UPCOMING EVENTS
The Ice Cream Social
June 26, 2:00 to 4:00 PM on the Drill Field
Fall GTA Workshop
August 7 - 10
registration deadline July 26
Click here for more information.
Graduate Student Resource Fair
August 9, 2:00 to 4:00 PM in Old Main
DEADLINES:
June 1–June 30
Apply online via MyState for August graduation: $50 fee. Graduate students must be currently enrolled to apply for graduation.
June 23
Last day for thesis/dissertation defense for August graduation.
July 1–July 31
Late online application for August graduation via MyState: $50 fee plus $100 late fee
July 7
Last day for initial submission of thesis/dissertation to Library for August 2023 graduation.
August 1
Last day for final submission of thesis/dissertation to Library for August graduation.
August 4
Last day for non-thesis comprehensive exam for August graduation.
August 4
Deadline to pass thesis/dissertation defense after all other requirements are met except thesis/dissertation submission to Library, allowing student to enroll in GRD 9011 in Fall semester and apply for December graduation – 10:00 a.m
A NOTE FROM THE DEAN
Dear Colleagues and Friends of the Graduate School,
We have just completed a very successful 2022-2023 academic year with over 600 Doctoral and Master’s degrees awarded at the spring Commencement Exercises. The Doctoral hooding and commencement ceremony was a great success with more than 50 students earning their degrees followed by a marvelous reception in the Colvard Student Union. Mississippi State University continues to enjoy strong enrollment and a significant increase in prestigious honors and fellowships including National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships. Thus, this past year was an exciting and productive time for graduate education at Mississippi State University and we extend our sincere congratulations to all our graduates who earned Doctoral, Master’s, or Specialist degrees.
I encourage graduate students, faculty, and staff to make plans to take some time off, enjoy the nice weather, and do all those fun activities during the summer season. It is very important that folks take some quality downtime, to relax, rejuvenate and return to their tasks refreshed and invigorated. At present, many graduate students are busy in their laboratories conducting experiments, in the fields collecting data, engaging in archeological dig sites answering questions about our past lifestyles, or in libraries and institutes across the United States and around the globe plowing through archival documents bringing to light exciting and challenging events of the past. To all our graduate students and researchers, we wish you a successful summer. For those that are defending theses, dissertations, or taking qualifying or comprehensive exams with the intention to graduate this August, we wish you every success and congratulate you on your accomplishments.
The Graduate School remains steadfast in pursuing new initiatives that will enhance the graduate student experience. Please keep in touch and share with the Graduate School your exciting summer adventures so that we may post them in the newsletter during the fall semester. Lastly, I would like to extend to all an open invitation to come visit with me in Lee Hall, suite 3500, to share your thoughts, concerns, and accomplishments.
In closing, I wish you all a safe and enjoyable summer.
Best Regards,
Dr. Peter Ryan Executive Vice Provost and Dean The Graduate SchoolSAY HELLO Staff Spotlight
OUR SENIOR GRAD ASSISTANTS Meet
I am working towards a masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and I got my undergraduate degree in Sport Management. I also minored in Psychology because I was fascinated with the mind. I always figured my backup plan could be getting my graduate degree in counseling if everything else fell through. Instead, I saw those around me struggling with mental health through COVID and realized that my backup plan should have been my primary plan. Now I’m getting my degree so I can counsel others through the hardest decisions in life.
CLAIRE OGDEN
My MSU experience actually goes way back to my junior year of high school. MSU was not even on my radar at the time, but I met a representative at a college fair, and I don’t remember what she said to me, but she shot MSU onto my “must visit list”. I came and toured the school and went home feeling like God might be calling me to MSU. Ultimately, I chose to go to my family’s school, South Carolina, but five years later when it was time to choose a graduate school, I knew MSU was the only place for me. I have loved my time at State because of the amazing people I’ve met through my program and the graduate school. MSU really has become my family away from home.
My expected graduation date is May of 2024.
In TGS Office:
I play a liaison role between students and the graduate school staff. I help students solve any problems that they have, answer their questions, and make sure they are directed to the right staff member who can help them resolve any issues.
