Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Dining Services employee Christian McCurry prepares a plate late last month during one of the final lunch rushes at McArthur Cafe before the eatery undergoes renovations. Located in McArthur Hall, the café shut down Nov. 24 for updates scheduled to be completed in August 2026, bringing its comfort-food favorites back to campus in time for the fall semester. Click here to learn more about the renovation and other dining options on campus. PHOTO: Grace Cockrell | Public Affairs

NRTC awarded renewals for two major national grants aiding blind or low vision individuals
With renewed support from two major national grants, Mississippi State University’s National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, or NRTC, will continue changing lives by expanding research, training and technical assistance that improve employment, independence and quality of life for individuals who are blind or have low vision, or B/LV. The NRTC, housed in MSU’s College of Education, received the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employment Among People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision grant. It is sponsored by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, a federal organization housed within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

DAFVM Spotlight: Jada Harris
Jada Harris sees contracts and grants as more than paperwork. To her they are pathways to groundbreaking research. As Contract and Grant Specialist with the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Mississippi State University, Harris knows that securing funding for faculty research requires more than technical expertise; it needs genuine partnership. "I support faculty, staff, and administrators in securing and managing external funding for contracts and grants dealing with research and other sponsored projects," Harris explained. "I handle both pre-award and post-awards to ensure compliance and proper financial management."

DAFVM Spotlight: Cathy Neely
For Cathy Neely, the calling to teach began long before she entered the profession. As a child, she would rush home from school eager to recreate the classroom experience. "I went to school, came home and played school; I never wanted to miss a day," Neely said. That early passion never faded; instead, it grew into a career that feels less like a job and more like a calling. Today, Neely brings that same enthusiasm to her classroom as a Head Start assistant teacher through the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Her approach is rooted in three core principles: showing respect to everyone, practicing active listening and building authentic relationships with students and their families.

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.

Airport shuttle departure schedule adjusted to meet airline baggage check changes
A 45-minute cutoff for checking baggage with Delta and American airlines has changed the express shuttle times offered by Mississippi State Transportation to Golden Triangle Regional Airport. The GTRA express shuttle now departs The Mill at MSU two hours before flight time and arrives at the airport one and a half hours before flight time. This is 30 minutes earlier than the previous schedule. Shuttle pickups from the Starkville campus and hotels along Highway 12 also can be scheduled with MSU if reservations are made at least 24 hours prior to the requested departure time from these locations. This service is available by emailing GTRShuttle@transportation.msstate.edu or calling 662-325-5204.

Free learning opportunities via LinkedIn Learning available to faculty, staff and students
Sharpen skills. Explore new interests. Increase professional value. These and other results are available via no-cost learning opportunities to Mississippi State faculty, staff and students through MSU’s agreement with LinkedIn Learning. A popular, online education platform, LinkedIn Learning’s 20,000-plus courses are available to campus via a quick login using their MSU NetID email addresses. With self-paced learning, courses are presented in various formats, including bite-sized video, audio only and in-depth content. The platform is directly integrated with Canvas, the university’s learning management system. MSU faculty can use it to supplement course material or even develop and load their own content onto the platform.

Smoke-free policy enhances healthy environment
Mississippi State University is a smoke-free campus. Official policy prohibits the use of any combustible or vapor products anywhere on campus property including university buildings, university grounds, university vehicles, parking areas and sidewalks. The smoke-free campus policy is part of the university's commitment to creating a healthy environment for all members of the campus community. Use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookah or other similar devices are prohibited by this policy. The complete policy is available at www.policies.msstate.edu/policy/91301.

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Arts, sciences faculty awards: Celebrating excellence in research, mentorship and scholarship
Mississippi State University’s College of Arts and Sciences is recognizing four faculty members for exemplary achievements in teaching, research and service, honoring their lasting impact on students, colleagues and the university community. Dean Rick Travis presented the awards during the college’s recent fall faculty meeting, highlighting the honorees’ vital contributions to MSU’s academic excellence and institutional mission. Honorees include Ben Crider, Department of Physics and Astronomy; Scott DiGiulio, Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures; Allison Jaeger, Department of Psychology; and Amanda Patrick, Department of Chemistry.

Twietmeyer receives National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education Distinguished Scholar Award
Mississippi State’s Gregg Twietmeyer is the recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Scholar Award from the National Association of Kinesiology in Higher Education. An associate professor of kinesiology, Twietmeyer was selected for this prestigious honor for his significant contributions to the field through scholarly pursuits in the philosophy of sport, sport ethics, and sport and religion. The organization will formally recognize him during the January 2026 national conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Among his many accomplishments, Twietmeyer authored “Fundamentals of Sports Ethics,” a widely used textbook now in its third edition.

Johnson receives two-state honor for empowering next generation of social workers
Mississippi State’s Jada Johnson is this year’s Mississippi Field Educator of the Year, earning the recognition at the 53rd annual Alabama-Mississippi Social Work Education Conference at Auburn University. The sociology instructor and Licensed Social Worker was nominated by Jackson State University Professor of Social Work Brian Anderson. “Over the years, I have witnessed the tremendous impact of Jada’s work at MSU and across Mississippi in advancing field education,” Anderson said. “It was an honor to nominate her for this because of her outstanding leadership, consistent commitment to student development and exceptional service to the profession at and beyond the state level. She consistently has created meaningful professional development opportunities for students, exemplifying why she deserved this.”

Bagley College opens Randy J. Cleveland Engineering Student Center
The Randy J. Cleveland Engineering Student Center, a state-of-the-art facility and new central hub for Bagley College of Engineering students at Mississippi State, was formally dedicated last month thanks to a generous gift from Randy Cleveland, a 1983 magna cum laude graduate in petroleum engineering, and Nina Cleveland. The Fort Worth, Texas, couple has a long history of supporting Mississippi State, with gifts that have benefited faculty, scholarships and student success initiatives across campus. “The Bagley College of Engineering is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in education, research and engagement thanks to the generous support of alumni and friends like Randy and Nina. We are blessed to have them in our Mississippi State family,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum.