Mississippi State Alumnus Spring 2010

L O YA LT Y. P R I D E . PA S S I O N .

In 2009, the MSU Foundation launched a specialinitiative to garner support for scholarships andfaculty awards. StatePride: An Initiative for Studentand Faculty Support is a strategic fundraising planthat seeks to raise $100 million by December 31,2012. The major focus of StatePride will be to helpMSU attract exceptional students from the stateand the region, and create opportunities for topperforming faculty members.For more information on StatePride, contact the

MSU Foundation at 662-325-7000 or visit ourWebsite at www.msufoundation.com.

P R O F I L E : Lindsay LinharesC L A S S I F I C AT I O N : FreshmanH O M E T O W N : Starkville, Miss.AWARD: Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholar

“I chose Mississippi State because of theDistinguished Scholars Program. EveryoneI met during my interview made me feelwelcome and at home. I could see thestudents, faculty, staff and administratorsgenuinely care about each other, and all uniteunder the name Mississippi State.”

featuresSpring 2010 | Volume 86 | Number 1USPS 354-520

PresidentMark E. Keenum (’83, ’84, ’88)

Alumni Association Executive Director and Associate Vice President, Development and AlumniJimmy W. Abraham (’75, ’77)

Vice President for Development and AlumniJohn P. Rush (’94, ’02)

Mississippi State Alumnus is published three times a year by the Office of University Relations and the Mississippi State University Alumni Association at Mississippi State, Miss. Send address changes to Alumni Director, P.O. Box AA, Mississippi State, MS 39762-5526; telephone 662-325-7000; or e-mail [email protected].

Editorial offices:102 George Hall,P.O. Box 5325,Mississippi State, MS 39762-5325Telephone, 662-325-3442 Fax, 662-325-7455E-mail, [email protected]

Advertising:Contact Libba Andrews at 662-325-3479 or [email protected].

EditorAllen Snow (’76)

Associate EditorKay Fike Jones

DesignersMary Howell (’93)Judy Smith

PhotographersRuss Houston (’85)Megan BeanKristen Hines BakerKenny Billings

Mississippi State UniversityAlumni Association National OfficersCharles A. Cascio (’79),national presidentKaren Dugard Lawler (’82, ’94), national first vice presidentJerry Toney (’96) national second vice presidentJodi White Turner (’97, ’99),national treasurerAndrew D. Hunt Jr. (’70) immediate past president

125 years of Forever Maroon and White | pageFor the last 125 years, Mississippi State University has proudly stood by her alumni, and alumni by our university. From the first graduating class in 1883, to the more than 116,000 living graduates today, alumni have played a key role in the progress and evolution of the 132-year-old, land-grant institution.

A book that built a house | pageThe first-ever Maroon Edition book, selected by a committee of faculty members, was “A Painted House,” a novel by 1977 Mississippi State alumnus John Grisham. The goal of the project was to promote critical thinking, introduce students to campus and generate involvement among freshmen.

Moving mountains | pageFor many Mississippi State alumni, having a lasting impact on the world isn’t something they think about daily–it’s just part of who they are. Billy Redd, Jennifer Williams, Mary Davidson, and Mike Myers all get up in the morning with an innate passion for their professions and a desire to help others.

Service DAWGS | pageWhen Summerly Brown arrived on campus for the start of her freshman year in August 2008, she hoped to find a way to get involved in the Starkville community while making a significant civic contribution. After learning of the first Service DAWGS Day, Brown saw it as the perfect opportunity.

Parents have a place to turn | pageMississippi State has a wealth of services to support students, but a unique and rapidly growing area is an office designated specifically to work with parents.

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Campus news ..................25Alumni news ......................32 Foundation news........40Class news ..........................44In memoriam.................... 46

On the cover: This year marks the 125th anniversary of the Mississippi State University Alumni Association, founded June 17, 1885.

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2 Alumnus Spring 2010

“The only true way to judge the usefulness of an educational institution is by its representatives, the alumni.”- J. Wendall Bailey (’15)

These words, penned by the Alumni Association’s first employee, epitomize what alumni mean to a university. For the last 125 years, Mississippi State University has proudly stood by her alumni, and alumni by the university. From the first graduating class in 1883, to the more than 116,000 living graduates today, alumni have played a key role in the progress and evolution of the 132-year-old, land-grant institution.

By Sheri Pape

CeleBrating

years of forever

MaroonWhite&

Feb. 28, 1878Mississippi Agricultural

and Mechanical College

established.

Sept. 25, 1884First women admitted full

time to Mississippi A&M.

May 2, 1885A&M debuts its first sports

team, baseball, in a game

versus the town team in

Durant.

1885First graduate degree

awarded to Henry Hill

Harrington, a member of

the 1883 graduating class.

Young couple at graduation

Early cadets in class

Female students in the 1880’s

3Alumnus Spring 2010

Founded in 1878, Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College was a land-grant institution made possible by the Morrill Act passed by Congress in 1862. The Mississippi Legislature voted Feb. 28 to establish the institution. It chose Starkville as its home because of location and distance from other state institutions, as well as proximity to the rail lines.

When Mississippi A&M opened its doors Oct. 6, 1880, 354 eager young men enrolled under President Stephen D. Lee’s leadership. Coursework concentrated on the study of agricultural methods and the mechanical arts. The cadets, as students were referred to, wore gray uniforms and operated under Lee’s strict military discipline.

In 1883, A&M graduated its first class of students. That spring, 13 men received diplomas. Over the course of the next two years, 16 individuals joined them as alumni.

By 1885, the A&M graduates decided to form an organization meant to “perpetuate the memories of college life, in a manner that would bind the classes of different years.” This meeting, held June 17, 1885, was the founding of the Alumni Association.

Seventeen men gathered on campus that summer day to establish the association and elect officers. Robert M. Beattie, from the first graduating class, was selected president.

Beattie was a prominent attorney in Memphis, and would lead the association with an air of class and sophistication. The group also selected a first vice president, second vice president, secretary/treasurer, and executive committee, among other positions.

The second meeting of the Alumni Association was held June 15, 1886, when the group adopted a constitution and bylaws and established terms of membership.

By 1890, the alumni leaders decided to select a life secretary for each class to help with the organization of graduate information. Life secretaries were charged with the task of relaying news and events to classmates, and reporting any changes in contact information to the association secretary.

In the early days of the Alumni Association, business was simple. The group met every two years on campus, typically during the summer. Discussions were centered on dues, what qualifies an alumnus, and events and activities regarding student life. These meetings served as reunions for classmates, as well as a time to discuss policy and future plans for the college.

Formation of the Association

1885First graduate degree

awarded to Henry Hill

Harrington, a member of

the 1883 graduating class.

June 17, 1885Members of the first three

graduating classes form

Alumni Association.

Oct. 28, 1901Mississippi A&M’s

football team, which was

established in 1895, scores

first touchdown in a 17-0

victory over Ole Miss.

1910Mississippi A&M adopts

the bulldog as its mascot.

1917 and 1918No alumni meetings are

held due to World War I.

Students and faculty go

off to war, and influenza

epidemic strikes campus.

First graduating class - 1883

One of the first Bully mascots

By the early 1900s, alumni leaders realized the amount of time and organization it took the association secretary to keep track of the growing number of graduates. A decision was made to hire a full-time staff member who would serve as the liaison between the alumni board members and the college. In 1919, John Wendell Bailey became the Alumni Association’s first full-time staff member, with his salary supplemented in part by the association and in part by the college.

During Bailey’s tenure, the association published its first printed directory of graduates and established the alumni magazine, Alumnus. It was also during this time that the first alumni chapters were formed. In March 1921, Alumnus listed seven official county clubs located across Mississippi, and one in Birmingham, Ala. These chapters encouraged community involvement and helped members stay up-to-date on A&M events.

The Alumni Association also implemented traditions such as homecoming, the class ring, reunions, and student scholarships in the early 1900s.

At the same time, Mississippi A&M was growing and changing. The college formed teams in baseball, football, basketball, tennis, and track. Students began producing a school newspaper, the Reflector, and a yearbook, the Reveille. The bulldog was adopted as the official school mascot, and maroon and white as the team colors. One of the more dramatic changes came in 1932, when the state Legislature changed the name from Mississippi A&M to Mississippi State College.

It also was during this time that the campus spirit was affected by war. Given its long military history, Mississippi State has been home to many soldiers serving the U.S. During World War I and II, enrollment declined, as well as alumni and campus activities. Students postponed their education for the call of duty, and commencement ceremonies were also cancelled.

Establishing Tradition


January 1921First alumni directory

published.

March 1921Alumni Association

publishes first edition of its

magazine, Alumnus.

April 9, 1930Students vote “Maroon and

White” to be the official

alma mater, based on a

poem by T. Paul Haney Jr.

(’20) and music by band

director Henry E. Wamsley.

Old Main Dormitory

Geography class

Alumnus Spring 2010 5

1930Daily wearing of military

uniforms ends.

May 10, 1933Alumni leaders establish

first scholarship program at

annual business meeting.

1936The Dockery family

donates Bully I to the

university.

Graduate school

established.

May 7-9, 1936Association hosts “Alumni

Days,” which include a

baseball series vs. Alabama.

1939“Hail State” is written.

1943Alumni pay dues for fellow

classmates who are fighting

in World War II.

1905 gridiron Maroons

Alumni leaders reuniting on campus

Morning drills on parade grounds


March 26, 1949Football team holds a spring

scrimmage open to the public.

April 13, 1950Warren County Chapter hosts an

event for high school seniors who

have committed to Mississippi

State College.

1951Doctoral degrees first offered.

Oct. 10, 1953Alumni Association breaks

ground on the Alumni-Student

Building.

1953All Mississippi automobile tags

are colored maroon in honor of

the university’s 75th anniversary.

June 1958The association honors its first

National Alumnus of the Year,

John C. Stennis.

Co-ed students in class

Fall day on campus

Bulldog cheerleaders showing spirit

Alumni leaders in training


By the mid-1900s, there was much to be excited about at Mississippi State. Post-World War II saw a boom in student enrollment, as well as alumni participation. By 1959, more than 7,500 individuals had joined the association. Meetings were held annually, and were coordinated with the maroon and white spring football scrimmage. In addition, the association broke ground on the first alumni house, county clubs hosted parties to help recruit students, and athletic coaches toured the state meeting with different chapters. The association also began recognizing many of its outstanding graduates with awards, including the National Alumnus of the Year.

Another momentous change came during this era. In 1958, the state Legislature once again renamed the institution. It was then that Mississippi State College became Mississippi State University.

Alumni continued to impact the university in many ways. Leaders saw the need for private support to help supplement state funds. Though the Alumni Association had been awarding student scholarships and raising funds for campus improvements for years, it was decided that a more organized group should be formed to manage private gifts. In 1962, the Development Foundation was incorporated, now known as the MSU Foundation. Also, in 1968, alumni formed a group to assist with athletic fundraising, now the Bulldog Club.

For the next several years, both the university and association flourished. In August 1969, the Alumni Association welcomed its 10,000th member. A few years later, Mississippi State reached its highest enrollment to date, with more than 10,000 students. The university also opened a new campus branch in Meridian.

During this time, the Alumni Association began several programs that continue today. The association began the faculty awards program, which recognized professors for their hard work and dedication to the university. Also created was an annual leadership conference to help train and prepare alumni volunteers for field work. The Traveling Bulldogs began offering trips for alumni to various locations around the world. Later, the association formed the Alumni Delegates, a student group that serves as the liaison between the university and its alumni.

