Mississippi State Alumnus Fall 2003

soaringMSU’S RASPET FLIGHT RESEARCHLABORATORY BOASTS A STELLAR HISTORY

contentsFall 2003 | Volume 79 | Number 3

USPS 354-520

PresidentJ. Charles Lee

Vice President for External AffairsDennis A. Prescott

Alumni Association Executive DirectorJohn V. Correro (‘62)

Mississippi State Alumnus is publishedthree times a year by the Office ofUniversity Relations and the MississippiState University Alumni Association atMississippi State, Miss. Send addresschanges to Alumni Director, P.O. BoxAA, Mississippi State, MS 39762-5526;telephone 662-325-7000; or access byweb browser athttp://msuinfo.ur.msstate.edu/alumni/alumni.htm.Editorial offices:102 George Hall,P.O. Box 5325,Mississippi State, MS 39762-5325.Telephone 662-325-3442; fax, 662-325-7455;e-mail, [email protected]

EditorAllen Snow (‘76)

Associate EditorKay Fike Jones

DesignersBecky SmithErin Norwood (‘98)

PhotographersFred FaulkRuss Houston (‘85)Clint Parish (‘02)

Mississippi State UniversityAlumni Association National OfficersGary Blair (‘81),national president;Keith Winfield (‘70),national first vice president;Joe L. Bryan (‘63),national second vice president;David W. Jones (‘81),national treasurer;Allen Maxwell (‘78),immediate former national president.

www.msstate.edu

Mississippi State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or group affiliation, age, disability, or veteran status.

Mississippi State

University archivist pens new historyMichael B. Ballard is helping to mark the 2003 celebration of MSU’s 125th anniversaryby writing a new history of The People’s University. In a recent interview, the historianand university archivist discussed his plans for the new look at the institution.

Adkerson keeps investing in Mississippi State’s future Businessman Richard Adkerson continues to passionately support his alma mater with histime and financial resources. In fact, Adkerson is considered by some to be an unofficialambassador of the university, particularly of the accounting school he credits with muchof his success.

MSU aims for enrollment growthMore scholarships for academically typical students and a renewed emphasis on recruiting

all qualified students is expected to help Mississippi State reverse a two-year enrollmentdecline of a little under 4 percent. At the same time, the university will continue efforts to

increase freshman retention and graduation rates, which have improved significantly.

Investiture remarks of Dr. J. Charles LeeDr. J. Charles Lee officially became Mississippi State’s 17th president in a Septemberpublic program that celebrated both his investiture and the university’s 125th anniversary.In his address, Lee said his experiences “have confirmed that the expectations of our university are enormous...”

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On the cover: MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory has a world-class reputation as an innovativeflight research and development facility. Story on page 22. (Photo by Russ Houston)

Dornan tackled tough issues as state bar presidentWhen Mississippi State alumnus Donald C. Dornan Jr. assumed the yearlong position

of Mississippi Bar Association president in 2002, he set out to improve the public’sperception of the legal profession. 26

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SoaringThey say if you give a man enough rope, he may hang himself—but in the case of GeorgeBennett, he’d probably just go soaring. The retired former director of Mississippi State’sRaspet Flight Research Laboratory started flying gliders as a young high school studentin the early 1950s, and he’s still winging it after all these years.

IS there an Rx for Mississippi’s health care crisis? The health climate in Mississippi is a cause for alarm. Among educators, health care providers,

policy makers, and the public at large, there’s a sense that Mississippians are at a higher-than-ever risk for disease and are at an alarming low point in access to many components of good

health—from primary-care physicians to healthy foods to preventive medicine programs. 16

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Campus News 33 | Athletics 38 | Alumni News 42 | Philanthropy 46 | Class News 55 | In Memoriam 60

A L U M N U SFall 2003

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University archivistpens new historyBY SAMMY MCDAVIDPHOTOS BY RUSS HOUSTON

Among other duties at Mitchell Memorial Library, Dr.Michael B. Ballard is the archivist of Mississippi StateUniversity. Earlier this year, the Choctaw County native andAckerman resident was asked by Dennis Prescott, vice presi-dent for external affairs, and Joe Farris, director of universityrelations and assistant to the president, to help mark the 2003celebration of MSU’s 125th anniversary by writing a newhistory of the institution.

Ballard, a much-published Civil War author who holdsbachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from MSU, agreedto produce a new book to follow the two earliervolumes—The People’s College (1950) and The People’sUniversity (1978)—penned by the late John K. Bettersworth,another Mississippi State historian.

In a recent interview with Alumnus magazine, Ballarddiscussed his plans for the new look at the institution withwhich he has been associated as a student and employee formore than three decades.

After agreeing to write the book,what were your first stepsto prepare?

I thought about what I wanted to do for a long timebefore sharing my ideas with Dennis and Joe. When we metagain, I told them I felt there basically were two ways to go:update the last 25 years or go back to the beginning and writea new book from scratch that covers the entire 125-year period.

To do it the first way would mean little more than tacking25 years onto People’s University, which wouldn’t be a verycohesive way to complete the project. I thought the secondway was the better choice and they agreed.

Basically, I’m going to write a narrative history from thebeginning in 1878 to 2003, the 125th anniversary year. I willnot attempt to chronicle everything that has happened; thatwould cause the book to get out of hand in a hurry. Instead, Iwill look at each of the 17 presidential administrations andthe important events and turning points that took place withineach one. In other words, what happened, why it happenedand what it meant over the long term.

If I didn’t do it that way, I could end up with nothing morethan a chronicle of events. Some young historians forget this when they begin writing, but it’s the historian’sjob to pick out the important things and explain why they were.

Undoubtedly, your serviceas university archivist will serve well in the project.

I’ve been working in university archives for 20 yearsand my assistant Betty Self has been here for 19 of thoseyears. As a result, we have a great deal of experienceanswering questions that various people have posed aboutMississippi State over those years. Our searches have resultedin an archival file of some size, as you can imagine.

In the course of responding to questions, we have doneconsiderable research on the institution. The previousBettersworth books had some of the information we wereseeking, but there also was much that wasn’t in either edition.

With these questions in mind, this new book will featurean extensive addendum that includes some of the most fre-quently asked questions and their answers. It will cover bothacademics and athletics. Once a draft of the book is complete,I plan to visit with a variety of people who have been oncampus for awhile and seek their input.

I’ve already begun work and have an initial target of 200pages to be finished by the end of the year. I’m currentlyfinishing up four other book projects. When they are com-plete, I will turn my full-time attention to the new history.

betty self | mike ballard

Though the then MississippiAgricultural and MechanicalCollege was establishedby the Legislature in 1878,it wasn’t until 1880 that theinstitution opened its doors tothe first class. From the stand-point of 123 years of operation, how completeare the archival records?

From talking with other archivists around the Southeast,I would say our archival files are in pretty good shape interms of the documentation we can produce. The archivaldepartment in Mitchell Memorial Library was not foundeduntil 1966, so that means we have an 86-year period whenthere was no official repository for university records.Fortunately, many of the early records were stored in the registrar’s vault in the basement of Lee Hall. The situationcould have been disastrous if the vault had had moisture problems, but it didn’t.

One of the most valuable assets is a complete indexedset of academic catalogs going back to 1880. Each editionincludes a listing of faculty members and, for many years, alsothe names of all enrolled students. With the catalogs, it ispossible to trace the development of a specific academic programfrom its 19th century beginning to its 21st century structure.

We also have all the presidents’ papers and many depart-

mental papers. Additionally, there are the biennial reportsfrom the early years that cover academic and agriculturalextension programs, as well as the agricultural experimentstation system that came along around 1915 or so.

You said earlier that completing200 pages would be your goalby year’s end. Do you have anestimate of how many pagesthe final edition will be?

I’m going to try to hold the manuscript to 500 pages. Thatmay sound like a lot, but it’s not when we’re talking about a125-year period. What I hope will come through in the bookis how the university has survived the evolutionary process.

Consider that we have survived two world wars, theGreat Depression, Gov. Theodore Bilbo [whose antics causedan accreditation loss by the state’s colleges], and many, manyfunding difficulties.

Looking back, one can see howthe school’s leadershiphas evolved to meet these challenges. First, there wasWest Point graduate and formergeneral Stephen D. Lee (1880-90), who, obviously, was anorganization man. We thenevolved into presidentswith education backgrounds who led in developing the academic programs.

With Dean W. Colvard (1960-66), we had a leader whonot only had an education background, but was someone whocould handle public relations. During our integration period,Colvard handled that latter job quite well. Though he took agreat deal of criticism, he survived it and the university survived it and we avoided a debacle.

mike ballard


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Given background, educationand experience, it would seemMississippi State has in MikeBallard an excellent choice totell the university’s long andproud history to21st centuryaudiences.

Since I didn’t live far from campus, I regularly followedcampus events via newspapers and other media even before Iarrived here to study more than 40 years ago. In addition tomy memory and my personal experiences here, I’ve discussedthe university with many people over the years.

For these reasons, I am hopeful that my narrative historywill assist alumni and others affiliated with Mississippi State,as well as anyone interested in the history of Mississippihigher education. I hope they will be able to use this book togain a better appreciation of how an institution began in a verysmall town in 1880 and reached 2003 as the state’s largestinstitution of higher learning and one of the top research universities in the United States.

How did we reach those milestones? What made it pos-sible? Who played the key roles? How were we impactedby the state and the outside world? How did we impact thestate and the outside world?

If I can answer these questions, I will have accomplishedwhat I set out to do.

Most frequently asked questionsof the MSU Archives Department.Drum roll, please...What is the oldest building on campus?The Industrial Technology Building, which was built in 1900to serve as home of the short-lived textile school. OfItalianate design and featuring the distinctive “twin towers”and a bas-relief seal of the State of Mississippi atop the cen-ter of its triple front arches, the two-story red brick structurewas added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Where was Old Main dormitory?Purported to be the largest single campus residence hall onany American college campus at the time of its burning in1959, the four-story quadrangle structure was longer on itseast and west sides than its equally impressive neighbor, theCafeteria (now the Perry Cafeteria). Basically, Old Maincovered the area now housing the Colvard Union, McCoolHall and the McCool parking lot.

According to Ballard, the thirdmost frequently asked questionis something of a four-way tie.The quartet includes:

Where is the “Montgomery Hall ghost?”Though some have claimed that the attic of the just renovated1902 Beaux Art structure (originally known as Scientific Halland once home to the library) is “haunted,” Ballard says heand colleague Betty Self “never have found any written uni-versity record to document that.” He adds, with a smile:“I’m not saying there is nothing to the story, but I am sayingthat we can find nothing about it in the archives. Clearly,this story has been handed down over the years because wehave freshmen come by every year asking about it.Personally, I consider it something of an ‘urban myth’perpetuated by fraternities.”

Where are the campus steam tunnels?Underground steam tunnels were built in the early days aroundthe central campus area. “We don’t know where they are orwere,” Ballard says. “And, even if we did, we wouldn’t tell.”

Why was Eckie’s Pond built? For agriculture-related purposes in the 1920s. (For a detailedexplanation, see Ballard’s story on MSU’s little-pond-that-could in the 1993 fall edition of Alumnus.)

Who was the first female student?Ballard says there really is no way to identify the “first,”since several were enrolled in the first class admitting womenin 1884. As listed in the catalog (and with only first-nameinitials given), they included S. Bardwell, M.A. DuQuercron,M.C. McKay, E.J. McKell, K.M. McKell, and M.E. Nason.Each is listed with the courtesy title “Miss.”


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aiminggrowth

for

BY JOE FARRIS


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MSU aims for enrollment growth based on ACCESS and EXCELLENCE

More scholarships for academically typical students and a renewedemphasis on recruiting all qualified students is expected to helpMississippi State reverse a two-year enrollment decline of a little under4 percent. At the same time, the university will continue efforts toincrease freshman retention rates and graduation rates, which haveimproved significantly.

This fall’s statewide headcount enrollment stands at 16,236, downfrom 16,610 a year ago, which was a decline from the fall 2001 recordof 16,878. Main campus enrollment in Starkville is down by 426 fromlast year to 15,426, while MSU’s Meridian Campus grew by 9 percent,to 723. Another 87 students are enrolled at MSU graduate centers inVicksburg and at Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis.

The MSU main campus remains the state’s largest university cam-pus, although the highest statewide headcount is attributed to anotherinstitution for the first time since 1984, when the University of SouthernMississippi held the lead for one year.

Mississippi State officials say a combination of factors is behind thesmaller numbers of MSU students during the past two years.

Two unusually large graduating classes coincided with smallerincoming freshman classes. The university averaged awarding morethan 3,700 degrees in 2001-02 and 2002-03. New freshman enrollmentsduring the same years declined to 1,759 in fall 2002 and 1,698 in fall2003, after topping 2,000 students in fall 2000. New transfer students,most of them community college graduates, total 1,480 this fall, aboutthe same as last year but down from the record 1,590 in 2001. Graduateenrollment at both the master’s and doctoral levels is up slightly this year.

Also contributing to the overall decrease, international studentenrollment has declined by more than 80 students since 2001, in partbecause of tighter restrictions and increased paperwork involved inobtaining student visas since the tragedies of 9/11. And most of the 85MSU students called to active military duty last year because of the warin Iraq are still serving and haven’t been able to return to school.

While the smaller numbers of freshmen and community collegetransfers over the past two years are apparent, the reasons behind themare harder to nail down. One factor appears to be increased scholarshipincentives from competing universities. There is also speculation thatthe efforts of recent years to attract the state’s top academic performers


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and raise the academic profile of entering freshmen mayunintentionally have discouraged some students with averagecredentials who were concerned about the academic challengesthey would encounter at Mississippi State.

The university is aggressively confronting both of thoseissues and has set a goal of enrolling an additional 400undergraduates and 100 more graduate students in fall 2004.A master plan adopted earlier this year to guide orderlygrowth and development of the physical campus is based on a projected future enrollment of 20,000 students. Withanticipated growth in graduate and professional programsparalleling expanding research efforts and with continuedgrowth at the Meridian Campus, the statewide headcountmay reach that level within five to seven years, universityofficials believe.

REMAINING THE PEOPLE’S UNIVERSITYWhen he took office in January 2003, President Lee

stressed that a top priority would be to re-emphasize theprinciples that have made Mississippi State “The People’sUniversity” for the past 125 years. Since then, he has hammered home the theme of access, as well as excellence, at every opportunity.

“Mississippi State is committed to both access and aca-demic excellence. We seek the best and brightest students,and all others who have shown the desire, determination andability to take advantage of our university’s offerings,” Leesaid this fall during his formal investiture, as he has on manyother occasions throughout the state.

Interim Vice President for Student Affairs JimmyAbraham reiterated the message that the university is activelyrecruiting all qualified students in an e-mail letter to thousands of alumni and friends this fall.

“As you may know, our freshman classes have beensmaller than usual for the past three years, partly as a resultof previous university goals of smaller, more academicallytalented freshman classes,” Abraham wrote. “But now it iswith renewed purpose as the People’s University that weshare with you our commitment to recruit all qualified students. We need your help in communicating our desire toprovide the best possible education, inside and outside of theclassroom, to all students.”

Abraham also called on alumni and friends to help withthe recruiting effort by providing the names of prospectiveMSU students of any age to the university’s EnrollmentServices office. “Alumni have an impact on where studentsgo to college,” he said. “When our former students displayan MSU car tag or bumper sticker, wear their MSU clothing,or talk to co-workers and friends about the university, that

not only helps in recruiting, but it also sends a positive mes-sage about the pride that our graduates have in their almamater.”

This fall, the university’s divisions of Student Affairsand Academic Affairs formed a joint Recruiting andRetention Task Force, headed by Abraham and Provost andVice President for Academic Affairs Peter Rabideau, to mapplans for the future. The university also has retained arecruiting consultant from the nationally prominent Noel-Levitz firm.

Helping make Mississippi State more affordable formore students, new and expanded scholarships already havebeen put into place for freshmen who will enter MSU in fall2004. Starting next year, in-state freshmen who score from22 to 25 on the ACT exam (or the equivalent 1020 to 1160on the SAT) and have a high school grade-point average of3.5 or higher will qualify for a one-time $1,000 scholarship,if they are not receiving other merit-based aid. Non-residentfreshmen who score 25 on the ACT (or 1130 on the SAT) andhave a 3.0 high school GPA will receive a new $1,000-a-yearscholarship to help offset out-of-state tuition. Non-residentswho score 26 or higher on the ACT (or 1170 on the SAT)already receive a full out-of-state tuition waiver.

All incoming freshmen who score 26 or higher on theACT (1170 SAT) already qualify for academic scholarships,but the size of those awards will increase next year from$2,000 to $3,000 over four years for those scoring 26 or 27(1170 to 1230 SAT) and from $4,000 to $5,000 for scores of28 or 29 (1240 to 1310 SAT). The higher amounts offeredto students scoring 30 or above (1320 SAT) will beunchanged for next year.

“Assuring that Mississippi State remains affordable forthe sons and daughters of this state is one of our top priori-ties, and we are emphasizing the importance of scholarshipsand financial aid in our current discussions with foundationsand other prospective donors,” Lee said.

Mississippi State now is in the silent phase of a newcapital campaign expected to have its formal kickoff in2004. Priority fund-raising goals will include new scholar-ships for more academically typical students as well asincreased support for the university’s most competitivescholarships for exceptional students.

“Scholarships are already the most popular endowedgift opportunity,” said Dennis Prescott, vice president forexternal affairs. “Since we completed a successful $20 million scholarship campaign in 2000, there is every reasonto believe we will be far more successful in attracting additional scholarship support during this campaign.”

Another change already implemented has been to movethe freshman fall admission application deadline back to


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Bes ide s r e gu lar cla s s r o om l ec ture s , s ome pro f e s s o r s take y ou

out s ide t h e cla s s r o om .On e o f my educat i o n cla s s e s vi s i ted t h e T .K . Mart i n Cente r t og e t a b e tte r under s tand i ng o f

techno l ogy b e i ng deve l oped fo r ch i ldren w i t h d i sab i l i t i e s .

IAN | junior

ooppppoorrttuunniittyyacademic

Fal l 2003 Enrol lment Profi leTotal statewide headcount: 16,236 Main campus headcount: 15,426Meridian Campus headcount: 723Full-time equivalent: 13,677Undergraduates: 79%Mississippi residents: 75%Female: 48%African-American: 18%Average freshman ACT: 23.5Average high school core GPA: 3.16Freshman National Merit Scholars: 25


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ssuucccceessss

I found the professors andc lassmates were wi l l i ng to he lp me

when I needed it in c lass . The professors were so ready to l isten to their students , and they

were n ice and kind to me . I won ,t forget that .

SOONHEE | senior

Increase/Decrease by Col lege from Fal l 2002

Agriculture and Life Sciences: 1,477 (-4)Architecture: 256 (+5)

Arts and Sciences: 3,992 (+130)Business and Industry: 2,473(-342)

Education: 2,559 (-2)Engineering: 2,455 (-143)

Forest Resources: 386 (-14)Veterinary Medicine: 254 (+15)

Undeclared major/non-degree: 1,574 (-71)

achieving


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August 1, the same as for transfer students. For the past twoyears, the freshman application deadline has been May 1.(Prospective students and their parents should remember,however, that important financial aid and scholarship appli-cation deadlines fall during most students’ final semester ofhigh school, from February 1 to April 1.)

HELPING STUDENTS SUCCEEDThe average ACT score for new freshmen entering

MSU this fall was 23.5, and the average high school GPA onthe core courses required for university admission was 3.16.

“Our research shows that students who have good highschool grades tend to do extremely well at the university,regardless of ACT scores, and we are placing great emphasison mentoring, academic advising and support programs tohelp students succeed,” Abraham said.

Those efforts appear to be paying off. MSU’s fresh-man-to-sophomore retention rate increased again this falland now stands above 81 percent, up from 76 percent fiveyears ago. During the same period, the sophomore-to-juniorretention rate increased from 68 percent to more than 71 per-cent. And the six-year graduation rate is up to 58 percent.

Earlier this year, MSU was one of nine universities inthe nation to receive a prestigious Retention ExcellenceAward, which recognized the success of the five-year-oldPathfinder Program. Pathfinder emphasizes class attendanceduring the freshman year, particularly during the first semester,and involves faculty, residence hall staff, academic advisors,freshman mentors, and others in intervening to help freshmenstay on track. A letter from the president to the parents ofincoming freshmen also emphasizes the importance of classattendance and seeks parental support. The results havebeen impressive.

In the year before Pathfinder started, 25 percent offreshmen missed two or more classes during their first sixweeks of college. Now that figure is down to 10 percent.The difference shows up in students’ grades, according toresearch by program director David McMillen, a psycholo-gist and research professor at MSU’s Social ScienceResearch Center.

MSU students who have attendance problems—definedas two or more missed classes—consistently have averagefreshman-year GPAs below 2.0, which is an academic warn-ing sign. Those with fewer absences average a much better 2.8.

The university has other programs in place to help stu-dents succeed academically. The Freshman MentoringProgram administered by the Dean of Students’ office seeksto ensure that every freshman is assigned a faculty or profes-sional staff mentor whose job is to be available to help solve

a problem or otherwise ease the transition to college. Morethan 300 faculty and staff members have volunteered to helpout during each of the past two years, working with up tofour or five freshmen.

Policies also are in place to help keep students who maynot be adequately prepared for the rigors of college fromtaking on more than they can handle during the freshmanyear and creating an academic deficit that can be hard toovercome.

Students who enter MSU with less than a 2.5 highschool GPA on core courses and who also have less than a21 ACT score take a restricted course load during the firstyear, including mandatory study skills courses, and receiveguidance from the University Academic Advising Centeruntil they have successfully completed 30 credit hours. Atthat point, the students are free to declare a major.

Mississippi State will do its part to make college acces-sible and affordable for all of the state’s citizens and to helpclose the gap in education levels between Mississippi andmost other states, says President Lee.

