ALUMNUS Summer 2015 - Mississippi State University

NEW DOG IN TOWN

Meet Bully XXI, MSU’s newest bulldog mascot p. 16

I N S I D E Summer 2015

Helmet promises concussion prevention p. 10 | Bite back at fire ants p. 20 | Passion for health care in home state p. 26

Table of CONTENTS

30 FEATURES

20 Bulldog couple share adventures of a lifetime

Looking at the world through a camera lens, an alumni couple travels across the globe exploring all that life has to offer.Â

24 Use a two-prong attack to bite back at fire ants

Fire ants are the most common insect pests in Mississippi. MSU Extension shares how to protect the area around homes from these backyard invaders.

27 Archaeologist unearths intertwined couple

Almost 6,000 years ago, a man and woman were buried in an unusual manner. Michael Galaty, an MSU archaeologist, was a part of an international team that discovered this couple in Greece.

30 A passion for health care

MSU bulldog alumna Dr. LouAnn Heath Woodward is embracing her new role as vice chancellor of health affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and is working to improve the state of health care in Mississippi.

ABOVE:

Dr. LouAnn Heath Woodward was named vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center this spring. The first woman to serve as the top administrator of the state’s only academic medical center, Woodward has worked her way up the ranks at UMMC, starting as a medical student, later doing her residency in emergency medicine and then joining the faculty. While Woodward has spent her career at the med center, she also had a previous life as an MSU Bulldog. Woodward prepared for medical school by earning a microbiology degree at Mississippi State University in 1985. Photograph by Russ Houston

SUMMER 2015 | VOL. 92 | NO. 2

PRESIDENT

Mark E. Keenum, ’83, ’84, ’88

VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI John P. Rush, ’94, ’02

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jeff Davis

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CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Sid Salter, ’88

EDITORS

Harriet Laird Sammy McDavid, ’70, ’75

WRITERS

Leah Barbour, ’04, ’06 Amy Cagle Bonnie Coblentz Susan Lassetter, ’07 Allison Matthews, ’00 Addie Mayfield Sasha Steinberg, ’14

DESIGNERS

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Heather Rowe Eric Abbott, ’08

PHOTOGRAPHERS Megan Bean Russ Houston, ’85 Beth Wynn

EDITORIAL OFFICE

P.O. Box 5325 Mississippi State, MS 39762-5325 662-325-3442 alumnus@msstate.edu

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DEPARTMENTS

COVER

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“Jak,” Bully XXI, took over official mascot duties from his father “Champ,” Bully XX, during Super Bulldog Weekend festivities.

Photograph by Beth Wynn

Campus News State Snapshot Our People Infinite Impact Class Notes Forever Maroon

CONNECT TWITTER.COM/MSSTATE FACEBOOK.COM/MSSTATE INSTAGRAM.COM/MSSTATE

ADVERTISING

Libba Andrews, ’83 662-325-3479 landrews@alumni.msstate.edu

Mississippi State University’s ALUMNUS magazine is published three times a year by the Office of Public Affairs and the Mississippi State University Alumni Association. Send address changes to Alumni Director, P.O. Box AA, Mississippi State, MS 397625526. Call 662-325-7000, or email fcarr@advservices. msstate.edu.

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

Campus NEWS

RISHAB AGARWAL YEAR: SOPHOMORE HOMETOWN: HYDERABAD, INDIA SINGLES RECORD: 40-13 // 33-10 DUAL MATCH // 15-2 SEC DOUBLES RECORD: 20-9 // 18-8 DUAL MATCH // 5-6 SEC

PHOTOGRAPH BY RUSS HOUSTON

AWARDS/HONORS: • 2015 ALL-SEC SECOND TEAM • 2015 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

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Learn more about petroleum engineering at bagley.msstate.edu

Student Profile: AGARWAL STRONG ON THE COURT AND IN THE CLASSROOM

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however, manage to make it home to hat do French, German and see his family a couple times a year.

Indian student athletes all Playing tennis from the young age have in common? At Mississippi of five, he has a tennis-filled dream he’s State, they’re all members of the planning to pursue once his business Bulldog men’s tennis team, bringing degree is in hand. He has his sights set a variety of international cultures on becoming a professional player. together on the court.

“Tennis is a gentleman’s sport. Not Students hail from Argentina, a lot of physicality or contact injury, Bosnia and Herzegovina, England, but it requires a person to be tough France, Germany, India and Sweden, mentally as well as physically,” Agarwal and that’s part of what makes the team said. “There is a lot of strategy unique in the Southeastern involved also.”

Conference.

If given the option, Rishab Agarwal, a Agarwal prefers singles sophomore business “We are from all matches and says his administration major over, but we are strength on the and MSU tennis court is knowing his player, says fans all here for tennis.” opponent. can expect to see a ~Rishab Agarwal “I’m not a blend of culture and big hitter, so to competitiveness at overpower the other matches. guy––strategy is key.”

“We try to involve the Mentally strong on the crowd and make it fun for our court and in the classroom, Agarwal fans, as well as share a bit of who we currently maintains a 4.0 GPA with his are,” said Agarwal. busy tournament schedule.

All players on the team are a long In preparation for a match, he way from where they grew up and says he likes to take five minutes to are making Starkville their second sit quietly and get focused before home. Originally from the bustling going out to play. Physical training is city of Hyderabad, India, Agarwal only part of the preparation required; says Starkville has a much different Agarwal also leans on his team. atmosphere from his native Asia.

While the team is young and “It’s quieter, much more chill and diverse culturally, they have a sense laid back here,” said Agarwal. “I really of community that is special, he said. like that.”

More than wins and losses bind them However, Agarwal is quick to say together—it is the love of the game the thing he misses most is his mom’s that keeps them going together as a cooking. Traditional Indian food is team and individually as young men. what he wishes he could have more of “We are from all over, but we are all in Starkville, but with his busy schedule here for tennis,” he said. as a fulltime student athlete, he does,

Petroleum engineering renewed at State

BY SUSAN LASSETTER

The James Worth Bagley College of Engineering will offer the state’s only degree in petroleum engineering this fall. This new degree builds on Mississippi State’s original petroleum program, which was suspended in 1995 due to budget cuts.

“I am delighted that we have been granted approval to again offer a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering,” said Jerome A. Gilbert, Mississippi State’s provost and executive vice president. “This expands our strong educational base in engineering at Mississippi State and helps us meet the growing needs of industry for more petroleum engineers.”

The petroleum degree will be administered through the Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering. With its addition, the Bagley College now offers 11 undergraduate degrees through its eight academic departments.

Jason Keith, Earnest W. and Mary Ann Deavenport Jr. Chair and the dean of engineering, said this new curriculum was proposed in response to a high demand for graduates with experience in drilling, production, petroleum economics and reservoir engineering, which focuses on finding gas and oil deposits beneath the Earth’s crust.

“We worked with world-renowned experts in the petroleum industry to create a curriculum that builds on the fundamentals of fluid flow and thermodynamics,” Keith said. “It will give our graduates the necessary skill set to develop techniques to identify and extract petroleum reserves.”

Keith explained that the emphasis on reservoir engineering will tie in with the college’s existing strengths in computational engineering and the capabilities of the university’s High Performance Computing Collaboratory to make Mississippi State’s petroleum degree unique among peer programs across the country.

Students in existing engineering programs, specifically chemical and mechanical, will be able to transfer to the petroleum degree track in the fall.

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Campus NEWS Bethel and her team of students are developing a bot to provide affordable assistance and comfort to victims battling PTSD, but that’s only the beginning, Bethel emphasizes.

She hopes to extend its applications to become a companion for the elderly and children in hospitals.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MEGAN BEAN

Thera

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THERAPEUTIC ROBOT doubles as ‘man’s best friend’

BY LEAH BARBOUR

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hen it comes to animal-supported therapy, most people can agree–-a dog’s companionship offers the ultimate solace, understanding and validation, the kind mostly unmatched among human beings. For people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, dogs can alleviate their symptoms by reducing patients’ stress and anxiety.

Mississippi State assistant professor of computer science and engineering Cindy Bethel agrees, but as a robotics designer, developer and researcher, she wanted to find a way to incorporate dogs with robotic technology to support ongoing PTSD therapy.

Since she completed her doctoral dissertation, “Robots without Faces: Non-Verbal Social HumanRobot Interaction” at the University of Southern Florida, Bethel’s professional career has focused on developing robots that respond to people’s cues, whether to provide comfort or security.

At heart, Bethel is a scientist, so intensive research, both background- and survey-based, underlies her and her team’s approach to developing the type, design and appearance of the robotic dog, the “Therabot™.”

“Our surveys showed that the most preferred form was a floppy eared dog with a tri-colored coat,” Bethel explains. “People associate comfort with dogs, but the problem in most animal-assisted therapies is that you can’t take the dog home with you. So we’ve developed a non-threatening, stuffed robot that moves like a dog. It will be a nice substitute for animal-assisted therapy in the home.”

Her team is in the final stages of completing the first prototype, she says, and the group expects to begin data collection by the end of the summer on how people who’ve experienced trauma respond to the dog.

The Therabot™ will be able to move its head in different ways as it responds to the various touch sensors on its body, and its tail will wag back and forth. It will feature realistic dog sounds and literally listen to patients, which will inform ongoing therapy sessions.

Bethel and her team of students are developing a bot to provide affordable assistance and comfort to victims battling PTSD, but that’s only the beginning, Bethel emphasizes. She hopes to extend its applications to become a companion for the elderly and children in hospitals.

“We want the Therabot™ to assist in different types of breathing exercises and display a nuzzling type of behavior. We’re also working on being able to detect stress based on the pressure the person petting the dog is applying,” she says. “Then, this dog will be able to respond to that stress.”

The development team hopes it will become widely used by a variety of people who need comfort.

Commercializing the Therabot™ will be the next step to sharing the therapeutic dog with the general public, the ultimate goal.

“We’re talking about state of the art technology—something that can be used in the home environment,” Bethel says. “Every person who has interacted with it wants to get one, so we are looking for opportunities to fund that, and we welcome alumni and friends’ support.”

One of the biggest reasons for her team’s success in developing the Therabot™, Bethel explains, is the cross-discipline group of students committed to assisting with the project. Her team includes a senior electrical and computer engineering major—Dexter Duckworth of Memphis, Tennessee, and a senior mechanical engineering student—Christopher Collins of Slidell, Louisiana. Stephanie Wuisan of Petal is the one master’s student on Bethel’s team, and Zachary Henkel of Sour Lake, Texas, is the doctoral student. Both are studying in Bagley College of Engineering’s computer science department.

“As the mechanical engineer, Christopher has helped put the robot together, and Dexter’s been very involved in designing the electronics and programming, along with Stephanie. Zack already has experience building robots and brings a high level of expertise to this project,” Bethel says. “They work really well as a team and support and balance each other well with their strengths.”

Teaching young scientists, especially undergraduates, is another of Bethel’s passions.

She says engaging in applied research initiatives has positioned the undergraduates to enter graduate school and the graduate students for success as professionals.

“I firmly believe in students doing research; these are students who have already made quite the accomplishment, and they are going on to more success,” she says.

Cindy Bethel, assistant professor of computer science and engineering and creator of Therabot™

“People associate comfort with dogs, but the problem in most animal-assisted therapies is that you can’t take the dog home with you.” ~Cindy Bethel

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Learn more about ASSURE at www.assureuas.org.

Campus NEWS

FAA selects MSU-led team for national UAS center

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOY HOLDER

BY JIM LAIRD

Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives met May 14 in Washington, D.C., for a news conference to discuss the next steps and goals for the newlynamed Unmanned Aerial Systems Center of Excellence, a consortium of universities that will research and develop technologies and policies for the use of unmanned aerial systems in the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration has named the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence, a consortium of universities headed by Mississippi State, to lead the UAS COE. Included in the press conference were, from left, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska); retired Maj. Gen. James Poss, U.S. Air Force, ASSURE UAS executive director; President Mark E. Keenum, Mississippi State University; Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.); Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.); Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.); FAA Administrator Michael Huerta; Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.); and Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.).

The Federal Aviation Administration has selected a Mississippi State-led team to operate a new National Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

Mississippi’s flagship research university is leading the coalition of academic and industry partners that will launch a new era of commercial unmanned aircraft research, development, and integration into the nation’s airspace.

In May, the FAA announced that MSU’s Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) will operate the new center.

Congress has charged the FAA with developing rules regulating commercial unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and the new center will play a key role in that process. The center of excellence will provide the agency and industry with research to maximize the potential of commercial unmanned systems with minimal changes to the current system regulating manned aircraft.

ASSURE will form teams between its member universities, government agencies and industry partners to address both government and commercial UAS challenges.

“This world-class, public-private partnership will help us focus on the challenges and opportunities of this cutting-edge technology,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony

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Foxx. “We expect this team will help us to educate and train a cadre of unmanned aircraft professionals well into the future.”

The COE research areas are expected to evolve over time, but initially will include: detect and avoid technology; low-altitude operations safety; control and communications; spectrum management; human factors; compatibility with air traffic control operations; and training and certification of UAS pilots and other crewmembers, in addition to other areas.

“This team has the capabilities and resources to quickly get up and running to help the FAA address the demands of this challenging technology over the next decade,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta.

The FAA expects the COE will be able to begin research by September and be fully operational and engaged in a robust research agenda by January 2016.

“Our researchers are among the very best in the world, and leading this national center of excellence is another example of the tremendous contributions major research universities make to the communities and constituencies they serve,” said Mississippi State President Mark E. Keenum.

In addition to its robust research infrastructure, the land-grant institution is the only university

in the state with FAA certificates of authorization to operate UAS’s.

Congress appropriated $5 million for the five-year agreement with the COE, which will be matched one-for-one by the team members.

While research will take place at member universities throughout the U.S. and globally, the center’s work will be concentrated at Stennis Space Center in Hancock County to take advantage of airspace over the Gulf of Mexico, in the Mississippi Delta to conduct unmanned precision agriculture research, and around MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Lab in Starkville.

“This has been a six-year effort for Mississippi State and three years for our partner universities.

We picked our team because they know unmanned systems and they know the FAA. That will make it easier to turn UAS research into FAA rules quickly,” said USAF Maj. Gen. (Ret.) James Poss, the executive director of the ASSURE FAA UAS COE team at Mississippi State.

