Mississippi State Alumnus Fall 2006

ISIAH & JACK WILDLIFE & FISHERIES 2021

Their future is the State of the Future. Make sure they have the facilities, professors and programs to make it a bright one. Make a gift today. Call 877-677-8283 or visit www.msufoundation.com.

Mississippi State Fall 2006 | Volume 82 | Number 3 USPS 354-520

features A fitting choice | page 2

President Robert H.“Doc” Foglesong

Come along as Roadrunner Laura Hughes takes us on a tour of the many new sights on campus.

Vice President for External Affairs

Hurricane-resistant structures | page 8

Dennis A. Prescott (’06)

Mississippi State scientists across several academic disciplines are busily applying their research skills and university resources to help plan the rebuilding of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Associate Vice President for External Affairs and Alumni Association Executive Director Jimmy W. Abraham (’75, ’77)

Saving Walter Anderson | page 10 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 fcarr@advservices.msstate.edu.

Editorial offices: 102 George Hall, P.O. Box 5325, Mississippi State, MS 39762-5325.

Telephone 662-325-3442; fax, 662-325-7455; e-mail, snowa@ur.msstate.edu www.msstate.edu

Editor Allen Snow (’76)

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a cadre of Mississippi State specialists united to save the works of renowned artist Walter Anderson.

Flying high | page 16 Could Mississippi State be at the center of an aviation production hub? It may sound surprising, but if growth continues, it could well be the future for this area of the state.

A Cinderella story | page 20 A true “Cinderella” story is unfolding at Mississippi State this fall as six siblings from one family are enrolled as fulltime students.

Jim Flanagan remembers | page 22 World-renowned telecommunications expert Jim Flanagan recalls his student days at MSU.

Campus news 25 | Sports talk 34 | Alumni news 38 Foundation news 45 | Class news 53 | In memoriam 55

Associate Editor Kay Fike Jones

Designers Becky Smith Erin Norwood (’98)

Photographers Russ Houston (’85) Megan Bean

Mississippi State University Alumni Association National Officers Betty Latimer Black (’74), national president; David W. Jones (’81), national first vice president; Andrew D. Hunt (’70), national second vice president; S. Keith Winfield (’70), national treasurer; Joe L. Bryan (’63), immediate former national president.

On the cover: The much-anticipated Cullis Wade Depot--housing the Barnes & Noble at Mississippi State Bookstore, MSU Welcome Center, and Cullis Wade Clock Museum—opened on campus in August. This page: A slide transparency of a painting by famed Mississippi artist Walter Anderson is among many of his works damaged by Hurricane Katrina flood waters. MSU preservation experts are working diligently to repair and restore the collection. Photos by Megan Bean.

the Drill Field

BY ERIKA CELESTE

Stephen D. Lee statue

Swalm Chemical Engineering Building

Allen Hall

Laura Hughes was born ringing a cowbell. She grew up wearing Mississippi State T-shirts and ball caps—which was a bit unusual for a kid living in Pennsylvania. But her parents, both MSU alumni, were strong influences, ingraining the Bulldog tradition in her.

Some of her earliest MSU memories center around family trips taken to the Egg Bowl. Thanksgiving just wasn’t Laura Hughes Thanksgiving without the roar of the crowd, a sea of maroon and white and the clanking of cowbells.

So, the decision to attend Mississippi State should have been an easy one for Laura—but it wasn’t. “Maybe it was just to rebel against my parents, show I was my own individual, but I held out until May of my senior year,” said Laura. She examined other possibilities, yet in the end, couldn’t shake that Bulldog allegiance that had crept into her life without her even realizing it.

Roadrunning Today Laura is a junior majoring in public relations.

She’s also a Roadrunner—or volunteer student recruiter.

“Come along, I’ll take you Photo by Megan Bean on a tour,” she says. “This campus is usually pretty easy to get to know, but we have a lot of construction right now—which sometimes makes it a bit crazy.” As if to illustrate the point, she skirts an area cordoned off by orange cones.

“We’re becoming more and more of a walking campus which means things are really easy to get to. Plus construction means progress, so we’ll have some really cool things when it’s finished.”

The first stop is the Drill Field. Back in the old days when the school had more of a military agenda, students used to run morning drills on the field. ROTC students still sometimes use the field for similar purposes.

“This is kind of the center of campus,”

says Laura. “In the fall, people are everywhere. It’s the place to gather and meet.”

She jokingly points out Allen Hall.

“This is where the President’s Office is. We call it the ‘Tower of Power.’ Near the center of the field stands a statue of particular interest. Legend has it that if you rub the head of the Stephen D. Lee bust (MSU’s first president) before a test, you’ll have good luck!”

Laura turns to two buildings directly across from one another. “Notice Swalm and Lee—they’re twin buildings, exact replicas except one is old and one is new. Swalm was built in 1998, by Dave C. Swalm, who helped found Texas Olefins Co.” Her gaze shifts to the left as she gestures to McCool Hall. “As you can see, our business and industry building is undergoing renovations too. It will have 52,000 additional square feet—which will be mostly new classrooms and a really big atrium.”

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

3

Sanderson Center

Photo by Russ Houston

MSU Recruitment Numbers Chadwick Lake

When it comes to recruiting students, Bulldogs try their best to pull in the numbers. Here’s the breakdown of some of those stats: High schools visited per year

800 approx.

Roadrunners

75

Letters written per week

by Roadrunners

1,100

Phone calls per semester

by Roadrunners

900 hours

Campus visitors hosted in the Office of Admissions and Scholarships

1,500 per year

States visited

8

Community/junior college campus visits

30 twice a year

Orientation Leaders

18

Students/parents who attend Orientation in June

5,000

Ruby Hall

Longest Student Health Center

Special thanks to John Dickerson, senior associate director, for help in compiling the numbers.

The Red Carpet Ride The next part of the tour is best accomplished by van.

McCarthy Gymnasium, known as “the Old Gym,” and two male residence halls, Hathorn and Cresswell— both newly renovated —and Engineering Row, consisting of aerospace, industrial and mechanical engineering, glide by before the van slows for a better look at the Longest Student Health Center.

“This is the best place to come when you need health care,” says Laura. “It’s not free, but it is at cost—which makes it very affordable. And students don’t have to pay when they visit. It’s billed directly to their accounts.”

The van comes to a stop in front of Ruby Hall and she hops out.

“Housing is a huge concern for new students. We have the best residence halls in the state. They are more like hotel rooms.” The walking tour consists of a visit to the large, fresh-smelling laundry room, the kitchen—where students can cook their own meals—and a peek inside a student’s room.

Each room is equipped with its own microwave-refrigerator unit and cable, including HBO. Ruby, Griffis, and Hurst halls--the newest on campus--are especially desirable because they offer private bathrooms, wireless Internet throughout, and landscaped courtyards, among other amenities.

“Honors students now have their own residence hall, too, where even some of their classes are held,” she bubbles on.

You haven’t had the total college experience until you pull an all-nighter, either in one of the halls’ lobbies or your room.

Be sure to stock up on ice cream from MSU’s own dairy or coffee from the campus Starbucks before you get started. Just beware of the dreaded ‘Freshman 15’—those pesky extra pounds most new students pick up their first year away from home.

Living on campus is a great way to be in the center of all the action and to get to know everyone.

“The halls are really safe too,” says Laura. “All residence halls have swipe cards to get into the rooms. You can’t get in without someone from that hall.” The opposite sex must be out of the other’s area by 2 a.m. and there are always desk workers in each lobby for added security.

As the van resumes the tour, Laura explains MoneyMate.

“It’s your I.D. card, but it’s also like a debit card for the university. Your parents can put money on it for you, but it can only be used for necessities, so you can use it at the bookstore or for food. Some places in Starkville also accept it.”

And speaking of the bookstore, the new Barnes & Noble at

Mississippi State Bookstore just opened this summer. The 30,000-square-foot facility is located in the new Cullis Wade Depot, along with the MSU Visitors Center and the Wade Clock Museum, which will house more than 300 timepieces.

The city of Starkville goes the extra mile to cater to students. In the fall, Bulldog Bash has become a great success.

“It’s a series of concerts held in the Cotton District,” says Laura. “It’s free and they have a shuttle that runs back and forth between town and campus.”

The spirit of the People’s University is alive throughout the community yearlong as many shops sport maroon and white or MSU logos, and a bike path has been built from the school to town.

Diehard Dawg Fans At the Sanderson Center, we stop again.

“This was built with contributions from Joe Frank Sanderson, owner of Sanderson Farms,” says Laura. “Some schools have things sort of like this, but nowhere near as big.

Here there are people to help you create your own workout plan. There’s also a rock climbing wall and lots of intramural sports. It’s also a great place to get a job. They employ a lot of students.”

Laura continues the tour, expanding on MSU sports. She stresses that Bulldogs have the best spirit and most fun when it comes to athletics—even if the scoreboard doesn’t always reflect a win. Season tickets for football are only $20 for students, while basketball is free. And, oh, the baseball!

“Sports Illustrated ranked MSU No. 1 in viewing college baseball games,” she proudly adds.

And if you want your chance at national fame, be sure to sit in the Dawg Pound (end zone) during a game at Scott Field for a shot at being seen on ESPN. As we drive by Chadwick Lake, a fisherman flicks the silver thread of his line neatly into the water.

Laura smiles, “It’s fully stocked. Poles are available to rent at the Sanderson Center.”

If golf is more your cup of tee, MSU’s golf course just off US 182, may make the perfect off-campus outing for the afternoon.

“The Super Bulldog Weekend in the spring is always a lot of fun. The baseball and football teams play games, a lot of the fraternities and sororities have brunches, and there are a lot of other fun activities going on.”

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

5

Chapel of Memories

Eternal Flame Monument

Photo by Megan Bean

How can alumni help?

Bulldog Bash in the Cotton District

Once a Dawg, always a Dawg! The following are a few ways alumni can get involved and continue to build the Bulldog Nation.

• Refer a student. Tell them stories about the great experiences you had at Mississippi State; offer a personal tour of campus.

• Every little bit helps. Whenever given the chance, be a cheerleader for your alma mater.

Translated—whenever given the opportunity, say something nice about MSU!

• Start an endowment. You don’t have to be a millionaire to help out, just creative. Host a fund-raiser, set aside money you may otherwise use for ‘bubble gum’ items, ask your friends!

• Volunteer to join the recruitment team and visit schools in your area with them.

• Host a recruitment party.

She adds, “It’s a big family weekend and at night they have a huge concert.”

As the tour begins to wind down, the van is parked and we resume on foot as Laura answers a flurry of questions. With more than 80 majors and more than 300 student organizations, there is truly a place for everyone.

“How many students does MSU have?” asks a prospective Bulldog.

“We have 16,000. They come from every county in Mississippi, every state in the nation and more than 70 different countries,” answers Laura. “And we are continually working to increase our enrollment.”

“What about class size?” asks a girl with long brown hair.

“Some classes have as few as 10 students while others have as many as 100 or more, but most average about 30 to 39,” says Laura.

Then a parent pipes up, “What kind of support system is there for the students?”

“You’re never alone here,” says Laura. “Of course, you’ll meet many people and make tons of friends, but we have several programs to help, too.”

The Mentoring Program pairs freshmen with faculty and staff members. Mentors come from all departments; President Foglesong has even added his name to the list this year. The goal of mentors is not only to answer any questions students may have, but to grow positive relationships and provide a strong support system. (Learn about the mentoring program at www.mentoring.msstate.edu.)

The Mississippi State Promise program also has been established to help entering freshmen and entering community college transfer students from low income Mississippi families attend MSU by ensuring that their tuition and required fees will be paid with gift/grant (non-loan) student aid. (For more information visit www.sfa.msstate.edu/promise.)

Another of the Roadrunners’ duties is to answer letters from prospective students.

“We may start writing and e-mailing you when you’re a sophomore in high school,” says Laura. “The letters start out pretty general and, as the years go by, become specific.” The goal is to help potential Bulldogs feel a sense of community when they arrive. Roadrunners often get to know the high school students well, calling them for friendly chats and to provide support as they make the transition to college life.

Once you leave MSU, that support system follows you into the ‘real world’ with the Mississippi State Alumni Association.

It not only has chapters around Mississippi, but around the

country. It’s a chance to stay connected, search for friends, make new MSU connections, attend social events, receive E-barks (school newsletters), have a permanent MSU e-mail address, give back to the school, and much more. (Find out more at www.alumniconnections.com/msubulldogs.)

“There’s so much more to show you,” says Laura as she walks towards the last stop. “But I know many of you have schedules to keep.”

Specialized tours for various majors might include a trip to the Early Childhood Institute, USDA Forest Tree Seed Laboratory, Poisonous Plants Display, or one of several museums. Did you know MSU has the largest insect collection in the Southeastern United States?

Lasting Memories The Chapel of Memories and Carillon Tower stand like fairy tale images surrounded by flowering trees on the corner of Walker Road and George Perry Street.

As we pass, Laura says, “They were built with brick from Old Main, which was the world’s largest dormitory before it was destroyed by fire in 1959.”

A wiry, timid boy with glasses finally works up the courage to ask a question. “Why did you decide to come here?”

Laura grins, “Because I fit here. It’s laid back. At some schools, you have to fit into a certain mold. Here you don’t.

And it’s just the right size, so you can get to know a lot of people, but you’re not overwhelmed. ” We end close to where we began on the Drill Field at the Walk of Honor and the Eternal Flame Monument. A girl with dreadlocks traces a brick with her foot. “Who are all these people?” she asks.

“The bricks were engraved in 1997 to honor those who have contributed to Mississippi State over the years,” Laura says.

“The 170-foot walkway displays the names of those alumni and friends who pledged or contributed $500 or more to The Campaign for Mississippi State.”

It quickly becomes apparent to most of the prospective Bulldogs that Mississippi State is not only a place they will fit and can take with them for the rest of their lives—it is also a place where perhaps one day they, too, will be immortalized in a brick, or a bench, for the next generation of curious prospective Bulldogs to muse over as they tour the campus.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

7

Associate professor of architecture David Lewis, left, and Forest and Wildlife Research Center professor Terry Amburgey look over the test house model.

Hurricane-resistant structures focus of diverse MSU research effort Ralph Sinno was a young engineer living and working on the Mississippi Gulf Coast during the summer of 1969 when Hurricane Camille came along and ate his home.

Having joined the Mississippi State civil engineering faculty as a nine-month employee the year before, Sinno was spending his summers working for General Electric at the NASA test facility (now Stennis Space Center) in Hancock County.

Although the native of Lebanon and his wife evacuated their residence at the Penthouse Apartments in Pass Christian before Camille struck on Aug. 17, 1969, a friend, colleague and condo neighbor, Ed Wagner, died in the Category 5 storm.

“The next morning, there was nothing there but a con8

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

BY PHIL HEARN PHOTO BY RUSS HOUSTON

crete slab,” remembered Sinno, still an MSU civil engineering professor on the Starkville campus. “They found the bodies of Ed and his dog up in a tree.”