“All of our missions, including research and outreach,are important, but the most sacred is learning—learning toearn in a rapidly changing workplace; learning to live as amate, a parent, and as a responsible member of one’s com-munity; and learning as a lifelong commitment,” he said.

“The university must strive to become an even morestudent-friendly provider of education, including increasedofferings of distance learning opportunities, if we are tomove closer to the national average in the percentage of ourstate’s population with at least a bachelor’s degree,” Lee said.

Less than 17 percent of Mississippi adults hold a bache-lor’s degree or higher degree, compared with a national average of more than 24 percent, according to 2000 CensusBureau figures.

“This gap between our level of educational attainmentand that of most other states contributes to a negative imageof our Mississippi,” Lee said. “It makes it harder for us toattract tomorrow’s jobs, deprives our communities of moreinformed citizens, and robs our economy of the additionalearnings that come with greater educational attainment. Wehave to close this gap, and do it with precision and quality.With adequate resources and continued support, we can.”

For more information on MSU scholarships and finan-cial aid, see www.sfa.msstate.edu/. For more information onadmissions requirements, see www.msstate.edu/dept/admis-sions/. To recommend a prospective student to the Office ofEnrollment Services, write to P.O. Box 6334, MississippiState, MS 39762, send e-mail to [email protected], or visitthe Web site at www.enroll.msstate.edu and select the information request form.

RAA L U M N U S

Fall 2003

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IFUTURE

If Richard Adkerson could actually buy stock inMississippi State University, he undoubtedly would. Sincethat’s not possible, he continues to support his alma materpassionately with his time and financial resources. In fact,Adkerson is considered by many to be an unofficial ambas-sador of the university, particularly of its accounting school,which he credits with much of his success.

Adkerson’s degree from Mississippi State opened a lotof doors for him and he proudly admits it. “I have alwaysbeen a bulldog about my career,” he says. “When thingshaven’t run smoothly, I’ve worked hard, stayed focused andpressed onward. Eventually good things happen.”

He graduated from the university with a bachelor’sdegree in accounting and a master’s degree in businessadministration in 1969 and 1970, respectively. Later, hecompleted the Advanced Management Program at theHarvard Business School.

Today, Adkerson is president and chief financial officerof Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc., one of theworld’s largest and lowest-cost producers of copper andgold. He also serves as co-chairman, president and chiefexecutive officer of McMoRan Exploration Co., whichexplores for oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico and is devel-oping an offshore liquefied natural gas facility. Overlookingthe Superdome in New Orleans, his office has an amazingview, one he says reminds him that there is more to life thanjust the bottom line.

Adkerson returns to campus frequently. When possible,he attends board meetings, sporting events and other univer-sity-sponsored activities. He serves as treasurer and vicepresident-elect for the MSU Foundation board of directors

and serves on advisory boards for the College of Businessand Industry and the Agribusiness Institute. He is a gener-ous supporter of MSU academics and athletics.

An education from Mississippi State allowed Adkersonto gain recognition early in his career. After graduation, hereceived the Elijah Watts Sells Silver Medal for scoring thesecond-highest grades nationally on the CPA examination.

From 1976 to 1978, he was a Professional AccountingFellow with the Securities and Exchange Commission inWashington, D.C., and a Presidential Exchange Fellow. Hewent on to become one of the youngest partners ever admit-ted in Arthur Andersen & Co., where he was managingdirector of the firm’s Worldwide Oil and Gas IndustryPractice. In 1989, he joined Freeport-McMoRan, which hadbeen one of his first clients after graduation in 1970. Heestablished a partnership that now has spanned more than 30years with J.R. “Jim Bob” Moffett, the legendary explo-rationist from the University of Texas and founder ofMcMoRan.

Through the years, Adkerson’s influence continued to befelt at Mississippi State. In addition to personal contribu-tions, he became involved in several fund-raising efforts toincrease the university’s permanent endowment.

In 1987, Adkerson—along with H.D. “Von” Graham, acolleague and fellow alumnus—led a fund-raising efforthonoring longtime accounting professor and accountantWilliam A. Simmons. As a result, the Simmons Fund forExcellence endowment provides support for graduate stu-dent scholarships, salary enhancements for outstandingaccounting faculty and faculty summer research grants andawards.

ADKERSONkeeps

in MSU’sBY AMY CAGLE

investing


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AAdkerson then helped pay tribute to Graham, who wasretiring from Arthur Andersen, and through donations fromcolleagues and friends, established the H. Devon “Von”Graham Jr. Accounting Excellence Endowment Fund, whichis used for faculty development activities, student enrichmentprograms and equipment purchases.

More recently, Adkerson established the AccountingProfessor’s Endowed Fund and made possible a technology-enhanced classroom in McCool Hall dedicated in honor ofhis former professors, William A. Simmons, Dora R. Herring,Joseph F. Curry, R. Scott Wofford, William L. Cross, and thelate William W. Littlejohn. He also participated in a fund inhonor of the late Roland Jones, one of his former professorsin the College of Business and Industry, who established theProfessional Golf Management Program at Mississippi State.

“I had as good an education as possible in preparation fora career in accounting and I wanted to honor the individualswho were directly responsible,” he said.

Looking back, Adkerson remembers that he almost didn’tattend Mississippi State. He had won a National MeritScholarship in engineering to North Carolina State. Eventually,MSU won out and Adkerson enrolled as an engineering major.

It was not until he spent a summer working in a schoolbus construction factory in his hometown of Kosciusko thathe decided he definitely wanted to crunch numbers instead.So he switched majors after Professor Littlejohn advised himto work toward an accounting degree if he wanted to pursuea career in business, explaining that “accounting is the lan-guage of business.” As an accounting student, ProfessorSimmons helped Adkerson get jobs at the Starkville livestocksales barn and at his public accounting firm. Adkerson creditsthe practical experience he gained while working as a studentwith the fast start he achieved in his career following graduation.

“The professors I had during my time at MississippiState are some of the university’s finest. It was their qualityof teaching and their enthusiasm that established perspectivefor me and motivated me to work hard,” he acknowledged.

Dr. Dora Herring returns the compliment. “Richard wasone of the best accounting students our program has everhad—he was inquisitive and always possessed an entrepre-neurial spirit,” she said. “His name is synonymous with theMSU accounting school. When the program has neededRichard Adkerson, he has been there.”

Adkerson’s most recent commitment to his alma mater isnot in the form of a financial obligation—but rather a truegift of himself. He sits at the helm of a steering committeecomposed of other loyal alumni and friends who are assistingthe MSU Foundation with securing leadership gifts for itsmajor gifts campaign, now in the silent phase.

“Richard Adkerson was the logical choice to head the

steering committee for The Mississippi State Campaign basedon his background, his dedicated support of many areas ofthe university and his genuine love for Mississippi State,”said Richard Armstrong, executive director of the MSUFoundation.

Through the “State of the Future” campaign, Adkersonhopes Mississippi State will reconnect with lost alumni andachieve objectives beyond the campaign’s goals. “The campaign will serve as a way of bringing the MSU familytogether and galvanizing support for the university,” he said.

The older of two boys, Adkerson was born in WestTennessee. While he was growing up, his family migrated toMississippi and lived in Corinth, Kosciusko, Brookhaven,and Tupelo, where his father managed department stores.During his senior year in high school, his father bought aretail business and the family settled in Kosciusko.

Adkerson enjoys athletics—in New Orleans, where he isactive in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and especiallyat Mississippi State. He is passionate about Bulldog athleticsand shares a skybox at Davis Wade Stadium with MSU basketball coach Rick Stansbury.

“I’m happy to say that many of my family members areMSU fans—even my three boys, Clark, Tyler and Ryan—who did not attend Mississippi State,” Adkerson confessed.“Until my mother died in 2002, we would gather for a hugeThanksgiving and play a highly competitive touch footballgame at Kosciusko’s high school Whippet stadium, thenwe’d all go to the Egg Bowl,” Adkerson said. “Even thoughmy brother regrettably went to the University of Mississippi,my two nephews attended MSU. One nephew, Jeff, recentlyjoined the staff of Mississippi State as program coordinatorof the Professional Golf Management Program. Althoughmy cousins in Tennessee are split between Bulldogs andRebels, the Adkerson family is predominately wrapped inmaroon and white.”

Adkerson also enjoys hunting and fishing and spends asmuch time as possible at wife Nancy’s rice farm in SouthwestLouisiana and his company’s hunting camp on the KingRanch in South Texas. Although Nancy is a graduate of theUniversity of Southwestern Louisiana, she now shares hislove of the university and has developed a great appreciationfor “all things Mississippi State.”

Although Adkerson is a busy man, he devotes time tocauses he believes in. One cause Adkerson definitely holdsdear to his heart is ensuring the future of Mississippi State.

“There’s just something about the Mississippi StateUniversity spirit that keeps me under its spell, and I hopethrough this campaign alumni and friends will step forwardto support our university so that it can continue to providequality education for its students.”

healthcare crisis?IS THERE AN FOR MISSISSIPPI’S

By Maridith Walker Geuder | Photos by Clint Parish

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Outreach, research efforts at Mississippi State help prescribe a new, healthier future

Enjoying a recent weekend break at his parents’ home, Water Valley native and first-yearmedical student Ashley Harris said he always knew he wanted to become a doctor.

“My uncle is a family physician here,” said Harris, a biochemistry major who was admittedto the University of Mississippi medical school after three years at Mississippi State. “I alwaysknew that I wanted to become a family practitioner and to return to Water Valley,” he said,acknowledging that even on a beautiful fall Saturday he was preparing to hit the books once more.

Harris got a leg up on his career when he was accepted following his junior year of highschool into an intensive six-week summer program designed to cultivate future doctors.Established in 1998, the Rural Medical Scholars program is sponsored by the Mississippi Rural

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Health Corps and directed by MSU Extension Service in col-laboration with the state’s 15 community colleges.

“It’s not easy to get doctors to practice in rural areas,”said program coordinator Bonnie L. Carew. “This programidentifies talented high school students who take two pre-med courses at Mississippi State and shadow area physicians.They get a good look at the life of a doctor and begin to learnif they’re cut out for medicine.”

Up to 30 students may participate each year, and theinitial 1998 class is just now eligible to attend medicalschool. “Rural Medical Scholars have at least a 25 ACTscore and an initial interest in medicine,” Carew explained.“This program helps them recognize the level of work theycan do and teaches them what they should do to be competi-tive for medical school.”

Three students from the program’s first class wereaccepted into medical school in 2003. Ashley Harris was oneof them.

Harris is a fairly rare commodity in Mississippi. In a survey recently conducted by MSU’s Social Science ResearchCenter, sociologist Lynne Cossman assessed the physician laborforce in Mississippi. Based on the results, Cossman concludesthat “what we’re seeing is the beginning of a health care crisis.”

In her survey of 600 Mississippi physicians (there areapproximately 4,400 statewide), she learned that half haveconsidered leaving the state and half have considered retiring.

“This data is particularly disturbing since Mississippi,compared to the national Centers for Disease Control recom-mendations, is starting with a disadvantage in number ofphysicians serving the state’s population,” Cossman noted.

“We found that 50 of Mississippi’s 82 counties have toofew physicians,” she said. “For primary care physicians,we’re looking at two counties with no physicians and 69counties with too few.”

Add to this mix a state in which “there’s a Medicaid crisis and a malpractice crisis in conjunction with a fairlysick population,” and Lynne Cossman says that she’salarmed. “I’m scared for myself—and for others.”

A climate of concern

The health climate in Mississippi is, indeed, a cause foralarm. Among educators, health care providers, policy-mak-ers, and the public at large, there’s a sense thatMississippians are at a higher-than-ever risk for disease andare at an alarming low point in access to many componentsof good health—from primary-care physicians to healthyfoods to preventive medicine programs.

As reported in 2001 by the state Department of Health,Mississippi has: One of the highest rates of diabetes in the nation. One of the highest rates of death from heart disease. A lower-than-national average of breast cancer screenings

in women over 50.Lynne Cossman would add that in Mississippi the

African-American infant mortality rate is 50 percent higherthan that of whites. Nationally, infant mortality rates areoften used as a measure of adequate health care.

That’s the significantly half-empty glass. Arthur G. Cosby, a sociologist and director of the SSRC,

agrees that Mississippi, like the nation as a whole, “facesmajor health care challenges.” He notes that the U.S. spendsabout 14 percent of its Gross National Product on healthcare.

“The nation simply can’t sustain this amount,” he said. As a social scientist, he believes that “many of the very bigchallenges in health care deal with the consequences of ourown behavior and the choices we make about issues such asdiet and smoking. Our individual choices become profoundlyimportant to health.”

If there’s a silver lining in the current health care cli-mate, it’s that recognizing a problem provides a starting pointto its solution. At Mississippi State, the faculty members whodirect research and outreach programs are putting tremendousenergy into helping reverse trends and improve the potentialfor health in the state and beyond.

Can you have good health with that behavior?

Three years ago, Art Cosby came to believe that social scientists had a real opportunity to make an impact on health.“If the mix of behaviors and lifestyles influences health, thenwe see the chance to make interventions that help peoplebecome healthier. We believe that we can make a difference.”

To consolidate that effort, the SSRC formed the RuralHealth Safety and Security Institute, with major funding fromthe federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Co-directed byCosby with psychology professor Elisabeth Wells-Parker andsociology professor Martin Levin, the institute is providingresearch-based data for decision-making, creating innovativepartnerships to improve the opportunities for better health,and seeking to identify the effects of particular social andpsychological behaviors on health outcomes.

More recently, the SSRC has established the MississippiHealth Policy Research Center, a partnership with theJackson-based Bower Foundation. Co-directed by Cosby and

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Ellen Jones, a former state Department of Health divisiondirector, the new center has a mission of conducting researchon the most critical health policy issues affecting the state.

“We’re not making policy,” Jones emphasized, “but providing reliable information to help make people aware ofthe policy options that are available.”

She noted that “there’s been great progress made inimproving life spans and in clinical care. What’s been missingis the link between research and practice—the ability totranslate improved technologies into programs. We’re tryingto bridge that gap.”

A policy decision laboratory recently conducted by thecenter allowed 25 leaders in the Mississippi health care industryto identify their biggest concerns. Their list: access to healthservices, financing Medicaid, insurance/un-insurance, andhealth issues that include obesity, hypertension and cardio-vascular disease.

“We’re letting policy-makers tell us what’s most relevant,”Jones said. “We’ll be providing what we think is a missinglink: evidence-based research that becomes a scaffolding forgood decisions about allocations of resources and programs.”

It’s a desert out there

Specific projects under way at the SSRC illustrate thevariety and complexity of the behavioral and social variablesthat lead to good or bad health. Many are inter-related.

Sociologist Troy C. Blanchard recently became interestedin how readily available “healthy” foods are to mostMississippians. Using U.S. Census data and geographicinformation systems software, he and a colleague at CornellUniversity developed maps that illustrate the location of large

retail grocery outlets nationwide.He discovered that for many in the United States—and

especially for many Mississippians seeking healthyfoods—there’s a phenomenon he describes as a “food desert.”

It means that for many consumers, varied, affordableselections of healthy foods literally are out of reach.

With the proliferation of retail supercenters designed todraw consumers from several surrounding counties, residentsof extremely rural areas often find themselves high and drywhen it comes to grocery shopping, he explains.

“Supercenter locations actually become a disadvantageto rural, poor, and disabled folks because shopping at a largecenter with ‘healthy’ food choices may involve a long commute.” He believes that supercenter locations have sig-nificant policy implications for health and social services.

His study revealed, for instance, that: Residents of the American West have the least access to

supermarkets and supercenters, followed by those in the South and Midwest;

In Mississippi alone, more than 440,000 people—15.5 percent of the state’s population—live in areas considered “low access”;

Persons living in counties with 10,000-plus cities are more likely to have shopping access than those living in countieswith smaller cities; and

Access drops dramatically for counties without 2,500-resident cities and not adjacent to a major metropolitan area.

“In at least half of all non-metropolitan counties notlocated adjacent to a large city, no resident has ready accessto a supermarket or supercenter,” Blanchard said.

More recently, he’s begun to focus more narrowly on therelationship between the food desert and fruit and vegetableintake, especially as they relate to obesity.

researchstudies

epidemic smoking

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Cognition and chemotherapy

With a $70,000 National Institutes of Health grant, psy-chologists at the SSRC are taking one step toward understandingchemotherapy’s long-term effects, especially on women.

Their study, involving a group of approximately 100women, seeks to determine if chemotherapy treatments forbreast cancer have lasting effects on cognitive abilities. Halfof the women enrolled in the study have had the treatments;half haven’t.

The MSU team is comparing performances as measuredby a series of standardized instruments including a test ofdriving-related abilities developed by researchers at theUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham.

“We chose breast cancer patients because of the consistency in regimens for chemotherapy,” said CarolynAdams-Price, principal investigator and associate professorof psychology. Study participants—recruited with assistancefrom North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo and aStarkville-area clinic—are being tested at MSU and at NMCC.

“Research has shown that chemotherapy can cause last-ing cognitive deficits, but we don’t know if those deficits areassociated with problems in everyday functioning,” explainedproject collaborator Elisabeth Wells-Parker of the SSRC.

Some deficits found in chemotherapy patients may alsobe associated with age, a factor the researchers also will consider. To find out, they are employing the UAB-developedmeasure of visual information processing known as the UsefulField of View, or UFOV.

“Using an interactive computer format, UFOV measuresthe ability to pay attention to things around you and is anexcellent predictor of driving capabilities in older adults,”explained Adams-Price.

Because driving is a common task, the MSU team isadapting the approach to learn if cognitive skills required todrive are affected by chemotherapy. With that information,they hope to significantly expand the scope of the study.

Their work will provide additional information to helpwomen make informed decisions about chemotherapy.

Addressing the ‘silent’ epidemic

It’s the No. 1 reason for missed school days and fivetimes more common than asthma in children. The phenomenon that has been described by the U.S. SurgeonGeneral as a “silent” national epidemic presents a majorhealth concern, particularly in the Mississippi Delta.

While tooth decay—also known as dental caries—may

not strike some as a reason for alarm, the problem if leftuntreated can set the stage for a lifetime of poor health andits related social and financial burdens.

Research scientists Linda H. Southward and ElisabethWells-Parker believe something can be done about it.Coordinator of the SSRC’s Family and Children’s ResearchUnit, Southward is helping lead a five-year project in 15 Deltadaycare centers under the auspices of the federal Agency forHealthcare Research and Quality.

“Based on emerging research from the AmericanAcademy of Pediatric Dentistry, we saw early intervention as an important effort,” she said.

Southward has established a continuing collaborationwith the University of Rochester’s Center for Child HealthResearch, an arm of the American Academy of Pediatrics.Other major pediatric dentists in Mississippi and around thenation also are consulting to help answer a basic questionabout children and oral health: at what age can childhoodinterventions for dental caries be most effective?

“A child’s first tooth erupts at about six months, accord-ing to the academy. Children have most of their teeth by theage of three. Their question is how risk assessment worksfor different age groups,” Southward explained.

In collaboration with the University of MississippiMedical Center’s School of Dentistry, the MSU team hashelped arrange site visits by UMC dentists, who are conduct-ing assessments of approximately 400 children ranging from6 months to 5 years old.

Assessments are designed to learn more about thechild’s oral history, as well as to gather information aboutpatterns of eating and drinking that may contribute to toothdecay. In the process, caregivers also are being exposed tothe importance of good dental health.

“We’re conducting this research with a population thatwe believe to be at high risk,” said Southward, whose MSUwork is supported by the Mississippi Agricultural and ForestryExperiment Station. “If we can demonstrate effective inter-ventions here, we believe the program can be transferred andcan have major implications for Mississippi and the nation.”

Smoking it out

For the past four years, social psychologist RobertMcMillen has quietly been building a reputation as the “go-to” person for data about smoking behaviors and publicopinion. His research into the “social climate” for tobaccouse provides objective data that can help inform policy andresource decisions.

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That’s especially significant in Mississippi, which in1997 led the nation in a pioneering lawsuit against cigarettemakers that resulted in a settlement of more than $3 billionfor the state over the next two decades. A portion of the set-tlement has been earmarked for education and awarenessefforts through organizations such as the Partnership for aHealthy Mississippi.

McMillen now is in his fifth year of collecting data inMississippi about behaviors such as teen smoking, allowingsmoking in the home, support for restricting smoking at public venues such as restaurants, and the public’s attitudeabout tax increases on tobacco products. He’s in the fourthyear of collecting the same data nationally.

He’s seen some major changes since he first began thesocial climate surveys. “In 1998, the prevalence of smokingwas 30.3 percent among high school students,” he noted. “By2002, that number in Mississippi was 23.1 percent, lower thanthat in the nation as a whole.” Overall, he said, his surveys haveshown a 24 percent drop in high school students smoking.

And, overall, there are significant changes in generalattitudes and behaviors, his surveys show. “As a state, we’veseen an increase in more public, smoke-free spaces. That’snot prescribed at the policy level, but is a grass-roots response,”he said. “We’ve seen Mississippians becoming more awareof the dangers of secondhand smoke, and we’ve seen morepeople banning smoking in their homes.”

His surveys are important because they provide unbiaseddata to allow the tobacco control effort in Mississippi toimprove and to reach at-risk populations, McMillen believes.“We’ve been able to identify issues that have broad publicsupport, where success might be likely. We believe our datais helping show where resources are most effectively spent.”

Can where you live be hazardous to your health?

In a word, the answer seems to be “yes.” The unan-swered question is “why?” Medical sociologist LynneCossman and medical geographer Ron Cossman pooled theirresearch skills and, using sophisticated geographic informa-tion systems technology, mapped the best and the worst placesin the nation for health.

To do that, they started with the worst-possible healthoutcome: death. “We chose mortality rates because thisinformation is publicly available at the county level for thenation as a whole,” Ron Cossman explained. With mortalityrates age-adjusted at the county level, the study comparedcounty-level data over six five-year time periods between1968-97.

