I hope all of you were able to stay warm and safe during the severe winter weather the past few days. I appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation as we worked to address the issues posed by such a challenging forecast. Special kudos to Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt and Vice President for Finance and Administration Les Potts and their teams for ensuring successful operations continued and to Vice President for Strategic Communications Sid Salter and the Office of Public Affairs for sharing important and timely information across media platforms. 

Please let me take a few minutes of your time for an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

New Leadership Structure for Meridian Campus

I’ll begin by mentioning the new leadership structure we announced for the Meridian Campus earlier this month. I want to thank Associate Vice Provost for Health Sciences and Professor David Buys for his outstanding tenure through our recent interim phase. He provided strong leadership and support to faculty and staff and embraced the work we do in that community. 

Moving forward in February, Morgan Dudley will serve as our new executive director for MSU-Meridian Operations, with oversight of all non-academic functions while continuing her supervision of the MSU Riley Center. Dean of Health Professions Lesley Clack and Dean of Nursing Mary Stewart will continue to provide leadership of their academic programs. The Division of Education and the Division of Arts & Sciences will continue with their current leadership structure in Meridian.

I appreciate the many contributions of our academic leaders, as well as our faculty and staff, as we continue to see such positive momentum across all our campuses. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2026/01/msu-meridian-announces-new-leadership-structure-facilitates-streamlined. 

Spring General Faculty Meeting Coming Up Feb. 6

I hope to see many of you at the spring general faculty meeting on Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. in Colvard Student Union’s Foster Ballroom. In addition to my update, we’ll have opportunities to hear from President Mark Keenum, Interim Vice President for Research and Economic Development Scott Willard, and Vice President for Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/events/2025/12/spring-general-faculty-meeting. 

MSU Again Attains Carnegie Community Engagement Classification

I hope you saw the recent news release about MSU once again achieving the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement. As I shared in OPA’s announcement, this recognition is a powerful affirmation of our faculty and staff’s deep commitment to working alongside community stakeholders. There are many who contribute to our engagement efforts every day, and I applaud you all for the work you do. I also want to thank the people who led our reclassification effort, including now retired Associate Vice President for Outreach and Engagement Gary Jackson for his leadership, along with Joe Fratesi, interim executive director for Outreach and Engagement and assistant director of the Stennis Institute, and committee members Tracey Baham, Institutional Research and Effectiveness; Robert Damm, Department of Music; Teresa Gammill, Family and Consumer Sciences; Michelle Garraway, Outreach and Engagement; Stephanie Hyche, Office of Research Development; Allison Matthews, Office of Public Affairs; Jackie Mullen, Division of Student Affairs; Donna Peterson, MSU Extension; Susan Seal, College of Professional and Continuing Studies; and Kathleen Thomas, Department of Finance and Economics. Tina Gilliland and Meredith Jackson in my office also gave special assistance. Thank you all! Read more at https://www.memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=8397. 

Applications Open for New Cohort of CEL Fellows

And speaking of community engagement, applications for the 2026-27 Community-Engaged Learning Fellows program are open. Applications are due by Feb. 27. This program supports our instructional faculty and staff with integrating community-engaged learning into their formal or nonformal teaching. The CEL Fellows program seminar will meet in May 2026. Participants receive a $1,000 course or research development award, peer support, and one-on-one assistance to design a new community-engaged learning course or modify an existing course. Program guidelines and application are available from Michelle Garraway via an email to michelle.garraway@msstate.edu.

Kudos and Congratulations

Every month, I look forward to sharing faculty and staff success stories with you, and here are a few that have crossed my desk recently:

* Kudos to these Enrollment Services staffers who were recently honored for their exceptional work: 2025 Enrollment Services Graduate Assistant of the Year recipient Grant Richey, Recruitment and Marketing; 2025 Enrollment Services Support Staff Member of the Year Robin Ratcliff, Registrar’s Office; and 2025 Enrollment Services Professional Staff Member of the Year Lauren Clifton, Recruitment and Marketing.

* Congratulations to College of Forest Resources faculty and staff who were recently honored during their annual awards ceremony: Kristine Evans, FWRC Research Award; Kevin Ragon, CFR/FWRC Service Award and Harold C. Lucas Fellowship; Leslie Burger, CFR Teaching Award and Regina and Glenn Doran Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Collaborative Practice; Chris Ayers, CFR/FWRC Service Award; Ashley Schulz, CFR/FWRC Service Award; Jimmy Avery, CFR Extension/Outreach Award; Adam Polinko, FWRC Early Career Achievement Award; Josh Granger, CFR Advising Award; Carrie Stroud, CFR Doris Lee Memorial Professional Staff Award; Adam Holder, CFR Beverly Smith Professional Staff Award; Patricia Smith, CFR Doris Lee Memorial Support Staff Award; Chris Forrester, CFR Beverly Smith Support Staff Award; Laya Khademibami, James R. Moreton Fellowship; and Fatemeh Rezaei, James R. Moreton Fellowship. Read more at https://www.memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=8390. 

* Kudos to our faculty and staff who are serving as newly elected officers and board members for the Mississippi Chapter of the Fulbright Association: President Masey Smith, Treasurer David Hoffman, Secretary Chance Carden, and board member Peter Allen. Read more at https://www.memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=8388. 

* Congratulations to Assistant Professor of English and African American Studies Kemeshia Randle Swanson, who is MSU’s 2026 Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year. Read more at https://www.memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=8394. 

* Kudos to Drew Gholson, an associate professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, who has been elected to serve on the University Council of Water Resources Board of Directors. Dr. Gholson is also an irrigation specialist with the MSU Extension Service and a scientist in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. Read more at https://www.memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=8395. 

* Congratulations to Nicole Rader, professor and head of the Department of Sociology, who is the 2025 recipient of the Robert Jerin Book Award for her influential 2023 publication “Teaching Fear: How We Learn to Fear Crime and Why It Matters.” Read more at https://www.memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=8399. 

* And a welcome back to my fellow Giles Distinguished Professor Jim Fowler, who has been named head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Read more at https://www.memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=8393. 

Final Words

Thank you for reading this month’s letter. Your comments, questions, suggestions, and concerns about these or other topics are welcome at david.shaw@msstate.edu. 

David

Dr. David R. Shaw is Provost and Executive Vice President at Mississippi State University. His email address is david.shaw@msstate.edu.