Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

A thick morning fog covers Davis Wade Stadium and the entire Starkville campus last Wednesday morning [Jan. 7]. The MSU community can expect a return to cooler, clearer weather this week as new students arrive on campus for spring orientation on Monday [Jan. 12] and their first day of class at MSU on Wednesday [Jan. 14], along with all returning Bulldogs. PHOTO: Grace Cockrell | Public Affairs

Swanson earns statewide humanities award for leadership, scholarship
Mississippi State Assistant Professor of English and African American Studies Kemeshia Randle Swanson is the university’s 2026 Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year, a statewide honor celebrating her exceptional teaching, visionary scholarship and deep commitment to advancing the humanities across the Magnolia State. Sponsored by the Mississippi Humanities Council, the award includes an honorarium and recognition at the annual Public Humanities Awards ceremony this March in Jackson. As part of the award, Swanson will deliver a public lecture at MSU’s Mitchell Memorial Library on Feb. 3 at 3:30 p.m. in the John Grisham Room. MSU College of Arts and Sciences Dean Rick Travis congratulated Swanson on the award and said her teaching and scholarship “strengthen communities and open doors to deeper understanding.”

MSU AI Community: Join the conversation!
Mississippi State University is taking steps to advance artificial intelligence adoption across campus. Whether you’re a researcher, educator, or staff member, these resources are designed to help you learn, collaborate, and stay informed about AI initiatives at MSU. The AI Innovation Hub SharePoint Site is your one-stop hub for AI-related learning opportunities, workshops, user guidance, industry news, tips, and updates. It's available at https://mstate.sharepoint.com/sites/AIInnovationHub. You can also connect through the MSU AI Community Teams Site. If you have any questions about AI at MSU, please contact Senior Advisor for AI and Data Governance Julie Jordan at julie.jordan@msstate.edu.

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Social media surge: MSU jumps more than 150 spots in Division 1 social media ranking
Mississippi State is celebrating a major leap in national visibility, jumping more than 150 spots to earn the No. 13 overall ranking for Division I schools in the country for social media engagement. As part of the university’s ongoing transformation and strategic planning efforts, MSU’s rapid rise comes just a year after expanding its Division of Strategic Communications staff. The division continues to innovate new ways to tell the university’s story. “Visual digital storytelling and messaging on social media meet MSU’s potential students and the other vital markets we seek where they are,” said MSU Vice President for Strategic Communications Sid Salter. “MSU President Mark E. Keenum and the university’s senior leadership are committed to these strategies. We have assembled an excellent team to develop strong content that tells MSU’s story as Mississippi’s powerful economic engine through our research and service.”

Bagley names Fowler head of Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mississippi State’s James Fowler has been named head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. A faculty member in the department since 1997, Fowler is a William L. Giles Distinguished Professor and holds the Billie J. Ball Endowed Professorship in Engineering. In 2022, Fowler was named program director of the National Science Foundation’s Communication and Information Foundations (CIF) program within the foundation’s Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CIS). “Dr. Fowler’s distinguished record of scholarship and service at MSU, combined with his leadership in professional organizations and the NSF, made him an outstanding choice for ECE department head,” said Dave Ford, dean of the Bagley College.

Street named interim sustainable bioproducts head
Jason Street has been named interim head of Mississippi State’s Department of Sustainable Bioproducts. The department leads teaching, research and outreach supporting Mississippi’s $19 billion forest products industry. Street, an associate professor who has been with the department for 10 years, succeeds Rubin Shmulsky, who served as department head for 18 years. “Dr. Rubin Shmulsky provided visionary and exemplary leadership during his tenure as head of the Department of Sustainable Bioproducts. We are grateful for his many years of service and are fortunate to have him remain in the department where he will devote his energy toward research and outreach to strengthen the forest products industry,” said Wes Burger, dean of the College of Forest Resources and director of the Forest and Wildlife Research Center. “I am confident in Dr. Jason Street’s ability to lead the department in this interim capacity.”