Campus News

Learning new things and making lifelong friends. Donning school colors and cheering the home team to victory. In many ways, college can be one of the most exciting times in a person’s life. But this new experience can also present some challenges, especially during a student’s first semester or two.

Many freshmen experience common frustrations like getting lost on the first day of class, having a question but not knowing where to go for the answer, or just needing someone to talk with when times get tough. At Mississippi State, first-year students don’t have to face these and other challenges alone, thanks to the Freshman Year Navigators program.

Laura Dunn, interim director of the Center for Student Success, said Navigators is a valuable and enviable resource for new Bulldogs.

“The Freshman Year Navigators program is unique to our university, and a lot of schools across the SEC and nation are impressed by it,” said Dunn, who earned a bachelor’s in communication, a master’s in counselor education and is pursuing a doctoral degree in educational leadership from MSU.

Established in 2014, Freshman Year Navigators pairs upperclassmen with incoming freshmen to help new Bulldogs make the most of their time at Mississippi State and avoid the pitfalls that can stand between a student’s enrollment and eventual graduation. The program currently has 34 Navigators who each mentor a group of 100 freshmen.

The Navigators, chosen from a pool of applicants each spring, represent a variety of majors, nationalities, faiths and socioeconomic backgrounds. Many also are involved on campus as Orientation Leaders, Roadrunners, Involvement Ambassadors and in other groups designed to welcome students to the Bulldog family. Dunn explained that each Navigator overcame challenges as a freshman and uses insight from those experiences to better assist new students who find themselves in similar situations.

“Our ideal candidate for Navigators is not a picture-perfect student,” she said. “We want students who have struggled because they can be problem-solvers and encourage other students to respond positively to a bad semester.”

All entering freshmen are automatically assigned a Navigator who can meet during set office hours at the Center for Student Success’s office in Allen Hall. Freshmen also can reach out to their Navigator via email, text or phone call for help with academic difficulties, finding resources, ways to get involved on campus or just honest advice on “how to college” that first year, Dunn said.

“Our office uses a pretty sophisticated system called the Student Success Portal that brings together information from across the university to help us pinpoint who needs help at any given time,” Dunn said. “We also appreciate when faculty, staff and advisers proactively reach out to students when they notice problems.”

Dunn explained that since the start of

Former Navigator Bailey Lehmann, graduate student in educational leadership

Breonsay White, junior in political science

Navigator Kaia Starks, junior in marketing

the Navigators program, MSU’s freshman retention rate has increased significantly. The university has seen a rise in retention from 79% to 85% for this most recent class. In that same time, the university has seen a major jump in its four-year graduation rate—from 30% to as high as 39%—and its six-year graduation rate—from 58% to 62% at the most recent counts.

“Mississippi State does a great job of making student success a top priority, and we’re proud that the Center for Student Success and the Navigators program are among the many groups on campus working to ensure our students have a better future,” Dunn said. “Our goal is to grow this program, so Navigators can help beyond their mentee’s first year.”

Bailey C. Lehmann, a Waterloo, Illinois, native, remembers moving more than six hours away from family to start her freshman year of college. She said it was a big adjustment, but her Freshman Year Navigator’s support made her feel right at home at Mississippi State. The support she received also inspired her to become a Navigator, so she could pay it forward.

“I didn’t know anyone when I came to MSU, but I would run into my Navigator on campus and knew I could always text her questions,” she said. “Knowing that I had her there to talk to and make sure I found my place here was really, really nice. I wanted to

Navigator Erin Hicks, senior in mathematics

become a Navigator and help freshmen who may be far from home or just need extra help to better their college experience.”

Lehmann graduated this past spring with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and is now a graduate student in educational leadership. She said her favorite part of serving as a Navigator for two years was getting to know students through oneon-one meetings. During fall semesters, she focused on the “basics”—reminding students to go to class, get involved on campus and enroll in supplemental instruction for extra academic help. Throughout the spring semesters, she focused on at-risk students who had been placed on academic probation.

Lehmann said she enjoyed learning about what made her mentees “tick,” both academically and socially. This understanding helped her offer guidance for their specific needs and interests.

“I liked giving my students tips and tricks for succeeding in school and making them aware of events that were happening on

Navigator Brandy Santamaria, junior in business administration

Jacob Adams, freshman in computer engineering

campus,” she said. “There are so many clubs and organizations to be involved in, and you get out what you put in. Along with going to class, I reminded my students that it’s important to put themselves out there socially. They may try out for something and get rejected, but I wanted them to be more determined than that.”

