Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Coach Vann Stuedeman and the Mississippi State softball team opened the 2016 season last week in the new $6.4-million Nusz Park, which carries the name of alumni couple Tommy and Terri Nusz of Houston, Texas. PHOTO: Kelly Price | MSU Athletics

SPA here to help with proposal development
Sponsored Programs Administration and the Office of Research and Economic Development at Mississippi State University are committed to helping faculty find the resources needed to support research endeavors. Recognizing that not all faculty members have departmental support for proposal development, SPA is working to provide this support as needed.

Maroon Institute for Writing Excellence sign-up open
The Maroon & Write QEP Office at Mississippi State will offer the Maroon Institute for Writing Excellence in May. The program is designed to introduce writing-to-learn strategies for use in the classroom. During this three-week interactive workshop, participants will receive guidance in revising syllabi and creating relevant writing assignments.

Spirit of State nominations, applications wanted
Applications and nominations are now being accepted for the 11th-annual Spirit of State awards. These awards are open to all Mississippi State students from all campuses and recognize excellence in campus involvement; service to the university community; actions that promote the Spirit of State; and overall impact on peers and the broader campus community.

Nominations wanted for Powe, research awards
The nomination period is now open for Mississippi State University's 2016 Research Awards and the Ralph E. Powe Research Excellence Award. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to submit nominations for this year's program. Recipients will be honored during a special luncheon at the Hunter Henry Center on April 28.

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, privacy and more.

This Week in Mississippi State Sports, 02/15/16
Basketball hosts Vanderbilt at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, and then is on the road to Tuscaloosa on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. tipoff with Alabama... Women's Basketball hosts Kentucky on Thursday at 6 p.m., and then visits Oxford for a 4 p.m. tipoff against Ole Miss on Sunday... Track & Field competes Friday and Saturday at the Meyo Invite in South Bend, Indiana... Women's Tennis plays UAB at 2 p.m. on Friday and Samford on Saturday at noon in Birmingham... Baseball hosts Florida Atlantic at 4:30 p.m. on Friday and South Dakota in a Saturday doubleheader beginning at noon and on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ... Softball visits Mobile to play South Alabama at 5 p.m. on Friday, Southern Miss at 1:30 p.m. and SIU-Edwardsville at 6 p.m. on Saturday, and Samford at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday... Men's Tennis plays Tulane in New Orleans at 1 p.m. on Saturday... Women's Golf starts play Sunday at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate in New Orleans.

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New CD features Baker's percussion talents
A Mississippi State music faculty member is releasing an album of works for percussion solo. Titled “Midsummer Songbook,” the CD from associate professor Jason Baker features five songs performed with marimba and vibraphone, among other instruments. Recorded last fall in the university’s McComas Hall auditorium, the collection was engineered by computer specialist Cary Huser of MSU’s High Performance Computing Collaboratory, with assistance from senior music/instrumental major Kevin R. West.

Concert to feature premiere of choral anthem
Mississippi State’s choral department will present its annual concert “Reflect and Rejoice: Celebrating African American History through Music” in observance of Black History Month. The piece was commissioned by Karen Murphy, coordinator of collaborative piano at MSU, in honor of Anita George, MSU professor emerita of curriculum and instruction, for her life’s work in race reconciliation in Mississippi, in the U.S. and abroad, as well as in the Episcopal Church.

SSRC Public Health Fellow to begin new journey
Delta Public Health Fellow M. Maya McDoom ended her tenure at the Social Science Research Center at Mississippi State in January to begin work as a postdoctoral researcher at Johns Hopkins University’s Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research. “Dr. McDoom has had an exceptionally productive program of post-doctoral studies at MSU and her work will have lasting impact," SSRC Director Arthur Cosby said.