Alumni celebrated their love for the university by hosting several “fan events.” In the late 1970s, alumni located in the Jackson area began hosting the Central Mississippi Extravaganza. Former Famous Maroon Band members began hosting an annual reunion, and formed the first Alumni Band at homecoming. In 1986, an annual spring homecoming was established and eventually named Super Bulldog Weekend.

Growth and Innovation

Oct. 8, 1965The Chapel of Memories is dedicated

in memory of Old Main, which burned

on January 23, 1959.

1965Alumni Association holds first faculty

awards banquet.

Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 1969The first leadership conference and

awards banquet is hosted by the Alumni

Association.

October 1972Association honors first recipients of

the Distinguished Service Award.

1978Mississippi State celebrates its

centennial with “The Great A&M

Affair.”

1980Alumni Association establishes student

liaison group, the Alumni Delegates.

MSU’s Centennial Celebration

The 1990s saw continued success for the Alumni Association. Long-standing programs provided many opportunities for alumni and friends of the university to gather on campus. Also, more and more individuals pledged their support to Mississippi State by joining the association.

The Alumni Association created additional programs to honor many of its top graduates. The Alumni Fellows program recognizes a group of individuals that represents a specific field of study and serves as mentors for students in that field. The annual awards banquet also was extended to include the Young Alumnus of the Year and College Alumnus of the Year awards.

The university and the association both launched Web sites, connecting those far away instantaneously with life on campus. E-Bark, the alumni electronic newsletter, was first published, and offered news to members on campus activities and events. The association also launched an online community where alumni could reconnect with classmates while sharing photos and class news.

In 2002, the MSU Division of Development and Alumni opened the doors to its current headquarters. The Hunter Henry Center, located on the northwestern edge of campus, is home to operations for the Alumni Association and Foundation. The modern facility also boasts a large banquet hall and meeting space used for conferences and special events.

In recent years, the association has launched several new events. Send-off parties are a special celebration held by chapters around the country each summer to usher in the new school year and welcome new members to the Bulldog Family.

The Alumni Association also hosts a birthday party in February to celebrate the establishment of the university. Road Dawgs, an event co-sponsored by the Bulldog Club each spring, helps bring the excitement of MSU athletics to cities around the country. Also, during football season, the association hosts a tailgating tent in the Junction with complimentary food and activities for visitors.

Chapter participation is critical to the success of the Alumni Association. Currently, there are 90 chartered alumni chapters in the United States, and one international chapter in South Korea. This past year, alumni volunteers hosted nearly 500 events in their communities, spreading the maroon-and-white spirit far beyond the boundaries of campus. In 2009, the association celebrated a record year with 37,466 active members.

To evolve and stay connected through the digital world, the Alumni Association has extended its reach on the World Wide Web. Through Facebook and Twitter, alumni and friends are kept up to date with the latest campus news and activities. Alumni News, a monthly video update, provides viewers an up-close, inside look at special events and programs hosted by the association.

Continuing Success


Oct. 28, 1988First orientation leader

reunion hosted by

association.

1990Alumni Fellows program

established.

1992Mississippi legislature

approves sale of

university automobile tags

for 1993 calendar year.

Alumni Delegates

Alumni mingling at reunion

Diamond Dawgs win the SEC

1997First Young Alumnus of the

Year award presented.

August 2006The Junction opens

for tailgating. Alumni

Association hosts first send-

off parties.

2007Association hosts birthday

party for the university,

and launches the first

Road Dawgs tour with the

Bulldog Club and MSU

Athletics. The Alumni

Recruitment Network,

a group that encourages

volunteers to participate in

student recruiting activities,

is formed. Also, in October,

South Korea becomes the

first international chapter

chartered by the association.

Jan. 22, 2009Alumni Association

holds reunion on the 50th

anniversary of the burning

of Old Main.

As the Alumni Association celebrates its 125th anniversary, it looks toward a very promising and bright future. The association continues to grow and provide value for its members. More alumni are involved than ever before, and their service and dedication are securing the future of Mississippi State.

Though much has changed since that summer day in 1885, the spirit of the Alumni Association remains the same. The purpose is to carry on the traditions and foundation laid by our forefathers.

“As we look to the future, we want to enhance the events and activities for our alumni and friends,” said Jimmy Abraham, executive director of the Alumni Association and associate vice president for development and alumni. “We must continue to build on our

solid foundation and help Mississippi State become

all that it can be for future generations of Bulldogs.”

Mississippi State means so much to so many people. It is where Alumni began their journey into adulthood, and where they met spouses, best friends, mentors, and colleagues. It is a place where they developed a strong academic background, and laid a path for careers. As alumni, it is their duty to give back to her for what she has given to them.

Happy birthday, Alumni Association! Here’s to another 125 years of being forever maroon and white.

A Vision for the Future


Alumni mingling at reunion

Tailgating on a beautiful Saturday

Alumni executive directors past and present—John Correro, Charles Weatherly, Steve Grafton and Jimmy Abraham

house

a that builtfriendships, learning...and a

book


By Maridith Walker GeuderPhotos by Megan Bean and Kenny Billings

Freshman chemical engineering major Kelsey LeSaicherre of Ponchatoula, La., knows about rural life. She grew up on a strawberry farm in a community halfway between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

But the Shackouls Honors College student and Distinguished Scholar gained an entirely new perspective about what “rural” means last fall when she became

part of Mississippi State’s first common reading program, the Maroon Edition.The first-ever Maroon Edition book, selected by a committee of faculty members, was

A Painted House, a novel by 1977 Mississippi State alumnus John Grisham. Set in rural Arkansas in the 1950s, it is a story of a young boy whose farming family experiences a devastating summer of natural and personal disasters.

The goal, said Jerry Gilbert, provost and executive vice president, was “to promote higher level critical thinking, introduce students to campus, and generate involvement among freshmen with their peers and with faculty, staff and the Starkville community.”

Students first learned about the book in an e-mail they received over the summer, LeSaicherre said. While incoming freshmen opted to voluntarily be part of the

project, LeSaicherre said two of her classes made it required reading—her Honors Forum and a leadership class taught by MSU President Mark

Keenum.“It was the first Grisham book I had read,” LeSaicherre said.

David Bupp, a freshman computer science major from Sarasota, Fla., said that he enjoys reading, but doesn’t get to read “as much as I like to.” Both he and his dad decided to try A Painted House when they learned about Maroon Edition.

Bupp, who was unfamiliar with Mississippi and the Deep South, said the book taught him “how hard picking cotton could get, and how easily the weather could change and affect lives.”

Like Bupp, LeSaicherre said she was especially struck by how the central character, Luke, experienced disasters.

“He went through some tremendous changes,” she explained. “I related it to my own experience in leaving home and coming to Mississippi State.”

What the students discovered in reading A Painted House was expanded through activities, lectures, discussions, and a centerpiece service project, the Maroon Edition Habitat for Humanity House. Discussions led by MSU faculty and staff members focused on topics that included economics, gender, weather, race, baseball, art, literature, and technology, among others.

Sarah Morse, an animal and dairy science major, brought home the top prize for her essay about the symbolism of painting the house and the emotional impact it had on Luke’s family.

“Reading the book and writing the essay caused me to take a closer look at simple acts of charity and realize the impact they could have on the lives of others,” said the Starkville native, who aspires to become a veterinarian.

The goal, said Jerry Gilbert, provost and executive vice president, was “to promote higher level critical thinking, introduce students to campus, and generate involvement among freshmen with their peers and with faculty, staff and the Starkville community.”


building skills, in more ways than one

“The Maroon Edition Habitat House became a rallying point for the common reading experience,” explained Linda Morse of the Center for Teaching and Learning, who helped select the book and plan related activities.

Keenum adopted the project as the signature university activ-ity for his inaugural events last fall, themed “A New Chapter of Service.”

“Mississippi State has a history of volunteerism and giving back,” he said. “Providing an opportunity for the university com-munity—especially our freshmen—to work on a Habitat house is a tangible example of our university’s commitment to others,” he said. “Building the house also tied in with the importance of ‘home’ in A Painted House.”

During the first week freshmen are on campus each year, there are a variety of social activities as part of “Dawg Daze,” a week-long introduction to Mississippi State. Service also has become an important part of the week through “Service DAWGS,” an acronym for Donating a Wonderful Gift of Service.

“Dr. Keenum offered his full support,” said April Heiselt, assistant professor of counseling and educational psychology. She coordinates Service DAWGS and worked with Maroon Edition volunteers through the Maroon Volunteer Center, developing an online registration site with MSU’s Information Technology Services.

“The volunteer response was overwhelming,” she said. “We never cancelled a work day because of a lack of volun-teers.”

Heiselt added: “Many of our students said ‘I didn’t understand what it meant to have a house until I worked on the Habitat house.’”

During the initial week, freshmen were transported to the site—no more than a vacant lot with a concrete pad—and the future home of the Randle-Harvey family. By November, the house was complete.

“It was the fastest house Habitat ever built in Starkville,” said Morse. “We expected to complete it in February, and it was fin-ished nearly three months before we projected.”

Freddie Rasberry, executive director of the Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity, said that nearly 800 faculty, staff and stu-dents participated in the Maroon Edition build.

“This project required physical labor and hands-on involve-ment,” he said, adding that Habitat asks a lot more than a passive financial contribution.

“Fundraising is a big part of what we do, because it costs approximately $60,000 to build a no-profit home,” he said. “But Habitat is successful because people become committed to fact that giving back also gives something to them.

“By literally having a hand in the home construction, students became actively connected to each other and to their adopted community.” And the effects are residual, Rasberry said. “We still have students contacting Habitat to volunteer their time and labor.”

For Rasberry, one of the most gratifying aspects of the partnership was “to see students developing “immediate relation-ships with their peers and with faculty and staff members. They became part of the MSU family before ever setting foot in a classroom,” said the former MSU professor.

LeSaicherre, who had worked on a Habitat house back home in Louisiana, said that her Honors class was among those work-ing the first week of the Maroon Edition project. “We were part of framing the house,” she said.

She worked again later in the semester when the interior walls were being primed, literally participating in “painting” the Ma-roon Edition house.12 Alumnus Spring 2010


Work, and some play as well In addition to the reading, discussion and an essay contest that

were part of Maroon Edition, students also had a chance for some fun.

A Web-based experience developed for exploring both campus and aspects of the book was “like an online scavenger hunt,” said LeSaicherre.

Clues were subtly introduced that led students to a Web site called ImMerSUS, and successful completion of the assignment led to the next clue.

“Working with ITS, we developed a game-like experience to immerse students in the culture of Mississippi State and in the book,” said Linda Morse. “Those who were successful and won earned a small scholarship,” she said.

Both Bupp and LaSaicherre played and found themselves scholarship winners for their efforts.

Bupp, who described ImMerSUS as “a cool experience,” said one of the best activities was ultimate Frisbee at midnight. “The game really got freshmen interested in campus,” he said.

Morse said ImMerSUS was accomplished with few resources and at one point had more than 400 students participating. “As far as we know, no other university has done this with a common reading experience,” she said.

. . .And, in the end, a surprise visitor

After weeks of reading and discussing A Painted House, students thought they had a pretty good understanding of what Grisham was trying to do in the book.

A group of Honors students met one October day in the Grisham Room of Mitchell Memorial Library to visit with Keenum about A Painted House.