“We found that the healthy places are persistentlyhealthy over time, and the unhealthy places likewise are per-sistently unhealthy,” Ron Cossman said. In other words, thehealth of regions do not appear affected by ethnic makeup,outmigration or other demographic factors even over decades.

Several clusters emerged as persistently unhealthy: theSoutheast, including the Piedmont areas of Virginia, NorthCarolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama; theMississippi River Delta Region, centered on both sides of theMississippi River; the shared border area of West Virginiaand Kentucky; the extreme northern Midwest (the UpperPeninsula of Michigan); and four large-area counties in themountain western state of Nevada.

At the other end of the scale, two major areas remainedpersistently healthy over 30 years (as reflected in mortalityrates): a massive cluster of counties in the Northern GreatPlains (southern Minnesota, northern Iowa, Nebraska,Kansas, Colorado, South Dakota, and North Dakota); and asecond cluster in southern Utah and northern Arizona.

“We’ve answered one question,” Ron Cossman said,“but now we have a host of others. Now we’ll start to pullback layers to see potential causes. Our next step will be to look at underlying diseases causing death by looking atparticular drugs prescribed for chronic illnesses.”

The Cossmans will secure prescription data at the countylevel for cardiovascular disease; respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, asthma, and pneumonia; and diabetes, amongothers. “We want to map chronic illnesses and compare tomaps of death rates to see if there’s a connection,” theyexplain. “Ultimately, we’d like to do field work in healthyand unhealthy areas to talk about environment and other factors that may contribute to health.”

Delving deeper into Delta health

With some of the state’s worst health outcomes, theMississippi Delta is the focus of a three-year-old coalitiongenerated by initial support from Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.).“Senator Cochran had an interest in developing an infrastruc-ture to coordinate efforts at improving health in theMississippi Delta,” explained Vance H. Watson, interim vicepresident for agriculture, forestry and veterinary medicineand MAFES director.

The focus was not to be on health care services, but onissues of research, education and access, Watson emphasized.The resulting coalition targets 21 Mississippi Delta countiesand involves MSU, the University of Mississippi MedicalCenter, Delta State University, Mississippi Valley State

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University, and the Delta Council. Known as the DeltaHealth Initiative, the effort—now funded by the federalDepartment of Health and Human Services—is directed byboard members from each of the participating institutions.

Additional collaborators are the Mississippi MedicalAssociation, the Mississippi Hospital Association, the AaronE. Henry Community Health Center, and the MississippiDelta Area Health Education Center.

Among participants contributing a specific expertise: UMC is leading an effort to work with practitioners to

identify chronic disease patients who should get specialized attention, such as diabetics who may need dietary counseling.

Delta State is focusing on an effort to expand the number of nurses in the region.

Valley State will coordinate a health and wellness program for the region.

MSU is bringing its expertise to bear on medical issues related to agriculture.

“The Agromedicine Program is a cooperative agreementbetween the MSU Extension Service and the University ofMississippi Medical Center,” explained principal investigatorBeverly R. Howell.

Nearly one-third of all jobs in Mississippi involve agri-culture, which is recognized as one of the most dangerousoccupations in the nation—second only to ground mining inaccidents and injury, Howell explained. The potential effectsof agricultural pesticides also are a concern, especially accidental poisonings.

The agromedicine program complements ongoing edu-cation and outreach programs through Extension in areas thatinclude pesticide application training, food safety and childhood environmental health, Howell explained.

Under the new effort, UMC will conduct epidemiological

studies that track the occurrence, outcomes and trends ofagricultural illness and injury in Mississippi. “This will bethe first time such a database has been created,” Howell noted.

Additionally, MSU will provide an agromedicine spe-cialist to develop and deliver targeted educational programs,establish a help-line, develop a Web site for interactive information about agricultural illness and injury, and developspecial programming such as a planned environmental safetyand health summit.

“Through this program, we want to increase awarenessand education in the Delta about agricultural-related illnessesand strategies to prevent them,” Howell said.

And now, is there a doctor in the house?

Research and outreach programs to help prevent illnessesand encourage healthy behaviors are an important part ofMississippi State’s contribution to the future of health in thestate. Education of the next generation of medical doctors,nurses and biomedical researchers is another.

In 2002, of the 109 students accepted for admission tothe University of Mississippi Medical School, 22 were fromMississippi State.

Ashley Harris, the Rural Medical Scholar and biochem-istry major, feels fortunate to be pursuing his lifelong dream.Through an agreement with Water Valley’s hospital, his education is paid for and he’s committed to returning hometo Yalobusha County, where three longtime physicians areabout to retire. There’s a need in his community, and he’spreparing himself to fill it.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” he said.

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soaringBY PHIL HEARN

THEY SAY IF YOU GIVE A MAN ENOUGHROPE, HE MAY HANG HIMSELF—BUT IN

THE CASE OF GEORGE BENNETT, HE’DPROBABLY JUST GO

SOARING.

CLINT PARISH

THEY


23

g

THE RETIRED former director of Mississippi State’sRaspet Flight Research Laboratory started flying gliders as ayoung high school student in the early 1950s, and he’s stillwinging it after all these years.

A Booneville native whose family moved to Starkvillein 1951, Bennett’s youthful interest in model aircraft led to apassion for sailplanes. So, he joined the fledglingMississippi State College Gliding Club as a teenager in 1953and has been gliding through life ever since.

“We had one little glider (a Schweitzer 119 model),very primitive, almost like a Wright Brothers flyer,” Bennettrecalled, noting this year marks the 100th anniversary of thehistoric, first powered flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C. “The gliders in the 1950s were heavy, wooden with a steel-tubefuselage, open-cockpit, single-place, and auto-towed.”

Auto-towed? Somebody get a rope!“They pulled them with a car (notably, a 1946 Ford

taxi) and a 400-foot piece of rope, and away you went,” heexplained. “The club charged 25 cents a tow and would run’em down the runway” at Starkville’s Bryan Field airport.

“But it was done progressively,” Bennett continued.“First, they just dragged you along the ground. You kept thewings level, but you didn’t get off the ground. You’d justkeep going higher and higher, and pretty soon you were flying a pattern at about 400 feet.

“Then, you’d get a rope that was about 1,000 feet long,”he said, remembering the late Guy Storer was an earlyinstructor. “If you picked up an updraft, you could go righton up to a cloud base at 3,000 to 4,000 feet and stay up therefor awhile. There were no radios, so Guy used handsignals—but we managed to keep from killing ourselves.”

Bennett’s survival was a good thing—not only forBennett, but for the Raspet flight laboratory, now directed byformer test pilot and retired flight operations company presi-dent David Lawrence, and for Mississippi State University’srich history in aeronautics and aerospace engineering.The Raspet lab’s world-class reputation as an innovativeflight research and development facility over the past half-century earned the program recognition this fall as aNational Landmark of Soaring, one of only 13 such sitesestablished nationwide since 1980 by the National SoaringMuseum. Soaring luminaries from MSU and elsewheregathered for the dedication ceremony at Bryan Field Nov. 1.The university flight lab is named for pioneer aerophysicistAugust Raspet, who was recruited to the campus in 1947 bythen-School of Engineering Dean Harold von NeufvilleFlinsch because of Raspet’s emerging national reputation asa top research scientist and sailplane enthusiast. Flinsch

created the department of aerophysics for Raspet, a “coalminer’s son from Pennsylvania,” and his independent soaring research.

The department of aeronautical engineering had existedsince it was separated from mechanical engineering in 1934.The department name was changed to aerospace engineeringin 1962, and the engineering school gained college status in1964. In 1967, aerophysics was merged with aerospaceengineering to create the department of aerophysics andaerospace engineering. In 1978, aerophysics was droppedfrom the name of the department, administrative home of theRaspet lab.

According to a department history, August Raspet stud-ied the aeronautics of bird flight by trailing buzzards in aglider as they soared over the outskirts of Starkville. Hebelieved an investigation of low-speed flight demonstratedby the birds would help him improve soaring performance.Mel Swartzberg was Raspet’s assistant during this period.Their research efforts already had begun to attract wide-spread attention in 1950 when Raspet shifted the focus of hisinvestigations to boundary layer control, described by onehistorian as “promotion of natural laminar flow and thereduction of various surface roughness elements, such asgaps at panel edges or protruding fixtures, to decrease drag.”Bennett simply called it: “The air flow over the wing near itssurface.”

Raspet’s research work attracted national attention andlater was extended to the development of powered aircraft,including short take-off and landing planes such as theMARVEL (Mississippi Aerophysics Research Vehicle withExtended Latitude) in 1957 and its sequel, the Marvellette,built for the Army in 1959. Raspet also helped the Armydevelop its first all-composite fiberglass plane, the Phoenix,in 1958.

Among sailplane enthusiasts attracted to Starkville byRaspet’s national reputation was Californian Dick Johnson, Internationally known as the “father of human-poweredflight,” MacCready was named the Hall of Science and

“IF YOU PICKED UP AN UPDRAFT,YOU COULDGO RIGHT ON UP TO A CLOUD BASE AT 3,000 TO4,000 FEET AND STAY UP THERE FORAWHILE. THERE WERE NO RADIOS, SO GUYUSED HAND SIGNALS—BUT WE MANAGED TO KEEPFROM KILLING OURSELVES.”


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Exploration’s Engineer of the Century. He delivered thekeynote address at an evening banquet that followed theRaspet soaring site dedication.

Tragically, a crash at Bryan Field in April 1960 claimedthe lives of Raspet and passenger Lowell L. Meyer, an air-craft corporation representative, as Raspet demonstrated aPiper Super Cub. It was a powered airplane equipped withthe boundary layer control equipment the pilot had workedso hard to perfect.

“He was demonstrating a high-lift airplane to a guy andthey found them at the end of the runway,” Bennett recalled.“Somehow, there was a landing accident.”

Mississippi legislators, stunned by Raspet’s death, soonappropriated $500,000 to create the Raspet Flight ResearchLaboratory, which officially opened its doors in 1964 at thesame airport where Raspet had died.

Joe Cornish followed Raspet as flight lab director andwas succeeded in order by Sean Roberts in 1964, Ernest J.Cross in1974, Bennett in 1979, and Lawrence in 2001.

“AUGUST RASPET WAS GOD among the technical soaringpeople,” said Bennett, who earned a bachelor’s degree inaerospace engineering at MSU in 1959 and returned toStarkville in 1969 after completing a master’s degree at theUniversity of Illinois. “He had an international reputation indrag reduction (research)…and essentially started engineeringresearch at Mississippi State.”

Bennett noted the lab’s international reputation for

successfully employing modern composite materials wasgreatly enhanced in 1986. That was the year the researchand development arm of Japan’s Honda Motor Co. signed amajor, multi-year contract with the university to design andassemble large aircraft components from composites. Inaddition to millions of dollars in research, Honda built andequipped a modern 50,000-square-foot laboratory adjacent tothe Raspet lab that later was donated to MSU. The lab currently has a fleet of 10 aircraft.

THE RESOURCES of MSU’s Bagley College ofEngineering, particularly Raspet lab, were major factors inthe recent decision of American Eurocopter Corp., the world’slargest helicopter manufacturer, to locate its new U.S. plantjust 13 miles away at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport.Wayne Bennett serves as dean of the college and TonyVizzini heads up the department of aerospace engineering.

Lawrence, a former Air Force pilot and retired presidentof Tracor Flight Systems Inc., said the MSU flight lab cur-rently is conducting research on a half-dozen projects rangingfrom development of composite materials for modularbridges to developing a prototype unmanned aerial vehiclethat can carry remote infrared sensors on a variety of militaryor other missions. Thomas Edwards is the lab’s researchdirector.

“For guys like George and me, it’s kind of blasphemy totalk about an airplane that doesn’t have a pilot in it, butthat’s where the (research) money is and that’s where we

LEFT David Lawrence, left, and George Bennett examine a modern, two-place glider. TOP A 1946 Ford taxi, utilizing a 400-foot rope prepares tolaunch a Schweitzer 119 sailplane skyward during MSU Glider Club activi-ties in the early 1950s. Guy Storer, one of the early instructors, keeps aneye on the glider from the back seat of the taxi.

RUSS HOUSTON

MSU DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

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have to go,” said Lawrence, a graduate of St. LouisUniversity and Mississippi State. With an aerospace indus-try career spanning more than 35 years, he has logged some2,000 soaring hours.

“SOARING IS A SPORT,” said Bennett, whose maincareer interest over the years has been in managing, designingand building airplanes. For him, “Flying is a hobby.”

“It’s a very expensive sport,” added Lawrence, notingthat sailplanes cost a minimum of about $30,000 and canrange up to $250,000, depending on design features. TheMSU lab owns several towing aircraft and a two-place, jet-powered sailplane, the Caproni A-21J. Lawrence also ownshis own glider and the club has three sailplanes.

The plaque officially marking the national soaring land-mark site—the only such site in the Southeast—pays homage to August Raspet for his “pioneering drag reductionand suction boundary layer research.” It also honors DickJohnson, who lives in Dallas, Texas, for soaring achievementsin his RJ-5 glider. The sailplane achieved a remarkable glideratio of 40 to1, meaning it could glide a distance of 40 milesfrom an altitude of one mile. Most sailplanes at the timewere achieving a glide ratio of only 25 to 1.

Johnson and another research engineer who worked forRaspet in the early days, Bruce Carmichael, were instrumentalin helping obtain the national soaring landmark designation.“Carmichael was the guy who really figured out what the40:1 gliding ratio meant,” said Bennett. “That’s almost

level. You don’t know you’re going down.”In 2001, Johnson assisted in the purchase of two modern,

fiberglass gliders for the MSU Soaring Club, which had beeninactive for several years. Club members now fly weeklyunder the instruction and guidance of Bennett and MSUaerospace engineering instructor Tom Hannigan. Perhapsnot surprisingly, Johnson remains an active glider and soarsoccasionally in Starkville.

“As a matter of fact, Dick Johnson came out here theother day and flew our single-place airplane for over fivehours,” Lawrence said during an August interview. “He puta sandwich in the back of the airplane and up he went.”

Other glider club members from the early days who stillfly, according to Bennett, are William Page, Tom Stennis,Tom Hardy, Charles Cliett, and August Raspet’s son David.

BENNETT AND LAWRENCE said the flight lab currently istrying to help Californian Danny Howell develop a “second-generation, ultra-light” glider that would be constructed fromhigh-performance carbon fiber rather than fiberglass. Thetechnology will reduce the weight of an empty glider from400-500 pounds to about 150-170 pounds.

“When somebody comes along with a neat idea, youhelp them out because in the end, it will come back to you,”said Bennett. “Our point is to be the catalyst in this business. Our business is to help people get there first.”

glidingGus Raspet in the Eppler Phoenix, arevolutionary sail plane

MSU DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

CLINT PARISH

D

WA L U M N U S

Fall 2003

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When Donald C. Dornan Jr. assumedthe yearlong position of MississippiBar Association president in 2002,he set out to improve the public’s perception of the legal profession.

THE MISSISSIPPI STATE ALUMNUS (B.A. ’74) and Biloxiresident said he decided to meet the profession’s sometimesless-than-stellar image head on by providing accurate infor-mation about the good things done by attorneys. He decidedto conduct the campaign by writing letters to state newspapereditors and volunteering for media interviews.

“The image problem involves only a small number oflawyers,” he said. “Most in Mississippi are good profes-sionals and good people, and they want to do the rightthing.”

As bar president, Dornan also became involved inanother of the profession’s smoldering issues—suicides. Helearned that attorneys are more likely to experience depressionthan members of other professions, and that lawyers die bysuicide at twice the rate of the general population.

Though a relatively small state in terms of population,Mississippi was not immune to the situation and Dornansaid he determined that a concerted effort would be requiredto help call attention to the problem. One way was the reg-ular column the MBA president writes for the organization’sbimonthly magazine, “The Mississippi Lawyer.”

To emphasize the problems with depression and accom-panying behaviors such as stress and substance abuse,Dornan chose to devote an entire issue of the magazine to

PRESIDENTstate bar

BY KAY FIKE JONES

Dornan tackledtough issues as

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those concerns. “It was very unusual to devote an entiremagazine to this subject and we received very positive feed-back,” he said. “It allowed people to see the issues in printand brought a higher level of attention to them.”

The effort also helped bring additional attention to thestate’s Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program, which provides help for its own through meetings and recoverygroups. The program treats lawyers and judges experiencingdifficulty with depression, stress, or alcohol and other drugaddiction.

Following publication of the “Mississippi Lawyer” issueon suicide prevention, officials at LJAP reported an increasein telephone calls and referrals, Dornan said.

“I am most proud of the renewedemphasis on the impairment issuebecause it’s on a human level,” headded. “It’s a positive developmentand will continue to be.”

AS IF THE TWO PREVIOUS CHALLENGES weren’t enough fora one-year term, Dornan also helped move the state bar to amore active role in the debate over specific legal issues.

“For instance, we stood up and defended judges whocame under criticisms, since they are not allowed, by law, todefend themselves,” he explained. Among other topics wereadvertising and civil justice reform.

“In taking these and other positions, we always attemptedto do so in a balanced and well-grounded fashion.”

While Dornan said he enjoyed his year as president andthe previous year as president-elect, his MBA duties left lit-tle time for his specialties in civil litigation, arbitration andmediation. Now back full time at the Dornan Law Office,the Columbus native said he can begin to appreciate just howmuch his bar association service meant.

“It certainly was a great honor and a great experience,”he said. “I also enjoyed meeting people and colleagues Imight not have known otherwise.”

He added that “giving the commencement address at theUniversity of Mississippi Law School graduation was a realhighlight. The depth of the experience exceeded expectationsand seeing young lawyers taking the oath was very rewarding,very positive and uplifting.”

Donald C. Dornan Jr. is the first

Mississippi State graduate to preside over the Mississippi Bar

Association in at least 30 or so years.

Born and raised in Lowndes County, he graduated from Columbus’

Lee High School in 1970 and earned a bachelor’s degree in

political science from MSU in 1974. He fondly remembers political

science faculty members Tip Allen, Thomas H. Handy and P.C.

McLaurin, who he calls “positive influences.”

Dornan earned a law degree from the University of Mississippi

in 1976 and has been practicing on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

since 1977.

Prior to assuming the MBA leadership mantle, he was president of

the Harrison County Bar Association and the Russell-Blass-Walker

chapter of the American Inns of Court. He is a fellow of the

Mississippi Bar Foundation and was inducted into the American

Board of Trial Advocates in 1998.

He also is a member of the Bar Association of the Fifth Federal

Circuit, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Mississippi Trial

Lawyers Association, Gulf Coast Law Institute, American Arbitration

Association, and the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution.

He is certified as a civil trial advocate by the National Board of

Trial Advocacy.

Dornan’s connections to his alma mater remain strong. He is a

member of the Mississippi State Alumni Association, Bulldog Club

and MSU Gulf Coast Booster Club.

He is the father of Diana, a University of Mississippi graduate,

and Patrick, who recently completed a master of business

administration degree at MSU.

PROFILE

TF


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remarks of DR. J. CHARLES LEEinvestiture

DR. J. CHARLES LEE officiallybecame Mississippi State’s 17th president

in a Sept. 5 public program that celebrated both his investiture and the

university’s 125th anniversary.

In his address to an audience of nearly2,000, Lee said continuing experiencesover his time as chief executive “haveconfirmed that the expectations of our

university are enormous, which is appropriate, given our talents, the needs of our state and the level of resources

entrusted to us.

“The message is clear,” he added. “Weneed to raise our expectations of

ourselves. Having confidence in ourselvesis the key to winning the faith

of others.”

THE NORTH CAROLINA NATIVE and one-time MSU forestresources dean reaffirmed the land-grant institution’s com-mitment to recruiting both the best and brightest students and“all others who have the shown the desire, determination andability to take advantage of the university’s offerings.” Hesaid the state can’t afford to lose its youth to other states’ aca-demic institutions.

From 1978 to 1983, Lee led the then-School of ForestResources, while also serving as associate director of theMississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.Before returning to Mississippi State in 1999, Lee held aseries of major administrative positions at Texas A&MUniversity. His duties there included leadership of the forestsciences department, dean of agriculture and life sciences,director of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, anddeputy chancellor of the multi-campus system. He alsoserved for 18 months as interim executive vice president and

provost of the land-grant institution in College Station.From 1999 until his interim appointment as Mississippi

State’s leader, he was the university’s vice president for agri-culture, forestry and veterinary medicine.

FOLLOWING IS THE COMPLETE TEXT OF HIS REMARKS.I am both honored and humbled by this ceremony, the

original music composition, the presence of relatives andmany life-long friends, and the many other efforts to makethis a very special day. Thank you. I am also appreciative ofso many expressions of confidence in my ability, none morethan that of Gov. Musgrove, Lt. Gov. Tuck, other local, state,and national elected officials, President Colbert and othermembers of the Board of Trustees, Commissioner Potter, andmy special friends, Leo Seal, Josh Blades, Walter Diehl,Jerry Gaston and Will Carpenter. Thank you all for yourvery generous comments. And I also want to thank the dedi-

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cated men and women of Mississippi State, those located onthis campus, in Meridian, and across the state, whose inter-dependent roles link with our students to make the Bulldogfamily. Almost 500 hundred of our faculty, staff and studentsrecently volunteered a half day to prune, rake and spreadmulch on our campus landscape. A special thanks to each ofyou for your dedication to our institution, and our prayersare with Physical Plant electrician Randy Bouchillon, whowas severely burned in an electrical fire yesterday here oncampus.

We are here today because of our shared interest

in the FUTURE OF THIS UNIVERSITY and this

state. Mississippi State University has been opening

the DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY and improving

the quality of life FOR THE PEOPLE of this state

for 125 years.

