The Famous Maroon Band marches down Main Street during Starkville's Christmas parade earlier this month. The theme of the parade was “A Town & Gown Christmas” in honor of the many partnerships between Mississippi State and the city. President Mark E. Keenum and Mayor Lynn Spruill served as the parade's grand marshals. The university will be closed for the Christmas and winter holiday break from December 23 through January 1. PHOTO: Megan Bean | Public Affairs
Allison receives MSU’s first Russell Sage Foundation grant to study early marriage outcomes
Rachel Allison, an assistant professor in MSU’s Department of Sociology, is receiving a three-year grant intended for early-career scholars for her project titled “First Comes Marriage: Educational and Workforce Trajectories of the Early Married in Mississippi.” Allison’s research addresses the social factors that influence young adult family formation and work outcomes, and will consider how these may vary across gender, race and socioeconomic status.
Campus Services testing Power Generation Plant early Tuesday
On Tuesday, MSU Campus Services will conduct the annual Power Assurance Test of the Generation Plant to verify its ability to operate during a prolonged area-wide power outage. Power will be shut down and taken off the Starkville Utilities’ system at 3:30 a.m. and will be off for up to 60 minutes until power is restored by the MSU Power Generation Plant. Over the next three and a half hours, the MSU Facilities Management personnel will operate the 26 Megawatt turbine system through various generation modes, verifying the system’s proper operation during an extended outage. During this testing, further outages are unlikely but may occur. Normal utility power will be restored from Starkville Utilities’ system before 7:30 a.m.
Music City Bowl tickets on sale now
A constant every college football postseason this decade rings true once again. For a school-record 10th consecutive year, Mississippi State football is going bowling as the Bulldogs will take on Louisville in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 from Nashville's Nissan Stadium. ESPN will televise the contest, which kicks off at 3 p.m. CT. Tickets for the Music City Bowl are on sale now at HailState.com/bowltickets. MSU's ticket allotment and team bench is located on the east side of Nissan Stadium. Reserved lower level tickets are $85, while 200 level club seats are available for $120.
Shopping online offers convenience, but consumers should keep security in mind
Many consumers would agree with the song “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays,” even to the point of keeping their shopping at home with the convenience of online purchasing and home delivery. Cybersecurity expert Merrill Warkentin, a longtime faculty member in MSU’s College of Business and author of a book on electronic commerce, said online shopping offers many advantages, but consumers should stay aware of security issues. “Identity thieves and financial scammers are around all year, but they are especially busy during the holiday season trying to get your information and your money,” Warkentin said.
Family science professor offers tips on navigating holidays with children
While holidays are often portrayed in popular culture as a time of wonder and merriment for children, the excitement and disruption of routine can cause issues for kids and their parents. Lori Elmore-Staton, a Mississippi State associate professor of human development and family science, said it is important for parents to be mindful of overscheduling as families juggle social and family obligations. “We tend to schedule way more than we probably should or have time for,” said Elmore-Staton. “Especially with children that get overstimulated easily, crowds can be a lot for them."
MSU registered dietician weighs in with tips for holiday meals
For many, the recipe for a happy holiday season requires equal parts of food and family. Registered dietician Taylor VanDyk in Mississippi State’s Department of Health Promotion and Wellness couldn’t agree more, so she’s dishing out some tips and tricks to help everyone stay on the nice list for holiday eating. For starters, VanDyk recommends enjoying one’s favorite foods at the beginning of the meal instead of the end to avoid overeating. Consuming a non-caloric drink like water or unsweet tea throughout the meal can help reduce sugar content, she said.
Starkville-MSU Community Band enters 17th year, seeking musicians
Mississippi State’s band staff again is inviting university faculty, staff and graduate students, as well as Golden Triangle residents with previous band experience, to participate in the Starkville-MSU Community Band. Practice sessions will take place 6:30-8:30 p.m. each Monday during the spring semester at the MSU Band and Choral Rehearsal Hall, located at 72 Hardy Road on the Starkville campus. A $20 participation fee is required, which can be paid at the first meeting on Jan. 6. No pre-registration is required.
Information needed for 2020 youth summer camps
The MSU summer camp page is ready to be updated with your 2020 camp information. Please login at http://ce.extension.msstate.edu/add-summer-camp to enter information about your upcoming summer camps. Only MSU employees have the ability to access the summer camp information site using their MSU NetID and Net Password. Once submitted, your camp information will be reviewed, approved and posted. If you have any questions or have any trouble entering your information, please contact Amber Shultice at 662-325-1457 or ams257@msstate.edu.
Smoke-free policy enhances healthy environment
Mississippi State University is a smoke-free campus. Official policy prohibits the use of any combustible or vapor products anywhere on campus property including university buildings, university grounds, university vehicles, parking areas and sidewalks. The smoke-free campus policy is part of the university's commitment to creating a healthy environment for all members of the campus community. Use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookah or other similar devices are prohibited by this policy.
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.
