Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Anna Davis, an 11-year-old who just finished fifth grade at Overstreet Elementary in Starkville, presents her painting of McCool Hall to MSU College of Business Dean Sharon Oswald and Department of Finance and Economics Department Head Michael Highfield. The painting will hang in the Department of Finance and Economics' re-modeled offices in McCool Hall. Davis worked on the painting every Thursday afternoon for approximately three months. She has been interested in painting since she was two years old and hopes to study art at MSU, including classes in McCool Hall that will help her learn the business side of art. PHOTO: Sadie Pierce

Price named 'Voice of the Bulldogs'
Learfield announced last Friday that Neil Price has been named Mississippi State's new "Voice of the Bulldogs" beginning with the 2017-18 athletic season. He will be relocating to the Starkville area from Lexington, Ky., where he was a member of the Kentucky Wildcats' UK Sports Network broadcast team for 12 years. "We are privileged to have one of the great broadcasting talents in the country join the MSU family," MSU Director of Athletics John Cohen said.

Krutz to lead Water Resources Research Institute
After a national search, a statewide water resources institute led by Mississippi State University has a new director. L. Jason Krutz will lead the Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute. Based on the campus of the 139-year-old, land-grant institution, MWRRI provides a coordinated research and development program to find solutions to water and water-related land use problems in the state and region.

Hamilton named interim director of DASI
Drew Hamilton has been named interim director of the Distributed Analytics and Security Institute at Mississippi State. David Dampier, the founding director of DASI, was recently named professor and interim chair of the Department of Information Systems and Cyber Security at the University of Texas-San Antonio. “We wish Dave the very best as he begins a new chapter in his professional life, and we certainly do appreciate his many contributions to Mississippi State’s nationally-recognized cybersecurity program,” Vice President for Research and Economic Development David Shaw said.

University partners with Entergy to improve electrical grid, boost reliability
Mississippi State University researchers and Entergy engineers are working together to improve the reliability of electrical systems that power the U.S. economy. Through its partnership with Entergy’s planning department, MSU’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems team is working to develop a load-serving capability tool and a relay settings automation tool, among other projects. “Because our research with Entergy has immediate application, we feel that consumers may realize improvements from the work, often without them even knowing it, much faster than most university research,” said CAVS Associate Director Mike Mazzola.

Mississippi, Alabama research administrators coming to campus in July
The Society of Research Administrators International Alabama-Mississippi Chapter will hold its annual meeting at Mississippi State University this summer. With a theme of "Research United," the newly expanded chapter will meet on the Starkville campus on July 21, and registration is now open.

Variety defines upcoming MSU Lyceum Series
A nostalgic trip down Abbey Road will open Mississippi State’s 2017-18 Lyceum Series. The university’s long-running performing arts program launches Sept. 12 with a concert titled “Cellophane Flowers: A Beatles Tribute.” “MSU’s Performing Arts Committee worked very hard this year to bring a variety of productions that will enhance the cultural opportunities available to the MSU and Starkville communities,” said Stephen Cunetto, committee chair and associate dean of MSU Libraries.

Volunteers needed for Service DAWGS Day 2017
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 registration for Service DAWGS Day 2017, MVNU2MSU, Back 2 School Bash, Boys & Girls Club summer garden, information about becoming a mentor to at-risk young people, reading tutors, communication partners, Habitat for Humanity home build, 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.

The Office of Public Affairs provides Maroon MEMO as a general information
resource for Mississippi State University employees.

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Planning for new Physician Assistant degree program at MSU-Meridian moves forward
The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning last week approved a Mississippi State University-Meridian proposal to plan a Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree program. MSU will become the first public institution in the state to offer the new program. Housed on MSU-Meridian’s Riley Campus in downtown Meridian, the program will prepare clinical practitioners to meet critical needs in rural healthcare.

Gulf Coast Community Design Studio-led project receives $100,000 Knight Cities Challenge grant
Mississippi State University’s Gulf Coast Community Design Studio is receiving a $100,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for a project that seeks to increase community engagement at the city of Biloxi’s primary recreation space. Titled “Witnessing the Beach,” the project is among 33 winners of the foundation’s Knight Cities Challenge, which is designed to help spur civic innovation at the city, neighborhood and block levels through ideas generated by innovators from around the country.

Clinical psychology doctoral program earns APA national accreditation
Now in its third year, Mississippi State’s clinical psychology doctoral program has been granted a five-year term of accreditation from the American Psychological Association’s Commission on Accreditation. In receiving the accreditation news, MSU President Mark E. Keenum commended psychology students and faculty for their efforts that “not only bring credit to the Department of Psychology, but to the entire university as well.” Michael R. Nadorff, MSU assistant professor of psychology and director of clinical training, said gaining accreditation is “a tremendous outcome for this new program and is extremely important for our students for multiple reasons.”