For me, this event is more momentous because of thetremendous opportunities that have come my way over thepast 20 months and how these events have influenced myvision of this university’s future. These experiences havealso confirmed that the expectations of our university areenormous, which is appropriate, given our talents, the needsof our state, and the level of resources entrusted to us. Themessage is clear—we need to raise our expectations of ourselves. Having confidence in ourselves is the key to winning the faith of others.

Now, I encourage you to think briefly with me aboutthe people who have brought us to this 125th year and thepotential of this university that is often, but not solely,known as the “People’s University.”

Mississippi A&M, like its sister land-grant institutions,was chartered to provide higher education for the masses.The demonstration of useful agricultural and mechanicaltechniques to our citizens, including youth, came with thecharter, and the popular “Corn Clubs” sponsored in the early1900s by our fifth president, William Hall Smith, laterevolved into the nation’s 4-H program.

Arts and humanities were not initially welcomed onland-grant campuses, as was reflected in the statewide controversy that followed 14th President Jim McComas’sannouncement of plans to build a fine and performing artscenter on this campus—this despite society’s continuingneed for broadly-educated graduates who understand them-selves, as well as their civic and professional duties.

For our institution, the assimilation of women as stu-dents was more traumatic than for most. Women were ban-ished in 1912 for nearly two decades after a faculty-studentconfrontation that ultimately required intervention by ourgovernor. Today 48 percent of our students are women.

If the issue of women’s role in the institution wasvolatile, the uneventful admission of the first African-American student in 1965 continues to typify the harmony ofour university. MSU today ranks 61st among all universitiesin awarding bachelor’s degrees to African-Americans, andenrolls the highest proportion of African-American studentsin any traditionally white land-grant university.

Though all of our missions are important, the mostsacred is learning—learning to earn in a rapidly changingworkplace; learning to live as a mate, a parent, and as aresponsible member of one’s community; and learning as alifelong commitment.

Our first challenge in learning is to meet a growingarray of student needs. We are asked to accommodate muchvariation in the levels of knowledge and preparation for col-lege among today’s students, whose ages range from 16 to70-plus. Even so, we are encouraged by our rising retentionand graduation rates. Some aspiring students are unable toenroll on a campus for reasons of work, location, or family.We must continue to offer those students educational oppor-tunities and strive to become an even more student-friendlyprovider of education if we are to move closer to the nationalaverage in the percentage of our state’s population with atleast a bachelor’s degree.

This gap between our level of educational attainmentand that of most other states contributes to a negative imageof our Mississippi. It makes it harder for us to attract tomor-row’s jobs, deprives our communities of more informed citizens, and robs our economy of the additional earningsthat come with greater educational attainment. We have toclose this gap, and do it with precision and quality. Withadequate resources and continued support, we can.

Pat and Charles Lee

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MISSISSIPPI STATE is committed to both

access and academic excellence. We seek the best

and brightest students, and all others who have shown

the DESIRE, DETERMINATION AND ABILITYto take advantage of our university’s offerings. This

commitment to providing educational opportunity

hopefully will be MATCHED BY COMMITTEDstudents, lest our efforts to help the less motivated

impede the progress of those who are more serious

about their studies. Our STATE CANNOT AFFORDto drive its most talented and determined youth

out of state to realize their expectations of a

COLLEGE EDUCATION.

We also want to ensure the relevance of our curriculumto how we live our lives. The cheating, deception and otherunacceptable behaviors that have been revealed in public andcorporate scandals in recent years have undermined our faithin fair play. All of these modern day scoundrels have onething in common—they are graduates of American collegesand universities, though I hasten to add that they representonly a fraction of all our graduates. What is our culpabilityfor those who have gone astray? Did we give them the skillsthey needed, while failing to convey a sense of the responsi-bility that goes with such gifts? One’s college experiencesshould play a role in cultivating character, self-discipline,and empathy for others. We need to do more to ensure that our students have ample opportunities to develop thosetraits.

On another front, our political discourse is becomingmuch less civil and the level of voter participation continuesto decline. Here again, these apathetic citizens include university graduates. Clearly, we need to agree on a cohe-sive and relevant curriculum that reminds our graduates oftheir civic responsibilities as members of a participatorydemocracy. Freedom really isn’t free.

Our second major challenge in learning is to provide aneducation that helps our graduates succeed in an ever morecompetitive job market across the region and beyond, whereour graduates have to compete.

While the costs to the student of attending MSU areamong the lowest in the Southeastern Conference, our state’scyclical financial support is making it difficult to recruit and

retain exceptional faculty, to adequately support programsthat increase retention and to provide the cutting-edgeinstructional technology and laboratory equipment to ensurethat our graduates remain competitive. This concern isaggravated by the decisions of more and more majoremployers to become increasingly selective about institu-tions from which they will recruit new employees.

The future financing of higher education needs moreattention from our policymakers and citizens who understandthe impact of their decisions on the prosperity of the nextgeneration. Given the educational status of our populationand the number of first generation college students in ourstate, I hope that our leaders will continue to see adequatesupport of higher education as a major investment in thefuture of our state, as well as in the welfare of its sons anddaughters. And those who benefit from higher educationmust become more passionate advocates of equal or betteropportunities for the next generation.

Even with generous public support and with the tuitionpaid by students and parents, we in the university have tomake major adjustments if we are to succeed. We are begin-ning to assess our learning outcomes to ensure the educa-tional value for our students. We have to bring more focus tosome of our research efforts, modernize our physical plantand become more efficient in other areas. We are nowimplementing a performance-based budgeting system toensure that we make the best use of the resources available.MSU has eliminated or removed from state funds more than400 positions since 1999.

We are currently planning for our university’s next capital campaign. The theme will be “State of the Future.”The theme recognizes that private support is a necessity forus, and we are fortunate to have generous donors among ouralumni and friends, many of whom are here today. All ofthem, some of whom left Mississippi long ago to pursuecareer opportunities, are now giving back to the people of

this state through their support of Mississippi StateUniversity.

While learning is our most critical role, institutions suchas this one have other major responsibilities. MSU has agreat legacy in stimulating job creation, from the pioneeringresearch in fertilizers that led to Mississippi Chemical Corp.,to providing the research and extension base that spawnedthe farm raised catfish industry, to providing start-up assis-tance to Viking Range Corp., to helping attract manufacturerssuch as Nissan, American Eurocopter, and others. But todaywe are responding to new challenges brought on by changesin public education, changes in the structure and scope ofagriculture and forest resources, global challenges to ourmanufacturing and technology dominance, and the continu-ing plagues of illiteracy, poor health and the despair of thousands who are unprepared for today’s workplace—muchless tomorrow’s.

Several recent analyses of land-grant universities con-firm our own assessments that we need to be more broadlyengaged in extending the resources of the university to assistfamilies, communities, public education, and particularlybusiness and industry.

Consequently, we are aligning our Division ofContinuing Education with the Mississippi State UniversityExtension Service to make better use of our distance learningtechnologies and other shared services for off-campus stu-dents. This will also enable us to join with business and otherpartners to better support public education through our coun-ty extension network.

Within the next few weeks, we will create an industrialoutreach division to support our state’s manufacturing sector.And we must find better ways of recognizing and rewardingour faculty members who are truly effective in outreach. OurMeridian Campus is growing and will have an important rolein our expanded outreach effort.

We are continuing to build on what is widely recognizedas the best partnership in the nation between a traditionallywhite land-grant university and a historically black one.Mississippi State and Alcorn State University are now shar-ing resources by jointly staffing Extension and 4-H offices inthe southwestern region of the state, and we are bringingmore joint degree programs online with community collegesand several other educational partners. We also share anothermajor partnership that targets the special leadership needs ofcommunity colleges, which are a very important part of ourhigher education system.

RESEARCH is the other major component of our

mission. We have DRAMATICALLY ENHANCEDthe stature of our university and this state in our

rise to be 57th among public universities in research

funding. NEW KNOWLEDGE is the foundation for

most new industry. Universities and other locations

that have the CAPACITY TO CONVERT ideas

into knowledge that lead to commercially viable

TECHNOLOGIES and processes are the ones who

will succeed. We want the STATE OFMISSISSIPPI to be one of those locations.

Research universities are becoming the engines of inno-vation, and synergies between universities and industry areyielding new products and services. It is in this environmentof high performance that the competition among universitiesfor distinguished faculty is the most challenging. It is alsothis environment that awakens the curiosity of the most gifted students and sparks the realization that they can bewhatever they are willing to be.

The Research and Technology Park adjacent to campusis nearly full, and we are planning for expansion. The newCenter for Advanced Vehicular Systems provides the baseupon which we will be able to build a regional or nationalcapacity in automotive-related research. The center will be akey asset in attracting additional suppliers and manufacturers,while supporting Nissan. We are also excited about newopportunities to assist the Mississippi Development Authorityand local communities in recruiting new jobs to our state.

As we look ahead, we want to focus more of our researchon projects that have high potential for commercializationhere within our state, but will continue to include other areas

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in which we have exceptional faculty and well-defined needsor opportunities. For example, a proposed National Centerfor Early Childhood Development will provide an opportunityfor MSU and Mississippi to gain national stature for addressinga problem that afflicts disadvantaged children in virtuallyevery state. Our Life Sciences and Biotechnology Institute,founded with the support of the Hearin Foundation, representsthe next generation of life transforming research that buildson our tradition and expertise in the agricultural, biologicaland computational sciences.

These and many other research efforts are contributingto our state’s aggressive and none-too-soon efforts to enhanceits educational base and transform its economy. Also, wewill continue to aggressively support our existing industries,such as agriculture and forest products and furniture, and others that are so vital to our economy.

One can tell a great deal about a state by its institutionsof higher learning. Great universities bring recognition andstature to their states, and to their graduates. More impor-tantly, they help us anticipate and prepare for the future.Next week, for example, our campus will host Time magazine’s2002 Scientist of the Year to discuss the awesome implicationsof genomic research on the future. We want our students tobe able to interact with those who truly are shaping the futurein science, education, the arts and humanities, and in nationaland international affairs. And yes, most great universitiesrecognize intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of theuniversity experience.

I have been closely associated with twelve institutions inmy professional career. None of them has contributed moreto the people of its state—certainly not with such modestresources—as this university has provided for the people ofMississippi. And without doubt, no state in which I haveworked has as much riding on the future success of a singleinstitution. Our unique mix of programs, our ability to deliverbeyond the campus, and our momentum parallel the directionof our nation’s economy.

While we work toward these short- and long-rangegoals, we will be constantly aware of the need to provide asafe and nurturing environment for our students and a work-ing environment that lets men and women pursue their highest individual potential at every level in our institution. We willstrive to balance authority with responsibility at all levels, toencourage risk-taking and to reward individual and team initiative.

Distinctive universities are built on exceptional facultyand staff who have a shared vision, high standards, courage,and a multitude of supporters who feel that they are a part of

something special.Pat and I came back to this university four years ago

because we believe in its mission, and know that it can buildon its strengths to serve the state and nation in a mannerthat earns special distinction. We want to join you in realiz-ing your collective dreams by turning them into concreteplans and actions. Remind those of us within the universityof our faults, but grant us our due. Encourage us to thinkbigger. Help us focus on what is best for the future of thepeople of our state. Push us to higher standards. Recognizethe uniqueness of our role, and the hazards of comparisonsthat are limited by the boundaries of Mississippi. Andremember that the rest of the country cannot be persuadedto wait for any of us.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge thedeep debt of gratitude we owe to the thousands of peoplewho have promoted and supported this university throughoutits first 125 years. Thank you to all of the elected andappointed federal and state officials and members of theBoard of Trustees for your commitment, trust, and support.Thank you, as well, to the thousands of students, alumni, faculty members, staff, and administrators who have chosenthis university.

Last, but not least, thank you to my predecessors. Fromthe first Lee, Stephen, through the 15 men who followed himin this office prior to my appointment, presidents of this uni-versity have provided vision, hard work and courageous lead-ership that have facilitated the success we celebrate today.

This Lee thanks each of you for granting me this veryspecial opportunity. To everyone who supports MississippiState and to the people of our great state, I pledge my verybest as we work together to build on our legacy in learning,research and service. Mississippi State’s first lady and my lifemate Pat, the consummate Bulldog fan, is equallycommitted as my full partner in this vow.

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CampusNewsNew structure aims tostreamline outreach efforts

Mississippi State has co-aligned the statewide MSUExtension Service with theuniversity’s Division ofContinuing Education to helpexpand and better coordinateoutreach efforts.

Both the MSU ExtensionService andContinuingEducation nowreport to theexecutivedirector ofUniversityExtension andOutreach.Extensiondirector Joe

McGilberry was appointed tothe expanded position,effective Oct. 1.

A proposed industrialoutreach program would alsobe part of the newadministrative structure,serving Mississippi’smanufacturing and processingsector much as the ExtensionService works with agriculturalinterests, business start-ups,and educational programs.

“Our goal is to make theuniversity more responsive tocommunities, business andindustry, and the citizens of thestate,” said MSU PresidentCharles Lee. “MississippiState has a long tradition ofbringing university resourcesand expertise to bear on localproblems. We’re working tobroaden our understanding ofstate and regional needs, focusoutreach where it can make adifference, and take a morecomprehensive and efficientapproach to engagement withour constituents,” Lee said.

University Extension andOutreach will coordinate withthe eight academic collegesand other units on campus todirect requests for assistance to

McGilberry

the area of greatest expertiseand take a university-wideapproach to using technologyto connect with outreachclients, McGilberry said.

Jackson architecture facility isformally dedicated

A September dedicationand lecture officially opened anew Jackson home forMississippi State’s fifth-yearprogram in the College ofArchitecture.

The Stuart C. Irby Jr.Studio, named for the lateMississippi businessman andphilanthropist who donated thebuilding at 509 East CapitolSt., was dedicated at aceremony in the renovateduniversity facility.

Irby, longtime head of theJackson-based distributor ofelectrical goods that also bearshis name, died earlier thisyear. He donated the$300,000 building and wasinstrumental in helping securemore than $2 million ofcombined state and privatefunds to undertake the nearlytwo-year renovation effort,said MSU architecture deanJames L. West.

Student media center namedfor former Reflector guide

The office complex housingstudent publications atMississippi State now is amemorial to former universitynewspaper adviser Henry F.Meyer.

The Lee Boulevard facilitynow is known as the MeyerStudent Media Center. Formany years it has housedoffices and operations of TheReflector, the campusnewspaper, and The Reveilleyearbook.

Meyer died in early 2000 atage 87. He was Reflector

adviser for nearly 30 years, adecade of which he also taughtin MSU’s communicationdepartment. Before coming tocampus, he co-owned theStarkville Publishing Co.,which printed the then-weeklyStarkville News and, for manyyears, the Reflector.

Pictorial history providesmany different views of MSU

Alumni, employees,students, and friends ofMississippi State seeking alasting gift for the holidays orany other special occasionsmay be interested in a newkeepsake book about theuniversity.

Now on sale by the MSUFoundation, 125 Years atMississippi State University: APictorial History of thePeople’s University is acommemoration andcelebration of the land-grantinstitution’s service to the statesince 1878.

The coffee-table edition is aproduction of Jackson-basedCommunication Arts. Withinits 143 pages are a variedselection of color and black-and-white photographs—manynever-before-seen by generalaudiences—compiled by thestaffs of the MSU Libraries andOffice of University Relations.

“The 125th anniversary yearof Mississippi State soon willbe gone, but this photographiccollection will remain,” saidDennis Prescott, MSU vicepresident for external affairs.“It is a piece of university

history to be treasured foryears and decades to come.”

Copies of the book are$49.95 each plus shipping andhandling and may be obtainedby writing in care of the MSUFoundation, Box 6149,Mississippi State, MS 39762.

For more information,telephone 662-325-7000 orvisit the MSU homepage atwww.msstate.edu and point thecursor to “MSU 125 YearsBook.”

Computer science major winsHilton Hotels award

Mississippi State seniorNakimuli O. “Kim” Davis ofCanton is the university’s firstrecipient of the Hilton HotelsCorp. Information TechnologyAward.

The honoris presented bythe departmentof computerscience andengineering.

“It is anhonor to bechosen as therecipient of theHilton Hotelsaward,” said Davis. “I amblessed to be recognized for theacademic achievements that Ihave made, and to be a part ofthe partnership between thecomputer science andengineering department andHilton Hotels.”

Davis, a Dean’s Scholar andthe daughter of Nancy Davis,recently received the awardfrom corporation officials in acampus ceremony. Her nameand those of future winnerswill be placed on a plaquedisplayed in Butler Hall, whichhouses the CSE department.

Davis

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CAMPUSNewsbeing sought to help Alabama,Mississippi and Louisianadevelop intermodal systemsthat can absorb and disperse anexpected tripling of shipmentsfrom south of the border by theyear 2020.

“The issue of freightmovement has tremendousimplications for transportationagencies and officialsnationwide,” said RayBalentine, director ofintermodal planning for theMississippi Department ofTransportation. “As LatinAmerican trade continues togrow, the transportationinfrastructure needs must beaddressed in order for this partof the country to takeadvantage of potentialeconomic benefits.”

“MDOT is among the mostprogressive transportationdepartments in the nation,” saidMSU civil engineeringresearch professor BillMcAnally, who is heavilyinvolved in the planningprocess. “They have beenthinking intermodally for atleast a decade and noweveryone realizes that anefficient transportation systemrequires use of all fivetransportation modes—water,highway, rail, air, andpipeline.”

McAnally is one of threeprincipal investigators on aninterdisciplinary MSU researchteam currently developing

computer-simulation andanalysis programs that willhelp transportation officialsdecide what, where and howimprovements need to bemade.

MSU, community colleges offerdistance learning degrees

A partnership amongMississippi State and threecommunity colleges isproviding an opportunity foraspiring teachers to complete auniversity degree by combiningweekend and online classes.

The program is open to allseeking either a bachelor’s ormaster’s degree in elementaryeducation. Through theparticipating communitycolleges, students fulfill therequirements necessary toenroll in the College ofEducation at Mississippi State.

Now in its third year, theprogram is coordinated by theuniversity’s Division ofContinuing Education.Initially a partnership betweenthe university and NortheastMississippi CommunityCollege in Booneville, thedistance education effortexpanded this year to includeEast Central and MississippiDelta community colleges inDecatur and Moorhead,respectively.

Program coordinator MindyWolfe said the collaborativeeffort is geared towardsworking adults who cannotattend traditional campusclasses.

Teachers, students dip theirtoes in MSU research

During a two-week programat Mississippi State,approximately 15 middleschool teachers and studentswere “up to their ankles” inwater as they studied ecologyand other geosciences topics.

All were participants in thethird annual Career andResearch Exploration forStudents and Teachers, aNational Science Foundation-funded summer program at theuniversity. CREST is designedto expose both education’sgivers and receivers to thephysical sciences whiledemonstrating the manybenefits of research.

“They’ve been on site at theRed Hills Mine near Ackermanto see firsthand how a real-world enterprise uses researchin ecology, geology and otherareas,” said physics professorand program founder Sandra H.Harpole. “Our purpose is toprovide opportunities that willpromote the study ofenvironmental science.”

Harpole, who also directsMSU’s Center for Science,Mathematics and Technology,said exposing students topotential career opportunitiesin science and engineering isanother goal of the NSF-sponsored effort.

Targeted to students andteachers in grades 6-8, CRESTis restricted to residents of sixEast Central Mississippicounties that surround the RedHills mine. They includeChoctaw—where theMississippi Lignite MiningCo.-operated facility islocated—Attala, Montgomery,Oktibbeha, Webster, andWinston.

MSU biological scientist Chris Taylordiscusses stream ecology with CRESTstudents (second from left to right) AlexRowe, Kate Henson, Reed Chandler, andDavid Hatcher.

Phil Hardwick joins staff ofgovernment institute

A recently retired vicepresident at Mississippi ValleyGas Co. in Jackson is a newprogram coordinator atMississippi State’s John C.Stennis Institute ofGovernment.

Phillip D. “Phil” Hardwickwill continue to work inJackson at an office in theuniversity’s recently openedCollege of Architecturebuilding on Capitol Street. Forthe past nine years, he has ledValley Gas’s economic andcommunity developmentefforts.

“We are most excited tohave Phil join the StennisInstitute staff,” said instituteexecutive director MartyWiseman. “He brings a wealthof expertise in the field ofeconomic development andyears of experience workingwith elected officials. Withoutquestion, he will be atremendous asset in assistingMississippi’s cities, towns andcounties as they strive to meetthe basic needs of their citizensduring these tough times.”

Wiseman said Hardwickofficially began his new dutiesAug. 1.

MDOT, MSU helping devisetransportation plans

Mississippi State Universityresearchers are helpingtransportation officials in threestates plan inland road, rail andwaterway improvements toaccommodate an anticipatedU.S. trade boom with LatinAmerica.

Hindsight may be 20-20,but engineering foresight is

Bill McAnally

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CampusNewsMSU contract, grant supportexceeds $140 million

Major research andeducation projects atMississippi State brought $143million in externally fundedcontracts and grants to theuniversity in FY 2002-03.

More than 25 projects infields ranging from thesociology of rural health toautomotive engineering werefunded at more than $1 millioneach. The largest awardsincluded $5.2 million from theDepartment of Defense for ahigh-performance computingcenter; $2 million from theNational Aeronautics andSpace Administration forremote sensing research relatedto agriculture, forestry andtransportation; and $2 millionfrom the U.S. Department ofAgriculture for aquacultureresearch.

Collaboration launches newquail conservation initiative

An agreement signed inAugust is establishing a majorregional bobwhite quailconservation initiative to bedirected by Mississippi Statewith oversight by the USDA’sWildlife Habitat ManagementInstitute.

The agreement enableswildlife researchers at theuniversity to coordinateconservation efforts with morethan 20 state, federal and otherconservation partners.

WHMI is part of the U.S.Department of Agriculture’sNatural ResourcesConservation Service.

