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 | May 2025Academic Matters
I want to begin this month’s letter by thanking everyone who contributed to the success of our spring graduation celebrations and commencement exercises. These special events require incredible planning, attention to countless details, coordination, cooperation, and hard work. I think you would agree it’s all well worth it as we recognize and honor our newest graduates in Starkville and Meridian.
May 2025's Update Previous Updates