Sinno was shocked at the devastation and the loss of his friend. But that sorrow was compounded when he learned sometime later that the condo complex had been reconstructed on the same site, “exactly as it was before,” with no structural improvements to mitigate against the impact of future hurricanes.

Those events helped shape Sinno’s professional focus from that point in his life. In the mid 1980s, he began concentrating his research on wind loads to help improve roof construction, particularly in storm-prone areas like the Mississippi coast.

“I began looking at what I could do about hurricanes,” he said. “I made up my mind that I would devote the rest of my life to Ed Wagner and see what I could do.”

He was not surprised, of course, to learn more recently that the post-Camille version of the Penthouse Apartments in Pass Christian had been swept away again—this time by Hurricane Katrina, which demolished the coast Aug. 29, 2005.

Now, Mississippi State scientists across several academic disciplines, including Sinno, are busily applying their considerable research skills and university resources to help plan the rebuilding of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a long-term project.

Specifically, MSU engineers are focusing more on the question of how future residential and commercial structures should be constructed in order to make them less vulnerable to the ravages of wind and water.

The university’s civil and environmental engineering department, headed by Dennis Truax, determined in a recent forensic study that residences and other structures being replaced along the Mississippi coast without regard for strengthened building codes are in “jeopardy” from future hurricanes.

The report, “Coast in the Eye of the Storm: Hurricane Katrina, August 29, 2005,” was compiled by a team of MSU civil engineers and researchers from the university’s GeoResources Institute. The Ready-Mix Concrete Research Foundation and Mississippi Concrete Industries Association provided $55,000 for the project.

“Projects on the Gulf Coast, such as casinos and other commercial development, can be planned and engineered to account for potential storm surge and winds,” the researchers concluded.

The MSU team included Truax, former department head Tom White, and civil engineering colleagues Bill McAnally, Harry Cole, Chris Eamon, Li Zhang, and Phil Gullett; and hurricane expert Pat Fitzpatrick, an associate professor of geosciences at MSU’s Stennis Space Center office.

Also, the Southern Climatic Housing Research Group—a multi-disciplinary team of MSU faculty—is more than two years into a broader research effort aimed at solving climate-related housing construction problems endemic to the Deep South.

Faculty members from forest products, architecture, landscape architecture, and civil, mechanical and electrical engineering will oversee construction of a research and

“The persistent history of tornadoes and high-wind damage in the Southeast drives the research. There is a durability concern.

The need for a hurricane-resistant building that can resist strong lateral wind loads is a part of that.” DAVID C. LEWIS demonstration test house on the MSU campus to serve as a model for evaluating building designs, construction techniques, air-handling systems and landscaping techniques.

Associate professor of architecture David C. Lewis is designing the test house, which will be a two-story, three bedroom structure of about 1,800 square feet. The research team currently is seeking about $500,000 to build and equip the house.

“The persistent history of tornadoes and high-wind damage in the Southeast drives the research,” he said. “There is a durability concern. The need for a hurricane-resistant building that can resist strong lateral wind loads is a part of that.”

As a part of the project, Lewis is working closely with civil engineers White, Sinno and Chris Eamon to address construction concerns such as the foundation, roof, roof overhangs, and the connection of walls to the foundation.

Louay Chamra and Pat Donahue are providing expertise in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, respectively, while Pete Melby in landscape architecture focuses on energy efficiency and human life support systems.

Forest and Wildlife Research Center research professor Terry Amburgey is concentrating on mold fungus problems that plague homes inundated by water.

“A part of our housing mission is to increase the wind resistance of structures,” said Amburgey.

Mississippi State architecture professor Michael Berk and Sinno also are designing a new type of environmentally friendly, readily transportable, factory-built house—the “GreenMobile”—to meet all building codes, including those in coastal hurricane zones.

“This work will show that MSU also is designing green and affordable housing,” said Berk.

He noted the project recently was cited in the 2006 book, “Design Like You Give a Damn: Architectural Responses to Humanitarian Crises,” edited by Architecture for Humanity and published by Metropolis Books.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

9

STORY BY GARY MYERS PHOTOS BY MEGAN BEAN, WILLIAM GRIFFIN AND RUSS HOUSTON

S

Say Katrina to anyone these days, and stories of the hurricane’s devastation are retold in historic proportion.

Mention the loss of lives and property, and one realizes that Katrina was like no other hurricane on record. Everybody lost something—some people more than others.

Many valuables would never be recovered in the aftermath of the storm surge, but some, like the Walter Inglis Anderson family art collection in Ocean Springs, were too important to be forgotten. Everyone familiar with Walter Anderson’s work knew that saving what was left of the collection was a priority. A part of Mississippi history, a visual record of the coast with all its wildlife and beauty, the collection represented our state to the rest of the world—everyone knew we could not afford to lose the art Walter Anderson’s genius had given us.

So what was the Shearwater art colony in Ocean Springs like before Katrina? It had been in existence for decades.

Brent Funderburk, a friend of the Andersons and professor of art at MSU, recalls, “I met Walter Anderson’s family in 1983, during my first year of teaching at MSU. It was April on the Gulf Coast. I had never seen a more beautiful place on earth. Amid a riot of trees, flowers and creatures, the Shearwater art colony complex, and sandy trails to the front beach, I entered an Arcadian paradise.”

For many years Shearwater survived as a paradise for artists and art lovers who flourished in the environment of the master who had died in 1965. Known as Shearwater Pottery, it and Realizations, a family-owned store, were the primary vehicles for sharing Walter Anderson’s love of life and art with the world.

Family and friends produced beautiful pottery, silk screens, and paintings for years at Shearwater while keeping Walter Anderson’s legacy alive. For more than 80 years, the

Damaged Anderson paintings await rescue following Katrina.

Shearwater compound grew in prominence and reputation as a vibrant art community. Indeed, it had withstood the fury of several destructive hurricanes until Hurricane Katrina arrived in 2005.

Grasping the level of devastation Katrina brought to the Shearwater complex is difficult, though pictures taken by the recovery team give a visual reference.

Walter Anderson’s son John remembers, “Last Monday, almost all of Daddy’s work went underwater. There was five feet of water in the reinforced concrete vault that we built three feet above the level of Hurricane Camille. Both the outer and inner reinforced doors were bashed in, probably by timbers from Mary’s house, the barn, the front house, Mac’s house, Michael’s house, and the showroom.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

11

Below: An example of the devastation at Shearwater compound.

Third, from left: Painting conservator Mary McGinn of the Winterthur Museum discusses damage with MSU art gallery director Bill Andrews. Last: Art professor Brent Funderburk, left, visits with John and Leif Anderson.

I

“It looked like ground zero when I got there Monday evening. The only way to get to the site of the barn was by crawling through the wreckage of the workshop, wading across the causeway, climbing over debris to Billy’s gutted house then going through it to the remains of Mamma’s little house and what was left of Daddy’s cottage.

“After that it got rough because all of the timbers from the other houses had collected in a massive fiddlestick mountain in front of the place where the showroom used to be.

“When I saw the vault, I cried. It seemed so unfair for the little building to have stood through all that just to be violated by chance, as if the storm were actually seeking that particular treasure.”

Clearly, the Andersons, like so many others, were faced with the recovery of their lives. With Shearwater and their family homes destroyed, and most of their valuable works of art under water, their plight was multiplied several times over.

Recovering one’s personal belongings after Katrina would be difficult enough, but to dig through the mud and water for thousands of works of art seemed insurmountable.

The Andersons soon realized that recovering the many works of art would require not only help from friends in the community but experts in the field of art conservation.

Perhaps a fortuitous set of circumstances prior to Hurricane Katrina can be seen as a link to those most-needed people who would eventually come to help rescue the Anderson collection.

12

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

The preceding spring, Bill Andrews, art gallery director at MSU, and Funderburk had been in touch with the Andersons about showing some of Walter Anderson’s work at MSU. Andrews remembers, “I had gotten in touch with John Anderson by phone. He informed me that he had recently taken over curatorial interest in the estate of his father’s work, was excited about the idea of an exhibit at Mississippi State, and would like to talk about it.

“I went and had an initial meeting with John, and we decided most of the details. Time passed and because of a miscommunication we would have to adapt our exhibit.

This turned out to be a very good turn of fate since we were now going to produce ‘The Voluptuous Return: Still Life of Walter Inglis Anderson’ which had not been widely exhibited and never seen at MSU. “John Anderson added, ‘As an added attraction you can show some of Daddy’s paintings that have never been seen before.’”

Andrews and Funderburk jumped at the opportunity to show “new” works and started organizing the exhibit.

Andrews recalls, “Funderburk immediately had a design in mind that he had been thinking of for many years. As suggested by the name written on a folder of Anderson’s watercolors, ‘Mystical Landscapes,’ Funderburk felt this was the time to bring these images to the world and we agreed this exhibit would be the vehicle.

“He and I went to Ocean Springs with Kate Bingaman, who would be designing printed, educational material for the exhibit. Our intent for that trip was to look through some of Anderson’s paintings to select those that would become ‘The Mystical Landscapes.’

“Guided by John, we looked at no fewer than 250 paintings, one at a time, on top of a desk in ‘the barn,’ a circa 1830 structure at Shearwater. Our faces were crowded around the small lamp we used to look at the paintings. Funderburk and I greedily took turns turning the acid-free leafing between the paintings. With each turn to reveal a new painting, there was a new chorus of gasps from the small audience and more knowing smiles from John Anderson.

“Kate Bingaman took many photographs with John’s permission. It was a powerful, transforming experience, part of a magical afternoon that I was glad to have shared with them.”

Funderburk’s and Andrews’ meeting with the Andersons was essentially the first step in saving part of the collection from Katrina and would help to expedite the recovery of what was left of the Anderson collection following the hurricane.

The problem they faced, however, was the fact that not all of the works they selected for the exhibit had been moved from Ocean Springs to Starkville before the storm. In order to complete the exhibit, Andrews resorted to contacting friends of the Andersons for help.

“We were determined to continue with the plans for the

Anderson exhibit. After Katrina, there was a desperate need for the kind of life-affirmation the artist’s work could provide.

However, we only had the 17 watercolors we had brought back in July.

“I called two venerable institutions for help, the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art in Laurel, and the Memphis Brooks Museum in Tennessee. Both institutions were incredibly helpful and quickly pushed through paperwork for loans of artwork that would ensure our exhibit opened on time.

“Chief Curator Marina Pacini, Registrar Kip Peterson, and Associate Registrar Marilyn Masler told me how the Brooks felt especially close to Walter Anderson, having a rare distinction of exhibiting his work there during his lifetime. The Memphis community, they assured me, considered Anderson one of their own, and they were glad to help.

“They loaned sculpture and ceramic works from the permanent collection that are unequalled in any collection save the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs. The arrival of this work brought unexpected delight in contrast to the misery left by the hurricane.”

After months of planning and hard work, the Walter Anderson Exhibit, titled “The Voluptuous Return: Still Life of Walter Inglis Anderson and Mystical Landscapes,” opened September 19, 2005. It was the most successful exhibit ever shown at MSU, with record attendance and a visit by John and Leif Anderson, son and daughter of Walter Anderson.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

13

T

The Andersons’ visit was not only in support of their father’s exhibit but to thank the MSU recovery team at Mississippi State for their work toward saving the collection and bringing it to MSU for safekeeping.

Very few people knew at the time what had gone on prior to the exhibit or after Katrina. Many were unaware that amid the larger recovery effort on the coast, a crew of faculty and students from MSU struggled to pull the Anderson collection from what seemed certain doom. Christopher Holland, a former MSU art student who was living in Mobile, Ala., arrived first. His love of art and of Anderson’s work sent him on his mission, and once in Ocean Springs he pitched in by pulling work after work out of the rubble, carefully cleaning them, and laying them on the floor of the Walter Anderson Museum (that somehow survived) to dry.

Chris’s efforts over the course of weeks were exemplary and a genuine contribution to the cause of saving the collection.

As a result, in the spring of 2006 at the general faculty meeting of the College of Arts and Sciences, Christopher Holland was awarded the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award for his selfless effort in helping the Andersons recover as many works as they could from the devastation of Katrina.

Once the recovered works had been laid out to dry, the arduous process of sorting and cataloguing them would follow. By that time several members of the rescue team had visited to see how they could help. Dr. Paul Jacobs of the Department of Philosophy and Religion, whose research uses digital archiving of antiquities, suggested making a digital record of the collection. At that time the number of works from the collection that had been found and/or damaged was unknown. Paul’s idea to organize the works through digital photography would produce an inventory of everything recovered, so he and his wife, Nancy, with volunteers Chris Holland and John van der Zwaag, took thousands of photographs of the works over a period of days. Their effort to document each work turned out to be invaluable in knowing what had been saved or lost from the collection. But the help didn’t end there.

Left: John Anderson, left, former MSU art student Chris Holland, and Asheville, N.C., conservator Joanne Berry

Over the next few weeks the recovery committee grew to include Dr. John O’Hear, Department of Archaeology, and Joe Seger, director of the Cobb Institute for Archaeology.

They offered to house the collection once it had been retrieved, stabilized, and packed. Soon others joined the effort. William Griffin, Department of Art, Dylan Karges, illustrator for the Cobb Institute, and Buddy Balaa, computer electronics technician, Department of Art, all volunteered to travel to Ocean Springs with Bill Andrews to help pack and transport the collection. Once at the site, the crew carefully packed the works that had been inventoried. They used acid-free packing paper and special climate-controlling boxes and crates. They worked with each delicate painting and watercolor under the supervision of the Andersons and carefully prepared them for storage before transporting the entire collection to MSU. Their effort was outstanding.

Walter Inglis Anderson, the most renowned artist in Mississippi history, whose reputation across the country and around the world continues to grow, was nearly lost to us in the storm surge of hurricane Katrina. His many works of art were totally submerged in the water and mud for days. No one knew for sure whether they could be saved. Ironically, when Walter Anderson lived in Ocean Springs he loved the water and the wind and the heavy storms that brewed in the gulf. He often ventured out to get to know them better, and many of his paintings capture those wild experiences and his unique perspective of the Mississippi coast. Once again, it seems that he traveled into the storm, and again survived the fury of nature. This time many friends and lovers of his art came to his rescue, determined never to lose the artist who taught them to love what is sometimes cruel in nature, but always beautiful.

Special credit must also be given to former President Charles Lee, Deans Phil Oldham and Jim West, Associate Vice President Ruth Prescott, Provost Peter Rabideau, and Associate Provost Jerry Gilbert for not only supporting the committee’s efforts, but encouraging each member to use his expertise to make a difference in the lives of Mississippians by helping to save the artist most dear to the state.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

15

BY KAY FIKE JONES PHOTOS BY MEGAN BEAN AND RUSS HOUSTON

Could Mississippi State be at the center of an aviation production hub? It may sound surprising, but if growth continues, it could well be the future for this area of the state.

Aerospace engineering head Anthony Vizzini

16

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

The land-grant university’s Department of Aerospace Engineering and its Augustus “Gus” Raspet Flight Research Laboratory long have been involved in high-technology research involving aircraft. Raspet is recognized internationally for more than half a century of expertise in low-speed aerodynamics, aeronautical structural composites and rapid prototyping.

