14 minute read
Luckyday Scholars Program
Luckyday Scholars Program develops servant leaders at MSU
The Luckyday Scholars Program at Mississippi State University welcomed nine incoming freshmen to campus last fall as the inaugural class of Luckyday Scholars. Through the program, which supports success in and out of the classroom, scholars are actively engaging in valuable opportunities to grow as servant leaders striving to give back to their peers, university, and communities.
Frank Rogers Day, a native of Aberdeen and former chairman of the board and CEO of Trustmark National Bank, founded the Luckyday Foundation to assist young Mississippians in pursuing their goals of higher education. In addition to helping students afford college expenses, Luckyday encourages students to graduate in four years while maintaining academic standards and community involvement.
Candidates for the award are first-time entering freshmen from Mississippi who have earned a minimum 3.0 grade-point average and an ACT score of 20-28 (or SAT equivalent). Select applicants will be invited to apply to a highly competitive application process, in which the Luckyday selection committee highly values students who are involved as leaders in organizations, demonstrate long-term service with community organizations, display humility, and show follow-through in the endeavors they choose.
Luckyday Scholars receive $24,000 over four years in scholarship support. With service being one component of the Luckyday Scholars Program, recipients perform a minimum of 10 volunteer hours each semester. Scholars are able to direct their efforts to areas most meaningful to them and are also able to get involved through university-sponsored community service projects.
In addition to financial assistance, scholars also benefit from other aspects of the program including mentorship resources and opportunities to build relationships with fellow cohort members—all of which are aimed at furthering student success and personal development. The intentional programming, which focuses on Luckyday’s four core values of scholarship, community, service, and leadership, facilitates open dialogue to expand scholars’ skills and perspectives, and to grow as servant leaders.
“We are grateful to partner with the Luckyday Foundation to expand opportunities for more of our state’s ambitious students to achieve their goals through much-needed financial and academic support,” said MSU President Mark Keenum. “The Luckyday Foundation’s commitment to developing outstanding leaders within our state is evident by the investments it is making in the lives of these deserving scholars.”
MSU’s 2020-2021 Luckyday Scholars
share the uniquely important ways they served the community last semester
Knowing I helped build a home that will be a part of the community for many years to come is inspiring! I have received so much help and guidance throughout my transition to college life, so it’s very rewarding to be able to give back to the Starkville and MSU communities.
Demia Bland
Hometown: Meridian Major: Industrial Engineering
Helped host the Freshman Day of Service event with Freshman Edge student organization and assisted in remodeling a local basketball court.
Alexis “Alex” Carraway
Hometown: Summit Major: Communication, Print and Digital Journalism Concentration
Volunteered with Starkville Habitat for Humanity.
Brisa-Lizeth Chora
Hometown: Macon Major: Civil Engineering
Tutored college and high school students and contributed to plarning projects.
Harrison Clark
Volunteered with The Palmer Home for Children and contributed to plarning projects.
Hailey Desai
Volunteered with The Palmer Home for Children and contributed to plarning projects.
Plarning involves cutting grocery bags into plastic yarn, or plarn, which is used to crochet bed mats for people experiencing homelessness. It also serves as a useful way to recycle plastic bags.
Hannah Holley
Hometown: Tremont Major: Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion
Packed food bags for the Starkville Public School System’s children in need and wrote letters to the elderly and individuals who were shut-in during the pandemic through the University Christian Student Center and volunteered with Starkville Habitat for Humanity.
Antwon Keyes
Hometown: Hattiesburg Major: Marketing
Assisted with “Get Swept Up!” citywide cleanup day and “Survive the Drive,” a university-sponsored Halloween drive-thru for families in the local community.
Nathan Mosley
Hometown: Vicksburg Major: Biomedical Engineering, Pre-Medical Emphasis
Volunteered with Starkville Habitat for Humanity, assisted local Boy Scout troop in cleaning land and building a fence along a highway, and contributed to plarning projects.
Brooke Nitz
Volunteered with Starkville Habitat for Humanity and the West Point-Clay County Animal Shelter and contributed to plarning projects. Service is very important to me and is a great way to get connected and meet new people while giving back to our community. MSU has many different opportunities, even during the pandemic, to give back and get involved.
