Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

The area located between the Colvard Student Union and George Hall is now a construction zone as crews work to create a more inviting and pedestrian-friendly space near the center of campus. The project includes construction of a new plaza that will provide additional furnishings, canopy trees and food truck parking. Portions of the sidewalks surrounding this area will be temporarily closed until mid-July. PHOTO: Megan Bean | Public Affairs

Gordon joins MSU Foundation fundraising team
Lacey Gordon is the new assistant director of development for Mississippi State University Extension and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She is a third-generation Bulldog who earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in communication. In addition to MSU Extension and CALS, Gordon’s role also will encompass fundraising and development duties for the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. She joins veteran fundraiser and fellow alumnus Will Staggers in securing gifts for the three areas. “Lacey’s experience will be an asset to her involvement with alumni and philanthropy on behalf of the university. I believe her diverse skill set will transfer well into development, and we are proud to welcome her to our team,” said Jack McCarty, executive director of development for the MSU Foundation.

Rudzin earns postdoctoral award for atmospheric-oceanic hurricane research
New Mississippi State University faculty member Johna Rudzin earned a postdoctoral research publication award from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine for her research examining how the Amazon-Orinoco River plume changes the ocean response and atmospheric boundary layer thermodynamics during hurricane passage. An assistant professor in the Department of Geosciences with a joint appointment to the Northern Gulf Institute, Rudzin received a certificate of achievement and a cash prize for her paper, “The Air‐Sea Response During Hurricane Irma’s (2017) Rapid Intensification Over the Amazon‐Orinoco River Plume as Measured by Atmospheric and Oceanic Observations.”

‘It’s a blessing’: MSU, Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity dedicate 13th annual Maroon Edition home
There’s no place like a new home for the holidays, and a Starkville family was able to experience that feeling thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers from Mississippi State University and Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity. On Dec. 15, MSU and Habitat celebrated completion of the 13th annual Maroon Edition home -- Habitat’s 71st home in Oktibbeha County -- on Azalea Lane with an afternoon ceremony. The new home was built for Starkville resident Keva Robertson and her two children, Kaeli and Laquante Gaston Jr. It also honors MSU alumnus Paul B. Murphy Jr., a Vicksburg native and executive vice chairman of Cadence Bank, who earned a bachelor’s degree in banking and finance from MSU and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. MSU President Mark E. Keenum congratulated Robertson and presented her with a family Bible.

DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Emily Reid Carter
Emily Reid Carter grew up in 4-H and knew the Extension Service would be a perfect fit as a career. “I love the variety of programs and services I am able to offer to the community,” she said. “After being in 4-H, I knew I would enjoy working with youth and other program areas of MSU Extension.” Carter offers educational programming in both family and consumer science and 4-H. As an FCS agent, she focuses on delivering nutrition and healthy lifestyle information to adults and students. She’s recently been involved with the Adult Mental Health First Aid training, which helps individuals in communities understand how to recognize and better respond to signs that someone may be experiencing a mental health problem or crisis.

DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Tristan Peavey
As a teenager, Tristan Peavey learned he loved working with cattle. But a career in agriculture didn’t really cross his mind back then. “I didn’t grow up in agriculture. I had a friend whose family had cattle, and I’d help work them,” he said. “I loved it.” When he started his college career at MSU, Peavey changed his major a couple of times until he finally found a home in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. It wasn’t until he enrolled in the undergraduate Extension Apprenticeship Program his senior year that he knew he had found a career he would love. The program pairs college students with interests in Extension’s educational program areas with Extension specialists, introducing them to the organization’s professional opportunities.