As they waited, Keenum entered the room, as expected. But, to their complete surprise, he was followed by an unexpected visitor: John Grisham.

“It was great,” LaSaicherre said. “It was so neat to hear about his thoughts on writing. It sure was a nice surprise when he walked in.”

Keenum, who enjoyed helping create the surprise, said, “It was so generous of John to spend time with students at his alma mater and to provide insights only an author can give. It gave students new dimensions of understanding about the book they had read.”

A new year, a newMaroon edition

Keenum also has been deeply engaged in the selection of the second Maroon Edition book, Three Cups of Tea, said Gilbert.

“It has a very strong message of service and giving back,” he said of the New York Times best-seller by Greg Mortenson.

Three Cups of Tea details Mortenson’s harrowing experiences in a Pakistan village and the life-changing decisions that he would do something to help the residents of a village who had helped him at a difficult time.

The author is expected to visit Mississippi State in September.“Mortenson has inspired thousands of people with his mission

and with his message that a single person can make a difference,” Gilbert said.

For more information about Maroon Edition, see http://www.maroonedition.msstate.edu/. For more about Starkville Habitat for Humanity, see http://www.starkvillehabitat.com/.

Alumnus and author John Grisham, left, with President Mark Keenum

The passion of one makes a difference for manyBy Harriet LairdPhotos by Megan Bean, Kristen Hines Baker and Russ HoustonF or many Mississippi State alumni, having a lasting impact on the world isn’t something

they think about daily—it’s just part of who they are. Billy Redd, Jennifer Williams, Mary Davidson, and Mike Myers all get up in the morning with an innate passion for their professions and a desire to help others.

When combined with natural talent, dogged determination and happiness with themselves, these four have a tremendous effect on those around them, from the inner-city homeless to students in the classroom.

BIlly ReDD, B.B.A. ’82

Entering his 13th year as president/CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi, Billy Redd isn’t the least bit superstitious about the number. In fact,

his time with the metro region’s leading youth development organization could be described as “super.”

With six clubs in Hinds and Madison counties and a 320-acre campsite near Hazlehurst, BGCCM is currently providing services to more than 3,200 disadvantaged

youth annually, an increase of 1,400 since Redd’s inaugural year in 1997.

“We are making a difference in neigh-borhoods where kids need us the most,” he explained about the participants, ages 6 to 18, who he said would go home to empty houses after school if not for BGCCM.


15

“We are making a difference in neighborhoodswhere kids need us the most.”

The passion of one makes a difference for many

For $25 a year, these young people are “going to a safe place every day and get-ting help with their homework, while also participating in career development classes, sports and other activities,” he said of the program that is open during the school year, summer months and even holidays.

While Redd doesn’t work directly with the children, he spends his time working for them, sharing the BGCCM story so that “people can see the real impact we are hav-ing in thousands of kids’ lives. By doing this, donors will continue to invest in our clubs, which ultimately lets us serve even more,” he said.

Redd also has worked to improve the agency’s board of directors, increasing the number of members and embracing those who express a genuine commitment for advancing the organization.

The Starkville native obtained much of his business sense from father Richard Redd and grandfather J.C. Redd, who were instrumental in the initial success of Redd Pest Control, which got its start in the Magnolia State more than 50 years ago.

Billy worked for the exterminating company for 12 years and also followed in his grand-father’s footsteps as an active member of BGCCM, serving as chairman of the steer-ing committee, which began a Hattiesburg club in the late 1980s.

“When I moved to Jackson in 1992, I was invited to join the board of directors for BGCCM there and then was fortunate to be hired as the president five years later,” he reminisced.

Moving to the non-profit world, Redd said he felt an “extreme peace” as he began managing BGCCM’s human resources, finances, facilities, and resource develop-

ment that are a major part of the organiza-tion that began in the 1930s.

Even with private foundation grants, government funding, special event fundrais-ing, and business and individual gifts, the agency operates on a tight budget in its ef-forts to serve the area’s youth and provide support for the 100-plus full- and part-time employees. In addition to their respec-tive roles, each staff member, according to Redd, has to be a “jack of all trades” to help

the participants and the clubs realize their full potential.

“While I focus on the business side of things, the most rewarding part of my job is seeing kids ‘graduate’ from BGCCM. The best thing is to have kids who are now suc-cessful adults come back, tell us how they are doing, and share how the clubs helped shape their lives,” the 1982 Mississippi State graduate said.

Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather in business and philanthro-py work, he did the same when becoming an MSU Bulldog in 1978. Working 30 hours a week and attending class full time was what

he called “busy, rewarding and fun.” He went on to complete a master’s degree at Millsaps College.

He said, “Going to Mississippi State was in the bloodline. I grew up a Bulldog and will always be one.”

Alumnus Spring 2010


JennIFeR HADDox WIllIAMS, B.S. ’00

The “You Got a Job” dance that Jennifer Haddox Williams does when her clients find em-ployment may not win her any contests, but it definitely wins the hearts of those she helps.

“It’s a lot of fun to watch people go from a feeling of despair to having hope again,” the 31-year-old life skills instructor said of the people she assists at Women’s Hope, an intensive, out-patient substance abuse program in Birmingham, Ala. The program

is a division of the non-profit Ale-theia House, providing treatment, prevention, and housing opportu-nities to low-income, recovering drug users.

Williams, a former Hewitt Trussville High School softball standout in Alabama, said that it just comes naturally for her to “coach” the women she teaches each day in basic life skills, such

as budgeting, nutrition, personal hygiene, and etiquette. She also spends her afternoons with them in an employment class, aiding the women with resume writing, mock interviews and Internet use.

“Of course, I see all the horrible things that may be going on in their lives, but then I get to open their eyes to something that can get them out of the doldrums. When they go from making noth-ing to earning $300 to $400 a week, I get tons of calls and ‘thank yous.’ This is what motivates me at the end of the day,” the Mississip-pi State psychology graduate said.

Along with her enthusiasm to help others, Williams’ mo-tivation to pursue psychology initially came from an advanced placement teacher in high school before she was further inspired by MSU professor Dr. Tom Carska-don, honors program director Dr. Nancy McCarley and former MSU professor Virginia Fee.

Remembering her attendance

at MSU Honors Day in 1997, she said, “I was just blown away by the hospitality of the university.”

While in undergraduate school, Williams said the hands-on experience she received made her more prepared than others she has come across who graduated elsewhere.

From taking a non-verbal, autistic child to having a 100-word vocabulary and stabilizing the home life of two boys whose rela-tives suffered with familial schizo-phrenia, she said she can’t speak highly enough of the opportunities she had at Mississippi State.

Williams graduated with a bachelor’s of science degree in 2000 and spent almost a year as a case manager for a Birmingham mental health facility before re-turning to Mississippi State in 2001 as a clinical psychology master’s degree student. She was offered a job in 2003 as a psychological consultant by the Meridian Public School District the day after she

finished her classes and continues to work on her master’s thesis, “A Meta-Analysis of ADHD Litera-ture.”

After spending four years in Meridian, she moved back to Birmingham in 2007 and was a supervising teacher for 2- and 3-year-olds in a nonprofit school for autistic children called Mitch-ell’s Place.

“The one thing I had figured out about myself was that I liked to teach,” she said, adding, “I’ve always felt that people actually get a lot from my instruction, and I get a lot out of being a teacher.”

She admits that becoming a life skills instructor at Women’s Hope in 2009 was her “dream job,” even though her experience with substance abusers had only

been through seeing the detri-mental effects on some of her friends.

It’s the intrinsic or genuine reward she said she feels from her clients that makes this spe-cific employment opportunity so worthwhile.

“I probably get more hugs and smiles than anybody else in this building,” she said. “I see the progress these people make from day one through the program graduation, and it’s just amazing.”

“It’s a lot of fun to watch people go froma feeling of despair to having hope again.”


“It doesn’t matter where they’ve come from.It’s where they’re going.”

MARy DAvIDSon, PH.D. ’88

Holding a fresh doctor of philosophy degree from Missis-sippi State in 1988, Mary Davidson didn’t travel the usual path into the college classroom or look for an administrative position in a university setting.

“Honestly, I received a lot of flack about having a Ph.D. and going to the high school level,” Davidson remembered.

She simply closed her ears to the naysayers, relishing in the fact that, for her, the past 22 years spent teaching biology at the Mississippi School for Mathemat-ics and Science in Columbus has been “the most rewarding experi-ence I could have ever asked for.”

As one of the original faculty members at the school for aca-demically talented juniors and seniors, Davidson said her inspira-tion comes each day in taking students with a variety of science backgrounds and helping them re-alize their one true commonality—a determination to be successful.

“It doesn’t matter where they’ve come from. It’s where they’re going. They’re willing to work, to share and collaborate, and when I walk into the class-room, they are ready to learn,” she said.

The Woodland native cred-ited MSU’s biological sciences professor emeritus Armando De La Cruz with helping her realize an opportunity to aid high school students in preparing for college.



She explained, “I had a chance to work with him at MSU in a fresh-man general biology class that had so many students who didn’t know basic science concepts. The com-pelling thing was that kids would say, ‘I studied all night’ or ‘I studied all week,’ but they couldn’t connect the most simplistic ideas.”

Davidson struggled over and over again with the thought that in-structors are supposed to promote and teach their discipline, but to be good at it the students have to be ready to receive science.

“I knew if I could get into that

math and science school and teach those basic science concepts and the correlation between them, kids would be able to walk through a class and be successful,” she said.

A 1969 graduate of Beasley High School in Pheba, Davidson’s science teacher in those early years sparked her interest in microscopes,

dissection of animals, and the study of respiration, digestion and other biological systems. She also had a personal zoo at the family barn and was fascinated with what she found on walks through the woods.

Her road into the classroom also saw her obtain a bachelor’s degree from Millsaps College in 1973 and a master’s from Mississippi University for Women in 1975 before beginning to teach science courses for seven years at Mary Holmes Ju-nior College, where she had earlier received an associate’s degree.

A recipient of the 1995 Disney/

McDonald’s American Teacher Award in Science and the 1998 Na-tional Presidential Award for Excel-lence in Science Teaching, Davidson is known throughout the state as a trailblazer in her field.

Being one of the first faculty members at MSMS, she was instru-mental in formulating the school’s

initial curriculum and its mission “to enhance the future of Mississippi by providing innovative learning experi-ences…to meet individual needs of gifted and talented students.”

In cooperation with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York, Davidson was among the first in Mississippi to foster the incorporation of molecular biology, particularly the study of DNA, into the high school curriculum. Today, molecular biology is commonplace in the state’s public school curricula.

In her community in West Clay County, she’s also improving lives

outside the schools by securing grant funding for summer programs in nutrition, parenting, reading, and more.

“A teacher is a leader,” she said, “a person who cares about a child, and a person a child can trust and emulate.”


MIke MyeRS, B.S. ’80

Friday is a big day for Mike Myers and his outreach teams at Beautiful Feet Ministries in downtown Fort Worth, Texas. It’s the weekly “dog drop” day, a time when volunteers go out into the inner city and share Christ–and about 300 hot dogs–with home-less men, women and children.

In fact, every day is monu-mental for this self-proclaimed Christian Robin Hood, working non-stop to provide basic needs such as food, clothing and medical

care to those who know home as the streets.

“I realized how God has me wired up. He gave me a gift in the area of evangelism, and I get to share it every day,” the Kosciusko High School alumnus said.