The use of unmanned air systems in nonconflict situations is growing with applications well suited for natural disaster response, humanitarian relief efforts, environmental impact assessment and precision agriculture, according to David Shaw, MSU’s chief research officer.

“We are well positioned to expand our significant role in unmanned aerial systems

research and development, as well as manufacturing, here in Mississippi and around the country with our ASSURE partners,” the vice president for research and economic development said.

The university’s collaborative approach to research and “real world” impact are keys to its growing research enterprise, Shaw said.

3D printer enhances VSC abilities

BY NATHAN GREGORY

For example, he noted, MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Lab has served as a start-up facility for various aerospace companies in the state providing workspace, technical training, and assistance with product development and research over the past decade. These efforts and Mississippi State researchers’ expertise have helped companies such as American Eurocopter, Aurora Flight Science, GE Aerospace and Stark Aerospace establish bases in Mississippi and bring more than 700 high-tech jobs to the state.

The university’s scientists are also using UAS as another remote sensing tool available to collect visual and multispectral data.

“Precision agriculture is data-driven and UAS technology adds another significant layer of data for researchers and ultimately crop consultants and producers to assess and utilize in a meaningful way,” said Robert Moorhead, the director of the Geosystems Research Institute.

Additionally, MSU and Hinds Community College announced a 2 Plus 2 academic partnership in precision agriculture last month. The program will provide students opportunities to learn about cutting-edge technology—including UAS—and prepare them for leadership roles in 21st Century agribusiness.

According to the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, the domestic UAS market is projected to create more than 100,000 jobs and $82 billion in economic impact in the first decade after FAA integration is complete. During the same period, the UAS industry could create more than 1,200 jobs and approximately $973 million in economic impact in Mississippi alone.

PHOTOGRAPH BY TOM TOMPSON

“Our researchers are among the very best in the world, and leading this national center of excellence is another example of the tremendous contributions major research universities make to the communities and constituencies they serve.” ~ Mark E. Keenum A 3-D printer allows veterinarians to look at animals’ injuries and develop better treatments for animal patients. Students and residents benefit from being able to observe and inspect models of different types of spinal and skull injuries.

Veterinarians at the Mississippi State University Veterinary Specialty Center (VSC) are using 3-D printer technology to make models of animals’ spinal and skull injuries and develop better treatments for animal patients.

The VSC purchased a Lutzbot Taz 4 3-D printer last year, and it is now one of the center’s most valuable pieces of equipment. Three-dimensional models from the printer allow specialists and practicing veterinarians to view internal trauma without the use of invasive procedures.

“Overall, we have used it to look at spinal and skull injuries in the animals referred to us and to find new ways to correct them,” said Dr. Andy Shores, chief neurosurgeon and neurologist with the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine. “We take CT scans of spinal injuries, convert them into three-dimensional images on a screen, and convert those to files that can transmit that information to the printer.

The result is a plastic model identical to what was on the screen.”

The VSC, a CVM satellite facility located off campus in Starkville, specializes in neurologic, neurosurgical and ophthalmologic care. Veterinarians in the center perform radiation therapy and advanced imaging for pets suffering from brain tumors, spinal injuries or other trauma.

The three-dimensional printer at VSC produces models by shaping molten plastic.

The printed designs are rendered using a computer-aided design program.

Shores said the new device is proving especially useful for MSU veterinary students and neurosurgery residents because it allows the center to produce and preserve models of different types of spinal and skull injuries for future observation and inspection.

“The equipment prints out bony structures, so future students can see exactly how a particular injury looks and get a better appreciation for the condition we’re talking about while on rounds,” he said. “If you have a patient with a broken bone or vertebrae, to be able to put that structure in your hand goes a long way toward the students’ understanding what it is and how to repair it.”

The 3-D printer is also being used in research projects to improve veterinary care, including the development of new technology that would allow pet owners to treat some animal ailments themselves.

“One of our projects has to do with designing a plate that would be put at the bottom of vertebrae for a spinal injury,” Shores said. “We’re also looking at designing an atomizer that is connected to a nasal catheter to be used for home emergencies such as seizures. We have a design that will be part of a physical therapy device to help dogs with mobility issues move their back legs.”

Shores said he is hopeful that the VSC will soon purchase a 3-D printer capable of producing structures made of biocompatible materials that can be implanted into an animal’s body.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY BETH WYNN

Campus NEWS

Taejo Kim, MAFES researcher and Lurdes Siberio-Perez, a graduate student pursuing a doctoral degree, examine the rapid test kit for Salmonella.

Fighting foodborne pathogens A

ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, foodborne pathogens cause an estimated 47.8 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.

“Early detection at the field and processing plant level can prevent cross-contamination of foodborne pathogens,” said Taejo Kim, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station researcher and assistant research professor in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion.

Kim has discovered a way to make industrywide testing of certain foodborne pathogens fast, easy and affordable.

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Kim invented one-tube pathogen assay kits for Salmonella, Listeria, E.coli O157:H7 and Vibrio. Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli can be found in all types of foods. Vibrio, bacteria found in seawater, can contaminate seafood.

“The kits are easy, rapid and costeffective,” said Kim. “They require no analytic instruments and the results are available in 24 hours or less. Additionally, the reliability has demonstrated a very high percent of sensitivity and specificity during validation.”

Kim said the rapid kits culture, separate and detect whole target pathogen cells in a single tube as opposed to DNA or antigen detection, so it is easier to use than other commercial kits currently available on the market.

BY VANESSA BEASON

“It takes an hour to train a technician on how to use the kits,” Kim said.

Within 24 hours, the results indicate whether or not a pathogen is present. From there, researchers can use multiple tubes to enumerate the pathogen.

“While the current technology can indicate whether or not a pathogen is present, it doesn’t tell you how much of the pathogen is there,” Kim said. “Our kit can be utilized to determine how much of the pathogen is present.”

Kim said his mission is to continue to develop rapid and cost-effective assay kits to assist industry and consumers in improving food safety, quality and marketability.

For more info on food safety and food security, visit www.mafes.msstate.edu/discovers.

“Invention is perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of being a research scientist for FDA, and we have been delighted with the progress of this collaboration,” Depaola said.

“Along the way, all researchers involved have contributed ideas and discussions that have improved the assay performance. This greatly increased the ease of use, as well as potential for sample throughput. The result of this collaborative discovery has provided promising detection methods for both Vv and Vp.” Depaola said a number of shellfish industry representatives expressed interest in developing analytical capability that is not limited due to the cost of equipment and/or lack of experienced personnel.

“The availability of a simple, rapid and low-cost method such as these kits could greatly facilitate the industry and partners in conducting their own testing,” Depaola said.

“An inexpensive, high-throughput method also provides the opportunity for more studies to evaluate the best management practices for reducing vibrio risk in shellfish and other seafood products.”

The FDA and MSU are currently planning validation studies required for these methods to be accepted for use in the National Shellfish Sanitation Program.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BETH WYNN

“For food safety, we introduce rapid and easy-to-use pathogen assay kits and utilize them as tools for rapid end-product on-site testing including environmental samples,” Kim said.

“For food quality, we develop and validate novel food processing and good sanitation programs on fresh and frozen food to expand industry capacity and marketability.”

Provisional patents have been filed for the methods, procedures and ingredients for single tube Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli kits.

“I am working on domestic and international utility patents for the Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli kits,” Kim said.

The Vibrio kits, also submitted for patent, were invented under a collaborative research agreement between MSU and the Food and Drug Administration’s Gulf Coast Seafood Laboratory, or GCSL, in Dauphin Island, Alabama.

“Dr. Kim contacted us several years back requesting our support on a proposal for a Mississippi/ Alabama Sea Grant to develop and optimize a kit for determining Vibrio vulnificus levels in oysters,” said Angelo Depaola, Jr., lead scientist for seafood microbiology at GCSL. “The grant was funded and we soon expanded the scope of our collaboration to include development of a detection kit for Vibrio parahaemolyticus.”

According to Depaola, recent outbreaks of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, or Vp, associated with shellfish from the Atlantic coast made this a timely endeavor. GCSL was assisting Atlantic coast states with testing of shellfish from implicated growing areas, which provided an opportunity to test the newly developed Vp kit with realworld samples and compare the results to those of other analytical methods currently used in the laboratory. A subsequent proposal to the National Sea Grant Aquaculture Program to optimize and validate the Vp kit was also funded.

Test kits are stored in a portable incubator, and results are available within 24 hours.

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Campus NEWS

PHOTOGRAPH BY BETH WYNN

“I almost get a headache just looking at some of the hits these players take, but I really believe that this helmet we are designing will help take care of our children and athletes and protect them from permanent injury.� ~ Mark Horstemeyer

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See the impact Horstemeyer’s research is having on the game at alumnus.msstate.edu.

Head Case: MISSISSIPPI STATE-DEVELOPED HELMET

PROMISES CONCUSSION PREVENTION

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atching a highlight reel of big hits never fails to elicit cheers and audible gasps from fans. But the cracks, thuds and smacks that make up the soundtrack to American football also accompany a growing problem for the full-contact sport: concussions.

Those big plays with skull-rattling hits are leaving players with irreversible brain damage despite expensive safety gear meant to protect them from harm. Mississippi State University’s Mark Horstemeyer says this problem stems from lack of understanding about what causes traumatic brain injury.

“The standard for developing football helmets doesn’t take into account many realworld conditions,” explained Horstemeyer, a professor of mechanical engineering. “As a result, many helmets are designed to look good but not be as safe as they could.”

Horstemeyer and a team of researchers from across the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering have developed tools to better understand how these helmeted collisions affect the brain and surrounding tissue.

They’re now using that knowledge to develop more effective protective equipment.

“Our design might not be better looking, but it will be safer,” Horstemeyer said.

The group started with a virtual model that shows—from the smallest atom at the microscale to the tissue that can be seen with the naked eye—how the human head responds to the force of a collision.

“Our model has been able to capture a level of detail that shows that vibrations actually travel around the skull then through the brain, which changes our understanding of where, when and how injuries occur,” explained Raj Prabhu, a biological engineer on the team.

Created as part of Prabhu’s dissertation, the virtual model of the head allowed the group, which includes fellow biological engineering faculty Lakiesha Williams and Jun Liao, to see that most brain injuries don’t come from the initial hit, but rather the stress waves it causes.

These waves move back and forth through the tissue until they dissipate, leaving damage in their wake. And while conventional helmets help absorb some of the initial impact, they don’t do anything to stop the resulting shock waves.

To counter this oversight, Horstemeyer’s group studied some of Mother Nature’s

hardest heads—woodpeckers and rams. The team found that the unique composition of the red-bellied woodpecker’s beak, combined with the spiral structure of its hyoid bone, prevents the bird from sustaining brain injury, despite absorbing shocks up to 10 times greater than those players withstand on the gridiron.

Similarly, the spiral nature of rams’ horns seems to provide an escape route for shock waves.

“The standard for developing football helmets doesn’t take into account many real-world conditions. As a result, many helmets are designed to look good but not be as safe as they could.” ~ Mark Horstemeyer “If you look at a ram strike, the shock wave seems to go all the way through its body,” Horstemeyer said. “But what actually happens is the shock wave comes around the horn to the tip, which transversely vibrates very quickly and mitigates the shock.”

Horstemeyer said incorporating spiral structures into a helmet could make a significant impact on the number of concussions incurred on the field. The issue, he said, is how to achieve this while still having a helmet that works in game-time conditions.

“We know that if you actually had a soft foam on the outside of the helmet it would be more protective, but obviously that design won’t work because the foam would easily tear and absorb water,” Horstemeyer said. “Our job is to think outside the box yet still have something that’s acceptable in the game.”

The group’s proposed design addresses the three main components of a helmet: the outer shell, the facemask and the liner.

It uses advanced materials, like Kevlar and magnesium alloys, to construct the helmets’ outer, protective shells and facemasks. These materials offer more strength and durability than commonly used polycarbonate materials.

They will also help reduce the overall weight, which can help prevent some injuries in addition to making the helmets more comfortable for extended wear.

BY SUSAN LASSETTER

“Helmets are tested for safety without their facemasks attached and they all pass. But when you add the facemask, the additional weight causes the helmets to induce greater torque thus inducing greater injuries,” Horstemeyer said. “It shifts the center of gravity, which creates more rotation in the neck and increases vulnerability for head and neck injuries.”

Horstemeyer explained that the grooves, ridges and intricate facemasks featured in modern helmet design might look nice, but they negatively affect safety by adding weight and increasing the likelihood that the helmets will catch on each other in a collision.

“Our facemask and shell joint design won’t be as heavy and it will be smooth as a baby’s rear end, but you won’t actually see a lot of difference,” Horstemeyer said.

The biggest design changes will affect the inner lining of the helmet. Horstemeyer said the group’s design replaces the regular liner material, which mainly serves to ensure a secure, cushioned fit against the head, with specially-developed foam that incorporates rams horn microstructures into the material.

“The lining of our helmet will have these little ram horns so that if a shock wave comes in it will go through the horns and dampen out,” Horstemeyer explained. “That means many of the damage-causing vibrations from a strike to the outer shell will never reach the player’s head and brain tissue.”

The group has patented and will produce these helmets through the start-up company Rush Predictive Design Technologies, a joint venture between Horstemeyer’s Predictive Design Technologies and Rush Sports Medical, founded by Dr. Sonny Rush of Meridian.

Horstemeyer said the team plans to introduce its helmets first in college football, but that his target is the million children and teenagers who take the fields in their hometowns each year eager to prove their athletic prowess.

“I almost get a headache just looking at some of the hits these players take, but I really believe that this helmet we are designing will help take care of our children and athletes and protect them from permanent injury,” Horstemeyer said.

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Campus NEWS

LEFT: Hand rendering project called Mountain View by Daniella Bower. Hand renderings were the finished product of a photograph recreation assignment. The assignment was to replicate a photograph with a level of visual complexity from a designated magazine with premium art blending markers and colored pencils. RIGHT: Hand rendering by Marguerite Johnson.