Lehmann said being mentored by a Navigator made her better in that same role. As a Navigator, she grew in many ways because the experience made her more organized, detail-oriented and intentional with people, especially students who may be struggling with hidden challenges. She said she is grateful for the relationships she built with everyone in the program, which she calls her “big MSU family.”

“I met one of my best friends through Navigators, and we scheduled classes together. I also appreciate Stacy Dillard and Laura Dunn,” Lehmann said of the Center for Student Success’s coordinator and director. “They are both so knowledgeable, and as an MSU graduate, Laura knows the ins and outs of the university. Having them in my corner has been a real blessing.”

Because Navigators primarily use digital communication with their mentees, the program has continued to make a positive impact during the COVID-19 pandemic—a time when the mentors’ support was especially important and appreciated, Dunn said.

“Our Navigators were also experiencing the shift to online classes, so they could really relate to the problems students were having and offer great suggestions for getting through that transition,” she said. “They worked incredibly hard to reach out to every freshman to determine what type of obstacles they were facing and were able to point students to numerous campus programs and helpful resources.”

Dunn said while the future brings uncertainty about campus operations, one thing will not change—Navigators will always be ready to lend a Bulldog paw to students in need.

“Like everyone else on campus, we’ve planned ahead, so we can be better prepared to help,” she said. “We have made changes to how the Navigators operate to ensure they’re being socially responsible, so they can continue being positive role models to their freshmen.” n

There’s no denying that hard work and determination are the key ingredients to success, but to Laura Dunn, mentorship is an equally necessary part of the equation.

While the first two give a person the experience and drive to reach their goals, mentorship can help them focus those efforts on the things that will reap the most benefit.

“I don’t believe any successful individual can look back without thinking of a few people who helped them along the way,” Dunn said. “It could be a mentor who helped with a job application and interview tips, or someone who lent an ear and offered advice about a major or career.

“Whatever guidance they offer, those helpful individuals can make a lasting impact on a student’s life,” she continued.

Mississippi State has many resources to help students navigate their academic and postgraduation options, but one of the most valuable assets to a student can be a relationship with an alumni mentor.

Bulldog graduates are in a unique position to help current students find their way in their chosen fields and make important connections to jump-start a career.

Alumni who are interested in becoming mentors can reach out to their former academic colleges and departments to volunteer or be connected with current students. There are also more formal mentorship opportunities offered through some campus units.

BULLDOG MENTORING – Alumni who wish to offer career guidance for current students can contact the MSU Career Center at 662.325.3344 or career@career.msstate.edu to become part of its LinkedIn-based mentorship program.

STARTUP MENTORING – Offered through the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, this program connects student startups with business mentors who provide feedback, perspective, ideas and problem-solving skills. Find more information at www.ecenter.msstate.edu.

ALUMNI MENTORSHIP – Designed to develop the professional skills of MSU students, this threecomponent program gives alumni the chance to share their experiences and expertise. To learn more or to volunteer, connect with the center on Facebook @msstatehcdc; Twitter @msstate_hcdc; or by calling 662.325.2033.

L-R: Sarah Montgomery, Colton Freeman, Bryan Carter and Alexandra Pittman head out to check cows as the sun rises on South Farm.

Every day, Mississippi State students and staff feed, groom and saddle up their horses before dawn. Riding into the sunrise, they patrol 600 acres of MSU’s South Farm and tend its cattle herds before most have brewed the day’s first cup of coffee.

These “campus cowboys” are responsible for the health and safety of approximately 500 head of cattle that make up the Starkville campus herd, which is part of the MSU Beef Unit. This research group provides meaningful advances for an industry that brought $268 million to Mississippi in 2019.

For the students, being a campus cowboy is an invaluable hands-on learning experience, giving them exposure to the cattle industry, large animal medicine and practical research. For the university, Brandi Karisch said the cowboys provide an essential service.

“We couldn’t do this research without these students,” said the Milton Sundbeck Endowed Associate Professor. “They are the ones with the day-to-day boots on the ground who are out there observing and taking care of this cattle.”

Colton Freeman said being a campus cowboy is a step toward achieving his dream of one day owning a herd. At 23, the Richton native has ridden more miles than most on horseback.

“I rode horses by age 3 and roped cattle by age 6,” the senior agricultural engineering technology and business major recalled. “My dad has always been part of rodeo and taught me everything.”

