Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Super Bulldog Weekend at Mississippi State kicks off Friday and continues through Sunday. Visit www.HailState.com/SBW for a complete schedule of events.

New state-of-the-art NSPARC data center opening this week
Evidence of Mississippi’s innovative use of data will abound as the new National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center (NSPARC) Data Center at Mississippi State University celebrates its grand opening Friday. “We have been working toward this new Data Center for a couple of years now,” NSPARC Executive Director Domenico “Mimmo” Parisi said. “It would not have been possible without the support of many people, and that is why we want to share this celebration with the public.”

Former Rhode Island chief justice, noted historian to address graduates
Former Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice Frank J. Williams will be the commencement speaker for Mississippi State’s three graduation ceremonies taking place May 3 and 4 at Humphrey Coliseum. Williams, a noted historian and current president of the Ulysses S. Grant Association, has played key roles in making MSU one of the nation’s leading centers for study of the American Civil War.

Nomination period for Leadership Excellence for Accomplished Professionals open
Nominations are now being accepted for Mississippi State’s premier staff leadership program, Leadership Excellence for Accomplished Professionals (LEAP). The mission of the LEAP program is to empower new supervisors and extremely high performing employees with a heightened self-awareness, advanced knowledge, and value-added leadership in a secure, but challenging environment. Since 2011, almost 60% of LEAP graduates have received a promotion and 70% of employees who participate in the LEAP program still work at MSU.

Extension breaks ground on new termite technician training facility
Officials with the Mississippi State University Extension Service broke ground on a termite application training facility alongside pest control industry sponsors during a ceremony April 6. Gene Merkl, program manager for the MSU Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program, said the 5,000-square-foot facility will enhance private and commercial pesticide applicators’ knowledge of various construction scenarios. This information will allow technicians to treat different types of structures with termite infestations.

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.

This Week in Mississippi State Sports, 04/16/18
Softball plays Ole Miss in Oxford on Monday at 6 p.m., and then hosts Memphis at 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Florida on Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at noon ... Men's Golf hosts the Old Waverly Collegiate in West Point on Monday and Tuesday ... The SEC Women's Tennis Championship begins Wednesday in Knoxville ... The SEC Women's Golf Championship begins Wednesday in Birmingham ... Baseball plays Memphis at AutoZone Park on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., and then hosts Arkansas for Super Bulldog Weekend with games on Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

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Wood sees early-career recognition
A tropical cyclone authority at Mississippi State is a new selection for the American Meteorological Society’s Early Career Leadership Academy. Assistant professor Kimberly Wood soon will be among nearly three dozen 2018 ECLA members receiving special training in Washington, D.C. She came to the Starkville campus three years ago. Founded in 1919 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the American Meteorological Society is the nation’s premier organization for atmospheric, oceanic and hydrologic sciences.

Gallo receives national award
A Mississippi State University faculty member is being recognized nationally for his role in teaching the next generation of landscape architecture professionals. The Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture is honoring Cory Gallo, associate professor of landscape architecture, with the 2018 CELA Faculty Award of Excellence in Service Learning, Junior Level. Each year, winners are selected by a jury of the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture.

Distance programs ranked among top 10 for educational value
Distance education programs at Mississippi State are once again being recognized for providing exceptional value to students. “This recognition is a credit to our MSU faculty and staff who are dedicated to providing students with exceptional academic programs in a format that best meets their needs,” said Susan Seal, executive director of the MSU Center for Distance Education. “Our online programs provide the flexibility and outstanding value that is of particular interest to adult learners, while maintaining the high-quality standards that are expected from an MSU program.”