Sweeping wins FOR MSU INTERIOR DESIGNERS E very spring, interior design students and faculty from Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi attend the American Society of Interior Designers South Central Career Day. The agenda and location varies every year, but the conference for the South Central District, which includes 16 universities, always includes a keynote speaker, various seminars, mock interviews with portfolio reviews, and a student competition. This year’s Career Day was held at Harding University in Arkansas.

Beth Miller, director of the Interior Design program, said students really enjoyed hearing from various interior designers during a panel

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discussion this year, as well as panelists that represent all different areas of the profession.

Students’ favorite part about the day, however, is the student competition. For this, students are able to submit up to three projects in 16 different team and individual categories including hand rendering, creative, corporate design, residential design (team and individual), computer generated renderings, hospitality (team and individual), institutional design (team and individual), beginning studio (team and individual), portfolio, retail and sustainable design (team and individual).

Winning projects are selected by a panel of judges the day of the event.

This year, MSU interior design students picked up 24 of 57 possible awards, including first place wins in 12 categories during the competition. MSU swept the commercial design team, hospitality design team and retail design team categories. Miller credited the group’s success to its involvement in a wide variety of university programs, including furniture design, computer renderings and hand renderings.

“I think it was evident that student work from MSU is high quality,” said Miller. “In the past few years, the MSU interior design program has dominated the competition, and we expect to continue to do so.”

WINNERS FROM MSU INCLUDED: Sidney Ashmore, a senior, received an honorable mention in retail design team. Ashmore’s work was done in studio IV, taught by assistant professor Lyndsey Miller.

Daniella Bower, a junior, received honorable mention in hand rendering and first place in hospitality design individual and beginning studio residential. Bower’s work was completed in director and professor Beth Miller’s rendering course and assistant professor Lyndsey Miller’s studios III and I. Erin Bristol, a junior, received honorable mention in the portfolio category.

Ebbony Evans, a junior, received first place in retail design team.

Evans’s work was done in studio V, taught by assistant professor Lyndsey Miller.

Emily Hardin, a junior, received third place in healthcare design.

Hardin’s work was completed in studio V, taught by assistant professor Lyndsey Miller.

Chelsea Harrell, a senior, received second place in hospitality design team and first place in educational design. Her work was completed in studios IV and V, both taught by assistant professor Lyndsey Miller.

Marguerite Johnson, a junior, received third place in portfolio and second place in hand rendering. Johnson’s rendering was completed in professor and program director Beth Miller’s rendering course.

Blake Marlar, a senior, received first place in commercial design team and hand rendering. The winning work was done in instructor Robin Carroll’s color and lighting course and director and professor Beth Miller’s rendering course.

Victoria Owchar, a senior, received second place in hospitality design individual. Owchar’s work was completed in studio III, taught by assistant professor Lyndsey Miller.

Jennifer Potter, a junior, received second place in retail design team, as well as computer generated rendering. Potter’s work was done in studio III, taught by assistant professor Lyndsey Miller. She also received honorable mention in product design for her work in assistant professor William Riehm’s furniture design course.

Caroline Riley, a senior, received second place in hospitality design team. Her work was done in studio V, taught by assistant professor Lyndsey Miller. Riley also received second place in portfolio.

Emily Robinson, a senior, received honorable mention in hospitality design team. Her work was done in studio V, taught by assistant professor Lyndsey Miller.

Anna Strohm, a senior, received first place in computer generated rendering and third place in retail design team. Strohm’s work was done in instructor Robin Carroll’s color/lighting course and studio III, taught by assistant professor Lyndsey Miller. Also at Career Day, Strohm was announced as the new student representative and will serve on the board for the 2015-2016 year.

TOP: Victoria Owchar’s exterior designs for a restaurant called Aestas. MIDDLE: MAFES Sales Store retail designs by Kayla Thompson. BOTTOM: Cash wrap rendering from Caroline Riley’s hospitality and retail creations.

Kayla Thompson, a senior, received first place in residential design team for her work in studio IV, taught by associate professor Amy Crumpton.

Taylor Tillman, a senior, received third place in hospitality design team. Her work was done in studio V, taught by assistant professor Lyndsey Miller.

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Campus NEWS

New Dog in Town

BY LEAH BARBOUR, ILLUSTRATIONS BY ERIC ABBOTT, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEGAN BEAN & BETH WYNN

Super Bulldog Weekend 2015 was already in full swing that cool, damp April morning. Thousands of Mississippi State fans were flooding into Davis Wade Stadium. The Maroon and White Game would kick off in about 30 minutes, but an unspoken expectation seemed to grip Scott Field. More clamoring fans rushed toward seats. Children watched wideeyed with anticipation. The crowd took a collective breath.

HISTORY OF THE HARNESS

There’s only one harness, says official MSU Mascot handler Lisa Pritchard, and it’s been the only one Bully has used since the mid-1980s. Whether he’s on the sidelines at the game or visiting members of the community, Bully wears the same harness, she emphasizes.

The harness was made by Wilson Leather Co. in Bellefontaine, called “Bell Fountain” by residents.

“Jak’s harness is real leather, and the tooling and rivets are unique,” Pritchard says.

“People can order harnesses from Wilson Leather, and they may look similar, but there’s

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Father and son, the two America Kennel Club registered English bulldogs marched onto Scott Field. Then the Mississippi State football faithful watched the rare passing of the guard from one long-beloved mascot to his successor, the next generation of Bully.

Mississippi State fans cheered as 9-year-old Bully XX, or “Champ,” passed the official mascot harness and duties to his 6-month-old son, “Jak.”

only one Mississippi State Bully harness, and it’s the one you’ll see Bully wearing.”

For any Bully wearing the harness, whether Jak, Champ or their bulldog predecessors, he seems to know it’s showtime.

“You pick up the harness and put it on the dog, and he knows, it’s time to go to work,” Pritchard explains. “He goes from a happy-go-lucky dog to, ’It’s time to do my job now and be on my best behavior.’

“It’s not just his breeding, though that’s part of it. It’s also his genetics—like father, like son.”

When the harness comes off, Bully knows it’s time to be a dog again. He can play in the grass, chew his toys and play fetch, she says.

“Bully does a lot of playing because he does a lot of working. It gives his life balance,” Pritchard emphasizes.

CHAMP’S RETIRED LIFE

As soon as the mascot harness came off, full retirement came on, Pritchard says.

At the Maroon and White game, when Pritchard took the harness off Champ and placed it on Jak, Champ lay down.

“I think he literally knew, ‘I don’t have to be on display anymore, and now I’m retired.’ He’s been trained not to lie down when the harness is on; he would sit, but when it came off, Champ just lay down,” Pritchard explains.

With retirement now begun, Champ’s gone home to live the quiet, easy, loungingon-the-recliner life. He lives in the same home he had as Mississippi State’s No. 1 Bulldog, and he watches ESPN from a comfortable recliner.

“Nothing has changed in Champ’s life, except that he doesn’t have to work anymore,” Pritchard says. “He gets plenty of Milk-Bone dog biscuits, and he has a specialty diet for his GI tract and skin. Now that he’s retired, he gets to beg during dinner.

“He wasn’t allowed to do that before, but he may get a small piece of bland bread every once in a while. Other than that, absolutely no people food.”

Interested in learning more about MSU’s mascot? Visit alumnus.msstate.edu.

For fun, Champ especially enjoys chewing KONGs, an almost indestructible rubber toy in which treats can be placed. Other than that, he likes to eat, sleep and lounge in the recliner to watch TV. When Champ needs more intense relaxation, he may rest in his Tempur-Pedic dog bed for that extra cozy plush support that retired bulldogs enjoy. He also enjoys therapeutic swimming, though not as often as he did during his years as Bully. He also receives at least two therapeutic massages each week.

After all, Pritchard observes, he’ll turn 70 (in dog years) in the fall, and he deserves rest and relaxation.

Champ is known to chase cats occasionally but only when justly provoked, Pritchard says. For example, her cat will occasionally use Champ’s back as a springboard to jump somewhere otherwise inaccessible. Then, Champ will seek revenge, generally begun with a questioning look like, “What do I look like here? A springboard?” Then, the chase ensues.

“There will be no more appearances for Champ,” Pritchard emphasizes.

“He deserves to put his feet up and be a dog. He’ll always be Bully XX, and he still gets special treatment. He just doesn’t have to work anymore.”

NEW FACE OF BULLY

When Pritchard placed the harness on Jak at the Maroon and White Game ceremony, he knew it was his time to be Bully XXI. “He leaned up and gave me a kiss on the cheek. He seemed to say, ’I’ve got this; I’m ready, and I can handle this responsibility.

I”m going to do my dad proud,’” Pritchard remembers.

Like his father, Jak enjoys Milk-Bones and KONGs. Unlike Champ, though, Jak will chew anything he can get. He especially enjoys flip-flops, which Pritchard is hoping Jak will outgrow soon. He likes gnawing rope toys, as well as anything that squeaks.

He’ll chase cats for fun, and while Jak may well be willing to chase an Ole Miss fan

if he can find one, Pritchard works to ensure that Mississippi State’s top dog doesn’t get that chance.

Also unlike his father, Jak loves to sneak a sip of beer—any kind—if he can get his paws on it. Champ just turns up his nose.

At present, Jak’s still eating a healthy growing formula for puppies, but once he turns 1 year old, Pritchard will work with veterinarians to develop a diet specific to Jak’s growth and development.

Jak’s responsibilities will be similar to those of previous mascots. Bully must be able to support the athletes amidst thousands of ringing cowbells and cheering fans. Not only does the mascot attend every home and away football game, but he also appears at many baseball and softball games before the weather gets too hot for bulldogs to stay safe.

Also, Bully visits elementary schools in support of literacy initiatives, as well as Mississippi State teamwork and team spirit, and he serves as a companion to the elderly by visiting local nursing home residents.

“Jak is mostly a red fawn pup; he has more red fawn than his father Champ,” Pritchard says. “He’s learning to sit and stay, and he’s also training for noise and crowds and being around people and children.”

As he takes his place in the spotlight, Jak will honor the Bullys before him by continuing their traditions, Pritchard says.

In fact, his very name honors the legendary Voice of the Bulldogs Jack Cristil, who called football and basketball games for 58 years.

Cristil died just weeks before Jak was born in October 2014.

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State SNAPSHOT WALKING THE WALK:

Mississippi State¹s newest mascot Bully XXI, fondly called “Jak,” trots along the Maroon Mile soon after he accepted the official mascot harness from his father Bully XX, known as “Champ.” The American Kennel Club English Bulldog attends all football games and makes community appearances as part of his role supporting the Maroon and White.

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Bulldog couple shares adventures of a lifetime

BY SID SALTER, PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE BRANDON

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mong Mississippi State University alumni, perhaps the most successful and certainly the most prolific big game hunters are Steve and Patsy Fowlkes Brandon, who split time between their homes in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the Becker Bottom community in Monroe County, Mississippi near Amory.

Yet Steve’s “weapon” of choice is a digital camera and his trophies are some of the most phenomenal wildlife and nature photographs in the world. Over the past 15 years, Steve and Patsy have been on photo safaris to exotic, challenging destinations including: ten African countries on six trips; the Galapagos Islands; Machu Picchu, India; Easter Island; Australia; the Arctic; Patagonia (on the southern coast of South America); Costa Rica; and others.

Through Steve’s photographs and both their programs about nature to schools and civic clubs, Steve and Patsy have become in demand as speakers. Steve’s photographs are often published, and a gallery in Chattanooga

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features his work. His photography has been viewed in gallery exhibits and one-man shows including one recently at Mississippi State. For a complete look at the Brandon family’s photo safaris, visit www.kingdomsafari.com.

Patsy said: “I had always taken photos of people, but Steve gravitated toward animals and nature. He has a really good ‘eye’ and he sees details that I wouldn’t otherwise notice.

I look at the big picture, but Steve sees, and patiently waits on, the details.”

While his photographic “eye” remains a God-given talent, Steve had a natural affinity toward photography as his grandmother and uncle were both professional photographers.

Their collection of over 100,000 photos depicting agricultural technical advancements and the Delta society from 1925-1985 is now part of a collection held by the Southern Media Archive at the University of Mississippi.

Raised on a family farm in the Arkansas Delta near Helena, Steve attended Mississippi

State University on an academic scholarship and graduated in 1972 with a degree in plant pathology and weed science and in 1973 with a master’s degree in weed science. While at Mississippi State he served two terms as student director of the Colvard Student Union and was elected to the Student Association Senate. He was honored by inclusion in Omicron Delta Kappa, Blue Key, Gamma Beta Phi and Who’s Who. Upon graduation from MSU, Steve returned to Helena and worked in his family agribusiness, primarily responsible for managing the family’s agricultural supply center. Seven years after returning to his family business in Arkansas, Steve became the U.S. representative for the French technology company Sigoure, based in Roanne, France.

He would later join Westinghouse working with the nation’s electric utilities in planning and implementing new power plant generating projects.

Steve’s career again changed when he was offered an equity position in SPEC Group, a science and engineering staffing company servicing nuclear and fossil electric utilities, construction companies, and equipment manufacturers including his previous employer Westinghouse. SPEC Group later merged with TMP Worldwide, with Steve serving as a senior vice president of international operations in an organization with 292 offices in 32 countries including its well-known interactive subsidiary Monster.com. Steve retired in 2002.

Patsy Fowlkes Brandon hails from Amory and is the daughter of Bill Fowlkes, a 1941 graduate of Mississippi State and the niece of Tom and Hal Fowlkes, 1935 and 1938 graduates.

Focused almost solely on academics, Patsy graduated in just three and a half years with a degree in biochemistry in 1974. One of her academic papers, co-published with Robert Wilson in 1975, advanced the development of

commercial catfish feed in the early stages of the commercial catfish industry in Mississippi.

Patsy later did post-graduate studies and research at the College of Medical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Memphis, where she was president of the Student Body, and later at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Patsy later moved into the pharmaceutical sales arena first at Mead Johnson, then Merck, and finally spending 19 years at Schering Plough until its acquisition by Merck.

Patsy served as regional director overseeing Schering Plough’s products prescribed by physicians including her flagship product Claritin. During her time at Schering Plough, Patsy received every sales recognition award given by the company, including being only one of three people during her tenure to win the company’s top award twice. Patsy was the only Schering Plough manager asked to serve on a team to build a new organization from the ground up for the cardiovascular drug Integrilin.