Left: A prototype of an unmanned aerial vehicle Below: MSU President Robert H. "Doc" Foglesong, far right, talks with Aurora President John Langford, left, and Rep Roger Wicker, R-Miss.

Right: A Raspet glider is readied for the wild, blue yonder.

Today, however, its research is embracing a wider mission.

“While we continue ongoing research in composites, we also are becoming experts at unmanned aerial vehicle technology,” explained Dr. Anthony “Tony” Vizzini, aerospace engineering department head. “We have worked on a backpackable UAV, and Dave Lawrence, the director of Raspet, is working on our own version of a larger one, which we call the Owl, that merges glider technology with the UAV.” Vizzini, who also is the inaugural holder of the Bill and Carolyn Cobb Chair (endowed professorship) in Engineering, said the department also supports and encourages its majors to develop their own UAV designs for various student competitions.

“There is a lot of value in what the students do and we recognize that,” he observed.

Looking off campus, Vizzini said MSU also recognizes the importance of aiding private- and commercial-based research. As examples, he said the department has established an incubator presence at its Raspet lab. Located since its beginnings at Starkville’s Bryan Field, the laboratory complex holds the distinction of being named a national soaring landmark.

In the 1980s, the Honda Research Co., a unit of the major Japanese automaker, chose the laboratory to conduct extensive work on a composite aircraft prototype. More recently, Virginia-based Aurora Flight Sciences came calling with a request for assistance in its UAV design. Now, GE Aviation, an Ohio-based subsidiary of the General Electric Corp., seeks MSU expertise for manufacturing of jet engine parts.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

17

Left: August Raspet Flight Research Laboratory Below: Students show off the UAV they made for competition. Bottom: David Lawrence, Raspet director, poses inside aerospace's giant autoclave, a pressurization chamber.

18

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

“Because companies are our strategic partners, our students are receiving wonderful exposure to the ‘real world.’

It also gives them job opportunities in aviation that are close by.”

DR. TONY VIZZINI

“We provide them with space in one of our hangars for about a year or so, and then they move out and build their own facility,” Vizzini explained.

Aurora, now with a U.S. Defense Department contract to build the high-altitude, long-loft Orion UAV, left Raspet in August for a second temporary lodging at Golden Triangle Regional Airport in adjoining Lowndes County, near where the company is constructing a massive permanent facility.

Vizzini said Aurora’s choice of Mississippi to work with its UAV project can be attributed directly to a combination of MSU’s aeronautical reputation—and some fortuitous circumstances.

Vizzini was a Massachusetts Institute of Technology classmate of Aurora head John Langford. After graduating from the world-renowned Boston school, Vizzini went to academia and Langford to industry. It was MSU’s great fortune that they stayed in touch throughout the intervening years.

When Vizzini left the University of Maryland and came to Starkville in 2003, he sent an e-mail to Langford and offered any future help the company might need. One year later, Langford took the offer and Aurora leased space in a Raspet hangar in 2005.

Although Aurora has moved a dozen or so miles away, the company and MSU maintain their close relationship, which Vizzini says can only grow with the East Central Mississippi region.

“With the presence of Aurora and American Eurocopter, people are looking at this area to see what’s going on in the aerospace industry,” he said.

American Eurocopter is the United States arm of Eurocopter, the European civil and military helicopter manufacturer. Like Aurora, the company recently has built a facility near GTR Airport and, like Aurora, has leased space at Raspet.

Because Raspet’s facility already was set up for composite manufacturing, the helicopter company was able to produce parts there.

Both setups have resulted in continued daily interactions between industry and academia.

“Because companies are our strategic partners, our students are receiving wonderful exposure to the ‘real world,’” said Vizzini, who is a Fellow of the American Society for Composites. “It also gives them job opportunities in aviation that are close by.”

The latter reality, he added, means MSU aerospace engineering graduates will no longer have to leave the state for aerospace employment. Where, for instance, many once joined NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center or any of the related companies in the Huntsville, Ala., area, Vizzini now anticipates more will be working near MSU. This can be especially rewarding for students who have, as sociologists say, “a strong sense of place.” They now can pursue their career dreams while remaining close to home— and alma mater.

Of course, the more aerospace-related companies creating more area job opportunities, the more Mississippi can grow from underneath its traditional low economic rankings.

“Without question, the university, our department and the Raspet Flight Laboratory are easily accessible tools for Mississippi’s economic development,” Vizzini emphasized.

“We are located near GTR Airport and relatively close to Huntsville. As several aviation industries become established here, more will come.”

Pausing, he added: “There’s a draw here.”

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

19

Cinderella Doss surrounded by her six children, clockwise from right, Leroy, Carol, Cheryl, Christina, Clarissa, and Wanda.

20

BY PHIL HEARN PHOTO BY RUSS HOUSTON A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

A true “Cinderella” story is unfolding at Mississippi State this fall as six siblings from one family are enrolled as full-time students.

N

No wicked stepmother, prince, glass slippers, or pumpkin carriage in this one—as far as we know—but there is a real-life Cinderella, to be sure.

The five sisters and one brother—Wanda, Christina, Clarissa, Leroy, Cheryl, and Carol Doss—range in age from 18 to 27. The clan includes one freshman, one graduate student and four other Dosses in various other stages of matriculation.

If numbers mean anything, they could form their own MSU alumni chapter some future day in the tiny Palo Alto community just west of West Point, where they all grew to adulthood under the guiding hand of their widowed mother, Cinderella Doss.

“Six heads are better than one,” asserted Wanda, the oldest sibling at 27, and a master’s degree candidate in instructional technology. She already holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the university.

“We depend on each other for many things,” added Wanda, who also sings lead in the Doss gospel music group, another family passion. “With our unique talents brought to the table, we are able to accomplish a great deal.”

Christina, 25, is a senior majoring in child development.

Clarissa, 23, also is a senior majoring in family studies.

Leroy, 21, a new transfer from East Mississippi Community College, is a senior communication major.

Cheryl, 20, is a junior elementary education major.

Carol, 18, graduated from West Point High School in May and will be a freshman. She also plans to major in elementary education.

“We’re a close-knit family,” said Cheryl, salutatorian of her WPHS graduating class in 2004. “We go to church together every Sunday and sing as a gospel group. All of us are single.

“We all enjoy nature, fishing, daily walks, and shopping and eating together. Or sometimes, we just sit on the porch at our home in Palo Alto,” she added.

Their parents have been strong, positive influences in their lives.

Their late father, Leroy Sr., pastored an area church, farmed, taught school, and worked at a local food plant to

make ends meet. He died from a stroke in 1991 at age 40— leaving a legacy of hard work, religious dedication and commitment to education.

“He taught us to stay on a straight and narrow path,” said Wanda. “The path that God helped him lay out is the path that is still cared for and paved.”

After Leroy Sr.’s death, Cinderella had to be both a mother and a father to her six children. She kept them in school, she kept them in church and she kept them singing.

“It has been a struggle, but it kept us on our knees and it kept us humble,” said their 55-year-old mother. “We’ve been singing together as a gospel family for the past 15 years. Singing is fine, but we have to live the life we sing about in our songs.”

Named after her maternal grandmother, Cinderella grew up on a farm in Chickasaw County and also was raised by a single parent, Christine Davidson.

“We worked in the field, helping neighbors for a quarter a day,” she recalled “I was taught to respect my elders and always treat everybody the way that you wanted to be treated—and I tried to teach my children the same way.”

“Mother is our spiritual guidance counselor,” said Cheryl.

“She has been a miracle,” added Wanda, who also was salutatorian of her 1997 graduating class at the now-closed West Clay High School. “I love and thank my mother for all she’s done.”

With the cost of getting a college education ever on the rise across the country, the Dosses take advantage of a combination of student scholarships, grants and loans available through MSU. They also work part-time at various on- and off-campus jobs.

Cheryl, Leroy and Carol stay in separate campus residence halls, while Wanda lives in an off-campus apartment.

Christina and Clarissa will commute from the family home in Clay County.

“Things aren’t always a bed of roses, but I’ve learned to overcome the bad days,” said Wanda. “I chose MSU because of the prestige of its academic programs. Overall, the oncampus experience has been very rewarding.”

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

21

BY PHIL HEARN PHOTO BY RUSS HOUSTON

Minutes after finishing a scholarly presentation to a gathering of mostly electrical and computer engineering students at Mississippi State, the worldrenowned telecommunications expert was approached by a face from his distant past.

22

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

The encounter between guest speaker James L. Flanagan and 1943 MSU football teammate John Robert Arnold a year ago unleashed a flood of memories about fellow players, a broken proboscis, a grassless practice field, and an unmovable coach.

“I remember you and the other guard, y’all would be going in together,” Arnold told Flanagan, who was called “Ruby Red” back then because of his thick shock of red hair. “I’ve tried to think of the other players who were with us and what happened to ’em.

“Roy Barnes was the tailback and there was Bill Patrick, who later became mayor of Laurel and ran for lieutenant governor,” said Arnold, 82, a longtime Starkville businessman. “Bill Hildebrand had made All-Southeastern Conference at end and was the best player on the team.”

Arnold’s impromptu recollection of days long ago evoked a smile from Flanagan, who recalled his nose was “broken three times” during his football career at Greenwood High School and on the 1943 MSU squad depleted by World War II departures.

“Our practice field had no grass on it and was just like concrete,” he said. “When we’d get to play on Scott Field, the turf seemed so soft we just liked to roll around on it.”

With Allyn McKeen Jr. as head coach, MSU had won an SEC football championship in 1941 and fielded another conference contender in 1942. The 1943 season was disrupted by World War II as students were called to military service in increasing numbers, however, and there was no regular varsity team that year.

“There was no real team in 1943, so we just got up a team to play soldiers who were stationed here,” explained Arnold, who graduated from MSU in 1944 with a degree in agriculture. “We were just a bunch of students.”

“McKeen was the head coach but he would sit up in the press box while Dick Hitt coached our team and Marcus Mapp coached the other (Army) team. We beat ’em two out of three games,” added Arnold, a 190-pound tackle at the time.

Mapp’s name triggered another memory from Flanagan, who played guard.

“I remember him (Mapp) telling me, ‘All right now, you’ve got to go through this hole and take out the linebacker. I’m going to be the linebacker and I’m going to be standing in the hole.’

“I said, ‘Well, coach, you don’t have any pads on.’ He said, ‘That’s okay, you block me.’ I went running through the hole and thought I’d slammed into a tree,” Flanagan concluded to a round of laughter.

A Greenwood native and 1948 electrical engineering graduate of MSU, the 81-year-old Flanagan is recognized by experts in the field for championing ideas that contributed to the development of modern automatic speech-recognition systems, audio codecs such as MP3 and modern Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology.

As a guest of MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering in the fall of 2005, he met with former President Charles Lee,

“There was no real team in 1943, so we just got up a team to play soldiers who were stationed here.

We were just a bunch of students.”

JOHN ROBERT ARNOLD as well as MSU engineering majors and faculty members.

The faculty discussion involved an initiative to establish a telecommunications laboratory within the university’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

“He remains technically engaged and we were eager to hear his views as they relate to our telecommunications initiative and his vision for future research in a global environment,” said department head Jim Harden, Flanagan’s host for the 2005 visit.

More recently, Flanagan was appointed a distinguished research professor in electrical and computer engineering for MSU’s engineering college, becoming the first National Academy of Engineering faculty member within the college.

In this full-time, non-tenured temporary position, Flanagan assists with MSU’s telecommunication initiatives.

He is on campus this fall to assist ECE associate professor Jim Fowler in offering a special course on multimedia signal processing.

“As one of only two MSU engineering graduates to be initiated into the National Academy of Engineering, he will be able to serve as a role model and mentor to current and future engineering students,” said college Dean Kirk Schulz.

The other NAE member and MSU alumnus is Earnest W. Deavenport Jr., a Macon native, 1960 chemical engineering graduate and university benefactor who retired as chairman and chief executive officer of Eastman Chemical Company in 2001.

Flanagan earned master’s and doctoral degrees, respectively, in 1950 and 1955, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Between completing the advanced degrees, he taught at MSU for two years.

Recognized worldwide for his scientific contributions in speech technology, Flanagan carved out a 33-year career at Bell Laboratories, where he developed the Audix One voicemail system. He also worked on the artificial larynx and on electronic hearing devices before retiring from Bell in 1990.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

23

Last year, he retired for a second time from Rutgers University, where he had served in several capacities.

In 1996, President Bill Clinton awarded Flanagan the National Medal of Science for merging engineering techniques with speech science to solve basic problems in speech communication. U.S. presidents have presented the award annually since 1959 to recognize outstanding contributions in the physical, biological, mathematical or engineering sciences.

He also is a recipient of the L.M. Ericsson International Prize in Telecommunications, Edison Medal of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Medal of the European Speech Communication Association, and Gold Medal of the Acoustical Society of America.

“Jim may be Mississippi State’s most honored graduate,” said Harden.

He was born to Hanks and Wilhemina Flanagan on Aug. 26, 1925, and raised on a Mississippi Delta cotton farm in Leflore County. Before he graduated from Greenwood High School in 1943, with the war raging, the 17-year-old Jim signed up for service in the U.S. Army Air Corps.

Since he was ineligible for active duty until he turned 18, however, he entered then-Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College that fall and played football with the pick-up MSU team. Entering active military service the following February 1944, he worked with airborne communications and early radar systems for the remaining years of the war. He returned to MSU in 1946 to finish his education on the G.I. Bill.

24

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

Photo provided by MSU Archives

Old Main Dormitory

“I lived in Old Main Dormitory,” he recalled. “I think everybody was trying to catch up after being away for awhile. It was busy, but it was an interesting and happy time. There were good teachers here, like Harry Simrall (his department head).

“We had fraternity parties and dances in the cafeteria,” he continued. “We had some big bands come in and the entire student body was invited.”

Flanagan subsequently married Mildred Bell, also of Greenwood, a fellow student in high school and a graduate of Mississippi University for Women and Louisiana State University. They reside in New Jersey and have three sons, all of whom attended MSU. He said MSU students returning from World War II were “older and certainly serious,” but noted he’s “totally impressed with the poise and sophistication” of young people today.

The distinguished scientist had this bit of advice for young engineering majors: “It’s important to get the fundamentals solidly down in the mathematics and physics of your field. Then, you can teach yourself the specializations by reading and collaborating.

“Most of our young engineers of today will not work lifelong in one area, but will be called upon to shift directions. Technology is changing too rapidly. So versatility is very important—the ability to use your fundamental knowledge to learn a new specialty.”

CAMPUS news New program to mold student leaders The new Appalachian Leadership Honors Program is providing opportunities to cultivate leadership potential in students.

President Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong said the Appalachian Leadership Honors Program launched this fall is named for G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery, the 15-term U.S. congressman from Lauderdale County. Montgomery, a 1943 business graduate, retired in 1996 from a public service career that also included election to the Mississippi Senate.

The campus program was developed in a partnership with other universities across the Appalachian region and is formally designated as the Sonny Montgomery Chapter.

“There is no more fitting example of leadership and character to represent the ideals of this program,” said Foglesong, a longtime Montgomery friend.

