Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

iCanBike Camp participant Carter Oswalt rides a red bike near Parking Garage North while camp director and kinesiology Associate Professor Gregg Twietmeyer runs next to him, ready to catch him as needed. The Department of Kinesiology hosted its third annual iCanBike Camp at the Sanderson Center last week. Offered in partnership with the non-profit charity iCan Shine, the camp teaches participants with special needs how to independently ride a bicycle, which provides increased self-esteem, self-confidence, physical fitness and peer inclusion. PHOTO: Megan Bean | Public Affairs

MSU Athlete Engineering Summit highlights future of human performance
The future of human performance was on display during Mississippi State University’s inaugural Athlete Engineering Summit earlier this month. The two-day event [May 11-12] held at East Mississippi Community College’s Communiversity featured shared expertise from industry, military and sport perspectives, including a keynote speech from National Football League Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills. The 1986 MSU engineering graduate shared how he is using skills learned through engineering and medicine to lead the NFL’s effort to make the game of football safer. MSU’s Athlete Engineering research team is led by Reuben Burch, associate director of human factors and athlete engineering at MSU’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, also an associate professor of industrial and systems engineering in the Bagley College of Engineering, and includes collaborators from several disciplines on campus in addition to MSU Athletics.

Bachman invited to 2022 Louisiana Book Festival
Mississippi author, host and columnist Gary Bachman will be a featured guest in October at the 2022 Louisiana Book Festival presenting his book, “Southern Gardening All Year Round.” Bachman is host of the Mississippi State University Extension Service’s Southern Gardening television show and author of the weekly Southern Gardening newspaper column. His book was officially released in February 2022 and has hit bookstores across the region, in addition to being available online. Bachman was invited to present his book as a featured author at the book festival upon the recommendation of University Press of Mississippi, which published his work. The live, in-person book festival is the 18th Louisiana Book Festival.

Emeritus recommendations due to the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President by June 20
It is time for submission of Emeritus recommendations. If deans and department heads wish to recommend anyone for Emeritus status, that person should be identified as soon as possible. These recommendations should proceed from the Department Head through the Dean to the Provost. Please see OP 13.01: Emeritus Appointment. Each letter of recommendation should state the justification for the request, including the number of years of service to Mississippi State University. These recommendations will be forwarded to the President for approval. The deadline to submit a recommendation to the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President is June 20.

HRM now accepting Leadership Development Program applications
Mississippi State's Human Resources Management is now accepting applications for the 2022-2023 Leadership Development Program. The application deadline is June 17. To meet eligibility requirements, applicants must be preparing for a mid- to senior-level leadership role; direct major tasks, projects and initiatives; have at least an overall 3.0 on their most recent performance appraisal; have the support of their immediate supervisor; be able to attend all sessions, including graduation; and have at least one year of service in their current position. Visit www.hrm.msstate.edu/learn-grow/leadership-development to download the application packet.

Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program underway
Mississippi State has a long association with the Fulbright Scholar Program with over 50 MSU faculty from a variety of disciplines having received Fulbright U.S. Scholar awards since 1954. MSU has also welcomed many international scholars to our campus through the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program. The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program recently opened its 2023-24 competition with over 400 awards in 130 countries featured in the Catalog of Awards, which includes teaching, researching and professional project opportunities. The MSU International Institute welcomes questions from faculty who are interested in applying. If you have questions, please email Fulbright scholar liaison Cathy Curtis at ccurtis@international.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 complete policy is available at www.policies.msstate.edu/policy/91301.

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Service recognized: Zacharias Awards honor staff
Twelve devoted Mississippi State employees are being honored for their service to the university with this year’s Donald W. Zacharias Distinguished Staff Awards. The awards, given in honor of the university’s 15th president, were presented during last week's Staff Appreciation Day by MSU President Mark E. Keenum. The annual event is organized by the MSU Staff Council. This year’s Zacharias Distinguished Staff Award honorees are Sonya Baird, Kathy Breland, Latoya Brown, Chris Cliett, Kara Herman, Jack McCarty, Lisa McReynolds, Emily Owen, Darlene Perkins, Heather Rowe, Lynn Taylor and Katelyn Wright. “Great people are at the heart of everything we do at Mississippi State University, and I applaud this year’s winners of the Zacharias Distinguished Staff Awards for their exemplary work. They are most deserving of this recognition,” Keenum said.

MSU Crisis Action Team, local responders hold preparedness exercise
Mississippi State’s Crisis Action Team facilitated a university preparedness exercise last week, which included a hypothetical scenario so that administrators and key decision makers could practice their emergency response skills. Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt, who routinely serves as the Crisis Action Team’s Incident Commander, said drills allow an opportunity to ensure the team’s processes and policies are working as intended. She noted that it is important for team members to spend time working with one another, learning strengths and opportunities, so they can operate well as a team in times of crisis. “We hope to never have to use these procedures, yet we need to ensure that in times of real crisis they can be deployed effectively,” Hyatt said.

Mississippi State announces new, one-of-a-kind Bachelor of Science in Data Science degree program
Students at Mississippi State now have a new, one-of-a-kind program to consider when weighing degree options at the university. The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees approved MSU’s new Bachelor of Science in Data Science degree program last week. The state-of-the-art curriculum goes beyond traditional data science degrees “to meet the growing demand for experts who can solve problems through digital transformation,” said Mimmo Parisi, MSU’s senior advisor for data science development. MSU Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw said, “Data and AI are changing the way we live, work and learn, and employers are looking for people whose skills are beyond occupation-specific."

MSU-led, NSF-funded project aims to strengthen rural educator pipeline
Mississippi State University is leading a nationwide project with the goal of better preparing educators for teaching in rural settings. With $2.4 million in support from the National Science Foundation, the project entitled “Investigating STEM Teacher Preparation and Rural Teacher Persistence and Retention” brings together 14 universities to address workforce challenges in school settings, particularly for STEM teachers in rural areas. Devon Brenner, director of MSU’s Social Science Research Center and professor in the College of Education, is the grant principal investigator, and the co-PI is Dana Franz, director of academic quality in the MSU Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness and professor in the College of Education. Diana Outlaw, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, is serving as the grant’s project manager.