LEFT: Steve and Patsy Brandon shown with some silverback gorillas on a photo safari in Rwanda, Africa in June 2013. ABOVE: Sea lion on the shores of the Galapagos Islands in July 2009.

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TOP LEFT: Near the southernmost point of South America, a hawk soars near the peaks of a volcano in Patagonia in December 2010. FAR LEFT: A pair of African zebras captured in a photo in June 2012. BOTTOM LEFT: Lion drinking water in Africa in July 2013.

BELOW: Elephant crossing in front of Mt. Kilimanjaro in July 2013.

A mutual friend of Steve and Patsy’s, who knew both had graduated from Mississippi State, introduced the couple in Nashville in the fall of 1998 to go on a blind date. The blind date led to a second date in which Steve had tickets to a Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee football game and a Vandy vs. Ohio State basketball game later that night. Steve invited her to attend either game, but Patsy suggested they attend both games.

“I knew I had found a keeper,” Steve laughed.

Within the next two years, the couple married.

Steve and Patsy support Mississippi State University both in the academic and athletic areas.

They are recognized by the MSU Foundation at the J. Charles Lee Society level, and by the Bulldog Club at their Champions level. Their donation to the renovation of Colvard Student Union led to the naming of Fowlkes Auditorium honoring Patsy’s father and uncles.

Steve and Patsy also give freely of their time with both speaking regularly to groups at the university. Steve’s presentation on “What to Do Today to Get a Job upon Graduation” has been presented to dozens of classes, fraternities, athletic

teams and student groups over the past 10 years.

In 2006, Patsy was honored by the Southeastern Conference when chosen to represent Mississippi State during the Women’s SEC Basketball Tournament in Little Rock, Arkansas. Patsy’s longtime commitment to her university, as well as significant contributions to the growth, development, promotion and support of the MSU Women’s Basketball program were commended as she received this special honor.

Steve serves on the Alumni Association’s National Board of Directors. The couple has hosted one of the association’s annual sendoff parties in their home since the inception of the events, and are active in their local alumni chapter. Additionally, Patsy was a charter member of Women About Maroon, a women’s group promoting the university.

The Brandons have two children, Warren Brandon (Kelly) and Amy Waggoner (Neal) along with five grandchildren, Ella Brandon (8), Emory Brandon (6), Kate Waggoner (5), Beau Brandon (3), and Avery Waggoner (2). n

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Red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta

USE A TWO-PRONG ATTACK TO BITE BACK AT FIRE ANTS

By Bonnie Coblentz

Tell Mississippians that fire ants have completely invaded the state, and they’ll probably shrug and say they already know that. Tell them the pain actually comes from a sting rather than a bite, and they’ll say it still hurts. But tell them how to get rid of the nasty critters, and they’re all ears.

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he Mississippi State University Extension Service is organizing efforts to help residents “Bite Back” against fire ants. The solution is a simple two-part attack, but success comes in the long-term follow-through.

Extension entomologist Blake Layton said the best way to fight fire ants and have the least environmental impact is to use bait and mound treatments.

“Spread bait around the area for foraging ants to gather three times a year at Easter, the Fourth of July and Labor Day, and use mound treatments as new mounds appear,” Layton said. “We have good tools for fighting fire ants, but we have to keep using them.

It’s like the air conditioner at home. We can keep our house cool in the summertime, but just because we cooled it yesterday doesn’t mean we don’t have to do it again today.”

This two-pronged approach allows both immediate and long-term fire ant control. Mound treatments, often sold in powder form, are applied directly to visible nests and rapidly kill the entire colony when used properly. Foraging worker ants bring baits back to their mounds. These granules gradually spread through a colony and destroy its workers and queen.

“Baits are slow-acting, and it can take a month or more to see the effect, but they are important for lasting control. If I was limited to only one method of fire ant control, I would use baits,” Layton said. “Successful fire ant control has to be an ongoing effort.”

Layton said the fall bait treatment is very important for control.

“The benefit of fall bait application is you see fewer mounds in the spring,” Layton said. “Fire ants are persistent in the ground, and they eat stored food, including bait, in the winter.”

Black imported fire ants arrived in the U.S. at the Port of Mobile around 1918, and red imported fire ants arrived there in the 1930s. Some ships from South America would carry soil as ballast. When they loaded cargo for the trip home, the ship’s crew would unload the soil, along with any unwanted insects.

Fire ants came from the open grassy areas of Argentina and Brazil, so they like treeless areas, such as yards, pastures and athletic fields, in the U.S. Imported fire ants are more aggressive than native ants, allowing them to outcompete the domestic insects as they spread.

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Fire ants have spread from California to the East Coast. They have ranged as far north as Maryland and Oklahoma. The invaders are pushed back by the cold and do not survive in areas where the soil consistently freezes several inches deep every winter.

“In the U.S., fire ants have few natural predators or diseases,” Layton said.

In colonies containing a single queen, the primary factor limiting their spread to other areas is other fire ants, said Joe MacGown, a research technician and scientific illustrator for the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.

“They compete with one another, and if one mound is gathering all the food resources in an area, the other mound can’t survive,” MacGown said. “Unfortunately, colonies that contain multiple queens do not exhibit this territorial competition.”

Fire ant workers vary in length from about 1 mm to 4.5 mm. They are bicolored, with reddish to reddish-brown heads and upper bodies and dark brown to black lower bodies.

“Queens can lay between 200 and 2,000 eggs per day, depending on the size of the colony, food resources and environmental conditions,” MacGown said.

A fire ant infestation is easily recognizable by numerous, distinctive dome-shaped mounds scattered across open areas. When not controlled, fire ants can significantly mar a landscape and pose a number of threats to humans, pets and wildlife.

“The number of mounds per acre is somewhat dependent on whether or not the colony has multiple queens (polygyne form) or a single queen (monogyne form),” MacGown said. “For monogyne forms, there are usually less than 300 mounds per acre given the right habitat, but with polygyne colonies, there can be more than 300 mounds per acre.”

Fire ants aggressively defend these homes.

“When mounds are disturbed, workers give off an alarm pheromone, which is picked up by the other workers and cues them to defend the colony,” MacGown said. “They quickly find the intruder and first bite, then sting the intruder, releasing a necrotizing alkaloid venom, which in people, causes pain and in some cases, severe allergic reactions.” n

Find more information on the “Bite Back” efforts from MSU Extension at http://msucares.com/biteback 26

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TOP: Most fire ants found in Mississippi are a hybrid between the red imported fire ant, pictured here, and the black imported fire ant. (Photo by Mississippi Entomological Museum/Joe A. MacGown) BOTTOM: Imported fire ants are a scourge across the Southeast, but a two-pronged attack can control their numbers. Bite Back by broadcasting insecticide bait three times a year, and treat mounds when they appear. (Photo by MSU Ag Communications/Kat Lawrence)

MSU archaeologist unearths intertwined couple’s remains

By Leah Barbour

The man was placed behind the woman with his arms around her body, and their legs were intertwined. They were buried spooning around 3800 B.C. in a village on the small Greek peninsula known as Ksagounaki along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Was this a married couple or two close relatives? Who were they?

How did they die? Why were they interred in this manner?

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he international team that discovered the intertwined corpses has dozens of questions, says member Michael Galaty, a Mississippi State University archaeologist.

Adjacent to Ksagounaki is Alepotrypa Cave, one of the largest ancient settlements discovered in southern Europe.

Galaty, head of MSU’s Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures department, says the cave was occupied during the late portion of the Neolithic Age, approximately 5000-3000 B.C. Alepotrypa Cave was first explored and excavated by Giorgos Papathanassopoulos beginning in the 1950s. However, Galaty’s team identified the Ksagounaki site in 2011 after surveying the land around the cave. The intertwined corpses were excavated in 2012 and 2013.

“There’ve only been a couple of prehistoric examples of this behavior around the world, but even when couples are buried together, they’re beside each other and not typically touching,” said Galaty, who also serves as the interim director of MSU’s Cobb Institute of Archaeology. “This couple was actually spooning. We assume they were partners of some kind and because of DNA analysis, we do know they are male and female.”

While the archaeological team is unsure of whether the man or the woman died first, the group is sure the times of death were close together, Galaty says.

“This is unique in Greece, and we’re analyzing the skeletons and bones to find out more about what went on, how they died and why they were placed there,” he explains. “Usually, archaeologists can look at bone trauma to figure out what happened and infer cause of death. We may also be able to analyze the couple’s diets, as well as determine whether they had any diseases or genetic abnormalities.

“If the couple is related, we’ll be able to tell how closely or distantly they’re related, and that will help us to interpret more about them, the way they died and perhaps why they were interred this way.”

The bodies were discovered at Ksagounaki near a Neolithic house that was dated to the same time as the couple’s death around 3800 B.C. “The cave was occupied for a limited period of time, around the time when people started farming. People became more sedentary and built houses at a site outside the cave. It became a pretty big village,” Galaty says. “People were buried within

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their homes. Keeping your ancestors close to you was important, “The bones were gathered somewhere else and brought to this and their remains served as title to the land.” feature around 1200 B.C. The Mycenaeans dug down into the old Certain parts of the cave were used for rituals and burials, village and filled the pit they dug with bones,” Galaty explained. and during the Neolithic Age, people occupied the cave and the “There were a lot of wealthy objects—ivory hair pins, lots of beads, adjacent areas, he describes. a Mycenaean dagger made of bronze.”

“Throughout the cave, there are ossuaries—pits dug into the He hypothesized that knowledge of Alepotrypa Cave may have cave that are filled with bones,” Galaty says. “When someone died, been passed down from the Early to the Late Bronze Age as a type he or she would be defleshed and the living would gather up the of “cultural” memory. bones and put them in the cave. They probably had some process “It’s not just a coincidence that these people chose to rebury where they exposed the bodies until the flesh their dead here. There are 2,000 years was gone; then, they bundled up the bones of memory in this place,” Galaty said.

“It’s not just a coincidence that and buried them. This was done for hygienic “Mycenaeans chose to come here to rebury reasons and also to complete a ritual. their dead. They may have come from far these people chose to rebury their “But the embracing couple,” he away to bury special people. dead here. There are 2,000 years of continues, “the man and woman were “We’re going to look at where they memory in this place. Mycenaeans buried in primary fashion, as whole bodies. might have lived before they were buried They were either buried where people and what kinds of interesting rituals related chose to come here to rebury their weren’t living at the moment or they were to death and burial may have been used.” dead. They may have come from buried in a way that would minimize the The team plans to return to the site in issues of decay, such as under a clay floor.” the summer of 2016 to look at the artifacts, far away to bury special people.

The archaeological team was able to the bones and other clues. Then, the group “We’re going to look at where determine that an important ritual possibly will begin work on a comprehensive associated with death during the Neolithic publication to share their complete findings they might have lived before they Age involved burning inside the cave-— with the world. were buried and what kinds of burning goat, sheep and cow dung to “There’s something very unusual going interesting rituals related to death produce thick layers of ash. Also, Galaty on here, but it’s too much of a coincidence says the early civilization would create large, to assume there’s no connection between and burial may have been used.” well-made pots painted by hand that would the peoples of the Neolithic Age and the ~ Michael Galaty then be smashed and that the remnants Mycenaeans returning 2,000 years later,” he were associated with the burned areas inside says. “We’re hoping to involve Mississippi the cave. While archaeologists are still investigating the reasons to State students when I go back because this is a partnership with make elaborate pots and smash them, the ritual seems to be closely some of the top archaeologists and researchers in the world. This related to the funerary practices of this early civilization. is an important collaboration, and it’s equally very important for The Neolithic buildings discovered on Ksagounaki feature our students to be able to participate. megalithic walls made of huge stones.

“Mississippi State University is already supporting and funding “You don’t typically see this until the Bronze Age around the the teaching of archaeology to Greek students at Alepotrypa. time of the Mycenaeans,” Galaty explains. “At first, we thought Hopefully in the near future, as the project expands, MSU students they were part of the bedrock, but then we realized they were put will travel with me to Greece.” there by human beings. This is a very early example of people In addition to Galaty, a University of Wisconsin doctoral building on a large scale, and it adds to the sense that this was a graduate in anthropology, archaeologists on the team were really important place.

Anastasia Papathanasiou, with the Ephorate for Speleology and “This big bay on the Mediterranean has this wide cave mouth Paleoanthropology in Athens, Greece, and Panagiotis Karkanas, of with buildings, plastered and painted white, right next to it,” he the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece. Others adds. “This would’ve been an important, flashy site; there aren’t included William A. Parkinson, with Chicago’s Field Museum of walls like this at any other site in Greece.”

Natural History, and Daniel J. Pullen, of Florida State University.

Galaty said one of the team’s biggest discoveries was that Funding was provided by the Institute for Aegean Prehistory, along 2,000 years after the Neolithic Age, the Mycenaeans—the Greeks with grants from the Archaeological Institute of America’s Cotsen comprising the human cast in Homer’s epic “Iliad” chronicling Excavation Fund, the National Geographic Society’s Committee the Trojan War—returned to the special area. for Research and Exploration, and the Wenner-Gren Foundation In other words, about the time Helen’s face launched 1,000 for Anthropological Research’s International Collaborative Research ships off the Greek coast the Mycenaeans, when the Trojan War Grant program. The Field Museum Women’s Board and private was in full swing, returned to Alepotrypa Cave and interred their donors also supported the archaeologists’ work. n own dead in Ksagounaki’s village-mortuary complex.

TOP FAR LEFT: Diros Bay on the Mediterranean Sea glistens, welcoming the international team of archaeologists, including Mississippi State’s Michael Galaty, to Ksagounaki, a small Greek peninsula. TOP LEFT: Galaty, the head of MSU’s anthropology and Middle Eastern cultures department, lists artifacts his team has unearthed at the archaeological dig site. LEFT: The team discovered a pair of almost 6,000-year-old corpses interred in a spooning position. The skeletal remains of the intertwined couple are being examined, which may provide answers about why they were buried this way.

