Mississippi State University Alumnus Summer/Fall 2012

MISSISSIPPI STATEALUMNUSSummer /Fall 2012

SECRETSOF HELICONIUS

Summer/Fall 2012 | Vol. 88 | No. 4USPS 354-520

This is Our State.

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

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

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

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 EditorHarriet Laird

DesignerMatt Watson (’05)

PhotographersRuss Houston (’85)Megan BeanBeth Newman Wynn

Mississippi State UniversityAlumni Association National OfficersCamille Scales Young, ’94, ’96, national president Tommy R. Roberson, ’67, national first vice presidentRon E. Black, ’80national second vice presidentJodi White Turner, ’97, ’99, national treasurer Jerry L. Toney, ’96, immediate former national president

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26 Campus news36 Alumni news45 Foundation news49 Class news52 In memoriam

Cover photo by Megan BeanCourtesy of the Entomology Museum

MSU researcher helping unlock secrets of HeliconiusYears after sleeping in hammocks in the wilds of Peru and Panama, collecting hundreds of thousands of samples of colorful insects, Mississippi State assistant professor Brian Counterman continues trying to unlock a very difficult puzzle.

Raised-bed garden promotes sustainabilityLandscape architecture students got a hands-on lesson in sustainability when they constructed raised vegetable beds as part of a collaborative project between departments at Mississippi State University.

Terreson foresees bright futures aheadWhen Douglas Terreson makes bold predictions, investors listen intently and take action because he knows what the numbers really mean in the oil and gas industry. Terreson, a Mississippi State graduate, has enjoyed a highly successful and gratifying career as an energy analyst.

For the love of horsesA lifelong love and respect for horses led Mississippi State alumna Cindy Meehl on a continuing journey as an award-winning filmmaker. Meehl directed and produced the documentary film “Buck,” about renowned horseman and clinician Buck Brannaman.

Initiative works to expand Mississippi’s broadband connectivity In the digital age, having high speed access to information and contacts is a vital tool for businesses, communities, and individuals. But for many Mississippians, broadband connectivity is still miles away–both literally and figuratively.

MSU alum is BAMA’S BISHOP of the Episcopal Diocese He might be occasionally spotted without his clerical collar and in a t-shirt that’s a shade of red. However, that red won’t be crimson. MSU alumnus Kee Sloan, the new bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, is true maroon.

MISSISSIPPI STATEALUMNUSSummer /Fall 2012

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] // twitter.com/msstatealumni // facebook.com/msstatealumni

MISSISSIPPI STATE AlUMNUS 1

MSU RESEaRChER hElping UnloCk secrets of Heliconius

Assistant professor Brian Counterman continues trying to unlock a very difficult puzzle.

2 SUMMER/FAll 2012

Years after sleeping in

hammocks in the wilds of

Peru and Panama, collecting

hundreds of thousands of

samples of colorful insects,

Mississippi State assistant

professor Brian Counterman

continues trying to unlock a

very difficult puzzle.

The more-than-century-long challenge has involved a secret of the

Heliconius butterfly, the orange, black, yellow, and red insect that hasn’t

easily communicated how all its radiant colors came to be.

For evolutionary biologists, and especially geneticists like Counterman,

the butterflies—commonly called passion vine butterflies—make perfect

research subjects for better understanding a fundamental scientific

MSU RESEaRChER hElping UnloCk secrets of Heliconius

By RoBBiE s. waRd | Photos By Megan Bean


question: How do organisms

change to survive?

Over the past decade, the

researcher in the university’s

biological sciences department has

been part of an international team

using field experiments, genetic

mapping, population genetics,

and phylogenetics to study the

butterflies’ biology and history.

A Duke University doctoral

graduate in biology and evolutionary

genetics, Counterman studied

genetics of adaptation as part of

his post-doctoral research at North

Carolina State University, and later

joined the MSU faculty in 2010.

Passion vine butterflies continue

to live throughout South and

Central America. Through the

years, scientists have noticed

that Heliconius with certain red

patterns survived in certain areas,

while others didn’t. For these

butterflies, the appearance of red

on their wings is literally a matter

of life or death.

Counterman said the butterflies

use red as a warning signal to

birds and other predators that they

are poisonous and should not be

consumed.

“There are very few cases where

we understand the genetics that

determine if an organism will

survive in nature,” Counterman

said, adding that he and a team of

researchers recently uncovered the

gene responsible for the different

red wing patterns.

Their findings have been

featured in Science magazine.

“This is one of the first examples

in which we’ve found the genetic

change that allowed (an organism)

to live or die in nature,” he said,

adding that finding the red

gene was just the first step in

understanding how the butterflies

have survived.

Counterman and colleagues

further analyzed the red gene to

reconstruct when the different

red patterns evolved, providing

HOW DO ORGANISMS CHANGE TO SURVIVE?

A few of the butterfly species Counterman studies in his research (Courtesy of the Entomology Museum)

“This is one of the first

examples in which we’ve

found the genetic change

that allowed (an organism) to live or die in

nature.”— Brian

Counterman,assistant professor,

biological sciences

4 SUMMER/FAll 2012

important clues into how rapidly

new adaptations can arise and

spread in populations that nearly

encompass entire continents.

This research was showcased on

the cover of the 2011 December

issue of the Proceedings of the

National Academy of Sciences of the

United States.

For scientists like Counterman,

finding answers to these questions

may give insight about how and

why the diversity in the world

evolved. And their work continues.

Counterman now is part

of a team that has completed

sequencing the entire Heliconius

genome—one of the first butterfly

genomes—that has generated

a new understanding of how

hybridization between species may

have caused the striking visual

differences in one of the most

charismatic groups of organisms on

earth. This work can be found in a

recent issue of Nature magazine.

While these studies involve

one of nature’s most delicate and

enchanting creatures, they are part

of a larger, serious inquiry that

most humans consider at some

point in their lives:

“How did the world get to

where it is?” Counterman said,

discussing his fascination with

genetics and biology.

If Counterman has his way, his

research will help the scientific

community get closer to answering

that question. •

HOW DO ORGANISMS CHANGE TO SURVIVE?


RAISED-BED

PROMOTES SUSTAINABILITYGARDEN

By KERi Collins lEwis | Photos By Megan Bean

6 SUMMER/FAll 2012

Landscape

architecture

students got a

hands-on lesson

in sustainability

when they

constructed raised vegetable beds

as part of a collaborative project

between departments at Mississippi

State University.

Pete Melby, a professor in the

department of landscape architecture,

and Sylvia Byrd, associate professor

in the department of food science,

nutrition and health promotion, are

working with Melby’s sustainable

communities class to grow enough

fruits and vegetables to feed a family of

four—an idea that could revolutionize

the home landscape.

“Numerous faculty in plant and

soil sciences, landscape architecture,

and nutrition are interested in

sustainability and have a huge

passion for teaching students where

food comes from,” Byrd said. “Pete

zealously teaches his landscape

architecture students how to make

our communities both functional

and beautiful, while also helping

them understand cost and profit

concerns. This project ties together

many important lessons.”

With three growing seasons,

Mississippi has an ideal climate for

showcasing small-scale sustainable

living using raised beds for food

production.

“Southerners can grow all of

their family’s vegetables and fruit on

their own quarter acre and in their

larger home landscape,” Melby said.

“Our project here on campus shows

that sustainable living is more than

possible: it’s tasty, too.”

Melby’s class of juniors and

seniors built four 3-foot by 40-foot

raised beds out of 2-inch by 6-inch

pine boards.

“We didn’t use pressure-treated

boards because the nutritionists told

us that the copper, chrome and other

chemicals will get into the soil and the

plants will absorb them,” Melby said.

“The nutritionists are the chemistry

minds in this. We’re planting what they

calculate would feed a family of four

the recommended amounts of fruits

and vegetables, and they will quantify

the harvest’s nutritional value.”

Melby thought the hands-on

project would teach his students

practical skills for themselves and

their clients.

“People resist gardening because

they think it’s too much work and

there are too many weeds to contend

with. Our community garden has

raised beds—when you’re only

reaching across a 3-foot-wide bed,

weeding isn’t a problem. But the only

way to prove this to my students was

for them to do it,” he said.

After the landscape architecture

students finished the spring garden,

the nutrition faculty and students

“Our project here on campus shows that sustainable living is more than possible:

it’s tasty, too.”— Pete Melby

professor, department of

landscape architecture


planted a summer garden in

this long-term installation at the

landscape architecture building.

When the landscape architecture

students return in the fall, they

will plant a fall garden.

“We’ll switch it back and forth

between disciplines,” Melby said.

When the spring planting

yielded fresh lettuces, Byrd

held a cooking demonstration

and tasting to talk with Melby’s

students about taste perceptions

and how they can help their

clients increase their nutritional

intake through gardening.

“If parents give their children

more flavors to experience—

from pregnancy through early

childhood—children will accept

a greater variety of foods and

have a broader palate,” Byrd said.

“If these students understand

how to prepare and use fresh

foods, they’ll be more likely to

grow it, use it, and encourage

their clients to do the same.”

For many students, sharing

in the garden’s bounty was the

highlight of the project.

“We got to eat some of the

food ourselves, and we learned

which plants will be efficient in

delivering nutrients, like broccoli,

cauliflower and kale,” said Skyler

Wade, a junior from Nashville,

Tenn. “The idea is feeding a

family, and not everyone likes

everything we plant, but a garden

“If parents give their children more flavors to experience—from

pregnancy through early childhood—

children will accept a greater variety of foods

and have a broader palate.”

— sylvia Byrd associate professor,

department of food science

8 SUMMER/FAll 2012

needs to be diverse so we don’t eat the same

things for four months.

“We hope people who drive by will

notice our fruits and vegetables and

become curious. The project could impact a

lot of people. As research like this becomes

publicly available, I see a bright future for

home gardens,” he said.

For Byrd, the value of the project is

the educational impact and the service

provided to the students, the campus, and

the community.

“We’ve all been talking about

interdisciplinary teaching strategies, and

this is a step in that direction. With help

from experts in other departments, we

plan to create an Extension publication for

homeowners and teachers,” she said. “We

hope to obtain grants to bring in school

teachers and show them how they can

teach science, math and reading by planting

a school garden. Gardening can be a useful

way to teach many subjects and increase

healthful eating.”

To share information about how to

garden, what to plant, and when to plant

it, Melby created a Home Food Production

Garden poster and Food Servings

Calculator that can be found at www.

energyusereduction.com. The resource

explains how to build raised beds, create

the best soil from leaves, pine straw, and

grass clippings, and which vegetables to

plant in each of the three growing seasons

in the Southeast U.S.

The raised beds are visible from MSU’s

sorority row on Bully Boulevard and from

the back of the landscape architecture

building on Stone Boulevard. •

Students preparing materials for the beds


terreson foresees

BriGHt futures AHeADBy AMy D. CAglE | Photos By Russ Houston

10 SUMMER/FAll 2012

Terreson, a Mississippi State graduate who earned

his bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering, has

enjoyed a highly successful and gratifying career as

an energy analyst for more than 25 years.

During that time, Terreson has amassed a

reputation as one of the best oil and gas executives in

the United States. He has been ranked by Institutional

Investor magazine as one of the top two analysts for

over a decade and has been selected 15 times as a

member of the All-America Research Team.

Terreson is at the top of his game and knows

his Mississippi State education has been a driving

force behind his success. He exudes confidence in

himself and his abilities, in part because of the solid

engineering education he received. He also holds an

MBA from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla.

“When I studied at Mississippi State, the university

was on the cutting-edge of teaching and research, and

I’m proud to say the institution continues to meet the

increasing challenges of educating each new generation,”

Terreson said. “The quality of the education I received

at MSU was very competitive, in my opinion, and

positioned me well in a variety of roles,” he added.

Terreson earns his living as an integrated

oil analyst. He is currently a senior managing

director and head of the energy research team of

International Strategy & Investment Group Inc.

Founded in 1991, ISI is a full service broker-dealer

offering macro research, fundamental research,

trading and sales. The company is headquartered in

New York and employs more than 200 individuals

who work with institutional investors around the

world, which include some of the biggest names in

the business. The firm has offices across the globe

from Dubai, Hong Kong, London, and Shanghai to

the U.S. cities of Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, San

Francisco, Washington, D.C, and Fairhope, Ala.

The Fairhope, Ala., location for ISI was ushered

in as Terreson joined the firm. He and his wife,

Edie, live in nearby Point Clear with their three

children—Catherine, Virginia and Todd. Edie holds

degrees from Florida State University and New York

University. She was a money manager for Van Camp,

where she co-managed $37 billion dollars in holdings,

before trading in the role for that of full-time mom.

Enjoying small town life and serving as a role

model for others, particularly his children, is

important to Terreson.

The Mississippi native followed in his family’s

footsteps by pursuing his fascination of engineering

and the energy business. His dad, Harold, is an MSU

industrial engineering graduate who worked for

Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula. His maternal

grandfather, Aubrey Lewis, also graduated from

MSU with an electrical engineering degree.

Terreson honors his family legacy by giving back to

Mississippi State with his time and financial resources.

He serves on the MSU Foundation board of directors

and chairs the board’s investment committee. For his

involvement with MSU as a dedicated alumnus, he has

“When I studied at Mississippi State,

the university was on the cutting-

edge of teaching and research, and

I’m proud to say the institution

continues to meet the increasing

challenges of educating each new

generation.”— douglas Terreson,

MSU Alumnus

Douglas Terreson advises some the biggest names in the oil and gas industry.

