Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Roses bloom in front of the Colvard Student Union and across from the YMCA Building. PHOTO: Keats Haupt | Public Affairs

Bullington receives BCoE Online Teaching Award
An industrial and systems engineering professor has earned recognition for distance education. Stan Bullington accepted the 2014 Excellence in Online Teaching Award last month at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point. Bullington began teaching online classes in 1990. Since that time, he has taught 53 sections of distance courses. He also contributes to the distance programs by serving as a student adviser.

Galaty shares major book award
In 2013, Michael Galaty and a cross-discipline group of colleagues produced a book titled "Light and Shadow: Isolation and Interaction in the Shala Valley of Northern Albania." The head of MSU's Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures directed the project and served as the publication's chief editor. The 272-page book recently was honored with the Society for American Archaeology's Book Award in the Scholarly Category.

Corbin finds her field in rice
Jennifer Corbin is one of a kind. A Mississippi State University research associate at the Delta Research and Extension Center, Corbin is the only female rice researcher at the Stoneville center and the most senior on her project. In fact, she’s the station’s only female research associate in field crops.

DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Crissy Hathcock
In her role as the assistant director of financial services, Crissy Hathcock helps make financial decisions for the Mississippi State University College of Forest Resources and the MSU Forest and Wildlife Research Center. Although overseeing the finances keeps her constantly busy, Hathcock said she enjoys each work day because she gets to work with a great team of people.

DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Nikki LaCoss
As an animal health technician for the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Nikki LaCoss gets to turn her passion for animals into a career while helping veterinary students learn the ropes. LaCoss said it is rewarding to see the students complete their educations and succeed in the field of veterinary medicine. “I think one of the best things about my job is watching the students go on to do their residencies and become board-certified surgeons,” she said.

Policy addresses employee political activity
With political campaigning underway this year, Mississippi State's Office of General Counsel reminds employees to be aware of the university's policy on political activities. There are several basic guidelines that university employees should keep in mind when engaging in any form of political activity.

Take advantage of summer volunteer opportunities
The Maroon Volunteer Center at Mississippi State details a number of volunteer opportunities for the campus community in its current newsletter, including Starkville Community Market, Habitat for Humanity, Camp Rising Sun, the View Summer Camp and more.

Policy reminders from University Health Services
University Health Services at Mississippi State reminds the campus community of several important policies for its patients to keep in mind when seeking treatment, parking, refilling a prescription online, and privacy.

The Office of Public Affairs provides Maroon MEMO as a general information
resource for Mississippi State University employees.

Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.

APS awards fellowship to Afanasjev
Mississippi State physics professor Anatoli Afanasjev is one of 13 newly appointed Fellows of the American Physical Society's Division of Nuclear Physics. Afanasjev said his curiosity about how the universe is built drives his professional interest in theoretical nuclear physics. On campus, he received the 2010 State Pride Award, the 2012 James W. Bagley Faculty Award and the 2014 College of Art and Sciences Research Award.

Green earns re-appointment to USDA policy group
Mississippi State University faculty member Rita W. Green will serve another year on a key policymaking board for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack reappointed Green, an assistant professor of consumer economics in the School of Human Sciences, to the National Agricultural Research Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board. She will represent national consumer interests.

Silva named an international fellow
A Mississippi State University food science professor has been named a fellow in an international professional organization. Juan L. Silva, a professor in the MSU Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion, was honored by the Institute of Food Technologists, an international organization that strives to advance food science and technology in more than 100 countries.