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A passion for health care in her home state drives MSU alumna

BY ALLISON MATTHEWS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSS HOUSTON AND JAY FERCHAUD

When Dr. LouAnn Heath Woodward was named vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center this spring, the story made national headlines. Her status as the first woman to serve as the top administrator of the state’s only academic medical center is big news, but her colleagues weren’t surprised when she emerged as the preferred candidate after a robust national search.

Woodward truly worked her way up the ranks at UMMC, starting as a medical student, later doing her residency in emergency medicine and then joining the faculty. Woodward recently commented that she had been at the med center “forever,” but in fact she had a previous life as a Mississippi State Bulldog. Woodward prepared for medical school by earning a microbiology degree at MSU in 1985.

She pointed out that not only is she the first woman in her new role, but she also is the first MSU alum to lead the medical center.

Recalling her undergraduate days, Woodward said Mississippi State prepared her for the academic rigors of medical school.

For the Carroll County native and Kirk Academy graduate, Woodward said MSU seemed like the most logical place for her to attend college.

“It was in some of the difficult courses that I took at Mississippi State that I learned how to study,” Woodward said. She fondly remembers

Don Downer, her academic advisor and a longtime university department head.

“And I had several other faculty members who were very important to me and were unofficially my advisors as well. I had a great experience at Mississippi State,” she said.

At UMMC, Woodward thrived in medical school and as she specialized in emergency medicine. She said experiences of seeing a large variety of patients and medical conditions presented in the ER have served her well in her administrative roles.

“Even though it seems like a career in emergency medicine couldn’t be more different than an administrative role, some of the skills actually translate very well,” Woodward said.

“You gain a comfort level having to make decisions that may be stressful or ‘high stakes’ or important when you know that you don’t have all of the information. I think that is one thing that has been very useful to me––not that I would want to make decisions willy nilly, but if you wait to get to the point that you know everything there is to know about a situation, then you become paralyzed and unable to make decisions and move on,” she explained.

The great variety at the medical center is one of the joys of her work.

As vice chancellor for health affairs, dean of the school of medicine and professor of emergency medicine, Woodward’s

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Woodward congratulates a fourth-year medical student at Match Day as they find out which residency position they have been given. responsibilities may seem daunting. She oversees nearly 10,000 employees and roughly 3,000 students. The campus includes four hospitals for adults, children, women and infants, and critical care patients. UMMC also operates two community hospitals in Lexington and Grenada. Millions of dollars in construction projects are under way to further expand the capabilities and capacity of the center, but Woodward said it’s her confidence in UMMC’s team that helps her approach daily challenges.

“Whether it’s the students, researchers, staff or the faculty, there is a dedication to making Mississippi better here that just oozes out of the walls,” she said.

“Of course, I don’t personally supervise 10,000 people, so I’ve got a very strong team around me of people who are absolutely dedicated,” she said. “My job is to keep people focused on the end point, and I really try to communicate clearly and as much as possible.”

Woodward said she’s never the smartest person in the room, but keys to her success have been a willingness to take on challenges, work hard and stay positive and focused.

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“I’m persistent and I understand that there’s more than one way to get things done.

When plan A doesn’t work out, what’s plan B? Let’s keep trying and being positive,” she said, adding that a thick skin helps as well.

“Of course, I don’t personally supervise 10,000 people, so I’ve got a very strong team around me of people who are absolutely dedicated. My job is to keep people focused on the end point, and I really try to communicate clearly and as much as possible.” ~ LouAnn Woodward In addition to her career, Woodward has raised four children with her husband Jon. The couple has one 19-year-old daughter, twin 17-year-old daughters and a 15-year-old son.

“I’ve got great kids and an unusually tolerant husband. It really does take a team,” she said. “Everywhere I go, I’ve got wonderful people who support me.”

Woodward said that since her appointment as vice chancellor was approved by Institutions of Higher Learning earlier this year, she’s been intrigued by the interest garnered by the fact that she’s the first woman to take on this position. She said UMMC has a number of other women in leadership positions and she doesn’t feel gender has been a limiting factor during her career.

“I’ve never felt that there was something that I wanted to do that I couldn’t do because I was a woman,” she said. “For my age, there are still more men than women practicing medicine, but in the younger medical school classes, it’s split 50-50 basically across the country,” she said.

Woodward maintains her ties to MSU, usually making a football game and tailgate at least once a year. She also visits Starkville for weekend getaways with a few girlfriends who have remained close since school days.

“I’ve also been back up there several

times talking to the pre-med students,” she noted, and she’s visited with MSU President Mark E. Keenum and first lady Rhonda Keenum in their home.

As she now focuses on leading the medical center toward future successes, Woodward said she has a vision to tackle the major health issues in a state that often ranks at the bottom for health-related outcomes.

“Whether it’s childhood asthma or high rates of diabetes in some selected counties in Mississippi, we have to work collaboratively with focused efforts to really make a difference,” she said, emphasizing that there’s not just one solution that will address Mississippi’s health problems.

“We are last in physicians per capita, so one of the things that we are doing to address that is growing our medical school class size. Adding physicians to the workforce in Mississippi is not the only answer, but when you’re last, you know it’s part of the answer,” she said.

Another major health care issue is access.

“I grew up knowing people who didn’t have a ride to where they needed to go, so just the basic access to health care was a major obstacle. We are really growing and expanding our telehealth program so people won’t have to drive two or three hours to see the doctors they need to see. With technology, we can get the provider and the support to the patients,” she explained.

Woodward said many health challenges present great need and great responsibility for the medical center, and she feels passionately that Mississippians are the right people to drive solutions.

“We’ve got people who are thinking about education, people who are enmeshed in their research and people working day and night taking care of patients,” she said. “But the wonderful thing is that at the end, even though people might be doing completely different jobs, everybody’s pulling in that same direction of trying to make Mississippi a healthier and better place.” n

RIGHT: Woodward hooding an M.D. student at a UMMC commencement ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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“I do a little bit of everything because it’s really tough today in music to do just one specific thing. You can, but I don’t like to put all of my eggs in one basket.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY RICHARD WRIGHT

~ Jamison Hollister

Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter has Mississippi roots BY SASHA STEINBERG

H

e vividly remembers listening to his parents’ country, rock and roll, and rhythm and blues records, but it wasn’t until he attended his first major concert at Mississippi State’s Humphrey Coliseum that university alumnus Jamison Hollister considered pursuing a music-related career.

“I saw Garth Brooks in 1992, and it was then that I knew somewhere deep down that playing music was exactly what I wanted to do with my entire life,” recalls the 2007 history graduate who also completed English courses at the land-grant institution.

Now a three-year resident of Los Angeles, Hollister enjoys dedicating his talents to musical projects as diverse as the artists to whom he grew up listening. They included Aretha Franklin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Alan Jackson, George Strait, Hank Williams and Patsy Cline.

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In addition to writing his own songs and performing as a solo artist at local venues, the Starkville native regularly composes instrumental music for television and film.

He also has performed, recorded and toured with musician, songwriter and record producer John Fogerty and singer-songwriters Lisa Marie Presley and Josh Kelley, among other artists.

Hollister appreciates the success he has achieved with the placement of the song “Should’ve Been Me,” which aired on The CW’s comedy-drama television series, “Hart of Dixie.” The song was performed by ninepiece Los Angeles-based Americana/Rock band, The Walcotts, for whom Hollister plays the mandolin and pedal steel guitar.

“I do a little bit of everything because it’s really tough today in music to do just one specific thing,” he says, while adding with a laugh, “You can, but I don’t like to put all of my eggs in one basket.”

Along with mandolin and pedal steel guitar, Hollister specializes in fiddle, dobro (a resonator guitar or acoustic steel guitar), slide and bass guitar, piano and drums.

“I’ve taken lessons here and there, had people show me things along the way and watched instructional videos, but for the most part, I’ve just spent a lot of time practicing and teaching myself,” he says. “You have to be your own boss and find the time to do everything and balance it all out, but it is a lot of fun.”

While every instrument he plays requires a different mindset and finesse, Hollister says the pedal steel guitar presents the biggest—yet most enjoyable—challenge. Played while one is sitting down, the pedal steel guitar is a flat instrument that usually has anywhere from eight to 12 strings.

“The reason I like pedal steel is because it’s almost like you’re working a math problem out as you play it,” says Hollister, who also

spent his childhood years in Greenville. “The different combination of strings, pedals, knee levers and notes is really complex. There’s so much to learn, and it definitely requires the most thought.”

From country, bluegrass and folk to blues, jazz and pop, Hollister’s usually up for playing pretty much any genre of music.

“I feel like I’ve played almost everything,” he says with a laugh. “There’s so much variety in Los Angeles, and I’ve been really fortunate to play in everything from traditional jazz and Western swing bands to rockabilly and straight ahead rock and pop.”

Outside of the City of Angels, Hollister has played at numerous prestigious venues around the country and world. Among his favorite spots are Texas’s Gruene Hall (pronounced “Green”), New York City’s Carnegie Hall, London’s Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club, and Tokyo’s Blue Note Jazz Club.

For Hollister, the opportunity to occasionally perform various instruments on FOX’s American Idol and NBC’s The Voice has meant a lot more than just playing music on a stage.

“The degree of professionalism and talent of the production teams and musicians, like those in the house bands, is truly unparalleled,” he says of his experience on the hit American singing competition shows. “They are some of the world’s best musicians, and I’ve been really fortunate to work with them.”

When devising a new song, Hollister doesn’t follow a specific process. Sometimes, ideas come from playing a little bit on the guitar or being inspired by a phrase, thought, book or movie.

“For the most part, I rely on life experience.

Sometimes, I have things I want to say, but I don’t like the way they sound on paper, so I just play them through instrumental music,” he explains.

“I try to get as much down as I can, and when I start writing something that I don’t like, I stop. Sometimes, things may sit for two days or two years. Sometimes, I’ll write with my wife McGhee or a co-writing friend,” he says, adding that most of his success has come by way of collaboration.

Asked whether he plans to produce his own album or add other instruments to his already-extensive repertoire any time soon, Hollister says it’s a possibility, but he’s pretty happy right now with his current projects.

“It’s a whole other nut to crack, but I’d like to put out my own album one day,” he says.

While life is great in America’s secondlargest city, Hollister says he and wife-actress McGhee Monteith miss all of the wonderful people back in the Magnolia State.

“I love Starkville. It’s a great city, and it was a really fun and integral part of my learning experience,” says the son of Jack Hollister and Betsy Alexander. “I always loved Bulldog Bash and Super Bulldog Weekend. They were some of the best times of the year.”

Hollister expressed particular appreciation for former associate professor of history Jason Phillips and English instructor Marty Price.

“They were two of the many wonderful teachers who went the extra mile and really wanted to teach you, not just show you how to do something,” he says.

Whether or not they choose a musicrelated field or career path, Hollister encourages students to always do two things: be different and work really hard.

“There’s such a value in being very focused and dedicating yourself to being the best that you can be in whatever field you’re doing.

With everything in life, you’ve got to be a selfstarter. You’ve got to be proactive. You’ve got to be at the right place at the right time, and one of those you can control,” Hollister says in speaking from personal experience.

Sending out emails on a frequent basis and directing potential employers to his

Has performed, recorded and toured locally and nationally with: •JOHN FOGERTY •LISA MARIE PRESLEY •JOSH KELLEY •JIMBO MATHUS* •SHANNON MCNALLY •THE WALCOTTS •THE FAR WEST •LESLIE STEVENS •BRAD COLERICK •CHARLIE WORSHAM* *FELLOW MISSISSIPPIAN

Has shared the stage with acts including: •MUMFORD AND SONS •RHONDA VINCENT •ROBERT EARL KEEN •THE DEL MCCOURY BAND •GREAT AMERICAN TAXI •TODD SNIDER •THE HACKENSAW BOYS •POKEY LAFARGE

“ There’s s o much variety in Los Angeles, and I’ve been really fortunate to play in everything from traditional jazz and Western s wing bands to r ockabilly and s traight ahead rock and pop.” ~ Jamison Hollister

website, www.jamisonhollister.com, are among his major self-promotion efforts. More than anything, Hollister says his willingness to knock on a lot of doors has proven most beneficial throughout his career.

“Always put yourself whenever possible in a position to work with the people who can make changes,” he advises other aspiring musicians.

“People will open the door for you, but you’ve got to walk up to the door and knock.”

On Jamison’s iPod currently: •TOOTS AND THE MAYTALLS •JASON ISBELL •JAMEY JOHNSON •BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON •GILLIAN WELCH •RY COODER •LITTLE FEAT

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Our PEOPLE “There’s just something so special about getting together with a group of people who share the same passion for music, but also have the discipline and dedication that military members have as well.” ~ Lauren Rogers

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MSU alumna named to United States Air Force’s top entertainment group

BY SASHA STEINBERG

F

or Lauren Rogers, participating in the country’s premier all-active duty Air Force entertainment group is more than a job—it’s a dream come true.

“There’s just something so special about getting together with a group of people who share the same passion for music, but also have the discipline and dedication that military members have as well,” says the 2013 graduate who holds a communication degree with a public relations emphasis from MSU. She also was the university’s Distinguished Military Graduate for Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 425.

“The staff here at Tops in Blue is all made up of people who were in the Air Force or are still in the Air Force but also have a passion for music. There’s this huge bond-type connection that you just cannot compare to your normal working day,” she says.

For a year and a half now, the Meridian native has been serving as a public affairs officer at Misawa Air Base on Honchu Island at the northeastern tip of Japan. Rogers, a second lieutenant, is looking forward to assuming the rank of first lieutenant in July. She was named champion last year during Misawa Air Base’s “Misawa Idol,” a contest inspired by FOX’s American Idol singing competition show.

“That was really cool because I have been doing musical theater and been actively involved with music, classical piano and Mississippi’s Junior Miss from a young age,” Rogers says of her Misawa Idol experience.

“Having the opportunity to just put my performer face on was really good for me.”

Earlier this year, Rogers auditioned and was one of 37 individuals selected to participate as part of Tops in Blue’s 2015 tour.

Tops in Blue is a fully self-contained ensemble with members who work anywhere from 15 to 20 hours a day preparing for shows. Members include vocalists, musicians, dancers and technicians, ranging in rank from Airman First Class to Captain.

