Mississippi State University

More than 610 of the state's brightest young men, representing 207 high schools throughout the state, will attend Arkansas Boys State, an immersive leadership and civic engagement experience sponsored by the American Legion. This summer's 84th annual session runs May 25 through May 30 at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. The program's 2025 enrollment marks its largest class of young men in 10 years. During their week at Arkansas Boys State, these students, known as "delegates," are assigned a political party, city, and county. Throughout the week, delegates, from the ground up, administer this mock government as if it were real: they run for office, draft and pass legislation, solve municipal challenges, and engage constituents. By the week's end, the delegates have experienced civic responsibility and engagement firsthand while making life-long memories and friends.

Twenty-seven Mississippi State University students from a variety of majors received Spirit of State Awards this past week for their exceptional personal contributions to student life at MSU. Organized by the university's Division of Student Affairs and celebrating its 20th year, the Spirit of State Awards honor those who have made a positive impact on peers and the broader campus community through organization involvement, service to the institution and personal actions promoting school spirit and tradition. This year, MSU Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt and award-winning students also presented President Mark E. Keenum a Spirit of State watch, the award given to recipients, to recognize his continued support of MSU students. "As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Spirit of State Awards, we are proud to honor these outstanding student leaders-individuals whose selflessness, service and integrity exemplify what it means to be a Bulldog," Hyatt said. "This recognition also extends to the families, mentors, faculty and staff who have supported and uplifted these students along the way. It truly takes a village, and it was exciting to be able to celebrate the entire community that helps shape and inspire student success at Mississippi State." The Spirit of State Awards are open to all students, no matter their classification, major or primary campus. Nominees must have a minimum 2.25 GPA and be in good academic standing. "I would describe Mississippi State using the analogy of a wide-open field with nutrient-rich soil where students can form strong roots and a firm foundation that allow them to bear fruit and cultivate qualities to positively impact the lives of others and make a change for good in the world," said August Jones, a junior biochemistry major and 2025 Spirit of State Award recipient from Bay Springs. "During my time here at Mississippi State, I am grateful to have made and continue to make many incredible memories. Along with these memories and all the fun that accompanies them, my fellow students and I have learned valuable lessons, principles and qualities that we will use for the rest of our lives."

More than 45 Mississippi State seniors are 2025 inductees into the Gamma of Mississippi Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's most prestigious academic honor society. Among the top 10% of their graduating class, Phi Beta Kappa inductees have completed a broad range of liberal arts and sciences coursework, including foreign language and mathematics. The Phi Beta Kappa Society was founded in 1776. Only 10% of U.S. colleges and universities have PBK chapters. Noteworthy members include 17 U.S. presidents, 42 U.S. Supreme Court justices and more than 150 Nobel laureates.