Fun Fact:
I met my husband two weeks after I moved to Starkville for school (July 23rd, 2021). He works with the MSU softball team, so you can almost always find me wandering around at the softball games in the spring!
ALEXIS JACKSON
I am a doctoral student in Human Development and Family Science with a particular interest in how developmental experiences of an individual influence their mental health across the lifespan. I am most passionate about finding ways to prevent, intervene, and/or create resources that can assist helping professionals create more supportive environments and systems. Since being at MSU, it has been a joy to connect with a host of current students, perspective students, faculty, and staff. I am very thankful for the opportunity to pursue my graduate degree at this research institution, to grow as a scholar, and to foster relationships throughout the Starkville community.
My expected graduation date is the Summer of 2024.
In TGS Office:
At the Graduate School, I serve as the graduate assistant for the Business unit. In this role, I help to process business paperwork for graduate students, use computer resources to make adjustments to pay, as well as perform other clerical tasks. More specifically, I use files and the Banner system to process and maintain a combination of employment records, employment action forms, tuition waivers, offer letters, and teaching assistant workshop results for the more than 1400 graduate assistants at MSU. Finally, I am grateful for the opportunity to help provide resources, support, and customer service to graduate students as they endeavor to successfully navigate their graduate studies.
Fun Fact:
Something fun that I enjoy doing is spending time with my loved ones. I love to travel to Washington State to be with family when I can, and I look forward to connecting with them again soon.
I am pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. This past year, I have had the opportunity to both learn about and practice skills as a counselor in a variety of settings. My background is in psychology, which I have learned is notably different from the practice of counseling. My graduate studies have required an emphasis on application along with knowledge which I have thoroughly enjoyed and look forward to continuing next year.
I completed my bachelors at MSU as well. I initially enrolled to pursue architecture. One too many sleepless nights made me realize I did not enjoy the field enough to continue. Regardless, I am beyond grateful I came here. I loved it so much I had to stay an extra two years! MSU has provided me with the best friends, experiences, opportunities, and memories. I will recommend coming here to anyone who will listen and love being a bulldog!
My expected graduation date is May of 2024.
In TGS Office:
My duties vary as a GA for The Graduate School. I often work as a receptionist for the office, which involves answering calls and questions for students, faculty, and applicants. This also includes processing the paperwork, such as transcripts, mail, and EAFs which pass through. Additionally, I work with the program’s unit of the office. These duties entail answering emails, texts, inquiries, writing post cards, giving campus tours, and hosting events for students. I even had the opportunity to plan my own outreach event in the Spring semester. These are my primary responsibilities, but I never quite know what to expect when I come into the office. The “other duties as assigned” help keep work interesting, which is why I have enjoyed working in The Graduate School so much this past year.
Fun Fact:
Grad school is definitely busier than what I am used to, but I try to make time for fun when I can. This year, I have really enjoyed learning how to cook and prep meals. It is more fun than I expected. I also like to exercise, especially running. I ran my first (and perhaps only) half marathon this year! Other than the usual stuff like being with friends, I really enjoy binge reading a good book in one night and sleeping in as late as possible (when time allows for it).
GEORGE HUFFMONZUR KADER CHOWDHURY
Monzur Kader Chowdhury is currently doing his Ph.D. in Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences concentration in Infectious Diseases at the CVM-Comparative Biomedical Sciences department. He received several awards from the scientific community for advancing science after joining MSU-CVM. He received the best 3MT award (third) at the Graduate MSINBRE 3-minute oral Symposium at the 87th Mississippi Academy of Sciences Annual Conference 2023, the best poster award (2nd position) in Ph.D. Division at the 4th Annual Mississippi Academy of Sciences Summer Science and Engineering Research Symposium 2022, student travel award for Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD) in 2021, and the best poster award (3rd position) in Ph.D. Division at 18th annual Graduate Student Research Symposium 2020 at Mississippi State University.
Dr. Chowdhury completed his DVM and MS in Veterinary Medicine from Sylhet Agricultural University, Bangladesh. After completing his DVM, he was the co-founder of Sylhet Pet Care, Bangladesh. In addition, he worked as a vet consultant at Wildlife Conservation Centre, Sylhet, Bangladesh.
