Foundations Fall 2018

Bulldogs — keep ringing in the Infinite Impact!

Capital campaign poised for next milestone

CONTENTS

Features

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An Infinite Impact continues The right prescription A family affair Learning across the world

News

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Taylor Group gift benefits Bagley engineering college Peco Foods gift stimulates MSU research opportunities Crane gift grows BCS studio fund Scholars program continues recruitment of best students Stephensons' Bulldog ties exemplify loyalty to MSU Foundation places Lack, Miller in key positions

NOTES: Vice

Sections

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President for Development and Alumni NOTES: Executive Director of Development PROFILE: Howard Shook Jr. BOARD: 2018 Officers and Members

EDITOR

Amy Cagle DESIGNER

Erin Norwood

Bulldogs — keep ringing in the Infinite Impact!

WRITERS

Amy Cagle, Walt Harrington Addie Mayfield, Jack McCarty, and John P. Rush PHOTOGRAPHERS

Megan Bean, Taylor Bigham, Russ Houston, Logan Kirkland, Tom Thompson, and Beth Newman Wynn EDITORIAL BOARD

Cathy Lammons and John P. Rush Capital campaign poised for next milestone Foundations_Fall-2018.indd 1

ON THE COVER

Infinite Impact brings increasing opportunities campuswide as it moves toward goal. Learn more on page 5.

Cover photo by Megan Bean

10/8/18 1:09 PM

Foundations is published two times per year by the Mississippi State University Foundation. Please send comments and questions to P.O. Box 6149, Mississippi State, MS 39762-6149 or phone 662.325.1006.

The Mississippi State University Foundation Inc. is a nonprofit organization that assists the university in accomplishing its goals and mission by cultivating and soliciting private support and ensuring stewardship for all contributions benefitting Mississippi State University.

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status protected by applicable law is prohibited. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Compliance and Integrity, 56 Morgan Avenue, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, 662.325.5839.

N OT E S

On pace for a Bulldog billion

JOHN P. RUSH Vice President for Development and Alumni

A few years ago, one of our most creative MSU Foundation board members coined a phrase that further inspired our focus in pursuit of the Infinite Impact campaign goal. And with consecutive giving years over $100 million, we’ve been steadily making progress toward that “Bulldog billion” on behalf of our university.

The individual was Cindy Simpson, a passionate alumna of our institution who was volunteering her time serving our MSU Foundation board. And, over the course of Infinite Impact, a host of loyal alumni and friends, like Cindy, have not only generously given of their time, but also their resources to ensure this campaign helps accelerate MSU toward the forefront of public universities emerging among the best in the nation.

Infinite Impact is an iconic campaign that began with one gift that ignited a ripple of impact across campus and outwardly into the world. At this juncture, we have secured some $878 million as we edge closer to a time when we will surpass our goal.

It is through the overwhelming generosity of alumni, friends, corporations, foundations, and organizations that Infinite Impact prepares MSU for the future. And with continued giving, you invest in the mission and progress of our land-grant institution, making excellence in higher education a priority.

We are experiencing growth at MSU. In particular, our enrollment has climbed past 22,000 students in a diverse population, and that number alone signals more gifts are needed to facilitate an environment where these students can fulfill their dreams of becoming the proud MSU graduates of tomorrow.

When you contribute to a scholarship or an endowed position through Infinite Impact, in essence, you are saying “I believe in you” to future recipients hoping to become the first in their families to graduate college or to high-caliber faculty members who will hold that established chair or professorship over time, bringing recognition to MSU for their scholarly and research endeavors. Additionally, when you support facilities and programs, you are strengthening MSU’s overall academic and research environment. Through all of these giving avenues, you are bringing great impact to MSU, from which greater impact will overflow.

Our drive to have an impact as Bulldogs is evident in all aspects of life—from building careers and starting families to serving our communities and helping others. And when we leave our mark with the final push for Infinite Impact, we want the positive impacts of our endeavors to exist not just in this life, but also for generations to come.

The passion of our graduates and friends is second to none, and I look forward to the challenge of bringing Infinite Impact to fruition by reaching a “Bulldog billion” and adding another dimension to MSU’s legacy.

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College of Arts and Sciences prepares for future The College of Arts and Sciences at Mississippi State University pioneers discovery and solves real-world problems. The strength of the college lies in offering a wide range of disciplines and having a diverse faculty and a complementing student body. And arts and sciences truly define what the college seeks to accomplish.

As MSU’s largest unit, the College of Arts and Sciences reaches almost all Bulldogs during their time at MSU through 14 different departments. The college is home to a quarter of the rapidly growing MSU student body, some 5,200 students, who are enrolled in one of 25 academic undergraduate degree programs, 16 master’s programs, or nine doctoral programs.

Additionally, the college provides core classes for other majors, making it the heart and educational foundation of the entire university.

Within the college, creative and stellar faculty are committed to providing an education that not only readies students to be successful in their careers, but also teaches them to live their lives responsibly. Among the accomplishments of faculty are a long list of accolades. From international scholars in the prestigious Fulbright program to published authors and award-winning poets, the College of Arts and Sciences faculty members have enjoyed many successes. And, outstanding teachers go hand in hand with exceptional students like national scholar award recipients who call the college home.

Infinite Impact: The Mississippi State University Campaign will position the university and the College of Arts and Sciences for a future of advanced teaching, research and service on levels ranging from state to international.

College of Arts and Sciences faculty are equipped to conduct research on issues that will benefit MSU and open the doors of knowledge to eager students, in addition to contributing important answers to questions of science and society. The college is at the forefront of expanding what it offers students, and Infinite Impact gifts will help outstanding faculty further motivate talented students to excel on a worldclass stage, not just today, but every day.

World-changing endeavors take place in the College of Arts and Sciences as faculty and students engage in research in the humanities,

social and behavioral sciences, and natural and physical sciences. The college works to improve life for all people and help MSU students abate the health care crisis in underserved areas across the nation and the world.

Many of the college’s departments are currently pursuing impactful endeavors. For example, within the Department of Biological Sciences are more than 1,100 undergraduates, many of whom are pre-professional majors who need greater opportunities to successfully gain entrance into medical programs. Because of Infinite Impact support, the Dr. A. Randle and Marilyn W. White Pre-Med Advisory Office advises pre-medical majors, making their dreams of pursuing careers in health care possible.