Myers’ gift has helped Beauti-ful Feet grow from a few people pounding the pavement with their Bibles in 1981 to a multi-faceted

ministry with plans to build a new recreational facility in the near future.

His vision is to confront generational poverty in the city by reaching out even more to children through Upward Sports, the world’s largest Christian based sports program.

“We need a place not just to benefit Beautiful Feet, but to bless this community,” he said.

Anyone who knows Myers would guarantee that this proj-ect will become a reality, given the success he’s achieved since beginning Beautiful Feet with

Johnny Buckner, a classmate at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and now pastor at New Horizons Christian Fellowship in Starkville.

Since leasing a building from a church in the early years, Beautiful Feet has progressed from simply owning its own structure to having health services including medical, dental and ophthalmic.

Area restaurants and grocery stores participate through a nationwide Harvest Program to provide the ministry’s food for the 120-plus served each day, and free showers and laundry services add to the “teaching and preaching” Myers said the needy experience on a 24-hour basis.

“I think there are times that my family back in Attala County has looked at me strangely,” he quipped when remembering his announcement to them that he was going to seminary. “I’m sure they pictured me inside a church with big white columns.”

But the passage in Romans 10:15, from which the ministry’s name is derived, says, “How beau-tiful are the feet of those who bring good news,” which may have furthered Myers’ desire to spread the gospel outside walls.

A 1980 Mississippi State graduate, the animal science major’s energy and enthusiasm has been contagious, especially

with church groups who volunteer their time year round and travel from Kansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, and other states.

Even criminal court judges in the area are sending prisoners to complete required community service hours. While giving back their time as cooks, plumbers and painters, many begin to see their lives turn around and become productive.

“We know we’re making a difference by seeing the fruit of this ministry,” he said. “Of course, there can be setbacks and disap-pointments, but I don’t keep my eye on this. My calling is to be faithful and do what I’ve been called to do.”

As the executive director, part of his calling is to assess the

enhancement of services that can make Beautiful Feet even more of an outreach program than it already is.

“We’re not through growing,” he said. “We need to find space to open up additional programming such tutoring, counseling, literacy, skills training, and parenting.”

Whatever the challenge, Myers knows he has been “raised up to be an ambassador” and will continue to be known as a cham-pion for those that many don’t even notice in society.

“I realized how God has me wired up. He gave a gift inthe area of evangelism, and I get to share it every day.”


ServiceBy Kenny BillingsPhotos by Megan Bean, Kristen Hines Baker, and Russ Houston

When Summerly Brown arrived on campus for the start of her freshman year in August 2008, she hoped to find a way to get involved in the Starkville community while making a significant civic contribution.

She soon learned of the first Service DAWGS day,

coordinated by counseling and educational psychology

assistant professor April Heiselt to encourage students

to volunteer with area organizations.

Seeing it as the perfect opportunity, a week later,

Brown and 150 of her fellow students turned out to

give their time and talents during the first week of

classes. They immersed themselves in a

variety of projects, from working on a

Habitat for Humanity home to helping

catalog museum items at the Oktibbeha

County Heritage Museum.

Heiselt says the inspiration for

founding Service DAWGS, an acronym

for Donating A Wonderful Gift of

Service, was born out of her experiences as service-

learning coordinator for the Day One Leadership

program, in which students are required to complete

a service-learning project as part of the program’s

curriculum.

“Service is a very important part of the learning

process, and it’s a focus that is gaining attention

nationally at educational institutions,” Heiselt said.

“Coming into the Day One program, students were

excited about being a part of something bigger than

themselves and making a difference in the community.

“One thing we have learned, definitively, is that

many students want to be more involved and want

to be a part of making their community a better

place, and through Service DAWGS, they have that

opportunity.”

Since that first day of organized community

service, Heiselt says Service DAWGS has grown into

a student organization and created a civic-minded

movement on campus, motivating students, as well as

DawgS


faculty and staff, to get involved in making Starkville

and MSU a better place.

The attitude of service among the MSU community,

she said, is best exemplified by the response to

the second annual Service DAWGS Day. Service

DAWGS partnered with the Maroon Volunteer Center

to coordinate work on the Maroon Edition common

reading program, marking the first time a major

academic project has been tied

directly to a campus-wide service

project. The key component of the project

would see Service DAWGS Day launch

an ambitious project calling on the MSU

community to volunteer to build a Habitat

for Humanity home for a Starkville family.

Response to the call for service was so

overwhelming that after its official launch

on Service DAWGS Day 2009, students,

faculty and staff contributed more than 2,000

hours to complete the home and hand the keys over

to the family three months ahead of the February 2010

target date.

“Being a part of the Habitat project brought a lot

of prestige to the university because it highlighted our

commitment to service and Service DAWGS opened the

door,” Heiselt said.

She added that, while being a part of a one-day

project can inspire some to a momentary sense of

duty, for others, Service DAWGS has a lasting effect

that inspires them to an even deeper sense of civic

responsibility.

“Our students have shown this isn’t all they can do.

The responses we have received from students are that

they feel a sense of accomplishment in the work they

have done and

also feel more

tied to the

community.

“We also are seeing students staying engaged

after the fact, because they want to be an active part

of the community and give back to where they live,”

Heiselt added.

Being a part of the project from the

outset, Brown said she has seen

a stronger commitment to civic

mindedness among her fellow

students.

“Service DAWGS has had a

tremendous impact in making the student

body more civic minded,” Brown said.

“Students want to be involved and be able to

contribute, but often they are not sure where

to go and how they can help. Service DAWGS

gives them a way to connect. They learn that you don’t

have to have special

skills to be a volunteer

and, no matter what

their skills are, there

are ways they can

make a difference.”



Mississippi State has a wealth of services to support students, but a unique and rapidly growing area is an office designated specifically to work with parents.

“We know that today’s parents are very involved in the lives of the students they send us,” said Lady Cox, director of Parent Services, a part of the Division of Student Affairs. “Our office was established to serve as a point of contact and information for parents, and we provide a variety of services.”

As the first stand-alone Parent Services office at a Mississippi institution of higher learning, the MSU office is a primary contact for parents in the event of a campus-wide emergency or a specific incident involving a student.

“I serve as the Call Center manager for the Crisis Action Team and provide a point of contact if there’s a campus-wide emergency,” Cox explained. During an emergency—most often weather-related—parents may call 662-325-5555 for updates or more information.

The office also assists with day-to-day student issues, providing explanation to parents of university policies and procedures and working with parents to help identify resources that will help their student succeed at Mississippi State, Cox said.

“There are wide-ranging resources to assist students with academic and personal issues, ranging from the Career Center and the Learning Center to the Counseling Center and the Writing Center,” she explained.

To regularly stay in contact with parents, Cox’s office provides a bi-weekly electronic newsletter to parents highlighting areas of interest specific to the academic year. “We may cover homesickness in September, the flu in February and spring break issues in March,” she noted.

Like their students, parents also have an opportunity to participate in their own orientation, where they may learn more about Parent Services.

“Basically, our office is a one-stop source for parents,” Cox said. “We want to provide them with information that is helpful and serve as a resource for their questions and concerns.”

For more information, see http://www.parents.msstate.edu/.

-Lady Cox

At MSU,a place toparents have

turn, tooBy Maridith GeuderPhoto by Megan Bean

“Our office is a one-stop source for parents.”


10Campus news

SPRING Alumnus

Mississippi State student groups are among Top 10 winners in the 2010 College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship.

The university’s cheerleading and dance teams traveled recently to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., for the annual competition organized by the Universal Cheerleaders Association.

The Bulldog squads brought home a sixth-place honor in the co-ed division and seventh place in the all-girl division. The MSU pom squad also netted a Top 20 finish.

Videos of the MSU spirit groups’ performances may be viewed at www.varsity.com.

MsU cheerleader, dance teams make mark at event

President Mark e. Keenum has been honored with the 2010 Leadership Award from the Congressional Award Program.

The honor recognizes his support of the partnership between MsU and the Congressional Awards Program, which has promoted initiative, achievement and service by young people through 4-H programs since 1979.

sens. Thad Cochran and Roger wicker, R-Miss., along with Gov. Haley Barbour, attended the presentation at a washington, D.C., banquet.

“One of the primary missions at Mississippi state is to help students develop in the areas of academics, leadership and character,” Keenum said. “The goals of the Congressional Award program mesh perfectly with our institutional priorities and with the objectives of the 4-H program, which facilitates the Congressional Award in our state.”

The Congressional Award Program was established by Congress to recognize outstanding American youth. MsU consistently has taken the lead in supporting the program, said Linda C. Mitchell, an associate professor of 4-H youth development with the MsU extension service.

“we appreciate Dr. Keenum’s strong leadership in supporting this program and his efforts to encourage participation in the Congressional Award Program,” added Mitchell, the Congressional Award Foundation vice chair.

MsU leader honored for support of 4-H leadership

MSU President Mark E. Keenum


Campus news 10SPRING

Alumnus

Improving golf swings may take less (physical) prep

MsU, state health department team for Delta dental aidThe Social Science Research Center is helping to

close a missing link in tooth decay prevention among more than 400 Delta children.

Working with colleagues in the state Department of Health, members of the university's SSRC staff are in the first year of the Delta Oral Health Project. Their collaboration seeks to address children's oral health issues in three ways: direct services, education and policy.

"This is a comprehensive attempt to provide children with access to oral health services and to research best practices," said SSRC project coordinator Heather Hanna.

"It's our goal to see that children in the Delta have better oral health outcomes and that their caregivers

have the tools needed to provide the best possible oral health environments," she added.

Currently in the education phase, the team is using a specialized oral health curriculum titled "Cavity Free Kids" to teach caregivers, such as child care staff and parents, ways to approach the subject with children.

Findings in a recent study conducted at Mississippi State could change the way golfers train and prepare to play.

Titled “Strength and Functional Training on Golf Performance,” the report is a joint effort of the

university’s kinesiology department and the Institute of Golf, a unit of the MSU Golf Course. Its purpose is to determine the relationship between strength training and club-head speed, and whether it imparts a performance advantage.

Tony Luczak, MSU director of golf, said the study’s finding demonstrated—contrary to popular belief—a surprising inverse relationship: a decrease in performance.

“We expected to see nominal gains in club-head speed with general strength, but the

opposite proved true,” Luczak said. “We actually saw a measurable decrease in swing speed at the

conclusion of the study.”Kinesiology assistant professor Brendon Hale,

who conducted the research, said the five subjects in the strength training group saw on average a 3.5 mph decrease

in club-head speed. This would translate into a measured decrease in driving distance, he added.


state’s seat belt use jumps, but fatalities continueResults from a new Mississippi State survey

indicate that law enforcement is causing the state’s residents to take seat-belt usage more seriously.

Completed in late 2009, the Mississippi Safety Belt/Motorcycle Helmet Survey was a cooperative effort of the university’s nationally recognized Social Science Research Center, the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety and Mississippi Department of Public Safety.

The report finds that slightly more than 76 percent of Mississippi residents now use seat belts--an improvement from the 2008 survey’s 71.3 percent.

The “significant increase” most likely can be attributed to the work of law enforcement officers throughout the state, said project director David Parrish, an SSRC senior research associate.

“Their constant emphasis on Mississippi’s primary seat belt law continues to save countless lives year after year,” Parrish observed.