Housed in the Division of Student Affairs, the program will identify and support students as emerging leaders.

“Our goal is to provide a foundation in character development and leadership skills through hands-on mentoring and instruction,” Foglesong said. The skills “are essential in preparing the next generation of business, political and academic leaders,” he added.

An inaugural class of 20 second-year and 10 third-year students was selected in October. They also will participate in the selection of future members.

Carrying the title of honor fellows, the students will work regularly with assigned mentors and participate in ongoing leadership seminars. Each also will be actively involved in various campus and community service activities.

The popular statue of Bully was lifted from its brick base in late summer for yearlong storage at the Cooley Building. The mascot, along with the distinctive laced-angle-iron Centennial artwork, have been removed from the front lawn of the Colvard Union as major remodeling work on the building began. The renovation should be complete by fall 2007.

Study shows bird habitats clearly in our ‘fields’ of vision Agricultural producers can enhance farmlands for grassland birds by providing habitat as part of a comprehensive resource management system. Mississippi State scientists recently completed a study that illustrates how agricultural producers can successfully incorporate conservation buffers into their production systems.

In the report, professionals in the university’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center discovered that conservation buffers strategically located within or at the edge of crop fields can provide a practical, cost-effective protection against the effects of weather and human activities. As an example, they point to field borders, which are intentionally managed, non-crop herbaceous plant communities along crop field edges.

The study measured the effects of field borders on populations of breeding and wintering grassland birds and Northern bobwhite in the Black Belt prairie of Northeast Mississippi. During the summer breeding season, the study focused on 53 species.

“The six most abundant species were red-winged blackbird, indigo bunting, dickcissel, mourning dove, Northern cardinal, and common grackle,” said Wes Burger, wildlife and fisheries professor and avian ecologist.

As Burger explained, field borders provide plant communities along existing wooded edges that make these areas favorable for foraging, loafing and nesting. Field borders can enhance the value of adjacent forested habitats by providing foraging habitat for the bunting, which primarily is a forest bird.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

25

CAMPUS news Foglesong rolls out ‘Promise’ awards Mississippi State President Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong has announced a new university initiative to provide support for incoming freshmen and community college transfer students whose family incomes can’t accommodate rising tuition.

Mississippi State Promise awards were established by the land-grant institution for students meeting required academic qualifications and whose family incomes fall below $30,000.

The program also provides on-campus work opportunities to help offset other non-tuition costs.

“Mississippi State Promise will provide financial awards for those students who can’t meet the expense of rising tuition,” Foglesong explained. The program covers the cost of tuition and required fees.

He said ensuring access to a Mississippi State education is an important personal goal. “We are trying to provide in a modest way the resources to help young men and women who have been squeezed out by tuition,” he added.

Thus far, 125 students are enrolled in the program.

Research universities will share $6.7 million grant Mississippi State and the state’s three other doctoralgranting institutions are sharing more than $6.7 million in external funding to help make them more nationally competitive in the computational sciences.

The National Science Foundation’s Office of the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research awarded MSU a grant of $6,750,000 for a three-year period that started May 1.

The university is subcontracting more than $4.5 million of the EPSCoR grant to its fellow members of the Mississippi Research Consortium—including more than $1.5 million apiece to Jackson State University and the University of Southern Mississippi; a little more than $1 million to the University of Mississippi; and nearly $435,000 to the UM Medical Center.

“This funding from the NSF will make a tremendous difference in the ability of Mississippi State and the other universities to further develop excellence related to highperformance computing and the life sciences,” said Dr. Colin Scanes, MSU’s vice president for research and the project’s principal investigator.

26

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

My

Story Boo k I Little I

N

N

N

N

N

Nancy Verhoek-Miller and Edwina “Mother Goose” Williams

Educator, alumni and local librarian produce book The collaborative effort among a Mississippi State education professor, Columbus librarian and two alumni of the university is a new addition to the world of children’s literature.

My Little Story Book II, which chronicles the adventures of Kathleen Cat and her animal friends, recently was completed

by Dr. Nancy Verhoek-Miller of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Edwina Williams of Columbus.

Williams, a children’s librarian at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, long has been recognized throughout the Golden Triangle area for her continuing, full-costumed role as “Mother Goose,” the fictitious author of 18th century English children’s books.

A year in the making, the 22-page edition is published by the MSU-based Early Childhood Institute and printed by the university’s Learning Center.

Verhoek-Miller said the book was designed to promote both learning activities and lessons of friendships among early childhood-aged children.

The extension activities were designed by Cathy Grace, the Early Childhood Institute’s award-winning director.

Artwork was provided by Verhoek-Miller and MSU alumna Rosann Daniels of Tupelo. MSU alumnus Stephen Westerfield of Brandon designed the publication with assistance from The Learning Center staff.

CAMPUS news Chinese program expected to create opportunities With a Chinese language program now in place, Mississippi State officials are hopeful current and future university students will have an edge when entering the international job market.

“We have been thinking about offering Chinese for a long time now,” says Foreign Languages Department Head Edmond Emplaincourt. “Any business journal will tell you that China is a rising nation, the place on which to focus.”

According to the latest figures, the People’s Republic of China—its formal name—has become the business world’s next frontier, thanks largely to its developing technology and fastgrowing consumer society. Though slightly smaller in land area than the United States, the world’s most populous nation is home to some 1.3 billion residents, 70 percent of whom are in the prime buying ages of 15-64.

“Soon China will not be known for its Great Wall, but for its great malls,” Emplaincourt observed.

In coming years, he said the MSU department is planning to lay a strong foundation for a full-fledged Chinese program. The proposal has drawn support from university administrators and other departments, as well as the business community, he added.

“The opportunity for our students to be well versed in the language and business of China makes it an ideal situation,” said John Lox, director of MSU’s international business program.

Emplaincourt said the new program will involve more than language. Students also will learn about Chinese culture and civilization through both classroom training and interaction with Chinese members of the campus and local communities.

Students’ inventory system could help businesses Two spring graduates of Mississippi State’s computer engineering program are designers of a wireless, graphicsbased inventory system that could save businesses a lot of time and money.

Matthew T. Young of Meridian and Michael V. Young of Picayune won first place and a $1,000 cash award in the university’s 2006 Jack Hatcher Business Plan Competition for creation of their Wireless Inventory System. The unrelated former seniors graduated May 13 in MSU’s electrical and computer engineering program.

The two-man team—working under the company name Creative Wireless Solutions—bested fellow student competitors by designing an autonomous system aimed at significantly reducing costs associated with the inventorytaking process.

“We had a great array of presentations,” said Gerald Nelson, director and chair of the Jack Hatcher Entrepreneurship Program within the Bagley College of Engineering.

The system devised by the Youngs employs an easy-touse graphical user interface (based on graphics rather than text) and new wireless technology to compile and display a complete inventory list of up to 65,000 items to users within five minutes of operation.

“The largest problem with inventory-taking is that it is inefficient and takes employees a long time to gather accurate inventory data, thereby costing employers a lot of money,” said Michael Young. “Our system removes almost all human involvement.”

The Barnes & Noble at Mississippi State Bookstore opened for business in August. Major occupant of the $8.5 million Cullis Wade Depot, the two-story emporium on the west side of campus is being called the “premier college operation” of the world’s largest bookseller.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

27

CAMPUS news Oil recovery process may reduce foreign dependence Mississippi State researchers are using a $1.5 million federal grant to implement an innovative oil recovery process that could streamline U.S. production and help reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign energy sources.

In partnership with Texas-based Denbury Resources Inc., the largest oil and gas operator in Mississippi, university experts hope to tap into the 40 percent of oil that remains in most petroleum reservoirs after standard production techniques have been applied.

“This project has ramifications for the future, spanning the gamut from increasing oil production from U.S. reservoirs to reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” said geologist Brenda Kirkland, a member of the interdisciplinary team of MSU scientists.

She said the grant from the United States Department of Energy will help the team apply over the next three years a process called Microbial Permeability Profile Modification.

Developed by MSU biological sciences professor emeritus Lewis Brown, the process already has been proven effective in recovering additional oil from nearly depleted fields.

MSU 69th nationally in degrees awarded to African-Americans Mississippi State ranks among the top 100 institutions across the country in the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to African-Americans.

During the 2004-05 school year, the university ranked 69th in the nation with the awarding of 405 degrees to black students. The new overall rankings from Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine included the nation’s historically black institutions.

Among traditionally white universities only, MSU ranked 44th in the nation.

By category among all institutions awarding bachelor’s degrees to African-Americans, MSU is ranked: —11th in education, with 71 degrees; —20th in agriculture and related fields, eight degrees; —23rd in engineering, 32 degrees; and —27th in mathematics and statistics (tied with several others), five degrees.

For the complete list, visit www.diverseeducation.com/ top100undergraduate2006.asp.

28

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

“The main importance of this research is to improve oil recovery,” said Charlie Gibson of Denbury Resources, which is based in the Dallas suburb of Plano.

When an oil well in this area initially is drilled, according to Denbury officials, about 20 percent of the oil usually will flow to the surface because of the pressure in the reservoir. Other enhanced recovery techniques such as water flooding and carbon dioxide flooding then are employed to extract an additional 40 percent of the oil, leaving 40 percent of the resource still untapped, they confirmed.

MPPM promotes the growth of bacteria indigenous to the oil-bearing formation, changing the pathway of injection water forces and forcing oil into new channels that become part of the produced fluid. Bacteria growth, enhanced by the addition of essential nutrients, increases the sweep efficiency of the water flooding operation.

MSU posts record research grants for FY06 Mississippi State collected a record total of more than $154.7 million in external grants and contracts for a variety of research and education programs during the 2006 fiscal year.

The total of $154,744,232 in outside funds supported some 2,267 sponsored projects during the fiscal year that ended June 30. The amount represented a significant increase over the university’s previous record of $150,045,912 recorded in FY2004.

The latest award total did not include an additional $17.6 million in state student financial aid channeled to MSU during the year.

“Research at MSU is contributing mightily to the state’s economic progress and is improving the quality of life for many Mississippians,” said Dr. Colin Scanes, vice president for research and economic development.

The FY2006 awards included more than $99.3 million from federal agencies, more than $29.2 million from Mississippi state agencies, and another $26.1-plus million from a diverse combination of private and other governmental sources.

CAMPUS news Nationally known costumer donates collection to MSU She’s designed the costumes for a play commissioned by Bill Cosby and contributed to Eugene O’Neill’s video production of “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” not to mention dressing the likes of actor Kevin Kline and singer Linda Ronstadt.

President Robert “Doc” Foglesong Designer Myrna Colley-Lee of Charleston poses with nationally-acclaimed costumer Myrna Colley-Lee. in August donated her

personal collection of theater memorabilia to Mitchell Memorial Library.

The collection consists of scripts, photographs, breakdowns (what each character wears in each scene), rehearsal notes from the director, research, playbills, newspaper articles, and thank-you notes from

cast members and production crews, as well as other novelties.

Colley-Lee said she hopes her donation will help students and other library patrons learn more about theater.

“I’d like to think that they could be exposed to the design process, and understand a little bit about what they’re seeing when they attend a theatrical production,” she said.

Dean of Libraries Frances N. Coleman said the collection will be a welcome resource in the university’s special collections department.

President broadens student recruitment

Foglesong talks U.S. foreign policy issues with Russian students

With the land-grant institution’s strategic planning effort now complete, President Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong said the university will be consolidating faculty, staff and alumni activities to more effectively focus on student recruitment.

“I’m not interested in lowering our standards, but I am interested in a campaign that will retain the sons and daughters of Mississippi,” he said in a recent videotaped statement to alumni and the campus community.

Foglesong said he has asked senior staff, alumni groups and MSU faculty to become engaged as voices for the university in “an increasingly competitive market environment.

“Mississippi State has much to offer and we will be communicating that as widely as possible,” he continued, adding that a campus group now is working on a recruitment operations plan.

To view Foglesong’s regular webcasts, visit www.msstate.edu/ president/webcasts/.

Mississippi State President Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong believes the “binding agent” among freedom-loving nations of the world today is a shared belief that terrorism is a common threat that must be defeated.

While on a late September trip to Russia, the retired four-star U.S. Air Force general expressed that view and others during a lecture-and-discussion session with about 50 international political science students at historic Moscow State University.

He also discussed American foreign policy in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist assaults on New York City and Washington, D.C., then fielded questions on a wide variety of issues.

“I was asked if we should have gone into Iraq,” said Foglesong, who visited Russia as co-chair of the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIAs. He was named to the post earlier this year by President Bush.

“My answer was that given the level of information and details that we had at the time, I can understand why the decision was made to go,” he said in an interview after arriving back on the Starkville campus. “But, in hindsight, that decision was based upon bad intelligence. We’ve messed this up in a number of ways, but we can’t just walk away now.

“The binding agent among all of us—including Russia—is that we all agree that terrorism is a bad thing,” he said. “The binding agent that has pulled us all together is a commitment by all free countries to fight terrorism.”

Foglesong was appointed co-chair of the presidential commission April 25, and led that group on its fact-finding mission to Russia. He concluded the trip by turning over 500 DNA kits to Russia to aid the country in identifying the remains of soldiers missing in action.

The West Virginia native said he was invited to speak at the 251-year-old Moscow institution by the university’s rector, Viktor Sadovnichy. He described the event as an “open-minded,” non-confrontational session in an “academic environment.”

While there, Foglesong said he and Sadovnichy also discussed the possibility of setting up a summer student exchange program between MSU and the Moscow university.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

29

CAMPUS news THE JUNCTION REPLACES ‘MALFUNCTION’ Tents filled the newly opened Junction Aug. 31 as Bulldog fans enjoyed festivities leading up to the season opening football game against South Carolina. The new “front lawn” of MSU is anchored by the Cullis Wade Depot, which includes a clock museum, welcome center and new Barnes & Noble bookstore. The gathering area replaces the decades-old five-points intersection—better known as “Malfunction Junction.”

Study measures Katrina’s impact on MSU students More than half of Mississippi State students who evacuated their homes ahead of last year’s Hurricane Katrina experienced psychological stress in the

storm’s aftermath, a new university study shows.

Nearly “one out of five” student evacuees experienced “severe” post traumatic stress disorder symptoms

After years of hard planning and very hard work, MSU’s Riley Center opened in Meridian in September with two performances by Grammy Award-winning singer Aaron Neville. For more on the rest of the concert season at the 1,000-seat Grand Opera House, log on to www.rileycenter.msstate.edu/.

30

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

similar to those of many combat veterans, according to a report released recently by MSU’s Social Science Research Center.

The report notes 54.4 percent of MSU student evacuees experienced psychological stress and 18.5 percent suffered severe PSTD symptoms.

More than a third (36.2 percent) of MSU students who had family or friends flee the Aug. 29, 2005, storm experienced psychological stress, and 10.3 percent of those students suffered severe symptoms of PSTD, the report adds.

A month after Katrina destroyed the Mississippi Gulf Coast and cut a northeasterly swath through the state, 2.5 percent said they were still missing family members or close friends. Also, 5.3 percent said someone close to them was either killed or seriously injured during the storm.