“I auditioned live in San Antonio, Texas, and after I found out that I made the team, I had three days to pack up everything, settle things for my house, car and job, and fly home to the United States,” Rogers says, adding that she is honored to be a part of this year’s team.

Check out the Tops in Blue’s schedule: https://www.usafservices.com/TopsInBlue/TourSchedule.aspx

FAR LEFT: Second lieutenant Lauren Rogers sings Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” for her Tops in Blue 2015 audition in San Antonio, Texas. Photo credit—Chris Burch. ABOVE LEFT: Rogers performs Saturday [May 16] prior to the annual “America’s Armed Forces River Parade” at the San Antonio River Walk’s Arneson Theatre. Photo credit—Addison Swink. ABOVE RIGHT: Tom Edwards, chief of Air Force entertainment, presents Rogers with the “Leadership Award” during a Tops in Blue banquet. The Meridian native and 2013 MSU graduate was selected for the honor based on votes from her peers. Photo credit—Chris Burch.

For more than 60 years, the prestigious group of talented amateur performers has provided quality entertainment from within Air Force resources for the Air Force family with priority to personnel stationed worldwide at remote and deployed locations. Nursing homes, veteran centers, retirement homes, child development centers, day cares and hospitals are among the group’s favorite performance venues.

Simultaneously promoting community relations, supporting recruiting efforts and serving as ambassadors for the United States and the U.S. Air Force also are among its primary missions.

Though still affiliated with the unit with which she serves in Japan, Rogers is—in military terms—on TDY, or temporary duty yonder.

She will reside in San Antonio for a year while participating in what she calls “a really intense and incredible experience.”

“We have our own band, our own drivers who drive us all around America, and we have technicians who do our sound board,” Rogers explains. “We all help set up the stage, which takes about four hours before the show. Once we get to our destination, we have to get into our

costumes and get our hair and makeup ready.

We put on the two-hour show and then we tear down the set, which takes another four hours.

We pack everything up into our big truck, and we drive to our next location.”

“The coolest thing for me right now is working with people from completely different career fields.” ~ Lauren Rogers As the operations officer of the unit, Rogers is enjoying the opportunity to serve in a leadership position while developing her vocal, choreography and piano skills. She appreciates the guidance she is receiving from vocal coaches and dance instructors.

“The coolest thing for me right now is working with people from completely different career fields,” she says. “Some of us are classically trained and some of us haven’t been trained at

all. Some can’t read music, and some are pros at reading music, but we’ve all really come together as a group.”

Whether performing patriotic, pop, blues or country, Rogers says the goal is to connect with everybody in the audience.

Free to all, each concert is “a good opportunity for us to support our fellow military communities and their families, as well as give back in a positive way to the civilian community in thanking them for supporting the military,” she says.

Rogers attributes her Tops in Blue success to the values and support she received from her family and mentors at MSU. She remains especially grateful for the guidance of John E. Forde, associate professor and communication department head, and Sarah Mutter Huber, former MSU aerospace studies assistant professor and AFROTC operations flight commander.

“My experience at Mississippi State was just top-notch,” says the daughter of Frank Rogers and Cindy Wyman. “The discipline, dedication and commitment I have because of my experiences in ROTC have helped me thrive in the military, and I’m really thankful for that.”

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Our PEOPLE

SALUTING OUR MSU 1943 ADVANCED ROTC CLASS

BY ALLEN SNOW

L-R: Bill Nettles, Gordon Hazard, James C. Robertson and John Robert Arnold gathered together in the spring for a reunion of the MSU 1943 Advanced ROTC class.

Editor’s note: Earlier this year, four surviving members of a special MSU alumni group reunited on the 70th anniversary of the momentous historical event they shared. Their special bond was explained by then editor Allen Snow in a 1994 Alumnus article, an edited version of which follows.

C

okes were a nickel, Mrs. Miniver had just won an Oscar as best motion picture of the previous year, and James Cagney had been named best actor for his role in Yankee Doodle Dandy. If you turned on a radio, it’s likely Glenn Miller would be belting out “Chattanooga Choo Choo” on his trombone, or his band would be working through the haunting strains of “Moonlight Serenade.”

There were 30 of them, and due to inexorable events, they were inseparable for a time. Later, many of them were back in college, but not together as they had been, and none of

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them was ever a kid again. In December 1942, they were enrolled in the advanced infantry ROTC class at Mississippi State College.

To take advanced ROTC, the infantry class at Mississippi State was told it would have to enlist in the Army, with the promise that the members would stay in school until they graduated. One semester later, they were called to active duty as a group and ordered to report to Camp Shelby at Hattiesburg, where they were inducted into the Regular Army. From there, they went to Fort McClellan, Alabama, for basic training.

“While taking basic training, we were in the company of other ROTC students from throughout the United States,” said class member L.W. Jordan. [Jordan died in 1999.]

“There were students there from The Citadel, Virginia Military Institute, Georgia Tech, and many other schools.”

That fall, the ROTC group returned—in uniform—to the Mississippi State campus and completed another semester of college

work before being sent to Infantry Officers Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Of the original group, about 15 graduated from Infantry OCS and were commissioned as second lieutenants. Most were sent to Camp Gruber, Okla., with the 42nd Infantry Division.

On June 6, 1944, the largest invasion force in history—the Allied Expeditionary Force—landed at Normandy in northern France and began the long and costly process of driving the Germans out of Paris and back across the Rhine River.

“Several of our newly commissioned officers were sent as replacement officers to other units and some were sent overseas as replacement officers in combat,” remembered Jordan. “Later, the 42nd Infantry was sent to the European Theater, where they were soon in combat.”

By fall 1944, most of the young men who, less than a year earlier, had been in school at Mississippi State were in France, Belgium,

Front Row L-R: Ray Beckham, Bill Trotter, L.W. Jordan, Lynn Smith, Ira McCullen, Dean Andrews, and Elliott Cowand; Back Row L-R: Bill Nettles, Ben Conger, Robert Hammond, N.W. Carver Jr., Frank Gwin Jr., Clyde Hamer, Gordon Hazard, Emmett H. “Mickey” Walker, James C. Robertson, and John Robert Arnold.

Austria, and Germany. They were new to combat, but the period of their service in Europe saw some of the fiercest fighting of the war.

Two members of the ROTC group, Maury Box of Corinth and James Tucker of Hamilton, were killed in combat. Three others—Frank Gwin Jr. of Tchula, Homer C. McNamara of Dunwoody, Georgia, and John Robert Cooley, now deceased—were prisoners of war.

After their discharge from active duty, many of the members of the Class of ’43 returned to Mississippi State College and earned degrees.

They graduated in ’46, some in ’47, some in ’48. Many of them remained in the military reserves or the National Guard, and many returned to active duty during the Korean War a few years later.

They went on to become engineers, businessmen, and farmers. They married and had children and then grandchildren. Some have retired, while others have hardly slowed down. They still have occasion to get together formally and informally.

“This group is very close,” Jordan said. “We have had some great times and some bad times together.”

[In April 1993], 17 of them came back to Mississippi State for one of the great times— the 50th anniversary of their days in school together. They shared old stories and new ones, great and bad, and remembered the ones who weren’t there.

At Homecoming 1993, they met again.

One of their own, Emmett H. “Mickey” Walker of Jackson, was honored in a campus ceremony as the Outstanding Honor ROTC Graduate.

After being discharged from active duty in 1946, Walker was recalled during the Korean War. He remained in the Army Reserves, served at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., for a decade, and retired in 1986 as a lieutenant general. [Walker died in 2007.]

“We were the last advanced infantry ROTC class from Mississippi State during World War II,” Jordan said.

(There is a happy postscript to this war story. On August 2, 2014, Gordon and Sara Hazard’s grandson, Matthew Stevens Hazard, married Anne Barrett Polk, granddaughter of James C. and Anne Robertson. Matthew is a 2004 MSU landscape architecture graduate, and the couple first met as a result of their respective grandparents’ close relationship.)

Alumni and friends can honor or remember one of the 1943 class with a gift for the new G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans. Please contact Wes Gordon at (662) 325-9129 or email wgordon@foundation.msstate. edu for assistance.

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Road Dawgs tour concludes The Mississippi State University Alumni Association and the Bulldog Club hosted their 2015 Road Dawgs Tour in May with a total of 10 stops throughout Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. The tour began in Meridian and ended in Vicksburg with about 1,800 individuals participating in the largest tour yet.

This year’s tour included head football coach Dan Mullen, with guest appearances by football defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, head women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer, and new head men’s basketball coach Ben Howland.

Road Dawgs is a partnership between the Alumni Association, its alumni chapters, and the Bulldog Club that encourages enthusiasm and promotes school spirit for the upcoming football season. The annual circuit is a great opportunity for university and athletic department officials to visit with fans throughout the region.

Mississippi State kicks off its football season on Sept. 5 against Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. The first home game will be Sept. 12 when the Bulldogs host the LSU Tigers. For more information on the Bulldogs football schedule, please visit hailstate.com.

EmBARK on an adventure with the Alumni Association The MSU Alumni Association annually sponsors several trips across the globe through the Traveling Bulldogs program. The schedule below outlines trips for 2016 available for booking.

2016 TRAVELING BULLDOGS Relax on the Sands and Shores of the Caribbean: Feb. 12-22 Explore Tasman Treasures in Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand: Feb. 21-March 9 Sail to Sultans and Palaces from Istanbul to Athens: March 4-12 Enjoy a week in Ireland–St. Patty’s Day: March 13-23 Discover Cuba: April 16 Travel the Passages of Lewis and Clark–Clarkston, Washington to Portland, Oregon: May 7-15 Ride the Regal Routes of Northern Europe: June 13-24 View the Magnificent Great Lakes: July 8-17 Celebrate Oktoberfest in Germany: Sept. 13-26 Navigate the Mediterranean Pathways and Piazzas–Rome to Monte Carlo: Oct. 14-24 Tour Barcelona and San Sebastian, ACA: April-June and September–October Roam Coastal Maine and New Brunswick: June-August Immerse yourself in London: May–September See the art of Living in Tuscany: April–September Ride the Danube River: May-June Hike the Canadian Rockies: Summer Bask in the Glory of Alaska: Summer

Explore the Alumni Association website for more information at alumni.msstate.edu/travel.

2016 AWAY GAME TRIPS Texas A&M: Oct. 2-4 Missouri: Nov. 5 Experience hospitality at its best in The Junction for every home football game. Visit the Alumni Association tent proudly sponsored by Renasant Bank and the MSU Alumni Association.

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THE MISSISSIPPI STATE RING

TRUE MAROON

Be part of the tradition!

速

VISIT ALUMNI.MSSTATE.EDU/CLASSRING OR CALL 662.325.7000 FOR MORE INFORMATION. ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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For more information on MSU Class Rings and the official ring ceremony, please visit alumni.msstate.edu.

PHOTOGRAPH BY RUSS HOUSTON

Our PEOPLE

MSU RINGS SHOWCASE TIMELESS TRADITION

A

special ceremony in the historic Chapel of Memories allowed a group of students to connect with Bulldog graduates of the past and uphold a revered tradition.

Eligible students were presented with their MSU class rings during an official MSU Ring Ceremony in April. Participants were able to share the special moment with family and friends in attendance.

The official MSU ring was originally designed in 1935 and remains a special keepsake for MSU alumni as it links generations of Bulldog graduates. The MSU Alumni Association serves as caretaker of the ring program and strives to create meaningful ways for the rings to be presented to upcoming graduates.

“The MSU ring is a tradition with deep roots here at Mississippi State, and we want that tradition to once again be a mainstay among students and alumni alike, which led us to introduce this new ceremony at the chapel,” said Alumni Association Executive Director Jeff Davis. “The MSU ring serves as ‘a diploma

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on the finger’ and proudly tells the world that the wearer is a Mississippi State graduate.”

The night before the ceremony, the rings were placed in the Chapel of Memories where MSU ROTC cadets stood guard. The gesture paid tribute to the institution’s strong military history and linked the rings of current students to those presented and worn by students from other eras.

MSU President Mark E. Keenum proudly presented the students with their rings. During the ceremony, each honoree was recognized and given an opportunity to ring a special gold cowbell three times, signifying the university’s trifold mission of learning, research and service.

At the ceremony’s close, recipients joined in unison to place the rings on their fingers to demonstrate their new status as MSU alumni.

“We are thrilled to bring excitement and attention back to the MSU Class Ring, and we hope future bulldogs will join us in marking this annual milestone by participating in the ceremony,” Davis said.

MSU President Mark E. Keenum and ceremony participants proudly display their official MSU rings .

Association names new officers As the Mississippi State University Alumni Association marked 130 years of service, new leaders of the national board of directors began two-year terms.

They officially took office on July 1, and the new national officers include Ronald E. Black of Meridian as president, Brad M. Reeves of Jackson as vice president, Jerry L. Toney of Starkville continuing as treasurer and Tommy R. Roberson as immediate former national president.

Black, a 1980 marketing graduate, directs human resources for Southern Pipe and Supply Company Inc. During his career, he has served as South 1 Region director on the national board of directors; he has been on the executive committee for four years; and he served the past two years as first vice president. He is active in the Alumni Association’s Lauderdale County chapter.

After Reeves graduated from Mississippi State in 2002 with a degree in management and construction of land development, he completed a law degree at the University of Mississippi. He is now a practicing attorney with Randall, Segrest, Weeks, Reeves & Sones, PLLC Attorneys and Counselors. Reeves is active with the Central Mississippi chapter, where he served as president, among other roles.

Toney is a 1996 business graduate with a degree in real estate, mortgage finance and economics. He is a president of Cadence Bank for Mississippi and a senior financial consultant for the bank’s wealth services division. Toney was recently honored in the Mississippi Business Journal’s “Top 40 under 40.” The former MSU Alumni Association national president also served as president of the Oktibbeha County chapter.

Roberson, a 1967 political science and history graduate, retired from Kraft Foods after 34 years of service. He served the Memphis Maroon Club as its former president, vice president and membership officer.

Roberson has been on the executive committee of the Alumni Association’s national board of directors for three years, most recently in the role of national president.

The Alumni Association was founded June 17, 1885, by the first three graduating classes of what was then Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College.

A full-service organization, the association now includes 95 chapters and has more than 132,000 living alumni worldwide.