“Hunting northern bobwhitein Mississippi and otherSoutheastern states is both asocially and economicallysignificant sport that is steepedin tradition,” said MSU avianecologist Wes Burger. “Thesport, however, is threatened

by declining populations of thegame bird.”

A Forest and WildlifeResearch Center professor andbobwhite quail specialist,Burger said the new initiativeseeks to develop quantitative,habitat-oriented restoration ofbobwhite quail populations.The conservation project buildson a national bobwhite quailrecovery plan developed by theSoutheast Quail Study Group,a cooperative of more than 100professionals at universities,private organizations, and stateand federal agencies, he added.

MSU library among grouphonored for innovation

An electronic serviceallowing library users tocustomize frequently usedresources is earning nationalrecognition for MississippiState University.

Mitchell MemorialLibrary’s personalized libraryservice now is listed as an“innovative Web-basedreference service” by theAmerican Library Association.Specifically, it received thehonor from the machine-assisted reference section ofthe ALA, the world’s oldestlibrary association.

Available at MyLibrary viahttp://library.msstate.edu, thecustomizable service “allowsthe user to create a portableWeb page using resources ofthe MSU Libraries,” saidsystem administrator StephenH. Cunetto. The personalizedpage becomes a one-stopreference tool featuring theuser’s preferences, he added.

MSU ranks high in African-American graduate degrees

Mississippi State ranksamong the top 100 colleges anduniversities in the nation inawarding both master’s degrees

and doctoral degrees toAfrican-Americans.

MSU ranks 58th inawarding doctoral degrees inall disciplines and 90th inawarding master’s degrees inall disciplines, according toBlack Issues in HigherEducation magazine.

The rankings reported in thenational publication’s July 3edition are based on degreesawarded in 2001-02 ascalculated from U.S.Department of Education dataand include both historicallyblack and traditionally whiteinstitutions. Eleven doctoratesand 100 master’s degrees wereearned by African-Americansat MSU in 2001-02.

MSU ranked 11th in thenation in master’s degrees inbiological and life sciences and31st in master’s degrees ineducation awarded to African-Americans. The universityalso was 35th in awardingdoctoral degrees in educationto African-Americans.

Black Issues in HigherEducation, which maintainseditorial offices in Fairfax, Va.,reported in an earlier editionthat MSU ranked 61st amongall institutions in awardingbachelor’s degrees to African-Americans.

Two doctoral students receiveregional fellowships

Two doctoral students atMississippi State are receivingmajor university fellowshipsfrom the Atlanta-basedSouthern Regional EducationBoard.

April L. Butler of Wessonand Barbara A. Patrick ofKosciusko are recent selectionsfor the three-year awards thatcover tuition costs and provide

$12,000 annually to supporttheir advanced academic work.

Butler, a 1999 graduate ofWesson High School and a2003 Tougaloo Collegegraduate, is seeking a doctoratein computer science. Patrick, a1997 Ethel High Schoolgraduate and 2001 graduate ofRust College, is seeking adoctorate in public policy andadministration.

The nonprofit SREB workswith educational agencies andinstitutions in 16 states fromTexas to Delaware. Itsdoctoral fellowship programseeks to increase the number ofminority faculty in the regionby encouraging ethnicminorities to pursue doctoraldegrees and become college-level teachers.

Business college to benefitfrom major ‘private’ gift

A $10 million gift from ananonymous donor will makepossible a new 45,000-square-foot building adjoiningMcCool Hall.

A portion of the funds willbe used to renovate the 28-year-old structure that housesthe College of Business andIndustry.

“We are very pleased tosecure this gift for McCoolHall, a building constantlyutilized by many university andexternal groups,” said DennisPrescott, MSU vice presidentfor external affairs. “A gift ofthis nature always is welcomedbecause state resources alonecannot keep pace with theuniversity’s building needs.”

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CAMPUSNewsStudent forestry group againtops among peers

Mississippi State’s studentchapter of the Society ofAmerican Foresters continuesamong the top organizations ofits kind in the nation.

The 50-member universitychapter recently placed first inthe 2003 SAF Student ChapterWeb site competition and nowis ranked third overall in theoutstanding student chapterrankings.

The group has finished atopthe overall chapter rankings forthe past five years, capturingfirst place in 1996-97 and2000-01, and second place in1998-99 and 2001-02.

Because the chapter enteredthat category of the annualcompetition for the first timethis year, this year’s Web sitehonor is additionallynoteworthy. Designed andmaintained by studentmembers,www.cfr.msstate.edu/studentorgs/saf/index.htm wasjudged on design and content,among other criteria.

MSU offers graduate degree bydistance education

Mississippi State is offeringa program for students tocomplete an advancedacademic degree in agriculturaland extension educationthrough distance learning.

The program results from anew partnership between theuniversity’s agriculturalscience and educationdepartment and Division ofContinuing Education. Themaster’s degree curriculumprepares students for careers in

agricultural education,extension programs,agricultural communication,and related fields.

Courses are taughtthroughout the state at MSUExtension Service sites via theMississippi Interactive VideoNetwork.

“Satellite technology allowsan instructor to teach a courseat multiple sitessimultaneously,” said MindyWolfe, MSU coordinator ofdistance education.

The program enables adultlearners to continue theireducation while remainingclose to home with a minimumof interference to their careers,she added.

Requiring 30 semesterhours of coursework, thedegree also offers the option ofobtaining an emphasis inleadership, research orteaching. An educationalspecialist degree also may becompleted.

Harden named head ofelectrical, computerengineering

James C. Harden hasassumed duties as head ofMississippi State’s departmentof electrical and computerengineering.

Harden, whose backgroundincludes commercial work inwireless cardiac monitoringand digitally tuned radios, waspromoted in October. He hadheld the post on an interimbasis since his predecessor,Marshall Molen, was appointedto an endowed professorship in2002.

Harden, a professor, was thedepartment’s computerengineering coordinator from1996-2002 and served from

1990-96 as computerarchitecture thrust leader forthe university’s NationalScience FoundationEngineering Research Centerfor Computational FieldSimulation at MSU.

Harden earned bachelor’s,master’s and doctoral degrees,respectively, from MississippiState in 1965, Georgia Instituteof Technology in 1966 andTexas A&M University in1985. He was named an MSUHearin-Hess DistinguishedProfessor in 1991.

MSU students again garnermajor dairy evaluation honors

Mississippi State’s dairyproducts judging teamcontinues its winning ways.

In recent competition at theInternational Collegiate DairyProducts Judging Contest inChicago, the university studentgroup finished second overallto a team from the CaliforniaState Polytechnic Institute, SanLuis Obispo.

MSU senior Carrie L.Swoope of Ocean Springs tookthe individual first placehonor—Best Taster in the LandAward—among representativesfrom 17 U.S. and Canadianschools. She achieved thehighest ranking by finishingfirst in the category of cottagecheese, second in yogurt,fourth in milk, and seventh invanilla ice cream.

Charles White, the team’ssenior coach and head of thefood science and technologydepartment, said participantsare required to evaluate sixdifferent types of products. Inaddition to the four in whichSwoope scored, judgingcategories included butter,Cheddar cheese and strawberryyogurt.

MSU, which has a lengthyhistory at the top of the annualcompetition, now has finished

in second place for threeconsecutive years. The teamwon the national championshipin 1999.

“Winners are determined onthe basis of written evaluationsthat most closely compare tothose of official industry judgeswho earlier evaluated thesamples,” said Julie Wilson, adepartmental researchassociate. Wilson, along withprofessor Patti Coggins, assistsWhite with coaching duties.

Other MSU winnersincluded Cheryl A. Hickman ofGainesville, Fla., who wasseventh in the all-productscategory, third in yogurt andfifth in both Cheddar cheeseand butter; and Michael L.Tynes of Liberty, who wasfourth in ice cream. Both areseniors.

In graduate-level judging,Lorena Albuja of Columbuswas the second-place overallwinner. She is a master’sdegree student from Ecuador.

Chemical engineering studentwins national scholarship

A chemical engineeringstudent from Clinton is among15 winners of a national honorrecognizing both academicachievement and involvementin profession-related studentactivities.

Senior John Curtis Reed,the son of Mr. and Mrs.Randolph Reed, will receivethe $1,000 Donald F. andMildred Topp Othmer NationalScholarship Award inNovember during the AmericanInstitute of ChemicalEngineers’ annual conferencein San Francisco.

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A former Mississippi State baseballplayer has been appointed the first intern in

the SoutheasternConference’sinaugural MinorityInternship Program.

Enrico Jones, afour-year letter winneras an outfielder forMSU’s BaseballBulldogs, 1999-2002,will work primarily inthe compliance office,but also will gainexperience workingwith league

championships, sports administration andpublic relations.

Former outfielder Enrico Jones named SEC Minority Intern“We are pleased to have Enrico join our

office staff as the first member of ourminority internship program,” said SECCommissioner Mike Slive. “Through thisinternship program, we hope to give Enricoand others the benefit of working in aleague office and being a part ofintercollegiate athletics administration.”

Jones is a native of Moss Point. Hejoined the SEC staff in September afterearning a bachelor’s degree in fitnessmanagement from Mississippi State in2002. Currently, he is working on amaster’s degree in physical education atMSU.

In addition, he has worked as a graduateassistant in strength and conditioning andas an instructor at MSU’s baseball camps.While an undergraduate, he was a memberof the Student-Athlete Academic

Committee and worked in the areas of eventand facility management.

The SEC’s Minority Internship Programwas developed in 2003 as part of a multi-faceted initiative to raise the numbers ofminorities interested in a career inintercollegiate athletics.

Jones

After a seven-year absence, Mississippi State is again competing in men’s crosscountry, beginning with the fall 2003 campaign.

Coinciding with this decision, MSU will not field a men’s indoor track team in2004, concentrating solely in cross country and outdoor track.

“With the lengthening of the outdoor track and field season to mid-June, theaddition of men’s cross country and the elimination of indoor track will onlystrengthen our program,” head track coach Al Schmidt said. “With the addition ofregional competition between the SEC and NCAA Championships, the indoor seasoncreated too much stress for our athletes.

“We have been competing in outdoor meets without distance athletes and basicallyhad eliminated as many as four events at every meet. This move will do nothing butstrengthen our program,” Schmidt added.

The Bulldogs have signed nine cross country athletes to begin their 44th season ofcompetition. Associate head track coach Steve Dudley will assume the role of headcoach of the men’s cross country squad. Dudley has been on the Bulldogs’ staff forthe past three seasons. He formerly was the head track and cross country coach atBevill State Community College, where he led the Bears to Region 22 cross countrytitles in 1998-99. His 1998 team finished third nationally in the NJCAA.

Schmidt keeps his duties as head women’s cross country coach and head trackcoach.

State has won five SEC cross country titles in school history, taking three in a rowfrom 1960-62.

Men’s cross country revived after 7 years

On the heels of the NCAA OutdoorChampionships, Mississippi State seniorPierre Browne won the 2003 NCAA IndoorChampionships 60-meter dash in June. TheToronto native ran the race in 6.60, aschool record time. His new ranking gavethe Bulldogs 18 points in thechampionships, moving them into a tie forninth overall. MSU ranked in the top 10 inthe nation for the second straight year.

“Pierre is a six-time all-American thathelped put our program on the map,”assistant coach Steve Dudley said. “Webuilt our program around Pierre, and itbecame a national power because of himand the guys we put around him. We areappreciative of everything that he’s donefor us.”

“Coach Dudley has worked wonderswith the sprint group,” remarked headcoach Al Schmidt. “Pierre and Steve have aspecial bond. The future of the MississippiState sprint program is in great hands withSteve Dudley.”

Browne now owns the first indoornational title in 26 years. Evis Jenningstook home the 1976 440-yard dashchampionship for MSU. He ended hiscareer at the university as the NCAArunner-up in the 100-meter dash and theschool recordholder in the 60-meter dashindoors and the 100-meter dash outdoors.

Browne named 60-meterindoor national champion

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AthleticNews

Former Bulldog John Cohen named head baseball coach at KentuckyFormer Mississippi State baseball

standout John Cohen is the new headbaseball coachat theUniversity ofKentucky. “John Cohenhas a wonderfulblend ofcompeting andcoaching in thisconference,combined witha successfultrack record as ahead coach atNorthwesternState,” said

Mitch Barnhart, athletics director. “He hasa great passion for our job and a vision forKentucky baseball. His desire to grow ourprogram into an NCAA Tournament team,with an eye on Omaha (the College WorldSeries), is exciting for our staff and ourplayers.”

It’s the second collegiate head coachingposition for Cohen, an All-SoutheasternConference outfielder during his baseballcareer at Mississippi State. The Tuscaloosa,Ala., native served as an assistant coach atthe University of Missouri (1992-97) priorto beginning a four-year term as head coachat Northwestern (La.) State in 1998). The

past two seasons he served as an assistantcoach under former MSU assistant andhead coach Pat McMahon at the Universityof Florida. At Kentucky, Cohen followsanother former Mississippi State staffmember, Keith Madison, who retired thisyear after coaching UK for 25 seasons.

“This is a tremendous honor andopportunity,” Cohen said. “The Universityof Kentucky has one of the premierathletics departments in the nation.Everything I hear about the U.K.administration is the big ‘C’ word—commitment. Under Mitch Barnhart’sleadership, we’ll work to make U.K.baseball a consistent winner.”

“John Cohen has paid his dues as acollege player, a professional player, and asa coach,” said MSU head coach Ron Polk.“The University of Kentucky has made atremendous decision in naming him as itshead baseball coach. He will approach thejob with great enthusiasm, excitement, andclass and I know he is looking forward toit.”

Cohen played at State from 1987-90when current Florida head coach PatMcMahon was an assistant on Ron Polk’sBulldog coaching staff. MSU advanced toNCAA Regional play four times while the1990 team advanced to the College WorldSeries. Both the 1987 and 1989 teamscaptured Southeastern Conference

championships. Cohen concluded hiscareer ranked in MSU’s top 10 in severalstatistical categories.

He earned first-team All-SEC honors asa senior outfielder and was selected by theMinnesota Twins in the 22nd round of the1990 Major League Baseball Draft. Hespent two years in the Twins’ minor leaguesystem before beginning his collegiatecoaching career as an assistant at Missouriin 1992.

Cohen

Four Lady Bulldogs were named to the National Golf Coaches Association’s 2002-03 All-American Scholar Team.

They include Beth Irwin and Catalina Olarte, and former Lady Linksters AnnaKnutsson and Sofie Andersson.

The criteria for selection to the All-American Scholar Team are some of the moststringent of all college athletics. The minimum cumulative grade-point average is 3.50(3.40 for seniors) and student-athletes must have competed in at least 66 percent of thecollege’s regularly scheduled competitive rounds during the year.

Irwin and Knutsson are two-time honorees, as Andersson and Olarte are first-timeselections. Knutsson, a 2003 graduate, boasted a 4.0 GPA in international business.Current teammates, Olarte and Irwin finished the 2002-03 academic year with a 4.0 incomputer engineering and a 3.81 in marketing, respectively. Former Lady BulldogAndersson completed the school year with a 3.71 in nutrition.

The Lady Bulldog honorees expand the number of Mississippi State women’sgolfers named to the list to five.

Golfers named to NGCA All-American Scholar Team

Former Iowa Central CommunityCollege head coach Neil Macdonald andformer Birmingham Southern assistantcoach Ja’net Esparza joined the MSUsoccer team this summer as an assistantcoaches.

Macdonald starred alongside head coachNeil McGuire during their playing days atAugusta (Ga.) State, then obtained his firstcoaching stint as an assistant underMcGuire at Iowa Central in 1998.

Macdonald took over the reigns of boththe Tritons men’s and women’s program in1999 when McGuire left to become anassistant coach at nearby Iowa State.

Noted by the University of Texas-ElPaso as possibly the greatest women’ssoccer player in school history, Esparzaholds virtually every offensive record at heralma mater, including shots (169), goals(25), points (64) and game-winning goals(9). She was a four-time member of theWestern Athletic Conference all-conferencesquad and was twice selected to theleague’s academic honor roll. In 1996, shewas named WAC Freshman of the Yearand, following the 1999 season, receivedthe Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar Athlete award.

Following her playing career with theMiners, Esparza joined on to the UTEPcoaching staff as a graduate assistant priorto the 2000 season, then became a full-timestaff member for the 2001 campaign. In2002, she joined the Birmingham Southerncoaching staff.

Two join soccer program

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Mississippi State’s track teams landed17 women and 11 men on the SoutheasternConference Academic Honor Roll in 2003,a record number for both squads.

MSU’s women previously had 16individuals named to the honor roll in both2000 and 2001. The men’s former best wasin 1988 and 2001, where seven athletesmade the list. The university’s men rankedseventh on this year’s list, while the womentied for fifth with LSU.

The SEC selected the 2003 AcademicHonor Roll based on the 2001-02 academiccalendar. Athletes must have a 3.0 grade-point average for the previous year orduring their career, be a sophomore or

Track lands record 11 men, 17 women on SEC Academic Honor Rollhigher in academic classification and have24 semester hours countable towards adegree to be eligible for the annual honor.

Three former Lady Bulldogs made thelist for the fourth time. CeCe Brown, theschool’s 400-meter hurdles record-holder,earned a 3.78 GPA in biological sciences.Christine Zawaski had a 3.70 in forestry,while Kristin Tallent had a 3.09 inbroadcasting.

Two former women became three-timehonorees. Martha Hudsonpillar, State’snominee for the Boyd-McWhorter ScholarAthlete of the Year award, gained a 3.80 inbusiness. Ronni Watjus-Rudolphi had a3.85 in animal and dairy science.

Former all-American Camille Harpermade the list for the second time with a3.07 GPA in fitness management.

Eleven females made the list for the firsttime. Former Lady Dog Janice Zawaski hada 3.04 in biological engineering. NicoleDunn gained a 3.40 in banking and finance,while Renata Hendrix had a 3.06 in thesame major. Jourdan Steinberg scored aperfect 4.0 in psychology while MaryFrancis Wright had a 3.90 in education.Lacey Johnson scored a 3.78 inpsychology, and Jennifer Johnstone earneda 3.43 in kinesiology. Jackie Rentschlerhad a 3.42 in psychology while first-teamall-SEC cross country selection MegganHodge posted a 3.38 in human sciences.Trina Hobyan had a 3.17 in business, andCrystal Averitt earned a 3.11 in biologicalsciences.

MSU placed two men on the honor rollfor the third straight year. Chris Boldt, aVerizon Academic all-South second-teamselection, scored a 3.75 in industrialengineering while Dan Hunter had a 3.20in political science.

Nine men made the list for the firsttime. Former Bulldog and student assistantcoach Kevin Pittman gained a 3.32 inteaching/coaching, while Jason Odom hada 3.42 GPA in agricultural sciences. StevenCornelius earned a 3.12 in managementwith Zack Brumfield scoring a 3.68 inmechanical engineering. Clay Garner had a3.90 in physical education while BradRowland scored a 3.52 in landscapecontracting. Michael Landry had a 3.68 insecondary education, and Matthew Dentonscored a 3.58 in business. All-AmericanLaChristopher Lewis posted a 3.03 in civilengineering.

Mississippi State’s Department of Athletics inducted Will Clark, Jeff Brantley andJack Cristil into Mississippi State Sports Hall of Fame for 2003.

The induction took place during halftime of the Oct. 4 MSU-Vanderbilt football gameDavis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.

Clark lettered for MSU in baseball for three seasons (1983-85) and helped lead theDiamond Dogs to its best showing ever (tied for third) at the College World Series in1985. Clark was the second overall selection in the 1985 Major League BaseballAmateur Draft.

Brantley lettered four years (1982-85) in baseball for head coach Ron Polk. A pitcherfor the Diamond Dogs, he was named an All-American after his senior season and wonthe MVP award for the 1985 NCAA South 1 Regional. He went on to success at themajor league level, playing with Clark on the 1989 Giants World Series squad.

Cristil has served as MSU’s football radio voice since the 1953 season. He also hasworked as the Bulldogs’ main basketball announcer since the 1957-58 season.

A resident of Tupelo, Cristil was honored in 1992 with the Ronald Reagan LifetimeAchievement Award and inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, the first non-coach or non-athlete to receive that honor.

Clark, Brantley and Cristil inducted into MSU Hall of FameParticipating inHall of Fameceremonies were,from left, PresidentCharles Lee,Murphy Brantley(representing hisfather, JeffBrantley), JackCristil, Will Clark,and M-ClubAlumniAssociationpresident JimmyLee Dodd.

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Alumni Fellows return to alma mater, share experiences

Bailey Bradley Conerly

Grillot Henderson Newsome

Sledge Stonecyphercontinued next page

Sponsored and organized by the MSUAlumni Association, this year’s 14th annualAlumni Fellows Program featured eightgraduates of distinction who returned tocampus in November to share with studentsspecific competencies, attitudes and effortsneeded to succeed.

Chosen by each college, they carry thehonorary title permanently. John V.Correro, alumni association executivedirector, said the fellows programrecognizes the ultimate measure of auniversity—the quality of its alumni.

“Alumni Fellows enrich the universityexperience for students by exposing themto outstanding professionals,” Correro said.

This year’s MSU Alumni Fellows andthe academic units that selected them are:

Gary C. Bailey, College ofArchitecture, is a 1979 graduate andpresident and partner in the architecturefirm of Johnson Bailey Henderson McNeel.Raised in Memphis, Tenn., Bailey nowlives in Tupelo. JBHM manages $150million in design and construction projectseach year and has handled some 3,000projects in Mississippi. The firm hasoffices in Columbus, Jackson, Tupelo, andSouthaven.

Dr. Glen Bradley of Henderson, Nev.,Bagley College of Engineering, is a 1964graduate of Mississippi State. He holds aPh.D. in chemical engineering fromLouisiana State University. Now servingas chief executive officer of CIBA VisionGroup, he led the contact lens andpharmaceuticals company from an entry-level position to its current dominance with$2 billion in worldwide sales. Bradley is acharter member of the MSU ChemicalEngineering Hall of Fame and also hasbeen active on the university’s ChemicalEngineering Advisory Committee.