“Findings suggest that MSU students who evacuated or who had family and friends evacuate experienced unwanted thoughts, dreams and recollections of Hurricane Katrina to a similar degree as persons affected by the (1989) Exxon Valdez Oil Spill,” a team of SSRC researchers and visiting scholars from hard-hit New Orleans concluded.

A

P

P

O

I

CAMPUS news

N

T

M

E

N

T

S

A longtime administrator at North Carolina State University is the head of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. Dr. Sarah Rajala, a professor and associate dean of N.C. State’s College of Engineering, also became holder of MSU’s James W. Bagley Endowed Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

A 19-year administrator at Mississippi State is assuming a leadership role in the university’s efforts to support local and state economic development. Dr. Melvin C. Ray is associate vice president for economic development in the university’s Office of Research and Economic Development. He served most recently as special assistant to the president.

Electrical and computer engineering professor Lori Mann Bruce is the new associate director for research at the GeoResources Institute.

The appointment of Bruce, a faculty member for the past six years, was effective July 1.

A multi-disciplinary organization that includes faculty from 22 departments within six colleges or university units, the institute is considered a world leader in cutting-edge spatial technologies and resource management.

Rajala

Ray

Bruce

No Dawghouse should be without one!

With so many calendars out there to choose from, there’s really only one option for the Bulldog faithful—the traditional Mississippi State University hanging wall calendar.

The 2007 edition of the popular calendar is ready for order. The colorful calendar features beautiful photos of campus scenes by award-winning photographers as well as listings of holidays and important university events.

Get a paw up on your friends and neighbors and order one today. Visit www.ur.msstate.edu/calendar or call the MSU Foundation at 662-325-7000.

MSU is an AA/EEO university.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

31

CAMPUS news S T A T E

Diane L. Daniels, a mathematics instructor on the Starkville campus, received the National Academic Advising Association’s 2006 Outstanding Advising Certificate in the faculty academic advising category. Regena J. Clark, coordinator of advising at the university’s Meridian campus, was selected for NACADA’s Outstanding Advising Certificate of Merit in the academic advising-primary role category. Earlier this year, Daniels and Clark also were faculty and staff recipients, respectively, of Mississippi State’s 2006 Irvin Atly Jefcoat Excellence in Advising Award. In receiving the NACADA awards, they join a long list of university employees honored previously by the Kansas State Universitybased organization.

Mechanical engineering professor Mark F. Horstemeyer was appointed a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Recognizing his significant achievements in the field, the designation brings to 16 the number of faculty members within the university’s Bagley College of Engineering who are fellows in their respective professional societies.

Widely known for his work on microstructure property modeling, Horstemeyer oversees multi-scale research related to cradle-to-grave modeling of automotive and trucks components and systems. He also holds an endowed chair in solid mechanics in the MSU Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems.

May graduate Karolina A. Sarnowska of Diamondhead received a $2,000 scholarship from the nation’s oldest and largest honor society.

The computer science and mathematics double major was among only 160 honored as 2006 Phi Kappa Phi Scholars.

32

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

Y O U r

P R I D E

The invitation-only honor society has chapters at only about 300 select institutions in North America and the Philippines.

A Mississippi State professor and department head is a member of the inaugural class of the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture Academy of Fellows.

Cameron R.J. Man, who has headed the Landscape Architecture Department since joining the faculty in 1989, was recognized in June as a member of the CELA academy during the organization’s annual conference.

In addition, he is being honored with the highest honor bestowed upon a landscape architect by the field’s national professional association. Man was to receive the 2006 American Society of Landscape Architects Medal during the organization’s annual meeting in October.

Biological sciences doctoral student Jerilyn J. Belle of Aberdeen is the 2006 recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Student Award given by the university’s Sigma Xi chapter.

She was selected for her contributions in research and instruction.

Sigma Xi is an international society for professional scientists and engineers involved in university research.

A Mississippi State authority on digital multimedia broadcasting is the winner of the university’s 2006 Ralph E. Powe Research Excellence Award.

Dr. Jung P. Shim, a professor of management and information systems, received the award during the university’s annual spring research awards banquet.

Named in honor of the former MSU research vice president who died in

1996, the Powe award annually recognizes faculty researchers making significant contributions to the economic welfare or cultural growth of the university, state and nation.

A talented Mississippi State graduate student in mechanical engineering is receiving a 2006-07 Mississippi Space Grant Consortium fellowship worth $17,500.

The award went to Justin M. Crapps of Florence, Ala., a graduate research assistant at the university’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems. Last May, he received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, magna cum laude, from MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering.

The MSCG fellowship provides financial assistance for both educational and living expenses during the academic year. Crapps currently is working on a master’s in mechanical engineering, which he will follow immediately with work toward a doctorate.

A Mississippi State civil engineer can add yet another major entry to an already impressive resume: chair of the American Society for Testing and Materials’ Committee on Road and Paving Materials.

In his new role, Thomas D. White, head of the Civil Engineering Department, will help oversee the creation and evolution of standards in the industry.

He said the committee works to develop and maintain specifications, test and standards of practices for materials and processes that are used for the construction and maintenance of roads and airports.

“These are important parts of transportation infrastructure,” White said. “I consider it an honor to be selected by the membership as chairman.”

S T A T E

CAMPUS news

Y O U r

An administrator in the Bagley College of Engineering now will have more opportunities to assist minority students on the nation’s college and university campuses.

Dr. Tommy J. Stevenson, assistant dean for diversity programs and student development, was appointed to the Career Communications Group’s Development Institute for Emerging Leaders Program Advisory Committee.

Based in Baltimore, Md., CCG works to promote minority student achievement in mathematics- and science-based disciplines. Its programs also focus on creating a forum for outstanding students to interact with leaders of industry, government and academia.

A longtime Mississippi State mechanical engineering professor is a Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education.

Dr. B. Keith Hodge, a Macon native and 1965 alumnus of the land-grant university, is the first member of the Bagley College of Engineering faculty to hold the ASEE honor. Campuswide, the only other ASEE Fellow is MSU Career Center director Luther Epting.

The ASEE Fellow is conferred by the organization’s board of directors upon a member with outstanding qualifications and experience in engineering or engineering technology education who has made significant contributions to the society.

Nearly a dozen Mississippi State engineering students are 2006 award winners in a Southeast regional competition of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

The aerospace engineering majors were among more than 180 students from 112 universities participating in the AIAA’s recent 57th annual Southeastern Regional Student Conference held on the MSU campus.

“The people from AIAA were impressed and the standard for future conferences has been raised,” said Dr. Tony Vizzini, head of the university’s Aerospace Engineering Department, a part of the Bagley College of Engineering.

Led by faculty adviser Greg Olsen, MSU’s nine-member Society for Automotive Engineering aero-design team won the design team division for its entry titled, “When Pigs Fly.” Olsen is an assistant professor of aerospace engineering.

New Mississippi State civil engineering graduate Kyle A. Frazier of Madison is receiving a nationally prestigious $10,000 fellowship to pursue advanced studies in his chosen field.

A summa cum laude graduate who completed his university studies in May with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average, Frazier is one of only 35 engineering majors nationwide to receive a graduate fellowship from Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society. He will receive the stipend over a one-year period.

Mississippi State expert on health risks posed by secondhand smoke was honored by the state for outstanding work contributing to cancer prevention.

An associate research professor at the university’s nationally recognized Social Science Research Center, Dr. Robert C. McMillen recently received the Prevention of Cancer in Mississippi Award during the first Empowering Communities for a Healthy Mississippi Summit.

P R I D E

“This honor is in recognition of his leadership in getting Starkville to pass a comprehensive smoke-free ordinance,” said SSRC director Arthur Cosby, who also is William L. Giles Distinguished Professor at MSU.

Dr. David L. Lawrence, director of the Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, is a new Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.

An MSU aerospace research professor whose earlier career in the industry spanned more than 35 years, Lawrence becomes part of an elite group of only 150 SETP Fellows worldwide. The society works to promote air safety and aeronautical advancement.

A nationally recognized professor in the College of Forest Resources is in line to become president of the American Fisheries Society.

Dr. Don Jackson of the university’s wildlife and fisheries department recently was elected as the organization’s second vice president. He becomes the top officer of the 10,000member organization in 2009.

Mississippi State’s student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers is nationally ranked for overall excellence and has been cited for its service in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The university chapter won the Zone II Vice President’s Award, placing it among the ASCE’s top five chapters in the nation. The national professional organization also presented three other vice presidential awards and its firstplace Robert Ridgway Award to round out the top five chapters.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

33

SPORTS talk Clark inducted into College Baseball Hall of Fame Former Diamond Dawg Will Clark was among 10 players inducted in July as the inaugural class of the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

“Before this honor winning the Golden Spikes Award was my greatest college baseball honor,” Clark said. “I’m truly honored beyond my wildest dreams.”

Five coaches also were inducted, including the late Rod Dedeaux, who helped Southern California win 11 College World Series titles. His teams won an unprecedented five straight titles in the early 1970s.

John Askins, chairman and CEO of the College Baseball Foundation that established the hall, said placing it in Lubbock, Texas, was ideal.

“Some towns are basketball towns. Lubbock is a real baseball town. It’s got a great history,” Askins said. “I think this goes over real well in the college market. In a large metro area, it’s just sort of lost.”

The foundation and the College Baseball Hall of Fame hope to have a permanent facility there by 2008.

Carr named athletics’ senior woman administrator Former Lady Bulldog athlete Ann Carr is Mississippi State’s new Senior Woman Administrator.

A veteran of 12 years in athletic administration Carr succeeds Samye Johnson, who retired as the university’s SWA this past June.

Carr is in her second stint within the MSU athletic department. She assumed her new role following seven years as assistant athletic director for student life. In that position, she worked with the personal development of MSU’s student-athletes in addition to continuing her prior responsibilities as academic counselor for the Bulldog football team.

Carr also serves as director of the department’s Life Skills Program, which includes the support systems and career programs for all MSU student-athletes, and its CHAMPS program (Challenging Athletes’ Minds for Personal Success).

Carr As SWA, Carr will oversee the operation and supervision of MSU’s women’s sport program.

Hired in 1993 as an assistant director in the athletic academic office, she returned full-time to MSU in 1999 following a one-year stay in a similar capacity at the University of Southern Mississippi.

A native of Brookhaven Carr was a four-year letter winner on the Mississippi State women’s basketball team (1986-90). A 1990 graduate of State, she later earned her master’s degree in counseling from the institution in 1992.

She was named to her new position in August.

34

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

Mathis named to NGCA All-American Scholar Team Mississippi State golfer Amanda Mathis was named an All-American Scholar by the National Golf Coaches Association for the third consecutive year.

Mathis joined 370 lady golfers from Division I, II and III who earned the award.

A native of Picayune, Mathis led MSU in nine of 10 tournaments last season.

Mathis She led the team with a 74.20 stroke average and helped the univesity reach its fourth NCAA regional in the past six years. Mathis earned allSEC honors for the second time this past season and placed in the top-10 in six events.

In the classroom, Mathis has a cumulative 3.89 GPA as a communication major and has been named both a Dean’s and President’s Scholar, and the Bulldog Honor Roll multiple times.

SPORTS talk Track, field garner academic accolades Mississippi State’s women’s track and field team garnered All-Academic Team status, according to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The Lady Bulldogs were one of 77 teams listed nationally, and joined four other Southeastern Conference squads on the list. They were joined by league members Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt. The selection of the team awards were based on combinations of athletic and academic achievements.

The USTFCCCA also announced individual academic honors. MSU had five individuals make the All-Academic Team for the 2006 campaign. On the women’s side, juniors Joy Griffith and Jennifer McPherson, along with senior Jasmine Walls and freshman Marrissa Harris were all recipients of individual awards. Bulldog Travis McKay also was named to the academic team for his work in the classroom and in competition.

To qualify, an athlete must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 or higher and must have met NCAA Division I regional or national qualifying standard in his or her respective event.

MSU had eight track and field freshmen named to the 2006 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll, six on the women’s side and a duo of Bulldogs.

The honor roll is based upon grades from the 2005-06 school year, and requires student-athletes to have a 3.0 GPA during the period. Michelle Corrigan, Abbey Graham, Marrissa Harris, Abbey O’Connell, Nicole Rosetti and Emily Sanders each posted a 3.0 GPA in their respective academic majors. Zachary Greene and Daniel Zabaldano were listed among the 42 MSU members on the conference-wide honor roll.

Athletics upgrades online shopping; now part of ticket exchange site In a continuing effort to offer Mississippi State fans a better online experience, mstateathletics.com announced two new partnerships which should for Bulldog supporters: a new and improved online store and an Web-based ticket exchange avenue.

First, in partnership with teamfanshop.com, mstateathletics.com has launched a new and improved official online store. The MSU store will offer fans a plethora of MSU merchandise to choose from in more than 25 categories. MSU is joined by several other Division I college and professional sports teams who recently have selected TeamFanShop to power their official online stores, including the Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Offering a complete online experience, including secure point-and-click ordering, management of personal account information and dedicated customer support, the Mississippi State store will be a welcome addition to Bulldog fans’ online experience at the athletics Web site.

“Prior to our relationship with TeamFanShop, we did not have a true online store,” said Jim Ellis, MSU associate athletic director for external operations. “But after seeing the programs they’ve built for other Division I schools, it was pretty clear to us that TeamFanShop understands how to balance revenue opportunities like this with our need to provide the highest level of service to our fans and alumni.”

To access the store, fans should simply click the MState Store buttons/links now located throughout mstateathletics.com.

Second, in partnership with StubHub! fans visiting mstateathletics.com may now securely buy, sell and exchange tickets for selected MSU sports online at the company’s Web site, stubhub.com. StubHub enables customers to exchange tickets at fair market value.

The company’s open marketplace, dedicated solely to tickets, provides all fans the choice to buy or sell their tickets in a safe, convenient and reliable environment.

All transactions are processed and delivered via StubHub’s patent-pending FanNetworkSM ticket delivery service, supported by seven-day, toll-free customer service at 1-866-STUBHUB, and backed by the industry-first FanProtectSM Guarantee.

To access stubhub.com’s MSU community, Bulldog fans should click the StubHub buttons/links now located throughout mstateathletics.com and on MSU’s official ticket office page.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

35

SPORTS talk Sports turf managers’ love of grass boon for athletic fields Bart Prather and Charles Brunetti are hooked on grass—but don’t call the law!

It’s a big plus for the athletic fields at Mississippi State.

The two university sports turf managers are truly outstanding in their field—and not surprisingly, that’s where they’ll most often be found: out standing on a field.

Assisted by students majoring in the nationally recognized golf and sports turf management academic program, they keep MSU’s eight playing and practice fields healthy, green and manicured yeararound for use by football, baseball, softball, track, and soccer teams.

“We’re in charge of all fields for the athletic department,” said Prather, sports turf manager and a 34-year-old Canton native. “The work never stops.

“Everything has its season,” he added.

“In the summer time, we just shift gears to handle baseball camps and make sure Scott Field is ready (for football) Aug. 31.”

