CALS, MAFES honor faculty, staff and students for excellence
From left, Kenneth Graves, facilities manager in the Mississippi State Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, accepts the MSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean’s Award from Scott Willard, CALS dean, MAFES director and interim vice president for research and economic development. PHOTO: David Ammon | Agriculture and Natural Resources Marketing
Mississippi State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station recently honored faculty, staff and students for outstanding dedication and impact in teaching, research and service.
CALS Dean, MAFES Director and Interim Vice President for Research and Economic Development Scott Willard presented the CALS Dean’s Award, a special honor, to Kenneth Graves, longtime facilities manager in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. Graves, a CALS alumnus, began working at the dairy as a student and has been an integral part of the MAFES Bearden Dairy Research Center for nearly 30 years.
“Kenneth has served admirably for decades in a position that requires attention to detail 365 days a year in overseeing our MAFES Bearden Dairy Research Center. He has mentored countless students and staff and has facilitated our research and extension faculty with his can-do attitude and collaborative spirit, while advancing MAFES dairy research and overseeing the high-quality milk production that becomes our famous Edam cheese and other dairy products,” Willard said. “Kenneth will be missed with his impending retirement, and honoring his commitment and service to others with the CALS Dean’s Award is a fitting tribute to his efforts and to a job well done.”
Darrell Sparks, who serves as acting CALS dean and acting MAFES director while Willard fulfills his interim vice presidential duties, said this year’s honorees exemplify the spirit of embracing change and seizing opportunity required for success in higher education.
Please click here to see the rest of this story.
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.
Vanessa Beeson | Agriculture and Natural Resources Marketing