Lamar A. Conerly Jr. of Destin, Fla.,College of Business and Industry, is a 1971accounting/pre-law graduate and the owner

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of a legal firm which specializes in the areas of corporate, real estate, governmental,and civil litigation. He holds a law degree from the University of Mississippi Collegeof Law and is licensed to practice in Florida and Mississippi and in the 5th and 11thcircuit courts and the U.S. Supreme Court. He was national president of the MSUAlumni Association 1999-2000 and chairman of the association’s board of directors in2001.

Dr. Larry R. Grillot of Diamondhead, College of Arts and Sciences, is a 1968MSU physics graduate who spent 30 years working in petroleum exploration andproduction. He holds a doctorate in geological sciences from Brown University, and isrecently retired from Phillips Petroleum Co. Grillot serves on the External ResearchAdvisory Committee at MSU, as well as the Advisory and Development Council in theCollege of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Todd R. Henderson of Jarrettsville, Md., College of Veterinary Medicine, is a1992 graduate and executive vice president of Nutramax Laboratories. Nutramax—anutritional supplements company, produces Cosamin and Cosequin, which are used torelieve osteoarthritis in humans and animals, respectively. Prior to joining Nutramaxin 1994, he was a veterinarian at several clinics and was the owner of TLC House CallPractice in Bel Air, Md. He has lectured widely in the U.S. and South Africa and is amember of the advisory board for corporate and governmental affairs at the Universityof Maryland’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. James E. Newsome of Washington, D.C., College of Agriculture and LifeSciences, received a Ph.D. in nutrition at MSU in 2001. A longtime agribusinessman,Newsome was appointed chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures TradingCommission by President George Bush in December 2001. He has served as acommissioner of the organization since 1998. In addition to his duties at the CFTC,Newsome is a member of the president’s Working Group on Financial Markets and theCorporate Fraud Task Force. Prior to joining CFTC, he served as executive vicepresident of the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association and as chairman of theMississippi Agribusiness Council.

James L. “Jim” Sledge Jr. of Crystal Springs, College of Forest Resources, is a1961 forestry graduate who worked as woodlands manager for Mead Corp.’sStevenson, Ala., paper mill and saw mill prior to being appointed State Forester ofMississippi in 1991. He is the first Mississippi State forestry graduate to serve in thisposition. A former president of the National Association of State Foresters, Sledgealso is a member of its board of directors, as well as the NASF Foundation’s board. Inaddition, he is a member of the MSU College of Forest Resources AdvisoryCommittee.

Dr. Wayne Stonecypher of Brandon, College of Education, received a doctorate ofeducation from MSU in 1973. He is executive director of the State Board forCommunity and Junior Colleges. A former teacher, coach, guidance counselor, andcorporate manager with Georgia Pacific Corp., he also served as academic dean for theHinds Community College District before joining the community and junior collegeboard in 1997. He also is an attorney and a member of the Mississippi Bar. His dutieswith the board include recommending and implementing policies for the conduct of themission and purposes of the board and maintaining a close working relationship withthe presidents of the community and junior colleges.

Alumni Fellows, continued

The MSU Alumni Association hasadded a new service to benefit recentgraduates and young alumni. The AlumniLoan Consolidation Program offers alumnithe opportunity to consolidate their studentloans, lock-in a fixed interest rate, andreduce monthly student loan payments.

A majority of graduating students,alumni, and parents with outstandingstudent loans may be able to savethousands of dollars through this program.

The Alumni Loan ConsolidationProgram is being offered to provide the“best-of-class” services for young alumni.

Visit www.alcp.org and selectMississippi State from the menu or calltoll-free 1-800-930-7535 for additionalinformation and an application for this newalumni benefit.

Alumni Association offersloan consolidation program

Realize a travel dream with one of the2004 travel opportunities listed below.Share with us the incomparable beautyfrom around the world, whether by air,motorcoach or a luxury cruise ship.You’ll feel comfortable and confidenttraveling with experienced tour guideswho will attend to all of your needs.

Alumni Campus AbroadEnnis, Ireland

July 14-22, 2004

Cruise Classic Italy and the Dalmatian CoastSeptember 22 – Oct. 2, 2004

Rome EscapadeNovember 7-14, 2004

For more information, contact DianneJackson in the Alumni Association [email protected], 662-325-3444, or see our Web page at http://www.msubulldogs.msstate.edu/travel/travel.htm.

2004 Travel Program

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DECEMBER

3 Class Ring Presentation Ceremony, 5:30 p.m., Hunter Henry Center

JANUARY

23 Alumni Association Executive Committee Meeting 11 a.m.; National Boardof Directors Meeting 3 p.m., Hunter Henry Center

Alumni Awards Banquet, Hunter Henry Center, 7 p.m.

24 Alumni Association Annual Business Meeting, Hunter Henry Center, 8 a.m.

Alumni Association Leadership Conference, Hunter Henry Center,immediately following the Annual Business Meeting

ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONCALENDAR OF EVENTS

A Web site recently created by the Institutions of Higher Learning’s Inter-AlumniCouncil is providing information and networking benefits to alumni of the state’suniversities.

Begun in July at the request of alumni directors from several institutions, the siteprovides information about IHL issues, the Inter-Alumni Council, each university’salumni association, and how alumni can access career information. Visitors also maysign up for regular updates on student recruiting and advocacy.

The site may be accessed at www.ihl.state.ms.us/alumni orwww.msuniversities.org/alumni.

IHL Inter-Alumni Council initiates networking Web site

Alumni and friends of Mississippi State can support the university and show theirBulldog pride at the same time by ordering an MSU license plate through their countylicense office. Proceeds from the sale of the MSU collegiate tags fund priority programsat the university.

Promoted by theMississippi State University Alumni Association

P.O. Box AAMississippi State, MS 39762-5526

662-325-7000www.msubulldogs.msstate.edu

Show your pride in MSU!

Six young teens, ages 12-13, got theirfirst taste of camp and the best in asthmaeducation because of camperships donatedby the Birmingham Chapter of the MSUAlumni Association. Sixteen campersparticipated altogether, sponsored bymedical and civic organizations.

“Campers must have sponsors toattend,” said camp director Ellen Buckner.“Their daily expenses of medicine andtreatments do not allow extra money forcamp in most cases. Thus the sponsorshipby the Mississippi State alums really madethe camp possible.”

The camp is held the first week of Juneat Camp Winnataska, outside Birmingham.Campers participate in one hour of asthmaeducation daily, led by nurse practitioners.

The rest of the camp is pure fun.Campers participate in crafts, canoeing,swimming, hiking, fishing, games, andhorseback riding. The campers learn thatbeing outdoors is possible for them.Minimal modifications of the environmentare made, and campers learn there is morethey can do than they ever imagined.

Deep friendships are formed at camp,too. Campers learn that there are otherswith asthma, and the same concerns andanxieties exist in others. They learn waysto resist peer pressure such as smoking.They leave with smiles, memories andenhanced resilience to bounce back fromdifficulties.

Mississippi State alumnae also paid avisit to the camp. Rona Johnson-Belser(’74), Tyra Johnson-Pirtle (’86) andJennifer Settle (’98) met the campers,paused for a group photo and heard some“fish stories.” Campers wrote thank-younotes to sponsors and often related theirfavorite activities.

One boy wrote, “I liked the fishing andgirls.” A young girl wrote, “the canoeing,swimming, and horses were fun…I learneda lot about asthma, too.”

Thanks to a group of dedicated MSUalumni, this year’s camp was again asuccess.

Chapter sponsors teensat asthma camp

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PHILANthropy

If you happen to be a Mississippi Statealumnus from the mid-1960s, you wouldprobably still feel right at home in theColvard Union. That’s because thebuilding really hasn’t changed all thatmuch in the past 40 years.

Now, the university hopes to alter thatby transforming its student union buildinginto a state-of-the-art facility that willbenefit a new generation of students andtheir needs.

The union is unique in that is was thefirst modern student center built inMississippi. It was designed to educateand entertain—to create an environmentthat provides a diversified core ofprograms and events to fulfill the cultural,social, educational, and recreational needsof all students.

The $1.8 million, three-story, 100,000-square-foot structure, designed by ThomasJohnston of Starkville, opened in 1964 inthe heart of campus on the site of historicOld Main dormitory.

The union remains one of the mostversatile and popular buildings on campusand stands as a lasting tribute to D.W.Colvard, a leader who helped MississippiState develop into a moderncomprehensive university.

In 1985, the facility was named inhonor of Colvard, who served as universitypresident 1960-66. It was he who saw theneed for the building and coined thephrase “the campus living room” inreference to the facility.

“The union was built with the purposeof uniting the university’s student body,and it did that for many years,” said Dr.Bill Foster, former dean of Student Lifeand Services. Foster served as the firstunion program director and wasresponsible for developing its coreprograms and units.

Now “the living room” of the MSUcampus is badly in need of renovation andexpansion.

Colvard Union in need of more than just a faceliftThe union building is one of the oldest

on any SEC campus, and it is the onlystudent union facility that has not beencompletely refurbished.

“The Colvard Union is overdue for anexpansion,” according to Eddie Keith,director of Student Life.“The building hassimply reached thepoint where it isinadequate to meet theneeds of the campuscommunity, theuniversity’s studentorganizations, and thegrowing MSU studentbody,” he added.

When the union wasbuilt, there were lessthan 7,000 studentsenrolled at MississippiState. Today, theuniversity boasts anenrollment of more than 16,000. Certainunion programs have been discontinuedand space has been altered toaccommodate the pressing needs oftoday’s university community.

During any given day, around 5,000students, faculty, staff, and visitors visitthe Colvard Union. There are severaldraws for them—to eat at the food court,shop at the bookstore, or attend a meeting.

Through the years, the Reflector, theReveille, and student government officeshave moved to locations outside the unionto gain additional space. It is onlybecause of these evacuations that theMSU Bookstore has been able to accessmore area and remain in the building.Career Services is scheduled to moveoutside the union in 2004 to relieve someof the space problem during weekdays.

When students are not in class, manyare likely to be found in the union takingadvantage of Career Services, thebookstore, and the Dawg House—which

has a snack bar, video games andbilliards—as well as Union Station HairDesigners, a Cellular South station, andautomatic teller machines.

Keith, who has directed Student Lifesince 1990 and added the union

directorship to his responsibilities in 1996,thinks an improved facility will benefit theentire campus community.

The proposed renovation and expansionis a $28 million project. Funds to dateinclude $8 million from the State ofMississippi, and the university is seekingan additional $7 million in state support.The remainder of the funds, Keith said, willbe solicited from private sources and mustbe secured before the project can moveforward.

“A single commitment of $10 millioncould result in a naming opportunity for theindividual who makes the gift. However,gifts of any size are vital to the success ofthe project,” said Dennis Prescott, vicepresident for external affairs.

A proposed expansion would add anadditional 60,000 square feet to theexisting space. Plans call for the union toexpand in three directions—facing LeeBoulevard, back toward McCool Hall, and

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Architect’s rendering of the union expansion.

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47A L U M N U S

west toward Perry Cafeteria. Theexpansion will not affect MSU’s historicDrill Field.

The expanded facility could provide afull-service bank, a convenience store,and a copy center. Also, the food court

most likely wouldexpand to includeanother vendor, theDawg House wouldbecome a cybercafe,and the bookstorewill be enlarged.

“Students todayprefer a mall-typeenvironment wherethey can have severalneeds met under oneroof,” Keith said.“And this was takeninto consideration inthe planning stages.”

A needsassessment of MSUstudents, visits bythe union staff andarchitects to other

unions around the country, and a report bya union renovation/constructionconsultant have all pointed to the demandfor additional services in the ColvardUnion.

Union facelift, continued “We need to give the union a moreattractive, modern look since this continuesto be a place for prospective students andtheir families to come,” Keith said. “It isand always has been a vital recruitingtool.”

Keith also thinks a renovation wouldmake the union more aestheticallypleasing. “It has a distinct 1960sappearance,” Keith said. “And with theongoing enhancements to the center ofcampus, such as the construction of theSwalm Building and expansion of MitchellMemorial Library, the union’s appearanceneeds to be consistent with thearchitectural style of central campus,” headded.

An expansion also would create moremeeting space in a central location forcampus and community groups. Currently,the union has only eight meeting rooms fornearly 300 student organizations. Most ofthese meeting rooms accommodate only20-25 people, and many are tied up dailywith on-campus job interviews.

“Recent studies around the nationreflect that a university is five times morelikely to retain students if they belong tostudent organizations,” Keith said.

MSU Student Association presidentJosh Blades agrees. “Expanding thenumber of services to students is importantin terms of meeting their needs foreducational and recreational programs,” hesaid. “Membership in student

During the 2002-03 fiscal year,Mississippi State University alumni andfriends contributed $40.3 million inimmediate and deferred gifts, as well aspledges payable over five years.

“This is the fourth consecutive yearMississippi State has surpassed the ‘40’mark in fund raising,” said Dennis Prescott,vice president for external affairs. “This isa benchmark never previously achieved bythe university.”

Two significant commitments madeduring the fiscal year—a $10 millionanonymous gift for a business complex and

Donors contribute $40m+ to university for fourth year

organizations gives students a realsense of belonging.”

Once the union is renovated andexpanded, the facility will “generatemore lease fees that will go intoimportant student programs at theuniversity,” Keith said.

Another outcome of the project willbe a larger ballroom. Keith said planscall for a more spacious ballroom thatcould accommodate 1,000 persons fora seated meal, as well as largermeeting areas.

“We would like to utilize aconference facility setting to attractmore groups to the union,” Keith said.“Our existing rooms have outdatedaudiovisual equipment and noteleconferencing or computercapabilities,” he added.

Keith wants the union to be asuseful a tool for the MSU campus as itwas during the Colvard administrationand those that followed. He believes itis important to enhance the union’sidentity as the “living room ofcampus.” And, many people wouldprobably agree that a “living room”should be redecorated at least onceevery 40 years.

For more information on the fund-raising drive for the Colvard Union, orto make a gift to the fund, contact theMSU Foundation at 662-325-7000.

a $2.5 million gift to endow the College ofArchitecture’s Small Town Center—willgreatly enhance the university.

The $10 million gift will make possiblea new 45,000-square-foot buildingadjoining McCool Hall. Expansion ofMcCool will provide the university withadditional centrally located classrooms. Anatrium will connect the existing buildingwith the new structure, which will houseclassrooms and a new auditorium

A $2.5 million gift from Fred E. Carl Jr.of Greenwood will support increased smalltown design research and education at

Mississippi State’s College ofArchitecture.

This major commitment to theuniversity by the president of VikingRange Corp. and Viking Capital Ventureswill endow the college’s Small TownCenter, now renamed the Carl Small TownCenter, and provide resources to expandthe scope and depth of the center’sinvolvement and increase the number ofcommunities it serves.

The center has developed a nationalreputation for its assistance to ruralMississippi towns with various aesthetic

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“The union wasbuilt with thepurpose ofuniting theuniversity’s

student body,and it did that

for manyyears.”

—Bill Fosterformer dean of Student

Life and Services

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PHILANthropyand structural challenges. The non-profitunit also utilizes its community projects asreal-world teaching tools for architecturemajors.

MSU President Charles Lee said that,despite challenging economic times, “thecontinued investment by individuals andorganizations in the future of theinstitution shows how much peoplerecognize the vital role that MississippiState plays in the state and region.

“We are deeply grateful for thatsupport, which becomes increasinglyimportant as state support continues todecline as a proportion of the overallfunding for operation of the university,”Lee added.

Prescott said the proportion of alumnicontributing during the year held at 16percent—a constant that enabled MSU tomaintain its ranking ahead of several majorpeer institutions in the measure of supportamong former students.

Of the total funds raised in 2002-03,new gifts accounted for $15 million andnew pledges totaled $20 million. Deferredgifts made up the remaining $5 million.

For MSU, the largest giving year tookplace fiscal year 2001-02, when $74.3million in gifts and pledges were received.Among that year’s commitments was asingle $25 million gift—the largest inuniversity history—and a substantialaccompanying in-kind gift.

Over the past four years, the MSUFoundation has averaged nearly $53million a year for gifts received fromindividuals, corporations, foundations,trusts, and estates.

Prescott said giving totals during afiscal year are determined by adding newgifts received to monies pledged anddeferred gifts received during the fiscalyear. In Mississippi, a fiscal year for stateagencies begins July 1 and ends thefollowing June 30.

The MSU Foundation was establishedin 1962 to help the university attractsupport from private sources. It nowadministers most of the institution’s fund-raising activities.

Dr. Vance T. Peterson, left, president of CASE, congratulates DennisPrescott, vice president for external affairs.

At the mid-point of its 125thanniversary, Mississippi State wasrecognized for achievements in fund raisingby an international education supportorganization.

Dennis A. Prescott, vice president forexternal affairs, accepted in August the2003 Circle of Excellence Award at theannual philanthropy conference of theCouncil for the Advancement and Supportof Education. The gathering was held inWashington, D.C., where CASEheadquarters are located.

Prescott, who also is chief operatingofficer of the MSU Foundation, said “it isextremely gratifying forMississippi StateUniversity to benationally honored bypeer institutions for oursuccesses in fund raising.

“I was thrilled toaccept this award onbehalf of MississippiState, our entiredevelopment team, andgenerous alumni andfriends of the university,”he added. The MSUadvancement program isone of only four at publicresearch/doctoral-degreegranting universitiesrecognized this year foroverall improvements infund raising. The othersinclude Michigan Stateand North Carolina State universities, aswell as the University of Missouri-KansasCity.

Rankings are based on analysis of anannual survey by the Council for Aid toEducation, which has conducted researchon private support of education since themid-1950s.

Since MSU’s fund-raising efforts havebroken records in recent years, Prescottsaid he was “not surprised by theannouncement.” The MSU Foundation has

Education body honors private-fund successestopped the $40 million mark in total giftsraised for the past four years, averaging$52.7 million per year, he said.

Also, he added, fiscal year 2001-02resulted in the largest giving year recordedin university history.

Richard Armstrong, the foundation’sexecutive director, echoed Prescott’sremarks.

“Private support impacts every aspect ofMississippi State University,” Armstrongsaid. “The success we have achieved isattributable to our loyal alumni and friendswho have generously supported the

university’s academic and athleticendeavors.”

Armstrong said overall fund-raisingimprovement awards were based on“significant program growth across the pastthree years.”

In compiling its research on fund-raising achievements by universities andcolleges, the Council on Aid to Educationalso recognizes an institution’s overallperformance in fund raising, based ongrowth and breadth of support, he said.

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Energetic, vivacious and strong willedare some of the characteristics family andfriends remember about “Rockie” Smith.She was a unique individual whose spiritwill live on thanks to an endowmentestablished at Mississippi State Universitythrough a bequest from her estate.

Husband A.B. Smith Jr. and daughterLlana wanted her love of Starkville andMississippi State to be memorializedthrough an endowment to support theperforming arts atthe university. Shedied of uterinecancer in July 2002at the age of 75.

Annual earningsfrom the Lorena J.“Rockie” SmithEndowment for thePerforming Artswill be used eachacademic year toenhance learningabout the arts byexpandingopportunities forthe entireuniversitycommunity tobecome involved.

“The performing arts programs atMississippi State are under-funded atpresent and the Smith endowment willcertainly give these areas a much neededboost,” said Dennis Prescott, vice presidentfor external affairs.

Bill Foster, retired dean of students andlongtime family friend, said, “I believe thestudents and faculty will appreciate thiswonderful opportunity to explore the artsmade available to them by the Smithfamily,” he added.

Proposals seeking support from theSmith Endowment will be submitted eachyear by MSU professors in the academicareas of theater arts, performing arts(music), dance, and fine and graphic arts.The endowment will be administered bythe Office of the Provost and Vice Presidentfor Academic Affairs and interdisciplinaryendeavors are encouraged.

Endowment ensures no last dance for ‘Rockie’ SmithNo one really knows how “Rockie”

picked up her nickname. “People alwaysspeculated a lot about that, but I alwaysthought it was because she was like arock—determined and strong,” Smith saidof his late wife.

A native of Starkville, Rockie expressedan early interest in the arts, includingdance, piano and violin. In high school,she was very involved in academic andextracurricular activities, and she

graduated valedictorianof her class at StarkvilleHigh School.

She later enrolled inMississippi State’sbusiness college whereshe met her futurehusband, a World War IIAir Force veteran. Thetwo met while Rockiewas a cheerleader. Llanais a graduate of MSU, aswell.

The couple married in1948 and moved toBlytheville, Ark., whereRockie began sharingher love of dance andgift of teaching withothers. She opened her

first dance studio in Blytheville in 1948,but closed it to move with her husband toWest Memphis in the late 1970s.

Rockie taught dancing for more than 50years, helping many people find theircalling in life and develop an appreciationof the arts. She was dedicated to teachingand community theatre.

“Although asked to be a Rockette inNew York City, she was never aprofessional dancer. She didn’t want to be.She just wanted to teach,” said Llana of herlate mother.

“Better known to friends andacquaintances as ‘Miz Rockie,’ her crispbut distinctly Southern tone and attentionto dramatic—or comic—detail whippedmany an awkward actor into shape for aproduction dance routine,” she added.

Rockie’s contributions to local theaterextended to financial support as well.

“Mother loved scholarships, and sheloved young people. Andshe loved the arts to bepresented to them,” Llanarecalls.

Following retirementfrom teaching dance, sheremained active throughadvising and teachingyounger dance instructors.She also assisted Llana withher travel business,Broadway Travel in West Memphis, andwith the Miss Delta Scholarship Pageant.