Brunetti, who finished high school in Ferriday, La., and Prather are 2001 and 1999 graduates, respectively, of the golf and sports turf management program.

Led by assistant professors Barry Stewart and Greg Munshaw, the specialized curriculum is an emphasis area within the agronomy major of the department of plant and soil sciences.

Administratively, however, sports turf management operates as a component of the campus landscape and grounds unit headed by Tim Lacy, but is funded by the Athletic Department. Lacy reports to Jim Jones, executive director of facilities. They all work closely with Bobby Tomlinson, assistant athletic director for game operations and facilities.

“I’m extremely proud of our MSU campus landscape team,” said Jones. “To fully understand the contribution Bart, Charles and the sports turf team make to 36

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

MSU turf managers Bart Prather (l) and Charles Brunetti.

MSU, you have to experience it at the games. It is very gratifying to observe their work.”

In the modern world of athletics, turf management is a labor-intensive challenge requiring sweat and innovation, plus a healthy dose of expertise in such topics as grass species, soil makeup, aeration, fertilization, weather factors, turf rotation, and mowing patterns; and analyzing the unique wear-and-tear impacts of the different sports.

The health and longevity of various grasses on the playing fields is vital.

The lush, green playing surfaces, symmetrical patterns and creative placement of team emblems must stand the scrutiny of thousands of fans who pack the stadiums each week, as well as the millions of viewers who may tune in on national television.

“We take a big tape measure out there and measure everything and mark it with flags,” Prather said in describing

how some field designs are laid out symmetrically.

“Every other series (during baseball season), we change the pattern in the outfield at Dudy Noble Field,” said Brunetti. “It’s good for the grass to change patterns and it’s also good for ball roll.”

Keeping the MSU playing and practice fields in shape is pretty much a seven-day-a-week job for much of the year. Consider that starting Feb. 1, Prather and Brunetti didn’t take a weekend off until Easter. Then there was Super Bulldog Weekend April 7-9, which featured baseball and soccer games, along with the traditional football intra-squad scrimmage—clearly a major combined project.

“We gave the students three weekends off (on a rotating basis) throughout the spring semester so they wouldn’t get burned out,” said Brunetti.

Experience Extraordinary Living...

Imagine a new style of living...open the door to your condominium or office and take a stroll across the MSU campus, stop at your favorite restaurant for a bite, enjoy shopping at your favorite boutiques, bring your laptop for a stop on a bench to surf the web...At home at the Belfry, you will find exquisite 2-3 bedroom condominium living with “at your door” amenities such as shopping, dining and professional spaces...all with reserved, covered parking for owners...

Relive the Feeling...Got Maroon?

Relive Bulldog weekends over and over...

If you love maroon...The Belfry is just a stone’s throw away from the MSU athletic fields...located on the corner of Russell Street. You and your team can capture all of the excitement of SEC sports, just a stroll away...it’s tailgating from your condo or office...being a Bulldog has never been so much fun!

One of A Kind Community...

The Belfry owners/residents will enjoy the benefits of The Belfry including: Known Design Standards Association Membership and Privileges Reserved, Designated Covered Parking Easy Access to MSU Campus and Cotton District City Services Wireless Internet

Your Time is Now...

You deserve this style of living...find yourself at The Belfry while space is still available.

A Fall 2006

Contact Us: Kimbrell-Crowson, LLC • Phone 662.832.6830 • www.thebelfrystarkville.com

L

U

M

N

U

S

37

ALUMNI news Annual giving program takes on new name Mississippi State’s annual giving program recently underwent a name change. For years, alumni and friends have known MSU’s annual giving program as the Fund for Excellence. On July 1, 2006, the program donned a new name, the MSU Annual Fund.

“The name change may seem small, but we’re very excited about it,” said John Rush, director of major gifts for the MSU Foundation. “The new name emphasizes the most important aspect of the program: that it’s an annual fund. We want our alumni and friends to support

Travel for alumni and friends Education puts us in touch with the world of ideas. Travel connects the intellect with the senses. Together, they bring us face to face with the world in which we live.

Realize a travel dream with one of the travel opportunities listed below. Share with us the incomparable beauty from around the world, whether by air, motor coach or a luxury cruise ship. You’ll feel comfortable and confident traveling with experienced tour guides who will attend to all of your needs.

AMAZON RIVER JOURNEY January 19-28, 2007

PANAMA CANAL CRUISE January 31-February 11, 2007 VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY: WONDERS OF THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS March 2-10, 2007 VILLAGE LIFE ALONG THE WATERWAYS OF HOLLAND AND BELGIUM April 12-20, 2007 IRELAND—ENNIS AND KILKENNY May 5-16, 2007 BALTIC SEA AND NORWEGIAN FJORDS CRUISE June 20-July 2, 2007 SCOTLAND—THE HIGHLANDS AND EDINBURGH August 16-27, 2007 GREEK ISLES October 8-19, 2007 For more information, contact Libba Andrews at 662-325-3479 or landrews@alumni.msstate.edu.

38

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

Mississippi State consistently year after year, not just make a one-time contribution.”

The MSU Annual Fund provides an avenue through which donors can support any area of Mississippi State on a continual basis. Gifts to the annual fund can be designated for a college or school, academic department, scholarship fund, or any other specific area.

Whatever the designation, the act of giving consistently is the heartbeat of the program.

Support of the MSU Annual Fund also directly impacts Mississippi State’s standing in U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” rankings. One of the major criteria used by the publication to determine a university’s score is alumni satisfaction, which is measured by the percentage of alumni who contribute consistently to the annual fund. The greater the participation in the annual fund, the higher the ranking.

Alumni and friends began seeing the new program name and logo in publications and correspondence pieces in late summer 2006. “We hope the transition to the new name is seamless, and that it won’t cause any confusion,” said Rush.

“I encourage all of our alumni and friends to join in our excitement about the new name and make a commitment to the MSU Annual Fund today.”

For more information on the MSU Annual Fund or to make an annual gift, please contact the MSU Foundation at 662-325-7000, or visit the Foundation’s Web site at www.msufoundation.com.

ALUMNI news Traveling program provides world of opportunities

The MSU Traveling Bulldogs program provides a chance to see the world and build lifelong relationships with other members of the MSU family.

No one knows this better than Earl and Patsy Hodil of Stevensville, Md., who joined the Traveling Bulldogs for a recent trip to Italy.

“This was our first trip to Italy,” said Patsy, “and we were thrilled to be

making it with the group from Mississippi State.

My husband Earl and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on the trip. At 72 years old, we were definitely the oldest people in the group, but we had a wonderful time!”

The Hodils joined a group of 21 other MSU alumni and friends on a recent trip to the Chianti region of Italy. The group toured the countryside, visited several cities, and feasted on authentic Italian cuisine.

Show your pride with an

MSU class ring Tradition is a special part of the Mississippi State experience.

Thousands of MSU alumni show their devotion to the university every day by proudly wearing an official MSU class ring.

By ordering yours today, you, too, can show the world your pride in your alma mater.

The distinctive ring features the university name, date of its founding, your graduation year and degree letters, and any engraving you wish on the inside of the ring.

The class ring contains a brilliant garnet (maroon) stone and is available in mens’ and ladies’ designs in 10, 14, or 18-karat white or yellow gold.

For more information or to order your official Mississippi State class ring, call 1800-BALFOUR or visit www. balfourcollege.com.

“I think the food may have been our favorite part of the trip,” said Patsy. “I gained 10 pounds while we were there!”

She recounts a day spent in a cooking class in an Italian villa with laughter in her voice. “We got to wear chef’s hats and aprons, and we cooked a true Italian meal. The chef gave each of us a diploma as part of the cooking class.

What a memorable experience it was!”

In addition to seeing the sights of Italy and learning about the culture, the Hodils also formed many friendships with fellow Bulldogs. “We met so many wonderful MSU folks from all around the United States. It was like ‘old home week’ as we all shared our Mississippi State memories. We met a couple from Hernando that we got to be great friends with during the trip. They are many years younger than us, but our husbands discovered they were both forestry majors at State—several decades apart!

We’ve kept in touch with these new friends since we returned from the trip.”

Experiencing new places and new things truly can bring a group of people together. The trips offered through the Traveling Bulldogs program provide opportunities for forming new friendships and rekindling old ones. They also offer unparalleled opportunities for learning about new places and cultures.

Earl and Patsy Hodil, like so many other Traveling Bulldogs, highly recommend joining the group for a journey. For more information on upcoming trips, contact Libba Andrews at landrews@alumni.msstate.edu.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

39

ALUMNI news Once again this summer, MSU faithful traveled to New York City’s Central Park to participate in the Mississippi in the Park picnic festivities.

MSU

in the park

WMSV campus radio station manager Steve Ellis (right) interviews MSU Alumni Association executive director Jimmy Abraham.

Gov. Haley Barbour and Miss MSU Kylie Estes were among those enjoying the festivities.

“Mississippi State in the Park” T-shirts were a big hit among picnic-goers.

The crowd enjoyed good food, entertainment and a relaxed atmosphere.

40

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

ALUMNI news Alumna Rona Johnson-Belser (’74) with the Birmingham Chapter’s oldest sponsored camper, Michael Bowman, who was a leaderin-training this year.

Chapter sponsors asthma camp The MSU Alumni Association’s Birmingham Chapter again has cosponsored the annual Young Teen Asthma Camp, held in June at Camp Winnataska near Birmingham. Six campers were able to attend this year thanks to the support of the Mississippi State alumni.

Not only do members support the camp with an annual donation of $1,000, but they also visit each year to interact with the campers.

The teens learn new skills at the camp, including asthma self-management.

Campers take part in a full range of activities—swimming, crafts, horseback riding, and canoeing.

Participants grow in numerous ways, such as learning how to take responsibility for their medications, how to work with others, and how to make friends.

Campers respond to follow-up surveys, and each year have reported

increased knowledge about asthma and self-efficiency in asthma management.

The camp has been recognized nationally in the media and through national awards from nursing organizations.

For further information about Camp Winnataska, contact Dr. Ellen Buckner, camp director, at 205-934-6799 or bucknere@uab.edu.

What’s going on?

Check out our Web site at www.alumni.msstate.edu for a frequently updated calendar of alumni events.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

41

ALUMNI news Alumni Association 2006-2007 National Board of Directors BETTY BLACK, Starkville National President DAVID JONES, Jackson National First Vice President A.D. HUNT, Hattiesburg National Second Vice President KEITH WINFIELD, Starkville National Treasurer JOE BRYAN, Starkville Immediate Former National President RANDY ALLEN, Olive Branch North 1 Region Director ROGER N. CHILDS, Ripley North 2 Region Director SANDRA MURRAY, West Point North 3 Region Director JIM MILLER, Saltillo Young Director-Northern Region JERRY FULTON, Yazoo City Central 1 Region Director CARLTON M. “BO” REID, Ackerman Central 2 Region Director MOODY CULPEPPER, Vicksburg Central 3 Region Director ART SMITH, Brandon Young Director - Central Region JOE ROBISON JR., Laurel South 1 Region Director HENRY HAMILL, Brookhaven South 2 Region Director EXTON “BUCK” JOHNSON, Gulfport South 3 Region Director JESSICA MAHOLM, Hattiesburg Young Director-Southern Region SUSAN HILL, Gulf Breeze, Fla. ROB CARPENTER, Baton Rouge, La. STEPHANIE S. WILLIFORD, Mobile, Ala. Out-of-State Directors CHARLES CASCIO, Cleveland STEVE TUTTLE, Hernando DAVID COZART, Tuscumbia, Ala. At-Large Directors

42

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

MIKE CRISWELL, Atlanta, Ga. Atlanta, Ga., Chapter Director RONA BELSER, Birmingham, Ala. Birmingham, Ala., Chapter Director LEE A. BENOIST, Ridgeland ANGELA DALLAS, Jackson CARL NICHOLS, Jackson Central Mississippi Chapter Directors COLLEEN JOHNSON, Long Beach Harrison-Stone Chapter Director DAVID SAUL, Webster, Texas Houston, Texas, Chapter Director KAREN DUGARD LAWLER, Madison, Ala. Huntsville, Ala., Chapter Director GARY FUTCH, Meridian Lauderdale County Chapter Director MARY KIRK KING, Tupelo Lee County Chapter Director JOHN DOWDLE, Columbus Lowndes County Chapter Director TOMMY ROBERSON, Memphis, Tenn.

Memphis, Tenn., Chapter Director LOREN BELL, Starkville JERRY TONEY, Starkville Oktibbeha County Chapter Directors WILL GRIFFIN, Hattiesburg Southeast Mississippi Chapter Director J.R. LOVE, Starkville President of MSU Student Association BOB WOLVERTON, Starkville Chair, MSU Faculty Senate MIKE HARRIS, Starkville Chair, MSU Professional & Support Staff Advisory Council RODERICK A. MOORE, Brandon President, MSU Foundation Inc. HAL PARKER, Bolton President, Bulldog Club JIMMY ABRAHAM, Starkville Executive Director, Alumni Association

ALUMNI news A Bully send-off A number of Mississippi State Alumni Association local chapters hosted “send-off� parties this summer for new MSU students from their areas. Enjoying the festivities were students from Lincoln, Webster and Lee counties. The events brought together alumni, parents, and university representatives to honor and congratulate the university’s newest class.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

43

ALUMNI news We’re looking for a few good Bulldogs Do you know a potential Mississippi State student who may not be aware of the opportunities our great university has to offer? If so, please complete as much of this form as possible and mail to Office of Admissions and Scholarships, P.O. Box 6334, Mississippi State, MS 39762, or fax to 662-3251MSU. You can make a positive difference for a high school or community college student by introducing them to your alma mater.

Student’s name

SS#

Address City, State, ZIP Phone

E-mail

High school or community college GPA

Graduation date ACT/SAT

Gender

Academic interest Your name

MSU class year

Relation to prospective student Your phone

Your e-mail

Want to make your newest addition an official You can receive a “Future Bulldog” certificate for your son or daughter by simply calling the Office of Admissions and Scholarships at 662-325-2224, by e-mailing admit@msstate.edu, or visiting http://msuinfo.ur.msstate.edu/friends/ futurebulldog.html.

44

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

BULLDOG? You must include the child’s full name, your address, and the year he or she will be a freshman at Mississippi State. Start your Bulldog traditions now.

FOUNDATION news Foundation adds two fundraisers, promotes a third The Mississippi State University Foundation is adding new professional staff members to assist with private fundraising for some key campus units.

“We are extremely pleased to fill some development officer posts with individuals whose previous work experience demonstrate the potential to help raise support in areas where private giving is critical for success,” said John P. Rush, the foundation’s director of major gifts.

Two of the three new development officers are MSU graduates. They include: Aldridge —Brett B. Aldridge, Division of Student Affairs. A 2005 communication/public relations graduate from Pensacola, Fla., he has

been an account executive with BellSouth in Birmingham, Ala. He will work with the major university unit responsible for enrollment services, housing, financial aid, health services, student organizations, counseling, police, recreational sports, and other student service Jenkins functions.