Freeman grew up competing in rodeos and still ropes cattle under the arena lights whenever he can. In high school, he worked

Assistant herders Bryan Carter (top) and Sarah Montgomery (middle) ensure the cows are cared for 365 days a year. Alexandra Pittman (bottom) readies her horse for the ride.

at a feed store and in area stockyards. As a Jones Junior College student, he worked as a technician for a large animal vet. And when it came time to attend MSU, he brought his 3-year-old red roan with him.

Named T.J., the horse is now quartered at the Beef Unit, which is part of the H.H. Leveck Animal Research Center, commonly known as South Farm.

“He doesn’t like being caught at 5 a.m. on a cold morning, but by the time I have a saddle on him, he’s ready to go,” Freeman said of T.J. “He loves moving and sorting cattle.”

While Freeman brings plenty of cattle sense to his job on South Farm, he said he learns something every day.

“My goal is to understand every part of the beef industry, which is why I love working with the MSU Beef Unit. It shows you every side of it,” Freeman said. “You don’t realize what you don’t know until you’re faced with it. Everything you study comes together when you are able to put what you learned in the classroom into action.”

Despite difficult work in blistering heat, bitter cold or torrential downpours, Freeman said the staff herdsmen and other student cowboys make it easy and fun.

“It takes a lot of trust working with cattle and horses, and our team understands the importance of teamwork, patience and good communication—all of which are required to get the job done,” he said.

Karisch said all research at the MSU Beef Unit directly benefits cattle producers in Mississippi and across the Southeast.

“One of the goals of MAFES research is to answer questions for the cattle industry, particularly in the Southeast, where most

producers have 30 head or less,” said Karisch, who serves as the beef cattle specialist with the MSU Extension Service, in addition to being a scientist with MAFES, officially named the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.

From an animal welfare standpoint, Karisch said herding cattle on horseback is less stressful for the animals.

“This is a low stress, cattle-handling best management practice we preach across the industry,” she explained. “Cattle that experience less stress are healthier and grow better.”

She said the students—both those on horseback and interns assisting the herdsmen to gain experience—are trained to be aware of an animal’s response and behavior.

“Just like people have a bubble for personal space, cows also have a bubble,” Karisch said. “As they become accustomed to handling, that bubble may shrink. We emphasize that students be cognizant of that bubble and learn to read that animal’s behavior.

“The animals always come first,” she added, noting that even during the pandemic-based lockdown, dedicated staff still tended the herds daily. “Rain or shine, seven days a week, they’re out there.”

With pastures that dot the state, MAFES herds include approximately 2,500 cows that graze not just in TOP: Campus cowboys checking cows in a pasture. MIDDLE: Montgomery and Pittman both grew up showing livestock. BOTTOM: Brandi Karisch, Milton Sundbeck Endowed Associate Professor, catches up with the team after the morning’s ride.

TOP: Colton Freeman, a senior agricultural engineering technology and business major, hopes to have a career in the cattle industry. MIDDLE: William White, facility coordinator, helps oversee the MAFES Beef Unit. BOTTOM: MAFES cattle herd includes 2,500 cows across five units throughout Mississippi, including the MAFES Beef Unit in Starkville. Starkville but also at the MSU’s Prairie Research Unit, the Brown Loam Branch Experiment Station, the White Sands Research Unit and the Coastal Plain Branch Experiment Station.

The herds allow MSU scientists to study everything from using precision technology to gauge heifer development to determining best practices for raising locally sourced farm-to-consumer beef to antibiotic resistance in calves and much more. One of the research projects Freeman assists with investigates the role inflammation plays in bovine respiratory disease, which is the leading cause of mortality for stocker cattle—young foragefed calves being raised to a desired weight.

The work is led by Alexandra Pittman, an animal and dairy sciences graduate student, who earned a bachelor’s in the field in 2019.

“I’m evaluating metaphylaxis, the mass treatment of cattle with antibiotics on arrival,” Pittman explained. “Does the antimicrobial protect them or does it cause inflammation, thereby making them more vulnerable to the disease?”

While Pittman grew up showing livestock in 4-H and was a member of MSU’s Livestock Judging team as an undergrad, the Hattiesburg native said becoming a campus cowboy came with a learning curve.

“Working with stocker cattle is new for me. I grew up around horses and cattle, but we never used our horses to check cattle,” said Pittman, who credits the herdsmen and experienced student cowboys with showing her the ropes.