HOnOR JUsTICe—Mississippi state’s Pre-Law society recently honored william “Bill” waller Jr., chief justice of the Mississippi supreme Court, with the Distinguished Jurist Award. A Jackson native, waller holds a general business degree from Mississippi state.

william Walker jr.


Campus news 10SPRING

Alumnus

Niazia Hollingshed sits in class studying small objects floating in a jar on her desk.

As part of a lesson project, she and other students in Nancy Sistrunk's fifth-grade class at Ward-Stewart Elementary School in Starkville also are placing bits of wood, steel BBs and plastic into the jars filled with canola oil, water, and corn syrup. They are seeking to demonstrate how physical and chemical properties of objects help predict how they will behave in certain situations.

Hollingshed, whose favorite subject is science, loves experiments like this. Her eyes brighten as she listens to assistant professor Keisha Walters of nearby Mississippi State explain how each object's density determines where it falls within the liquids.

Walters, a member of the university's chemical engineering faculty, is visiting the class as part of a collaborative project started by MSU communication professor Mark Goodman and Bonnie Oppenheimer, a Mississippi University for Women mathematics professor. Their work is supported by the Mississippi Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

Funded by the National Science Foundation, Mississippi EPSCoR works to encourage science and technology research and development in the state. It also seeks to encourage more women and minority students to become engaged in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics--typically referred to as STEM programs.

Building on the success of last year’s Maroon Edition First-Year Reading Experience, President Mark E. Keenum is announcing a second campus-wide reading program and book selection for the 2010 freshman class.

Three Cups of Tea, a New York Times No. 1 bestseller, tells the true story of a man’s life-threatening attempt to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second-highest mountain. Greg Mortenson, the book’s co-author, is nursed back to health by people in a local village, where he promises to return one day to help counteract terrorism through education.

“It is an incredible humanitarian campaign to build schools in the most anti-American parts of Asia,” Keenum said. “The story also uses a cup of tea

as a metaphor to describe how one goes from being a stranger to being a member of a family.

“We feel this definitely is something freshman students can relate to as they begin their journey of being a part of our Bulldog family,” the MSU alumnus added.

Maroon Edition was initiated to engage all MSU freshmen--and any others interested on campus--in reading the same book during the summer and fall. The ongoing project is intended to serve as a basis for intellectual and cultural discussions as the new students begin interacting with others at every level of the land-grant institution founded 132 years ago on Feb. 28.

MsU, MUw faculty help ‘stem’ science perceptions

Incoming freshmen invited to share Three Cups of Tea

Keisha Walters assists Niazia Hollingshed.


Grant funds MsU, Choctaw youth partnership

U.s. Grant’s collected papers at MsU accessible online

Mississippi State and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians are working together to help improve the educa-tion of youth now under supervision of the tribal juvenile justice system.

Supported by a four-year, $700,000 U.S. Justice Depart-ment grant, the project titled "Getting Healing from That Little Garden" is designed to help the young people learn more about traditionally harvested plants and foods.

The university's Environmental Collaborative Office is working with the Neshoba County-based tribe's Youth Justice Center to provide education and training opportu-nities by building greenhouse gardens and developing an ethno-botanical landscaping component.

With the digitization process now complete, the 31 vol-umes of Ulysses S. Grant's collected papers now are avail-able online through the Mississippi State Libraries.

The volumes contain thousands of letters written by and to the 18th U.S. president and former Civil War general and Union Army hero. Also including military documents, other materials and numerous photographs, the collection may be

viewed free via the Ulysses S. Grant Association's Web site, digital.library.msstate.edu/collections/usgrant/index.html.

In addition, the American Library Association’s Web site, ILoveLibraries.org, designated MSU Libraries as “digi-tal library of the week” for providing free, online access to Grant’s collected papers.


Campus news

Beginning with summer-term classes in June, the College of Arts and Sciences will offer a bachelor’s degree program in criminology.

As a major within the university’s sociol-ogy department, the academic curriculum will emphasize the study of types; patterns and trends in criminal behavior; and the social causes of and responses to crime. Among other areas, it also will provide training in crime data analysis and critical evaluation of crime theory and policy.

The new major is distinct from criminal justice-degree programs available at other Mississippi schools, said department head Greg Dunaway. Entry to the program has no special requirements, other than basic admission criteria of MSU and the college, he added.

Criminology degree to be offered

Gilbert named provost, executive vice president

MSU-based CAVS providing diverse assistance to state industries

A veteran faculty member and administrator has been named the university’s provost and executive vice president.

Jerome A. Gilbert, a 21-year MSU faculty member who has served since 2004 as associate provost, was selected following a national search during which five finalists were interviewed by an on-campus committee, as well as faculty, staff, and students, said President Mark E. Keenum.

“I am confident he will be a strong and visionary leader for our university,” Keenum added.

The provost is the second-ranking administrative officer at the university and serves as chief academic officer. As executive vice president, Gilbert also will assist the president with the overall management of the university and serve as institutional liaison in his absence.

The Jackson native holds a 1977 bachelor’s degree from MSU and a 1982 doctorate from Duke University.

Dewel Brasher keeps Glenn Dennis’ cell phone number on his speed dial.

That sums up the close relationship between a West Point-based military vehicle manufacturer and Mississippi State’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Extension.

Brasher, operations manager for the Navistar manufacturing plant in neighboring Clay County, credits Dennis, manager of manufacturing and quality processes, and others at CAVS Extension for helping the international company create and continue to produce high-quality armored vehicles. The university-based engineering resource also is keeping hundreds of jobs in a community struggling with major manufacturing losses in recent years, Brasher observed.

Navistar International LLC recently announced a $752 million contract to supply the U.S. military with armored vehicles. The contract is split between assembly plants in West Point and Garland, Texas.

The current contract is the eighth vehicle assembly project for the hundreds of employees working in West Point. Usually referred to as MRAPs—an acronym for mine-resistant armored protection—the vehicles are credited by the Department of Defense for significant decreases in U.S. soldier deaths in Iraq.

“It would be very difficult to overstate the importance of CAVS,” Brasher said. “For one thing, they were able to call on a tremendous amount of resources from Mississippi State, state agencies and other learning institutions. They bring to the table almost anything we want.”

To date, CAVS has had an estimated $4.28 billion economic impact on the state. It has helped create or retain 1,600 high-wage jobs, based on client responses to third-party surveys conducted on behalf of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

10SPRING Alumnus

About 7,000 MRAP version 1.5 armored vehicles have been produced at Navistar’s West Point facility.

Alumnus Spring 2010 31Alumnus Summer 2009

MSU, Air Force leaders discuss partnerships

President Mark E. Keenum receives the Shackouls Honors College 2010 Outstanding Faculty Award from honors sophomore Emily Nations (c) and Shackouls director Nancy McCarley. Keenum now is the first sitting Mississippi State president to be honored with the award from the honors college.

Insurance Day address--Karl Rove, former senior presidential adviser and deputy chief of staff, was featured speaker in April for the 23rd annual Insurance Day program. “Courage and Consequence” was the theme of his presentation, as well as the title of his new memoir. The longtime political consultant and strategist was introduced by Rhonda Keenum, MSU’s first lady and member of Rove’s White House staff in the George W. Bush administration.

At Mississippi State in April, a three-star U.S. Air Force general said the university will assist in a “continual partnership” to help with some highly specialized research.

Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula was among others on campus to discuss mission needs related to research technologies required for developing military aircraft controlled by operators in remote locations. He is responsible for helping lead the military branch’s

programs in policy and planning.His remarks came on the first of a two-day USAF-

sponsored academic conference on unmanned aircraft systems and remotely piloted aircraft. On hand were officials of MSU, host for the event, and other military leaders, members of Mississippi’s congressional delegation and representatives of aerospace industries.

Deptula said partnerships between the military, academia and industry are essential for the military to successfully advance in changing global challenges.

He specifically cited Mississippi State as a key resource to assist with research because of its capabilities. The university’s aerospace engineering department and its Raspet Flight Research Laboratory long have been involved in national aviation research and its relationship to economic development.

Two private companies focused on remotely piloted aircraft—Stark Aerospace and Aurora Flight Sciences—started at the Raspet Lab before relocating to the Golden Triangle Regional Global Industrial Aerospace Park in Lowndes County. Columbus, the county seat, also is home to Columbus Air Force Base.

karl rove


Ruby named National Alumnus of the Year

Alumni news

higher education and student personnel at the University of Mississippi.

Ruby began work with Mississippi State as program director of the student union in 1964, and later directed MSU’s degree-granting branch in Jackson. He taught courses for many years as an associate professor in the department of counselor education.

During his career, Ruby served in various roles in Student Affairs, including dean of student services and assistant to the vice president. He became vice president of the division in 1985 with responsibilities for student recruiting, admissions, housing, health services, and student organizations.

In late 2008, Ruby was asked by the College Board to serve as MSU’s interim chief executive while it concluded a national search process that chose current president Mark E. Keenum.

National Alumnus of the Year is not the first accolade to be bestowed upon Ruby. In 2005, MSU named one of its residence halls in his honor. The Roy H. Ruby Residence Hall is among four facilities for freshman students located in the Donald W. Zacharias Village.

Ruby remains active in the Starkville and MSU community. He serves as a volunteer with the MSU Welcome Center and participates with the oral history project for the archives of the University Libraries.

A strong sense of service has always motivated Ruby. He is a retired major in the United States Army Reserve, with more than 21 years of service, including active duty.

He and his wife Patricia are residents of Starkville.

The Mississippi State University Alumni Association ushered in its 125th year by naming one of the university’s best-known administrators the 2010 National Alumnus of the Year.

Roy H. Ruby served as vice president for the Division of Student Affairs for 17 years, as well as dean of the College of Education before retiring in 2004. His distinguished MSU career spanned 40 years.

A Mississippi Delta native, Ruby received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from MSU in 1961 and 1966, respectively. He later completed a doctorate in

10SPRING Alumnus

President Mark E. Keenum (left) and Dr. Roy Ruby

In February, the Alumni Association officially welcomed its 91st chapter in the Cincinnati-Dayton, Ohio, area. On hand to represent the chapter was Gavin Rees, pictured here with Alumni Association leaders Jimmy Abraham, left, executive director, and Charles Cascio, national president, right.

The formation of the chapter has been in the works since 2001, when association staff were approached by alumni and friends from the area. After several years of planning and gaining local interest, the newest chapter was made official at the recent meeting of the national board of directors.

“We are so happy to welcome the Cincinnati-Dayton, Ohio, chapter to our alumni association family,” said Abraham. “Mississippi State is proud to be represented by such true and loyal Bulldogs in Ohio.”

For more information on the new chapter, contact chapter president Leigh Hanna at [email protected]. You also may find the chapter on Facebook.

91ST ALUMNI CHAPTER CHARTERED IN FEBRUARY


Do you like to travel and explore other cultures and traditions? Why not become a Traveling Bulldog? Each year, the MSU Alumni Association sponsors several travel opportunities enriched with informative educational programs, the services of a professional tour director and expert local guides. For more information about specific travel opportunities or an updated listing of future activities, visit www.alumni.msstate.

edu/travel, or contact Libba Andrews at 662-325-3479 or [email protected].

Also, in 2011 we will be traveling abroad to Israel, Australia, Italy, Switzerland

and many more exciting places! We will also participate in two American traditions - The Kentucky Derby and the Masters Golf Tournament. Look for information on our website in the near future.

Richard Daniel Russo II of Batesville was honored as Young Alumnus of the Year during the annual MSU alumni awards banquet in February.

