Jackson State University President Thomas K. Hudson, Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement Gwendolyn Caples and College of Science, Engineering and Technology Dean Wilbur Walters recently held a ceremony to unveil the Brigadier General Robert Crear CSET atrium on the JSU campus.

John Nau, president and CEO of Silver Eagle Distributors, L.P., contributed $1 million to JSU as part of the atrium dedication. Crear and Nau serve together on the Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park Board of Directors.

JSU will use the funds Nau donated for scholarships for students majoring in science, technology, engineering and math, including those enrolled in JSU’s ROTC program, a release from the university says.

Crear is chairman of Rye Development, which develops new hydroelectric power sources for existing dams in the United States. Crear is also president and CEO of the Crear Group LLC, a governmental relations and business development consulting firm in Vicksburg. Crear also organized and served as Commander of Task Force Hope, the Corps of Engineers’ $14.6 billion infrastructure recovery and restoration effort in Mississippi and Louisiana after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Alumnus Joe N. Tatum Donates $50,000 to JSU College of Business

Jackson State University recently received a $50,000 donation from alumnus Joe N. Tatum, an attorney with 25 years of experience, for the College of Business to provide students with the concrete life skills necessary to function within the business world, a release from JSU says.

Tatum was the only one out of thirteen children in his family to attend college. He graduated Cum Laude from JSU, earning his bachelor’s degree in accounting.

He later received his Juris Doctorate from Mississippi College School of Law, where he received the American Jurisprudence Award in secure transactions. Tatum was also a Fredrick Douglass Moot Court Semi-Finalist and served on the Moot Court Board.

MSU and U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Host ERDC Day

Mississippi State University and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center partnered to host ERDC Day on Thursday, April 14, at MSU’s James Worth Bagley College of Engineering.

Leaders from the research center conducted a public panel discussion during which 600 College of Engineering students heard presentations from ERDC leaders on career pathways, sustainability efforts, future uses of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Based in Vicksburg, ERDC is the research unit of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In 2014, MSU and ERDC partnered to create the Institute for Systems Engineering Research, which is also housed in Vicksburg. MSU and ERDC collaborate on high performance computing, materials science, military engineering, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning.

MSU launched a military engineering concentration in 2018, in part to help ERDC meet its training needs with a local academic partner, a release from the university says. MSU researchers are developing advanced materials and conducting autonomous vehicle modeling and simulation for navigation in cold environments.

Jackson State University recently announced two speakers who will hold presentations during the university's 2022 commencement exercises.

Thasunda Brown Duckett, president and chief executive officer of the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association, will serve as the speaker for the graduate student ceremony on Friday, April 29, at 9 a.m. TIAA is a Fortune 100 provider of secure retirements and outcome-focused investment solutions to people working in higher education, healthcare and other mission-driven organizations.

Homer Wilkes, under secretary of agriculture for the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment, will serve as the speaker for the undergraduate student ceremony on Saturday, April 30 at 9 a.m. During his tenure, Wilkes has served as state conservationist for Mississippi, chief financial officer for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Washington, D.C. and as deputy state conservationist for Mississippi.

The commencement ceremony will be a non-ticketed event. There will be no processional for graduates, and seating for graduates will be spaced out. For more information, visit jfpms.edu.

National Academy of Inventors Opens New MSU Chapter

The National Academy of Inventors recently announced that it is establishing a new new chapter at Mississippi State University.

NAI is a non-profit organization created to support aspiring inventors in academics. Founded in 2010, the NAI educates and mentors students and enhances the visibility of academic technology and innovation. The academy also encourages the disclosure of intellectual property, recognizes and encourages inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and translates the inventions of its members to benefit society.

MSU’s chapter is part of a collaboration with the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, its Department of Mechanical Engineering and the iDEELab, an educational resource for engineering students.

For more information, visit msstate.edu.

MSU Hosting Marc E. Bassy

Music Maker Productions at Mississippi State University will host San Francisco singer/songwriter Marc E. Bassy at the Old Main Music Festival on Friday, April 22, at the MSU Amphitheater.

Bassy is a former vocalist for the Los Angeles-based pop band 2AM Club. Works from his solo career include the 2014 mixtape "Only the Poets," a 2015 release titled "East Hollywood" and the 2016 EP "Groovy People," which includes the single “You & Me” featuring G-Eazy.