Mississippi State University is the back-to-back national champion of collegiate debate after winning top honors at the April 2025 International Public Debate Association National Tournament at Lee College in Baytown, Texas. The International Public Debate Association is the largest intercollegiate debating association in the U.S., with more than 200 colleges and universities from across the country competing in its tournaments in 2024-25. IPDA debating emphasizes a mix of logic, rhetorical skill and adaptability, as students debate a new topic each round, with only 30 minutes to prepare. The MSU team squared off over four days of competition against hundreds of top competitors from programs across the country, including the University of Arkansas, Boise State University, UC-San Diego, the University of Tennessee, Texas Christian University, Union University, Dallas Baptist University and Abilene Christian University. While winning the national tournament for the second consecutive year, the Bulldogs also added a new title, winning the IPDA Season Long Championship for the first time ever and uniting both titles as the undisputed champions of IPDA college debate. Individual MSU debaters also advanced far into the tournament, winning numerous accolades in every division. In the Team Debate division, sophomore Ben Harvey was the national champion speaker, while freshman Brevia Kibet was the champion speaker in the Novice division. Freshman Sam Harvey took second place in the Professional division, while sophomores Nicholas Neal and George Utz and senior Devin Hutchins were named second-, third- and fourth-place speakers respectively. For the overall season rankings, MSU fared equally well, with Sam Harvey being named season-long national champion in the Pro division, while freshman Kamron Hitson was national champion speaker in the Junior Varsity division. Neal and Hutchins also ranked in the top five for the season in the Professional division, while senior Hannah Daniels finished the season in fourth place in Varsity. For both the national tournament and the season rankings, numerous other MSU debaters placed in the top 10 and advanced to elimination rounds. For the season, MSU took first place overall in eight of the 10 tournaments the team entered. The MSU Debate Team was founded 10 years ago as part of the university's Speech and Debate Council, coached by Brett Harvey and Jake Reed. "It's a huge challenge to win your first national championship, but I'd argue that repeating is even harder. You have the weight of expectations and you're getting every opponent's best effort," Brett Harvey said. "For these kids to not only repeat but improve on last year's performance is just astounding. Jake and I could not be prouder of them, and how they represent our university. Civil, intelligent debate is more critical than ever right now, and MSU students really are leading the way. "And, as always, this season is the end result of many people, not just the debaters and coaches. It's also our alumni, administrators-including MSU President Mark E. Keenum and Provost David Shaw-parents and even students who never debated but volunteered to serve as judges," he added. "We could not be more grateful to the university for allowing this activity to thrive."

Twenty-eight Mississippi State graduate students won prizes for their cutting-edge work during the spring 2025 Graduate Student Research Symposium. More than 140 students participated in the symposium, a bi-annual event allowing students to showcase their faculty-guided research and creative activity. The GSRS featured students from diverse departments and colleges who participated in poster and oral presentation sessions, sharing their research with the MSU community. Student projects were evaluated by 55 judges, who provided feedback that can be useful in improving current research and preparing for future endeavors. Research projects were divided into four categories-Agriculture and Life Sciences; Education, Arts and Sciences, and Business; Engineering; and Forest Resources and Veterinary Medicine-and the event featured 15 oral and 12 poster sessions, and 14 moderators and volunteers. Winning students received $150 for first-place, $75 for second-place and $50 for third-place entries. The event was hosted by the MSU Graduate Student Association in collaboration with the Graduate School. For more information about the GSRS, visit www.grad.msstate.edu/students/graduate-development/graduate-research-symposium.

Hosting the Southeast Journalism Conference for the first time in university history, Mississippi State University student journalists earned top honors, securing four institutional awards: first place for Best Radio Station, second place for Best TV Station, third place for Best Public Service Journalism and third place for Video Newscast, in addition to multiple individual awards. MSU competed against 200 students from universities of Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee, as well as approximately 20 other universities from across the Southeast. Students heard from 16 journalism professionals--including MSU alumni now working in journalism, reporters from The New York Times and The Hill, a news anchor from WLBT-TV, the nation's top college football reporter and the senior editor for the Minnesota Vikings--for discussions about the changing media landscape. Founded in 1986, SEJC exists for the advancement of journalism education in the Southeast and is open to any regional university or four-year college with courses in journalism or mass communication.

Mississippi State University congratulates 26 recent fall semester graduates recognized as Stephen D. Lee Scholars for achieving a cumulative 4.0 grade point average during their college careers.

Mississippi State University congratulates 4,569 students who were named to the fall 2024 President's List. These students achieved a 3.80 or better grade-point average, based on a 4.0 scale, while completing at least 12 semester hours of coursework with no incomplete grades or grades lower than a C.

Mississippi State University congratulates approximately 1,500 students who are among the fall 2024 graduates. MSU President Mark E. Keenum congratulated graduates as their keynote speaker for the December commencement, reminding the class that the university's core values will serve as their foundation for life after graduation and help them change the world. "You understand our values that we uphold here at Mississippi State," he said. "Integrity: Strive to have a reputation in your life of being the kind of person that other people can trust and count on. Hard work: You had to work hard just to be sitting here today, continue that work ethic. Respect for other people: Be the kind of person that other people just enjoy being around because you're always so nice, kind, thoughtful and considerate of others. That's the reputation of Mississippi State people."