Still, once she got the hang of it, Pittman said she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I love watching the sunrise on horseback,” Pittman said. “It was a surreal moment when I was like, ‘I’m actually doing this for school.’”

Freeman agreed, suggesting that everyone should experience a Starkville sunrise in the same way.

“It’s good for the soul,” Freeman said. “I’ve been all over the country with the rodeo. You won’t find a sunrise or sunset as beautiful as it is here.” n

L-R: Alysia Williams, Kristopher Andrews, Genesis Ferris and Anirudh Aditya

Like college students across the globe, Kristopher Andrews planned to expand his mind while pursuing a degree—to learn about the world, his chosen field and, more importantly, about himself.

For Andrews, part of learning about himself meant learning how others saw him and rethinking how he shaped his identity. He said that realization came in his sophomore year when he was asked an earnest question about his ancestry.

“If you see me, I’m a Black man,” Andrews explained. “I have curly hair, darker skin and ethnic African features like my father, so when people see me they see an African American man. But my mother is Native American.

“To be asked about my heritage was acknowledging a level of me beyond my phenotype,” he continued. “It made me feel like I didn’t have to fit into a box because of what people assumed of me. I didn’t have to fit into their preconceived notions of what they see in me.”

“Finding a community is so important for ensuring students don’t suffer in silence if they feel discouraged. Having a community can ultimately provide the support needed to complete a degree, and we want to encourage community building any way we can.” ~Regina Hyatt

A native of North Carolina, Andrews moved to Mississippi in late childhood so his mother could be near his ailing grandmother who lived on the Choctaw reservation just outside of Philadelphia. Still, it wasn’t until arriving at Mississippi State and being asked about his family’s roots that he began to embrace his Native American heritage.

Despite being in Starkville—less than an hour’s drive from the reservation in Choctaw where his mother now lives— Andrews said he noticed a lack of other Native American students or a connection to that culture on campus.

“Looking around, not only did I not see the physical presence of Native American students, but I didn’t see a supportive presence,” the civil engineering senior recalled. “There’s a Black Student Association, a Latino Student Association, but where’s the group for Native Americans? I did not see it as an identity being supported like others and I felt it was needed.”

To address that issue, Andrews partnered with Genesis Ferris, a junior in criminology and member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Together, they established the Native American Student Association— the newest identity-based student group within the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center at Mississippi State University.

“I’ve always supported the advocacy of Native Americans,” Ferris said. “With this group, we hope other Native American students can feel comfortable on campus. Whether they’re from out of state or just down the road, we want students to find a place here and feel like they belong.”

Mississippi State’s history of identitybased organizations dates back to the 1960s when students formed Afro-American Plus to promote equality at the land-grant institution in the years following integration. Now, the university’s Division of Student Affairs and the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center—named for Dr. Richard E. Holmes, MSU’s first African American student—are home to dozens of groups meant to celebrate students’ similarities, whether it’s an interest or career goal; a racial, ethnic, religious, gender or sexual orientation-based identity; or shared experiences like veteran status, homelessness or being a transfer student.

Ra’Sheda Forbes, MSU’s vice president for access, diversity and inclusion, said the existence of groups like these can be instrumental in student success.

“Many students coming into a large university are looking to find their fit,” Forbes said. “These organizations give students the opportunity to find a community around their interests or their identities to help them feel a sense of belonging, express who they are and understand who they are.”

Regina Hyatt, MSU’s vice president for student affairs, agreed, noting it can be easy for a student to feel isolated at a large university.

“At an institution the size of Mississippi State, it’s very easy to move around and feel like you’re the only person who is of a particular identity,” Hyatt explained. “Having a sense of place and to feel that you matter is critical to success at a university, and our cultural or identity-based student organizations help students find that here.

“Identity-based organizations also provide a representative voice for students and student populations,” she continued.

Town halls and other meetings with these groups help give students a platform to express concerns about a variety of topics including support, belonging and academics. Forbes said the exchanges are not just important to the students but the institution as a whole.

“I’m all about conversation and sharing perspectives. Really breaking down and being transparent with people like you and with people who aren’t like you, who come from different backgrounds, is something that really entices growth.” ~ Alysia Williams

“Finding a community is so important for ensuring students don’t suffer in silence if they feel discouraged,” she said. “Having a community can ultimately provide the support needed to complete a degree, and we want to encourage community building any way we can.”