Recently, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) has selected Dr. Chowdhury as ASM Young Ambassador to Mississippi. He will represent Mississippi in a growing network of over 200 Ambassadors around the world who are passionate about advancing the microbial sciences in their local community. Besides, He got a travel award from ASM to attend the Young Ambassador of Science Retreat and ASM Microbe 2023 meeting, taking place in Houston, Texas, USA, from June 15 – June 19, 2023. He will present his research outcome at ASM Microbe 2023 also.
Before joining MSU-CVM in the fall of 2020, Dr. Chowdhury was enrolled in his second Masters at Kiel University, Germany. Dr. Chowdhury is currently working under the supervision of Dr. Abdelhamed and Dr. Lawrence to understand a novel mechanism of food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes to survive and grow at refrigerator temperature and make the infection to host. It may provide insight into the development and application of antimicrobial agents.
Meet Marlon , a graduate student at Mississippi State University and member of the 2021 – 2022 Leadership Academy cohort, who shares how different his life is now that he is in recovery and why he believes connection is vital for those in recovery.
On August 1, 2021, I married Krystle, with whom I love exploring the newfound joys of marriage. We are proud to call Starkville, MS home. I am an active member in my church, First John Missionary Baptist Church, where I serve as an usher and in the transportation ministry.
Q: What would you like people to know about you?
Marlon: My name is Marlon Boyd, and I am a 1st-year graduate student at Mississippi State University majoring in Rehabilitation Counseling. By FAFSA standards, being enrolled in a master’s program would classify me as a professional student but it’s just part of who I am.
And on January 17, 2022, by the grace and mercy of God, I celebrated five years of sobriety. Connection is critical for those of us in recovery because it provides us with the support and motivation to change our lives. While on the recovery journey, I learned that connecting with likeminded people going in the same direction is vital in long-term recovery. Most importantly, I stay
connected with my higher power, which is God. Having these connections makes me feel better about my future and my recovery. I am very active in the recovery community by participating in faithbased treatment and 12step programs.
Q: Describe what your life was like before recovery?
Marlon: Things I value and take pride in today, I did not care about while I was in active addiction. Using drugs started as having fun, but it soon became a living HELL. My life went into a downward spiral. The progression of addiction moves real fast. One minute, you are doing it thinking you are having fun, then the obsession sinks in. That
is where the craving for more shows its ugly head. I went from going to church every Sunday, being voted employee of the month for perfect attendance, never being late, and soon being too hungover/drug sick on Sunday mornings, calling in late, and eventually not showing up. Drugs turn you into a whole different person, almost like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, with a good and a bad side.
Q: What does recovery mean to you?
Marlon: When I think of recovery concerning myself, I think of longterm recovery. In recovery, I am restoring myself from years of addiction, and doing that requires some work on my end.
My recovery consists of prayer to my higher power,
attending support group meetings, surrounding myself with like-minded people, and weekly church service. When I speak, I often say that you must put something there to replace the drugs when you take away the drugs. This is where recovery comes in. If you do not fill that void that drugs used to fill, you will be miserable. I often say I did not get clean to be miserable, so I actively work on my recovery.
Q: Can you speak on your experiences as a Black man in recovery?
Marlon: One thing about addiction, it does not discriminate. When I was in active addiction, I did not notice any struggles as a Black man in active addiction. The only struggle was with me and trying to keep myself
supplied with drugs.
Being a Black man in recovery can seem awkward at times. What I mean by that is that when you go to a support group, you might be the only Black individual there most of the time. This can be intimidating, causing the person not to want to attend. Knowing this, I had to try to find a way to overcome this, so instead of going into a room and noticing that I was the only Black there, I recognized that the people in this room were just like me. They also struggled with addiction, and now they come to the AA/NA or CR (Celebrate Recovery) meeting to support their recovery. When I did this, I was able to concentrate on the message rather than look around the room, wondering if I was in the right place.
Q: What do you want folks to know about the importance of addiction and recovery support services on your campus?
