Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Cookie decorating is among the various personal enrichment courses offered by Mississippi State’s Center for Continuing Education, which also teaches a variety of professional development classes, and offers teacher development, continuing education units, reading programs and even online high school courses. A branch of the MSU Extension Service, Continuing Education offers over 300 professional development and personal enrichment courses. Open to all, these flexible, online and face-to-face opportunities allow business professionals and the general public to broaden marketable skills or explore new hobbies. Learn more at www.ce.extension.msstate.edu. PHOTO: Logan Kirkland | Public Affairs

MSU Golf Course offering membership special
Throughout the month of January, the Mississippi State University Golf Course is offering a spring membership special. Available to MSU students, faculty and staff, the $550 special includes unlimited golf green fees, golf car rentals and practice tee access for the entire spring semester. This special can be purchased in the golf shop until Jan. 31 and is valid through May 15.

Sanderson Center offers two special promotions for current members
Mississippi State's Joe Frank Sanderson Center is offering two special promotions for current members. Current Sanderson Center members with annual memberships will receive two months added to their current membership when they refer a friend who purchases a one-year membership. The referred friend also will receive two additional months of membership. There is a limit of two referrals per current member.

Applications for MSU's 2020 Community-Engaged Learning Fellows program due by Feb. 21
Feb. 21 is the deadline to submit an application for Mississippi State's 2020 Community-Engaged Learning Fellows program. Sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, the Center for Community-Engaged Learning and the Center for Teaching and Learning, this three-week program supports instructional faculty and staff in integrating community-engaged learning into their formal or non-formal teaching. The CEL Fellows program will meet in May 2020, and CEL Fellows will learn community-engaged learning theory, course design, and pedagogy.

Nominations sought for Jefcoat and Ammon advising awards
The Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President is seeking nominations for Mississippi State’s 2020 Irvin Atly Jefcoat Excellence in Advising Awards and Wes Ammon Outstanding New Advisor Awards. The deadline for nominations for both awards is March 23. Nominations are to be submitted in PDF form to the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President via email to nfultz@provost.msstate.edu.

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.

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Keenum, Shaw, Jordan and Moore highlight university’s impact and accomplishments
As Mississippi State begins another decade of teaching, research and service, President Mark E. Keenum and other university leaders highlighted MSU’s growing impact in Mississippi during last Wednesday’s [Jan. 22] spring general faculty meeting. Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw gave an update on the task forces he has assembled to examine key issues on campus. Interim Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan noted the impact MSU’s research enterprise is having. Reuben Moore, MSU interim vice president for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine, highlighted the significance of the division’s many outreach activities across the state.

Shaffer challenges crowd at MLK Unity Breakfast
Mississippi State hosted a capacity crowd gathered to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. last week, with keynote speaker Donald M. Shaffer applauding those also committing the day to public service. The university’s 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast and Day of Service began with a breakfast program before members of the university and community dispatched to 20 partner sites for volunteerism. “I’m impressed each year by this event because it implores us not only to remember the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., but also challenges us to carry forth that legacy in a day of service,” Shaffer said.

NSF CAREER Grant recipient advances physics research and outreach efforts
With help from a prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Grant, a Mississippi State faculty member is working to advance his nuclear physics research and provide a new summer school experience for Mississippi students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. As part of his more than $600,000 grant, MSU Assistant Professor of Physics Ben Crider is working on a study titled “Investigating shape coexistence near closed shells via lifetime measurements.” Crider said the NSF grant also has an educational outreach component, which can help expand the impact of his research project.

Rotary Classic Rodeo coming up next week
While the Rotary Classic Rodeo is a competitive tournament featuring bull riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling and other contests, the event offers something for the whole family. Hosted by the Starkville Rotary Club, the annual rodeo sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association is returning to the Mississippi Horse Park Feb. 7-8. The Mississippi Horse Park, a partnership of Mississippi State University, the city of Starkville and Oktibbeha County, is a division of the MSU Extension Service.