A native of Burnsville, Russo is a 2000 graduate with a degree in communication. While a student, he was a member of several student organizations and honors groups, including being an Alumni Delegate and Orientation Leader. Russo also was named Mr. MSU.

He serves as president and student recruitment chair of the Panola County Alumni Chapter. He also served as the vice president of the alumni chapter in Houston, Texas. In 2009, he was named Panola County Young Alumnus of the Year, and he is also an inaugural member of the Alumni Recruitment Network.

Russo has been an integral part of the revitalization of the Panola County Chapter. He helps organize events such as send-off parties and the Road Dawgs Tour, and he helped Panola County achieve recognition as an Outstanding Alumni Chapter in 2008.

Russo is a math teacher at Water Valley High School in Water Valley. He is also defensive coordinator for the high school football team and head football coach for the junior high football team.

Russo and his wife Sara, an MSU alumna, are the proud parents of two children, Gabriella and Trey. The couple met while attending Mississippi State. The Russos are active members of their community, and participate in activities with their church and local civic organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the Lou Gehrig Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Outstanding Young Alumnus–Richard Daniel Russo II

2010 TRAVelING BUllDOGS TRIpS

Island LIfe In AncIent GreeceSEPT. 12-20, 2010

GrAnd Journey spAInSEPT. 5-17, 2010

rIver LIfe throuGh BurGundy And provenceOCT. 22-NOV. 3, 2010

cAnAdA And new enGlandOCT. 7-17, 2010

LIfe In sAxony ALonGthe eLBe rIverOCT. 8-16, 2010

Best of the MedIterrAneAnOCT. 11-24, 2010

For more detailed information on the

endorsed 2010 trips, visit www.alumni.

msstate.edu/travel. Join us and make some

new Bulldog memories in 2010.

Charles Cascio (left), Alumni As-sociation national board president, and Richard Daniel Russo II, Young Alumnus of the Year


Alumni news 10SPRING

Alumnus

Thomas David “T.D.” Farris III, Glenda Dye Fulgham and David William Jones were honored as the 2009 Distinguished Service Award winners at the alumni awards banquet in February. Chosen for their years of service and dedication to the MSU Alumni Association, these three individuals represent outstanding alumni volunteers.

Farris, a 1981 computer science graduate, volunteers with the Birmingham, Ala., Chapter. A native of Vicksburg, he is a consulting principal at Computer Sciences Corp.

Tupelo native Fulgham represents the Northeast Florida Chapter. A 1986 child development graduate, Fulgham is the senior payroll accountant for CEVA Logistics and lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

A 1981 accountancy graduate, Jones is first vice president/senior audit manager at Trustmark Bank in Jackson. He is a native of Jackson and serves with the Central Mississippi Chapter.

2009 Outstanding Chapters named

Each year, the Alumni Association recognizes chapters for their dedication to MSU throughout the state and nation. This February, more than 30 chapters were honored at the annual Alumni Awards Banquet. Gold, silver and bronze cowbells were given to chapter representatives in appreciation for their service.

Gold chapters included George-Greene, Lincoln County, Central Mississippi, and East Texas.

Silver chapters included Lawrence-Jefferson Davis, Scott County, DeSoto County, and Houston, Texas.

Bronze chapters included Covington County, Tippah County, Lee County, and Atlanta, Ga.

Also recognized were the honor chapters, which included Alcorn County; Attala County; Birmingham, Ala.; Calhoun County; Huntsville-Decatur, Ala.; Jackson County; Jones County; Lowndes County; Memphis, Tenn.; Mobile, Ala.; Nashville, Tenn.; New York, N.Y.; Northeast Florida; Oktibbeha County; Panola County; Pearl River County; Prentiss County; South Texas; Southeast Mississippi; Southwest Mississippi; Washington County; and Yalobusha County.

The MSU Alumni Association honored Donald W. Zacharias for his years of service as the university’s 15th president at the 2010 awards banquet. He led MSU from 1985 through 1997.

“We were extremely pleased to salute Dr. Zacharias and mark the 25th anniversary of his presidency,” said Jimmy Abraham, associate vice president for development and alumni and executive director of the Alumni Association.

Zacharias came to MSU from a successful presidency at Western Kentucky University. His long resume also includes serving as an administrator and a faculty member at the University of Texas and a faculty member at Indiana University. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown College in Kentucky, and master’s and doctoral degrees from Indiana University.

During the Zacharias era, Mississippi State saw student enrollment grow from about 12,000 to more than 15,600. The university established its reputation as a leader in technology, launching the state’s first site on the World Wide Web and becoming home to one of a handful of engineering research centers funded by the National Science Foundation. Research reached new heights, as external contracts and grants more than doubled. And, in the area of private support, MSU completed its first capital campaign.

In 1997, Zacharias resigned his presidency. Over the next few years, he served as Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning Professor, and in that role focused on special projects to advance the university and higher education. He also directed the John Grisham Room in the Mitchell Memorial Library and mentored many of the university’s top scholars.

Mississippi State dedicated its newest residence hall community in his honor in 2008. The Donald W. Zacharias Village is now home to four state-of-the-art residence halls, including a new honors facility.

Distinguished service Award winners recognized

Former MsU president honored for service


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2010 College Alumni of the YearEach year, outstanding alumni are recognized for their personal, professional and community accomplishments. These individuals represent the mission and values of Mississippi State around the state, nation and world. The 2010 College Alumni of the Year were named in February at the annual alumni awards banquet. The recipients include, from left, Lloyd A. Solomon (’88, ’90), College of Arts and Sciences; Cynthia W. “Cindy” Simpson (’96), College of Architecture, Art and Design; Albert J. “Al” Williams (’90), Bagley College of Engineering; Dr. Thomas Bently Wigley Jr. (’75, ’77, ’81), College of Forest Resources; Dr. Mark E. Keenum (’83, ’84, ’88), MSU President; Dr. Paula Ann Schuerer (’92, ’95), College of Veterinary Medicine; David A. Chandler (’72, ’74, ’88), College of Education; and James J. “Jim” Rouse (’62), College of Business. Not pictured are Martha Scott Poindexter (’89), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; and Dr. Maurice F. Kahlmus Jr. (’83), MSU-Meridian.


Alumni news

new Alumni Delegates namedTwenty-three new MSU students have been chosen to represent the university as Alumni Delegates, an organization that serves as a liaison between Mississippi State University students and alumni. Each year, Alumni Delegates serve at every home football game, Alumni Association events and other campus and community events. Their purpose is to improve the understanding of the role of the Alumni Association by educating and involving students in activities and events of the Association. Members are selected through a highly competitive interview process. This year’s group was chosen from over 250 applicants, and is joining 24 returning delegates. Alumni Delegates are today’s student leaders preparing to be tomorrow’s alumni leaders. Congratulations to all of the new delegates chosen to represent their student body.

10SPRING Alumnus


2010 Awards Banquet and Leadership Conference a success

On Feb. 12 and 13, the MSU Alumni Association kicked off its 125th anniversary by hosting the annual alumni awards banquet and conference. More than 400 attendees were on hand as Roy H. Ruby, one of MSU’s best known administrators who served the university for more 40 years, was honored with the National Alumnus of the Year award. Also honored was former MSU president Donald W. Zacharias for his many years of service to the university.

It was a touching and meaningful night as alumni and friends looked back over the past 125 years of the Alumni Association. Also honored were the 2009 Outstanding Chapters and Distinguished Service Award winners, and the 2010 Young Alumnus of the Year and College Alumni of the Year.

Representatives from MSU’s only international alumni chapter, South Korea, were on hand to present MSU President Mark E. Keenum with a $10,000 check for scholarships. The gift will count towards the new StatePride initiative that seeks to garner support for student scholarships and faculty awards.

The following day, more than 150 alumni leaders from around the country attended a conference at the Hunter Henry Center.

Participants networked with other chapter leaders and heard from many key university representatives. The weekend wrapped up with a men’s basketball win over Auburn in Humphrey Coliseum.

“The 2010 awards banquet and leadership conference were a huge success,” said Jimmy Abraham, executive director of the Alumni Association and association vice president of development and alumni. “The weekend was a great way to kick off our 125th anniversary and gave us the opportunity to visit with so many loyal alumni and friends who do so much for our university.”

For a recap of the banquet and conference, including videos and photos, visit www.alumni.msstate.edu/banquetrecap.

“The weekend was a great way to kick off our 125th anniversary and gave us the opportunity to visit with so many loyal alumni and friends who do so much for our university.”

Jimmy AbrAhAm


Alumninews 10SPRING

Alumnus

Thanks to MSU’s loyal alumni and friends, the Alumni Association ended 2009 with 37,466 active members, marking the highest membership in its 125 years. The number broke the 2002 record of 37,316 members.

“We are very appreciative of the overwhelming support that so many have shown to our university,” said Jimmy Abraham, associate vice president for development and alumni and executive director of the Alumni Association.

The Alumni Association was founded on June 17, 1885, by the first three graduating classes of Mississippi A&M. Since its beginning, the association formed a national board of directors, which currently has 44 members, welcomed its first international chapter in South Korea, and established student scholarships in more than 40 chapters, among other accomplishments.

“Our alumni play a vital role in the success of Mississippi State,” continued Abraham. “They serve as the face of the university in their communities and spread their love of maroon and white far beyond the boundaries of our campus.”

Also in 2009, the association welcomed its 90th chapter. These chapters hosted nearly 500 events for alumni and friends, surpassing another association record.

A gift or pledge of any amount to the MSU Foundation or Bulldog Club qualifies a person for active membership. Membership lasts for one year and may be renewed annually with additional financial support.

For more information on the MSU Alumni Association, visit www.alumni.msstate.edu or call 662-325-7000.

Alumni Association breaks all-time records in 2009

Dear Alumni and Friends,

It is hard to believe that my year of service has passed by so quickly! As I relax watching an MSU baseball game at Dudy Noble Field, I reflect on what an honor and privilege it has been to serve as your national president. Thank you for allowing me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We have some of the great-est people as alumni and friends of the university. I have enjoyed meeting you at the alumni chapter and on-campus university events.

Our Alumni Association has an outstanding and dedicated staff under Dr. Jimmy Abraham’s leadership. This year, Dr. Abraham and his staff brought in our 91st alumni chapter, Cincinnati-Dayton, Ohio.

Your Alumni Association and our 90 alumni chapters also surpassed two significant goals: a record 37,466 active alumni, and hosting nearly 500 alumni events. So many alumni and friends have attended Road Dawgs, student recruiting events and Send-Off Parties, as well as many other alumni activities.

We can be proud of our university and the direction we are headed. I want to encourage you to make full use of your Alumni Association, but, most importantly, become an active participant by getting involved with your local chapter. Your local chapter is an important bridge between MSU and many alumni, friends and potential students. I also ask you to consider making a contribution to the MSU Annual Fund and the new StatePride initiative for student scholarships and faculty support.

On June 17, 2010, our Alumni Association celebrates its 125th anniversary. Mark this date on your calendars and let’s come together to celebrate this special day.

Again, thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you and MSU as your national alumni president. I also would like to thank my employer, Baxter Healthcare Inc., for giving me the time to serve in this role.

As I started my year of service last July to our university and Alumni As-sociation, I conclude it with that same special feeling inside: What a great time to be a Bulldog!

