Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

President Mark E. Keenum, who serves as chairman of the College Football Playoff (CFP) Board of Managers, welcomed CFP Executive Director Rich Clark to campus for a visit last week. The CFP determines the national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, and this season will see the CFP expand to a 12-team format. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be played Monday, January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. PHOTO: Beth Wynn | Public Affairs

MSU researchers developing support networks for rural college STEM programs with $2M NSF grant
A new Mississippi State-led project will address the gaps in STEM education for rural, low-income students thanks to a National Science Foundation grant. MSU Social Science Research Center Director Devon Brenner is leading the Rural Low-Income Student Investigations Network Groups, or RISING, with a $2 million, five-year NSF award to collect data and create research networks for STEM programs. The project will first develop groups mentored by coprincipal investigators Jean Mohammadi-Aragh, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering; Diana Outlaw, associate professor of biological sciences; and Jason Wallace and Christa Winkler, both assistant professors of higher education leadership.

Faculty bring special education master’s degree online to improve student outcomes, access
To meet the evolving needs for teachers and enhance employability, Mississippi State’s revised Master of Science in Special Education is now offered fully online, increasing access for those holding full-time jobs. Additionally, the curriculum has been redesigned by faculty to reflect the field’s latest terminology, research and philosophies. The redesign is led by Patricia Hampshire, associate professor and graduate coordinator for Special Education programs in MSU’s Department of Teacher Education and Leadership. She said the field of special education has significantly shifted its approach to scholarship, theory and practice since the inception of MSU’s program.

Open enrollment for benefits underway
Open enrollment for 2025 for benefits-eligible Mississippi State University employees is from Oct. 1-31, 2024. This is your opportunity to review your coverage, make any necessary changes and ensure your benefits meet your needs and those of your family. If you do not make any changes, your current coverage will carry over through next year. The deadline for submission is Oct. 31, 2024, 5 p.m. No changes will be accepted after this date. If you have any questions or require assistance during the open enrollment process, please contact us at 662-325-3713 or benefits@hrm.msstate.edu.

Application window open for university teaching awards
Mississippi State is accepting applications for the 2025 Grisham Master Teacher, Donald Zacharias Early Career Undergraduate Teaching Excellence and the Alumni Association Graduate and/or Professional Teaching Excellence awards. Visit www.provost.msstate.edu/announcements/2024/09/university-teaching-awards for more information and to download documents associated with the submission process. Interested faculty must submit an electronic application in PDF form to the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President via email to grishamaward@provost.msstate.edu by Oct. 27 if their teaching can only be observed in the fall 2024 semester or by Jan. 5 if their teaching can be observed in the spring 2025 semester. All current full-time faculty members at MSU with the required years of service, regardless of rank, are eligible to apply for these awards. Late applications will not be accepted.

Applications open for annual community engagement awards
Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to apply for a 2024 Mississippi State University Excellence in Community Engagement Award on behalf of a project in the following categories: Community-Engaged Service, Community-Engaged Research and Community-Engaged Teaching and Learning. A $3,000 award will be given in each of those areas to recognize outstanding work and support its continuation. Projects that achieve honorable mention will receive $1,000. Applicants should be aware that the MSU CE Awards are not a grant proposal process but a recognition of existing projects. Submissions are due Oct. 30 at 11:59 p.m. Community Partner feedback forms are due by Nov. 1 at noon.

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.

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.

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.

The Office of Public Affairs provides Maroon MEMO as a general information
resource for Mississippi State University employees.

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Bioengineer-turned-entrepreneur Pashos named MSU E-Center director
Mississippi State’s newest Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach director is helping Bulldogs turn their cutting-edge ideas into money-making businesses. Nick Pashos, a bioengineer who successfully spun off a company based on his doctoral research in 2015, joined the university in August. Housed in the College of Business, the unit, also known as the E-Center, is MSU’s primary support for emerging entrepreneurs -- from MSU students, faculty and staff to others not affiliated with the university -- offering a wide range of assistance, including professional mentorship, financial seeding and physical working space. College of Business Dean Scott Grawe said Pashos “has hit the ground running and is already making key connections across campus and in the business community.”

Dudley named director of MSU Riley Center
Morgan Dudley is the new director of the Mississippi State Riley Center. Dudley is an MSU alum and previously served as director of conferences, events and operations for the Riley Center. She joined the center in 2019 as an assistant ticket manager and quickly was promoted to house manager. In this role, she facilitated contracts and volunteers. “If there is a task to be done at this historic theater and conference center, chances are, Morgan has done it and with finesse,” said David Buys, interim head of campus and associate vice provost for health sciences. “Her attention to the MSU Riley Center, the gem that inspired economic redevelopment in downtown Meridian, goes beyond a simple job. Everything she does, she does with heart and soul, and that is reflected in the care she gives to our buildings and to our patrons.”

Fulbright Specialist award sends Allison to Switzerland for cross-cultural exchange
Mississippi State University Associate Professor of Sociology Rachel Allison has earned a prestigious Fulbright Specialist position and will visit the University of Lucerne in Switzerland next month to teach, present research and engage with international faculty and students. Allison will spend Nov. 12-Dec. 12 exploring how societal norms and cultural values shape athletic participation and representation. As part of the Fulbright position, Allison will teach a course for students at the University of Lucerne while facilitating collaborative research opportunities benefiting both institutions. The Fulbright Specialist Program is part of the larger Fulbright Program established in 1946, which aims to promote mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and other nations through educational exchange.

DoD grant positioning MSU as leader in tilt-wing aircraft research
A Mississippi State engineering study could shape the future of tilt-wing plane design thanks to a $600,000 U.S. Department of Defense grant and a one-of-a-kind wind tunnel. The grant, from the defense department’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, is funding research to better understand the challenges of transitioning propeller-based aircraft from vertical to horizontal flight. “Tilt-wing aircraft must transition efficiently from vertical hover to horizontal cruise flight for optimal performance, flight duration and safety. Understanding this transition is important for establishing the design challenges for the next-generation tilt-wing aircraft being developed for military and urban operations,” said Shreyas Narsipur, the MSU Department of Aerospace Engineering assistant professor leading the project.