For the College of Arts and Sciences to maintain and strengthen its mission and initiatives, support through Infinite Impact must provide resources. It is with the generosity of loyal alumni and friends that the university can positively impact the world through education, and with gifts, the college strives to create an environment that nurtures curiosity and civic responsibility.

Giving opportunities through Infinite Impact specifically for the College of Arts and Sciences feature the following: Endowed Chairs and Professorships

In recent years, Mississippi State has placed an emphasis on growing the number of endowed faculty positions in every major academic area through Infinite Impact. Gifts can establish endowments within specific College of Arts and Sciences departments that will provide a salary supplement and support the activities of the holder.

At Mississippi State, an endowed chair designation is linked to a select faculty position filled by an outstanding scholar and teacher or researcher, as judged by rigorous, nationally accepted standards. These high-caliber faculty 3

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are catalysts for research and difference-makers in the laboratories and classrooms of the university, helping Mississippi State attract other resources for its mission.

Named professorships are typically held by faculty members whose accomplishments indicate potential for national and international leadership and distinction in their fields, and whose current efforts are focused on honing teaching skills and establishing a superior record of research or other scholarly activity.

Through Infinite Impact, the College of Arts and Sciences secured its first endowed position, the Donald Hall Distinguished Professor in Biological Sciences. The professorship established by Hall, a 1962 pre-medicine graduate, honors the former MSU professors who impacted him.

Minimum levels for endowed faculty positions exist within the College of Arts and Sciences. A gift of $2 million will endow a chair for the college’s dean, while $1.5 million is needed for an endowed chair, and $500,000 for a professorship. A gift of $100,000 will endow a faculty fellowship. All of these positions carry opportunities to link the names of contributors with distinguished faculty holders.

Facilities

The College of Arts and Sciences must accommodate an expanded student population, and new and renovated facilities are imperative for the growth and success of Mississippi State. Hands-on learning is implemented through teaching complexes, laboratories, and research fields designed to engage students and professionals.

Donors may help MSU create an educational environment of excellence with Infinite Impact gifts for the improvement of the campus infrastructure from office spaces for faculty to designated areas for student study groups and organizations. Lecture halls, laboratories, conference rooms, specialty

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classrooms and regular classrooms are all needed to accommodate a burgeoning student population. Because the college is the largest academic unit on campus, some 24 buildings are connected through arts and sciences coursework, research endeavors, and other offerings.

Scholarships and Graduate Fellowships

The College of Arts and Sciences seeks to provide annual and endowed scholarships to those students who are high academic achievers as well as other bright students for whom the cost of a higher education is a significant challenge. It is imperative the college can offer scholarships for the most promising undergraduate students so they will choose Mississippi State as their collegiate home.

Beyond undergraduate study, a graduate fellowship program can help effectively recruit doctoral students. In a competitive market for the world’s top graduate students, the college understands that thriving graduate programs are one of the main drivers of a university’s academic profile. In addition to providing resources to research programs, graduate students challenge faculty members with fresh thoughts to propel new questions and ideas and stimulate them toward ongoing professional growth.

Gifts beginning at $25,000 will benefit undergraduate students with endowed scholarships. Likewise, fellowships can bring the most capable graduate students to Mississippi State to continue their studies. Graduate fellowships start at $250,000, while postdoctoral fellowships begin with $300,000 gifts.

Value-Added Experiences

The College of Arts and Sciences prides itself on offering “value-added” experiences for its students and faculty. These experiences take students and faculty across the nation for select conferences, competitions, meetings, and presentation opportunities that bring knowledge

that might not otherwise be gained.

The college envisions opportunities for undergraduates to attend extracurricular summer writing workshops and other activities that better prepare them for advanced studies or entry into their chosen professions. Infinite Impact gifts can also enable travel related to conducting and presenting research for faculty and graduate students who work alongside them.

Alumni, friends and corporations can enrich students and faculty at Mississippi State with gifts for these “value-added” experiences year-round. In fact, excellence funds or study abroad travel funds enable our college to place students and faculty in situations and environments where they can thrive beyond the classroom.

Infinite Impact total reaches $878 million

Infinite Impact begins now.

Infinite Impact will provide the opportunity for the College of Arts and Sciences to pursue contributions that alter the course of our future endeavors. We are preparing the next generation of leaders and will rely on your support to provide them with a rich and engaging educational experience.

Loyal support from alumni and friends can lead foundations, corporations, and individuals nationwide who are capable of larger gifts to support MSU and the College of Arts and Sciences through commitments to Infinite Impact campaign goals. Campaign gifts can have an impact that has far-reaching implications from scientific study, values and education, medicine and more.

Contributors can help make the world safer, healthier and more ethical, and these efforts can begin at the College of Arts and Sciences.

For assistance in exploring giving opportunities, contact Sara Frederic, the college’s director of development, at 662.325.3240 or at sfrederic@foundation.msstate.edu. More on the College of Arts and Sciences can be found at www.cas.msstate.edu.

new donors to the university.

The Infinite Impact campaign is strengthening the work of Mississippi State University and allowing it to pursue status as one of the best all-around public universities in the nation. As October approached, some $878 million was tallied for the campaign from generous supporters as it moves toward a $1 billion overall goal. To date, 61,539 contributors have made commitments for Infinite Impact, with some 27,470 of those being

Over the past few years, Infinite

Impact’s success has been evident in the significant growth in university scholarships, faculty-development opportunities, and endowed positions.

Primary goals of Infinite Impact continue to revolve around focus areas in Mississippi State’s colleges, schools, and through significant initiatives that enable the university to impact humanity positively worldwide.

Thus far in the campaign, over $201

million has been raised for scholarships, resulting in 632 new endowed scholarships and numerous annual awards to assist students in many areas of study. Because of this support, MSU now has 1,670 endowed scholarships. Also, 43 new endowed faculty chairs and professorships have been created with nearly $71 million, bringing the university’s endowed positions total to 93. Additionally, nearly $99 million has been raised for facilities, with over $507 million designated for program and annual support. Campaign success also is evident in the growth of MSU’s overall endowment.

Donors may designate gifts for the

college, school, program or priority of their choosing. All gifts to Mississippi State are commitments for Infinite Impact.

The Right Prescription CVM pharmacy named for Nutramax Laboratories Company

The Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine and its Animal Health Center strive to provide top-notch, compassionate care for clients and quality education for exceptional students and future veterinarians. Private gifts are enhancing the college and the essential areas vital to its mission – including its pharmacy.

