Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Bill Kibler, left, swears in MSU's new police chief Vance Rice during a ceremony July 25. Rice is a veteran law enforcement professional with nearly 25 years at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. PHOTO: Megan Bean | Public Affairs

Campus to welcome new, returning Bulldogs
Mississippi State will welcome thousands of new and returning students Saturday as they begin moving into campus residence halls. The Department of Housing and Residence Life is sponsoring the ninth annual Movin' You to MSU or "MVNU2MSU" day, which marks the opening of all residence halls for the fall semester. Ann Bailey, director of housing and residence life, said the day marks a major university event and an important tradition in the life of MSU as it signals the beginning of a new academic year.

SOAR presents grant for Rural Schools Initiative
Mississippi State will use a new $10,000 grant from the Starkville Oktibbeha Achieving Results community foundation to help create an on-campus outreach center focused on rural education. David Shaw, the university's vice president for research and economic development, said SOAR's generous contribution will be instrumental in helping the university address "our city, county and state's tremendous educational challenges, needs and opportunities."

Lyceum season ticket sales underway
An Aug. 20 concert by country music legend Merle Haggard will kick off Mississippi State's 2014-15 Lyceum Series season in newly renovated Lee Hall. Season-ticket renewal sales take place July 1-July 18. With the return of the full venue and reserved seating, season ticket holders again may reclaim seats reserved in the 2011-12 season.

Sign up now for Service Dawgs Day
The Maroon Volunteer Center at Mississippi State details a number of volunteer opportunities for the campus community in its current newsletter, including Service Dawgs Day, Oak Hall move-out day, and much more.

MSU Riley Center announces fall/winter series
The MSU Riley Center’s 2014/2015 Fall/Winter Performing Arts Series offers an amazing lineup of talent for music lovers of every age and taste. The series will showcase a wide array of performances in a beautiful historic setting, providing audiences with musical and theatrical experiences unlike any other.

Distance Education's 'Lunch & Learn' to return
The Center for Distance Education at Mississippi State University again will host its popular Lunch & Learn series this fall. The series opens on Sept. 17 with "MSU Distance Students: Looking at Online Programs from Their Perspective."

Register today for CERT half-marathon, 5K
The Community Emergency Response Team at Mississippi State is hosting The Preparathon -- a half-marathon, 5K, half-mile family fun run and Emergency Preparedness Fair -- in mid-October. Proceeds from the races will benefit the Oktibbeha County Volunteer Fire Departments, OSERVS and the Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services.

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.

Keenum to give Seaman A. Knapp Memorial Lecture
Sonny Ramaswamy, director of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, announced July 30 that Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State University, will present the 2014 Seaman A. Knapp Memorial Lecture in memory of "The Father of Extension," Nov. 2 in Orlando at the annual meeting of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. Knapp's success as a national leader of the Farm and Home Demonstration System helped bring about the Smith-Lever Act of 1914, which resulted in the creation of the Cooperative Extension Service in every state.

Blackbourn elected president of MACTE
A senior Mississippi State administrator is beginning a two-year term as president of the Mississippi Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Richard L. Blackbourn, who has led the university's College of Education since 2005, previously served seven years on MACTE's executive board and two years as its president-elect. A Mississippi State alumnus, Blackbourn has more than 30 years in the profession.

Goldman returns as men's golf assistant coach
One of the most-accomplished Mississippi State golfers in program history is returning home as Noah Goldman has been named the Bulldogs’ assistant coach, head coach Clay Homan announced last week. Goldman heads back to Starkville after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the men’s and women’s programs at NCAA Division II Nova Southeastern.