When Douglas Terreson makes bold predictions, investors listen intently and take action because he knows what the numbers really mean in the oil and gas industry.


been honored as an Alumni Fellow for the James Worth

Bagley College of Engineering.

Philanthropically, Terreson supports MSU with

a special scholarship known as the Terreson Family

Loyalty Scholarship in the James Worth Bagley College

of Engineering. The scholarship honors his parents,

Virginia and Harold Terreson. Since its inception, the

scholarship has assisted 23 recipients with their MSU

studies. One day, a bequest from Terreson will also

benefit the scholarship.

“I want to help students explore engineering, experience

all MSU has to offer, and employ their God-given talents to

accomplish their goals,” Terreson said.

He continued, “I believe my MSU degree has taken me

to the heights of success I have achieved, and that a degree

from the institution is very competitive in the real world.”

Following graduation from MSU in 1984, Terreson set

a clear course for his future, with stints working in the oil

industry, followed by a path that eventually led to Wall Street.

Terreson began his career as a petroleum engineer with

Schlumberger Ltd. in New Orleans, La. His three-year

stint as a professional driller with the oil refinery on the

U.S. Gulf Coast provided him with valuable hands-on

experience. Next, he worked as an investment analyst for

Sun Bank Capital Management in Orlando, Fla. Then, it

was on to Chicago, Ill., as an energy analyst for Kemper

Investments and to Boston, Mass., as a portfolio manager

with Putman Investments, where he managed the firm’s

energy mutual fund.

Prior to joining ISI in 2009, Terreson led the Global

Energy Research Group at Morgan Stanley, where he

covered integrated oil as well as the refining and marketing

sector. He was also responsible for the firm’s global forecast

for crude oil and refined products and energy portfolio

strategy. In all, he spent 14 years with the firm.

Terreson has certainly proven his value to the oil

and gas industry, and he has no plans to slow down

anytime soon. For now, he continues to scrutinize the

numbers and utilize the data collected to see where it

leads him. In the spirit of competitiveness, his goal is

to reach the pinnacle and again become the highest

ranked analyst in the nation. Once achieved, he hopes

to retain the title for as long as he is willing to work

hard and remain focused on the future. •

Terreson with wife Edie and their children

“I want to help students

explore engineering,

experience all MSU has to offer, and employ their

God-given talents to

accomplish their goals.”

— douglas Terreson,

MSU Alumnus

12 SUMMER/FAll 2012

n over 900 hotel/B&B rooms

n childhood home of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tennessee Williams

n fabulous restaurants

n beautiful antebellum and Victorian homes

n specialty shopping

n recreational activities

Learn more about what you can do during your stay. Visit us online at www.columbus-ms.org.

While you’re in the area cheering on your Dawgs ... visit Columbus for even more excitement! We’re just around the corner.

www.columbus-ms.org662-329-1191800-327-2686

100 msu ad.indd 1 5/1/12 1:33:17 PMMISSISSIPPI STATE AlUMNUS 13

lifelong love and respect

for horses led Mississippi

State alumna Cindy Meehl

on a continuing journey as

an award-winning filmmaker.

Meehl directed and produced the

documentary film “Buck,” about

renowned horseman and clinician

Buck Brannaman. The film garnered

attention from audiences and

movie critics alike, in part because

of Brannaman’s inspirational, old-

fashioned message about horses,

humans, and life.

But Meehl didn’t start out in the

film industry. The Jackson native

grew up with horses, competing

in hunter-jumper classes. After

receiving her bachelor’s degree in the

apparel, textiles and merchandising

program at MSU in 1979, she moved

to New York City.

For many years, Meehl ran her

own fashion labels, Sasha, Cindy and

Phil, and Cindy Hughes Designs.

Her clothes were even featured

in film and television, as well as

magazines and print campaigns.

The mother of two now lives in

Connecticut with her husband and

several pets, including horses.

It was because of these horses

that Meehl became interested in

Brannaman 10 years ago. After

participating in his horsemanship

clinics, she realized she wanted more

By MaRgaRET KovaR

FOR THE LOVE OF

14 SUMMER/FAll 2012

people to experience his exceptional

and profound horsemanship skills.

Thus inspired, Meehl founded

Cedar Creek Productions LLC

in 2008 and began to craft a

documentary. Although a rookie

filmmaker, her years of artistic

experience helped in telling

Brannaman’s story, from his abusive

childhood to his phenomenally

successful approach to horses.

A real-life “horse-whisperer,”

Brannaman eschewed the violence

of his upbringing and teaches people

to communicate with their horses

through leadership and sensitivity,

not punishment. The documentary

follows the horseman from clinic to

clinic, as he works with all different

kinds of horses and riders in the U.S.

and Europe.

Cedar Creek Productions filmed

more than 300 hours of footage

utilizing a total of nine cameramen

for the documentary, which took

nearly three years to complete from

start to finish. The film company

traveled to North Carolina,

Washington, Wyoming, California,

Montana, Texas, and France to film

Brannaman.

“No matter the situation,

Brannaman never complained. He’s

tough, and he really raises the bar

for those around him. He doesn’t

let anyone get by with excuses,”

Meehl said.

Upon completion, the movie was

submitted to the Sundance Film

Festival, held every January in Park

City, Utah. The festival is widely

considered the premier platform

for American and international

independent films.

While hundreds of films are

submitted to Sundance every year,

By MaRgaRET KovaR

“No matter the situation,

Brannaman never complained. He’s

tough, and he really raises the bar

for those around him. He doesn’t let anyone get by with

excuses.”— Cindy Meehl,

MSU Alumna

Cindy Meehl


only 16 U.S. films are chosen.

Meehl’s “Buck” documentary

was one of those chosen in 2011,

and it went on to win the U.S.

Documentary Audience Award.

The film has won many other

awards, including the Best

International Documentary

Film, Zurich Film Festival 2011;

Audience Choice Prize, Cinema

Eye Honors; Best Documentary

Award, Crossroads Film Festival

2011; and HBO Audience Award

for Best Documentary Feature,

Provincetown International Film

Festival 2011.

The documentary also was

nominated for awards in numerous

other festivals and organizations,

and played in more than 600 select

theaters, an unusual feat for a

documentary film. Meehl’s company

is currently marketing “Seven

Clinics with Buck Brannaman,” a

DVD series of more than 10 hours of

footage taken during the filming of

Brannaman’s clinics to create a set of

affordable, instructional DVDs. They

were made available to the public

this summer.

Meehl also is in development on a

new documentary project focusing

on holistic and alternative healing

methods for animals.

But the “Buck” project is about

more than just the awards or

renown. As Meehl said, the film

was created to move people to make

changes in how they deal with horses

and life’s challenges.

“The whole thing is a Cinderella

story. I don’t look at it like it’s

something I did. I feel so strongly

about this message that this was

truly a passion project,” she said.

Meehl often receives feedback

from people who say the movie has

had a tremendous effect in their lives.

“The film’s message resonates

so much because people need

something to feed their souls,” she

“Buck” movie poster Buck Brannaman sits atop his horse while helping students at his clinic.

16 SUMMER/FAll 2012

said. “Wisdom like this transcends

all different kinds of disciplines.”

The film also has impacted

Brannaman’s life. He has

experienced a surge in popularity

since the movie’s release; all of his

2012 clinics have reached their

maximum number of participants,

and clinic spectator numbers have

vastly increased as well. Along with

this year’s U.S. schedule, Brannaman

traveled to New Zealand and

Australia, where the film opened

in theaters while he was there.

He also plans to travel later in the

year to Japan for a horse training

demonstration.

“The way Brannaman teaches

empowers you in all aspects of your

life, not just with horses. In the

film, the horse is a metaphor for

life and how to treat people,” Meehl

said. “He teaches people how to

communicate with horses, but it

also relates to communicating with

one another.”

All in all, this attitude can best

be summed up by the leading man

himself.

“Horses and life, it’s all the same to

me,” Brannaman said.

For more information about the

film and Cedar Creek Productions,

go to www.cedarcreekmedia.com. •

“The way Brannaman teaches empowers you in all

aspects of your life, not just with horses.”

— Cindy Meehl,MSU Alumna

More than 300 hours were filmed for the movie about the horseman.

Meehl on set during the filming of Buck.


By allison MaTThEws

18 SUMMER 2012

In the digital age, having high speed

access to information and contacts is a

vital tool for businesses, communities,

and individuals.

But for many Mississippians,

broadband connectivity is still miles

away–both literally and figuratively.

An initiative based at the Southern Rural

Development Center at Mississippi State is actively

pursuing this asset on behalf of all Mississippians.

The Extension Broadband Education and

Adoption Team, or e-BEAT, is helping rural

areas connect through broadband technology

as a tool for economic growth, a medium to

provide and receive services, and as an avenue for

educational activities. The MSU Extension Service

is partnering in the effort.

“In many communities broadband access is not

yet available, and even in areas where it is, many

people do not realize how implementing broadband

usage can benefit them,” said Lionel “Bo” Beaulieu,

SRDC director and e-BEAT project director.

“Our initiative is working not only to guide the

implementation of broadband connectivity in

underserved areas of the state, but also to provide

information and assistance that can spur the

adoption and application of this helpful technology

in ways that result in real benefits to Mississippians

and their communities.”

Former Governor Haley Barbour spearheaded

the creation of the Mississippi Broadband Connect

Coalition in 2009. The coalition seeks to increase

broadband access and expand broadband adoption

throughout the state to help Mississippi maximize the

opportunity to participate in a digital economy.

The e-BEAT initiative, funded through the National

Telecommunications and Information Administration

of the U.S. Department of Commerce, began in July

2011 and is expected to continue through 2014.

E-BEAT operates as a separate entity, but essentially acts

as the “boots on the ground” to accomplish some of the

key goals set forth by the MBCC. E-BEAT consists of

state and regional Extension personnel with six regional

broadband coordinators stationed across the state.

Beaulieu explained that while expanding

broadband infrastructure is important, it is not

the primary goal of e-BEAT. Rather, it is designed

to inform, educate, and expand the effective

use of broadband by Mississippi residents and

communities, doing so in partnership with

municipalities and other local governments, small

businesses, workforce development specialists, public

libraries, and other appropriate agencies.

Broadband is a term that commonly refers to high-

speed Internet access. A fast connection to the Internet,

broadband allows users to send emails, surf the web,

download images and music, watch videos, join web

conferences, and much more.

Beaulieu said some very valuable uses include

e-business (the marketing of products and services

on the web), online educational courses offered

by universities and community colleges, and even

“telemedicine”—a term that refers to the remote

diagnosis and treatment of patients by means of

telecommunications technology—which is especially

important for rural residents who may have limited

access to medical specialists.

Chip Templeton, a regional broadband coordinator

also based at MSU’s Starkville campus, explained that he

and his counterparts in five other regions, are delivering

information, education, and assistance activities to

meet needs in their respective regions. Key audiences

include underserved communities and households,

local governments, small and home-based businesses,

entrepreneurs, and the self-employed.

Collecting data and mapping broadband availability

across the state have been core activities of the broadband

initiative. From surveys of the state’s municipalities and

“In many communities

broadband access is not yet available,

and even in areas where it is, many

people do not realize how implementing

broadband usage can benefit them.”

— lionel “Bo” Beaulieu,

SRDC director


small businesses, to assessments of

community anchor institutions and

identification of Wi-Fi hotspots, the

regional coordinators have made

concerted efforts to gather relevant

information and then take a “feet on the

ground” approach to actively engaging

with organizations and individuals to

further the e-BEAT goals.

“In addition to limitations in

many cases of having the broadband

connections available, one thing we are

working heavily on is digital literacy,”

Templeton said. “That is helping people

who have never interfaced with the

web, to introduce them to the Internet,

and often to computers in general.”

For those who have not previously

had computer experience, Templeton

said basic training and orientation to

computers and the Internet is often

the first critical step in breaking the

digital divide.

Among the primary points of

contact for reaching out within

communities are local public libraries,

which also make ideal locations for

training and workshops.

“Access to computers is a real issue,

and we have found that the computers

available for use at public libraries are

in use 90 to 100 percent of the time.

The public is relying heavily on library

staff members for Internet assistance.

We are working side-by-side with

library staff to provide support and

training for the public. At the same

time, we are employing a ‘train the

trainer’ approach to help strengthen

the knowledge and skills of the library

staff who are experiencing expanded

demands by patrons for help with new

technology–related tools and social

media activities,” Templeton explained.

Because e-BEAT is rooted in the

MSU Extension Service, educating the

public is a key goal, as well as equipping

them to apply what they learn.

Templeton said creating additional

computers for public access is one

avenue e-BEAT is exploring.

“Public access is important because

there is a need and a demand. We want

people to have access to the Internet,

and if they don’t have computer access

at home, the library is very important,

and we are trying to establish other

public computer access points,”

Templeton said.

Coordinators also are working

with WIN Job Centers to facilitate

access for job seekers. Many jobs now

require online application submissions,

and many job announcements are

published online, making Internet

access critical for those seeking

employment, Templeton said.