Mississippi State University congratulates 2,661 students who were named to the fall 2024 Deans' List. These students achieved a grade-point average between 3.5 and 3.79, based on a 4.0 scale, while completing at least 12 semester hours of coursework with no incomplete grades or grades lower than a C.

Mississippi State University's College of Education is honoring eight graduates for their exceptional work as teacher interns in Magnolia State school districts. The recipients of the Outstanding Teacher Intern Award were nominated for exceeding expectations while completing internships at public schools across the state. The honorees demonstrated exemplary professionalism, performance and a high level of commitment to the teaching profession.

Mississippi State recently honored a new cohort of first-year Luckyday Scholars with a pinning ceremony featuring MSU President Mark E. Keenum and the Board of the Luckyday Foundation. Established by the late Frank Rogers Day, the Jackson-based Luckyday Foundation provides scholarship funding up to $6,000 per year for a total of up to $24,000 over four years to each student selected for the program. Luckyday Scholars are exemplary students with the goal of becoming college graduates who possess invaluable leadership skills, a strong work ethic and a commitment to community stewardship. Applicants must have a minimum 3.5 high school GPA and participate in an intensive application process. The Luckyday Foundation is continuing its pledge of student support and assistance to MSU students as 74 first-year Luckyday Scholars began their academic journey at the university this fall. Luckyday Scholars are actively engaged in this holistic program, which includes a freshman-year seminar and mentoring, designated housing to encourage connections, and opportunities to grow as leaders through servant leadership programming. Participants commit to a minimum of 10 service hours per semester with a single agency, which enhances the program's fundamental principles: scholarship, community, service and leadership.

A team of 12 Mississippi State students received national recognition this fall for their innovative Bully Bot robot design during the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering's Student Division Robotics Competition in Las Vegas, Nevada. The students are members of MSU's ATMAE chapter, represent the industrial technology program in the College of Education and joined participating universities from across the country in the competition at the annual conference. The MSU team won the Best Mechanical/Manufacturing Design Award, judged on materials used, documentation, functionality, innovative use of technology and overall design. The People's Choice Award, voted on by all conference attendees, also went to the MSU team. Additionally, senior Tommy Avery of Eupora won first place and a $300 prize in the Haig Vahradian Student IT/IQ Challenge, a "Jeopardy"-style competition based on topics taught nationally in industrial technology programs. The students spent two months designing, building and programming the Bully Bot this fall. The body of the robot was 3D-printed on campus, and Taylor Machine Works, Inc. cut arm, base and top pieces for the lifting mechanism. The team received monetary support from East Mississippi Lumber Company; Renfroe & Perilloux, PLLC; and True Grit, Inc. Faculty members involved include industrial technology instructors Denise Adair, Jody Buchanan, Mickey Giordano and Lara Threet. Buchanan is the faculty advisor for MSU's ATMAE chapter and recently served as the national vice president of the student division, which hosts and organizes the conference's robotics competition and student events. Buchanan is slated to be president for the next two years, and Threet will take over as vice president of the student division.

Mississippi State's Graduate School is recognizing eight students for their superb research presentations given during the university's 11th annual Three Minute Thesis competition. The event challenged graduate students to present their thesis/dissertation topics in three minutes or less. Student presentations were judged by a panel of academic and non-academic professionals with a wide range of expertise. This year, 28 graduate students competed for the title of MSU Grand Champion, and nine judges reviewed presentations.

Students from each major in Mississippi State University's College of Architecture, Art and Design launched their fall semester with an interdisciplinary student design competition. Seniors majoring in architecture, art, building construction science and interior design have been competing in the Brasfield & Gorrie Student Design Competition for top honors, including a cash prize, since its inception in 2011. The competition sponsor, Brasfield & Gorrie General Contractors, is one of the nation's largest privately held construction firms based in Birmingham, Alabama. This year, 10 collaborative teams-each comprised of nine to 10 students-were tasked with developing an overall design and construction plan for a satellite wellness center on the south side of campus. Students had to work together to develop a cohesive, constructible design that included branding as well as aspects of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-LEED-in line with the university's initiatives. The goal of the interdisciplinary competition is to simulate real-world design processes and help students in MSU's College of Architecture, Art and Design understand the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration. Learn more about CAAD and its academic programs at www.caad.msstate.edu and on Facebook and Instagram @CAADatMSU.