Marlon: I want folks to know they are not alone, and there is a community of people who are in recovery from alcohol/drugs and process addictions who are willing to help. When people come to a university the size of Mississippi State University with over 23-thousand students, they can feel intimidated— being a person in recovery can make matters worse. That person could be thinking, “There is not anyone else on campus like me. What am I going to do?” NEWS FLASH, we have a Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC) of 33 students (the largest in the
Southeastern Conference!) We will welcome you with open arms because we are all Stronger Together.
Q: Why is continuing your work with SAFE campuses and the Leadership Academy important to you?
Marlon: When I got accepted to the Leadership Academy, I was thrilled, and could not wait to learn all I could about SAFE campuses. The reason why continuing my work with SAFE campuses is essential to me is because I am gaining knowledge and skills to serve the university and the community better on addiction and some of the consequences that result from addiction.
Q: What are your plans for the future now that you are in recovery?
Marlon: Wow, my plans now that I have been released from the chains of addiction? The sky is the limit! Currently, finishing grad school is my top priority. I have enjoyed working with the college population, so I would like to continue working here on campus and helping students navigate through some of their challenges while in college, whether on a counseling or administrative level.
FINDING SOLUTIONS
“I have always been interested in working at the intersection of law and psychology,” said Deepali Dhruve, who moved with her family from India to Irvine, California, when she was eight years old.
“formative part” of her doctoral experience. She also has earned community accolades for the collaboration she created between Theatre MSU and the Starkville Police Department to help role-play de-escalation techniques.
After working in public safety at the Irvine Police Department while pursuing her postbaccalaureate certificate in psychological science, Dhruve was exposed to the challenges law enforcement officers experience.
Dhruve, who came to Mississippi State in 2019 for her master’s degree in psychology, said an unusual pairing of law, psychology and theater meshed this year to become a
“Research with law enforcement stood out as a critical area following the social justice protests in 2020. Given the numerous extant de-escalation trainings in the literature, it was clear that there is a gap between these trainings and the application of the skills. This was not surprising given that less than half of these trainings did not utilize behavioral assessments to measure the efficacy of the trainings. There was a lot of blame being cast
during this time, and not as much effort to seek solutions to the problem,” said Dhruve. “I really wanted to be a part of the solution to the problem.”
Dhruve developed a program to use liveactor role-plays, similar to what the medical community has used for decades to train and assess medical students.
After a year of groundwork and help from her academic mentor Associate Professor Michael R. Nadorff, Dhruve met with Starkville police personnel to discuss current training needs and the challenges they experience when addressing mental health calls.
Then she met with Theatre MSU faculty member Tonya Hays to discuss hiring her students as actors and scriptwriters for the various scenarios.
“Starkville Police Chief Mark Ballard was generous with his time in helping communicate the department’s needs and providing feedback on the scenario drafts, and selecting the best ones for use in the project,” Dhruve said. “I immersed myself in understanding the challenges experienced by SPD officers by attending SPD staff meetings twice a week, going on ride-alongs,
and meeting with Chief Ballard.”
After Dhruve hired student actors, using funds provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Lakeside Student Living Apartments partnered with the group by providing a model unit to conduct the role-plays.
Dhruve’s research, still in the quantifying results stage, will be used to help police understand how different scenarios might unfold and will provide practical application for steps to improve communication.
Dhruve—this year’s College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Graduate Student at the Doctoral Level—said she hopes her “outside-of-the-box” research inspires others to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and hear differing perspectives, hopefully inspiring creative solutions for problems.
“I have always wanted to engage in research meaningful to local communities. I was informed by the faculty that I might have the chance to do that in Starkville because of the close-knit relationship between the university and the town. I am glad to say they were right.”
MSU Graduate School Welcomes Virginia Tech Students
On May 17th, former MSU Student, Beau Badon, paid MSU the ultimate compliment. Now a current Ph.D. student at Virginia Tech, he planned a week-long tour for undergrad students in his “Study in the USA” course. Their multi-stop tour included the Mississippi Delta, MSU-Stoneville, Starkville/Black Prairie ag, and Oxford/USDA. Badon and two colleagues brought 13 prospective students to spend two days on MSU’s campus. Their visit included learning about graduate school, a walking tour of campus, meeting with current students and faculty in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and tours of our university farms. The Graduate School partnered with MSU Athletic Department to host the VT group at Dudy Noble Field. The highlight of the night was a bottom of the 9th homerun come-from-behind victory! One student said, “This whole thing today threw a wrench into my grad school plans. . . . I planned to do a 4+1 at Tech but I love this place.”