The Mississippi Department of

Employment Security worked with

the MSU-based National Strategic

Planning and Analysis Research Center

to produce the Workforce Investment

Network Global Services, or WINGS,

to create “a real-time, integrated web

solution providing workforce services

to anyone, anywhere, anytime.” The

web-based interface will generate

real-time updates. Job seekers can

find available jobs, apply, check their

application status, get job search

and interview tips, and more via the

Internet. Employers also can post jobs,

find qualified applicants, and manage

job applications.

“This is going to be an outstanding

resource for employers and potential

employees alike. It is a truly remarkable

asset, and it is another example of why

it is critical that people have the ability

to connect through Internet access,”

Templeton said.

In addition to helping job seekers

gain access to the Internet, Region 1

coordinator Chance McDavid said

working with Mississippi’s small

business owners also is an e-BEAT

priority. Recent research found that of

Mississippi businesses, more than 60

percent do not market their products

or services online. Many businesses

20 SUMMER/FAll 2012

that were operating for years before

the Internet existed have not yet found

how they can tap into e-commerce

opportunities in addition to focusing

on the traditional aspects of their

business models.

“We want to see our local businesses

thrive, and in the digital age, more

consumers are shopping or making

decisions based on information

and products available online. We

want to help Mississippi businesses

market on the Internet and engage in

e-commerce so they can avoid missing

an opportunity that may pay great

benefits,” McDavid said.

E-BEAT coordinators can offer

training and assistance, and among

their goals is to partner with chambers

of commerce and other economic

development organizations to

introduce broadband connectivity

and e-commerce topics to small

business owners in communities

across the state.

Beaulieu said many issues relate to

access, availability, and adoption of

broadband connectivity in the state.

Regional coordinators are serving as

resources on a broad span of topics,

from using social media to avoiding

cyber bullying.

Information about upcoming

workshops is offered online at www.

srdc.msstate.edu/ebeat. Other

resources regarding digital literacy,

local government, and small business

also are available. •

“In addition to limitations in many

cases of having the broadband

connections available, one thing

we are working heavily on is digital

literacy.” — Chip Templeton


MSU Alum is

BAMA’S BISHOPof the Episcopal Diocese

22 SUMMER/FAll 2012

e might be

occasionally

spotted

without

his clerical

collar and

in a T-shirt that’s a shade of red.

However, that red won’t be crimson.

MSU alumnus Kee Sloan is true

maroon.

The bishop of the Episcopal

Diocese of Alabama has definitely

embraced the Yellowhammer State

and its Episcopal flock, but his

roots run deep in Mississippi and in

Bulldog Country.

Sloan became head of the

Alabama diocese in January,

after spending four years as the

suffragan or assistant bishop.

“I grew up in a house full of

Episcopalians. I’m very grateful

for that and for being active in

the church most of my life,” the

Vicksburg native said.

Even though he wanted to be

a priest from the time he turned

13, Sloan found it difficult telling

people he was headed in that

direction. He talked himself into

trying the field of marine biology

after graduating from high school

and enrolled at the University of

Southern Mississippi.

“But after that first year,” he said,

“I clearly realized I didn’t have an

aptitude for the hard sciences and

that I wanted to concentrate on

people instead of animals.”

Sloan joined his brother and

sister at Mississippi State and

majored in sociology, receiving his

degree in 1976. After short stints in

counseling and special education-

related positions throughout

Mississippi, he entered seminary in

the fall of 1978 and graduated with

a master of divinity degree from the

University of the South in Sewanee,

Tenn., in 1981.

While his passion for MSU had

never faltered, he did begin to

rekindle the flame when he came

to the Church of the Incarnation in

West Point. It was one of his early

appointments as a young priest after

serving churches in Olive Branch

and Horn Lake.

“I happened to be in West Point

at the same time Will Clark, Rafael

Palmeiro and Jeff Brantley were on

the baseball team. I loved baseball,

and it was nice to go over and set up

a place for myself in left center field,”

he recalled of the team that went

on to compete in the 1985 College

World Series.

During his three and a half

years in West Point, he also

continued his passion for helping

people with disabilities, having

been a counselor since the age of

15 at Camp Bratton-Green, the

summer camp for the Episcopal

Diocese of Mississippi. In 1983, he

became special session director,

“I didn’t really know anybody

in Alabama, but every time they

narrowed the field of candidates I was still in the running.”

— Bishop Kee sloan

By haRRiET laiRd | Photos By The Birmingham News


spearheading 11 years of summer work with

those in need.

As his heart swelled with compassion for

those less fortunate, so did the membership at

the churches he served. He moved from West

Point to the larger All Saints Episcopal Church

in Grenada, where in 1987 he married Tina

Brown of Leland, who also had been on the

special session staff at Camp Bratton-Green.

He continued his ministry three years later at

the University of Mississippi, where he became

the college chaplain and was assistant priest at

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.

It was in the spring of 1993 that the state

line between Mississippi and Alabama began

to blur for Sloan, when a friend suggested he

put his name in consideration as priest for St.

Thomas Episcopal Church in Huntsville, Ala.

He explained, “I didn’t really know anybody

in Alabama, but every time they narrowed the

field of candidates I was still in the running.”

For 14 years, Sloan served the St. Thomas

parish as rector, starting the church’s medical

mission to Honduras and beginning the

Alabama diocese’s special sessions for the

disabled at its own Camp McDowell. The two

projects continue to this day.

“There were many people who did a lot

of work to get these sessions started, and it’s

become an important part of our summer

camping program and the fabric of the

diocese. These sessions are about treating

people, who have a range of disabilities, with

dignity and respect, and I’m so honored

to be a part of it,” he said of the specialized

programming that each summer serves more

than 100 participants of all ages.

Zachary Woolley, a wheelchair-bound camper

who is also an MSU student, said of Sloan, “I

can’t even say all of the ways that he has helped

me. During my second summer at camp, just

after I graduated from high school, I was not in a

“Everyone learns from mistakes, and I’ve

learned a lot. I wouldn’t sanitize my life so much that I didn’t have those

opportunities.”— Bishop Kee sloan

Kee Sloan was installed in January as the 11th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama.

24 SUMMER/FAll 2012

very good place in terms of why I had

cerebral palsy. Kee and I had a lengthy

conversation about why things

happen to certain people, and the

conversation changed my life.”

Focused on what he calls “creating

opportunities for others,” Sloan

confesses he thought the diocese

would elect someone more “bishopy”

when he was being considered in

2011 to lead the more than 30,000

Episcopalians in the state.

“I thought they’d want someone

who kept a neat desk, was better at

administration, and knew how to

read spreadsheets,” he said of being

elected on the first ballot by church

members in July of last year.

Admittedly, he said the new

position as head of the church does

give him more opportunities to

continue and expand on projects

that are near and dear to him.

His newest project is a plan to

build what he calls “Bethany Village,”

an expansion of facilities and

programming at Camp McDowell.

An enriched ministry for the

disabled is part of the vision, along

with an enhanced environmental

center and folk school.

“All buildings will be designed

a little too large,” he said, “and the

dining hall will have round tables

instead of rectangular.”

With new facilities, Sloan hopes

to hire the disabled to work,

providing them with meaningful

employment. Also, he said

improvements to the environmental

center would give young campers

more opportunities to learn about

the richness and diverseness of their

natural surroundings, while the

folk school would broaden its range

of offerings in everything from

quilting to pottery.

Seeing a project like this one

become reality is a significant

undertaking, and Sloan doesn’t

hesitate to acknowledge that

his new job comes with many

challenges. He said, however, that

“everyone learns from mistakes,

and I’ve learned a lot.

“I wouldn’t sanitize my life so

much that I didn’t have those

opportunities,” he said.

And to someone like Woolley

who’s been influenced by a man

he calls a “big dude and a bishop,”

the 22-year-old has had a very

positive, first-hand experience

with a spiritual leader whose

soft-spoken voice and gentle

personality reflect many years of

challenges–and joy.

The two have even shared the

good times as MSU sports fans.

“He displays an antique cowbell

in his office at the Cathedral of the

Advent in downtown Birmingham.

He definitely loves his Dawgs,”

Woolley said. •

“He displays an antique cowbell in his office at the Cathedral of the Advent in downtown Birmingham. He definitely

loves his Dawgs.”— Zachary woolley,

MSU student

Kee Sloan knocked on the door of the Cathedral of the Advent to begin the service of investiture.


12CampusNEWS

Summer/fallALUMNUS

26 SUMMER/FAll 2012

Months of preparation

proved to be worth

every ounce of effort

when Mississippi State enjoyed

a presence on the National Mall

during the Smithsonian Folklife

Festival in Washington, D.C.

The venue gave the university

valuable exposure in the nation’s

capital over a nearly two-week

period that included Independence

Day. It was an opportunity

for students, faculty and staff

representing the university to

interact with people from around the

country and all over the world.

Held annually since 1967, the

festival this year celebrated the 150th

anniversary of the Morrill Act, the

congressional legislation passed during

the Civil War that created land-grant

institutions such as MSU. This year’s

theme, “Campus and Community,”

also commemorated the 150th

anniversary of the U.S. Department

of Agriculture, with which MSU has a

long working relationship.

A total of 18 institutions of higher

learning participated this year, each

with exhibits to demonstrate their

respective contributions to the

modern land-grant system.

Designed to be interactive, each

MSU exhibit engaged the public

with hands-on activities. Along

with the university’s nationally

award winning EcoCAR and the

Mobile Veterinary Clinic, “Maggie,”

a mechanical milking cow and part

of the thermography exhibit, proved

to be among the most popular

draws for festival visitors.

“These were wonderful interactive

displays,” said George Hopper, dean

of MSU’s colleges of Agriculture and

Life Sciences and Forest Resources.

“Once you’re able to get people

involved, they start asking questions,

and when they ask questions, then

you’ve really got an opportunity to

do some teaching.” •

Msu exhibits prove popular in D.c. at smithsonian folklife festival

Top: MSU EcoCAR2 team members visited with the Elkin family of Arlington, Mass., at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Sons Elliot, 6, and Daniel, 4, got a simple lesson in energy. Carl and Sheryl Elkin learned how the team is developing an energy-efficient automobile that also delivers high performance.

Bottom: Parked near the U.S. Department of Agriculture building named for former Mississippi congressman Jamie Whitten, Mississippi State’s Mobile Veterinary Clinic enjoyed a prominent position on the National Mall.


Mississippi State’s

unmanned aerial

systems team landed

in the top 10 during a recent

international competition.

The university’s Team Xipiter

finished 10th overall out of 26 student

groups that were able to fly during the

two-day Association for Unmanned

Vehicle Systems International’s

student challenge in Maryland. The

24-member team also finished sixth in

flight and 10th in the journal paper and

readiness review presentation.

This year’s participants were

required to design and build a UAS

that could be piloted to an unattended

ground station and connect to an

antenna to retrieve a data transmission.

The aircraft also would need to capture

aerial images and relay the files back to

the ground station for team members

to identify specific targets.

“The most impressive thing for us

was that we were able to fly exactly

where we wanted despite the high

wind,” said team leader Jared Gates of

Caledonia.

“A lot of teams either weren’t able

to fly or actually crashed,” the senior

aerospace engineering major added.

“The biggest advance from last year’s

aircraft to this year’s is our imagery

subsystem,” explained Jeffrey Morris of

Gulfport. “We switched from recording

aerial video to taking high resolution

photographs.”

Morris, a junior computer science

major and team surveillance leader,

said that, with high-resolution,

wide-field-of-view images, the MSU

students were able to identify targets

they might not have seen with the

previous system. Among them was

a one-by-two-foot target spotted in

an image taken from 750 feet above

ground level, he added. •

Team XIpITer among top finishers in international competition

Mississippi State is joining

just 16 other universities

nationwide as holder of a

green light rating from the Foundation

for Individual Rights in Education.

The national civil rights

organization’s highest award

recognizes free speech protection

and a commitment to giving students

the best possible education and

learning environment.

“The entire Mississippi State

community should feel extremely

proud today,” said Greg Lukianoff,

FIRE president. “The university’s

exemplary commitment to free

speech now rings out as loudly and

clearly as its famous cowbells.”

Based in Philadelphia, Pa., FIRE is

a nonprofit educational organization

of civil rights and civil liberties leaders,

scholars, journalists, and public

intellectuals from across the political

and ideological spectrum. Protections

of individual rights, freedom of

expression, academic freedom, due

process, and rights of conscience at the

nation’s colleges and universities are its

primary mission.

“This rating brings recognition to

something the university has been

committed to for the past decade,”

said Thomas Bourgeois, MSU dean of

students. “As an institution of higher

learning, it is our job to provide an

environment in which the university

community can engage in an exchange

of ideas grounded with all the

protections provided to it by the first

amendment.”

Bourgeois said MSU worked with

FIRE to address its speech codes and

no longer maintains any policies

restricting student speech protected by

the First Amendment.

“Over the past few years, we have

been happy to see increasing numbers

of schools eliminate their speech

codes, but much work remains to be

done,” said Samantha Harris, FIRE’s

director of speech code research. “We

are thrilled to have MSU join the

green light ranks and hope that more

universities will follow suit this year.” •

Civil rights organization gives MSU ‘green light’ rating

MSU’s Team Xipiter members include, kneeling, Jared Gates, Caledonia, team lead; and standing, left to right, Jeffrey Morris, Gulfport; Melanie Shumock, Suwanee, Ga.; Nick Jones, Gulfport; Randolph Follett, assistant professor, electrical and computer engineering; Brett Fore, Saucier; Anthony Favaloro, airframe lead, Collierville, Tenn.; Benjamin Nesbit, Memphis, Tenn.; Alex Hoing, Randolph; Joseph Brown, Amory; Austin Powell, Ocean Springs; William Delcambre, avionics lead, McKinney, Texas; and Calvin Walker, senior flight test engineer for MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory.