Thirty-nine outstanding Mississippi State freshmen are recipients of Presidential Endowed Scholarships, the university's most prestigious undergraduate award. The 2024-25 Presidential Scholars are members of the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College and possess strong academic skills, creativity and a drive for success. Endowment-level gifts for the scholarships provide students with financial support to cover the cost of attending the university for four years. The experience offers a one-time educational enrichment scholarship for study-abroad opportunities, internships or other qualified academic pursuits, an undergraduate research fellowship award and mentoring. To qualify, applicants must have a minimum 30 ACT/1330 SAT score, as well as have graduated with a minimum core or overall 3.75 high school GPA (based on a 4.0 scale). Recipients are expected to maintain an overall 3.4 GPA in their respective academic majors. Presidential Scholars can interact with members of the land-grant institution's extensive research faculty and be part of the honors college's summer-study program at Oxford University in England, among other enhanced learning experiences.

Twenty-eight Mississippi State graduate students won prizes for their cutting-edge work during the fall 2024 Graduate Student Research Symposium. More than 110 students participated in the symposium, a bi-annual event allowing students to showcase their faculty-guided research and creative activity. The GSRS featured students from departments and colleges across campus who participated in poster and oral presentation sessions. Student projects were evaluated by 44 judges, who provided feedback that can be useful in improving current research and preparing for future endeavors. Research projects were divided into four categories-Agriculture and Life Sciences; Education, Arts and Sciences, and Business; Engineering; and Forest Resources and Veterinary Medicine-and the event featured 29 oral and 12 poster sessions, with 20 moderators and additional volunteers. Winning students received $150 for first-place, $75 for second-place and $50 for third-place entries. The event was hosted by the MSU Graduate Student Association in collaboration with the Graduate School. For more information about the GSRS, visit www.grad.msstate.edu/students/graduate-development/graduate-research-symposium.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is proud to announce the recipients of a 2024 Love of Learning Award. The awards help fund post-baccalaureate studies and career development for active Society members.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is proud to announce the recipients of a 2024 Pioneer Award. The awards are designed to reward undergraduate members for developing the research, engagement and leadership skills necessary to become a successful scholar

Student members of Global Game Changers, an interdisciplinary Mississippi State program in its third year, recently traveled to Italy for a two-week study abroad trip. Participants ventured through Milan, the Amalfi Coast, Florence and ended the trip in Rome. Students from six of the university's nine colleges traveled abroad with customized itineraries specific to their field of study, meeting daily to enjoy broader cultural activities as a group. Faculty advisors from MSU's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Architecture, Art and Design, Bagley College of Engineering and College of Business include Gallery Director Lori Neuenfeldt, Assistant Teaching Professor Aswathy Rai, Lecturer Rachel Woodward, Associate Professor Harish Chander, Assistant Professor Erik Markin and former MSU Associate Professor Charles Freeman, who coordinated and hosted the study abroad trip. "This is a life changing trip for students. They can study abroad with their peers from campus who soon turn into friends and see sights that you maybe wouldn't be able to see as a regular tourist. Many of my students come back from these trips saying it changed their perspective on everything in life," said Freeman, the trip's faculty lead.

Student participants in Mississippi State's BRIDGES Undergraduate Research Opportunity gain valuable experience preparing them to take the next step toward the workforce or continued studies in graduate school. BRIDGES is short for Building Relationships that Intentionally Develop Generations of Excellent Scholars, and it engages minority and underserved students in meaningful, paid work at various MSU research centers, such as the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, Center for Cyber Innovation, Raspet Flight Research Laboratory and Social Science Research Center, among others. The program was established by the university's Office of Research and Economic Development and the Division of Access, Opportunity and Success. It expands MSU's robust opportunities for undergraduate research. For more, visit https://www.research.msstate.edu/initiatives/bridges and https://www.urcd.msstate.edu/.