A core component of the Animal Health Center is the pharmacy that will now carry the Nutramax Laboratories Veterinary Sciences name in honor of the company’s $250,000 gift. Of that amount, $150,000 creates an endowment for its perpetual operation, and the remaining $100,000 provides immediate assistance. On a daily basis, the pharmacy dispenses medications for teaching hospital patients and provides drug information consultations for faculty, staff, students, veterinary practitioners, and community pharmacists. Additionally, it offers clinical clerkship for Doctor of Pharmacy students and clinical pharmacy elective coursework for veterinary students. And, it will continue all its vital work as the Nutramax Laboratories 6

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Veterinary Sciences Pharmacy following dedication ceremonies in spring 2019.

“Our pharmacy is critical to the treatment and care provided through our animal hospital, and we are grateful to Nutramax Laboratories and Dr. Todd Henderson for their generosity in ensuring our level of care and treatment are of the highest standard,” said Dr. Kent Hoblet, CVM dean. “We also are pleased the pharmacy will collaborate with Nutramax Laboratories to educate our students on quality manufacturing procedures.”

MSU Alumnus Dr. Todd Henderson leads the Nutramax Family of Companies, consisting of Nutramax Laboratories Veterinary Sciences, Inc., Nutramax Laboratories Consumer Care, Inc., and Nutramax Manufacturing, Inc.,

Above: A renovated pharmacy will open at CVM in 2019. Right: Alumnus Dr. Todd Henderson of Nutramax Laboratories will collaborate with pharmacy staff.

as president and CEO. Founded by Dr. Henderson’s father, Nutramax has become an industry leader in setting and adhering to high standards in manufacturing and quality control as it develops products for animal and human health. The company conducts and supports laboratory research and clinical studies on its Nutraceuticals products and publishes many of these studies.

“A love of veterinary research inspires me to steer Nutramax into a new era, and I want to collaborate and share my knowledge with my alma mater because MSU has an exceptional veterinary college,” said Dr. Henderson, who holds several U. S. and international patents.

“Together our structured missions can lead to even better educational training and promotion of best practices for future graduates and that preparedness will benefit society.”

A Maryland native, Dr. Henderson was drawn to the hospitality of MSU’s veterinary college for graduate studies. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from CVM in 1992, having earlier earned his Bachelor of

Science in animal science at the University of Maryland-College Park.

Dr. Henderson generously supports MSU with his gifts, and he loyally serves the CVM dean’s advisory council. Most recently, Dr. Henderson was selected as the college’s 2018 Alumnus of the Year, and earlier in his career was named an Alumni Fellow.

At MSU, Dr. Henderson has supported many research efforts and student opportunities.

He also memorializes a late friend and fellow 1992 DVM classmate, Dr. Paul W. Farmer of Jackson, with an endowment for domestic and international travel of CVM students to promote the practice of veterinary medicine.

Recipients must be members of the MSUCVM Christian Veterinary Fellowship who are solid academic performers with demonstrated leadership abilities.

In his life, Dr. Todd Henderson continues his passion for improving the quality of life for people and animals. And by way of corporate and personal gifts, he helps ensure CVM has the right prescription for continued success.

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CVM animal hospital’s naming gifts and naming opportunities Recent Naming Gifts

Hospital Lobby

Freckles Ramsey Client Consultation Room

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Four private waiting rooms of the animal hospital provide advanced care, support and state-of-the-art treatment for small animals.

Clients meet with students and attending veterinarians in these consult rooms, located off of the hospital lobby of the Wise Center, to discuss their animals’ medical status and needs.

In this environment, students gain premier learning opportunities, and clients are regularly informed of treatment and care for their companion animals.

CVM honors the following donors for their gifts that make these four consult rooms possible.

Dava Imes and Stephen Imes, president and owner of Waukaway Springs in Columbus, named the Mac Imes Endowed Client Consultation Room in memory of their Maine Coon Cat, Mac. They earlier honored his memory with a scholarship in the college.

Dr. Taylor Lyne, a 1994 DVM graduate, and his wife, K.C. Lyne, proudly link their names with MSU through an endowment for the Dr. and Mrs. Taylor Lyne Endowed Client Consultation Room. The Lynes operate two

Above: CVM's Wise Center

successful clinics and a pet resort in the Chester area of Virginia.

Sharon Oswald, dean of the College of Business, has created a legacy to a longtime companion animal, Quinn, a Shih Tzu, with a $30,000 gift for the small animal area. Her gift makes possible the Quinn Oswald Endowed Client Consultation Room.

Betty F. Ramsey and William C. Ramsey of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, have named a room in memory of their Papillion mixed dog, Freckles.

Their endowment-level gift will be used for the upkeep, maintenance and equipment needs of the room, both interior and exterior, for The Freckles Ramsey Client Consultation Room.

New Naming Opportunities

Opportunities remain for alumni and friends to name special features in CVM’s animal hospital.

The main lobby and the emergency entrance are available with gifts of $500,000 and $30,000, respectively. Additionally, six patient exam rooms may be named with gifts of $65,000 each.

All naming gifts provide for endowments for each of these areas. For more on supporting CVM, contact Jimmy Kight, the college’s director of development at 662.325.5893 or jkight@foundation.msstate.edu.

Patient Exam Room

Emergency Entrance

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A family affair

Ferguson scholarship celebrates love Oklahoma native Yvonne Raye Ferguson wore many hats in her lifetime.

A broker in the health insurance industry, Yvonne was also a talented musician and cook and a black belt in taekwondo. However, her most treasured role was being a mother to her sons, Cameron and Connor, in whom she instilled her passions for hard work and helping others.

Yvonne Raye Ferguson and son Connor with the Sydney Opera House in Australia as their backdrop

In 1997, Yvonne graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She later earned two master’s degrees from Oklahoma City University in 2002 and 2003, respectively. As a single mother of two young children, pursuing and completing her education was not an easy task, but such efforts reflected her tireless work ethic.

Through the generosity of her son, Connor, a scholarship bearing her name now celebrates Yvonne’s life and assists similarly hardworking students at MSU.

“My mom was someone who always strove for perfection—not just in getting things right, but also in sharing her heart with everyone,” said Connor, an assistant professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. “All the sacrifices, hard work and love she poured into the success of my brother and me really inspired me to give back. It’s truly a testament to who she was and the power of paying it forward that the legacy of one person, my mother, can positively impact so many people.”