—Robert E. Jenkins Jr., College of Education. A 1992 business administration graduate from Starkville, he previously was an AmSouth Bank branch manager. Jenkins will work with the dean’s office and the seven departments of the academic unit that is a member of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, Southern Association of Colleges and

Schools, and American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.

Also, Ryan Little has been promoted to director of development for the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering.

Previously the assistant director, he is a 2000 University of Oklahoma marketing graduate who earlier held positions with Hands On Atlanta and Boy Scouts of America.

“Ryan has done a great job advancing the college and we are Little confident he will continue to do an outstanding job leading the efforts for private gifts in the Bagley College,” Rush said.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

45

FOUNDATION news Love for animals fosters veterinary college gift The search for wide open spaces far away from the hustle and bustle of city life led California native Marcia Patrick Lane to make her home in Columbus.

“I wanted to find a place to call home where people still know their neighbors and care about each other,” Lane explains.

Today, on the site of a burned antebellum home, stands the beautiful California-style residence Lane built.

The 15-acre property in the Black Prairie area is a small part of what was the Eugene Hardy plantation. She spends much of her time working on the property with the company of quite a few four-legged companions.

Lane has the usual run-of-the-mill pets—plenty of cats and dogs, but her brood extends much further. Her two fillies, Paloma and Sedona, were scheduled to be euthanized after being used for research purposes. Two donkeys and Kobe, a 2,500-pound steer, will soon have the company of two Charolais/Holstein cows who have fallen on hard times. Five turkeys rescued from a dead pile by a farm sanctuary round out the herd of homeless, trapped or abandoned animals she has lovingly adopted.

The love of a horse named Kafar, a gift from the Wrigley family, ultimately started Lane on a path toward becoming a lifelong animal lover and advocate of animal welfare.

As a very young girl, Lane lived on Santa Catalina Island where the famed chewing gum family raised horses. Her family was involved in development efforts for the island. Lane’s father, Milton Shephard Patrick, was mayor of Avalon and her grandfather, Joseph H. Patrick, was president of the Santa Catalina Island Co., and later of the Los Angeles Angels, a farm team of the Chicago Cubs owned by the Wrigleys.

“All the interaction between our families led to a lasting friendship and I 46

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

learned a lot about nature and preservation from the Wrigleys,” she recalls.

At the age of 4, Lane left Catalina behind as she moved with her family to Beverly Hills. She fondly

“Marcia Lane cares about animals and it is a dream of hers to truly teach those around her in regard to their welfare.”

recalls riding her bicycle down famed Sunset Boulevard. And, it was there she began entertaining aspirations of becoming an actress.

Lane graduated with a drama degree from Pomona College in Claremont in 1953 and began acting in 1954.

Marcia Lane “Television was in its infancy and I had no film with which to audition, just a small piece written about me from a play I had done, so it was amazing that an agent accepted me just based on that,” Lane explained.

She performed for five years in lead and supporting roles. Among her favorites were Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, City Detective with Rod Cameron and Death Valley Days. It was during a three-day location shoot away from her infant daughter that she realized it was

time to trade in a career in television for the more rewarding one of motherhood.

Lane travels quite frequently to visit her children and grandchildren, leaving her animals under the watch of a caretaker. Her son Patrick and daughter Andrea live in Atlanta, where Lane remains active with a musical theater company. Daughters Allison and Adrianne still live in California.

FOUNDATION news Although she loves visiting, she readily admits she’s always eager to return to her Columbus “retreat” and her animal friends.

When Lane expressed an interest in becoming more involved with animal welfare in her community, Mississippi State’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Dr. Philip Bushby, an MSU professor of surgery, were highly recommended to her by friends.

Dr. Bushby has worked frequently with Lane because of his veterinary experience and his many connections with organizations in the Golden Triangle area.

“Marcia Lane cares about animals and it is a dream of hers to truly teach those around her in regard to their welfare,” Bushby said. “She goes to great lengths to provide opportunities to focus efforts in these areas,” he added.

An overwhelming desire to educate others and provide care for animals not fortunate enough to have an owner led Lane to establish an endowment for a professorship in the veterinary college.

A $500,000 gift from her makes possible funding beyond state salary for activities related to the position.

The Marcia Lane Endowed Professorship in Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare will allow CVM to forge a more collaborative relationship with animal sheltering organizations in the area and throughout the state.

The professorship, Bushby explains, will pave the way for more interaction between the veterinary college and the shelters in Oktibbeha and Lowndes counties by providing opportunities for homeless animals devoid of basic humane care to become adoptable companion animals. Basic care includes spaying, neutering, disease preventing vaccines, parasite control, and basic behavioral training. In fact, it will assist in the expansion of these services across the state.

The professorship also will lead to the development of an education

program for school children focused on the proper care of animals and pet overpopulation. Lane is a proponent of connecting children to favored animal practices at an early age.

“This animal welfare program led by this endowed position will create a ‘winwin’ situation in which valuable animals are adopted for lifetime care, the unwanted animal population is controlled, and students have a wealth of experience in clinical training,” said CVM Dean Kent Hoblet.

Further activities of the professorship revolve around shelters including professional on-site visits to evaluate design, animal holding, disease incidence, and behavioral counseling and spay/neuter assistance. A major focus of the professorship will be to significantly decrease the number of animals being euthanized in animal shelters.

Lane’s generosity extends beyond Mississippi State to the surrounding area, as well. She supports the spay/neuter program at Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society. MSU veterinary students travel to Columbus once a month to gain handson experience with the organization, thanks to Bushby. And the professorship will allow for more hands-on experience for students.

Lane’s love of animals certainly doesn’t stop with domestic ones. She supports Cedarhill Animal Sanctuary, a non-profit organization in Caledonia.

She provided funding for new 9,000-square-foot habitats with waterfalls and cement ponds.

“Marcia Lane associates herself with causes that have so much potential and she always sets an incredible example for others,” said Keith Gaskin, director of development for CVM. “The establishment of the professorship ensures that her life’s work will

continue in perpetuity. The number of animals and students who will benefit from her generosity is immeasurable,” he added.

For more information on giving to the College of Veterinary Medicine, contact Gaskin at 662-325-3815 or e-mail kgaskin@foundation.msstate.edu.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

47

FOUNDATION news James H. Cannon: Donating to Mississippi State ‘is the only way to go for me’ see what some of the graduates have accomplished.”

There were less than 20 members in Cannon’s chemical engineering class, and a large number, he says, went on to distinguished careers in the field. “One of the boys” even rose to the presidency of Dow Chemical.

Cannon, who was born and raised in Jackson, entered the university after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and being wounded on the beaches of Iwo Jima. He graduated in 1950 and worked at a couple of different jobs before going to work for, and

eventually retiring from, the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

“Engineering graduates have donated a lot to the university over the years,” says Cannon, noting that some of these donations helped finance a new chemical engineering building.

“I support other charitable causes, but about 80 percent (of my assets) will be going to Mississippi State. This is a fine thing to do,” says Cannon, who has no close family. “And it is the only way to go for me.”

Design your own

INCOME PLAN

Cannon

James H. Cannon was a chemical engineering student at Mississippi State in the years immediately following World War II. During that time, he says, chemical engineering was “just a very small piece of the university.”

Small as it may have been, this particular department still had a large impact on Cannon’s life—large enough that he established a charitable remainder trust with the Mississippi State University Foundation. His generous donation will support the Bagley College of Engineering.

“It is a very good engineering school, and not just chemical engineering, but all engineering,” says Cannon. “It has grown so much . . . and I’m so proud to

48

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

If you’re looking for an advantageous plan to benefit you now and help MSU in the future, a charitable remainder trust (CRT) is the ideal solution. With the counsel of your legal and tax advisers, a trust can be tailored to your personal circumstances.

Consider these personal benefits you can enjoy: • Increase your income when you give to a trust designed to pay out more than you now earn on the assets you will contribute.

• Pay no capital gains tax when you transfer unmortgaged appreciated assets to the trust.

• Free yourself from investment worries by securing professional management of the assets you give.

• Gain the enduring satisfaction of having made a major commitment to our important work.

To learn more about how a CRT could fit both your immediate needs and Mississippi State’s long-range goals, please contact Vance Bristow, director of planned giving, at 662-325-3707, or vbristow@foundation.msstate.edu, for a no-obligation consultation.

KEEP THE TRADITION STRONG

This year, make it a priority to support the school that has given you so much more than a degree. Mississippi State University depends on private support for more than half of its yearly operating funds.

The MSU Annual Fund makes it easy for alumni and friends to contribute any amount and give back to Mississippi State.

As an added beneďŹ t, any gift made by alumni through the Annual Fund automatically activates your membership into the MSU Alumni Association, so you can enjoy the advantages of being an active alumnus of Mississippi State University.

Contact us today and keep the Mississippi State tradition strong.

Toll Free: 877-677-8283

www.msufoundation.com

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

49

The following individuals, corporations and foundations have made commitments of more than $50,000 from May 1, 2006, through August 15, 2006, for State of the Future: The Mississippi State Campaign.

Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Adkerson; Richard C. Adkerson Family Foundation; ALZA Corp.; Baader-Johnson Corp.; Mr. and Mrs. James Worth Bagley; Ms. Marie Bailey; Annie L. Bearry Estate; F.L. Crane and Sons Inc.; Mr. Steve Davenport; Mary Louise Davis Estate; The Day

RECORD

FISCAL YEAR CAUSES MAJOR INFUSION FOR

A record-breaking giving year in contributions from alumni and friends of Mississippi State has placed the State of the Future campaign on the fast track toward its minimum goal of $400 million. The campaign currently is rolling along to the tune of nearly $334 million.

The MSU Foundation recently marked its highest giving year in university history—raising more than $78 million in private gifts and pledges for the 2006 fiscal year. To date, the three highest

50 50

A A

L L

U U

M M

Foundation; Dr. and Mrs. R.F. Dye; Mrs. Virginia Carron Eiland and Mr. Brent H. Eiland; Trisha and James R. Forbes; Freeport-McMoRan Foundation; Mr. J. Fred Gipson; Graphisoft U.S. Inc.; Mr. and Mrs. Rober t V.M. Harrison; Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation; Mr. and Mrs. Mickey

N N

U U

S S

Fall 2006 Fall 2006

years of giving for Mississippi State have been during the campaign—FY 02, FY 05 and FY 06.

The campaign also is having a definite impact on the university’s endowment.

The Mississippi State endowment stands at more than $237 million, up from $211 million at the close of FY 05.

“The success of State of the Future clearly can be seen in the growth of our endowment,” said Dennis A. Prescott, vice president for external affairs. “Alumni and

Holliman; Mr. Louis A. Hurst Jr.; Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Johnson; W.K. Kellogg Foundation; McNeil Nutritionals; Mrs. Helen A. Sawyer; Mr. and Mrs. Dave C. Swalm and Mr. Barnett H. Wood

STATE

OF THE

FUTURE

friends are truly giving for the future, since the university will reap the benefits of endowed funds in perpetuity.”

Campaign counting for State of the Future began in July 2001 and will continue through Dec. 31, 2008. Any gift or pledge during this time period will be considered a commitment to the campaign.

To learn more about State of the Future or to make a gift, visit or call toll-free 877677-8283.

FOUNDATION news University seeks additional funding for facility

Artist’s rendering of the new rehearsal facility

Alumni and friends have an opportunity to assist Mississippi State as it continues its efforts to raise private funds for a new university band hall and choral rehearsal facility slated to open in 2007.

“This facility will be a dream come true for our department,” said Michael E. Brown, head of the department of music.

“It will provide much-needed space for our band, symphonic band and choral programs.”

The new facility, designed by Eley Associates/Architects of Jackson, will sit at the corner of Blackjack and Hardy roads. It will house practice areas, two music libraries, and offices, as well as room for storage. Groundbreaking for the much-anticipated 18,000 square-foot building was held in April and an additional $500,000 is still needed to complete the project.

“The Maroon Band and choral programs are at the heart of the music making activities on campus, and we are glad that we will have a facility that recognizes those contributions after so many years,” said Elva Kaye Lance, director of the Maroon Band program.

“The new rehearsal facility will make a more desirable impression of our programs for students who are involved in outreach and recruiting activities each year,” she added.

Bruce Lesley, director of choral activities, agrees.

“The new rehearsal hall will help recruit the top student singers from our region to Mississippi State,” he said.

Both music majors and non-majors participate in many of the department’s ensembles, including the 300-member Famous Maroon Band. Approximately 1,000 students annually take the

department’s courses in music appreciation.

Alumni and friends may get on board with the project by making a gift of any amount through the MSU Foundation at www.msufoundation.com.

“We hope to have support from as many persons as possible so we can outfit the facility with new instrument lockers, chairs, stands, and other suitable equipment, as well as complete our new practice field with an observation tower, lights and a field irrigation system,” Lance said.

For more information on the specific giving opportunities listed above, contact John Rush at 662-325-1108.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

51

WITH CURRENT RATES UP TO 11.3%*, MSU Gift Annuities are a great way to support

52

the University – and your portfolio. Your investment in MSU produces a tax deduction. But you also receive a guaranteed competitive return as long as you live. Then, MSU uses the remaining assets to improve the quality of education. Which, believe it or not, could be even greater. Call 877-677-8283 or visit www.msufoundation.com for more information.

A

L

U

M

N

U

*Rates are based upon age and are subject to change.

S Fall 2006

MSUGIFT ANNUITY

Class news '65 JAMES P. PATE (PH.D. ’69) of Tupelo, dean of the University of Mississippi-Tupelo Advanced Education Center, has written “When this evil war is over”: The Correspondence of the Francis Family, 1860-1865, published by the University of Alabama Press.

'69 SAM LOVE of Wayne, N.J., a video producer and writer, has written a humorous novel, Electric Honey, about the cultural clashes of the 1960s.

'71

DICK KILBY of Raymond, president and chief executive officer of Merchants & Planters Bank, has been elected to a three-year term on the Mississippi Bankers Association board of directors.

FRED ROBINSON JR. of Jackson has retired as director of facility and grounds development for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks following a 32-year career with the agency.

'72 MARY ANN GRAY of Macon, executive vice president and director of BankFirst Financial Services, has been elected to a three-year term on the Mississippi Bankers Association board of directors.

CHARLES MICHAEL SMITH (PH.D. ’76), a professor of entomology at Kansas State University, has been named a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America.

'76 JERRY DONOVAN of Fayetteville, Ga., has been promoted to senior vice president of project services at Georgia Transmission Corp.

JOHN W. JORDAN (M.ED. ’80, ED.D. ’82) of Madison, a longtime educator and school administrator, has been named the first executive director of the Mississippi Children’s Museum. Jordan was named Mississippi Superintendent of the Year in 1998.

'77 JERRY CAIN (M.S. ’78) of Madison has been appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour to serve as director of the state Department of Environmental Quality’s Office of Pollution Control. Cain is a 28-year veteran of the agency, most recently serving as chief of the Environmental Permits Division.

LARRY B. HILL of Bude, president, chief executive officer, and a director of Peoples Bank of Franklin County, has been elected to a three-year term on the Mississippi Bankers Association board of directors.