JEREMY MONTGOMERY
Program Assistant
THE GRADUATE SCHOOL WELCOMES JEREMY MONTGOMERY IN HIS NEW ROLE
Jeremy Montgomery is a recent hire in The Graduate School. As the new Programs Assistant, Jeremy assists in degree audits, registration, and overrides. He is also the primary contact for Thrive in Five. In his new role, Jeremy aspires to be an effective communicator, learn new databases/skills, and build strong professional relationships with academic departments. Furthermore, Jeremy is a doctoral candidate at MSU in the Department of History. His dissertation is tentatively titled, “Look to Your Map: Medical Distinctiveness and the United States, 18001860” with Alan Marcus serving as his dissertation chair. Broadly, his dissertation examines pathology, Materia medica, and symptomology. Jeremy is an active member of his professional organization—the American Association for the History of Medicine. He serves as the chair of the Committee on Student Affairs. While not on duty hours or writing the dissertation, Jeremy has a passion for cooking, yoga, and music. Jeremy is a native of Woodville, Mississippi, and a graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana.
DOCTORAL COMMENCEMENT CLASS OF
COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY OF 2023
CONGRATULATIONS!
CONGRATULATIONS!
THE GRADUATE STUDENT HALL OF FAME SCHOLAR AWARDS
Casey Iwamoto
Forestry, PhD student
Claire Geneser
Physics and Astronomy, PhD student
Haley Hardman
Business Administration, Marketing, PhD student
Clayton Whalen
Kinesiology, PhD student
Christian Zamiela
Industrial and Systems Engineering, PhD student
Eda Ozdemir
Comparative Biomedical Sciences, PhD student
Riley Messman
Agricultural Science - Animal and Dairy Science, PhD student
“Casey has been actively engaged in our undergraduate academic program, serving as a teaching assistant for Environmental Assessments, Dendrology, Forestry Summer Field Program, and Forest Hydrology & Soils.”
L. Wes Burger, Dean College of Forest Resources“Casey Iwamoto is everything you want in a graduate student. Based on her research work, she has given six oral presentations at MSU. She placed first place in oral presentations at MSU Graduate Research Symposium (spring 2022), was a finalist in the MSU Three Minute Thesis Competition (Fall 2022) and became People’s Choice winner in the MSU Three Minute Thesis Competition (Fall 2021). Her efforts are noteworthy and a sign of great things to come!”
Donald L. Grebner, George L. Switzer, Professor and Department Head of Forestry Riley Messman College of Agriculture and Life Sciences“She has seven peer-reviewed journal publications with another two currently under review. Riley is known for her enthusiasm and attention to detail. Moreover, she is innovative in her experimental approach to her research and can relay information effectively to collaborators.”
Scott Willard, Dean of CALS“Our undergraduate students are drawn to Riley’s courses and leave her top reviews every semester, often highlighting her ability to breakdown difficulty topics, incite passion and new ideas, and maintaining a fun learning environment.”
Joe E. Street, Interim Department Head“One valuable, but rare nowadays, characteristic I see from Christian is his willingness to head and serve. Christian was elected by his peer students as the president for the MSU student chapter of Institute of Operations Research and Management Science (INFORMS) for 2021-2022. He was also selected as an ORED Research Ambassador, a position devoted to promoting high quality research across MSU. I have also seen Christian coaching youth soccer teams in recreational play in Starkville and in tournaments across the Southeast. He is always very friendly and willing to help.”
Jason M. Keith, Dean and Professor, Earnest W. and Mary Ann Deavenport, Jr. Chair“Academically, he is stellar. Remember, Christian came from a business administration degree, so this means that he and to complete a large number of foundational courses before he could make progress towards his degree. To date, Christian is the first author of five peer reviewed journal articles and two conference publications and co-author on one conference publication.”