MSU again receives ‘green light’ rating for free speech policies
Mississippi State University is once again being recognized for upholding policies that maintain free speech and First Amendment protections. For the tenth consecutive year, MSU has earned a “green light” rating from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), an organization that promotes the individual rights of students and faculty members at U.S. colleges and universities. MSU is among 58 institutions receiving the green light rating, which is awarded to universities with strong free speech protections in campus policies and procedures. “Allowing the free exchange of ideas is vital to any institution of higher learning, and I’m proud that members of the MSU community can freely express themselves with all of the protections provided by the First Amendment,” said Dean of Students and Interim Associate Vice President for Student Success Thomas Bourgeois. “We have an ideologically diverse community, which allows students to engage in conversations that broaden their perspectives.”

MSU accepting honorary degree nominations from students, faculty, staff, alumni until Jan. 14
Mississippi State faculty, staff, students and alumni may submit nominations until Friday [Jan. 14] for honorary doctoral degrees that will be awarded at the university's spring 2022 commencement ceremonies. Nominations, including supporting materials, should be sent to the Honorary Degree Committee in care of the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President. Names of nominees will be kept confidential until they are approved. Under IHL guidelines, persons eligible for the Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Science, Doctor of Humane Letters, Doctor of Creative and Performing Arts, or Doctor of Public Service must have demonstrated nationally recognized sustained achievement in scholarship, public service, creative and performing arts, or professional activity. Faculty, staff and administrators of the university and elected or appointed public officials are ineligible for an honorary degree until one year after leaving their position. Candidates for public office also are ineligible.

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 complete policy is available at www.policies.msstate.edu/policy/91301.

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University sets new record for research expenditures, climbs to No. 88 nationally in latest NSF rankings
Mississippi State University’s research and development efforts continue to reach record heights as MSU reported $280 million in R&D expenditures in Fiscal Year 2020, placing it among the National Science Foundation’s top 90 research universities. The land-grant institution’s research expenditures ranks No. 88 nationally, up four spots from No. 92 in FY 2019, in the latest NSF Higher Education Research and Development Report. “This year’s NSF survey affirms what I have seen throughout my tenure as president -- MSU is a force for research and innovation in Mississippi and beyond,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. “It is exciting to see our strong momentum continue as our research expenditures have grown for the seventh consecutive year,” said MSU Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan.

Willard named director, dean for Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
A longtime Mississippi State faculty member and administrator is the new director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and dean of the university’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Scott T. Willard is the permanent director and dean, after serving in these roles on an interim basis. “Dr. Willard has a proven record of effective leadership and scholarship in MAFES and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences over the course of his highly regarded tenure at MSU,” said Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw. Vice President of MSU’s Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble said, “Dr. Willard has a strong reputation as a world-class scholar and administrator. We look forward to his ongoing leadership in the role of director and dean.”

Nicholson extends service to MSU as CISE department head
A lifelong educator who has been honored with some of Mississippi State’s top awards is extending service to her alma mater as she transitions to the role of department head in the College of Education. Janice Nicholson is now permanent head of the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education after leading the unit on an interim basis since March 2021. She also led the department on an interim basis from 2015-2017. Nicholson’s career includes more than five decades in education as a teacher and administrator. Named MSU’s 2021 Alumna of the Year, Nicholson has been honored as the College of Education Alumna of the Year in 2018 and as an Alumni Fellow in 2013. She has served on the MSU Foundation Board of Directors and presently is a member of the MSU Bulldog Club Board of Directors.

Mulvaney named new Hartwig Soybean Chair
Michael J. Mulvaney is the new Edgar E. and Winifred B. Hartwig Endowed Chair in Soybean Agronomy at Mississippi State University. Mulvaney enters his MSU position after having worked as a cropping systems specialist at the University of Florida. “As chair, I want to be responsive to the soybean industry. I will sit down with stakeholders and have conversations before designing a research program,” he said. “I look forward to working with the growers and specialists. I plan to build multidisciplinary teams to produce applied, field-based research that is centered around soybean questions that are relevant to farmers,” he said. In 2013, the Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board invested in the creation of an MSU endowed chair in soybean agronomy, allowing the university to leverage funds from Monsanto and Syngenta, along with a standing research endowment from the Hartwig family, to create the endowed chair.