Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

The newly installed brick pathway with inscribed paving stones gleams in the sun outside the north entrance to Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi State plays Kentucky in Lexington on Saturday before returning home on Nov. 1 to host Arkansas. PHOTO: Keats Haupt | Public Affairs

Thames named Riley conference sales manager
The MSU Riley Center has named Michele Thames, a longtime Meridian executive with a strong background in business development, event planning, and sales and marketing, as its new conference sales manager. Dennis Sankovich, executive director of the Riley Center, said Thames’ position is a very important one because the center solicits and attracts meetings and conventions from around the state and the region as well as from Meridian and Lauderdale County.

Deadline for teaching excellence awards extended
Mississippi State University faculty who are interested in submitting applications for the 2015 Grisham Master Teacher Award, the Alumni Association Early Career Teaching Excellence Award or the Alumni Association Graduate Teaching Excellence Award have until Oct. 27 to do so.

International working group grant program opens
The International Institute is requesting proposals from faculty and research and Extension staff interested in creating interdisciplinary, cross-college international working groups at Mississippi State. The main goal of this competitive program is to encourage interdisciplinary international research. A secondary goal of the program is to expand and catalyze established international partnerships.

MSU-Meridian downtown career center opens
Meridian native Heather Richardson Woodall is the new senior coordinator in Mississippi State University-Meridian's Career Center. Julia Hodges, MSU associate vice president for academic affairs and co-interim dean at MSU-Meridian, gave a special thanks to Career Center director Scott Maynard "for working to make this happen," adding, "We encourage our MSU-Meridian students and graduates, as well as any MSU graduates in the Meridian area, to take advantage of the opportunity to work with Heather."

Institute created to aid community development
A New York-based think tank has designated the Mississippi State University Extension Service an Intelligent Community Institute, the second of its kind in the country. Roberto Gallardo, an associate Extension professor at MSU and the MSU institute’s director, said Mississippi will become a focal point for a worldwide effort designed to capitalize on the many opportunities and challenges rural communities face when transitioning to and planning for the digital economy. The goal of the partnership between MSU and the Intelligent Community Forum is to help rural communities thrive.

MSU Foundation's 2015 calendar sale underway
The 2015 Mississippi State hanging wall calendar is now available from the MSU Foundation. This window to MSU features a sleek, modern design, with 13 beautiful campus scenes. Featuring images by the university's own award-winning photographers, it's truly a one-of-a-kind treasure.

Staff Council to hold annual jacket sale
Staff Council at Mississippi State University will hold its annual jacket sale in November with special area pre-orders accepted until Oct. 24. The jackets are available for all MSU staff to purchase. The gray jacket features a quarter or full zip, front pockets and open hem with shock-cord drawstring and MSU Staff Logo. All jacket sizes are $30 each.

Health plan to see tobacco use changes in 2015
Human Resources Management at Mississippi State reminds all benefits-eligible MSU employees enrolled in the State and School Employees' Health Plan that they were recently mailed a current "Know Your Benefits" newsletter from the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration. One of the important changes DFA's board of directors approved is a new $50 per month Tobacco Use Surcharge beginning July 1, 2015.

Reduce the spread of germs to avoid enterovirus, flu
Enterovirus-68 is making headlines and drawing attention to the importance of taking precautions even before cold and flu season arrives. David Buys, health specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said preventing the spread of germs is key in protecting public health. Buys said frequent hand washing is essential in reducing the spread of germs.

Hygiene key to avoiding Ebola, Wan says
Prospective travelers may feel concerned about the recent confirmed diagnosis of Ebola virus disease both in North America and in the United States. People should remain cautious, according to a leading viral disease authority at Mississippi State University. "Hygiene is very important," said Dr. Henry Wan, associate professor of systems biology in MSU's College of Veterinary Medicine.

USDA grant will direct Extension disaster efforts
A new grant will enable Mississippi State University Extension Service leaders to refine the organization’s efforts to help communities prepare for and recover from disasters. Paula Threadgill, associate Extension director, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture is funding part of a study that will enable Extension to conduct assessments across the state. MSU Extension is matching the $115,500 grant.

Volunteer with MVC and help end hunger
The Maroon Volunteer Center at Mississippi State details a number of volunteer opportunities for the campus community in its newsletter this week. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to make a difference by volunteering this fall.

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.

This Week in Mississippi State Sports, 10/20/14
Women's Golf hosts the Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational in West Point Monday through Wednesday... Soccer is on the road to Auburn on Thursday for a 6 p.m. game against the Tigers, and then hosts Arkansas at the MSU Soccer Field on Sunday at 7 p.m.... Volleyball travels to Columbia on Friday for a 6 p.m. match against South Carolina, and then visits Gainesville on Sunday for a 12:30 p.m. match with the Gators... Football is on the road to Lexington for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff against Kentucky on Saturday... Men's Golf opens play at The Grove Intercollegiate in College Grove, Tenn., on Sunday.

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Miller wins national fashion design awards
Designing, dyeing, knitting and teaching are Phyllis Miller's passions. As a university professor in Mississippi State's School of Human Sciences, she creates clothes for herself, and they're earning major national recognitions. Her internationally influenced domestic designs feature bright colors, bold patterns and skillful knitting. "When the university has people in national and international exhibitions (such as AAFCS), people start to look at and say 'Mississippi State is a design school,'" she said.

Thompson named National Assistant Coach of Year
Mississippi State baseball associate head coach Butch Thompson has been named the 2014 Baseball America and American Baseball Coaches Association National Assistant Coach of the Year, both organizations announced last week. Thompson is the first assistant coach in Mississippi State history to win the award and the first from the Southeastern Conference since 2011.

Governor's Arts Award honors MSU Riley Center
Mississippi State's Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts is receiving a 2015 Governor's Arts Award given annually by the Mississippi Arts Commission. "The Riley Center for the Performing Arts is such a treasure in Meridian and the east central Mississippi/west Alabama region," said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. "As we grow MSU-Meridian's vital Riley Campus, winning the Governor's Award ranks as a tremendous honor for both the Riley Foundation and our university."

MSU Extension Forestry wins national award
Longtime outreach efforts by the Mississippi State University Extension Service’s forestry department received significant attention when it won a national award. MSU Extension Forestry won the 2014 Family Forests Education Award presented by the National Woodland Owners Association and the National Association of University Forest Resources Programs. George Hopper, dean of the MSU College of Forest Resources, accepted the award Oct. 8 at the Society of American Foresters national convention in Salt Lake City.