Smith has been memorialized in severalother ways. Among them are an annualscholarship at The Little Theatre ofCrittenden County, Ark., and anendowment at Mid-South CommunityCollege in West Memphis, Ark., ArkansasState University, and Delta StateUniversity.

Mississippi State College alumni of thelate 1940s may remember A.B. Smith Jr.through his association with the Mis-A-Sipmagazine, which he owned.

The Mis-A-Sip, one of the most widelyread college humor magazines, was alwaysanxiously awaited by the students atMississippi State, Foster said. The Mis-A-Sip, published nine times a year, was asgood as sold as it came off the presses,Smith proudly remembers.

A 1948 agronomy graduate and nativeof Marks, Smith was a member of AlphaZeta AG scholastic fraternity. He waspresident of ODK, vice president of BlueKey national honor fraternity, an officer ofKappa Sigma Fraternity and vice presidentof the student body. He also was chairmanof the Dance Committee, which enabledhim to spend many an evening dancingwith Rockie. He is a retired investmentofficer for Connecticut General LifeInsurance Co. and presently manages hisown farm land in Arkansas and Mississippi.He owns and operates A.B. Smith RealEstate in West Memphis, Ark.

Rockie Smith

A.B. Smith Jr., daughter Llana, and familyfriend Bill Foster.

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Times certainly have changed atMississippi State University since AmbrosePrentiss Fatherree was a student atMississippi A&M in the 1920s.

He fondly remembers calling the cityboys “jellybeans” and marching in a shirt-tail parade when the “Aggies” beat OleMiss. He is forever bonded to theuniversity through special memories likethese.

Born in October 1901, Fatherree is theoldest living alumnus ofMississippi State. He creditsthe university and theeducation he received forproviding a solid beginning toa life filled with educationalprosperity.

Fatherree grew up on afarm in the community ofHarmony in Clarke County,working hard and enjoying thesimple life. He was one ofeight children. Of the seventhat reached

adulthood, five of the boysgraduated from Mississippi A&Mand two daughters from then-Mississippi State College forWomen.

“Very few of my generationwere privileged to go to college,”Fatherree said. “MississippiState inspired me to be what I amand made me what I am,” heacknowledges.

Fatherree earned his educationthe hard way. “After graduationfrom a countywide agriculturalhigh school the spring of 1921, Ihad to take a year off to work–that $100 I earned was the start ofa college education I have alwaysvalued,” he said.

One of his earliest recollections ofMississippi A&M was his arrival oncampus. “I rode the train to A&M inSeptember of 1922 and lived in Old MainDormitory until Christmas before travelinghome for the holidays. After Christmas, Iwent back and stayed on campus until

Oldest living alumnus still going strongschool was out in early June,” Fatherreesaid.

Fatherree was one of 1,200 students atA&M. Today, Mississippi State has anenrollment of more than 16,000.

During Fatherree’s days at MississippiA&M, the campus cafeteria was completedand Alumnus magazine began. In 1936,the Graduate School was formallyorganized and Fatherree was able to returnto earn his master’s degree in 1945.

Fatherree’s life’s work has been ineducation, beginning as an agricultureteacher. After obtaining a degree fromMississippi A&M as one of only 212graduates in the class of 1926, he taughtschool in Coahoma County, SharkeyCounty and Forest County. His CoahomaCounty tenure followed the flood of 1927,and continued through the GreatDepression.

It was through teaching that he met hiswife, Elizabeth Echols Carter. Their 64-year union lasted until her death in 1993.

The couple has two sons,Ambrose P. Fatherree Jr.and Jefferson C.Fatherree, both alumni ofMississippi State, twograndchildren and fivegreat grandchildren.

Fatherree has made alasting impact oneducation in Mississippiand he regards thechildren and youth ofMississippi as part of hisfamily as well.

After eight years as ateacher and 37 years withthe state Department ofEducation, the last eightas the state’s director ofvocational education,

Fatherree reached the mandatoryretirement age of 70. But, he didn’t stopworking when he retired from the state,moving into the private sector where hespent nine years as state director of theNational Alliance of Business, where he

worked tobringeducators andbusinesspeopletogether.

He had adistinguishedcareer asdirector ofvocationalagriculture andas director ofvocational and technical education for theMississippi Department of Education. Itwas his vision and leadership that resultedin the establishment of 64 area vocational-technical programs in Mississippi, 24 ofthem in the community college system. Forhis efforts, he was honored with the namingof the A.P. Fatherree Vocational School inLaurel and the A.P. Fatherree AgricultureTechnology Building at NorthwestCommunity College.

Now, his connection with MississippiState will continue as well, through arecently established scholarship that bearshis name.

Thanks to family and friends, ascholarship will be awarded each year to adeserving student in MSU’s College ofAgriculture and Life Sciences. TheFatherree endowment is an open fund thatmay be increased through additionalcontributions from anyone wishing tohonor him or his lifelong work withvocational education.

“He has dedicated a significant portionof his life to the young people ofMississippi and this scholarship is a fittingtribute to him as an agriculture alumnus,”said Jud Skelton, director of developmentfor the college.

In October 2001, on his 100th birthday,Fatherree retired as vice president of theMississippi Rural Rehabilitation Corp., aposition he held since 1987. The MRRCloaned money to farmers in rural areas andused the interest to purchase bull calves for

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Fatherree

“In my long life,I have

observed thattrue happinessis achieved bywhat we do forothers and not

for what isdone for us.”

—Prentiss Fatherree

By Amy Cagle

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Fatherree as astudent

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Oldest alum, continuedmembers of Future Farmers of America.During his tenure, Fatherree presentedbulls for showing at the Dixie NationalLivestock Show to more than 600 FFAmembers.

“It makes my heart feel good to seethe FFA members and others that I havetouched and helped develop intoproductive adulthood,” he said.

Although his awards are toonumerous to list, one he treasurers isbeing named “Man of the Year” byProgressive Farmer magazine for hisdedicated service to Mississippiagriculture. He also holds dear the twocitations he received–one from PresidentLyndon B. Johnson, the other fromPresident Jimmy Carter–for his manyaccomplishments.

Today, Fatherree remains as active asever, having recently authored hissecond book. “Good clean livingmorally and spiritually, as well as hardwork” are the things he credits with hislongevity.

In recent years, Fatherree has workedto restore an antebellum home in ClarkeCounty, one of several houses in the areaon the National Registry of HistoricPlaces. He has returned it to its originalstate, except for some “better living”modifications in the kitchen andbathroom.

The historic Belhaven District ofJackson has been Fatherree’s home forthe past 66 years. In addition to hisvegetable garden, he cultivates camelliasand has established a national reputationas a grower. During the Gerald Fordadministration, Fatherree was contactedby White House personnel who neededhis prize camellias to decorate for anannual governor’s meeting. So, naturally,being president of the Jackson CamelliaSociety, he agreed, shipping about 150blooms for the occasion.

Although Fatherree doesn’t admit tohaving a fountain of youth in his yard,perhaps there is some healing power inthe camellias he grows there.

With son Jeff assuming leadershipresponsibility in the Jackson CamelliaSociety, Fatherree can finally sit back,and simply enjoy the beauty of hiscamellias.

“In my long life, I have observed thattrue happiness is achieved by what we dofor others and not for what is done forus,” Fatherree said. “It hasn’t been theburdens of the day that have bothered me,but the regrets over yesterday—I havealways tried to ‘relish the moment.’”

When the camellias begin bloomingeach September, Fatherree knows thatanother birthday is just around the corner.And at the age of 102, he continues toapproach each day as a new beginning.

A recently established endowment atMississippi State University will memorial-ize beloved faculty member Robert BeltonHolland. The endowment, established with aplanned gift from Holland’s daughter, willcreate fellowships in English for full-timegraduate students and support a creativewriting and reading series in English forguest writers. The fund also will be used toestablish a professorship in English, aposition that will be closely tied to theeditorship of the Mississippi Quarterlyjournal.

Daughter’s gift to memorialize HollandHolland, head of the university’s

Department of English, was serving on theMississippi Quarterly editorial board asassistant editor and book review editor at thetime of his death in 1969. He was editor ofthe publication from 1958 until 1967.

“Private support, such as BarbaraHolland Criswell’s, is essential to thecontinued quest for academic excellence.Her gift will provide a significant base ofsupport for the development of futuregenerations of creative writers and literaryscholars,” said Phil Oldham, dean of theCollege of Arts and Sciences.

Among his outstanding academic andcivic efforts, Holland is credited withestablishingMississippiState’s facultycouncil,serving fouryears as itschairman. Thegroup now isknown as theRobertHollandFacultySenate. Hejoined theMSU Englishfaculty in 1949and becamedepartment head in 1961.

Holland, a native of Meridian, heldbachelor’s and master’s degrees from theUniversity of Mississippi.

During World War II, he served with asupply unit in the Pacific. After the war, hewent to the University of Wisconsin to earnhis doctorate. It was there that he met andmarried Gertrude Pepper, the mother of histwo daughters. For many years, Mrs.Holland taught communications inMississippi State’s management depart-ment.

In addition to the endowment inEnglish, a previously established endow-ment also honors Holland. The HollandFund for Music supports projects in thedepartment of music education. Criswelland her sister Melissa Holland establishedthe fund in honor of their parents.

Criswell, a Columbus resident, recentlyedited a volume of her father’s poetry andprose for publication. Co-editing the bookwas Paul Ruffin, a former student ofHolland’s, now a writer and Englishprofessor. Half of the proceeds from booksales will benefit the Holland Fund forEnglish. Copies may be ordered by sendinga $24 check or money order, whichincludes $4 for shipping, to Friends of theTexas Review, Texas Review Press, Box2146, Sam Houston State University,Huntsville, TX 77341-2146.

Holland

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Mississippi State University has selected a theme and volunteer leadership for its capitalcampaign expected to have a formal launch in 2004.

A capital—or major gifts—campaign is a multi-year fund-raising and marketing effortdesigned to dramatically increase the level of private gift support for the university.Mississippi State now is in the “silent” phase, during which the MSU Foundation workswith volunteers to secure large, leadership-level gifts that ensure campaign success.

“State of the Future” will appear with an accompanying logo on all materials related toThe Mississippi State Campaign. The theme was submitted by Sacky H. Holdiness, adoctoral student from Meridian, who received a $500 award for her efforts as part of acampus-wide contest.

“The ‘State of the Future’ theme will help us move the campaign forward,” said DennisPrescott, vice president for external affairs. “It was selected because we felt it conveyed tothe campus community, as well as to alumni and friends of the institution, the progress wehope to afford the university through this major gifts effort. The theme will enable us toattract corporate and foundation focus on the university as well.”

Mississippi State’s first-ever major gifts campaign concluded in 1997 with more than$143 million in private gifts, pledges and deferred gifts for the university, most of whichbecame part of the university’s permanent endowment. Although the new campaign goalhas not been set, it will significantly exceed the amount raised in the university’s initialeffort.

“Goals for the campaign center around four key areas: scholarships and fellowships,chairs and other endowed faculty positions, facilities, and other academic programs,” saidPrescott. “Deans and other unit heads have played the key role in determining thepriorities.”

Prescott emphasized that the structured fund-raising effort of a campaign seeks to raisefunds beyond those required for the university’s general operating needs. The Foundationwill be assisted in its campaign fund raising by a volunteer effort led by a steeringcommittee.

“Strong volunteer leadership is vital to the success of a capital campaign and we arepleased that some of the most dedicated alumni and friends of the institution have steppedforward, committing their time and resources to assist the MSU Foundation with thiscampaign,” Prescott said. “The selected members bring with them an extremely high levelof professional achievement and an undying love for Mississippi State University.”

Leading the State of the Future campaign steering committee is alumnus Richard C.Adkerson, president and chief financial officer of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in businessadministration. Currently, he serves as treasurer of the MSU Foundation Board and is amember of the College of Business and Industry Senior Executive Advisory Board.

Also serving on the campaign steering committee are: James K. Ashford of Highlands,N.C.; James W. Bagley of Trophy Club, Texas; Fred E. Carl Jr. of Greenwood; Albert C.Clark of Starkville; William N. Clark Jr. of Metairie, La.; Hassell H. Franklin of Houston;Hunter W. Henry Jr. of San Marcos, Texas; W.G. “Mickey” Holliman of Belden; Bobby P.Martin of Ripley; E.B. Martin Jr. of Jackson; C.W. “Tex” Ritter Jr. of Kosciusko; Leo W.Seal Jr. of Bay St. Louis; Bobby Shackouls of Houston, Texas; and James F. “Bud”Thompson of Meridian.

James K. Ashford, retired president and CEO of CASE International, will serve aschair emeritus of the steering committee. He previously led Mississippi State’s first capitalcampaign. A 1958 graduate of the university’s accounting program, he was named theuniversity’s 1996 National Alumnus of the Year. He also is a former member of the MSUFoundation board.

University announces capital campaign leadership, theme

Adkerson

Ashford

Bagley

Carl

Albert Clark

Franklin

Henry

Will Clark

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James W. Bagley, chairman of the board and chief executive officerof Lam Research Corp. in Freemont, Calif., received both bachelor’sand master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Mississippi State.He was the 1994 Alumnus of the Year for the College of Engineering,which now bears his name.

Fred E. Carl, president and CEO of Viking Range Corp. and VikingCapital Ventures, is a member of the MSU Foundation board, theCollege of Architecture Advisory Board and the College of Businessand Industry board. He attended MSU’s College of Architecture and itssmall town center is named for him.

Albert C. Clark, a 1965 business graduate of Mississippi State, is president of C.C.Clark Inc., a regional beverage distributor, and vice president of Clark Distributing Co. inKentucky. He is a past president of the MSU Foundation board and currently serves on theboard of the MSU Bulldog Club.

William N. Clark Jr., a veteran of 15 seasons of Major League baseball, attendedMississippi State before going on to play with the San Francisco Giants, the Texas Rangers,the Baltimore Orioles, and the St. Louis Cardinals. He was a six-time All-Star firstbaseman and a Gold Glove winner. He was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Famein 2001 and is a 2003 inductee of the MSU Sports Hall of Fame.

Hassell H. Franklin, a business management graduate, is founder of the Franklin Corp.,a national leader in the furniture market. He was recognized as Mississippi State’s 1995National Alumnus of the Year. He is a member of the MSU Foundation board and theCollege of Business and Industry Senior Executive Advisory Board.

Hunter W. Henry, a 1950 chemical engineering graduate of Mississippi State and theretired president of Dow Chemical USA, is serving as vice chairman of the committee. In2001, the university awarded him an honorary doctor of science degree. He is a member ofthe board of directors for the MSU Foundation and has been recognized as MSU’s NationalAlumnus of the Year.

W.G. “Mickey” Holliman, president, CEO and chairman of the board of FurnitureBrands International, the world’s largest furniture manufacturer. Holliman is a 1960business management graduate. A member of the MSU Foundation board, he was honoredas MSU’s National Alumnus of the Year in 1998.

Bobby P. Martin, president and chairman of the board of the Peoples Bank in Ripley, isa 1956 agronomy graduate of Mississippi State and also holds an honorary doctorate inbusiness. He is a past president of the MSU Foundation board and the Bulldog Club. Hewas MSU’s 1999 National Alumnus of the Year.

E.B. Martin Jr., vice chairman of the TeleCorp PCS Board of Directors, is a 1978education graduate. He is also a graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School and theHarvard Business School. Martin is a member of the MSU Foundation board of directors,as well as a member of the Dean’s Development Council in the College of Education atMississippi State.

Charles W. “Tex” Ritter Jr. is a 1956 graduate of Mississippi State’s agricultureprogram. He is a former president of the MSU Foundation board and a past president of theMSU Alumni Foundation. He was MSU’s National Alumnus of the Year for 2002.

Leo W. Seal Jr., chairman and CEO of Hancock Bank, is a 1949 graduate of MississippiState. He is president of the MSU Foundation board and past president of the Bulldog Club.He is a former Mississippi State National Alumnus of the Year.

Bobby Shackouls, a 1972 chemical engineering alumnus, is president, chief executiveofficer, and chairman of Burlington Resources Inc. He is a member of the MSU Foundationboard of directors and a member of the Dean’s Development Council for the Bagley Collegeof Engineering.

James F. “Bud” Thompson, president of Insurance Solutions, is a 1962 alumnus of theuniversity. He is a past president of the Bulldog Club board of directors and a member ofthe MSU Foundation board.

Rounding out the steering committee are Richard Armstrong, executive director of theMSU Foundation; Gary Blair, national president of the MSU Alumni Association; J. Charles Lee, president of Mississippi StateUniversity; Roderick A. Moore, vice president of the MSU Foundation; Dennis A. Prescott, vice president for external affairs; and PeterW. Rabideau, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Bobby Martin

E.B. Martin

Ritter

Seal

Shackouls

Thompson

Holliman

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42Robert Penn Taylor of Columbus,

chairman of the board of directors of 4-County Electric Power Association, thissummer welcomed the 13th-generationdescendent of a horse that his father gavehim at the age of 12. He has continuedbreeding horses from the original gift horsefor 72 years.

49Frank Oakes of McComb is a

volunteer member of the Mississippi StateCitizen Corps Advisory Council. Thecouncil was formed to seek ways to fundand efficiently run the Citizen Corps, apartnership of the Office of the Governor,state Commission for Volunteer Service,and state Emergency Management Agency.

50Martha H. Swain of Starkville,

Cornaro Professor of History Emerita atTexas Women’s University, is one of threeeditors of Mississippi Women: TheirHistories, Their Lives. The collectioncontains biographies of 17 Mississippiwomen who helped shape the state’scourse.

Wearing a Mississippi State Bulldog uniform, Congressman Chip Pickering (R-Miss.)celebrated another Republican victory in the 42nd Annual Roll Call Congressional BaseballGame in July as the GOP defeated the Democrats 5-3. Pickering was hit once in the jaw andonce in the left shoulder while batting.

“Hardball politics has always been a rough sport,” Pickering said. “But this is the first timeI’ve left with a fat lip. If you think my last campaign was rough, try playing Congressionalbaseball.”

Pickering plays catcher for the Republican team.Last year, the Republicans won 9-2, clinching another best-of-five series (3-1) and earning

them their eighth coveted Roll Call trophy. Republicans now lead the overall series 28-14.This year’s match-up was played at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, Md. Proceeds from

the game go to the Washington Literacy Council and the Metropolitan Police Boys and GirlsClub. Last year’s game raised about $90,000. Figures for this year’s game have not beenannounced.

This was the 42nd Annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game, though the match-updates back in various forms to the first game in 1909. Members played sporadically until afterWorld War II when the Washington Evening Star began sponsoring it as a charity event. TheWashington newspaper Roll Call is now the sponsor.

Republicans top Democrats on baseball diamond

Pickering

59James B. Miskelley

has been posthumouslyinducted into the U.S.Army Corps ofEngineers’ MississippiRiver CommissionGallery of DistinguishedCivilian Employees. Heretired in 1996,following 35 years offederal service.

63Thomas C. Hill has been inducted into

the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers’ MississippiRiver CommissionGallery of DistinguishedCivilian Employees. Heretired in 1998,following 35 years offederal employment.

Joe Woods ofVicksburg, chief of theProject ResourcesManagement Branch inthe Operations Division of the Corps ofEngineers’ Vicksburg District, has been

Miskelley

Hill

honored as one of nine 2003 Legends bythe American Recreation Coalition. Theaward recognizes his efforts to improveoutdoor recreational opportunities for thepublic.

65Richard R. Brann of Houston, Texas,

an attorney and senior partner with BakerBotts law firm, has been selected as aleading lawyer in Texas to defend laborand employment cases, as published inChambers USA, America’s LeadingBusiness Lawyers.

66William Ray Johnson has received the

Distinguished Service Award from theFlorida Seed Association. He also was theassociation’s 2003 president.

Paul W. Kincade (M.S. ’68) is head ofthe immunobiology and cancer program,William H. and Rita Bell Chair ofBiomedical Research, and adjunctprofessor of microbiology andimmunology at the Oklahoma MedicalResearch Foundation and University ofOklahoma. He is 2003 president of the

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ClassNewsAmerican Immunology Association and is2004 president-elect of the Federation ofAmerican Societies for ExperimentalBiology.

69Joe W. Ball of Atlanta, Ga., president

and managing partner of Pritchett, Ball &Wise Inc., a commercial real estate andbusiness consulting firm, has been electedpresident of the Atlanta Chapter of theAppraisal Institute.

Joel Clements ofWaynesboro has beenelected to the executivecommittee of theMississippi BankersAssociation. He ischairman of the board,president and chiefexecutive officer ofFirst State Bank inWaynesboro.

Malcolm Portera (M.A. ’71),chancellor of the University of AlabamaSystem and president emeritus ofMississippi State University, has beennamed a member of the board of directorsof Regions Financial Corp., one of the 25largest financial services companies in thenation.

70Michael Farrell of Jackson has joined

the law firm of Mitchell, McNutt & Sams.He will concentrate his practice in laborand employment law and commerciallitigation.

Malcolm Wall has been named chiefexecutive officer andexecutive director forthe KentuckyEducational Televisionnetwork. Hepreviously wasexecutive director forthe OklahomaEducational TelevisionAuthority.

71Neal Berryhill of Franklin, Tenn., has

been promoted to director of sales for foodservice-fresh chicken by Perdue Farms.

73Ann C. Chadwick (M.S. ’76) of

Alexandria, Va., retired executive directorof the American Association of Family andConsumer Sciences, has received thatorganization’s Distinguished ServiceAward, the highest national honor itbestows.

Barry Royals (M.S. ’79) of Jackson, anenvironmental engineer with theMississippi Department of EnvironmentalQuality and chief of the Office of PollutionControl’s Surface Water Division, hasreceived the Elizabeth Jester FellowsAward from the Association of State andInterstate Water Pollution ControlAdministrators.

74T.E. Walker of

Forest has been electedvice president of theMississippi BankersAssociation for 2003-04.He is chairman of theboard and chiefexecutive officer of theBank of Forest.