Reeves

Black

Roberson

Toney

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Our PEOPLE

Visit www.alumni.msstate.edu/chapters and learn more about alumni chapters worldwide.

CALLING BULLDOG VOLUNTEERS - WE NEED YOU! Do you feel a calling to give back to Mississippi State University with your time and talents? Are you able and willing to share your time and talents with our alumni chapters?

Alumni chapters, through the work of dedicated leaders and eager volunteers, support the mission of the MSU Alumni Association. Together, they foster lifelong support for the university’s mission through programs, activities and events for its alumni, future alumni and friends who are forever maroon and white.

WHAT DO ALUMNI CHAPTERS DO? In effect, a chapter is “Mississippi State University” in the local community. The role of the chapter is to: • provide programs and events for alumni and friends to connect with each other and MSU; • be a community steward on behalf of MSU in the chapter area through community engagement; • give back through community service projects; • provide scholarships for local students to attend MSU; and • recruit prospective students to MSU.

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Chapter volunteers dedicate time to initiate, plan and promote a variety of activities that will appeal to MSU alumni and friends in the chapter area. Individuals selected as chapter leaders are willing to work well with all people, are imaginative and enthusiastic and have administrative ability.

If you live in any of the following select chapter areas and would like to be a “True Maroon” volunteer, please contact the Alumni Chapters Program staff at chapters@alumni.msstate.edu or 662-325-7000.

MISSISSIPPI CHAPTERS Bolivar County Clarke County Copiah County Holmes County Humphreys County Itawamba County Jasper County Kemper County Lafayette County Marshall-Benton Counties Pontotoc County

Tallahatchie County Tunica County Wayne County Winston-Choctaw Counties OUT-OF-STATE CHAPTERS Charlotte, North Carolina Chattanooga, Tennessee Little Rock, Arkansas Northwest Alabama Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina South Texas – San Antonio area

MSU Alumni Association awards exemplary faculty The Mississippi State University Alumni Association recognized three faculty members in April as part of the university’s 2015 Faculty Awards and Recognition Program.

Two faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences were selected for awards. Jared W. Keeley of the Department of Psychology received the Early Career Undergraduate Teaching Award, and Lindsey P. Peterson of the Department of Sociology was presented the Graduate Teaching Excellence Award.

Rounding out the honorees was V. Gnaneswar Gude of the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering who received the Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor Award.

An assistant professor, Keeley is known for investing in his students and inspiring them to become successful MSU graduates.

He came to MSU six years ago after earning his doctorate at Auburn University. While at MSU, he has been honored with a State Pride Faculty Award and the Wilbert J. McKeachie Teaching Excellence Award. Among his

greatest accomplishments, Keeley includes the praises he has received from his students and colleagues in his department.

Peterson, an assistant professor of sociology, was recognized for her outstanding teaching methods and dedication to MSU. She has made a career of helping individuals succeed in the social world. By emphasizing the importance of keeping instructional materials current and always trying new techniques, Peterson ensures that her students are prepared for life after graduation. She came to MSU in 2011 after receiving her doctorate at The Ohio State University.

Gude has impressed his students and colleagues with the motivation and pride he takes in his work as an academic adviser, part of his role as an assistant professor in the Bagley College. He encourages his students, and his positive influence supports their growth and professionalism. Gude’s impact reaches far beyond the classroom, and several students attributed his assistance as influential

L-R: Keeley, Gude, and Peterson with Jeff Davis, executive director of the MSU Alumni Association

in their lives. He has been a faculty member since 2012 after he received his doctoral degree from New Mexico State University.

The Alumni Association is honored to partner with the university to recognize meritorious teachers and researchers for the impact they make on students each day.

Delegates continue impact with annual tuition drawing The Mississippi State University Alumni Association held its third tuition drawing and announced Sarah Craig of Canton as the winner. She will receive 12 credit hours of “free” tuition for the fall 2015 semester at Mississippi State.

The drawing is an ongoing project initiated in 2013 by the Alumni Delegates, the student organization of the MSU Alumni Association.

The drawing is open each semester to any instate underclassman enrolled full-time at MSU and provides “free” tuition for 12 credit hours to the winner.

Craig, a junior psychology major and daughter of MSU alumni Brien and Gina Craig of Canton says, “I am thankful for the scholarship that will help further my education and ease my financial burden for next semester.”

Founded in 1980, the Alumni Delegates group currently consists of 40 students who serve as liaisons between MSU students and alumni. The group volunteers at alumni events throughout the year and is active in service across campus.

Members of the MSU Alumni Delegates present Sarah Craig, third from left, with her tuition check. From left are Rob Hairston, Eddie Mac Huddleston, Craig, Prachi Singhania, Kaylie Mitchell, Tommy Allmon and Connor Estess.

“The Alumni Delegates tuition drawing is taking shape as an annual tradition that positively influences the student experience and helps build a scholarship endowment over time,” said Jeff Davis, executive director of the association.

He continued, “In its second year, more than $9,000 was generated, and the amount

beyond the ‘free’ tuition awarded to Sarah Craig will go toward the endowment that will eventually help even more students with tuition expenses.”

For more information about the drawing, please contact Libba Andrews, associate director of the MSU Alumni Association, at landrews@alumni.msstate.edu.

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Infinite IMPACT

Gift from engineering alumnus encourages home state success

BY ADDIE MAYFIELD West Point native Prentice McKibben is a visionary leader who recognizes that the success of Mississippi State University is an indispensable key to the success of the state of Mississippi.

Over the years, his continuous support of the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering has embodied true dedication to the university and the state. Recently, McKibben chose to make a generous deferred gift, in addition to his outright gifts, which will ensure that same level of support for generations to come.

Created through a bequest in his will, the Prentice McKibben Endowed Excellence Fund will be used by the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering within the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. Nationally ranked and serving as the state’s leading engineering program, the Bagley College provides world-class education, to which McKibben credits much of his success.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BETH WYNN

“Earning an engineering degree was the pivotal point of my life. It opened all the doors to the things I’ve had in my life since then—challenging jobs, meeting new people, traveling the world, financial security—it was so beneficial to me,” said McKibben.

“MSU provided me with a quality education and allowed me to afford it through a graduate assistantship and my participation in the Cooperative Education Program.”

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After earning a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering in 1973 and a Master of Business Administration in 1974, both from MSU, McKibben began his career with Kingsport, Tennessee-based Eastman Chemical Co., where he held numerous positions of increasing responsibility during his 34 years of service. In 2008, he retired as the vice president of strategic planning and corporate development, though he later returned

to serve the company as a consultant for a special project from 2010-2011.

In addition to a prosperous business career, McKibben was named as the MSU Distinguished Engineering Fellow in 2004 and continues to serve on the advisory board for the Bagley College. After retiring, he returned to campus from 2008-2009 to teach courses in industrial systems engineering. During his time as a faculty member, he developed a better understanding of the significance of alumni financial support.

“Everyone decides whether they can or will contribute,” said McKibben. “But if possible, it’s important for alumni to support Mississippi State and allow it to continue to be one of the best engineering schools in the nation. My gift allows me to return the favor of my education by helping the university and its future students.”

Mississippi State is dedicated to creating opportunities for students who will, in turn, take those experiences and skill sets into the world and build a better future. Since the university’s outreach is limited to available resources, contributions from devoted alumni and friends allow the university to extend that outreach and afford valuable educational experiences that will make an infinite impact in the state and world.

“One of the major keys to progress in Mississippi is quality education, particularly in engineering, and the Bagley College is at the pinnacle of Mississippi education,” said McKibben. “It recruits the best students, and we need to do all we can to provide opportunities that will keep them in the state as they enter the workforce as graduates.”

As the university continually strives to enhance and develop the state of Mississippi, research and service are among the greatest commitments of the historic land-grant institution. Mississippi State proudly builds upon the state’s traditions while positioning it for a brighter future. Outright gifts allow immediate results, while deferred gifts through charitable planning help envision the goals of tomorrow and pave the foundations for success.

If you are interested in establishing your legacy at MSU through a deferred gift, please contact Vance Bristow, director of planned giving for the MSU Foundation, at 662-3253707 or email him at vbristow@foundation. msstate.edu.

Ira and Cherry Head cherish keepsakes of their late son, Ben.

Graduate’s legacy of perseverance rings true

BY ADDIE MAYFIELD

T

he life-altering moment struck April 2, 2007, when doctors told Wesson High School junior Ben Head that his seemingly minor injury was a critical concern. The medical team soon diagnosed him with reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome, or RSD, a rare, incurable nervous system disorder that causes chronic, severe pain.

Not being one to give up easily, Ben viewed the diagnosis as a small setback, and he refused to let it interfere in the pursuit of his dreams. In fact, it became his driving force.

Ben was a star athlete with big dreams of college, and despite learning to cope with constant discomfort and recurring flare-ups, he began his first semester at Copiah-Lincoln Community College immediately after high school.

Ultimately, RSD forced the pained and exhausted student to postpone his education. Ben, along with his parents, Ira and Cherry Head, sought help from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, where he participated in its extensive pain management program. Eventually, Ben returned to his studies, only to be delayed again by an emergency surgery.

Determined to complete his education, Ben later enrolled at Mississippi State University, where he harnessed his debilitating syndrome into a driving form of motivation. Throughout ALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU

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Infinite IMPACT his time as an MSU student, Ben worked as a personal trainer at the Joe Frank Sanderson Center He explained that assisting students in developing exercise programs was his encouragement to get out of bed each day despite his pain.

In addition to the loyal friendships he made on campus, Ben also fell in love with a Bulldog classmate, Maureen Hughes of Starkville, to whom he was eventually engaged.

“On many occasions, Ben amazed me with his confidence, kindness, perseverance and humility,” Hughes shared. “He was a teacher and a friend, as well as my first love, and our relationship will always have a profound impact on the way I see things day to day.”

In 2013, after years of persistence, Ben graduated with a bachelor of accountancy from the Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy at Mississippi State.

Hughes also completed her degree in the same major, and Ben began a career with Dillard’s Inc. in the corporate management-training program.

“It meant so much when he graduated from MSU because he had fought through his pain and persevered,” Ben’s mother said.

She credits much of her son’s academic success to the faculty and staff at MSU, as well as the help he received from the university’s Disability Support Services.

“Ben was always able to connect with his professors,” explained Ben’s father. “He was the type of student who was waiting outside their door to ask a question if he didn’t understand something, and he was always willing to help other students who were struggling in their classes.”

Because of Ben’s willingness to help others, his parents chose to establish an endowed scholarship to memorialize their only child forever following his untimely death soon after his 2013 graduation.

“We chose to create an endowment because we never want it to end,” Ben’s mother explained. “Ben loved Mississippi State University and always wanted to be here. As parents, we have worked for our child all of our lives. If we can’t leave something for him, what is better than to leave something for other students in his name?”

The Benjamin Taylor Head Memorial Scholarship will assist recipients pursuing a degree from the Adkerson School of Accountancy. Eligible candidates will be full-time junior or senior students who demonstrate academic achievement with a 2.5 grade-point average.

The recipients must be Mississippi residents, and preference will be given to students associated with the MSU Disability Support Services.

Preserving a legacy of perseverance, the Benjamin Taylor Head Memorial Scholarship endowment will continue to inspire students for generations.

“Just because Ben isn’t here doesn’t mean he can’t keep making an impact,” his mother said.

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For a complete list of MSU fundraisers, visit msufoundation.com..

Cooley, Berkery assume new fundraising roles Two veteran MSU fundraisers recently began new duties with the Mississippi State University Foundation.

Asya Besova Cooley was named the university’s director of development for MSU Libraries, the graduate school and the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College.

She began directing major gifts fundraising for these areas in the newly created position in May. Since 2013, Cooley has served as the Cooley university’s director of annual giving.

Previously, she was assistant director of annual giving and coordinator of the MSU Foundation’s telefunding program.

“We are pleased to offer alumni and friends the opportunity to work with Asya to further these areas of MSU. Her previous experience in leading annual giving efforts will serve her well in this new role,” said Jack McCarty, executive director of development for the MSU Foundation.

Cooley, a native of Southwestern Russia, Berkery is a communication graduate of Alcorn State University and later received a master’s degree in mass communication from Louisiana State University.

Prior to joining MSU in 2011, she was a research associate at the University of Alabama, co-owner and a social media consultant for the HH Agency in Tuscaloosa, and worked with the New York Times Regional Media group.

Succeeding Cooley as director of the university’s annual giving program is Starkville native and alumna Jana Berkery. She began her new role as leader of the annual giving team in June.

“Jana brings energy, enthusiasm, and substantial experience to her new role. She has a passion for MSU, and it was a natural progression for her to assume leadership of the program,” said McCarty.

Berkery joined the MSU Foundation in 2013 and has served as the associate director of annual giving. Her duties have included fundraising for specific MSU programs, including the university-wide scholarship effort known as Compass, and targeted campaigns such as faculty and staff giving, online giving, and student giving.

A 2005 graduate of MSU, Berkery earned her bachelor’s degree in sports communication, along with a minor in marketing. She began service with her alma mater in 2011 as coordinator of annual giving for the Bulldog Club, MSU’s athletic fundraising organization. She also has previous experience in higher education with Mississippi University for Women and University of Alabama at Birmingham.

At MSU, the annual fund is designed to provide an avenue through which donors can support any area of Mississippi State on a continual basis. Gifts may be specifically designated for a college or school, academic department, scholarship fund, or any other area.

The annual giving program also includes the university’s telefunding center that employs some 50 students to make telephone solicitations of alumni and friends of the institution. In addition to solicitations, center staff members work to update alumni association records during the contact process. Mississippi State has more than 132,000 living alumni, and the MSU Foundation engages as many of them as possible annually.

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Class NOTES __________________________________

1970s

1980s

(’70) Dudley M. Barnes, CFP, of

(‘81) Norris Hunt of Atlanta, Georgia,

Clarksdale again is included on Barron’s list of Top 1,200 Advisors in the United States. A member of Barnes-Pettey Financial Advisors LLC and with Raymond James Financial Services, he has been on the list every year since 2011.