Alysia Williams said seeing that openness and community building was part of why she chose Mississippi State over a historically Black college or university.

“When you come to a new environment, you’re naturally going to gravitate to people who are like you or at least like-minded, so having organizations that encompass that can feel like being part of a family,” Williams said. “But here, everyone wants to know you as an individual, too—where you come from, what’s your story—and I appreciate that energy.”

A junior in architecture from Atlanta, Williams said she felt inspired by what she saw within the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center. She became 2019-20 president of the Black Student Association, the largest of MSU’s organizations for underrepresented populations, in part to provide opportunities to build the community and encourage what she calls “transparency” among students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.

“I’m all about conversation and sharing perspectives,” Williams said. “Really breaking down and being transparent with people like you and with people who aren’t like you, who come from different backgrounds, is something that really entices growth.”

Williams said the one thing she would have liked to do more of as president was to increase membership of non-Black students. Diversifying membership is a wish that’s shared by many identity-based student groups whose leaders note it’s not just about finding a community of individuals like yourself but also including others to show them a new perspective.

“We want to help recruit Native American students to MSU and have a voice, but we’re not going to check your DNA for membership,” Andrews said jokingly of the Native American Student Association. “We do not discriminate and actively encourage people of all backgrounds to come and just celebrate this culture.”

Anirudh Aditya echoed those sentiments saying part of the mission of the International Student Advisory Board is to promote the exchange of ideas. A Mississippi native who spent eight years in India, ultimately graduating high school in Bangalore, he said helping promote understanding is an important aspect of the group.

“There’s a culture shock to being in a new place—you don’t know anyone, where to look for an apartment or even where Walmart is—so we help with those aspects to make an easier transition, but it’s so much more than that,” the senior biochemistry major explained. “We’re about ensuring our international students share their culture with domestic students and that domestic students share their culture and traditions with those from other countries.

“It’s a cultural exchange,” he continued. “The more you learn about each other and the more you share, the more you’re able to fight off ignorance and racism. It’s through our differences that we can see how similar we actually are.” n

The Southern Conference on Language Teaching awarded its 2020 Educator of Excellence honor to KELLY M. MOSER, an assistant professor of Spanish and pedagogy. The SCOLT, which covers 13 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, recognizes educators who have demonstrated excellence in language, teaching, active organization participation, and leadership and advocacy at the local, state, regional or national level.

DENNIS TRUAX, head of the Richard A. Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was elected to serve as president of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He was sworn in as president-elect this fall and will assume the president’s role in 2022. He holds the James T. White Endowed Chair at MSU and is director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s Transportation Research Center. He earned master’s and doctoral degrees in civil engineering from Mississippi State in 1978 and 1986, respectively.

JEREMIAH DUMAS, who has led MSU’s Parking and Transit Services since 2014, is now executive director of transportation at Mississippi State. With these expanded duties, he will lead efforts related to transportation infrastructure.

PHILIP S. POE, associate professor and coordinator for print and digital journalism in MSU’s Department of Communication, is the new president of the Mississippi Communication Association, an organization with members representing every institution of higher learning in the state.

BETH R. MILLER, a professor and director of MSU’s interior design program, is one of only 30 selected from around the world to participate in Attingham Trust’s Royal Collection Studies, a program that examines the patronage and collecting of the kings and queens of England and the United Kingdom dating back to the 15th century.

ALAN I. MARCUS, an MSU William L. Giles Distinguished Professor and head of the history department, is the 2019 selection for the Agricultural History Society’s Gladys L. Baker Award for Lifetime Achievement. He will formally accept his award during a 2021 ceremony.

LESLIE BURGER, assistant extension professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, is now a Fellow of The Wildlife Society. As one of the highest awards bestowed by TWS, the honor recognizes Burger for her remarkable service to the wildlife profession. DAVID BUYS, associate professor in MSU’s Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion and state health specialist with the MSU Extension Service, is one of 33 individuals approved by the Gerontological Society of America for Fellow status within the society, the highest class of membership.

JEFFREY GORE, a research professor and entomologist based at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, is a newly appointed member to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee. He is one of 33 new members of the committee that provides independent policy advice, information and recommendations to the EPA administrator on a range of environmental issues and policies that are of importance to agricultural and rural communities.

DALLAS BREEN, executive director of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State, has been named president of the Consortium of University Public Service Organizations. Breen will serve a one-year term as president of the organization, which supports university-based public service institutes in their efforts to assist state and local governments on a range of contemporary issues and challenges.