The MSU Alumni Association annually sponsors trips across the globe through the Traveling Bulldogs program. Itineraries are booked through 2022. Explore our website for more information at alumni.msstate.edu/travel or contact the Alumni Association at (662) 325-7000.
Two-time MSU alumna, Diane Roberts.
The Science of Trailblazing
Diane Roberts has filled many roles throughout her career. Researcher, educator, philanthropist, and sports fan are just a few. But perhaps one of the most prominent titles that continues to characterize the Louisville, Kentucky resident is “trailblazer.”
Born in Laurel and raised in Selmer, Tennessee, Roberts always had a deep love for science. She wanted to be a doctor when she grew up but knew her chances were slim, as medical schools were not accepting many female students at the time. When she began considering options for higher education, her father, who earned an agricultural engineering degree from then-Mississippi State College in 1937, took her to Starkville to visit his alma mater.
The visit proved successful for Roberts, who immediately fell in love with Mississippi State. Upon learning she also had a scholarship offer to attend MSU, the decision of where to pursue her education was an easy one.
When Roberts began her freshman year, she was one of the 500 females on a campus of 5,000 students. Magruder Hall was the only dorm for females, and it had a house mother, a curfew and a Dean of Women. Despite being in the minority, Roberts was determined to succeed in her academic endeavors.
She followed her passion for science into the study of zoology, which would enable her to fulfill the pre-requisite coursework for medical school. Roberts applied to medical technology school as an undergraduate and began making plans to finish her education elsewhere. Fortunately, her major professor persuaded her to stay at MSU with the offer of a graduate assistantship. After completing
Roberts with fellow MSU Co-Ed Club members in 1961. Roberts (standing second from left), who served as treasurer of the Women's Student Government Association at MSU, is joined by fellow leaders of the organization.
her bachelor’s degree in 1963, Roberts assumed the assistantship and earned her master’s degree the following year.
While attending MSU, Roberts’ favorite classes were genetics with Bruce Glick, English with Donald Houston, and zoology with Leslie Ellis. Ellis, who served as chairman of the Department of Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, was Roberts’ mentor during her college years. Excelling in and out of the classroom, she was also involved with the student senate and Greek life, selected as Miss Mississippi State, and was a part of various honorary societies.
One of Roberts’ fondest memories at MSU is when she attended a lecture given by Francis Crick, who, along with James Watson, reformulated data to postulate the helical nature of DNA. Roberts and several other students from the biology department were invited to have coffee and participate in a small group discussion with Crick following the lecture.
“It was so eye opening to see that I could do something like that,” said Roberts.
She subsequently began her own career as a researcher at Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company and later at the United States Department of Agriculture’s Bee Breeding Lab in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. However, the need for a more interactive role eventually led her to education.
“I was tired of being alone in a lab, so I started
As a former member of the MSU Foundation board of directors, Roberts participated in the summer workshop with fellow board members at the Biltmore Estate in 2016.
Roberts was named Miss Mississippi State in 1961.
looking for other career options,” said Roberts, who accepted her first teaching position after applying to an opening at a private community college in Houston, Texas.
To many, moving to a new city far from home and beginning a job in an entirely different field may seem daunting. But for Roberts, it was an exciting change of pace. And the timing couldn’t have been more perfect as The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston was simultaneously launching its School of Public Health.
Finding her stride in education, Roberts decided to apply for admission and a fellowship at the newly established institution. Her unique experience in both research and education, as well as her MSU education, made her a prime candidate for the opportunity.
“It was a perfect fit because I was able to continue teaching while supplementing my education and working toward a PhD,” said Roberts. She earned her Doctor of Public Health degree from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in 1976.
In her 36-year career, Roberts served in progressive faculty and administrative roles at South Texas Junior College in Houston, Texas; The School of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; The School of Primary Medical Care at the University of Alabama at Huntsville; Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas; and Indiana University East in Richmond, Indiana. She retired from Indiana University East as vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and associate professor of business.
In addition to her professions, Roberts served as secretary and president of the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions and received the J. Warren Perry Distinguished Author Award and the Cultural Diversity Award. Her ongoing commitment to community service has been exemplary.
