Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Lauren Jennings, an entomology doctoral student from Pickensville, Alabama, collects sugar syrup-consumption data for a study on bees' gut microbiomes for the PCB Bee Lab, an apiculture and pollinator learning center led by Assistant Professor Priyadarshini Chakrabarti Basu. The lab is operated by the MSU Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology. PHOTO: Jonah Holland | Public Affairs

Brown, Matthews join less than 2% of public relations professionals to earn elite APR status
A Mississippi State assistant dean and public affairs staff member are now among a select, international group of public relations practitioners earning this profession’s most respected designation. The College of Arts and Sciences’ Karyn Brown, assistant dean for communications and media, and Office of Public Affairs’ Allison Matthews, news editor, have gained the Accredited in Public Relations, or APR, credential which less than 2% of public relations practitioners earn worldwide. They are among just 4,500 active international APR experts and only a few current and former MSU employees with the designation.

Koger racks up awards, showcases ‘transit talents’
This spring wasn’t the first time Taquantis “Charlie” Koger’s transit talents brought home the hardware. Koger, who has been a Mississippi State S.M.A.R.T bus driver since 2018, this year was named Mississippi Public Transportation Association’s “Roadeo” state champion, out of more than 100 public transit workers who participated. This honor is presented to drivers that exhibit a commitment to safety and efficient public transportation. Along with this most recent award, he was the state champion in 2019, “Driver of the Year” in 2021 and “Roadeo” runner-up in 2022. After the Crawford native won the state “Roadeo,” he participated in the national competition in West Palm Beach, Florida. Earning a top 10 finish out of 60 competitors, Koger was happy to represent MSU on the national level.

Dodds takes leadership role as new head of English
A Mississippi State faculty member steeped in literary knowledge is the new head of the university’s Department of English. Professor Lara Dodds began her leadership role on July 1 after serving as interim department head since last summer. With primary teaching interests in early modern British literature, early modern women’s writing, and research methods, she said her goal as department head is to further elevate the department’s teaching and research. Dodds said she wants “to help all members of the department excel in the classroom and continue publishing new research in literature, linguistics, creative writing and writing studies.

Extension program welcomes new leader, maintains focus
An award-winning program within the Mississippi State University Extension Service welcomed a new leader July 1. Latara Arterberry, a newly appointed MSU Extension specialist, will assume the role of principal investigator for the program Advancing, Inspiring, Motivating for Community Health through Extension, or AIM for CHangE. For the past six years, David Buys led the program, which unites community councils and university faculty and staff to develop grassroots, needs-based policies and programs for reducing obesity. AIM for CHangE is made possible with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Buys was recently named associate vice provost for health sciences at MSU.

Phi Theta Kappa’s Transfer Honor Roll again honors MSU as a national ‘best fit’ for two-year college graduates
Mississippi State is extending its reputation among transfer students for delivering a seamless transition to university life with its continued selection to the Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll. John Dickerson, MSU associate vice president for enrollment, said, “Transfer students are such a meaningful part of our undergraduate campus community. I commend our admissions staff, faculty, academic advisors, student affairs team and so many more for fostering an MSU environment meant for student support and success.” MSU enrolled 1,748 new transfer students for the 2023 fall semester, almost 10% of the total 18,230 undergraduates who enrolled.

Free learning opportunities via LinkedIn Learning available to faculty, staff and students
Sharpen skills. Explore new interests. Increase professional value. These and other results are now available via no-cost learning opportunities to Mississippi State faculty, staff and students through MSU’s new agreement with LinkedIn Learning. A popular, online education platform, LinkedIn Learning’s 20,000-plus courses are available to campus via a quick login using their MSU NetID email addresses. With self-paced learning, courses are presented in various formats, including bite-sized video, audio only and in-depth content. The platform is directly integrated with Canvas, the university’s learning management system. MSU faculty can use it to supplement course material or even develop and load their own content onto the platform.

Reminder: University policy addresses employee political activity
With campaigning for elected offices underway this year, Mississippi State's Office of General Counsel offers the following reminder of the university’s policy on political activities. There are several basic guidelines that university employees should keep in mind when engaging in any form of political activity. MSU employees are encouraged to review OP 01.14: Political Activities in its entirety and to understand their rights and responsibilities.

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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Summer focus includes construction headway
With the first day of summer in the rearview mirror, construction is ramping up at Mississippi State. “Summer is always a busy season for campus construction with numerous projects scheduled or already underway to update and improve existing infrastructure and advance capital projects,” said Saunders Ramsey, executive director of Campus Services. On the south side of campus, the final structural beam of the Jim and Thomas Duff Center was raised into place in mid-June to complete the exterior frame of the 100,000-square-foot facility, marking a milestone in the project. The $65 million Duff Center is scheduled to open in fall 2025 as the new home of the Department of Kinesiology and the Mississippi Institute on Disabilities, including MSU’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic and other programs of the Disability Resource Center.

TV Center and MSU Films bring home seven new Emmy awards
The University Television Center at Mississippi State -- along with the MSU Films initiative -- has brought home seven new Emmy awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences-Southeast Chapter. “MSU’s Television Center has produced high-quality work that has projected the university’s research prowess and the fantastic work of our faculty, staff and students all over the country,” said MSU Vice President for Strategic Communications Sid Salter. “We’re proud of the work they’ve done and will continue to do to advance the university.” UTC Director David Garraway said “MSU Films and the TV Center are honored to be recognized by our peers for the quality of our work and the importance of the stories we share.

Carr selected as American Academy of Nursing Fellow
The prestigious American Academy of Nursing, a competitive honor society rewarding extraordinary contributions to improve healthcare locally and globally, has named Mississippi State University-Meridian’s Kayla Carr a 2024 fellow. A nursing professor and director of the Accelerated Master of Science in Nursing program in MSU-Meridian’s new School of Nursing, Carr joins two colleagues already inducted as AAN Fellows, Alaina Herrington, associate professor of nursing and director of simulation and clinical affairs, and Mary Stewart, dean of the School of Nursing. AAN President Linda D. Scott said induction into the academy represents the highest honor in nursing.

Thomasson joins elite international ag engineering academy
Alex Thomasson, professor and head of Mississippi State’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, is joining the prestigious International Academy of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. Thomasson, also MSU’s William and Sherry Berry Endowed Chair, was elected to the IAABE at the International Commission of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, or CIGR, conference in South Korea last month. A scientist in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, he is among a small cohort of fellows distinguished by their exceptional international reputations for scientific accomplishments and leadership in agricultural and biosystems engineering, science and technology. In addition to honoring leading scientists, the academy promotes international collaboration, education and training in these areas.