Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

MSU President Mark E. Keenum and Director of Health Promotion and Wellness Joyce Yates joined students, faculty and staff for a walk around the Drill Field last week as part of MSU on the Move, a campus-wide health initiative funded by a grant from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation. PHOTO: Russ Houston | Public Affairs

MSU secures 7th-straight bowl bid
Mississippi State football is going bowling for a school-record seventh straight year. The Bulldogs officially accepted an invitation Sunday to play Miami (Ohio) in the St. Petersburg Bowl on Dec. 26. "On behalf of everyone at Mississippi State, we are excited to accept a bowl invitation for a school-record seventh straight year," MSU Director of Athletics John Cohen said.

Fall graduation parking, traffic flow details announced
Parking Services at Mississippi State University is preparing for fall commencement on the Starkville campus, which takes place Friday at 7 p.m. Greg Sankey, Southeastern Conference commissioner, will deliver the commencement address. More than 1,370 MSU students are candidates for degrees. Graduates from the summer term also are eligible to participate in the program.

MSU calendars, holiday cards on sale now
The 2017 Mississippi State University hanging wall calendar and holiday cards are now on sale. The MSU calendar 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. There are also two holiday card options this year debuting original artwork by Mississippi State alumni.

'Tis the season to volunteer with the MVC
The Maroon Volunteer Center at Mississippi State details a number of volunteer opportunities for the campus community on its website and in its newsletter this week, including 2016 Guide to Holiday Giving, MVC End of the Semester Food Drive, Almost Like Home Christmas Dinner, Salvation Army Red Kettle bell ringers, and more.

White papers sought for NASA EPSCoR funding
The Mississippi jurisdiction may submit two proposals to the 2017 NASA EPSCoR program for three years of funding for a maximum $750,000 per award, or roughly $250,000 a year. This announcement is to solicit a two-page white paper from potential proposers at Mississippi universities. Two of these papers will be selected by the Mississippi Research Consortium for development into a full proposal to this NASA EPSCoR program. The deadline for white papers is Jan. 6, 2017, at 5 p.m.

Registration open for SEC Academic Conference
Registration is open for the 2017 SEC Academic Conference to be hosted by Mississippi State University March 27-28. The new academic event focused on SEC university research collaboration will examine “The Future of Water: Regional Collaboration on Shared Climate, Coastlines, and Watersheds.” For complete conference details, visit www.secconference.msstate.edu.

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, 12/05/16
Women's Basketball visits Hattiesburg on Saturday for a 2 p.m. tipoff against Southern Miss.

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Hyatt elected to APLU Student Affairs Executive Committee
A top Mississippi State University administrator has been elected to serve on the Association of Public Land-Grant Universities’ Council on Student Affairs Executive Committee. Regina Young Hyatt, MSU vice president for Student Affairs, will serve a three-year term on the CSA, an APLU operational council. “To have an opportunity to contribute to the student affairs profession at institutions that are like Mississippi State University and to learn from my outstanding colleagues around the U.S. is truly exciting,” she said.

Thompson receives New York Academy of Medicine grant
An assistant professor in Mississippi State’s Department of History is receiving a prestigious research grant that will take her to the Big Apple next summer. Courtney E. Thompson, who specializes in the history of U.S. women, science and medicine, has been named a 2017 recipient of the New York Academy of Medicine’s Audrey and William H. Helfand Fellowship in the History of Medicine and Public Health.

Tougaloo names Fisher 'Forty Under Forty'
Melody Fisher, an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Mississippi State, was inducted into the Tougaloo College Forty Under Forty inaugural class this fall. The award recognizes the accomplishments of 40 remarkable graduates under the age of 40 who have made outstanding contributions in their chosen careers.