After earning a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University in 2011, Connor received a master’s degree in agronomy from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2013 and a doctorate degree in weed science from the University of Queensland in Australia in 2016.

Despite his roots in Oklahoma, including both parents being avid University of Oklahoma alumni, Connor admits the reputation of MSU’s agronomy program always appealed to his career goals.

“When I was in college, my dad was getting rid of a bunch of his neckties and told me to pick out a few to keep,” said Connor, who chose one specific tie because it was a shade of maroon.

“I remember thinking, ‘this is the tie I will wear when I interview for a job at MSU.’ When I finally got the interview, that’s the one I wore.”

Right away, Connor felt at home at MSU and quickly learned what it meant to be a part of the Bulldog family. Only three days after assuming his new position on campus in 2017, Connor received the news that his mother, Yvonne had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.

“The way my department and the entire university surrounded me with prayer and support really made me realize how much of a family Mississippi State really is,” said Connor.

Above: Connor Ferguson and Sara Morrow, scholarship recipient

“Being able to help students through this scholarship is a way of extending that same sense of family that was shared with me.”

In upholding his mother’s legacy, Connor created the Yvonne R. Ferguson Memorial Scholarship, which prioritizes support for students who are single parents at MSU. The inaugural recipient is Sara Morrow, a senior from Corinth who is studying educational psychology.

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity to be able to continue my education because of people like Dr. Ferguson who are investing in not only my future, but my son’s future as well,” said Sara.

Having been a teenage parent, Sara understands how hard it can be to find the support needed to pursue higher education.

“Only about two percent of teen parents go on to earn a college degree. I am honored to have the incredible support I’ve received in working toward this goal, and I want to go on to help others who are in similar situations," she said.

In addition to the scholarship, Connor’s dedication to his work as a professor and mentor is impacting the lives of many MSU students.

Following his mother’s footsteps, Connor understands the rewards that come from investing in others.

“At the end of the day, I’ve learned that it’s so important to set a good example,” Connor said. “You may not realize how much it means to others at the time, but your actions can truly change another person’s life.”

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ng i n r lea the acro ss

ld r o w ves

ve gi nal o r g r a H ernatio d t n i f o gift ce an n e i r e p ex tive c e p s r e p

Nancy Duvall Hargrove will always have the memories of Paris, and her love for the city continues today.

Over her lifetime, she has enjoyed immersing herself in the cultures of countries like France. And it is the experience of living and learning abroad that she desires to give talented students of the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College through an endowment she created at Mississippi State University.

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It was in Paris where Nancy met Guy Arnold Hargrove, Jr., originally of Memphis, Tennessee, while both were in residence there as Fulbright Fellows through the widely-recognized cultural exchange program that operates in 60 countries. The two later married, settled in Starkville, and enjoyed long, successful careers at Mississippi State as they raised their son, Guy Hargrove, III, and daughter, Margaret “Meg” Miller. Nancy worked as a professor in the Department of English, and Guy as a professor in the Department of Music Education.

Beyond Mississippi State, Nancy fondly recalls the many adventures she and Guy shared as part of the prestigious Fulbright program. They were married 51 years before his death in 2016, and the memories of their travels through Europe remain a vivid part of her life.

Nancy knows firsthand that study abroad programs greatly augment the educational experience, having taught intense honors courses at MSU, where these experiences expanded the horizons for talented students. She encourages students to seize these opportunities and capture all the knowledge they can through experiences uniquely their own as they journey to foreign lands just as she and Guy did.

The Nancy D. Hargrove University of Oxford Study Abroad Excellence Endowment will assist with travel expenses for full-time honors students who participate in the Shackouls Summer Study at the University of Oxford in England. With the endowment, it is as if she is still teaching—albeit beyond the classroom, as she gives students a broader scope of valuable life lessons.

“Dr. Nancy Hargrove has a long commitment to our college as an outstanding teacher and a mentor, dating back to the early years of honors education at MSU, and we are most grateful to her for continuing to support the intellectual growth of our honors students,” said Chris Snyder, Shackouls Honors College dean.

Snyder continued, “Her gift will enable a student to benefit annually from international education, a thing near to her heart, and at the highest level, for the student will receive privileges of an undergraduate at the University of Oxford, including being taught by an Oxford faculty member and the ability to conduct research at the Bodleian Library.”

Although financial limitations have affected many MSU students’ ability to make such expensive learning trips, economic support from donors like Nancy will help more students with demonstrated financial need take advantage of these opportunities.

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Above: Maggie and Nancy Hargrove Inset right: Guy Hargrove

“MSU students receive a great education at our institution and at some other universities across the nation, but Oxford study provides the challenge of living and learning the culture from another perspective entirely for a period of time,” said Nancy. “I am excited to provide ‘value-added’ experiences for honors students through the endowment I created.”

Over her career, Nancy became a distinguished recipient of five Fulbright grants that included a Fellowship to France, a Junior Lectureship to France, Senior Lectureships to Belgium and Sweden, and a Fulbright Distinguished Chair Award to Austria. During the time at Mississippi State when Nancy held Fulbright Lectureships, the family lived in Chambéry, France; Brussels, Belgium; Lund, Sweden; and Vienna, Austria.

Although a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Nancy’s maroon and white connection has never been stronger. And, she shares her love of MSU with Maggie Hargrove, one of her four grandchildren with Guy; the others being Guy and Elizabeth Hargrove, and Jacob and Matthew Miller.

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Maggie, an MSU freshman studying aerospace engineering, remembers visiting her grandparents in Austria, journeying there from her home in Birmingham, Alabama. She was around five at the time.

“It is unbelievable that Maggie remembers visiting us in Austria, and she already thinks about what is in store for her future. I would be honored for her to follow in the footsteps of both her grandfather and myself and pursue a love of international travel and culture—and even, perhaps pursue a Fulbright Fellowship; it will all greatly enhance her individualism.”

From 1970 until her retirement in 2008, Nancy was a widely-recognized member of the English faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences. Every semester spent teaching at MSU, if not on a Fulbright grant, Nancy taught for the honors program. After her retirement, she returned three times to teach honors classes.

A William L. Giles Distinguished Professor and John Grisham Master Teacher, Nancy received numerous honors for teaching and research over her career. She was also named the Mississippi Professor of the Year by both the

Above: Hargrove family

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.