'79 WILLIAM L. GLASGOW of '73 JAMES H. CLAYTON (M.B.A. ’74) of Brookhaven, a colonel in the Indianola, chairman of the board and CEO of Planters Bank and Trust Co., has been elected vice chairman of the Mississippi Bankers Association for 2006-07.

Mississippi Army National Guard, has assumed command of the 155th Brigade Combat Team.

CARL PENNINGTON of Chatom, Ala., has been promoted from district conservationist to resource conservationist with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

TIM TAYLOR of Birmingham is business development manager for the engineering group at Southern Research Institute. His team has developed, in concert with NASA, a state-of-the-art imaging system used to take highaltitude images where space shuttles are exposed to maximum heat and stress.

He also is chairman of the Alabama Information Technology Association.

STAN WEEBER is an associate professor of sociology and criminal justice at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La. His sixth book is due to be published in 2007.

'80 J. BRANDON BELL of Roanoke, Va., a Virginia state senator and financial consultant, has received the 2006 Excellence in Advocacy Award from the American Lung Association of Virginia for his leadership in sponsoring legislation to remove second-hand smoke from all indoor public areas.

ROBERT E. LUKE of Meridian has been elected president of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. He is vice president, treasurer and managing partner for Luke, Peterson & Kaye Architects and is a member of the advisory council for the university’s College of Architecture, Art and Design.

'81 PHIL HULL of Jackson, a special agent for IRS-Criminal Investigation, has been named IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent of the Year.

He also was selected as Federal Law Enforcement Employee of the Year in Mississippi for 2005.

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

53

CLASS news '83

GREG L. MCKEE of Philadelphia, president and chief executive officer of The Citizens Bank, has been elected to a three-year term on the Mississippi Bankers Association board of directors.

'89 MELISSA CREWS (M.ED. ’91) of Pensacola, Fla., has received a Fulbright Research Fellowship for 2006-07 to research housing policies in China at the City University of Hong Kong. She is a doctoral student at the University of West Florida.

'94 STEPHANIE ROOKS of Carrollton, Ga., has been named director of human resources at the University of West Georgia. She and her husband Jeff also operate a cattle farm.

'95 DONNA WEAR of Appling, Ga., has been promoted to professor of biology at Augusta (Ga.) State University.

'97 '01 HUNTER MOORHEAD of Arlington, Va., has been named by President George Bush as Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture, Trade and Food Assistance.

THEOLYN N. PRICE, a general surgery resident at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., has received the Mayo Brothers Distinguished Fellowship Award.

SHAWN SPARKS of Forest, vice president and branch manager for BancorpSouth in Forest, has been elected to the Executive Council of the Mississippi Young Bankers, a section of the Mississippi Bankers Association.

MICHAEL WARD has been named manager of Ken Wood & Associates’ new Information Technology Department in Sugar Land, Texas.

'98 ED NOLES has been named to the account management team at Kinetic Communications, an Internet technology company in Birmingham, Ala. He also is president of the Internet Professionals Society of Alabama.

W. STEPHEN BELKO of Pensacola, Fla., assistant professor of history and historic preservation at the University of West Florida, has written The Invincible Duff Green, a biography of a prominent land developer, attorney, politician, and newspaper editor of the first half of the 19th century.

DERRON RADCLIFF has been named box office manager for Mississippi State’s Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts in Meridian.

'03 JOANNA E. BOOKER (M.S. ’05) is an assistant equestrian coach at Auburn University. The equestrian team recently won the 2006 Varsity Equestrian National Championship in competition in Albuquerque, N.M.

'05 LEIGH ANN SULLIVAN has joined SSR Ellers Inc., an engineering design and facility consulting firm in Memphis, Tenn., as marketing coordinator.

BIRTH announcements Paul Marion Baddour III, March 17, 2006, to CINDI RAYBURN BADDOUR (’97) and husband Paul of Hernando.

Christina Elizabeth Barefoot, Nov. 4, 2005, to TRACY ALEXANDER BAREFOOT (’99) and LISA WALSH BAREFOOT (’99, M.S. ’00) of Byram.

54

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

Brayden Kyle Betts, Feb. 14, 2006, to KIMBERLY STEWARD BETTS (’02) and KENNETH BETTS (’01) of Harrisonburg, Va. Anna Elise Breazeale, May 1, 2005, to JEFF BREAZEALE (’98) and Molly

KITCHENS BREAZEALE (’97, ’98) of Philadelphia.

Abigail Kate Cassidy, July 25, 2005, to PATRICK DANIEL CASSIDY (’98) and LAURA BOLLINGER CASSIDY (’98) of Fredericksburg, Va. continued next page

Class news Ava Katherine DuBard and Amelia Davis DuBard, May 3, 2006, to DAVID DUBARD (’88) and wife Tracey of Cleveland.

Andrew Richard Hudlow, July 10, 2006, to STEPHANIE LOFTIN HUDLOW (’98) and husband Mark of North Augusta, S.C. Olivia DeMarco Hutchinson, Feb. 27, 2005, to HAL HUTCHINSON (’90) and wife Christine of Chicago, Ill. John Chalmers Hyatt, Jan. 14, 2006, to GINGER BLACKLIDGE HYATT (’96) and husband Wade of Nashville, Tenn.

Jackson Whitwell Macknally, April 8, 2006, to WHIT MACKNALLY (’99) and LEA ANN NEAVES MACKNALLY (’00) of Birmingham, Ala. Emma Claire Markham, May 27, 2005, to JAMES JEFFREY MARKHAM (’97, M.P.P.A. ’97) and LEANN MILLS MARKHAM (’97, M.S. ’98) of Starkville.

Madeline Grace Montgomery, March 21, 2006, to JOHN P. MONTGOMERY JR. (’99) and MELISSA E. MONTGOMERY (’00, M.S. ’03) of Starkville.

Hayden Joseph Moody, March 6, 2006, to JULIUS R. MOODY II (’92) and wife Jeanne of Germantown, Tenn.

Zachary Cooper Morgan, Nov. 17, 2005, to MARK MORGAN (’95) and wife Shannon of Cordova, Tenn.

Natalie Marianna Nichols, Jan. 27, 2006, to DONNIE NICHOLS (’98) and DIANN MILLS NICHOLS (’97, ’98) of Golden.

Jackson Bradley Ozier, Feb. 16, 2006, to JASON B. OZIER (’99) and Jamie Senter Ozier (’00).

Mary Katherine Parish, March 20, 2006, to KYLE PARISH (’95) and KATHY ELISAR PARISH (’95) of Collierville, Tenn.

Eliza Grace Parker, July 12, 2005, to JAY. B. PARKER (’97) and LAUREN MAYO PARKER (’02) of Bryant, Ark. Gilbert Bailey Powell III, Feb. 22, 2006, to WENDY WEATHERSBY POWELL (’91) and husband Gil of Madison.

Peyton Hastings Puckett, July 5, 2005, to RICHARD HASTINGS PUCKETT JR. (’99) and AMANDA BUSH PUCKETT (’99).

Victoria Kathryn Rodgers, Dec. 6, 2005, to SABRINA ESTES RODGERS (’94) and CHARLES SHANNON RODGERS (’97) of Stuttgart, Ark.

Autumn Elizabeth Rushing, March 24, 2006, to BRANNON RUSHING (’99, M.P.A. ’00) and KATHRINE HERREN RUSHING (’01).

Heidi LeeAnn Schroeder, March 20, 2006, to JENNIFER DAVENPORT SCHROEDER (’93) and husband David of Columbia, Mo. Conner Stewart Shelton, June 16, 2005, to SANDI STEWART SHELTON (’93) and husband Chris of Bruce.

Sharpe Holiman Smith, Feb. 16, 2006, to ANGEL WHATLEY SMITH (’94) and husband Brandon of Oxford.

Jack Hayden Sorgen, June 25, 2006, to GINI HERRING SORGEN (’91, M.B.A. ’92) and husband Dale of Sultan, Wash.

Sidney Hampton Taylor, Jan. 23, 2006, to LESLIE JOY TAYLOR (’86) and husband Gregory of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cynthia Campbell Williams, April 5, 2006, to CHRISTOPHER R. WILLIAMS (’97) and wife Ashleigh of Germantown, Tenn.

ROBERT S. SARGENT (’33)—93, Washington, D.C.; retired electrical engineer, Department of Defense defensive weapons specialist, poet, and World War II veteran, April 24, 2006.

HYDER BEDON BURRESS (’34)— 94, Corinth; retired engineer for Sandia Corp., June 29, 2006.

HENRY MASSEY WHITFIELD (’34)—93, Tupelo; retired engineer, contractor, and cattleman, June 13, 2006.

HARVEY WILLIAM HOWZE JR. (’37)—90, Sledge; retired farmer and former board member of United Southern Bank, July 8, 2006.

GALLIE W. DRANE (’38)—91, Brandon; retired supervisor of the residential sales office for Mississippi Power and Light Co., April 2006.

HENRY PIERCE DAVIS JR. (’41)— 88, Starkville; retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, longtime mayor of Starkville, and World War II veteran, April 16, 2006.

ROBERT BASKERVILLE HARDY (’41)—86, Columbus; retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, retired executive director of Comprehensive Planners Inc., former state senator, and World War II veteran, April 27, 2006.

ALLEN GLENN PERRY (’42)—86, Philadelphia; retired president of Perry Construction Co. and World War II veteran, May 4, 2006.

FRANK SPAIN (’47)—78, Tupelo; founder and owner of WTVA-TV and other television stations and founder of Tupelo Automobile Museum, April 25, 2006.

THOMAS A. DALLAS (’48)— Jackson; retired Mississippi Power and Light Co. engineer and World War II veteran, June 16, 2006.

O.K. MAGEE (’48)—80, Columbia; retired farm equipment dealer and World War II veteran, May 23, 2006.

IN memoriam

A Fall 2006

L

U

M

N

U

S

55

IN memoriam JOHN PRENTICE STUART (’48)— 82, Brandon; retired teacher, 4-H youth agent, and World War II veteran, July 18, 2006.

BILLIE EUGENE WASSON (’48)— 81, Kosciusko; hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey and World War II veteran, April 28, 2006.

DAVID WILLIAM BARTON (’50)— 81, Warner Robins, Ga.; retired engineer from Robins Air Force Base, March 23, 2006.

J.O. SOUTHWARD JR. (’50)—79, Tishomingo; civic leader, former state representative, and World War II veteran, March 17, 2006.

JOHN PARKER STOKES (’50)—81, DeKalb; retired United States Department of Agriculture supervisor and World War II veteran, July 24, 2006.

EUGENE H. THURMAN (’50)—89, Jackson; antique dealer and appraiser and World War II veteran, June 18, 2006.

JACK H. TROUTT (’50)—80, Charleston; retired Farmers Home Administration supervisor and World War II veteran, March 13, 2006.

JOHN WILEY SMITH (’51)—80, Poplarville; retired from Mississippi State Extension Service as Hancock County Agent, May 12, 2006.

ROBERT A. PRITCHARD (’52)—77, Pascagoula; attorney, former circuit court justice, and Korean War veteran, May 21, 2006.

HOWARD LEE HATHORN (’54)—82, Louisville; Methodist minister and World War II veteran, March 30, 2006.

ERNEST J. SMITH (’55)—72, Batesville; retired state Highway Department employee, May 2, 2006.

VIRGIL STOKES (’55)—83, Flowood; retired entomologist and World War II veteran, April 27, 2006.

JOHN L. HARTMAN (’58, M.A. ’59)—71, Clinton; executive director emeritus of the Mississippi School Boards Association, July 1, 2006.

56

A

L

U

M

N

U

S Fall 2006

L. FRANK ADAMS (’60)—69, Huntsville, Ala.; retired National Aeronautics and Space Administration engineer, May 29, 2006.

NORMAN DWIGHT PATTERSON (’61)—67, Pascagoula; retired teacher and coach, June 3, 2006.

WILLIAM LARRY WEBB SR. (’61)—69, Hazlehurst; poultry industry executive, May 18, 2006.

HIRAM D. PALMERTREE (’62, M.S. ’64, PH.D. ’72)—65, Baldwyn; retired professor of agronomy and director emeritus of the Mississippi State Extension Service, March 31, 2006.

JESSE LAVELLE KIRKLAND (71)— 74, Clinton; retired U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employee and Korean War veteran, March 22, 2006.

GERALD D. POOLE (’74)—73, Collins; retired teacher and baseball coach at East Mississippi Community College, March 16, 2006.

LOUIS RAY TAUNTON (’74)—65, Louisville; Louisville High School teacher and former mayor of Louisville, July 24, 2006.

RICKY L. PRESLEY (’76)—51, Palmetto; former Purnell’s Pride employee and cattle farmer, March 28, 2006.

THOMAS LINDER HOLLOWELL (’77)—63, Caledonia; United Methodist minister, May 5, 2006.

MATTIE BOCLAIR (’80)—72, Greenwood; retired schoolteacher, May 19, 2006.

EVA ANN DORRIS (’82, M.ED. ’89)—45, Tupelo; syndicated newspaper columnist, author, and former editor for the Agricultural Communications Department at MSU, June 30, 2006.

DAVID W. FANT (’82)—46, Mena, Ark.; archaeologist for the U.S. Forest Service, May 3, 2006.

PAUL HERBERT WATSON III (’90)—39, Madison; owner of Contractors Fence Co., July 20, 2006.

JASON LEE EVANS (’97)—31, Carthage; computer technician, June 13, 2006.

KEVIN DEWAYNE CRONE (’03)— 27, Huntsville, Ala.; GIS technician for Atlantic Technology, March 15, 2006.

CORINE V. CHIKEKA (’05)—63, Columbus; music teacher, band director, and counselor, June 22, 2006.

Please send obituaries to Allen Snow, P.O. Box 5325, Mississippi State, MS 39762-5325 or e-mail to snowa@ur.msstate.edu.

Emily Kate Anglin (student)—19, Meridian; sophomore at Mississippi State and member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, June 23, 2006.

Christopher Lee Armstrong (student)—27, Kosciusko; music student at Mississippi State and member of the Famous Maroon Band, May 8, 2006.

Lyndall Gail Wood (student)—Bay Springs; architecture student and member of the Famous Maroon Band at Mississippi State, May 14, 2006.

Robert Lee Combs Jr. (former employee)—77, Starkville; professor emeritus of entomology at Mississippi State and retired cattle farmer, July 1, 2006.

George F. Elrod (employee)—56, Starkville; professor in the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education at Mississippi State, March 22, 2006.

Arnold J. Moore (former employee)— 81, Starkville; retired dean of the College of Education at Mississippi State, June 20, 2006.

Susan W. Ray (former employee)— 55, West Point; retired administrative assistant for the Department of Procurement and Contracts at Mississippi State, March 29, 2006.

Kent Sills (former employee)—72, Starkville; retired director of bands and professor of music education at Mississippi State, May 3, 2006.

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Jackson, Mississippi 39201 Permit #134

Post Office Box AA Mississippi State, MS 39762-5526 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Mississippi State University complies with all applicable laws regarding affirmative action and equal opportunity in all its activities and programs and does not discriminate against anyone protected by law because of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, handicap, or status as a veteran or disabled veteran.