(’73) Margaret Day Allen of Claremont,

North Carolina, is the author of a new book titled “When the Spirit Speaks: Self-Taught Art of the South” (Schiffer Publishing). After she and her husband spent five years traveling the South to interview and photograph 32 folk artists, Allen is sharing their stories and achievements. Also featuring some 200 photographs, the book is available from amazon.com, schifferbooks.com and other online retailers, as well as independent bookstores.

(‘73) Rev. Anita C. Hill of New Brighton,

is the new vice president and senior project manager for John Portman and Associates, an internationally recognized architectural design firm with offices in Atlanta and Shanghai, China. A member of the firm for more than 30 years, he now serves as a liaison between the design team and clients, and also works with intern architects. __________________________________

1990s

(’93) Denise Cosper

of Big Rapids, Michigan, is the new educational programs director for Artworks, a non-profit organization working to “brings art to life” in the Mecosta County area through camps, film series, book clubs and other programming.

A former MSU communication department adjunct instructor, she has nearly 20 years of experience in writing and event promotion.

(’94) Kurt Kirton of

Minnesota, is the 2015 Distinguished Alum of the United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, a progressive graduate school focusing on social justice, interfaith dialogue and the arts in religion. Former pastor of St. Paul Reformation Church and a champion of advocacy, she is active in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Nashville, Tennessee, is the author of a newly published book titled “Here Today, Hired Tomorrow” (Yooper Publications). Available in paperback and ebook formats, it features his experiences with unemployment and underemployment. Kirton also provides insights gained through conversations with human resources experts, recruiters and others who deal with the struggles he experienced.

(‘78) Lynn Phillips-Gaines, CFP,

(’94) Patrick Noland

of Starkville is included on Barron’s list of Top 1,200 Advisors in the United States, ranking fourth out of six selected from Mississippi. She provides financial planning and investment services through Phillips Financial, an independent firm.

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of Tuscaloosa is the new chief financial officer of Peco Foods Inc. A 15-year veteran of the Alabama-based regional poultry company, he previously was corporate accounting controller and corporate accounting manager.

(’98) Christopher Basic of Williamsburg,

Virginia, is the new vice chairman of the James City County Planning Commission.

Appointed by the county’s board of supervisors, he and other commissioners provide guidance and recommendations on all rezoning and special use permit requests, as well as planning studies and zoning ordinance amendments. He also is president of Greensprings Landscape Architecture. __________________________________

2000s

(’00) Richard D. Russo II of Batesville

is the 2015 selection for the Mississippi Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Coach “Boo” Ferris Influence Award, an annual honor of the Mississippi Association of Coaches. He also was named this year’s “Football Coach of the Year” by the Northwest Mississippi Football Officials Association.

(‘00) (’01, Master of Taxation) Anthony Sherman Jr. of Jackson is the new first vice president and trust officer for corporate offices of Trustmark Banking and Financial Solutions. He previously served as regional administration sales manager.

Sherman also is president of the Estate Planning Council of Mississippi.

(’02) Ryan Morehead of Houston, Texas, is an NCAA Division I baseball umpire currently working games of the Southeastern and Big 12 conferences, as well as Conference USA. He served in the 2013 and 2014 NCAA Regionals, 2014 C-USA Tournament and 2011-13 Southland tournaments. (’03) Blake M. Macon of Fort Worth,

Texas, is the new engineering team lead at the Lockheed Martin defense contract management agency. He heads a group of software specialists performing software engineering surveillance activities on the F-35, a fifth-generation joint-strike stealth fighter. He and other team members work

Know an alum who has news or a recent promotion? Send an email to alumnus@msstate.edu.

to ensure cost, product performance and delivery schedules are in compliance with the defense contract.

(’04) Dawn Ramsey

of Galveston, Texas, is a civil engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District. Among other duties, she works to help maintain more than 1,000 miles of channel, including 250 miles of deep and 750 miles of shallow drafts. She also manages contract operations, including budgeting and monitoring, modification processes, project closeouts, and turnover and contractor evaluations.

(‘06) Anna Little Morris of Glen is this

year’s selection for the Mississippi Bar Foundation Award. Presented by the Mississippi College School of Law, it recognizes the second-year student who, in the faculty’s opinion, best exemplifies attributes of a successful attorney. __________________________________

2010s

(‘11) (M.A., ’13) Caroline B. Smith

of Leland is this year’s selection for the Sam Wilkins Criminal Law Award. Presented by the Mississippi College School of Law, it recognizes the exceptional student in criminal law.

(‘12) Will McBeath of Brandon is this

year’s selection for the Mississippi College Law Alumni Award that honors a second-year student for scholarship, leadership and future potential in the legal profession.

(‘12) Andrew Norwood of Hattiesburg is this year’s selection for the Mississippi Bar Award, Business Law Section. Presented by the Mississippi College School of Law, it recognizes the student best demonstrating an aptitude in business.

(‘12) Matthew Parker of McClellandtown,

Pennsylvania, is the new general manager for Western Pennsylvania locations of Advanced Disposal, an integrated environmental services company. Previously with the company’s South Carolina unit, Parker now oversees daily operations for collection facilities in McClellandtown and Somerset, Pennsylvania, as well as Cumberland, Maryland.

(‘13) Russell Dumas

of Brandon is this year’s selection for the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association Award. Presented by the Mississippi College School of Law, it recognizes a second-year student best exemplifying attributes of a successful defense attorney.

(‘13) Brett R. Koehn

of Scooba is this year’s selection for the John and Gwen Deakle Scholarship.

Presented by the Mississippi College School of Law, it honors a student selected by the dean that possesses a concern for justice and is exceptionally motivated.

(‘13) Stephen Otey of Amory is this

year’s selection for the Frisby Griffing Marble Scholarship. Presented by the Mississippi College School of Law, it honors a second- or third-year student demonstrating potential for outstanding service to the legal profession.

(‘14) Wilson Crockett

________________________________

BIRTH

ANNOUNCEMENTS Sarah Ellen Bailey, Sept. 15, 2014, to

Matt Bailey and Elisha Blades Bailey (‘07) of Jackson.

Parker Scott Kuhn, June 2, 2014, to Vincent Scott Kuhn (‘04) and Joanna Bates Kuhn (’05) of El Dorado, Arkansas.

Emily Joy Shideler, Jan. 1, 2015, to Nathan Shideler (‘05) and Anna Grace Kimbrough Shideler of Nashville, Tennessee.

Carson Reid Bowlin, Feb. 10, 2015,

to Will Bowlin (‘01, ‘09) and Sallye Bowlin of New Albany.

Olivia Bailey Russo, February 23, 2015, to Richard D. Russo, II (’00) and Sara Bailey Russo (’00) of Batesville.

Ella Barlow Richardson, Feb. 26,

2015, to Michael E. Richardson (‘98) and Michelle Barlow Richardson (‘97) of Arlington, Virginia.

Callum Anne Smith and Allison Thomas Smith, March 18, 2015, to

Tyler Smith (’08) and Kenley Cunningham Smith (’09) of Brandon.

of Jackson is now interning with the water resources department at Waggoner Engineering.

He focuses primarily on transportation drainage design and hydraulic studies for the Mississippi Department of Transportation bridge replacement projects. Crockett also is working on flood-mapping projects for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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Forever MAROON Webster Cleveland (W.C.) Alderman (’62) – 82, Raymond. From a family of Mississippi delta sharecroppers, he graduated from Redwood High School and then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, which trained him to be an air traffic controller. He attended Hinds Community College and met his future bride, Dot Pickett of Utica, Jan. 12, 2015.

L. B. Barton (’56) – 83, Lucedale. In addition to National Guard duty during the Korean Conflict, Barton served the state of Mississippi for 16 years as public health environmentalist for George, Jackson and Stone counties.

His professional career also included positions with the Borden Co. and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Additionally, he was a two-term president of the George County Horseman’s Association, April 22, 2015.

William Dudley “Bill” Bell (’53 and former employee) – 84, Macon. A retired history professor and former head of the MSU-Meridian Department of Arts and Sciences, he earlier taught at Athens (Alabama) State College (now University). He also was a 28-year military veteran, having served as a lieutenant colonel and helicopter pilot in the Army Air National Guard, and as commanding officer with Meridian’s 123rd Medical Co. Air Ambulance, May 6, 2015.

Sara Ann Lyle Bennett (’60 and former employee) – 76, Starkville. A 16-year member of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s referral clinic staff, she earlier worked as a computer programmer in the defense industry alongside husband George Bennett, now a retired MSU aerospace engineering professor and administrator. A Starkville native active in community affairs, she was a life member of the Starkville Junior Auxiliary and member of the CCI Investment and MSU Women’s clubs, April 24, 2015.

Beth B. Bounds (friend) – 95, DeKalb.

A former Farmers Home Administration employee, she also had served as a

clerk for the U.S. Selective Service and director of the DeKalb High School Band, May 17, 2014.

William R. “Bob” Boyd (former employee) – 85, Palm Desert, California. MSU men’s basketball coach from 1982-86, he was regarded as “the best basketball coach in the modern era” at the University of Southern California, where he sent 10 players into the NBA and his 1971 team is considered among the school’s best. Boyd was a member of the USC and Pacific-12 Conference basketball halls of fame, Jan. 14, 2015.

Duward Brown (’58) – 85, Caledonia.

Retired in 2009, he was a self-employed real estate and insurance employee for 35 years, May 9, 2015.

William Hubert Coltharp (’77) – 59, Nashville, Tennessee. A Kodak Academic All-American football player at MSU, he went on to receive a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Mississippi. In 1988, he performed the first successful single-lung transplant on a patient with pulmonary fibrosis and, later, became a cardiothoracic surgeon and board of directors member at Nashville’s St. Thomas Hospital, November, 2014.

Berry Crain Jr. (’63) – 73, Aiken, South Carolina. A chemical engineer, he retired from DuPont’s Savannah River Plant before becoming an independent contractor and authority in nuclear material control and accountability. As a contractor, he worked with the U.S. Department of Energy in a cooperative program with the Federal Agency on Atomic Energy. He was an avid golfer who received the Hitchcock-Whitney Award for contributions to the game in the Aiken area, March 9, 2015.

Robert Peter Hairston (’49) – 86, Silver City. A lifelong farmer at Riven Oak Farms and retired member of the Bank Plus board of directors, he was a former president of Midnight Gin and Southern Cotton Ginners Association, as well as former director of the American Soybean Association. He also was a Rotary Club member, March 13, 2015.

A.P. “Jack” Hatcher (’49) – 86, Pinehurst, North Carolina. During a career in both public and private sectors, he created, led and restructured many companies—most in the pre-engineered metal building and construction industries. Also an entrepreneur, he established and endowed the Jack Hatcher Chair for Engineering Entrepreneurship in MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering and was its 2011 Alumnus of the Year. Additionally, he was a member of the MSU Foundation board of directors. Feb. 5, 2015.

Robert L. “Bo” Haynes (’58 and former employee) – 84, Starkville. A professor emeritus of poultry science, he had served as leader of MSU Extension poultry. He also was a former board of directors president of the Mississippi Egg Marketing Board, board member of both the Mississippi Poultry Association and State Board of Animal Health and co-founder of the Mississippi Game Bird Association. Haynes served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict, Feb. 23, 2015.

William Arland “Billy” Hays Jr. (’60) – 85, Jackson. A 39-year state employee, he worked for the Mississippi Employment Security Commission, Mississippi Council on Aging and Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development. Hayes also was a longtime volunteer with the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and member of the Gardeners of Jackson, April 1, 2015.

James “Jim” Elwood Knox (’48) – 91, Boulder, Colorado. He served three years during World War II with the Army Air Force in the China-BurmaIndia Theater. In addition to the Kansas State University Experiment Station, he worked with Boulder realty and building companies before moving into banking, Feb. 24, 2015.

George V. Marler Sr. (’61) – 77, Morton. A charter member and former director of the MSU Bulldog Club, he had a civil engineering career with the U.S. government and was serving on the

Billie Scott Suber (’56) – 80, Calhoun City. Retired in 1996 as executive vice president of Renasant Bank in Tupelo, he was a 1952-56 MSU football player named First Team All-SEC, All American and SEC Most Valuable Lineman. An M-Club member, Suber was honored with selections for the MSU Football and Mississippi Sports halls of fame. Additionally, he was a member of the Mississippi Army National Guard who served during 1961’s Berlin Crisis, March 31, 2015.

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Mississippi Board of Contractors at the time of his death, Jan. 28, 2015.

Clyde J. Perrere (’56) – 81, Houston, Texas. A former MSU football and baseball player and U.S. Marine Corp. veteran, he worked for more than 30 years with National Supply Co. Perrere also had a 17-year career with Bourland and Leverich, an oilfield pipe company, Oct. 6, 2014.

Douglas P. Richards (former employee) – 80, Johnson City, Tennessee.

In addition to heading the forestry department, he was associate director of MSU’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center. He was a member of the Society of American Foresters and Canadian Institute of Forestry, Feb. 17, 2015.

Barton George “Bart” Schreiner (’60) – 77, Vicksburg. A licensed professional engineer, he was a retired civil engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg. He also was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and Hinds Community College Football Hall of Fame, Nov. 11, 2014.

Marjorie Steward (friend) – 86, Pontotoc. A former secretary and bookkeeper for Pontotoc Public Schools, she also worked for the Mississippi Department of Human Services’ Pontotoc County and district offices.

Along with helping her husband in his State Farm insurance office, she enjoyed bowling and playing golf, Feb. 23, 2015.

Janice Bilik Vanlandingham (’65) – 73, Pittsburg, Texas. Retired, she was a former instructor at Auburn University and Northeast Texas Community College, Feb. 27, 2015.

Ray McDonald “Woody” Woodson (’90) – 48, Greenwood. District sales manager for 15 years with the Monsanto Co., he was a member of the Delta Council, Delta Wildlife Board, Mississippi Agricultural Industry Council board of directors, Mississippi Seedsmen’s Association and Greenwood Farmers Club, March 17, 2015.

Michael P. Younger (’75) – 61, Starkville. A municipal judge in Brandon for 31 years, he had been an MSU offensive lineman on the nationally ranked 1974 Bulldog team that finished 9-3 and beat North Carolina in the Sun Bowl. He was a former M-Club president who served twice in a similar position with the Bulldog Club, Feb. 9, 2015.

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