Nancy is an authority in 20th century American and British poetry and drama, and Southern literature, among other areas. She has written books on the poetry of T.S. Eliot and Sylvia Plath, along with numerous essays on the works of major literary figures. In particular, Nancy is the author of “Landscape as Symbol in the Poetry of T.S. Eliot” published in 1978 and a 2009 release, “T.S. Eliot’s Parisian Year.”

Additionally, “The Journey Toward Ariel: Sylvia Plath’s Poetry of 1956-1959” was published in 1994. She holds degrees from Agnes Scott College, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of South Carolina.

Within the College of Arts and Sciences, Nancy also funds a yearly literary contest organized through the university’s national literary journal, Jabberwock Review. A gift from her supports a poetry contest known as the Nancy D. Hargrove Editors’ Prize and a fiction competition. Both contests are held each spring,

and the recipients’ names and winning poems and short stories are published in the journal’s fall issue.

With her newest philanthropic support at MSU, Nancy begins a new chapter in her life and helps honors students begin one as well.

Because of her careful planning, the future will be one of greater impact for recipients of her financial stipend through The Dr. Nancy D. Hargrove University of Oxford Study Abroad Excellence Endowment. And, she looks forward to sharing their experiences with them.

“All of my international experiences have been fabulous, and I wouldn’t trade a one of them for almost anything in the world,” said Nancy. “As an MSU professor emerita, I think I’ll keep my passport handy just in case there’s an opportunity for me to still play a role with the honors college.”

For more on supporting the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College, contact Jack McCarty, executive director of development for the MSU Foundation, at 662.325.8852 or email jmccarty@foundation.msstate.edu.

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NEWS

Taylor Group gift benefits Bagley engineering college

A significant gift from The Taylor Group of Companies, based in Louisville, will assist with training the next generation of mechanical engineers through Mississippi State University.

The gift makes possible endowmentlevel support of the Taylor Solid Mechanics Laboratory, a newly renovated state-of-the-art laboratory in the lower level of Carpenter Hall.

“We express our gratitude to the Taylor family and the Taylor Group. The renovation of this innovative Taylor Solid Mechanics Laboratory will have a strong impact in the education of our mechanical engineering students,” said Pedro Mago, head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and holder of the PACCAR endowed chair.

Mago continued, “The Taylor Group is instrumental with providing insight into realword experience for our students with multiple learning opportunities for them, including tours of their local manufacturing facilities.”

Specifically, the Taylor gift provides stateof-the-art equipment and endows additional enhancements to the laboratory over time.

The laboratory supports the required seniorlevel Solid Mechanics Lab course as part of the mechanical engineering curriculum and will also support other mechanical engineering program courses. At MSU, the mechanical engineering program is the largest academic program, boasting over 1,000 students, with more than 250 classified as seniors who will spend significant time in the Taylor Solid Mechanics Laboratory. The lab also will allow mechanical engineering undergraduates to gain hands-on experience with modern material testing techniques.

“Our company proudly employs many 16

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Lex Taylor (left) and Pedro Mago

MSU graduates, and we hope to instill our standards and strong work ethic in students long before they graduate and enter the workforce. At Taylor, we are firm believers in making an investment, such as this muchneeded laboratory, and doing our part to better train our American workforce and thus strengthen the economy,” said William A. “Lex” Taylor, III, chairman and CEO of the Taylor Group, Inc., and president of Taylor Machine Works, Inc.

Taylor, a 1977 MSU general business administration graduate, serves as treasurer of the MSU Foundation Board of Directors, and he is poised to lead the Mississippi Economic Council during 2019-2020.

The Taylor Group of Companies and Taylor family have a long history with MSU. Earlier endowment support from them makes possible the W.A. Taylor, Jr. Auditorium in the Leo Seal Family Business Complex, honoring the company’s late chairman of the board, W. A. “Bill” Taylor, Jr., who attended MSU.

The company was founded in the Mississippi town of Louisville 91 years ago by family patriarch William A. Taylor, Sr. as a small machine shop. Taylor is one of the only privately held manufacturers of industrial lift trucks operating in America today. The Taylor Group of Companies consists of Taylor Machine Works, Inc., Taylor Leasing and Rental, Inc., Taylor Logistics, LLC, Taylor Power Systems, Inc., Taylor Defense Products, and Sudden Service, Inc.

Enjoy beautiful pictures of familiar campus scenes that bring back special memories of your time at Mississippi State. The official State calendar has become a Bulldog tradition. With pictures by MSU’s own award-winning photographers, it’s truly a one-of-akind treasure. Order online today at msufoundation.com or call 662-325-7000.

Share your Bulldog spirit with friends and family this holiday season.

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NEWS

Peco Foods gift stimulates MSU research opportunities

Mississippi State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences collaboration with Peco Foods, Inc. proves beneficial in numerous ways. The company’s recent gift of $250,000 for an endowment for excellence will assist research endeavors.

Founded in 1937, Peco Foods, Inc. is an integrated poultry processing and packaging company that specializes in boneless breast products for retail-grocer and food-service markets. Based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the company also has operations in Arkansas and Mississippi. The relationship between Peco Foods, Inc. and the state’s leading research university began as a corporate employee sought expert advice from the land-grant institution’s faculty with relation to quality assurance.

A $200,000 portion of the gift will create the Peco Foods Excellence Fund in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion (FSNHP). The remaining $50,000 will create the Peco Foods Advancement Fund for faculty enhancement and development opportunities, such as assistance to attend scholarly, leadership, research-related, and professional meetings.

The fund also provides startup funding for research projects related to poultry and the poultry industry.

Specifically, the Peco Foods gift assists Professor Wes Schilling, recipient of the 2018 Ralph E. Powe Research Excellence Award, the university’s top research and leadership accolade. Since he joined MSU in 2003, Schilling has been awarded for meritorious service numerous times nationally.

The FSNHP department continuously strives to offer unique, first-rate experiences 18

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Schilling mentors students.

to better prepare students for successful careers in a diverse and growing industry, and additional gifts can further enhance departmental programs. Often FSNHP researchers collaborate with other MSU departments in industry-related projects.

For example, Wei Zhai, assistant professor in the Department of Poultry Science, currently collaborates with Schilling on poultry-related projects.

“We have four or five industry relationships similar to our collaboration with Peco Foods, and these relationships are mutually beneficial for these companies and for MSU,” said Schilling, who serves as the undergraduate student adviser for the department’s food science curriculum. “These collaborations enable our students to impact the company through problem solving and ultimately learn they can help shape the world.”