Phi Kappa Phi recently announced the recipients of a 2024 Fellowship. The prestigious $8,500 fellowships were awarded to 54 students nationwide.

Mississippi State University's Department of Aerospace Studies is adding 13 commissioned officers to the U.S. Air Force. Lt. Col. Christopher S. Evans, professor of aerospace studies, recognized the achievements of the graduating cadets of MSU's Detachment 425 during its spring commissioning ceremony. Retired Lt. Col. Russell A. Matijevich, a 1988 alumnus of MSU and Detachment 425, delivered a keynote address highlighting resiliency, adaptability and core values in today's armed services. Matijevich served more than 20 years in the Air Force, working on space operations, testing and space policy. He praised the new officers for their graduation achievements and dedication to joining the Air Force, advising them to be prepared for unexpected opportunities. The graduates were individually administered their oath of office by an officer of personal significance to them and had their new rank pinned by friends and family members. The traditional first salute and the significance of the silver dollar exchange were highlighted, symbolizing the respect and gratitude between the new officers and enlisted soldiers. To learn more about joining or supporting Air Force ROTC at MSU's Detachment 425, visit www.afrotc.msstate.edu.

Mississippi State University's Undergraduate Research Symposium allows students to showcase faculty-guided research and creative activity. This bi-annual event includes students from diverse departments and colleges who participate in poster and oral presentation sessions, sharing their research with the MSU community. This past spring, URS had the highest number of student presenters and attendees. More than 270 undergraduate student projects were evaluated by faculty, graduate students and staff. This feedback can be useful in improving current research projects and preparing for future research endeavors. The event is hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Discovery, the Shackouls Honors College and various undergraduate research sponsors. In addition, the event was supported by 90 faculty who helped provide comments on projects and judge special area competitions. Research projects are divided into eight categories: arts, music and design; biological and life sciences; business and economics; education; engineering; humanities; physical sciences; and social sciences. Eleven special area competitions awarded prizes. More information can be found at www.urcd.msstate.edu.

Mississippi State's Department of Sustainable Bioproducts celebrated outstanding students at the annual College of Forest Resources Student Awards Ceremony, honoring undergraduate and graduate students for academic excellence. The department, housed in MSU's College of Forest Resources, is preparing students for a career creating innovative products while protecting natural resources. Graduates enjoy 100% job placement in a high-tech, high-paying industry focused on sustainability. The awards showcase the best and brightest within the department.

Mississippi State University congratulates 113 recent spring graduates recognized as Stephen D. Lee Scholars for achieving a cumulative 4.0 grade point average during their college careers.

Mississippi State University congratulates 2,364 students who were named to the spring 2024 Deans' List. Deans' List students achieved a grade-point average between 3.5 and 3.79, based on a 4.0 scale, while completing at least 12 semester hours of coursework with no incomplete grades or grades lower than a C.

Mississippi State University congratulates 4,137 students who were named to the spring 2024 President's List. Students on the President's List achieved a 3.80 or better grade-point average, based on a 4.0 scale, while completing at least 12 semester hours of coursework with no incomplete grades or grades lower than a C.

Mississippi State University congratulates nearly 3,500 students who are among the spring 2024 graduates.

Mississippi State's Department of Forestry celebrated outstanding students at the annual College of Forest Resources awards ceremony, honoring undergraduate and graduate students for academic excellence. The department is part of the only nationally accredited educational program in the state for educating and developing future leaders in natural resources. Established in 1954, the forestry department has prepared students for meaningful science-based careers in management and use of forested ecosystems for 70 years. CFR graduates enjoy a 98% job-placement rate upon completion. The awards demonstrate excellence among graduate and undergraduate students within the department.