | Neurosurgeon/Founding Partner for NewSouth NeuroSpine | Flowood, Miss. Earnest W. "Earnie" Deavenport Jr. | Chairman and CEO of Eastman Chemical (retired) | Greenville, S.C. Timothy S. "Tim" Duncan | President and CEO of Talos Energy Inc. | Houston, Texas Hassell H. Franklin | Chairman and CEO of Franklin Corporation | Houston, Miss. S. Bryce Griffis | President of Sturgis Timber Company (retired) | Starkville, Miss. David B. Hall | President and CEO of Hall Timberlands | Meridian, Miss. Wilbert G. "Mickey" Holliman Jr. | Chairman and CEO of Furniture Brands International (retired) | Tupelo, Miss. Rodger L. Johnson | President and CEO of JKC Holdings Inc. | Atlanta, Ga. Mark S. Jordan | Real Estate Developer of Mark S. Jordan Companies | Ridgeland, Miss. Paul J. Karre | Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Communications, International Paper (retired) | Pawleys Island, S.C. Francis C. "Franc" Lee | President and CEO of Tower Loan | Flowood, Miss. Malcolm B. Lightsey Sr. | President and CEO of SunTech Inc. (retired) | Ridgeland, Miss. Rusty C. Linton | Orthopedic Surgeon for Columbus Orthopaedic Clinic P.A. | Columbus, Miss. John. R. Lundy | Partner with Capital Resources LLC | Ridgeland, Miss. Lewis F. Mallory Jr. | Chairman and CEO of Cadence Bank (retired) | Starkville, Miss. Bobby P. Martin | Chairman of The Peoples Bank | Ripley, Miss. Roderick A. "Rod" Moore | Executive VP and CEO of Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance (retired) | Brandon, Miss. Janice I. Nicholson | Professor Emerita for University of North Alabama (retired) | Florence, Ala. Thomas B. "Tommy" Nusz | President of the MSU Bulldog Club | Chairman and CEO of Oasis Petroleum Inc. | Houston, Texas George D. Pillow Jr. | Chairman of Senators Coaches Inc. | Killen, Ala. Joffrey R. “Jay” Pryor | Vice President for Business Development of Chevron Corporation | Houston, Texas Charles W. "Tex" Ritter Jr. | President and CEO of The Attala Company (retired) | Kosciusko, Miss. M. Diane Roberts | Associate Professor of Business of Indiana University East (retired) | Louisville, Ky. James J. "Jim" Rouse | Vice President of ExxonMobil Company (retired) | Suwanee, Ga. Wallace L. “Lee” Seal | President of North Beach Investments LLC | Bay Saint Louis, Miss. Bobby S. Shackouls | Chairman, President and CEO of Burlington Resources Inc. (retired) | Houston, Texas Allen K. Sills Jr. | Chief Medical Officer of National Football League | Professor of Neurosurgery, Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation at Vanderbilt University | Franklin, Tenn. Cynthia M. "Cindy" Stevens | Management Principal Government Relations of Deloitte LLP (retired) | Sarasota, Fla. William A. "Lex" Taylor III | Chairman and CEO of The Taylor Group Inc.; President of Taylor Machine Works Inc. | Louisville, Miss. Douglas T. "Doug" Terreson | Head of Energy Research for Evercore ISI | Point Clear, Ala. Laurie R. Williams | Manager of Member Engagement for Molina Healthcare | Madison, Miss. Turner A. Wingo | Owner of Sherry's Hallmark (retired) | Colliersville, Tenn. Stacy E. Thomas | Legal Counsel | Jackson, Miss.
Spring 2020 | FOUNDATIONS
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Mississippi State University Foundation @MSU_Foundation @msu_foundation
MSU STUDENT RELIEF FUND
THE MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO EXHIBIT A GREAT SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND CARING FOR ENROLLED STUDENTS THAT MAKE THE LAND-GRANT INSTITUTION SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE. THE MSU STUDENT RELIEF FUND, BUILT WITH PRIVATE GIFTS, HELPS THOSE MEMBERS OF THE STUDENT BODY AFFECTED WITH DAY-TO-DAY CRISES OR LIKE NOW, THE IMPACT OF THEIR DAILY LIVES POSED BY COVID-19. PLEASE HELP SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS BY GIVING ONLINE AT
MSUFOUNDATION.COM/STUDENTRELIEF.