Within FSNHP, Schilling teaches analysis of food products, applied food chemistry, food composition and reactions, and flavor and food acceptance through hands-on experiences and real-world examples. His research focuses on sensory science, meat processing (poultry, beef, pork and catfish), meat quality, flavor chemistry, proteomics and statistical methods.

For more on supporting the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, contact Jud Skelton at 662.325.0643 or email jskelton@ foundation.msstate.edu.

NEWS

Crane gift grows BCS studio fund

A gift from F.L. Crane & Sons, Inc., one of the nation's most extensive finishing contractors, supports a studio fund to enhance student projects and activities for the Building Construction Science (BCS) degree program.

The annual support will help solidify the program and strengthen the student learning environment.

Based in Fulton, F.L. Crane & Sons, Inc. has a vested interest in the university’s College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD).

The firm has long-standing ties to MSU and hires graduates for various jobs that require expertise gained through hands-on classroom experience.

The BCS program has been making inroads since its inception in 2007 for turning out high-quality graduates well prepared for industry challenges. MSU alumnus Chip Crane, CEO of F.L. Crane & Sons, Inc., was among CAAD board members who initially advocated for the BCS program’s addition.

“My father, Chip, was the first in our family to attend MSU, and he believed in tying architecture and construction management together to improve the working relationship between architects and builders in our industry,” said Ty Crane, operations officer for F.L. Crane & Sons, Inc., who was among the BCS program’s first graduates in 2011. “Dad hoped the program would allow architects to gain a better understanding of constructability and the issues that builders face, while giving future insight into architects' viewpoints.”

Ty Crane and Chip Crane are among the grandsons and sons of company founder Johnny Crane, a longtime friend and supporter of MSU. Additional generous support from some family members extends to the Johnny Crane Professorship and a scholarship within the college.

“I’m very proud of our company and our family's support of the program from which I earned my degree. Being a builder and learning to communicate with architects in the program provided me the most benefit for my professional career,” said Ty Crane.

Within CAAD, BCS program director George Ford, a longtime educator and licensed professional engineer, believes the new support from F.L. Crane & Sons, Inc. will greatly assist the growing program. Some options for use of the annual fund, he believes, would be to support faculty development, along with support for student projects, activities, and lab materials.

“Professional development of faculty is an important need for BCS professors to remain current with technology advances and market trends in the construction industry to better assist their students within the learning environment,” said Ford. “We greatly appreciate the gift and look forward to utilizing proceeds for maximum potential.”

With some 140 students, the program is one of only two studio-based programs of its kind in the nation. In the studio, students directly apply their classroom knowledge into various construction tasks. As part of the studio, students may be required to conduct team projects, complete building projects, and visit construction sites.

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NEWS

Scholars program continues recruitment of best students

Presidential Endowed Scholars are known for their academic skills, creativity, and desire to excel. They are among the elite students in the United States who enroll at Mississippi State to further their goals as part of the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College.

Eleven freshmen selected from more than 800 qualified applicants began their journey as Presidential Scholars this fall, joining 42 current scholars already in the program. Considered MSU’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarships, the annual awards cover the cost of four years of study.

The 2018-19 Presidential Scholars include: Christopher B. Robinson of Brookhaven, a biological engineering major receiving a Lila and Hunter Henry Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Flora J. Dedeaux of Gulfport, a communication/broadcasting major receiving a G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Graham Roberson of Jackson, a biomedical engineering major receiving a Berenice and Lamar A. Conerly Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Aryonna L. Johnson of Macon, a computer engineering major receiving an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship; two Madison residents, Anne

Elizabeth Harrington, an undeclared major receiving a Thomas C. and Shirley M. Dawkins Presidential Endowed Scholarship, and Maeve C. Rigney, an English major receiving a John and Renée Grisham Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Kayla R. Powe, a biomedical engineering major of Meridian receiving a Charles and Pat Lee Presidential Endowed Scholarship; two Starkville residents, Tyler Dickerson, a civil engineering major receiving a Charles and Pat Lee Presidential Endowed Scholarship, and Reese A. Dunne, a mechanical engineering major receiving a G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Marcus T. Jordan of Texarkana, Texas, a mechanical engineering major receiving a Louis A. Hurst Presidential Endowed Scholarship; and Ryan E. Jarratt of Vicksburg, a biomedical engineering major receiving a Hal and Linda Parker Presidential Endowed Scholarship.

2018-19 PES Scholars: MSU President Mark E. Keenum (front row, center) welcomes the newest Presidential Scholars.

From left to right, they include: (front row) Aryonna Johnson, Reese Dunne, Maeve Rigney, and Marcus Jordan; (middle row) Tyler Dickerson, Kayla Powe, and Anne Elizabeth Harrington; (back row) Flora Dedeaux, Graham Roberson, Christopher Robinson and Ryan Jarratt.

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NOT E S

Great qualities equate great fundraising

JACK MCCARTY Executive Director of Development

At the MSU Foundation, we continue to strive for the best formula for fundraising success. And we will work to perfect our efforts in the years ahead because we understand the impact private gifts have on MSU and all the people associated with our institution.

For FY18, we closed our fifth consecutive year of raising over $100 million in MSU history, marking $102.5 million. And, we ask ourselves, what can help us continue this momentum and build upon this benchmark. In considering this, I was able to draw from an impressive book that places focus on the best strategies for successful fundraisers.

Titled, “Born to Raise: What Makes a Great Fundraiser Great” by Jerold Panas, a late pioneer in fundraising, the book is now in its 30th edition, but still very relevant to today.

Within the book, Panas reveals a series of exceptional traits he calls “verities” for fundraisers to exhibit. And here are a few of these tried and true beliefs from Panas that describe how our MSU fundraisers practice their craft.

Have a concern for people—a compassion, a love. And, have a great joy—a love affair in what you are doing. Many of our fundraisers possess a genuine love for MSU and all things Bulldog. It’s a way of life for them, and they live it passionately—day in and day out.

And, they consider donors they collaborate with as extended family.

Long tenure is essential. Our fundraisers enjoy their careers at MSU, some even assisting multiple areas during their time with us. They are enthusiastic for what they do and prideful for what they are able to accomplish. It is not just a job for them, but a vocation.