The Old Main Music Festival is free and open to the public. The festival will include outdoor games, an art market, food vendors and performances from local and national musicians throughout the day. The Art Market begins at 3 p.m., and food trucks will open at 3:30 p.m. Both will remain open until 7 p.m., when the main stage act begins. Music Maker Productions will announce local stage artists and main stage openers closer to the event.

For more information, visit msuconcerts.org or call the MSU Center for Student Activities at 662-325-2930.

Ariel Hurley, 5, watched with excitement as contractors rebuilt her backyard in Brandon, Miss., into a space where she could play with her brother. Throughout December 2021, the Oakdale Elementary kindergartener observed the workers first turn her family’s decaying deck into a double-level extension to the porch and build a swingset next to it. She can even play outside when it’s raining now.

“I’ve been wishing for a plane, a slide and a pilot thing and a swing, so my mom doesn’t have to take me to the park,” Ariel told the Mississippi Free Press.

The 5-year-old likes to swing high, though her mother Terry Hurley encourages Ariel not to as to avoid injury. Her daughter has an illness that has affected her for much of her life, and this backyard makeover was her wish.

Ariel’s mother applied for Make-A-Wish when her daughter was 2 years old. Ariel got approved right away, the mother said, but COVID-19 made its arrival, delaying the process by two years.

“It took some more time to finally get a contractor who would do it. They started, I’d say, in the first part of December last year, and it was done two days before Christmas,” Hurley told the Mississippi Free Press.

Santa Claus visited Ariel and her friends for a party to celebrate her new backyard with toys in tow.

“We had cake,” Ariel added to her mother’s retelling of the festivities. “(It said) Happy Make-A-Wish to you.”

The kindergartner said her favorite part about her new backyard makeover is the swings that

“It’s nice ’cause it’s off of my den, and I’ve got some big windows across the back,” Hurley said. “I sit here and watch them play, and I don’t have to sit outside if I don’t want to. As soon as we get home from school, she says, ‘Can I go outside?’”

“I say it everyday,” Ariel chimed in.

“They play a lot on it. It’s well-used,” her mother added.

‘Surpassing Goals’

Kids for Wish Kids Coordinator Jane Walsh has worked for the Make-A-Wish Mississippi chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation for more than 20 years, helping schools come up with ideas for how to raise money to help grant kids’ wishes.

After hearing about Ariel’s illness, she reached out to Hurley’s mother and asked where her daughter attended school. She then approached Oakdale to see whether they would be interested in having a fundraiser, and administrators jumped at the opportunity to participate, Walsh said.

“Usually when I’m starting to contact schools each school year, I start with schools that have a wish child that attends that school because that makes the school more interested in helping us,” she told the Mississippi Free Press.”

Hurley said she encouraged the fundraiser because she knew it would benefit other children, not just Ariel.

“Ms. Payne, our principal, called me in. … She said, this looks like something your Venture students could do as a service-learning project. So I jumped on it and said yes,” Elizabeth Woods, a teacher at Oakdale Elementary, told the Mississippi Free Press.

Woods oversees Oakdale’s Venture program, a gifted-education program where second- through sixth-grade students work on their logic and critical-thinking skills, participate in STEM activities, practice independent studies, and engage in community service and awareness.

“I think Elizabeth did a great job in getting the word out,” Walsh said. “We sent home fliers that had Ariel’s picture on them, so people knew that it was an organization that helps children right here among us.”

Make-A-Wish and Oakdale set an initial goal of $3,000 for the fundraiser, but the school surpassed that number within the first week. Organizers set a new goal of $5,000, and by the fundraiser’s end, the school had surpassed that number yet again, accruing a total of $6,278.91.

“We had a little competition that the class that contributes the most money will get a popcorn party. I’m kind of pushing for a pizza party for that class though, but it was Ariel’s class who collected the most money,” Woods said.

Northshore Elementary School, another school in Brandon, similarly held a fundraiser in honor of Ariel from Nov. 29 to Dec. 17. During the first week, the school sold stars; during the second week, students brought in coins for a change-collection effort; and during the third week, students sold candy canes before beginning winter break. Altogether, Northshore raised $7,482.

