Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

MSU Athletics Director John Cohen, President Mark E. Keenum and MSU’s 28-0 SEC Champion women’s basketball team join Head Coach Vic Schaefer in receiving and celebrating the SEC Championship trophy Sunday afternoon after a 76-55 win over Texas A&M.

Buehring honored at MSU producer meeting
Normie Buehring has plans for the 2018 trial crops at the Northeast Mississippi Branch Experiment Station, and he’s not even going to be there to see their harvest later this year. The research professor with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station is retiring in April after 45 years of service to Mississippi State University and the state’s grain crop producers. “Normie is a man growers appreciate and respect,” said Reuben Moore, interim associate vice president of the MSU Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine.

McMurray, Fountain to represent MSU as 2018 HEADWAE honorees
The Mississippi State Student Association and Faculty Senate presidents will represent the university next week during the 31st annual HEADWAE (Higher Education Appreciation Day-Working for Academic Excellence) program. Tyler McMurray, a senior animal and dairy science major from Brandon, and Brent Fountain, an associate Extension professor of food science, nutrition and health promotion, will travel to Jackson Tuesday for the event. In addition to representing MSU, both also represent the university’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Winer recognized by leading international psychological organization
The creator of a nationally recognized laboratory in Mississippi State University’s Department of Psychology is being recognized as an APS Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science. Licensed psychologist and assistant professor E. Samuel “Sam” Winer joins approximately 180 “outstanding psychological scientists in the earliest stages of their research career post-Ph.D. whose innovative work has already advanced the field and signals great potential for their continued contributions,” according to APS.

Classics of all kinds highlight MSU Riley Center spring/summer series
Classics will rule the stage as the MSU Riley Center presents its 2018 Spring/Summer Performing Arts Series, starting April 14 with a concert by the powerhouse rock band Jefferson Starship. “Each of our performers and productions in the Spring/Summer Series has, in some exceptional way, stood the test of time,” said Dennis Sankovich, the Riley Center’s executive director. “What better fit could we have for our Victorian gem of a theater? It made its grand debut in 1890, regained its youthful vigor in 2006, thanks to a loving restoration, and has since inspired the ongoing revival of Meridian’s historic downtown.”

College of Business to host Mid-South Management Research Consortium
Mississippi State University’s College of Business will showcase its internationally recognized family business research by hosting the 2018 Mid-South Management Research Consortium this week. The two-day [Feb. 23-24] conference will mark the second time MSU has hosted the consortium, during which faculty from institutions across the South will present their management research. MSU management faculty Laura Marler and James Vardaman are co-organizers of the conference.

Nominations wanted for Powe, research awards
The nomination period is now open for Mississippi State University's 2018 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 16 at 11:30 a.m. The awards program is sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development and the Office of the Vice President for Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine.

Nomination period open for 2018 PCSW Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2018 PCSW Awards, sponsored by the President's Commission on the Status of Women at Mississippi State. These awards recognize those who are advocates for the well-being, development and advancement of all women on the university's campuses and the surrounding communities. Nominations will be accepted from or on behalf of qualified nominees with notable achievements in promoting the status of women, regardless of the sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation of those nominees.

PCSM now accepting nominations for 2018 MSU Diversity Awards
The President's Commission on the Status of Minorities is accepting nominations for the 2018 MSU Diversity Awards. The annual awards program is designed to recognize individuals and teams of individuals who have demonstrated a significant commitment to enhancing diversity at Mississippi State University or within the community. Nomination packets are due no later than 5 p.m. on March 9.

Maroon Goes Green: Recycling reminders
Mississippi State University currently recycles an average of 60,400 pounds per month. The campus-wide sustainability initiative "Maroon Goes Green" is continuing its efforts to increase recycling awareness and participation among the campus community. Custodial staff members continue to be an integral part of this process and are committed to helping us increase our recycling numbers. To reduce contamination of recyclables, the Office of Sustainability is working to ensure all offices have bins with blue bags for recyclables only and to have convenient trash containers placed in buildings throughout campus.

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, 02/19/18
Softball hosts Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. (SECN+), and then visits Palm Springs, California, for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic beginning Thursday ... Men's Basketball visits College Station on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. tipoff against Texas A&M (SEC Network), and then hosts South Carolina at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday (SEC Network) ... Baseball plays Jackson State on the road Wednesday at 6 p.m. and then travels to Corpus Christi, Texas, to play UC Santa Barbara at 2 p.m. on Friday, Nicholls State at 2 p.m. on Saturday, and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 3 p.m. on Sunday ... Women's Basketball hosts Auburn on Thursday at 7 p.m. (SECN+), and then visits Lexington to play Kentucky on Sunday at 11 a.m. (ESPNU) ... Men's Tennis visits New Orleans on Friday to play Tulane at 1 p.m. ... Women's Tennis hosts Memphis at 2 p.m. on Saturday ... Beginning Saturday, Track & Field competes at the SEC Indoor Championships at Texas A&M.

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University's ongoing impact, accomplishments highlighted at spring general faculty meeting
Mississippi State University leaders shared how MSU’s success is moving Mississippi forward during last week's spring general faculty meeting. “From the Tennessee line to the Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi State University employees are serving every day to help make this state better, to grow our economy and to serve communities all over this state,” MSU President Mark E. Keenum said during his address to the faculty. “There’s no other organization, institution or university doing what you all are doing.”

Groundbreaking on horizon for College View project
An innovative public-private partnership at Mississippi State University took another significant step forward last week. Meeting in Jackson this morning, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning approved an agreement between the university and Memphis-based Education Realty Trust (EdR), one of the nation’s leading collegiate housing management and development specialists. “I appreciate the support of the Board of Trustees as we have worked steadily over the past three years to bring this first-of-its kind project to a Mississippi university campus,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum.

Parrish named new associate VP for research
One of the nation’s leading cybersecurity researchers and a former executive administrator at the University of Alabama is taking a leadership role at Mississippi State. After a national search, Allen S. Parrish has been named associate vice president for research and professor of computer science and engineering at the land-grant institution, pending formal approval by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning. “All of us are very pleased that Dr. Parrish will be joining us,” said David Shaw, MSU’s vice president for research and economic development.

Carter to lead annual giving program
A staff member in the Mississippi State University Foundation is being promoted to a key fundraising leadership position. Canton native Georgia Luann Carter became the university’s new annual giving director Feb. 1. In this role, she will direct fundraising efforts that typically focus on gifts made to any MSU area on a continuing basis. “Georgia brings substantial experience to her new role. As part of the annual giving team, it was a natural progression for her to lead the program and further utilize her skills in direct marketing,” said Jack McCarty, the foundation’s executive director of development.