Delight in the premise that fundraising provides fulfillment to deeds, not words. Gifts are truly a way to maintain our momentum in building one of the best public universities in the nation, and our efforts bring good to all—students, faculty and citizens. We are true to our word and loyally utilize gifts for the purposes they are intended, but we take that a step further and ensure the benefits are worthy of the gift.

Creative planning wins. Anything is possible, and our fundraisers are adaptable to situations. Goals can be realized through careful gift planning. We visualize the end results and help guide you as you plan for the benefits of those results.

If you can conceive it, you can achieve it. If you have an idea of what you would like to support at MSU, our fundraisers can help you identify benefits and make it a reality.

All of these verities will hopefully help us capitalize on life’s best lessons with one shared goal. I encourage you to visit with one of our fundraisers about possibilities to have your impact reach further than you can imagine. Because at MSU, success is really just a matter of time generously invested.

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NEWS

Stephensons’ Bulldog ties exemplify loyalty to MSU

It’s been over a decade since Charlie Stephenson first began supporting Mississippi State University. He and his wife Dana, both Mississippi natives of Meridian, remain just as passionate as ever in their maroon and white ties, and the Bulldog spirit they exhibit as contributors for athletics.

Most recently, the Stephenson family is supporting the Dudy Noble expansion for the Diamond Dawgs baseball program with a lead gift from their foundation, just as earlier support from them benefited the Davis Wade Stadium expansion. Additionally, the family provides year-round education assistance for the 16 NCAA Division 1 sports at MSU.

“It takes time to realize what a privilege it is to earn a degree from MSU. It’s a bargain, and I truly believe that every alumnus should give back,” said Stephenson, a season ticket holder for baseball, basketball and football, who resides in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“The professional advantage that comes with a degree is so important, but perhaps an even greater value comes from the lifelong relationships of those who remain connected to MSU.”

Stephenson has enjoyed a successful career, having earned a petroleum engineering degree from MSU in 1981. In the last 20 years, Stephenson has founded five private equity backed upstream energy companies with Natural Gas Partners.

He is currently the CEO and a director of Bravo Natural Resources, LLC. For his accomplishments and demonstrated commitment to the engineering profession, Stephenson has been recognized by MSU as a Distinguished Engineering Fellow.

In other interests, the Stephensons own a power sports dealership in Louisiana, an 22

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Charlie and Dana Stephenson

online business, Two Wheel Parts Supply, and Candy Creek Ranch, which boards some 750 wild Mustangs for the Bureau of Land Management and maintains a commercial herd of Angus and longhorn cattle. The couple enjoy spending time at their ranch and attending MSU sporting events. They have six adult children, among them are daughter Maddie and her husband, Andrew Blaine, both MSU grads.

Beyond his philanthropy, Stephenson gives of his time by serving the Bulldog Club board that governs athletic fundraising. He works to promote MSU in this way with a strong belief in leadership.

“MSU President Mark Keenum and the entire administration are leading the university to new heights in academics and athletics. And, my Bulldog Club board service is an honor that allows me keen insight into how well John Cohen and his team manage the resources within our athletic department and the standard of excellence expected in every sport,” said Stephenson. “Additionally, Dana and I are especially pleased to see MSU’s commitment to our veterans.”

Although the couple reside in Oklahoma, they plan to spend more time at MSU.

“Living in Tulsa, Dana and I are almost 600 miles from Starkville, but we look forward to every opportunity to return,” said Stephenson.

NEWS

Foundation places Lack, Miller in key positions

Lack

Miller

The MSU Foundation has added a college development team member and selected another to fill a role in the central fundraising operation.

Mississippi State is proud to have dedicated fundraising personnel in academic colleges, schools, and areas across the university.

Stephen Lack of New Orleans, Louisiana, has joined the MSU Foundation as assistant director of development in the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. He began fundraising duties with the university in midOctober, assisting fellow assistant director Paul Zimmerman and Bennett Evans, senior development director, in working to secure gifts for the Bagley College, one of the 140-year-old land-grant institution’s oldest academic units.

Most recently, Lack worked with the Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, Louisiana, where he served as business resource coordinator and accomplished great success. Prior to that, he was employment services supervisor and designed and developed the Refugee Employment Services Program. He received a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Later, he earned a Master of Arts in migration and refugee studies from the American University in Cairo, Egypt.

In May, the MSU Foundation welcomed Klaire Miller of Vicksburg as assistant director of annual giving, working with the Office of Annual Giving team led by Georgia Carter, director. Through annual giving, donors are provided an avenue to support any area of the university including colleges, schools and programs.

In particular, Miller oversees the Bulldog Calling Center that employs some 20 MSU

students to make telephone solicitations yearround. Callers also update database records of alumni and friends. Mississippi State has more than 142,000 living alumni.

Miller holds a 2017 bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Mississippi State.

While enrolled at MSU, she worked in the university’s life skills department, an NCAAsponsored unit that bridges the gap between college and professional life for studentathletes. Additionally, as a student, Miller interned with the Bulldog Club, MSU’s athletic fundraising arm, and with Bulldog Suites, where she also served as an ambassador and floor captain.

“Stephen and Klaire are great assets and show promise as they work to increase gifts in their respective units through the Infinite Impact campaign,” said Jack McCarty, the MSU Foundation’s executive director of development. “We are pleased to offer alumni and friends the opportunity to work with them to further their areas at MSU.”

A complete list of MSU fundraisers, their contact information, and a link to the university’s Guide to Giving can be found at www.msufoundation.com. Lack is housed in the Bagley College in McCain Hall and may be contacted at slack@foundation.msstate. edu or 662.325.7000. Miller is housed in the Hunter Henry Center with the Bulldog Calling Center and may be contacted at kmiller@ foundation.msstate.edu or 662.325.4046.

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PROFILE

Howard Shook, Jr. HO M E T O W N : Douglasville, Georgia DONORS:

A Mississippi native of Belmont, Howard Shook earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Mississippi State University in 1962. He proudly attended MSU with scholarships from Allied Chemical Company and the late J.C. Redd, an MSU Foundation incorporator.

Because of his excellent MSU education, Shook secured an internship with DuPont prior to graduate school at Duke University. In 1966, he received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from that institution and began work as a research chemist in DuPont’s nylon business in Orange, Texas. From there, he was assigned

by DuPont to Westinghouse’s Savannah River Company in Aiken, South Carolina.

