? E V I G y h W Scholarship honors Bushong’s legacy at MSU
Amanda Bushong’s never-ending love for her late father and pride in his legacy at Mississippi State and beyond prompted her to establish a scholarship in his honor. The Dr. Rex D. Bushong Memorial Endowed Scholarship will assist students enrolled in the Department of Poultry Science who demonstrate academic achievement and financial need. The scholarship bearing his name has also been instated to provide immediate support until the endowment reaches maturity. Through the awards, Bushong hopes to give others a chance to succeed at MSU, like her father did many years ago. “We are very excited to be able to do start this scholarship,” said Bushong, who is joined by her brother Ashley in establishing the award. “Our hope is that the recipient will carry on my dad’s legacy of dedication by being the best they can be in their fields, while continuing to give back to the industries they serve and the people in their communities.” A Union City, Tennessee native, Dr. Rex Bushong had a passion for learning, being challenged, and thinking outside the box. He attended the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee before joining the Bulldog family. Upon relocating to Starkville to enroll as a student at MSU, Dr. Bushong met his wife, Vickie. The couple initially met off campus, but Vickie later began working in the MSU poultry department, where Dr. Bushong was studying, and the two quickly fell in love. Bushong credits her mother’s influence on Dr. Bushong’s commitment to his education and accomplishment of his doctoral degree. “She whipped him into shape to finish his PhD. Otherwise, he might still be fishing or duck hunting to this day,” said Bushong. At MSU, Dr. Bushong earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science in 1964 and a master’s degree in poultry science with a concentration in poultry nutrition in 1966.
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FOUNDATIONS | Spring 2021
Left: Dr. Rex D. Bushong on graduation day at Mississippi State University more than 50 years ago.