75Dennis C. Parmer of Sugar Land,

Texas, president of Triplex ComputerCorp., has been elected to the Sugar LandCity Council.

Pat Sanders Robertson of Jackson,deputy director of the Public Employees’Retirement System, has been elected to theexecutive board of the Government FinanceOfficers’ Association of the U.S. andCanada.

Tommy Tomlinson of Starkville,regional bank president for National Bankof Commerce, has been named to the boardof directors of the CREATE Foundation, acommunity improvement foundation thatserves 16 Northeast Mississippi counties.

76P. Bernard Jacob III (M.B.A. ’89) of

Pensacola, Fla., has been named vicepresident of external affairs and corporateservices for Gulf Power Co. of Pensacola.

77Loucrecia Collins (Ed.D. ’95) has

received the President’s Award forExcellence in Teaching at the University ofAlabama at Birmingham. She is anassistant professor of educational leadershipin the UAB School of Education.

78Bob McGee of Athens, Ga., has

received a Best Practices award from theSouthern Association of College andUniversity Business Officers for integratinga digital imaging process to improve thepayment system at the University ofGeorgia. He is director of payroll, payablesand expenditures at the university.

79David L. Sandefur of Ridgeland, an

attorney, has joined McGlinchey Staffordlaw firm in its general litigation section.

80Brit Katz (M.S. ’86)

has been named vicepresident for studentaffairs and dean ofstudents at MillsapsCollege in Jackson.

83Jay Brumfield has been named chief

operating officer at Advanced StentTechnologies, a medical device companyheadquartered in Pleasanton, Calif. Hepreviously was vice president of strategicinitiatives at Mississippi Chemical Corp. inYazoo City.

Ken Reich (M.A. ’93) of Arlington,Tenn., has joined the music staff ofBellevue Baptist Church in Memphis.

85M. Leigh Lunsford is a visiting

assistant professor for 2003-04 in the

Clements

Wall

Walker

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Mathematical SciencesDepartment at theUniversity of Alabamain Huntsville.

86Kevin Womack of

Memphis, Tenn., hasbeen named citypresident of FirstBank.He will oversee all Memphis operations forthe fastest growing community bank inTennessee.

88Elizabeth A. Messer

of Bay St. Louis hasreceived NASA’sprestigious ExceptionalAchievement Medal forimplementing keyinitiatives that helpedincrease efficiency andperformance. She isassistant to the chief of test operations andproject manager for design and datamanagement in NASA’s Propulsion TestDirectorate at Stennis Space Center.

89Curtis Jordan, a major in the U.S. Air

Force, recently assumed command of the62nd Contracting Squadron at McChordAFB, Wash. He previously was assignedto Headquarters Air Force PersonnelCenter. In his new assignment, he isresponsible for more than $67 million insupplies and services.

Betty Bush Roby of Atlanta, Ga., hasbeen promoted to vice president-teammanager for database administration andanalysis at Bank of America in Atlanta.

Danny W. Sample Jr., a major in theU.S. Army, has been assigned to U.S.Army-Pacific at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. Hewill serve as National Guard Bureau LNOfor the Army Pacific region.

Kevin Stevens has been namedassociate director of purchasing at theUniversity of Kentucky in Lexington.

90Jonathan K.

Hasson (M.S. ’92) ofIrvine, Calif., hasjoined ADSEnvironmentalServices as regionmanager of thecompany’s Inter-Mountain West andWest Coast operations. He previously wasa branch manager for ADS in Marietta, Ga.

David A. Norris, an attorney, has joinedMcGlinchey Stafford law firm in itscommercial litigation section in theJackson office.

92Shane Crowe (M.S.

’94) of Sachse, Texas,and his co-workers atNortel Networks weregranted a U.S. patent fortheir work on ruralcellular base stations.Their invention extendsbase station range by400 percent.

Trent Trussell ofTupelo has joined HawthornPharmaceuticals as a sales representative inthe Tupelo area.

93Brian Barrett of Birmingham, Ala., an

architect, has been named a principal withthe Garrison Barrett Group.

Denise McDonald Cosper of Starkvilleis an adjunct instructor in the College ofBusiness and Industry at Mississippi State.

Anne Davis of Nashville, Tenn., asongwriter and folk/alternative musician,has released her firstCD featuring 15 of heroriginal songs, most ofwhich have Christianmessages.

Pat Zollner ofRhinelander, Wis., aUnited States

Department of Agriculture Forest Serviceresearch ecologist, has received theagency’s highest national award for earlycareer scientists for his research on theAmerican marten, a threatened animal inWisconsin.

94Gray Bekurs (M.S. ’96) has been

named director ofresidential services atNicholls StateUniversity inThibodaux, La.

Chris Cosper (M.A.’96) of Starkville hasbeen named a partnerwith Pryor and MorrowArchitects in Columbus.

Tracy Whiteheadhas joined the University of Arkansas forMedical Sciences as an assistant researchprofessor in the Department of Pathology.He is working in the Basic Breast CancerDivision of the Arkansas Cancer ResearchCenter, developing magnetic resonancemethods to detect breast cancer in itsearliest stages.

Andrew Witt of Tupelo, an outsidesalesman for Building Specialties, hasreceived the President’s Club Award fromUnited States Gypsum Corp. for surpassingsales goals in 2002.

95Trey Cathey has joined A.G. Edwards

& Sons in Hammond, La., as a financialconsultant. He previously was a salesassociate for Hibernia Investments.

Malcolm Jeffrey Emfinger ofBrookhaven is a maintenance/test engineerfor Pearl River Valley Electric PowerAssociation in Columbia.

Timothy Hodge of Tampa, Fla., aveterinarian, has opened Cross CreekAnimal Medical Centre, a small animal andexotic pet practice.

Womack

Messer

Hasson

Trussell

Zollner

Bekurs

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96Brandon Owen Gibson (M.A.B.M.

’97) of Bells, Tenn., an attorney, hasbecome an associate with the newly formedlaw firm of Pentecost, Glenn & Rudd inJackson, Tenn.

Shaohua Li (M.S. ’97) of Santa Clara,Calif., is an electrical engineer working inthe Micro Processor Division of PMC-Sierra Inc.

Christopher Perry has been awardedthe Beeson Pastor Fellowship from AsburyTheological Seminary, which will allowhim to complete his doctoral class workover the course of the year.

97Cynthia Baddour

of Hernando has joinedHawthornPharmaceuticals as asales representative inNorthwest Mississippi.

Toni Rhodes Leethhas been electedpresident of the PublicHealth Student Caucus,the only nationalorganization forstudents in public health.

Tracy Moore of Memphis, Tenn., hasbeen named Exchange City manager forJunior Achievement of Memphis and theMid-South.

Laine Peyton Myers has received adoctoral degree in immunology/toxicologyfrom the Louisiana State University HealthSciences Center. He is doing post-doctoralwork at the National Institute forOccupational Safety and Health, a branchof the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention.

98William Chandler has been promoted

to associate sports information director atBirmingham-Southern College inBirmingham, Ala.

Brad Garner, a landscape architect, hasbeen promoted to associate withAlexandria, Va.-based Rhodeside &Harwell Inc.

Jennifer Riddell Wilburn has beenpromoted to senior producer forNewsNight with Aaron Brown at CNN inAtlanta, Ga.

99Kelly Johns Agent (M.B.A. ’02),

corporate sponsorship director at FortRichardson, Alaska, has received theDepartment of the Army AchievementMedal for Civilian Service. She also hasreceived the Fort Richardson Commander’sAward for Excellence and the U.S. ArmyAlaska General’s Coin for jobperformance.

Charles Dunlap of Birmingham, Ala.,has been promoted to assistant director ofmedia relations at Southeastern Conferenceheadquarters in Birmingham. He handlesdaily publicity for SEC baseball for theleague.

Rich Simpson received a D.M.D. indentistry from the University ofMississippi Medical Center in May. He isin residency training in orthodontics at theLouisiana State University School ofDentistry in New Orleans.

Eric Allen Wooten of Germantown,Tenn., has been selected to participate inthe Japan Exchange and TeachingProgram. He will spend one year in Japanteaching English in schools and engagingin international exchange activities.

00Amanda L. Bryant (M.S. ’02) of

Hernando has been named 4-H youth agentin Simpson County.

Courtney Honea has been promoted tonational account analyst for Jefferson PilotFinancial’s Southeast Region.

Stacey Salmon-Rich works in salesand service for IBM Canada.

01Jennifer Bagwell Carwile teaches

science and social studies at Water ValleyMiddle School and is assistant volleyballand softball coach at Water Valley HighSchool.

Joel A. Tillery received a master’sdegree in environmental engineering atColorado State University and is a staffengineer with CH2M Hill in Gainesville,Fla.

02E. Clint Bolton has joined Tallahatchie

Valley Electric Power Association inBatesville as a management trainee. Hepreviously was a sales representative forPanola County Cooperative.

Isaac Holman has joined thearchitectural and design firm of EarlSwensson Associates inNashville, Tenn., as aninterior designer.

Dontorya Ingram ofYazoo City has beenemployed this summeras a technical assistantat McLendon Library atHinds CommunityCollege’s Raymondcampus.

03Erin McMurchy

has joined TupeloFurniture Market’ssales team as a leasingagent.

Chad Spurlinhas joinedJohnson BaileyHendersonMcNeelArchitects as an

intern architect.

Baddour

Ingram

McMurchy

Spurlin

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MSU grads publish fitness book for body, mind, spirit Can chewing gum make you smarter? Is it possible to “rock” your way to physical health? Is itpossible to pray away stress and anxiety? Mississippi State alumnae Joyce M. Yates (M.Ed. ’77, Ed.D. ’99) and Amanda Gladney Conrad(B.S. ’98) believe so. The duo has collaborated on Simple Fitness for Your Body, Mind, and Spirit, ahow-to book that weighs in on the total health and wellness movement with a kinder, simpler approach. The 110-page guide, published by Quail Ridge Press of Brandon, concentrates on six key areas ofhealth: physical, nutritional, intellectual, social, emotional, and spiritual. Yates, associate professor of health and kinesiology at Mississippi University for Women, and Conrad,acertified personal trainer and fitness instructor, believe nourishment and attention to these key areas are essential to achieving long-termsuccess in healthy lifestyle management.

Simple Fitness for Your Body, Mind, and Spirit is available at local bookstores, online at www.quailridge.com, or by phone at 800-343-1583.

YatesConrad

ClassNews

BIRTHAnnouncementsSarah Elizabeth Abbay, Sept. 5, 2002, to

Will Abbay (’98) and Lisa Selman Abbay(’98) of Germantown, Tenn.

Molly Lane Austin, Sept. 16, 2002, toTerri Livingston Austin (’00) and husbandSam of Fort Smith, Ark.

Emma Taylor Bean, June 24, 2003, toHeather Harrison Bean (’96) and CharlieBean (’92, M.B.A. ’95) of Madison.

Caleb Derek Berryhill, Nov. 11, 2002, toDerek Berryhill (’98) and wife Jacqueline ofHattiesburg.

Morgan Ann Bevon, June 5, 2003, toCharles C. Bevon (’96, M.P.A. ’97) andEllen Elizabeth Allen Bevon (’96, M.P.A.’97) of Madison.

Noah Alexander Brown, May 13, 2002, toTracy Handley Brown (’92) and husbandJamie of Fayette, Ala.

Brooks William Byers, April 11, 2003, toLea Henderson Byers (’94) and husbandBrad of Olive Branch.

Emma Christian Cayson, March 23, 2002,to Steve Cayson (’87) and Polly Ann WattCayson (’89) of Huntsville, Ala.

Aidan Rush Connelly, July 3, 2002, toJohn D. Connelly (’94) and Tracy BusbeeConnelly (’98) of Flowood.

Jason Lawrence Cosper, Dec. 31, 2002, toDenise McDonald Cosper (’93) and ChrisCosper (’94, M.A. ’96) of Starkville.

Maddox Jackson Davis, April 25, 2003, toKim Walls Davis (’94, M.S. ’95) andhusband Darrell of Germantown, Tenn.

William Lesley Shields Davis, Feb. 14,2003, to Lesley Andress Davis (’89) andJohn D. Davis IV (’88) of Brandon.

Aidan McKinley Dobbs, Dec. 6, 2002, toMark Dobbs (’93) and wife Melanie ofStarkville.

Guy S. Gillespie, Aug. 26, 2003, toGregory Gillespie (’96) and wife MaryAlice of Cary, N.C.

Tyler Patrick Heard, Feb. 20, 2003, toCraig Heard (’94) and Lisa VanderfordHeard (’96) of Ridgeland.

Andrew Joseph Helms, June 19, 2003, toJennifer Helms (’01) and husband Jon ofAtlanta, Ga.

Kathryn Morrow Ivy, July 30, 2003, toRob Ivy (’94) and wife Kerry of Nashville,Tenn.

Hayden Eli Joiner, July 24, 2003, toRamsey Cumbest Joiner (’96, M.S. ’97)and husband Jason of Cordova, Tenn.

Elizabeth Frances Keen, May 3, 2002, toTiffany McDuff Keen (’93) and husbandMike of Redwood.

Robert Alexander Kihlken, June 9, 2003,to Jennifer Mayo Kihlken (’96) andThomas Kihlken (’98) of Shreveport, La.

Gabriel Reese Kirkpatrick, July 15, 2003,to William Paul Kirkpatrick (’93) and wifeSylvia of Hendersonville, Tenn.

Tyler Jordan Long, April 7, 2003, toPaige Moses Long (’86) and Robert W.Long (’82) of Ridgeland.

Micah Gideon Massey, June 2, 2003, toThomas Massey (’88) and wife Susan ofMadison, Ala.

Allyn Grace McCary, May 21, 2003, toKawana Easom McCary (’89, M.B.A. ’91)and husband David of Newton.

Andrew Parker McCleese, to EdwardMcCleese (’97) and wife Kimberly of LittleRock, Ark.

Maggie Lauren McDonald, Nov. 4, 2002,to Jason C. McDonald (’93) and wifeAnnette of Greenwood.

Meredith Grace Muirhead, Dec. 8, 2002,to Joel T. Muirhead (’89) and wifeJennifer of Dothan, Ala.

Carson Wesley Nash, April 19, 2002, toRay Nash (’91, M.S. ’99) and Lori GreenNash (’97) of Booneville.

Banks Livingston Perry, Jan. 22, 2002,to John Fletcher Perry III (’94) andJamie Livingston Perry (’90) of Tupelo.

Stone Harlow Pittman, May 16, 2003, toHope Sheffield Pittman (’96) and JeremyHarlow Pittman (’97) of Germantown,Tenn.

Kyler Danielle Reeves, March 9, 2003,to Kari Babski-Reeves (’95, M.S. ’98,Ph.D. ’00) and Tory Reeves (’94) ofBlacksburg, Va.

Lacee Elizabeth Riddell, Sept. 3, 2003,to Randy Riddell (’91) and wife Amy ofKillen, Ala.

Ellington Elizabeth Sartor, June 3, 2003,to Scott Sartor (’95) and wife Catherine ofGermantown, Tenn.

Caroline Elizabeth Skellett, June 11,2003, to Jake Skellett (’98) and wifeJessica of Baton Rouge, La.

John Kirby Stringfellow, March 28,2003, to Kirby Dean Stringfellow (’95)and Jennifer Johnson Stringfellow (’94)of Picayune.

Emily Elizabeth Thompson and NatalieBond Thompson, Nov. 27, 2002, to CrystalKowalski Thompson (’97) and ZacharyWelty Thompson (’97) of Ridgeland.

Carson Davis Wade, Feb. 4, 2003, toLisa Rushing Wade (’94) and husbandBryan of Springfield, Mo.

Regan Nicolle Warren, June 12, 2003, toNicolle Carter Warren (’96) and ClintWarren (’95) of Tulsa, Okla.

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INMemoriamJohn Andrew McReynolds Jr. (’30)—

96, Starkville; retired dean of student affairsat Mississippi State and real estate agent,June 27, 2003.

James W. Hammond (’35)—90, Winona;retired hygienist and professor of industrialhygiene at the University of Texas School ofPublic Health, June 9, 2003.

Ernest Minor (’39)—85, Macon; retiredfarmer and cattleman and World War IIveteran, June 22, 2003.

Marlin M. Stewart Sr. (’39)—Fayetteville, N.C.; retired agent for EquitableLife Assurance Society, Aug. 20, 2003.

William C. Whittington (’41)—86,Collins; retired Farmers HomeAdministration employee, March 26, 2003.

M.W. Triplett (’43)—81, Louisville;electrical contractor, June 27, 2003.

Elsie Wallace Chamberlin (’45, M.S.’71)—79, Aberdeen; June 5, 2003.

Howard M. Evans Jr. (’49)—75,Greenwood; retired electrical engineer andadministrator for Delta Electric PowerAssociation, July 5, 2003.

Jessie Belle Wyatt (’50)—Kansas City,Kan.; retired teacher for Calhoun Countyschools, June 2, 2003.

Yancey Adams Bittle (’51)—73,Columbia, S.C.; retired executive secretary,July 10, 2003.

Donald C. Ezelle (’51)—74, Tupelo;retired mechanical estimator in plumbing andheating business, July 27, 2003.

Raymon C. Kelly (’51)—Brandon;retired letter carrier and supervisor for theU.S. Postal Service, Dec. 21, 2002.

Glen E. Watson (’51, M.S. ’57)—75,Morton; former teacher, retired employee ofLady Forest Farms poultry producers, andWorld War II veteran, June 15, 2003.

Chester G. McWhorter (’51, M.S.’52)—76, Decatur; agricultural researcher forUSDA, renowned weed scientist, and adjunctprofessor of plant pathology and weedscience at Mississippi State, June 17, 2003.

John Luther Bowling (’53)—77,Franklin, Tenn.; retired education specialistand technical writer at Redstone Arsenal in

Huntsville, Ala., and World War II andVietnam War veteran, Aug. 25, 2003.

G.A. Mills Jr. (’53, M.Ed. ’57)—70, RedBay, Ala.; retired teacher and coach at RedBay High School and Korean War veteran,Dec. 5, 2002.

Ben F. Hilbun Jr. (’55)—68, Starkville;attorney, interim Starkville city attorney, andformer state senator, July 14, 2003.

Harold Leslie Hutchinson (’57)—71,Jackson; civil engineer and Korean Warveteran, June 15, 2003.

Thad Ira Pigott (’57)—67, Gulfport;retired regional director for the U.S.Department of Agriculture, Sept. 7, 2003.

William P. Furr Jr. (’59)—65, Jackson;former co-owner of Hardin-Furr FurnitureCo. and past president of the MSU AlumniAssociation, July 5, 2003.

Mirt S. Lunsford Jr. (’61)—63, Durham,N.C.; retired colonel in the U.S. Army andVietnam veteran, Feb. 27, 2003.

Nolan Sidney Harper (’62)—63,Jackson; businessman and attorney, June 26,2003.

Dennis Holloway Jr. (’75)—71, Jackson;retired educator, administrator and executiveassistant to the president at Jackson StateUniversity, June 14, 2003.

Carolyn Bennett Patterson (attended)—82, Washington, D.C.; retired senior editorfor National Geographic magazine and thefirst woman ever to serve as a senior editor atthat publication, July 7, 2003.

Ryan Lyle Sperandeo (student)—21,Clinton; business marketing student atMississippi State, July 2, 2003.

Homer S. Coskrey (former employee)—88, Starkville; dean emeritus of continuingeducation and professor emeritus ofeducation at Mississippi State, July 9, 2003.

Alcus Smith (friend)—82, Brookhaven;retired automobile dealer, June 20, 2003.

BIRTHAnnouncementsWalker Van Watson, June 17, 2002, to

Will Watson (’90) and wife Angie ofGreenville.

Logan Alyse Whitehead, July 2, 2003, toTracy Whitehead (’94) and wife Michele ofLittle Rock, Ark.

John Andrew Wilder, March 27, 2003, toSaskia Grassel Wilder (’95) and husbandPenn of Bentonville, Ark.

John Tyler Wolfe, May 4, 2003, toAlyson Wolfe (’99) and Corey Wolfe (’98)of Jackson.

Mary Palmer Wooten, Dec. 29, 2002, toTheresa Otto Wooten (’94) and husbandRonald of Jackson.

Erik Thomas Zeppelin, March 11, 2003,to Kristin Flautt Zeppelin (’94) andhusband Deron of Knoxville, Tenn.

Jessica Dean Zwies, May 23, 2003, toJulie Ferrill Zwies (’91) and husband Walterof Dover, Del.

FRED Y. FAULKcoordinator of photographic services

Fred Y. Faulk of Starkville, longtimecoordinator of photographic services in theOffice of University Relations at MississippiState, died Nov. 8, 2003, at his home. Hewas 54.

A Vicksburg native, he was a 1968graduate of H.V. Cooper High School and a1972 graduate of Belhaven College.

Faulk began a three-decade career as aphotographer in 1972 at Mississippi State.During his service at University Relations,his photos regularly appeared in studentrecruitment publications, the university’sAlumnus magazine, the student yearbookand, from 1997 until 2004, a university-designed calendar showcasing campusscenes. His news and feature photos haveappeared in newspapers around the state,nation and world.

Many of his scenes have been featured intwo books about the university, a pictorialsurvey, published in 1993, and “Inside DudyNoble—A Celebration of MSU Baseball,”published in 1992. His last major projectwas a book of photos to commemorate theuniversity’s 125th anniversary, “125 Years atMississippi State University: A PictorialHistory of the People’s University,” releasedin October.

Faulk received many awards forphotographic excellence from the Councilfor Advancement and Support of Education.He was among the first recipients of auniversity-wide Distinguished Staff Award,recognizing exceptional contributions toMississippi State. He also owned andoperated Fred Faulk Photography inStarkville.

Documents

Mississippi State Alumnus Fall 2003