Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Waverly Oakley, left, MSU Libraries building services coordinator, and BJ Ervick, production director for Brooklyn-based Studio EIS, install one of four life-size Ulysses S. Grant statues recently at the Grant Presidential Library. The 21,000-square-foot, $10-million addition to MSU's Mitchell Memorial Library housing the Grant Presidential Library and the Williams Collection of Lincolniana will be unveiled during a Nov. 30 celebration. PHOTO: Megan Bean | Public Affairs

MSU Extension program wins national award
A program designed to teach early childhood teachers and center directors how to provide a safe and clean environment for young children recently received national recognition. The National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences selected the Healthy Homes for Child Care program, developed by the Mississippi State University Extension Service, as the Southern Region winner and a national winner in the Clean and Healthy Families and Communities category.

Leffler, Skelton among new Mississippi Education Policy Fellows
Eighteen teachers and administrators are new selections for the Mississippi Education Policy Fellowship Program. One of 13 in the U.S., the Magnolia State organization is a collaboration among Mississippi State University’s John C. Stennis Institute of Government and Community Development, Research and Curriculum Unit and Office of Research and Economic Development. The new class includes Mississippi State's Jeffrey Leffler and Brad Skelton.

Faculty, staff feedback wanted for research priorities
Vice President for Research and Economic Development David Shaw invites faculty and staff to share their thoughts, ideas, concerns and suggestions for Mississippi State's research priorities by visiting https://w.msstate.edu/research-focus-areas/priorities/index.php. The survey is open through Nov. 17.

New opportunities with the 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 Socktober, Boys & Girls Club, Project CLASS mentors, Make A Difference Day 2017, MSU Community Garden, Habitat for Humanity home build, Emerson's Fresh Start Garden, 3rd Annual Trail 5K Glow Run, Old Main Art Gallery volunteers, 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, 10/30/17
Men's Basketball hosts West Florida for an exhibition on Thursday at 7 p.m. ... Women's Basketball hosts Arkansas-Fort Smith for an exhibition at 6 p.m. on Friday ... Volleyball visits Athens on Friday for a 6 p.m. match against Georgia, and then travels to Oxford on Sunday to face Ole Miss at 1:30 p.m. ... Women's Golf starts play Friday at the 2017 Battle at the Beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico ... Football hosts UMass for an 11 a.m. kickoff on Saturday ... Softball hosts Southern Miss on Sunday for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.

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Zhang named Chemist of the Year
A senior member of the Mississippi State Department of Chemistry has been named Chemist of the Year by the Mississippi Section of the American Chemical Society. Dongmao Zhang, an associate professor of chemistry, received the prestigious award last week during the 2017 state’s ACS banquet on the campus of Mississippi College in Clinton. “This [distinction] came as a pleasant surprise,” Zhang said. “This is an honor I have to share with the graduate and undergraduate researchers in my group, and my colleagues in the Department of Chemistry at MSU.”

Martindale now leading MSU education department
A veteran Tennessee teacher and researcher is the new head of Mississippi State’s instructional systems and workforce development department. Trey Martindale comes to the Starkville university after 12 years at the University of Memphis, where he was an associate professor of instruction and curriculum leadership and a Fellow of the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. He succeeds Connie M. Forde, who retired from the College of Education unit earlier this year.

Crocker completes National Emergency Management Basic Academy
Mississippi State University’s emergency manager is among the first class in the state to complete the National Emergency Management Basic Academy. Brent Crocker graduated earlier this month with more than 30 other participants from across Mississippi after completing four intensive weeks of study. “Safety and security are top priority for Mississippi State, and Brent’s participation in this critical training will help him as he continues to evaluate and update the university’s emergency management plan,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Regina Hyatt.

New Grisham Master Teacher encourages faculty to be ‘connoisseurs of education’
Mississippi State University Associate Professor Joanne E. Beriswill said the best teacher finds ways to motivate and engage students throughout the learning process. An eight-year faculty member in the Department of Instructional Systems and Workforce Development, Beriswill told faculty members “we’re all teachers in different ways” during her presentation last week in Mitchell Memorial Library as MSU’s newest John Grisham Master Teacher.