12CampusNEWS

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28 SUMMER/FAll 2012

Cole

Msu leads the way with unique mentoring program for blind

A new nationwide research project at Mississippi

State seeks to help students who are legally blind

find employment through a unique mentoring

program.

The project by the university’s National Research and

Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision is designed

to match students who are legally blind with successful

mentors in their career fields who also are blind.

Now in its third decade of service on the Starkville

campus, the center is the sole U.S. Department of

Education-funded program focused on employment

outcomes of persons with blindness or low vision.

Funded by a five-year National Institute on

Disability and Rehabilitation Research grant, the goal

of this latest project and several others is to improve

competitive employment outcomes and other success

indicators for individuals who are legally blind.

Specifically, center researchers will be working to

develop and evaluate new and existing employment

interventions and practices.

“Many students who are blind may have little to no work

experience, making it hard for them to find a job in an

already competitive job market,” said Jamie O’Mally, NRTC

assistant research professor.

The students currently participating in the program

work with a career mentor who is blind, receiving

assistance in career goal development, job placement

and job shadowing opportunities.

“Both mentors and students are in an amazing mix of

fields, which shows the variety of options individuals who

are blind are pursuing for careers,” O’Mally observed.

Participants are divided into either an intervention

group, in which they receive a mentor, or a comparison

group, whose members receive traditional career

resources. Each group participates for a year.

Each month, those in the intervention group are

required to complete three hours of face-to-face time

and a written report. They also receive a stipend that

may go toward expenses incurred when meeting with

the mentor. •

Mississippi State graduate student completing

her degree by distance learning is receiving the

Presidential Award for Excellence in

Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Anna Cole of Raceland, La., a master’s degree major in

interdisciplinary sciences, is among nearly 100 across the

United States being honored with the highest recognition

for teachers of mathematics and science. She also is receiving

a $10,000 cash award.

Additionally, the award includes travel to Washington,

D.C., where she and the other honorees will be recognized

formally, participate in various professional development

sessions, and meet with government policymakers.

Certified to teach chemistry and biology, the veteran

educator has more than two decades of classroom experience.

She leads beginning and advanced chemistry classes, along

with laboratory sections, at Central Lafourche High School.

Cole said she enrolled in MSU’s interdisciplinary

sciences graduate program to elevate her skills as a high

school chemistry teacher in her hometown. She learned

of the program through a colleague who successfully had

completed the program with an emphasis is geosciences.

During the coming school year, Cole also will teach

advanced placement and dual enrollment sections. This

will be the first year that A.P. classes are available at her

school. •

Grad student gets top u.s. honor for science teaching


The Mississippi Writing/Thinking Institute and Yazoo

County High School are being recognized for their

collaborative work with students and teachers.

The Mississippi Association of Partners in Education recently

honored a record 18 school-community partnership programs

during its 2012 Governor’s Awards luncheon. The institute and

high school received one of nine Partnership Excellence Awards.

The institute is a division of the Center for Educational

Partnerships at Mississippi State University.

Since 1984, MAPE has served as a statewide network

of educators and community partners working to provide

training and materials to help build local support for the

success of all students.

The Governor’s Award program recognizes creative, results-

oriented partnerships that emphasize student achievement in

reading, science and math, the arts, fitness and health, community

involvement, and

many other areas that

are vital to academic

enrichment.

During a three-year partnership, the institute’s reading and

writing instruction specialists trained Yazoo County High English

and language arts teachers, as well as instructed nearly 400

students annually. A parent literacy night and career fair also were

part of the program.

“Yazoo County School District believes that highly

trained, highly skilled teachers are at the heart of

student achievement,” said Superintendent Rebecca

Fisher. “During our partnership, MWTI has provided a

comprehensive, multilayered professional development

plan for improving reading and writing, and we are

seeing stronger readers and writers each year.” •

Vicki Rigby (from left) of Plantersville, Karen Ott-Mayer of Como, Gary Phillips of Iuka, and Bill Lyle of Amory consider community development issues impacting the fictitious YourTown, Mississippi during a group exercise.

Yazoo County High School and the MSU-based Mississippi Writing/Thinking Institute received a 2012 MAPE Board of Directors Partnership Excellence Award. At the ceremony were (l-r) Debbie Anglin, MAPE president; MWTI director Kim Patterson and associate director Cheryl Foster; and Angela Hudson, federal programs director, and superintendent Rebecca Fisher, both of the Yazoo County School District. Former governor William Winter presented the honor.

institute, YAzoo countY scHool SHARE EDUCATION PARTNER HONOR

Workshop helps officials with community developmentA

bout 20 municipalities around the

Magnolia State stand to benefit from

an economic development workshop

presented by a Mississippi State institute.

YourTown, Mississippi, an interactive

educational workshop, is administered by

the university’s John C. Stennis Institute of

Government and Community Development.

The program is designed to teach community

development methods using basic design and

planning principles.

In addition to the Stennis Institute,

the training is a collaboration among

the Appalachian Regional Commission,

Mississippi Development Authority,

Mississippi Main Street, and Mississippi Arts

Commission.

Through the program, local leaders engage

in efforts to better their respective towns.

Participants typically include

elected officials, chamber of

commerce representatives,

and business and other

community leaders interested

in maximizing economic

development opportunities.

Now in its third year, the workshop recently

was held at Lake Tiak O’Khata in Louisville.

Sessions covered topics such as arts and

culture, tourism, marketing and branding,

historic preservation, as well as design.

Participants also were given opportunities

to apply concepts to development plans for a

fictitious town called Your Town, Mississippi.

Joe Fratesi, the Stennis Institute’s community

development director, said participating

communities are encouraged to send more

than one person. Doing so helps form core

groups that can help facilitate planning

strategies and communicate with other local

leaders about concepts they learned.

“This year, we spent a lot of time discussing

how various topics such as planning, design,

historic preservation, arts and culture, and others

help communities create a unique sense of place,”

Fratesi said. •

12CampusNEWS

Summer/fallALUMNUS

30 SUMMER/FAll 2012


alternative vehicle

design team returns to

the Magnolia State as champions

after being named year-one

winners of EcoCAR2: Plugging

Into the Future.

The results were announced

during a ceremony in Los Angeles,

Calif., following six days of judged

competitions. In addition to the

overall first place finish, the team

brings home $13,000 in prize money

and five individual category awards:

Best Facilities Inspection, Best Final

Technical Report, Best Project

Initiation Approval Presentation,

Best Trade Show Evaluation, and

Best Controls Presentation. Team

member Rachel Wheeler won the

Women in Engineering Award.

“I spoke to our team members in

Los Angeles and congratulated them

on behalf of the entire Mississippi

State family,” MSU President Mark

E. Keenum said. “This national

recognition speaks volumes about

the capabilities of our students

and the quality of the instruction in

our Bagley College of Engineering.

We are excited for our team and for

the message this top finish sends

about the role Mississippi State

University is playing in developing

fuel-efficient, clean-energy

technology for the vehicles of the

future.”

A three-year competition,

EcoCAR2 asks 15 competitively

selected collegiate teams to

re-engineer a 2013 Chevrolet

Malibu to improve its efficiency

while maintaining safety and

consumer appeal. The first year of

competition focuses on computer-

based modeling and simulations,

which test the teams’ design ideas.

ecocAr 2 teAM eArns first plAce finisH in coMpetition

Mississippi State will administer

more than $1 million in federal

grant monies as part of a

national effort to bolster job creation in

rural areas.

The White House announced in August

that Mississippi State will receive the

maximum award of $1,065,000 as part of

the multi-agency Rural Jobs and Innovation

Accelerator Challenge.

Economic development partnerships and

initiatives in 12 states are receiving awards

from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s

Economic Development Administration, the

U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Delta

Regional Authority, and the Appalachian

Regional Commission.

“The focus is to create jobs in rural areas

of the country, so there is a strong focus

on support for entrepreneurs and growing

existing small businesses,” said Clayton

Walden, director of MSU’s Center for

Advanced Vehicular Systems Extension

Office based in Canton and the university’s

principal leader for the grant. He noted

that the project especially will focus on

increasing entrepreneurship with minority

and underrepresented groups.

Walden explained that MSU’s project will

focus on 61 counties that define the combined

More than $1 million awardedto university for rural job creation


Mississippi State’s design features

a series-parallel vehicle architecture.

This type of system allows the

vehicle’s engine to power the wheels

in a traditional sense, or to generate

battery power for all-electric

operation.

“Series-parallel architecture is

more efficient than traditional plug-

in hybrids,” explained Matthew

Doude, the team leader. “It will be

more challenging to implement than

our past designs, but we enjoy being

challenged.”

Doude said simulations indicate

that the team’s design will earn 81.4

mpg with a 57-mile all-electric range.

The team received its GM-

donated Malibu this summer

and will spend the next year

implementing its designs. During

the third and final year of the

competition, the team will refine

its vehicle to meet consumer

expectations and present it as a

production-ready prototype.

EcoCAR2 is the latest in a series

of automotive vehicle technology

competitions sponsored by General

Motors and the Department of

Energy. The Mississippi State team

was formed eight years ago for

ChallengeX, a four-year competition

that MSU ultimately won. Most

recently the team re-engineered an

SUV that earns more than 118 mpg

and won multiple awards during the

three-year EcoCAR competition.

This year’s Mississippi State

team consists of more than 80

undergraduate and graduate

students from 16 different majors.

It is led by faculty adviser Marshall

Molen. For more information about

Mississippi State’s EcoCAR2 team,

visit its website at www.msuecocar2.

com, follow MSStateEcoCAR2 on

Twitter or “like” Mississippi State

EcoCAR2 Team on Facebook. •

EcoCAR2: Plugging Into the Future has named Mississippi State University the competition’s year-one winner. The challenge included 15 universities across North America to reduce the environmental impact of a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu by minimizing the vehicle’s fuel consumption and reducing its emissions while retaining the vehicle’s performance, safety, and consumer appeal.

Delta and Appalachian regions of the Magnolia

State. Along with the CAVS Extension Office, the

university-based Southern Rural Development

Center, the National Strategic Planning and

Analysis Research Center, the Franklin Furniture

Institute, the Office of Entrepreneurship and

Technology Transfer, as well as the Department

of Agricultural Economics will support the

initiative. Mississippi Development Authority is

an additional partner.

The program targets the creation and

retention of more than 500 jobs, with an

accompanying economic development impact

of more than $30 million including private

investment, and cost savings.

“We have taken purposeful steps to make

innovation, entrepreneurship and community

engagement priorities on our campus. We

have been building that culture with students,

faculty and staff for a number of years,” said

David Shaw, Mississippi State’s vice president

for research and economic development.

“We believe that this work is the perfect

example of how major research universities can

positively impact rural economic development

in their states,” said Melvin Ray, associate

vice president for economic development at

Mississippi State. “We are working every day to

enhance opportunities in the local community,

our state and region-wide.” •

12CampusNEWS

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32 SUMMER/FAll 2012

What mysteries lie in

the depths of the

Gulf of Mexico?

The John C. Stennis Space Center

has revealed the hidden world live

and in high definition, thanks to a

long-standing partnership between

Mississippi State and National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration.

The university’s new Science and

Technology Center at the Hancock

County test facility is home to the

country’s now-seventh NOAA

Exploration Command Center. A

state-of-the-art communication hub,

it enables research scientists at sea and

colleagues on shore to simultaneously

view live video streams of the secret

undersea life.

The MSU-led Northern Gulf

Institute--a NOAA cooperative--

and the agency’s Office of Ocean

Exploration and Research are

coordinating the first use at Stennis

of this highly advanced technology.

Another key part of the effort is

the Okeanos Explorer, the NOAA

exploration flagship currently probing

the gulf floor.

Scientists from across the

region have been traveling to

Stennis to participate aboard

the only ship in the NOAA fleet

capable of utilizing

telepresence.

MSU’s High

Performance

Computing

Collaboratory and

NOAA’s National

Coastal Data

Development

Center, a division of

the agency’s National

Oceanographic Data

Center, provided

technical support

for the team effort that made the

command center possible.

“The MSU Science and Technology

Center at Stennis is the perfect place

to house the new NOAA Exploration

Command Center,” said Steve Ashby,

NGI associate director. “Stennis is

known for innovative research and

collaboration among its agencies.”

The idea behind NOAA Exploration

Command Centers began in 2003

when the agency’s Office of Ocean

Exploration and Research collaborated

with internationally known ocean

scientist and explorer Robert Ballard,

who first envisioned scientists

participating in ocean exploration

through “telepresence technology.”

The technology enables scientists

aboard vessels to be in constant

contact with others ashore

through a combination of high-

definition cameras and remotely

operated underwater vehicles.

The network includes an Internet-

enabled intercom system for voice

communication as the ship’s remotely

operated vehicles send a continuous

stream of live video and data.

