Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Anthony Craven, news director of campus radio station WMSV-FM (91.1), sits at the controls last Wednesday preparing the morning newscast. WMSV broadcast continuously throughout the recent holiday break, including its popular afternoon call-in show, Southeastern Drive Time. PHOTO: Beth Newman | University Relations

Donaldson honored for research
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that each year some 48 million Americans get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases. Research is the important first step in working to decrease these numbers, which is why Mississippi State faculty member Janet R. Donaldson is earning a prestigious award for her work with foodborne illness-causing bacteria.

14 graduate from staff development program
Fourteen Mississippi State University staff members graduated from the 2011 Learning Experience for Aspiring Professionals program Dec. 8. Jerry Gilbert, provost and executive vice president, delivered the welcome at the graduation celebration held in the Colvard Student Union Foster Ballroom.

ORED announces cross-college grant recipients
A mini-grant program funded by the Office of Research and Economic Development at Mississippi State is back for a second year after a productive launch to the program last fall. The 40 cross-college grants are bringing together researchers from around campus and across disciplines to foster collaboration.

Hargrove, Murphy part of Guest Artist Recital
A free Guest Artist Recital this week at Mississippi State will feature visiting operatic tenor Jonathan Price and university faculty members Karen Murphy (photo) and Nancy Hargrove. The 7:30 p.m. Thursday program in the Robert and Freda Harrison Auditorium of the Giles Architecture Building will include English composer Benjamin Britten's "Winter Words" set to Thomas Hardy's poetry.

Starkville/MSU Symphony begins 2012 season
The Starkville/Mississippi State University Symphony Orchestra kicks off 2012 with a Jan. 21 concert dedicated to parents of the performing musicians. The free 7:30 p.m. program in historic Lee Hall's Bettersworth Auditorium will celebrate the music of Mozart. MSU clarinet instructor Sheri Falcone will be featured on the famous Mozart Clarinet Concerto.

Diversity Award nomination period opens
The President's Commission on the Status of Minorities is accepting nominations for the 2012 MSU Diversity Awards. The annual awards program is designed to recognize individuals and teams of individuals who have demonstrated a significant commitment to enhancing diversity at Mississippi State University.

Registration open for February PERS workshop
Human Resources Management at Mississippi State is sponsoring a Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) workshop on Feb. 29, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Bost Extension Center on the Starkville campus. The workshop is free for university employees, but pre-registration is required.

Athletic website changes name to HailState.com
Mississippi State fans looking for the latest news and exclusive content on the Bulldogs should now point their web browsers or mobile devices to HailState.com. The new official web address for Mississippi State Athletics was launched last Wednesday.

This Week in Mississippi State Sports, 01/09/12
Men's Basketball hosts Tennessee on Thursday at 8 p.m., in a game that will be broadcast by ESPN2, and then hosts Alabama at 3 p.m. on Saturday, which will be televised by the SEC Network... Women's Basketball plays Alabama on the road Thursday in an 8 p.m. game on CSS-TV, and then hosts Georgia at 2 p.m. Sunday... Track & Field travels to Birmingham for the UAB Invitational on Thursday and the Alabama Invitational on Saturday... Men's Tennis plays Santa Barbara in Honolulu at 2 p.m. on Friday and Hawaii on Saturday at 2 p.m.

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Winter to keynote MLK Jr. Unity Breakfast Jan. 16
The Mississippi governor considered to be among the most progressive state leaders of the 20th century is the keynote speaker Monday, Jan. 16 for Mississippi State's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast. The 7-9 a.m. public event with William F. Winter takes place in the Bill Foster Ballroom of the university's Colvard Student Union.

Maroon Volunteer Center: Making dream come true
Mississippi State's Maroon Volunteer Center reminds faculty and staff that there are a number of service events paying tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy this Thursday through Monday in the local community.

Cunetto joins MSU development staff
The College of Education is welcoming an alumna as its new director of development. A 1986 elementary education graduate, Trish Ashmore Cunetto of Starkville officially joined the MSU Foundation fundraising team last Tuesday following an accomplished career in the classroom. A Columbus native, she has been a public school teacher for 25 years.

Threadgill named interim 4-H leader
An administrator with almost 20 years of experience as an Extension educator at Mississippi State University is serving as interim head of the Extension service's statewide youth program. Paula Threadgill will lead the Department of 4-H Youth Development, pending final approval.