In his career, Shook’s legacy includes seven U.S. patents—two of which covered chemical processes still active in Orange and Victoria, Texas; and Chalampé, France. He received a DuPont Special Compensation Award for his work on dissolving nickel metal powder in an organic solution to prepare the homogeneous catalyst for DuPont’s Hydrocyanation Process. Shook

also held assignments in France during the Hydrocyanation Process plant startup, and another in La Place, Louisiana, on a chemical plant startup to prepare an ingredient for DuPont’s Kevlar.

In 1983, Shook returned to Aiken, South Carolina, where his work on improving the efficiency of plutonium solvent extraction earned him another DuPont Special Compensation Award. He concluded his career with Westinghouse in 1996.

For his accomplishments, Shook has been honored as the College of Arts and Sciences 2018 Alumnus of the Year. He supports the university, in particular the College of Arts and Sciences. He established the Diane Shook Memorial Scholarship honoring his late wife, a lifelong educator, and the Dr. Howard E. Shook, Jr. Endowed Scholarship in his name. He also created the Howard Shook, Jr. Chemistry Excellence Endowment for perpetual growth, development, and sustainment of the Department of Chemistry, since professors and staff in that area greatly impacted his career.

Loyalty. Pride. Passion.

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2018 Board of Directors BOARD

OFFIC E R S

Chair - Earnest W. “Earnie” Deavenport Jr. | Chairman and CEO of Eastman Chemical Co. (retired), Greenville, S.C. Vice Chair - D. Hines Brannan Jr. | Managing Director of Accenture (retired), Atlanta, Ga. Treasurer - William A. “Lex” Taylor III | Chairman and CEO of The Taylor Group Inc. | President of Taylor Machine Works, Louisville, Miss.

President and CEO - John P. Rush | Vice President for Development and Alumni, Mississippi State University Secretary - Jack R. McCarty | Executive Director of Development, Mississippi State University Chief Financial Officer - David D. Easley | Executive Director of Finance, Mississippi State University

M EM BE R S

Richard C. Adkerson | Vice Chairman, President and CEO of Freeport-McMoRan Inc., Phoenix, Ariz.

Robert P. “Bob” Bowen | Partner-in-Charge, Mid-South Audit Practice, Arthur Andersen & Co. (retired), Holly Springs, Miss.

Albert C. Clark | President and CEO of C.C. Clark Inc., Starkville, Miss.

Randy J. Cleveland | Vice President, Americas of ExxonMobil Production Co., Fort Worth, Texas John N. “Nutie” Dowdle | Chairman of the Board of Dowdle Enterprises, Columbus, Miss.

Tommy Dulaney | President and CEO of Structural Steel Services Inc., Meridian, Miss.

Timothy S. “Tim” Duncan | President and CEO of Talos Energy Inc., Houston, Texas Hassell H. Franklin | Chairman and CEO of Franklin Corp., Houston, Miss.

Linda M. Garrett | Principal of Garrett Associates Inc. (retired), Atlanta, Ga. S. Bryce Griffis | President of Sturgis Timber Co. (retired), Sturgis, Miss.

Jan L. Gwin | Managing Director of Raymond James & Associates, Memphis, Tenn.

David B. Hall | President and CEO of Hall Timberlands, Meridian, Miss.

Thomas G. “Tom” Hixon Sr. | Chairman of Phoenix Development Co. LLC, Ridgeland, Miss.

Wilbert G. “Mickey” Holliman Jr. | Chairman and CEO of Furniture Brands International (retired), Belden, Miss.

Herbert V. “Herb” Johnson | President of HVJ Associates Inc., Houston, Texas Mark S. Jordan | Real Estate Developer of Mark S. Jordan Companies, Ridgeland, Miss.

Paul J. Karre | Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Communications, International Paper (retired), Pawleys Island, S.C. Malcolm B. Lightsey Sr. | President and CEO of SunTech Inc. (retired), Ridgeland, Miss.

Lewis F. Mallory Jr. | Chairman and CEO of Cadence Bank (retired), Starkville, Miss.

Bobby P. Martin | Chairman of The Peoples Bank, Ripley, Miss.

Mike M. McDaniel | President of Saber Power Services LLC, Rosharon, Texas Roderick A. “Rod” Moore | Executive Vice President and CEO, Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance (retired), Brandon, Miss.

Thomas B. “Tommy” Nusz | Bulldog Club President | Chairman and CEO of Oasis Petroleum Inc., Houston, Texas Linda F. Parker | Secretary of Sunbelt Wholesale Supply (retired), Bolton, Miss.

Joffrey R. “Jay” Pryor | Vice President for Business Development of Chevron Corp., Houston, Texas Richard H. Puckett Sr. | Chairman and CEO of Puckett Machinery Co., Flowood, Miss.

R.L. Qualls | President and CEO of Baldor Electric Co. (retired) and Co-chairman of Taylor Companies, Little Rock, Ark. Gregory C. “Gregg” Rader | CEO of Columbus Recycling Corp., Columbus, Miss.

Bradley M. “Brad” Reeves | Alumni Association President | Partner for Randall, Segrest, Weeks, Reeves & Sones PLLC, Ridgeland, Miss.

Charles W. “Tex” Ritter Jr. | President and CEO of The Attala Co. (retired), Kosciusko, Miss.

M. Diane Roberts | Associate Professor of Business of Indiana University East (retired), Louisville, Ky. James J. “Jim” Rouse | Vice President of ExxonMobil (retired), Suwanee, Ga. Richard A. Rula | President of Hemphill Construction Co., Florence, Miss.

Michael W. “Mike” Sanders | President and CEO of Jimmy Sanders Inc. (retired), Cleveland, Miss.

Paula A. Schuerer | Owner and veterinarian of Animal Ark Animal Hospital, Franklin, Tenn.

Leo W. Seal III | President of the Leo Seal Family Foundation, Bay Saint Louis, Miss.

Bobby S. Shackouls | Chairman and CEO of Burlington Resources Inc. (retired), Houston, Texas Cynthia M. “Cindy” Stevens | Management Principal Government Relations of Deloitte LLP, Alexandria, Va. Douglas T. “Doug” Terreson | Head of Energy Research for EvercoreISI, Point Clear, Ala. Anthony L. Wilson | Chairman, President and CEO of Mississippi Power Co., Gulfport, Miss.

Bryan S. Wilson | Managing Partner of Tacoma Ag, Starkville, Miss.

James K. Dossett | Legal Counsel, Jackson, Miss.

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