“The key is that this method of

communication offers a unique,

real-time data exchange that enables

the shipboard science party to ‘reach

back’ to scientists on shore to take

advantage of a broader range of

expertise,” said Russell Beard, director

of NOAA’s National Coastal Data

Development Center. •

noAA explorAtion coMMAnD centeropens At Msu At stennis



yearbook, “Reveille”

is returning in print,

along with a digitized version

through MSU Libraries.

The photograph-heavy, student-

produced record of university life

was published first in 1898 and then

from 1906-2008, with the exception

of 1944, when the volume was

suspended to conserve paper for the

war effort.

Through considerable efforts of

the 2011-12 Student Association,

the latest edition has been printed

and was mailed over the summer to

individuals who pre-ordered a copy.

Through a subsidy grant from

the New York-based Alfred P. Sloan

Foundation, the university library

system also has joined with the Lyrasis

Mass Digitization Collaborative to

provide a digital version of both the

latest and all previous editions.

“The Reveille issues are being

digitized in reverse order, with the

first batch mostly complete,” said

Randall McMillen, coordinator of

MSU Libraries’ Digital Projects and

Access Unit.

The easily searchable volumes

will be freely available for partial or

complete download.

For updates on the digitization

process, interested MSU students,

staff, faculty, alumni, and others

should check the library website,

http://library.msstate.edu/. •

As it has for more than

a decade, Mississippi

State’s T.K. Martin

Center for Technology and

Disability is continuing a free

program for young children unlike

any other in the area.

Funded by the Mississippi

Department of Health, Project

Insuring Mississippi Parents’

And Children’s Tomorrows--or

IMPACT--provides assessments

of children from birth to age 3 and

interventions for children from

birth to age 5.

Each year, the university-based

services are provided for more

than 40 children who may have

delays in cognitive, language, social/

emotional, motor, and self-help

skills. The IMPACT team includes

three teachers, along with a speech

and language pathologist and

occupational therapist.

Parent and caregiver training

and support, occupational therapy,

speech and language therapy, and

special instruction all are offered in

the family-centered approach.

Center director Janie Cirlot-New

said the fact that both assessments

and interventions are provided in

one place makes Project IMPACT

unlike any other offered in the area.

The wide range of ages and disability

levels served also sets it apart from

other programs.

“Project IMPACT provides a

place where children can have all of

their needs met, instead of having

to go to multiple places,” Cirlot-

New said.

She regularly advises parents

that “the earlier intervention is

started, the better the outcomes,”

emphasizing that, “If parents see

their children seem to fall behind

their peers, let someone know.”

Cirlot-New also explained that

a play-based assessment is used

to tailor an individualized family

service plan or an individualized

education plan for a family’s and

child’s specific needs. Depending on

the needs, classroom activities are

tailored to help improve fine motor

skills, including coloring, cutting

and buttoning, as well as large

muscle functions, such as learning

to walk. •

Yearbook returns in print, online

iMpAct program continues free services for children

12CampusNEWS

Summer/fallALUMNUS

34 SUMMER/FAll 2012

Mississippi State is

serving as host to a

presidential library–

one of only five universities in the

nation to share such a distinction.

Ulysses S. Grant Association

President Frank J. Williams

formally announced the decision

of the organization’s board of

directors to designate the Ulysses S.

Grant Collection at MSU’s Mitchell

Memorial Library as the Ulysses S.

Grant Presidential Library.

The announcement came during

the association’s annual meeting in

May as part of the organization’s

50th anniversary observance.

MSU President Mark E. Keenum

recently received a letter from

Archivist of the United States

David S. Ferriero of the National

Archives congratulating the

university on the presidential

library designation. The National

Archives has responsibility for 13

presidential libraries across the

nation, including libraries affiliated

with the universities of Michigan

(Gerald R. Ford) and Texas

(Lyndon Johnson), as well as Texas

A & M (George H.W. Bush) and

Southern Methodist (George W.

Bush) universities.

“We are extremely grateful to

the Ulysses S. Grant Association

for entrusting Mississippi State

University with the long-term

responsibility for managing and

showcasing this treasure trove

of vital American history,” said

Keenum. “Our university feels a

deep bond with this organization

and a shared vision for what a

marvelous resource this collection

is and what it can and will become.”

Highlights of the USGA’s 50th

anniversary meeting included the

dedication and ribbon cutting for

the new Ulysses S. Grant Exhibit

Area on the first floor of Mitchell

Memorial Library and presentation

of the USGA’s prestigious John Y.

Simon Award.

The Simon Award honors the

late scholar and longtime USGA

executive director by recognizing

significant achievement in

advancing “historical knowledge

about General-President Ulysses S.

Grant.”

Since 2008, Mitchell Memorial

Library has been the repository

of correspondence, photographs,

books, memorabilia, and other

documents related to the military

career and presidency of America’s

18th president.

The Grant Presidential

Collection consists of some 15,000

linear feet of correspondence,

Msu joins exclusive list as presidential library host

MSU now has the distinction of being one of only five universities nationwide to host a presidential library.


Mississippi State’s College

of Business is receiving

an additional $650,000

grant to leverage university resources

for economic development.

The award from the federal

Economic Development

Administration will enable the

university to continue housing a

University Center, an entity designed

as a resource for entrepreneurs in

rural areas. This grant comes on the

heels of an additional $1,065,000

awarded to MSU and announced

by the White House last week to

stimulate jobs in the rural Delta and

Appalachian counties.

“This EDA grant will further

enable MSU’s College of Business

to have a real, measurable impact

on creating jobs and opportunities

for Mississippi businesses and

communities,” said Jeffrey Rupp,

director of outreach for MSU’s

College of Business.

The University Center will

partner with the Venture Incubator,

a non-profit organization in Jackson,

to meet entrepreneurial needs by

taking training to people in rural

areas rather than requiring them to

come to the campus to benefit from

university resources.

Local people will be used in

each community to engage others

in the training programs, which

include mentoring and assisting

entrepreneurs as they consider

business opportunities, make

plans for successful business

plans, and weigh risks and other

factors that may affect their

outcomes.

Drew St. John, chief executive

officer of New South Mats in

Madison, said his company was

fortunate to tap into a valuable

resource as part of the program.

Recently named by Inc. magazine

as one of the 500 fastest growing

companies, New South manufactures

mats for heavy equipment which

minimize environmental effects of

operation. •

Additional grant equips Msu to reach rural entrepreneurs

research notes, artifacts,

photographs, scrapbooks, and

memorabilia and includes

information on Grant’s childhood

from his birth in 1822, his

later military career, Civil War

triumphs, tenure as commanding

general after the war, presidency,

and his post-White House years

until his death in 1885. There are

also 4,000 published monographs

on various aspects of Grant’s life

and times.

Through a 2008 agreement with

the Ulysses S. Grant Association,

the MSU Libraries became the

official host of the Grant papers.

John Marszalek, a nationally

recognized Civil War scholar and

MSU Giles Distinguished Professor

Emeritus, was named its executive

director and managing editor.

Marszalek continued a 46-year-

old project begun by the late John Y.

Simon, another nationally renowned

scholar who died in 2008.

Marszalek said MSU now

becomes one of only a few U.S.

institutions to house a collection of

presidential papers.

“Mississippi State is now the

premier source of materials for

research about a seminal figure in

the nation’s history,” he noted. “This

is a remarkable accomplishment for

our institution.” •

Msu joins exclusive list as presidential library host

Mark E. Keenum, MSU president, said the university feels a deep bond with the Ulysses S. Grant Association for entrusting the institution with this vital part of American history.

12AlumniNEWS

sUMMER/FALL

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36 SUMMER/FAll 2012

This spring, the 2012 senior

class partnered with the

MSU Alumni Association

to restore a time-honored landmark

on campus. The Bull Ring, which

once served as a gathering place

for students on campus, will be

reconstructed between Colvard

Student Union and the YMCA

building.

With a lead gift of $25,000,

the Alumni Association is a

major sponsor of this campus

beautification project.

“We are so happy to partner

with the senior class to bring the

historical campus landmark back to

our students, alumni and friends,”

said Jimmy Abraham, associate

vice president for development and

alumni and executive director of the

MSU Alumni Association.

The class of 1922 made the first

senior gift to MSU. Students raised

$2,000 to build two gateway arches at

the entrance of campus on University

Drive. One still stands today across

from the Hunter Henry Center.

“It is vitally important for students

to support their respective class

gift projects. It affords them the

opportunity to leave a permanent

mark on their university just as we

were charged to do by the class of

1922. We are so excited to be able to

revitalize the class gift program this

year to help restore a great piece of

Mississippi State history,” said Rhett

Hobart, 2011-12 Student Association

president.

It is not too late to make a gift to

the Bull Ring project. Several giving

opportunities are available, honoring

the past mascots of the university.

Gifts of $250 will be honored at the

Aggie Level, $500 is the Maroon

Level, and $1,000 is the Bulldog level.

Students also have the

opportunity to donate $50 and

receive a personalized engraved

brick that will pave the surrounding

area of the Bull Ring structure.

A smaller gift of $20.12 can be

made in honor of the 2012 senior

class. There is no permanent gift

recognition for this level.

Alumni, parents, faculty and

staff are encouraged to support the

Bull Ring project as well. For more

information, contact the Student

Association at 662-325-2930 or

Barbie Hampel at 662-325-5975. •

The new Bull Ring will be reconstructed close to its original spot near Colvard Student Union.

Alumni Association helps revitalize senior gift campaign


Summertime provides the

perfect atmosphere for

gathering family and friends.

The MSU Alumni Association and

several of its chapters have a long

tradition of hosting summer picnics

that not only bring together Bulldogs of

all ages, but also celebrate our beloved

home state of Mississippi.

On June 9, the annual Mississippi

in the Park was held in New York City.

The picnic took place at the Central

Park Bandshell on 5th Avenue and

72nd Street. MSU alumni and friends

joined Mississippians from other

universities and organizations for an

afternoon of fun and excitement.

Grady Champion, a native

Mississippi bluesman, provided

musical entertainment for the crowd,

along with The New York City

Slickers, which includes two home

state musicians, Faser and Annie

Chadwick Hardin.

The Mississippi Society of

Washington D.C., hosted its annual

picnic on the National Mall on June

23. This was the 22nd year of the event,

and it included live music, a catfish

dinner and lots of Southern hospitality.

The Greater Atlanta Chapter also

participated in Mississippi in the Park

on June 30. Held in Chastain Park

in Atlanta’s Buckhead district, the

event featured live music from The

Shufflejunkies and Chick Willis.

For more on all of MSU’s

alumni chapters and events in your

area, visit alumni.msstate.edu/

chapters. Pictures of these events

can be found on the MSU Alumni

Association Facebook page. •

The Alumni Association hosted

reunions for the classes of

1942, 1947, 1952, 1957 and

1962 in March. Alumni from 17 states

gathered on campus to fellowship with

fellow classmates and friends at an open

house, campus tours, a group breakfast,

as well as a grand luncheon.

“Class reunions are a wonderful

opportunity for us to welcome our

alumni back “home,” said Jimmy

Abraham, executive director of the

Alumni Association and associate


alumni. “We enjoy this special time

each year reminiscing and reliving

many wonderful maroon and white

memories.”

Next year, the association will host

reunions for the classes of 1943, 1948,

1953, 1958 and 1963. For more details,

stay tuned to alumni.msstate.edu/

reunions.

View photos of the 2012 class

reunions on our Facebook page. •

Chapters host summer picnics

clAsses GAtHer for 2012 reunions

Left to right: Claude R. "Bob" Horton, '62, Marilyn Horton, Christiane Merrell, Robert H. Merrell, '62, Gus Colvin, '62, Chris Colvin

12AlumniNEWS

sUMMER/FALL

ALUMNUS

38 SUMMER/FAll 2012

Meghan J. Millea and

Sandra D. Eksioglu have

both been chosen as

recipients of faculty awards from the

Mississippi State University Alumni

Association for 2012.

Millea was honored with the

Excellence in Undergraduate

Teaching Award. An associate

professor in the College of Business,

Millea received her bachelor’s degree

from Western Kentucky University

in 1992. After earning her doctorate

from the University of Nebraska-

Lincoln in 1998, she joined the MSU

faculty in the Department of Finance

and Economics.

Millea is loved and revered by her

students and colleagues for her innate

ability to teach. She uses a variety of

techniques to benefit her students,

such as using in-class resources as

varied as the Wall Street Journal or

videos on YouTube. She also uses

her expertise and sense of humor to

help students understand difficult

economic graphs and figures.

“Dr. Millea’s fervor for teaching is

truly phenomenal,” said Dr. Jimmy

Abraham, associate vice president

for development and alumni and

executive director of the MSU Alumni

Association. “The tactics she uses to

teach her students show how much

she really cares about them and their

opportunity to learn.”

Eksioglu received the Outstanding

Graduate Student Mentor Award.

She received her doctoral degree in

industrial and systems engineering

from the University of Florida in 2002.

She started working at Mississippi

State in 2005, and is an assistant

professor in the James Worth Bagley

College of Engineering.

Eksioglu has been a mentor to

many students over the years, who

fondly refer to her as “Dr. Sandra.”

Her students receive the benefit of

her personal experience in their

research work. Eksioglu’s mentorship

does not stop at the classroom, as she

often stays in contact with students

about additional opportunities for

research and funding. Her honesty

also helps students with their

research because she helps identify

their best skills and areas where they

need improvement.