Kari Babski Reeves, Larry G Brown Endowed Professor and Head, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Associate Dean, Bagley College of Engineering“As regards to his service, Clayton is the lead bike tech for iCanShine (which offers special needs bike camps around the country). As part pf that he’s been involved in recruiting other MSU students to work for ICanShine and has helped lead the iCanBike Camps at Mississippi State University.”
Stanley P. Brown, Professor and Head, Department of Kinesiologyexceptional researcher: two publications including an A-level Journal of Services
Marketing and B-level Journal of Product and Brand Management; six peer-reviewed conference proceedings and presentations at two of our top marketing conferences (Academy of marketing Science, Society for Marketing Advances); two regional proceedings and presentations (Annual Southeast Marketing Symposium; one manuscript under review at Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (A+); and, nine manuscripts in progress (two are in the final stages of preparation) that are collaborations with six current faculty, three former doctoral students, and three former MSU researchers. This publication record would be impressive for an assistant professor but it is an extraordinary record for a doctoral students such as Haley Hardman. Doctoral students across the college often come to her for advice on how to navigate a research problem or how to address a challenging classroom issue. She is a highly respected and valued member of our marketing program, excelling in research and teaching that truly makes her a role-model for all.
Haley Hardman College of Business“There are several reasons why I categorize Ms. Hardman as an
Melissa Moore, Professor of Marketing and Head, Marketing Quantitative Analysis and Business Law, Kathy M.St. John Fellow, College of Business“In my twenty-two years as Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy no graduate student has simultaneously had an enormous impact on the graduate program and the department while being extremely successful in research. Her influence on all graduate students in the Department, on the university, and all graduate students in the Southeast will reverberate far into the future after she graduates in Spring 2024.”
Mark Novotny, Professor and Head of the department of Physics and Astronomy Eda Ozdemir College of Veterinary Medicine“She has been very successful in researching vaccines for the Catfish industry that targets an important catfish pathogen. Throughout Eda’s program, I was impressed with her positive attitude, her focus, her organizational skills, and her ability to make steady progress in a challenging research program. Eda is an excellent graduate student and deserving of the recognition that this award would bring.”
Larry A. Hanson, Professor and Interim Head, College of Veterinary MedicineImage of Research Winners Announced
FIRST PLACE Li-Dunn Chen
LIFE IN A SEA OF DEATH
Level: PhD
Department: Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, And Plant Pathology
SECOND PLACE Daniel Dillon
FROM PAST TO PRESENT ANALYZING SOCIAL COLLAPSE IN MYCENAEAN GREECE
Level: Master’s
Department: Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures
PEOPLE’S CHOICE Zonia Elizabeth Caro Carvajal
ENSURING FOOD SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH MICROBIOLOGICAL DETECTION OF MOLD
Level: Master’s
Department: Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion
GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS BANQUET
The 2023 Graduate Awards Ceremony was held on April 21st, at the Bost Conference Center Ballroom. The ceremony celebrated the many accomplishments of our graduate students, as well as the outstanding faculty that supported them throughout the year. MSU Provost and Executive Vice President, Dr. David Shaw, served as the keynote speaker for the evening, providing those in attendance with encouragement and accolades as they continue to leave their mark on MSU.
AWARDS WERE PRESENTED TO:
GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT OF THE YEAR
Master’s Level
Sadikshya Poudel Plant and Soil Sciences
PhD Level
Haley Hardman Business
DONALD ZACHARIAS GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT OF THE YEAR
Master’s Level
Amanda Mayo Geosciences
PhD Level
Vitaliy Skorodziyevskiy Information Systems
GRADUATE SERVICE ASSISTANT OF THE YEAR
Emma Dotson
Business Administration, nominated by the Center for Distance Education
GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION EXCELLENCE AWARD
Anh Vo Biomedical Engineering
Casey Iwamoto Forestry
Macy Gosselaar Forestry
OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT ADVISOR OF THE YEAR
Dr. Graham Rosser
Comparative Biomedical Sciences