At MSU, Roberts has generously invested her time and gifts to benefit others. She has served two terms on the MSU Foundation board and is a former member of the dean’s advisory board for the College of Arts and Sciences. In honor of her professional accomplishments and her longstanding loyalty to her
alma mater, Roberts was selected as the college’s Alumni Fellow in 2014.
Her financial contributions have primarily supported the College of Arts and Sciences and Bulldog athletics through the renovation of the MSU Women’s Basketball locker room facilities. “I played half-court basketball growing up and always enjoyed it. But because I went to school before Title IX was passed, there weren’t sporting options for women.” said Roberts, who is an avid follower of women’s athletic events, particularly women’s basketball. “I decided early on in my career that if I ever had the chance to help female students who were interested in playing a sport, I would.”
In addition to her outright giving, Roberts also has a planned gift commitment for a scholarship endowment in the College of Arts and Sciences. The award aims to assist female students who are following in Roberts’ footsteps to pursue an education and career through the Department of Biological Sciences.
“It’s very important for alumni to support the schools from which they have graduated,” said Roberts. “I started giving twenty-five dollars per year to the MSU Alumni Association and eventually decided to do more. I knew I did not have enough money to name a building or anything like that, but I knew I had enough to start a scholarship. And considering my own situation as a scholarship recipient, I knew it was an important investment.”
From the beginning, Roberts never wavered in pursuing her passions—even when the paths to success were not shaped in her favor. In a time when males dominated university campuses and the science and medical fields, Roberts established herself as a respected individual, and is now widely recognized as a proponent for public health.
Today, Roberts is using her gifts to help more women to blaze trails as leaders of tomorrow. As a bold and tireless advocate for higher education and equal opportunity, her advice is simple—“Be shrewd. Be savvy. Be courteous. Respect all people. Don’t let anyone stop you.”
STORY ADDIE MAYFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
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www.alumni.msstate.edu/statetoyou
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student perspective
Triumph against the odds Brittany Bobo is among the ever-increasing members of the Bulldog family who have an inspirational story to share. She is proud of the hard work and dedication she invested in making her dreams come true and grateful for the support she received along the way. As a third grader, Brittany was diagnosed with severe learning disabilities, especially in math, and also struggled with additional medical issues. College seemed to be an elusive dream, but Brittany and her parents were determined to make higher education a reality for her.After graduating from high school with a life skills certificate, Brittany worked the next two years to earn her GED. But she wasn’t willing to stop there. In an effort to continue her education, she took the ACT and performed well enough to earn admission into East Central
Community College (ECCC). In 2013, Brittany graduated with an associate degree from ECCC. Her family couldn’t have been prouder of Brittany and the years of studying and hard work she invested to achieve her dream a college degree. However, it was Brittany’s artistic talent that opened the next door in her academic career.Brittany’s art caught the attention of Mississippi artist and MSU Emeritus Professor of Art Brent Funderburk, who encouraged Brittany to continue pursuing her education at Mississippi State University. Upon enrolling, Brittany’s parents soon began looking for a home in Starkville so they could be near their daughter through her university experience. Brittany was a recipient of an MSU Promise Scholarship as well as a community-engaged learning scholarship from the university’s Center for Community Engaged Learning. The later award enabled her to become involved with the T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability’s Express Yourself! Art Program on campus through an internship. In that role, Brittany assisted individuals with severe physical disabilities in creatively expressing themselves through art. Despite the challenges of her medical conditions, Brittany persevered and earned her bachelor’s degree in fine art with a concentration in print making from MSU in 2016. “Brittany is proof that, when a child is encouraged and motivated, they can do the impossible,” said her mother, Pam Bobo. Putting her mind and heart into each and every endeavor, Brittany overcame the odds to not only reach, but exceed her goal. She now has her sights set on attending graduate school when the time is right. Regardless of where her journey leads, the Union native certainly has as promising future ahead.Like many other Bulldog students, Brittany’s path has been shaped by private gifts. In appreciation of the positive influence made on Brittany’s success, the Bobo family is now helping to shape the paths of others through their monthly gift commitments to MSU.