“Dr. Eksioglu’s has a special skill

for working with students that is not

often seen in professors,” Abraham

said. “The fact that she has positively

affected so many students is excellent

proof of her great ability to be a

mentor.” •

Dr. Jimmy Abraham presents Drs. Meghan Millea (right) and Sandra Eksioglu (left) with a 2012 faculty award.

Millea and eksioglu chosen for alumni faculty awards


The MSU Alumni

Association welcomed the

newest members to the

Bulldog alumni family at a special

event in April. Adding to the more

124,000 living alumni, nearly 1,000

students attended the event held in

the Hunter Henry Center.

The annual Senior Celebration, co-

sponsored by the Division of Student

Affairs and the Student Association,

included crawfish, MSU ice cream,

and lots of fun.

“Each year we look forward to

celebrating graduation by hosting

Senior Celebration for our students,”

stated Jimmy Abraham, associate



MSU Alumni Association. “Despite

a rainy day, we had a good turnout

and everyone seemed to enjoy the

event.”

Commencement for the 2012

class was held on May 11 and 12 at

Humphrey Coliseum. The university

graduated nearly 2,500 individuals.

For photos of the Senior

Celebration, visit our album on

Facebook. •

In May, Bulldog faithful visited with

members from Mississippi State University

Athletics and the Alumni Association

during the 2012 Our State Tour presented by

BancorpSouth. The tour made its first stop in

Hattiesburg on May 21, and continued on to

Biloxi, Meridian, Olive Branch and Greenwood

later that week.

Director of athletics Scott Stricklin, head

football coach Dan Mullen, men’s basketball

coach Rick Ray, and women’s basketball coach

Vic Schaefer attended each event, along with

other university representatives from alumni

and athletics.

“The Our State Tour was a tremendous success,”

said Jimmy Abraham, associate vice president for

development and alumni and executive director of

the MSU Alumni Association. “We have had a great

turnout for each of our events, and our alumni and

friends continue to show overwhelming support

for MSU.”

Continuing in June, the tour made its way to

Birmingham, Ala., Tupelo and Houston, Texas.

The tour culminated July 19 in Jackson at the

Central Mississippi Summer Extravaganza. Fans

were able to meet with coaches and players for

autograph sessions, and visit with vendors from

the university and local businesses.

The 2012 Our State Tour, a revamped

version of the Road Dawgs tour, included

videos highlighting the university and athletic

department. Photos of the event can be seen on

the alumni Facebook page at www.facebook.

com/msstatealumni. •

UNIVERSITy CElEBRATES gRADUATINg BUllDOgS

new ‘our state Tour’ a success

Top: Alumni and friends packed the Biloxi Yacht Club to hear from MSU representatives on the first day of the Our State Tour.

Bottom: Over 280 people attended the tour stop in Greenwood, held at the Leflore County Civic Center.

12AlumniNEWS

sUMMER/FALL

ALUMNUS

40 SUMMER/FAll 2012

Mississippi State University

has more than 3,000

individuals who provide

professional and support staff services

within the various departments,

colleges and administrative offices.

In May, the university honored these

hard working individuals at the Staff

Appreciation Day in the Junction.

The “Luncheon in the Junction”

provided all university staff members

with lunch, games, a photo booth and

live entertainment. The

Office of the President,

university vice

presidents, the Alumni

Association and the Professional

and Support Staff Advisory Council

sponsored the annual event.

“The hard-working and dedicated

staff members at Mississippi State

do so much for our university”



alumni and executive director of

the MSU Alumni Association. “The

Alumni Association is proud to be

one of the sponsors for this event

each year.”

Mississippi State is grateful for

the service of all of its dedicated staff

members who make it such a great

university. •

In March, the Alumni Association

hosted a special reunion day for

all former national presidents.

Twenty-five alumni past leaders, along

with guests and spouses, attended this

special event.

“Our national presidents, past

and present, do so much of our

Alumni Association and university,”




MSU Alumni Association. “This was

a day when we could come together

and celebrate the friendships forged

through the years, and honor these

men and women for their tireless

efforts for the Bulldog family.”

The group enjoyed guest

speakers from the university and

a luncheon at the Hunter Henry

Center. Speakers included Student

Association President Rhett Hobart,

athletic department representatives

and university vice presidents. In

addition, MSU President Mark E.

Keenum hosted a reception for all

attendees at his home.

All former national presidents were

honored before the baseball game versus

Lipscomb. Representing the group as

the former president with the earliest

tenure, Tommy Everett, 1973 national

president, threw out the first pitch.

The Alumni Association thanks

each of our former national presidents

and all of our board members and

chapter officers for the invaluable

service they offer to Mississippi State

University. •

MSU STAFFhonored at event

Former national presidents reunite in March


Jerry L. Toney, 2011-12

national president of the MSU

Alumni Association, shares

his thoughts on his year of service.

Dear fellow alumni,As I write this letter, my year of

service as your national alumni

president has drawn to an end. I

want to say what an honor and

privilege it was to serve as your

92nd president and to represent this

great institution. It has been such

a rewarding opportunity to attend

numerous alumni and university

events and to experience the passion

and excitement that is shared by our

alumni and friends.

I would like to thank Dr. Jimmy

Abraham and the staff of the

Alumni Association, not only for

their support, but also for their hard

work and dedication. As I’ve said

on so many occasions, we could

not have a better executive director

of the Alumni Association than we

do in Dr. Abraham. During this

past year, under the direction of Dr.

Abraham, the Alumni Association

hosted 643 events. We not only saw

our membership grow to a record

number, but we also welcomed

Tuscaloosa, Ala., as our 93rd chapter.

I am excited about the growth of the

Alumni Association and the direction

that it is headed.

If you are not currently involved

with a local chapter, I challenge you

to consider becoming involved.

Our chapters now cover 13 states,

and we have an international

chapter in South Korea. Chapter

involvement is not only a great way

to meet and visit other Bulldogs

in your area, but it’s also another

way you can give back to your

university. I also challenge you to

support the Alumni Association

by becoming an active member.

You can do this by making

a contribution to the MSU

Foundation or the Bulldog Club.

This past year, your Alumni

Association partnered with the

Student Association to bring the

Bull Ring back to campus. This

integral piece of MSU history will be

placed in front of Colvard Student

Union for future generations of

MSU students, alumni and friends

to enjoy. We are proud of the strong

relationship that exists between our

Student Association and the Alumni

Association.

I have been encouraged to

see firsthand the strength of

the relationship that also exists

between the university and the

Alumni Association. I would like

to thank Dr. Keenum and his staff

for recognizing the importance of a

strong Alumni Association and its

impact on our university. We can

all be proud of the leadership team

that is guiding Mississippi State

University going forward.

I am very pleased that Camille

Scales Young succeeded me as your

93rd national alumni president.

Camille is “true maroon,” and her

dedication and love of MSU has been

evident during her years of service in

the Central Mississippi Chapter and

the national alumni board. Camille

will do an outstanding job.

I thank you again for the

opportunity to serve our university

in this capacity. We can be very

optimistic about the future of

our university and our Alumni

Association. We have excellent

university administrators, students,

faculty, staff, and especially alumni.

Go Dawgs!

Jerry L. Toney, ’96

2011-2012 National President

MSU Alumni Association •

a leTTer FroM your 2011-2012naTional aluMni presidenT

12AlumniNEWS

sUMMER/FALL

ALUMNUS

42 SUMMER/FAll 2012

In fall 2011, the MSU Alumni

Association conducted an

online survey to gauge the

attitude, opinions and perception

of its 124,000 alumni worldwide.

Titled MSYOU, the survey covered

topics in the areas of the overall

student experience, alumni relations

and university communications.

Survey results were compared

to 84 universities and colleges

around the nation for an overall

school average. Similar institutions

such as Auburn, Clemson, Florida,

Georgia, and Southern Mississippi

were also selected as comparable

universities for a more detailed

result. Responses were also evaluated

by demographics on the basis of age,

gender, highest degree earned, and

state of residency, among others.

Of the topics covered, the value

of an MSU degree ranked as a

top priority. Ninety percent of

respondents stated that the value and

respect for their degree earned in the

marketplace greatly affected their

opinion of the university.

Communication from the

university to alumni is another

priority area derived. Most

respondents agreed that university

communications meet expectations,

and feel that more information

about alumni services, benefits and

events is welcomed.

Nearly 80 percent of all

respondents rated their choice to

attend MSU as a “great decision.”

The survey showed that the vast

majority of alumni have a positive

view of both their academic and

alumni experiences. They also feel

that MSU adequately prepared them

for a career in their field of study.

Complete results from the MSYOU

survey can be viewed online at www.

alumni.msstate.edu/msyou. •

New members of the

Mississippi State University

Alumni Association’s

national board of directors are

beginning one-year terms after being

appointed in February.

Officially taking office July 1, the

team includes Camille Scales Young

of Madison, president; Tommy

R. Roberson of Memphis, Tenn.,

first vice president; Ron E. Black of

Meridian, second vice president; and

Jodi White Turner of Montgomery,

Ala., will continue her role as

treasurer. Jerry L. Toney, of Starkville,

continues on the board as immediate

former national president.

“For 127 years, the leaders of our

Alumni Association have worked

tirelessly to promote and help

Mississippi State University in whatever

way possible,” said Jimmy Abraham,

the association’s executive director.

“These newly elected officers will

continue that tradition and will do an

outstanding job leading our association

and representing our alumni.”

Young, a 1994 communication

management graduate who also

earned a masters degree in agriculture

and extension education in 1996, is vice

president of Cornerstone Government

Affairs in Jackson. She was a member

of the Central Mississippi Chapter

board of directors, and has served

on various committees including the

Evening in Maroon, Young Alumni

and Central Mississippi Tennis

Tournament. She has served as

national first and second vice president.

“I am looking forward to meeting

MSU alumni from around the

MSyOU SURVEy RESUlTS RElEASED

new national alumni officers named


world and sharing our love of MSU,”

stated Young. “I hope to encourage

younger alumni to support our Alumni

Association and the university’s

continued efforts to produce graduates

who are making a positive difference in

our state, country and world.”

Joining Young are four fellow alumni.

Roberson, a 1967 political science and

history graduate, is retired from Kraft

Foods after 34 years of service. He has

served the Memphis Maroon Club as

the former president, vice president and

membership officer, and has served on

the executive committee of the board of

directors for three years, most recently in

the role of national second vice president.

Black, a 1980 marketing graduate,

is director of human resources for

Southern Pipe & Supply Company

Inc. Ron has served as South 1 Region

director on the national board of

directors for the past three years, and

has served on the executive committee

for two years. He has been active

in the Lauderdale County Alumni

Association.

Turner received a bachelor’s degree

in accounting in 1997 and a master’s

degree in business administration

in 1999, both from Mississippi State.

She serves as chief financial officer for

PrimeSouth Bank in Tallassee.

Toney is a 1996 business graduate

with a degree in real estate, mortgage

finance and economics. He is a

Certified Financial Planner and vice

president of Cadence Bank in Starkville.

He has served as president of the

Oktibbeha County alumni chapter.

The Alumni Association was

founded June 17, 1885, by the first

three graduating classes of what then

was Mississippi Agricultural and

Mechanical College. A full-service

organization, it now includes 93

chapters and has more than 124,000

alumni worldwide. For more, visit

alumni.msstate.edu. •

National officers of the Mississippi State University Alumni Association include (l-r) Jerry L. Toney, immediate former national president, Jodi White Turner, treasurer, Camille Scales Young, president, Tommy R. Roberson, first vice president, and Ron E. Black, second vice president.

12AlumniNEWS

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44 SUMMER/FAll 2012

July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013

National President *Camille Scales Young, ’94, ’96

National First Vice President *Thomas R. “Tommy” Roberson, ’67

National Second Vice President *Ronald E. “Ron” Black, ’80

National Treasurer *Jodi White Turner, ’97, ’99

Immediate Former National President *Jerry L. Toney, ’96

North 1 Region Director David Randall “Randy” Allen, ’87

North 2 Region Director Cheryl W. Thurmond, ’81

North 3 Region Director Trina M. Dendy, ’93, ’00

Young Director Northern Region Audrey T. “Taneka” Milliner, ’07

Central 1 Region Director Lea Margaret M. Hamilton, ’90

Central 2 Region Director Andrew C. Frank, ’91

Central 3 Region Director H. Riley Nelson, ’99, ’01

Young Director Central Region John Paul “J.P.” Walker, ’05

South 2 Region Director *Christie D. Walters, ’98

South 3 Region Director Christine E. Cuicchi, ’94, ’99

Young Director Southern Region Mr. Jeffery M. “Jeff” Ellis, ’06

Out-Of-State Directors Courtney A. Jones, ’02, ’06 Edward A. Sanders, ’06 *Daniel E. “Danny” Hossley, ’65

At-Large DirectorsDavid T. Cozart, ’86 Jonathan J. Lee, ’00, ’02 Kieu-Anh Tran, ’96

Atlanta, GA Chapter Director Susan B. Yeosock, ’89

Birmingham, AL Chapter Director Matthew B. “Matt” Frederiksen, ’00

Central Mississippi Chapter Directors Thomas R. “Tommy” Byrd, ’81Steven A. “Steve” Corbitt, ’76 Angela W. Dallas, ’82 John K. Pitts, ’04 *Bradley M. “Brad” Reeves, ’02

Desoto County Chapter Director Hillary Phillips Jordan, ’03

Harrison-Stone Chapter Director Janice R. Nichols, ’88

Houston, TX Chapter Director Jon D. Sanders, ’93, ’94

Huntsville-Decatur, AL Chapter Director James D. “Jim” Pepper, Jr., ’69, ’91

Jackson County Chapter Director John “Carl” Weihing, ’70

Lauderdale County Chapter Director William T. “Will” Carpenter, Iii, ’00, ’02

Lee County Chapter Directors Kimberly C. “Kim” Fandel, ’87, ’94 William H. “Beau” Lacey, ’69, ’72

Leflore-Carroll Chapter Director Paige H. Hunt, ’00, ’06

Lowndes County Chapter Director William T. “Will” Cooper, ’90

Memphis, TN Chapter Directors Paul R. Hopkins, ’91 Stephen R. Woo, ’94, ’95

Nashville, TN Chapter Director Sarah R. McDonnell, ’03

Oktibbeha County Chapter Directors Donna B. Rupp, ’93 Daniel J. “Jason” Ryder, ’00

Southeast Mississippi Chapter Director Lori B. Perkins, ’93

Warren County Chapter Director Thomas P. “Tom” Kendall, ’89

Washington County Chapter Director Charles “Parker” England, ’01, ’02

President, Student Association Shelby C. Balius

President, Holland Faculty Senate Meghan J. Millea

Chair, Staff Council Marshall C. “Cade” Smith, ’02

President, MSU Foundation James J. “Jim” Rouse, ’62

President, Bulldog Club Beth C. Clay, ’67

Associate Vice President, Development and Alumni, and Executive Director, MSU Alumni Association (Ex Officio) *Jimmy W. Abraham, ’75, ’77 •

* Indicates members of the executive committee for 2012-13

Msu aluMni associaTion naTional Board oF direcTors

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Davis K. Mortensen believes trees and wildlife are among Earth’s

greatest natural resources. He also understands the importance of

responsible timber management and conservation efforts, and the

necessity of educating the students of Mississippi State University to be good

stewards of their environment.

Mortensen, a longtime MSU contributor and Mississippi native, has

decided to further his investment in the university’s students by enabling

MSU to acquire a 352-acre tract of timberland near Camp Shelby military

base as one of its Bulldog Forest properties.

Mortensen retired in 1997 as executive vice president for building

products with Georgia-Pacific Corp., which included responsibility

for 5.6 million acres of company-owned timberland. A 1956 industrial

management graduate, he served 35 years with the company and credits his

MSU degree with much of his success.

“I attended MSU on the G.I. Bill and had it not been for that, I would

have been unable to attend college due to the cost. Giving back so that

students have a means to pursue a college education is very important to

me,” said Mortensen who resides in Greensboro, Ga.

Through the years, Mortensen and his wife, Ann, have supported MSU

in a number of ways including establishing scholarships in the academic

disciplines of business and forest resources.

The couple’s most recent gift establishes The Davis and Ann Mortensen

Forest, which will be managed by the university’s College of Forest

Resources. The college will utilize it for teaching, research and timber sales.

When the property adjoining Camp Shelby became available, Mortensen

realized that he could provide an asset to the university while helping restore

the pristine longleaf pine forest of long ago at a familiar and special location.

Mortensen has fond memories of the time he spent on the

Camp Shelby base. He completed basic training there as a member

of the Mississippi National Guard 631st Field Artillery Battalion

headquartered in Hattiesburg. A native of nearby Moss Point, he served

two years in the Army prior to attending community college and later

enrolling at Mississippi State.

The property will be a unique acquisition for Mississippi State

because of its classification as an Army Compatible Use Buffer.

Under the ACUB program, the U.S. Department of Defense partners

with non-federal programs or private organizations to establish

buffers around military installations. These buffers proactively limit

encroachment while allowing Camp Shelby to maximize the land

inside the installation to support its mission.

“This effort is a partnership between Davis Mortensen, The Nature

Conservancy, the National Guard Bureau, Camp Shelby and MSU,” said

George Hopper, dean of the College of Forest Resources. “It is a unique

property to have in the Bulldog Forest, and we are delighted to have this

opportunity to work with these organizations in restoring longleaf pine.”

The Nature Conservancy will hold a working conservation easement

on the Mortensen Forest, which allows for agricultural uses such as timber

production and harvest. Under the terms of the easement, much of the

timber will be managed according to a plan that promotes native longleaf

pine savanna and habitat suitable for threatened or endangered wildlife

species dependent on this type of ecosystem. These include the gopher

tortoise, red-cockaded woodpecker, and black pine snake. Other species,

including bobwhite quail, ground-nesting birds, turkey and white-tailed

deer, also inhabit the longleaf pine ecosystem.

Over time, portions of the land will be restored to the longleaf pine

native to the area. Future proceeds from the harvest of the timber and other

revenue from the property will fund MSU scholarships.

Mississippi State currently has over 18,000 acres in the Bulldog Forest

program. Proceeds generated from Bulldog Forest properties may be used

to assist any college or area on campus.

Individuals interested in MSU’s Bulldog Forest program should contact

Jeff Little, director of development for the College of Forest Resources, at

[email protected] or 662-325-8151. •

DSC_9174.tif

DSC_9180.tif

DSC_9184.tif

DSC_9179.tif

DSC_9183.tif

Davis K. Mortensen is furthering his investment in the university's students by enabling MSU to acquire a tract of timberland as one of its Bulldog Forest properties.


Mortensen Forest gift benefits students and promotes conservation

12FoundationNEWS

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46 SUMMER/FAll 2012

When Mississippi

State launched

StatePride: An

Initiative for Students and Faculty more

than three years ago, the university

began necessary steps to prepare for

anticipated record enrollment growth.

With gifts through the initiative, MSU

has been able to provide many students

with much-needed scholarships

and also fund vital development

opportunities for faculty.

Since the start of the initiative,

launched with MSU President Mark

E. Keenum’s investiture in 2009,

university enrollment has increased at

a steady rate from 18,600 students to

more than 20,400 students. This fall’s

expected headcount should see that

number further climb.

The StatePride initiative is allowing

MSU to help address the need in

Mississippi for more college graduates

in our work force, and for the need

to better train faculty to instruct

those students as they move toward

graduation, Keenum said.

Mississippi State is making great

strides as the state’s leading university.

Over the past three years, MSU has

proudly awarded almost 11,500

bachelor’s and graduate degrees–

more than any other state university.

The university’s most recent six-year

graduate rate is 60 percent. Another

impressive statistic is the freshman-

to-sophomore retention rate,

which at 83 percent is the highest

rate among Institutions of Higher

Learning universities.

As of July, StatePride had attracted

more than $98 million as it moves

toward its $100 million goal. Primary

needs of StatePride continue to

revolve around scholarships and

endowed positions.

Thus far in the initiative, nearly 200

endowments have been established for

scholarships, and many new annual

scholarships are now in place university-

wide. Another result of StatePride

has been the creation of 17 endowed

positions in the form of chairs and

professorships. This brings the total of

endowed positions at the university to

53, with an additional 12 committed.

Fundraising efforts for StatePride

remain in full swing, and alumni and

friends may contribute or increase

an existing commitment. For more

on the initiative, visit the MSU

Foundation online at

www.msufoundation.com. •

StatePride aPProacheS goal, conTinues To iMpacT Msu


Holder with his inaugural scholarship recipient Steven Morgan T

he best advice alumnus

Charles B. Holder Jr. can

give future recipients of a

Mississippi State scholarship named

in his honor is to select a career you

believe you can enjoy and excel in

for the rest of your life.

Growing up in the small

Mississippi town of Louin, Holder

was always building castles in the

air and daydreaming about what

he wanted to do with his life. The

dreams he had of becoming an

engineer, and his fascination with

the industry, is as strong today as it

was then.

Seventy-three year-old Holder

is an MSU graduate with an

inspirational success story. During

his younger days, he faced great

financial hardship. The son of a

homemaker and a railroad worker,

he lost his mother at age 12, and his

father the following year.

Since Holder’s dad worked for

Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad as

a depot agent, he and his younger

sister, Charlene, received $50 each in

monthly survivor benefits. Holder

took on odd jobs and hauled lumber

for a groundhog saw mill to earn his

way, while his sister went to live with

relatives in Laurel.

Holder graduated from Louin

High School and continued his

education at Jones County Junior

College in Ellisville by way of a

basketball scholarship. He married

his lifelong sweetheart, the former

Joyce “Jo” Warren, during his

sophomore year at Jones while she

was attending cosmetology school.

The couple made their way

to Mississippi State University,

where he enrolled as a liberal arts

student because he lacked certain

coursework. To compensate for this,

he attended a night class at Starkville

High School and obtained entry into

MSU’s engineering college. Jo helped

her husband through MSU by

working at the campus laundry until

he earned a degree in mechanical

engineering in 1961.

The couple was married for 54

years until her death in 2011. They

had four boys, Charles III, Jamie,

Jeffrey and Rory, who are all active in

the family business.

As a father and an

entrepreneur, Holder relies on his

faith, promotes lifelong learning,

and believes a solid college

education enriches lives. He has

lived his life by making sound

decisions, both personally and

professionally.

Scholarship honors holder’s desire for lifelong learning

12FoundationNEWS

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When Holder speaks with

students, he shares his personal

testimony and encourages them to

follow career paths that will allow

them to achieve their ambitions, not

just their financial goals.

Holder enjoys recounting how

he entered the workforce following

graduation from MSU. He was

offered 10 positions with well-

known companies from Boeing

Aircraft to Gulf Oil. He settled on

one in particular – a position with

Tennessee River Pulp and Paper Co.

“Although the position with

the pulp and paper company paid

the least and was probably less

exciting than the others, I knew

it was the perfect fit for me and

that is why I was successful in that

position,” he said.

Holder has never regretted the

decision, and takes every opportunity

to stress the lessons he learned.

“I have a desire to help students

obtain the tools necessary for them

to have a good life and become

stable, sound citizens. The right kind

of spiritual life is also important,”

Holder said.

One student Holder looks

forward to inspiring is Steven

Morgan, the inaugural recipient of

the scholarship named for him.

A sophomore from Laurel,

Morgan will receive the Charles

Holder Endowed Scholarship

for the 2012-13 academic year.

Recipients of the scholarship must

be full-time students enrolled in

either the James Worth Bagley

College of Engineering, majoring

in mechanical engineering, or the

College of Education, majoring in

industrial technology.

“I feel very honored to receive

the Charles Holder Scholarship.

Mr. Holder is a great example of

dedication and hard work, and

his passion for excellence is an

inspiration to all,” said Morgan.

Holder can definitely share advice

of how to succeed in the engineering

business with Morgan, and also

about the benefits of remaining in

Mississippi.

After working with Tennessee

River Pulp and Paper Co., Holder

returned to Mississippi and worked

for Neco Eletrical Products Corp. in

Bay Springs. While employed with

Neco, he opened a small machine

and welding shop with partner

A.T. Land in 1963. They began the

venture in a livestock sale barn.

Six years later, Holder left Neco

and devoted his energies to the

partnership business, which became

Southern Welding and Machine Co.

He purchased his partner’s interest,

and formed Hol-Mac Corp. in 1969.

Today the successful Hol-Mac

Corp. employs over 600 people

throughout central Mississippi.

Hol-Mac has four manufacturing

facilities with three in Bay Springs,

and one in Winona. The company

has over 40 years in steel fabrication

and value added services.

Hol-Mac has been cited with

numerous awards, including

recognition as one of Mississippi’s

Fastest Growing Companies by

the Mississippi Business Journal in

2005 and as one of the Best Places to

Work in Mississippi in 2011.

Holder, who believes the

learning process never ends,

remains active in Hol-Mac’s day-

to-day operations. He spends

the majority of his time training

machinists at the company’s

research and development facility.

He has no plans to stop building

castles in the air anytime soon.

Thanks to the scholarship that bears

his name, future MSU students will

also have the opportunity to pursue

their dreams. •

“I have a desire to help students obtain the tools necessary for them to have a good life and become stable, sound citizens. The right kind of spiritual life is also

important.” – Charles B. Holder Jr.


’50 JEan gaRRETSon

of Leakesville, an artist and retired

school teacher, has illustrated a

children’s book entitled Mutton

Bustin.

lEon STandifER,a World War II veteran of the

European Theater, recently

received the French Legion of

Honor Medal aboard the French

frigate FS Germinal during Navy

Week in New Orleans, La.

’59 Edwin SCoTT BaRland

of Marietta, Ga., has received the

Federal Aviation Administration’s

highest recognition for pilots, the

FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot

Award.

’60 davE MoREaU was honored by the North

Carolina Environmental

Management Commission and

the North Carolina Department

of Environment and Natural

Resources by creating the Dr.

David H. Moreau Environmental

Stewardship Award.

EllEn wEaThERly(M.S. ’63) of Starkville has written

a book, The Captain and his Lady,

about the lives of her parents,

George N. Randolph and Ruth

Morrison Randolph. George

Randolph was an instructor at

MSU in the 1950s who painted

portraits of prominent MSU

figures that still hang in university

buildings today. The Captain and

his Lady is available online at

Amazon.com and through Barnes

& Noble.

’65 dEnniS S. noRdin

(Ph.D. ’69) of Starkville, a former

adjunct faculty member at

Mississippi State, is the author of

From Edward Brooke to Barack

Obama, a history of biracial

elections in the United States. He

also is the author of five other

books.

’67 JERRy wilSon

of Columbus, former president

of BankFirst Financial Services in

Macon, has been chosen by Gov.

Phil Bryant to become the state’s

next banking commissioner.

’70 lEonaRd B. CoBB

of Meridian, an attorney, has been

elected a Fellow of the Mississippi

Bar Foundation.

RogER MClEod

of Lucedale has been named

assistant principal at George

County High School.

’71 fREd BURkE

(M.S. ’72), CEO and co-founder of

Guardian Pharmacy, has received

the regional Ernst & Young

Entrepreneur of the Year award

for 2012.

JUlian h. wRighT

(M.S. ’72), director of recreational

sports at the State University

of New York at Cortland,

has received a prestigious

State University of New York

Chancellor’s Award for Excellence.

’73 TERRy S. SMiTh

(M.Ed. ’74) of Austin, Texas,

executive assistant to the president

at Huston-Tillotson University,

has received an honorary doctor

of humane letters degree from the

university.

’74 JiM koERBER, a certified public accountant

with The Koerber Co., recently

presented a program to CPAs

at the National Association of

Certified Valuators and Analysts’

2012 annual Consultant’s

Conference in Dallas, Texas.

’77 lEonaRd C. MaRTin

of Jackson, of Baker, Donelson,

Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz

PC, has been appointed state chair

of Mississippi for the American

College of Trust and Estate

Counsel.

glEnn MCCUlloUgh JR., former chairman of the Tennessee

Valley Authority, has been

appointed to the board of directors

of K2 Holdings Inc.

’79 CaRl pEnningTon, a resource conservationist with the

Natural Resources Conservation

Service in Grove Hill, Ala., has

received the NRCS Jerry L.

Johnson Award for Excellence in

Public Service.

paUl vinSon and pEggy SMiTh vinSon have been honored by Rotary

International as Paul Harris

Fellows for their years of service.

’81 JaMES C. nElSon, vice president of Allen & Hoshall,

has received the 2012 George

Warren Fuller Award from the

Alabama-Mississippi Section

of the American Water Works

Association.

’83 david dillaRd of New Orleans, La., a preservation

architect, has painted what he

considers 14 of the most beautiful

churches in the Archdiocese of

New Orleans. He is selling signed

and numbered prints, with 10

percent of the proceeds benefitting

the churches depicted.

’84 kEnny d. CREnShaw, owner and president of Herbi-

Systems Inc., has been named

Entrepreneur of the Year by the

Bartlett (Tenn.) Area Chamber of

Commerce.

12ClassNEWS

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12ClassNEWS

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50 SUMMER/FAll 2012

’85 hEnRy a. dUlanEy (M.S. ’93), chief of the

Engineering and Construction

Division for the Corps of

Engineers, Vicksburg District, has

received the 2012 Black Engineer

of the Year award for career

achievement in government.

aUBREy JaCkSon,a Sturgis native, has been named

president of the Steel Structures

Division of Thomas & Betts Inc.

’87 kEvin MagEE of Leland, an engineer for the

Mississippi Department of

Transportation and a key engineer

on the new U.S. Highway 82

Mississippi River Bridge, has been

recognized for his work on the

project by the American Council of

Engineering Companies.

JaMES E. pRinCE iiiof Philadelphia, president of

Prince Newspaper Holdings

Inc., is 2012-13 Mississippi Press

Association president.

’89 gRETa CaRlEnE CRawfoRd-ChandlER has retired as a teacher in the

West Point (Miss.) City School

District. She has been an

elementary school teacher for

more than 30 years.

ERvin R. foxof Jackson, professor of cardiology

and researcher at the University

of Mississippi Medical Center, has

received a Presidential Early Career

Award for Scientists and Engineers,

the highest honor bestowed by the

U.S. government on science and

engineering professionals in the

early stages of their independent

research careers.

ERiC nEil ZaChaRiaSof Boulder, Colo., a physician and

assistant clinical professor at the

University of Colorado Health

Sciences Center, has written a

book entitled The Mediterranean

Diet: A Guide for Healthcare

Providers. He frequently makes

presentations on the subject to

physicians.

’91 ChRiS MaRSZalEk

of Memphis, Tenn., has graduated

from Leadership Memphis, a

program that shapes community

leaders in the Memphis area.

’92 angEla d. SiMMonS

(M.S. ’94) has been named director

of student conduct at Virginia Tech.

’93 JUdd gEnTRy

has been elected president of the

Batesville, Mississippi Chapter of

Rotary International.

’94 MiChaEl f. SMiTh

of Columbus, a Pushcart Prize

nominee, has entered into a

publishing agreement with

Simon & Schuster for the 2013

publication of his novel, RIVERS.

The novel follows the acclaimed

publication of his novella, The

Hands of Strangers.

’95 MaTThEw gRay, associate professor of forestry,

wildlife and fisheries at the

University of Tennessee-

Knoxville has received the

Chancellor’s Award for

Professional Promise in Research

and Creative Achievements.

’96 vinCEnT J. allEn

of Dallas, Texas, has been named

Baylor Law School Young Baylor

Lawyer of the Year by the Baylor Law

Alumni Association. He is a partner

with Carstens & Cahoon LLP.

JaMiE MahnE

(M.B.A. ’98) of Jacksonville, Fla.,

has been named vice president-

client services and CCO for The

Energy Authority.

Clay williaMS,a government relations representative

for Capitol Resources LLC, has

been named executive director for

Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport

by the Gulfport-Biloxi Regional

Airport Authority.

’97 kEESha MiddlETon

of Utica has received Mississippi

College School of Law’s Betty B.

Tucker Award for a female law

student who shows academic

promise.

’98 MiChaEl E. RiChaRdSon

(M.P.P.A. ’00) has been promoted

to vice president and commercial

banking officer at Chain Bridge

Bank in McLean, Va.

’00 RiChaRd d. RUSSo ii has received a master’s degree

in educational leadership from

Arkansas State University.

’01 QUinn RigBy

of Gulfport passed the CPA

exam in December 2011 and is

a certified public accountant in

Mississippi.

TiMoThy B. SMiTh

of Adamsville, Tenn., lecturer

of history at the University of

Tennessee at Martin, is the author

of James Z. George: Mississippi’s

Great Commoner, published by

University Press of Mississippi.

’02 JEnnifER B. kiMBlE

has been recognized in the 2012

“Rising Stars” listing, published

in Alabama Super Lawyers

magazine. She is an attorney

with Haskell Slaughter Young &

Rediker LLC.


lESliE pEnn pETRoof Madison is publishing a book,

Cowbell Tales, in November. The

publisher is Mascot Books.

hEaTh STEEdE

of Lucedale has been named George

County extension director for the

MSU Extension Service.

’03 JaREd daRBy

has been named director of planning

for the city of Hernando by the

Hernando Board of Aldermen.

JESSiCa M. dUponT

of Pascagoula, an attorney with

Heidelberg, Steinberger, Colmer

Burrow, has been selected to serve

on the Merit Selection Panel to

consider the reappointment of U.S.

Magistrate Judge Robert H. Walker

Jr., whose term is due to expire in

November.

’05 adaM B. haRRiS

has joined the law firm of Phelps

Dunbar LLP as an associate in its

Gulfport office.

’09 dREw hollinghEad

is an assistant junior varsity/varsity

baseball coach at George County

High School.

BIRTH annoUnceMentSBRody Cannon gREEn, March 28, 2012, to Brandon Green

(’05) and wife Lauren.

annaBElla RUTh MooRE, March 25, 2011, to Ian Moore (’07)

and wife Lauren of Lucedale.

MaRgaRET gRaCE MUnCiE, March 28, 2012, to Jim Muncie (’05)

and Mary Beth Nanney Muncie

(’04) of New Albany. •

Photos by Megan Bean

12InMEMORIAM

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52 SUMMER/FAll 2012

Hildred Stanley Amsler (’33)—102, Ridgeland; retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and World War II veteran, May 23, 2011.Alva l. Brothers Jr. (’39)—Dayton, Ohio; retired from United States Air Force, May 11, 2012.Jane Smith Weaver (’39)—92, Ackerman; retired insurance agent, former co-owner of Weaver Insurance Agency, May 18, 2012. William Bruce P’Pool (’42)—90, Baton Rouge, La.; retired chemical engineer for Copolymer Corp. and World War II veteran, July 7, 2011.Thomas Zeno Singley (’42)—91, Columbia; retired businessman and World War II veteran, Aug. 6, 2010.Ralph lee Hicks (’47)—88, Cashiers, N.C.; U.S. Air Force and NASA employee, attorney, and World War II veteran, Dec. 2, 2011.Mike P. Sturdivant (’47)—84, Glendora; lifelong farmer and businessman, former member of the Mississippi Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning, and Korean War veteran, May 1, 2012.William C. Trotter Jr. (’47)—89, Greenville; retired insurance agent and World War II veteran, June 17, 2012. Coy Hailey Watkins (’48, M.S. ’54, M.Ed. ’61)—87, Carthage; retired biology, chemistry, and vocational agriculture teacher and World War II veteran, Dec. 27, 2011. Ralph S. Wofford (’48)—88, Starkville; retired professor of accounting at MSU and World War II veteran, Feb. 5, 2012. george Cecil Mcleod Jr. (’49)—84, Leakesville; former state senator, farmer, dairyman, and World War II veteran, Sept. 5, 2011.Robert O. Beisel (’50)—86, Salado, Texas; retired chemical engineer and World War II veteran, June 2, 2012.C.W. Riley Jr. (’50)—89, Florence, Ala.; retired plant manager for Reynolds Aluminum and World War II veteran, Jan. 13, 2011.Ben W. Ruscoe (’51, M.S. ’54)—86, Leland; retired school teacher and coach and World War II and Korean War veteran, March 17, 2012.

Arthur William Tait (’51)—83, Shreveport, La.; owner of Tait Shreveport Dodge and former professional football player, Feb. 14, 2012.glenn long McCullough (’53)—83, Tupelo; lifelong farmer and businessman and Korean War veteran, April 18, 2012.Norman Moore (’54, M.S. ’59)—Dalton, Ga.; retired teacher and counselor, April 28, 2012.Fred J. Dolan (’58)—Huntsville, Ala.; retired engineering manager for NASA, Nov. 18, 2010.Mary Elaine Jenkins McIntire (’58)—87, Ackerman; retired teacher, March 10, 2011.Charlie Fortson McKellar Jr. (’58)—76, Ocean Springs; political consultant, author, and entrepreneur, June 7, 2012.Noble D. Teal (’58)—Warner Robins, Ga.; March 20, 2012.John W. Rial (’60)—78, Saltillo; retired bank vice president, former national president of the MSU Alumni Association, and Korean War veteran, June 12, 2012.Earl glade Woods (’60)—75, Picayune; retired Stennis Space Center and NOAA employee and former director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, May 25, 2012.Malcolm Jordan (’61)—Selma, Ala.; retired U.S. Air Force pilot and small business owner, April 6, 2012. Julius Mark Merritt (’62)—Starkville; retired mechanical engineer, April 13, 2012.larry H. graves Sr. (’64, M.Ed. ’67)—69, Starkville; head of government technology and community development for the MSU Extension Service, June 14, 2012.Michael J. Diggins (’66)—69, South Buffalo, N.Y.; retired health and physical education teacher and high school track coach, May 11, 2012.Helen Pauline Booth Shumaker (Ed.S. ’72)—90, Batesville; retired school teacher, Oct. 31, 2011.David Charles Mize (’67)—69, Bradenton, Fla.; retired engineer for Manatee County Port Authority and Kimley-Horn, July 12, 2012.

Charles W. Dedmon Jr. (’69)—Monroe, La.; controller for Southeast Foods Inc., December 2011.Thomas C. Blount (’72)—62, Jackson; Trustmark National Bank employee, June 17, 2012.Douglas P. Buchanan (’74)—59, Flowood; dentist, June 14, 2012.Donald l. Ray (’74)—60, Columbus; retired hospital administrator, July 2, 2012.Thomas R. Runnels (’74)—60, Middletown, Ky.; retired banker and entrepreneur, June 28, 2012.John Sherman Havard (’75)—63, Leakesville; electrical engineer for Northrop Grumman, June 18, 2011.Sandra Kaye Behel (’80, Ph.D. ’89)—56, Gardendale, Ala.; department manager for Energen Corp. and editor of Energen Corporation (Images of America Series), March 12, 2012.Michael gregory Cranston (’92)—47, Tanner, Ala.; International Paper Co. employee, March 29, 2012.Casey Cameron Dunagan (’02)—34, Fairfax, Va.; program analyst for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement in the Department of the Interior, Nov. 30, 2011.

Robert Clark Parker (former employee)—69, Starkville; professor emeritus of forestry, May 28, 2012. Mohamed El-Attar (former professor)—80, Starkville; professor emeritus of sociology, Feb. 28, 2012.Dempsey Merritt (friend)—46, Lucedale; retired road construction worker, April 11, 2011.James Rackley (friend)—68, Pontotoc; Presbyterian minister, April 13, 2011. •

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Mississippi State University Alumnus Summer/Fall 2012