Charles A. Cascio, 2009-10 National PresidentMSU Alumni Association


Lt. Bill Mann is in Vietnam for one reason… to use his aircraft, The Cool Woman, to make his mark as a fighter pilot.

After six months in combat, Mann is fighting wars within a war… his wife is divorcing him, people in his squadron snub him, and he’s short days away from learning… there are things worse than dying.

Air Force veteran, career airline pilot and MSU Alum (’62), John Aubrey Anderson weaves a tale of accomplishment and failure, of bliss and misery in The Cool Woman. Join him at the MSU Library June 30 for a reception to announce the book’s release. Go to JohnAubreyAnderson.com for details.

John Aubrey AndersonJune 30th book signing

FidelisBooks.com


Foundationnews

In January 2009, the MSU Foundation launched an aggressive new fundraising initiative to garner support for students and faculty at Mississippi State. Entitled StatePride, the initiative already has raised more than $36 million of its four-year, $100 million goal.

“StatePride will provide a strong financial foundation to facilitate growth at Mississippi State,” said John P. Rush, vice president for development and alumni and CEO of the MSU Foundation. “Students and faculty members from every area of academic study will be impacted by this initiative.”

A major emphasis of StatePride will be to generate resources that will attract the state’s and region’s most capable young scholars. The MSU Foundation will seek donations to provide annual and endowed scholarship support to help MSU reach its goal of 22,000 students by 2015.

The initiative will focus efforts on three key annual scholarships. The MSU Legacy Scholarship is a competitive program designed to recruit entering freshmen who are high

academic performers. The Loyalty Scholarship program is merit-based, and awards will be given to students who portray academic achievements and community leadership skills. Also, an emphasis will be placed on the MSU Promise Awards, which are given to students with the greatest financial needs.

In addition to scholarships, StatePride will seek gifts for endowed professorships, chairs, fellowships, and annual faculty awards. Funding these areas will create opportunities for top performing faculty members who exemplify MSU’s mission of teaching, research and service.

Students and faculty will begin to see the benefits of the fundraising initiative immediately. Annual awards designated to StatePride will be distributed for the 2010-11 academic year.

In conjunction with the new initiative, the MSU Foundation has partnered with the Athletic Department for a unique matching gift program. MSU Athletics has agreed to match up to an average of $750,000 annually for scholarships and faculty

support for StatePride. “The partnership with athletics will greatly impact our

university by providing privately funded academic awards for students and faculty,” said Rush. “The alliance will not only affect Mississippi State today, but will continue to strengthen the university for years to come.”

In addition to StatePride, the Athletic Department will donate $50,000 in matching funds annually to the MSU library system as they look to become the first institution in Mississippi as a member of the Association of Research Libraries.

The MSU Foundation will continue to raise funds for other campus needs such as building renovations and expansions. However, for the next several years, an emphasis will be placed on the priorities of the StatePride initiative.

For more information on StatePride, please contact the MSU Foundation at 662-325-7000 or visit www.msufoundation.com.

10SPRINGAlumnus

StatePride initiative to raise funds for scholarships, faculty support

“StatePride will provide a strong financial foundation to facilitate growth at Mississippi State,” said John P. Rush, vice president for development and alumni and CEO of the MSU Foundation. “Students and faculty

members from every area of academic study will be impacted by this initiative.”


Bill Foster can recite the names of many, and remember the stories of hundreds more, Mississippi State University students. Over the course of a nearly 40-year career with MSU, Foster was a mainstay with student life before retiring in 1997 as associate vice president for student affairs.

Now, through careful estate planning, a bequest from Foster and his wife, Sara, will benefit the university. Future proceeds from the bequest will act as an extension of his long association with MSU and be used for recruitment priorities within the Division of Student Affairs, where Foster spent the majority of his career.

“It was an easy choice to name MSU as a beneficiary in my will since the institution provided me with an outstanding education and a wonderful career. It wasn’t out of a sense of duty, but rather out of the

love Sara and I have for the university,” says Foster.

The enduring feelings the couple has for MSU haven’t changed since they first entered the then-Mississippi State College in 1952. Their love of the university is shared by daughter Kathy, who is also a proud MSU graduate.

Bill Foster earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics and science education from MSU, and a doctorate in higher education administration with an emphasis in student personnel services from the University of Alabama.

“Sara and I have been blessed in many ways and we are happy to repay an institution that has meant so much to us. By providing scholarships to worthy students, we are making an investment in the future of these students, our institution and society at large,” Foster explains.

Foster knows firsthand how scholarship dollars can make a difference in the lives of students. One of his primary responsibilities during his tenure as dean of student services was the recruitment of students. Following his retirement as associate vice president, he worked in a part-time role as a fundraiser for the division.

“Since students and their parents must shoulder the burden of rising costs of higher education, it is necessary that more scholarship dollars become available to help these students who might otherwise have to attend college elsewhere,” Foster said. “We want to ease this burden with our gift,” he added.

Foster, a Tremont native, joined MSU in 1960 as coordinator of student activities in the Division of Student Affairs. He served in numerous leadership positions within the division, including director of housing and residence life. Earlier in his career, he taught science at Starkville High School.

Sara Foster worked in the Division of Student Affairs with D.W. Aiken, then-vice president for the division, and later with the Starkville Public Schools. She is a native of Pontotoc.

The Fosters fondly recall the evolution of the university. During their association, and in the years that followed, the institution has grown from a college with an enrollment of about 2,800 students to a thriving university with more than 18,000 students.

“Looking back, I can honestly say that if I could do it over, I would not change a thing,” Foster admits. “Working with students, and particularly the kind of students we have at MSU, is most rewarding.”

In 2008, Foster was honored by the university as the ballroom in the renovated Colvard Student Union was named in his honor. The approximately 9,200-square-foot primary meeting and group assembly area is now known as the Bill R. Foster Ballroom.

It was a fitting tribute for Foster, who served as union director before being promoted to dean of student services in 1972. During his MSU career, he also held an adjunct appointment as an associate professor of counselor education.

The Fosters look forward to attending many campus events in the Foster Ballroom and are confident their estate plans will benefit student life at MSU in perpetuity.

“We fell in love with MSU from day one and our estate gift was a natural progression of what grew out of that love,” Foster says.

Bill and Sara Foster Scholarship Endowment established

the fosters


Foundationnews 10SPRING

Alumnus

A host of prominent alumni and friends of the university have held seats on the MSU Foundation board of directors through the years. In January, the Foundation appointed three new officers to one-year terms.

Serving as president for 2010 is James J. “Jim” Rouse of Houston, Texas. He is a 1962 MSU management graduate and a retired ExxonMobil vice president. Fellow Texan Bobby Shackouls was appointed vice president of the board. He is a 1972 chemical engineering graduate who is the retired president/CEO of Burlington Resources Inc. Assuming the duties of treasurer is D. Hines Brannan Jr. of Atlanta, Ga. Brannan is a retired partner with Accenture and a 1970 industrial engineering graduate who earned a master of business administration the following year.

MSU staff members make up the remaining board officers. John P. Rush, vice president for development and alumni, is the foundation board’s CEO; David Easley, executive director of finance, its chief financial officer; and Bo Hemphill, executive director of development, board secretary. They, too, are MSU graduates.

Four new members were appointed to board seats.

Board members may be reappointed after vacating the board for at least a year after serving a three-year term.

Also returning to the board is Hunter W. Henry Jr. of

San Marcos, Texas. He is a 1950 chemical engineering graduate and the retired president of Dow Chemical USA.

Incorporated in 1962, the MSU

Foundation works to solicit funding

from private sources to supplement the university’s

legislative appropriations. The organization also administers academic fundraising activities and endowment funds. For more information on the MSU Foundation, visit www.msufoundation.com.

MSU Foundation names incoming board members, officers

D. Hines Brannan Jr., treasurer

of Atlanta, Ga., is a retired partner with Accenture and a 1970 industrial engineering graduate who earned a master of business administration the following year.

James J. “Jim” rouse, presidentof Houston, Texas. He is a 1962 MSU management graduate and a retired ExxonMobil vice president.

Bobby shackouls, vice president

is a 1972 chemical engineering graduate who is the retired president/CEO of Burlington Resources Inc.

Hunter w. Henry Jr.of San Marcos, Texas, is a 1950 chemical engineering graduate and the retired president of Dow Chemical USA.


leo w. seal iiiof Bay St. Louis, who is a 2000 geosciences graduate and president of the Leo Seal Family Foundation.

Herbert V. Johnsonof Houston, Texas, is president of HVJ Associates Inc. He is a 1978 civil engineering graduate who earned a master’s degree in civil engineering in 1981.

James e. Newsomeof Mendham, N.J., is the retired president/CEO of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Newsome is a food and resource economics graduate of the University of Florida. He earned a master’s degree in agriculture in 1985, followed by a Ph.D. in agricultural economics in 2001, both from MSU.

stephen D. Goldingof Vicksburg is another new appointee. He is president of Golding Barge Line Inc. and a 1972 MSU transportation graduate.

linda m. Garrettof Atlanta, Ga., is a retired principal of Garrett Associates Inc. She is a 1969 MSU accounting graduate who holds a master’s degree in business administration from Georgia College and University.

earnest w. “earnie” Deavenport Jr.

of Kiawah Island, S.C., is the retired chairman and CEO of Eastman Chemical. Deavenport is a 1960 chemical engineering graduate who holds a master’s degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

fred e. Carl Jr.of Greenwood attended Mississippi State before graduating from Delta State University. He is president and CEO of Viking Range Corp.

Dr. karen D. Hulett of Madison is a medical consultant for the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services. She is a 1972 general science graduate who also holds a medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

J. f. “Bud” thompson Jr.of Meridian is vice president of The Thompson Group. He is a 1962 mathematics education graduate.


Classnews

’59 HaSSEll H. Franklin of Houston,

president and CEO of Franklin Corp., has received the American Home Furnish-ings Alliance’s prestigious Distinguished Service Award for 2009. The Franklin Center for Furniture Manufacturing and Management at MSU is named for him.

’62 WilliaM a. HollEy Jr. (M.B.A.

’65) of Auburn, Ala., a labor/employ-ment arbitrator and professor emeritus at Auburn University, has been elected president of the National Academy of Arbitrators.

’63 lEStEr andrEWS of Charlottes-

ville, Va., professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Virginia, has won the 2010 Earle K. Plyler Prize for Molecular Spectroscopy, presented by the American Physical Society.

’70 JoHn B. noBlin (Ph.D. ’72) of

Goodyear, Ariz., chief engineer for the Defender Program for Lockheed Martin Corp., has been named a Lockheed Mar-tin Fellow.

’71 JaMES E. CoFEr Sr. (M.B.A. ’75)

of Monroe, La., president of the Univer-sity of Louisiana at Monroe, has been named to the board of directors of Divi-sion I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

laMar ConErly of Destin, Fla., is a member of the law firm of Conerly, Bowman & Dykes, which has been named Best Law Firm on the Emerald Coast for 2009 by the readers of Emerald Coast Magazine.

’73roBErt d. HUntEr of Birmingham,

Ala., general counsel for Altec Inc., has been appointed to the advisory board of the International corporate Counsel College. He is the only U.S. attorney appointed to the 10-person board. Hunter also is a member of the advisory board of the Bagley College of Engineering at MSU.

StokES MCMillan (M.S. ’75), of Houston, Texas, an engineer for NASA, has written One Night of Madness, the true story of a racially motivated crime and subsequent trial in 1950s Mississippi.

