Unveiling one of two new plaques commemorating The Mill at MSU’s designation on the National Register of Historic Places last week are, from left, Officer Russell Branch of the National Park Service; MSU President Mark E. Keenum; Mark Castleberry of Castle Properties; and Deputy District Director Kyle Jordan of Congressman Michael Guest’s office. The repurposed building has been listed on the registry since 1975. The historic John M. Stone Cotton Mill, formerly known as Mississippi State’s E.E. Cooley Building, began its transformation into a state-of-the-art conference and meeting complex with a 2014 groundbreaking. The collaborative effort involved public and private stakeholders. PHOTO: Megan Bean | Public Affairs
Pogue joins College of Business fundraising efforts
Lilly Pogue is the new assistant director of development for the College of Business and its Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy at Mississippi State University. Jack McCarty, the MSU Foundation's executive director of development, said Pogue “brings fresh ideas and enthusiasm to flourish in her new role at Mississippi State as assistant major gift fundraiser for the business college.” Pogue joins Stephen Lack, a veteran fundraiser who is the college’s director of development. Together, they will work to secure major gifts for the large, more than 100-year-old academic unit and its Adkerson School of Accountancy. “I am excited to join Mississippi State and look forward to working with loyal business and accounting alumni and friends as I become involved with major gift fundraising,” Pogue said.
DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Beth Bell
As a Family and Consumer Science agent, Beth Bell works with adults and children in Tallahatchie County teaching skills to help them improve or make changes for the better in their lives. “I think my favorite memory so far is from my first day of working with the Extension Service,” she said. “I got to help judge exhibits at the Neshoba County Fair. It was extremely hot but so much fun.” She graduated from Delta State University and learned about career opportunities in Extension from Theresa Hand, who was an agent-in-training then and is now an interim regional Extension coordinator. This encounter at the Family and Consumer Sciences student association was instrumental in her career path.
DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Paula Morgan
As a Certified Veterinary Technician, or CVT, in the shelter medicine program at the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, Paula Morgan has many different roles and responsibilities. Her main goal is to provide spay/neuter services to local animal shelters and rescues. She evaluates animals for examination prior to surgery and manages medical records daily. “I administer medications, vaccines, and sedation to the patients and prepare them for surgery,” she said. “I also try to teach and assist the vet students and vet tech students when an opportunity rises.” She has always been passionate about caring for animals in need. She enjoyed the show “Animal Cops” on Animal Planet when she was little and was mesmerized by the different cases.
Nation’s fourth largest wood collection acquisition makes MSU home to South’s premier teaching, research tool
Mississippi State is now home to one of the nation’s largest wood collections, making the university a prime training ground for research on rare and exotic species. MSU’s Department of Sustainable Bioproducts in the College of Forest Resources has acquired the 32,000-specimen David A. Kribs wood collection, the fourth largest in the U.S. according to the International Association of Wood Anatomists. This acquisition also makes MSU home to the premier reference wood collection in the South. Rubin Shmulsky, professor and department head, said this major collection is not only enhancing education in the field of wood identification and the university’s growing wood anatomy program, but offering student research opportunities to address current industry issues such as illegal logging, along with the misrepresentation and mislabeling of wood and wood products.
Longest Student Health Center hosting flu vaccine clinic for students, employees Thursday
With flu season quickly approaching, Mississippi State's Longest Student Health Center will be hosting a flu vaccine clinic on Thursday [Oct. 8] from 8-11 a.m. open to all MSU students (free/no charge) and any employee who wishes for their insurance to be billed. Most health insurances cover flu vaccination at 100%. No appointments are needed or scheduled for this flu clinic. The clinic will be closed to regular patient visits during these hours, but prescriptions can still be dropped off or picked up at the center's retail pharmacy. Students and employees are being encouraged to take advantage of these flu clinics while the center is not also performing COVID-19 testing or seeing other patients.
Reminder: University policy addresses employee political activity
With political campaigning underway this fall, Mississippi State's Office of General Counsel offers the following reminder of the university’s policy on political activities. There are several basic guidelines that university employees should keep in mind when engaging in any form of political activity. MSU employees are encouraged to review OP 01.14: Political Activities in its entirety and to understand their rights and responsibilities.
Nominations now open for MSU’s Grisham Master Teacher Award, Alumni Association Teaching Excellence Awards
The University Instructional Improvement Committee is announcing the call for nominations for the 2021 Grisham Master Teacher Award, 2021 Alumni Association Early Career Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award and 2021 Alumni Association Graduate and/or Professional Teaching Excellence Award. All submissions must meet the deadline of Oct. 15. Interested faculty must submit an electronic application in PDF form to the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President via email to grishamaward@provost.msstate.edu.
Apply for the 2020 MSU Excellence in Community Engagement Awards
Applications for the 2020 MSU Excellence in Community Engagement Awards are now available at https://tinyurl.com/MSUCEAwardapp. The MSU CE Awards recognize outstanding accomplishment in community engagement in the categories of Community-Engaged Service; Community-Engaged Teaching and Learning; Community- Engaged Research; and Scholarship of Engagement. The most outstanding example of a current community engagement project or program in each of the four areas will receive a $3,000 award to further community engagement efforts within Mississippi State’s threefold mission of teaching, research and service.
Looking for a way to help? Give to the MSU Student Relief Fund
The Mississippi State University community continually exhibits a great sense of responsibility and caring for enrolled students that make the land-grant institution such a special place. The MSU Student Relief Fund, built with private gifts, helps those members of the student body affected with day-to-day crises or like now, the impact to their daily lives posed by COVID-19. The Dean of Students' Office assesses needs and administers the fund for acute crises that may impact students’ ability to succeed academically. The MSU Foundation accepts gifts year-round for the MSU Student Relief Fund. Contributions for this effort can be made online or by contacting the Annual Giving office at (662) 325-2466.
Smoke-free policy enhances healthy environment
Mississippi State University is a smoke-free campus. Official policy prohibits the use of any combustible or vapor products anywhere on campus property including university buildings, university grounds, university vehicles, parking areas and sidewalks. The smoke-free campus policy is part of the university's commitment to creating a healthy environment for all members of the campus community. Use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookah or other similar devices are prohibited by this policy.
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