After a career that spanned over a half-century and witnessed the services and offerings of Mississippi State University Libraries evolve from traditional to digital to virtual, MSU Dean of Libraries FRANCES N. COLEMAN retired from the university on June 30. She was responsible for the university library system that includes Mitchell Memorial Library and branch libraries at MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, School of Architecture and MSU-Meridian, and led unprecedented expansions of facilities, technologies and programming throughout the system.

K. RAJA REDDY, a research professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, was elected to lead the Mississippi Academy of Sciences by members-at-large. As president, Reddy plans to further the state’s conversation on agriculture science and facilitate new student opportunities. He will direct a special agriculture science issue for the peer-reviewed Journal of Mississippi Academy of Sciences. He also is helping develop a junior academy platform so K-12 students can become a part of the organization.

JERVETTE R. WARD, an associate professor of English, was elected vice president of the College Language Association, a national organization devoted to serving the academic, scholarly and professional interests of African Americans in the collegiate community. The two-year term is slated to begin in 2022.

CHARLES “CHIP” TEMPLETON, director of Mississippi State University’s Small Business Development Center, has earned the Economic Development Finance Professional certification from the National Development Council. A Starkville native, he is a 1977 MSU marketing graduate.

Two Mississippi State faculty members in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are recent graduates of the national LEAD21 leadership development program. DARRIN DODDS, professor and head of the MSU Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, and CHARLES FREEMAN, associate professor in the School of Human Sciences, are among 90 graduates who attended a series of both online and in-person meetings earlier this year, which consisted of personal development at three levels: individual, team and large group or organization. Administered by the Committees on Policy of the Associations of the Public and Land-grant Universities and its strategic partners, the LEAD21 curriculum develops leaders in landgrant institutions, along with strategic partners, who effectively link research, academics and extension to better lead in an increasingly complex environment.

LAURA MARLER, the Jim and Pat Coggin Endowed Professor of Management in Mississippi State’s College of Business, is now head of the Department of Management and Information Systems.

Mississippi State University-Meridian’s curriculum coordinator of education psychology, CARLEN HENINGTON, a professor, was honored by the American Psychological Association Division 16 with the Contribution to Practice Award.

FRAN PHARIS is now an architect and community planner with Mississippi State’s Fred Carl Jr. Small Town Center. She is a 2008 School of Architecture alumna and a licensed architect in Mississippi.

Mississippi State University alumna DR. BRIDGET WILLEFORD has been named university veterinarian and director of MSU’s Office of Laboratory Animal Resources. Willeford has served in this role on an interim basis since December 2019, following the retirement last year of former university veterinarian Dr. Lucy H. Senter. Two students in Mississippi State’s Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College are receiving out-of-thisworld opportunities from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. ZOE M. FOWLER, a senior electrical engineering major from Columbus, and HANNAH L. SCHEAFFER, a junior biochemistry major from Ruston, Louisiana, earned two of 56 scholarships presented to the ASF’s 2020 Astronaut Scholars Class, which includes students from 41 universities across the nation.

AZIZ, a senior architecture major from Greenwood, will experience the trip of a lifetime and learn more about her field of study with help from a $20,000 Aydelott Travel Award. She is the fifth MSU recipient since the regional endowed award was established in 2016. She plans to visit some of the world’s most renowned buildings in Sweden, Egypt, Italy and Japan once COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted.

ARCHEY, a third-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student in Mississippi State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, was selected to serve as vice president of education for the International Student One Health Alliance’s executive board. One of seven students from across the globe now serving on the board, the Memphis, Tennessee, native is charged with overseeing webinars, a mentorship program, an informal journal and other activities.

WALNE, an MSU agronomy doctoral student, is one of 18 graduate students chosen as a recipient of the Future Leader in Science award and invited to the tri-societies’ annual Congressional Visits Day at the U.S. Capitol to advocate the importance of federal funding for agricultural research.

DUNNE, a junior mechanical engineering major from Starkville, will represent Mississippi State at the Fulbright U.K. Summer Institute. A member of the Shackouls Honors College and MSU’s cross country and track and field teams, he is one of this year’s five nationwide Fulbright U.K. Summer Institute recipients who will travel to Scotland next summer.

CASSANDRA D. BARBER of Morgantown, West Virginia, and ALEC R. LUCAS of Center, Texas, both entering their second year of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, were selected for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research’s summer fellowship program. The program is administered by FFAR and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges.