Welcome
Welcome to the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President. We are committed to upholding Mississippi State University’s mission through outstanding academic integrity and quality. We are also driven to help our students and faculty excel in the classroom and well beyond as they work to develop real-world solutions that address the greatest challenges of the 21st Century. Our priorities are academic excellence, student success, and supporting the university’s three-part mission of teaching, research, and service.
Mississippi State University is home to a vibrant and engaged community of scholars, creators, and explorers who are recognized for cross-college, multi-disciplinary collaboration. We are preparing our students – who hail from across Mississippi’s 82 counties, dozens of states, and nearly 90 countries – to pursue their career goals, to be leaders, and to make a difference in their communities. We are recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as a “Very High Research Activity” institution, and we also hold Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification.
I invite you to learn more about Mississippi State University online or via social media, or to pay us a visit on our Starkville or Meridian campuses. Please feel free to reach out to my office with any questions, concerns, or comments at provost@msstate.edu
Dr. David Shaw
Provost and Executive Vice President.
Our Mission
In service to the mission of Mississippi State University, the Division of Academic Affairs provides leadership and support for our student body and the faculty and staff who inspire them. As an academic community driven by the conviction that education has the power to transform lives, we nurture creative and independent thinkers who are capable and confident global citizens.
Our Vision
The Division of Academic Affairs is leading the way in innovation and transformation at Mississippi State University. We believe in empowering and supporting our dedicated faculty and staff through a shared commitment to create exciting opportunities to fulfill our university's threefold mission. We prepare our students as lifelong learners by fostering their individual growth and providing them with essential skills and values that will make them stand out as positive leaders in today's ever-changing world.
An Update from the Provost and Executive Vice President | April 2025Academic Matters
The last few weeks have left me wondering what happened to April. It’s been a busy month with many special events as we near the end of the spring semester. I’ve enjoyed the opportunities I’ve had to visit with many of you and our students at the Phi Beta Kappa induction ceremony, the opening of the Lincoln Assassination exhibit in Mitchell Memorial Library, and an Orientation session for Phi Theta Kappa transfer students – to give you just a few examples. These visits always remind me of how vibrant and interesting our campus community is. Of course, we have many more events to look forward to in the coming days. Please let me take a few minutes of your time for an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.
April 2025's Update Previous Updates