’74 JaMES W. HaMilton of Atlanta,

Ga., has been named regional manager of Morgan Keegan & Co.’s Southeast Re-gion. He will continue in his current role as manager of the firm’s Atlanta branch office.

JiM koErBEr of Hattiesburg, mem-ber of the Koerber Co., has been certified as a Financial Forensics Champion by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

’77 artHUr E. GoldMan has been

named deputy director of the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Hunts-ville, Ala. He previously was director of NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis.

’78 Brad WatSon of Laramie, Wyo.,

assistant professor of English at the University of Wyoming, is the author of a new collection of short stories, Aliens in the Prime of Their Lives. His previous works include the collection Last Days of the Dog-Men, winner of the Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction, and the novel The Heaven of Mercury, which received the Southern Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction and was a finalist for the 2002 National Book Award in Fiction.

’79VidEt CarMiCHaEl (M.Ed. ’85)

of Meridian, state senator and chairman of the Senate Education Committee, was named the American Lung Association’s Mississippi Legislative Champion of 2009 for his efforts to improve asthma education within the state.

’81

tony WindHaM (M.S. ’85, Ph.D. ’88) has been appointed associate vice president for agriculture and director of the Cooperative Extension Service in the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

’83

JoHn E. FordE of Starkville, professor and head of the communication department at Mississippi State, has been inducted into the University of Southern Mississippi School of Mass Communi-cation and Journalism’s annual Hall of Fame.

’84 SUSan r. BEll of Atlanta, Ga., is

the managing partner with the accounting firm of Ernst & Young in Atlanta.

’86

allEn PoolE (M.P.A. ’87), a certi-fied public accountant, has been named a partner with Horne LLP in Memphis, Tenn.

’89 CHaSE C. kaSPEr (M.B.A. ’94)

of Starkville has been named assistant director of Mississippi State’s technology commercialization office. He has served since 2006 as a licensing associate in the office.

10SPRING Alumnus


’90 ray naSH of Booneville, an agri-

cultural educator at Biggersville High School in Corinth, has been elected 2009-10 president of the National Association of Agricultural Educators. He has been a consultant to the Future Farmers of America board of directors and a member of the FFA board of trustees.

’91

J. MiCHaEl ColEMan of Canton has joined the law firm of Montgomery, McGraw, Collins, O’Cain & Coleman.

’93

aMy C. ElliS (M.S. ’98) of Colum-bus, a teacher at Sudduth Elementary School in Starkville, was one of three Mississippi teachers honored by President Barack Obama at a White House ceremo-ny in January with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.

traCy l. FElty of Carrier Mills, Ill., director of the Saline County (Ill.) E-911 System, has been presented a Gov-ernment Leader Award by the National Emergency Number Association and the E-911 Institute.

alan E. HiCkS, visiting assistant professor at Sam Houston State Uni-versity in Huntsville, Texas, received a doctor of musical arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 2009. He also won first prize in the National Opera Association’s Opera Production Compe-tition for a work that he conceived and directed.

’95 daVid BUrt oF CHarlESton ,

S.C., a principal with the architectural firm LS3P Associates, has received a 2010 Young Architects Award from the American Institute of Architects.

’98 dErECk rUSH of Tyler, Texas, head

football coach at John Tyler High School, has been named Coach of the Year on the Tyler Courier-Times—Telegraph All-East Texas football team.

PatriCk SMitH, recently promoted to vice president of Smith Seckman Reid Inc., has been named Young Engineer of the Year for 2009 by the Tennessee Soci-ety of Professional Engineers. He leads the Transportation Engineering Division of SSR.

’01

tiMotHy B. SMitH , history teacher at the University of Tennessee at Martin, has written a new book, A Chickamauga Memorial: The Establishment of Amer-ica’s First Civil War National Military Park, published by the University of Ten-nessee Press. He is the author of three previous books about the Civil War and battlefield preservation.

’07

MattHEW MCdaniEl is serving in the Peace Corps in Ecuador.

Birth ANNOUNCEMENTS

Margaret Swayze Capocaccia, Oct. 1, 2009, to lUCy SPEakES CaPoCaCCHia (’89) and husband John of Cleveland.

Ellen Cooper Edwards, May 29, 2009, to kEVin C. EdWardS (’02) and Mindy lEWEllEn EdWardS (’00) of Olive Branch.

Olivia Ruth Matheny, Jan. 28, 2010, to H. PaUl MatHEny (’95) and wife Rachel.

Clayton Faulkner McKinnis, Oct. 26, 2009, to JaMES F. MCkinniS (’89) and wife Nikki of Nashville, Tenn.

Ross Baker Nickels, Dec. 21, 2009, to Bain niCkElS (’04) and kElliE roSS niCkElS (’07) of Columbus.

Rebecca Claire Lawrence, May 16, 2009, to Clayton laWrEnCE (’86, M.S. ’88) and wife Ashley of Lucedale.

Shawn Luke Patrick, March 4, 2009, to MiCHaEl l. PatriCk (‘98) and Cindi ladnEr PatriCk (‘07) of Beaufort, S.C.


InMeMORIAM

Please send obituaries to Allen Snow,P.O. Box 5325, Mississippi State, MS39762-5325 or e-mail to [email protected].

10SPRING Alumnus

JoSEPH laWrEnCE May (’35)—97, Charleston; retired county supervisor for Farmers Home Administration and World War II veteran, Dec. 11, 2009.

PrESton H. MCdonald (’38)—94, Jackson; retired from USDA Marketing News Service and former poultry industry owner/operator, Jan. 26, 2010.

VErnon G. BEard (’41)—90, Indianola; retired automobile dealer and Planters Bank & Trust Co. employee, Dec. 3, 2009.

MorriS S. HErzoG (’41)—89, Ray-mond; longtime cattleman, Jan. 8, 2010.

JESSE E. lEWiS (’41)—90, Edmond, Okla.; retired entomologist, Feb. 26, 2010.

Frank B. MaCkniGHt (’42)—Omaha, Neb.; co-founder of Think Video, a legal videography company, and World War II veteran, March 19, 2010.

lynn PHilliPS SMitH (’47)—87, Co-lumbus; retired senior agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and World War II veteran, March 10, 2010.

ray r. PriCE Jr. (’49)—82, McComb; past president of McComb Deposit Guar-anty Bank and former national president of the MSU Alumni Association, Feb. 4, 2010.

WilliaM d. BakEr (’50)—Starkville; retired AXA Equitable of New York em-ployee, Jan. 13, 2010.

roBErt n. BErry (’50)—Brandon; retired supervisor for Entex Natural Gas Co. and World War II veteran, July 11, 2009.

EdWard SEitz (’50)—79, West Point; retired owner of Seitz Lumber Co., Jan. 6, 2010.

CalVin rUSSEll andrESS (’52, M.S. ’53)—Tyler, Texas; retired Uniroyal Chemical Co. employee, Nov. 21, 2009.

ira a. oUSlEy (’53)—78, Longview, Texas; retired banker, Jan. 3, 2010.

CHan WaH SidnEy (’53)—80, Greenville and Ridgeland; owner and op-erator of Sidney’s Electronics and Korean War veteran, Dec. 22, 2009.

WilliaM l. WatSon Sr. (’53)—78, Ripley; retired Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation field representative, Korean War veteran, and former president of the MSU Alumni Association, Feb. 27, 2010.

rUSSEll E. WEatHErSBy (’53)—78, Germantown, Tenn.; retired colonel in the U.S. Army and member of the board of directors of Vinnell Corp., Nov. 22, 2009.

tHoMaS laMar riVErS (’58)—75, Tupelo; retired technical writer at Redstone Arsenal for the U.S. Army Missile Com-mand and Korean War veteran, Sept. 3, 2009.

roy F. WHitE (’58)—77, Saltillo; re-tired vice president for Trustmark National Bank in Columbus, Dec. 2, 2009.

U. royCE lonG (’59)—76, Memphis, Tenn.; retired officer with Lummus Cotton Gin Supply, Nov. 3, 2009.

Jo ann daViS CliFton (’61)—Katy, Texas; educator in the Mississippi Public School System for more than 30 years, Dec. 19, 2008.

WilliS BrUMFiEld (’64)—67, Ridge-land; former Leflore County chancery clerk, Feb. 2, 2010.

JoSEPH H. HodGES (’64)—67, Columbus; State Farm Insurance agent and Vietnam War veteran, Dec. 15, 2009.

artHUr PaUl SCalES (’66, M.S. ’69, Ed.S. ’74)—Starkville; retired school administrator, Feb. 24, 2010.

PHiliP MadiSon inGraM (’67)—62, Greenville; retired personnel manager for the U.S. Forest Service in Cabot, Ark., Aug. 18, 2009.

JoHn E. rEdnoUr Jr. (’70, M.S. ’72)—Starkville; former owner of Rednour Automotive Service in Pascagoula, Dec. 30, 2009.

BEttyE MCPHail StroUd (’76, M.B.A. ’77)—55, Thibodaux, La.; retired Social Security Administration district manager in Morgan City, La., field office, Feb. 7, 2010.

SaM d. HaMilton (’77)—54, Wash-ington, D.C.; director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and avid conser-vationist, Feb. 20, 2010.

JoHn kEitH daViS (’85)—51, Starkville; property manager and part owner of Grumpy’s restaurant, Feb. 26, 2010.

SylVia CHriStinE WHitE Wal-laCE (’87)—52, Caledonia; former Eng-lish professor at Mississippi State, March 18, 2010.

doy EVElyn PaynE lonGESt (’91)—87, Starkville; homemaker, Dec. 11, 2009.

tErry SHanE HiCkS (’08)—23, Mooreville; graduate student at Mississippi State, Jan. 17, 201

tiP H. allEn Jr. (former employ-ee)—81, Starkville; professor emeritus of political science at Mississippi State, Feb. 7, 2010.

BEnJaMin Hal BUCHanan Jr. (friend)—Tupelo; orthopedic surgeon and Eugene Butler Fellow at Mississippi State, Oct. 4, 2009.

JoHn JoSEPH dEVinE (friend)—Chickasaw, Ala.; retired Warrior Gulf Navigation employee, Nov. 15, 2009.

BEttyE draPala (friend)—86, Starkville; homemaker, community volun-teer and Patron of Excellence at Mississippi State, Feb. 17, 2010.

lilalEE HarloW HEnry (friend)—80, San Marcos, Texas; home-maker and philanthropist, Jan. 3, 2010.

alViS t. HUnt (friend)—86; retired Trustmark National Bank president and vice chairman and former president of the MSU Development Foundation, Dec. 25, 2009.

MSU is an AA/EEO university.

Did you know that your real estate assets could also be used to create a meaningful investment at Mississippi State University? Whether it’s agricultural property, timberland, a personal residence, vacation home or mineral interests, our real estate team is interested in working with you. For more information about the options of making a real estate gift, please contact us or visit our web site at www.msufoundation.com/ways/estate.

Jeff LittleDirector of Development for the Bulldog Forest(662) 324-8151 | [email protected]

spriNG 2010

Post Office Box AAOne Hunter Henry BoulevardMississippi State, MS 39762-5526www.alumni.msstate.edu

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Discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran’s status is a violation of federal and state law and MSU policy and will not be tolerated. Discrimination based upon sexual orientation or group affiliation is a violation of MSU policy and will not be tolerated.

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Mississippi State Alumnus Spring 2010