Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Mississippi State's fourth annual online giving event will take place on Monday and Tuesday [April 10-11]. For 2017, MSU’s goal is to raise more than 1,000 donations for areas across campus over a 48-hour period and paint the nation’s map Bulldog maroon. The event is powered by social media through #DawgsDigDonors with the collaboration of university alumni, students, parents, friends, faculty and staff.

Mixon wins prestigious international design award
Mississippi State University graphic design professor Jamie Burwell Mixon is being honored with a HOW International Design Award for her Mumford & Sons concert poster. Sponsored annually by HOW magazine, the International Design Award competition recognizes excellence on a global scale. Mixon is one of 292 recipients selected from over 1,000 entries submitted from around the world.

MSU alumna to lead the College of Arts and Sciences admissions efforts
Hannah Bateman, a graduate of Mississippi State's Department of Communication, is the newly appointed admissions coordinator for the College of Arts and Sciences. The Columbus, Mississippi, native received her Bachelor of Arts degree in communication with a concentration in public relations in spring 2016. Nicole Rader, the interim associate dean for academic affairs, said that Bateman’s education and experience gives her the perfect skill set for this position.

DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Suzanne Creely
As someone passionate about serving others, working for the Mississippi State University Extension Service couldn’t be a better fit for Suzanne Creely. Since August 1999, she has worked as an office associate for the MSU Extension Service’s Mississippi Boll Weevil Management Corporation. “All of the data that comes from the traps set in cotton fields comes to me,” she said. “Other than organizing and analyzing that data, I assist with other office duties, such as answering the phone and making copies.”

DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Jana Morgan
For technology savvy Jana Morgan, working as VetView Coordinator for the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine Diagnostic Lab is a perfect fit. After graduating from Louisiana Tech University in 2001 with an Animal Science degree, she worked for Monsanto on a research farm in Stoneville for 2 years. Her MSU career started in 2003 at the Poultry Research and Diagnostic Lab. Currently, Jana is the main coordinator for the VetView program with the Mississippi Veterinary Research Diagnostic Laboratory and Poultry Research Diagnostic Laboratory.

Arts and Sciences recognizes faculty for outstanding achievements
Each year the College of Arts and Sciences at Mississippi State recognizes faculty for outstanding achievements in the areas of teaching and research. Additionally, each spring the dean recognizes faculty who have made lasting impact to the college and the university.

Policy addresses employee political activity
With local 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. MSU employees are encouraged to review the policy in its entirety and to understand their rights and responsibilities.

LEAP program now accepting applications
The 2017 Leadership Excellence for Accomplished Professionals (LEAP) program at Mississippi State is now accepting applications. The goal and purpose of LEAP is to empower new supervisors and extremely high performing professional staff with a heightened self-awareness, advanced knowledge, and value-added leadership in a secure, but challenging environment. As a result of the program, participants increase the capacity to lead themselves, other individuals, and a university unit or organization.

Mississippi Chapter of the Fulbright Association celebrates formation at MSU
Fulbright alumni and friends in Mississippi now have a statewide organization to help promote and advance the flagship international exchange program. The Mississippi Chapter of the Fulbright Association hosted a kick-off event March 31 to celebrate its formation at The Mill at MSU Conference Center. Richard Nader, MSU associate vice president for international programs and executive director of the International Institute, helped organize the Mississippi chapter.

New opportunities with Maroon Volunteer Center
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 Get Ready to Run, Canoe Day at the Noxubee Refuge, MSU Community Garden Service Days, Starkville Manor Prom Throwback, Operation Gratitude, Habitat for Humanity, 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, privacy and more.

This Week in Mississippi State Sports, 04/10/17
Baseball hosts Mississippi Valley State at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and then visits Columbia with games against South Carolina on Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. ... Track & Field competes at the Mt. Sac Relays and the South Alabama Invite this week ... Men's Tennis plays Florida in Gainesville on Friday at 4 p.m. and South Carolina in Columbia at noon on Sunday ... Softball is on the road to Athens for games against Georgia on Friday at 5 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. ... Women's Tennis plays Ole Miss in Oxford at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

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.

President's Commission on the Status of Women Award selections announced
Mississippi State is honoring six individuals with 2017 President's Commission on the Status of Women awards. During a ceremony last week, the MSU President’s Commission on the Status of Women recognized Nelle Cohen, Margaret Khaitsa, Yvett Roby, Kelli Russell, Elizabeth M. “Betty” Thomas and Emily S. Turner. MSU President Mark E. Keenum presented the prestigious awards at the ceremony held in the university’s Griffis Hall.

Chambers receives SEC Faculty Achievement Award
Janice E. Chambers of Mississippi State is among winners of the 2017 Southeastern Conference Faculty Achievement Award. A William L. Giles Distinguished Professor of Veterinary Medicine, Chambers is one of 14 university professionals announced recently by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. Chambers is a longtime member of the College of Veterinary Medicine faculty who already holds major international commendations as a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology and Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences.

New chemistry department head announced
Veteran chemist and researcher Dennis Smith is the new head of Mississippi State University’s Department of Chemistry. His position as the leader of the College of Arts and Sciences’ department will begin July 1, pending formal approval by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning. “Dr. Smith is widely known in both academic and industry circles for his research in polymeric materials and composites,” said Rick Travis, interim dean of MSU’s College of Arts and Sciences. “We anticipate that he will host partnerships with researchers on campus and in the private sector.”

Lemley chosen for major regional recognition
An animal physiology specialist at Mississippi State is receiving a major honor from the Southern Section of the American Society of Animal Science. Assistant Professor Caleb Lemley is this year’s selection for the professional organization’s Outstanding Young Animal Scientist in Research Award. A faculty member in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences and researcher with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Lemley recently accepted the honor from the ASAS unit whose members represent Mississippi and 14 other states in the region, along with parts of Mexico and the Caribbean.