‘Wishing and Wearing Hats’

Make-A-Wish sent Oakdale small paper stars that the school could sell for a minimum of $1. Those who donated would have their name or child’s name written across the star. Faculty then placed the stars on display along the school’s entrance. The Oakdale student body also participated by making their own stars to sell for the fundraiser.

“We created two types of stars,” Tavleen Kaur, a fourth grader in the Venture program, told the Mississippi Free Press. “(The) first one was construction-paper ones. The second ones were where we painted them, and then we also cut them out. And then we also had one where we got them sent, and they were (made) by Make-A-Wish.”

The Make-A-Wish stars were priced between $1 to $10; the next set of stars were priced between $11 to $50; and the size after that $51 to $99. The biggest star sold for $100 or more in donations, fourth-grader Hayes Moore explained.

“If you donated money, $1 or more, I think on Friday you got to wear any hat you wanted,” Marco Harris, an Oakdale fifth grader, said.

This arrangement was known as Wishing and Wearing Hats, an event that took place every Friday throughout the month of February, Woods said. The fundraiser began on Jan. 31 and ended Feb. 28, 2022, the teacher said.

“At first, it hurts to part with my money, but I feel good after,” Harris, whom Woods warmly referred to as the class clown, joked.

Woods said that the students spread word of the fundraiser and that the school advertised the campaign on Facebook. Teachers also sent out newsletters. Parents and grandparents donated, many purchasing the $100 stars.

“It was fun walking around the school and going to every door, ‘Do you have money for Make-A-Wish? Do you have money for Make-A-Wish?’” Moore said.

Moore described giving back as a good experience, but she said that she wishes the fundraiser would have lasted longer because it felt too short. The fourth grader would like to do more projects where she’s able to give back to the community, she said.

“I would like to get blankets, like raise money to buy blankets and dog food. Maybe help with the animals, comfort them and maybe help some of them get adopted. I think that would be really fun,” Moore said.

Studies regularly show that involving children in helping others and early philanthropy has a multitude of benefits for them and makes them more prone to giving to help others later. Colin and Alma Powell’s America’s Promise Alliance included providing opportunities to help others” to young people as one of five major promises to help them thrive. “The chance to give back teaches young people the value of service to others, the meaning of community, and the self-respect that comes from knowing that one has a contribution to make in the world,” the America’s Promise site says of Step 5.

And there are many ways to tailor early-giving to different age groups and advice for parents on how to be most effective doing it.

Naur called the experience fun and said she enjoys giving back to the community as well. “And just in general, it feels good seeing people smile when we give back to them,” Naur added.

‘Hope, Strength, Joy’

Jane Walsh said hope, strength and joy are attributes that Make-A-Wish wants to provide to those who are suffering from life-threatening conditions. Doctors tell the foundation all the time what a big difference granting a wish makes in a child’s recovery, she said.

“They may not be able to get it for a long time because of their illness. They may not be able physically to go on a trip or go meet a famous person,” the coordinator said. “But if they know they have it over there waiting for them, it makes a big difference in their recovery. That gives them some more strength to fight the illness … and then, of course, in the end they get the joy of getting their wish.”

In the 22 years that Walsh has been a coordinator for Make-A-Wish, the most rewarding part of her job has been seeing the excitement and hope a fulfilled wish can bring to a family that’s going through a rough time, she said.

“We’ve granted about 2,400 wishes since our chapter began in 1986. So far, we have granted 63 wishes since Sept. 1, 2021. Our goal is to grant 115 wishes by Aug. 31, 2022,” Walsh said.

Due to accounting purposes, the foundation doesn’t restrict the funds to one child’s wish, instead pooling all the money together. As a result, Oakdale will not know who the recipient or recipients of the raised funds in honor of Ariel will end up being. However, they’ll have their hands full as the class that raised the most money gets a popcorn party as a reward.

“I am just so proud of my kids. I’m proud to work at Oakdale, where the community has really rallied,” the gifted teacher said. “They’re remarkable children. They have my heart and I love all of them,” Woods said.

Oakdale Elementary Principal Andrea Payne said she’s proud of the entire student body and their motivation to give to others.

“They really rose to the occasion. I had no idea it would get that much attention from them, but they really were into it,” the principal said.” And I was really proud, very proud of our kids.”

To learn more about Make-A-Wish Mississippi or become a volunteer, visit their website. To donate to Oakdale Elementary’s fundraiser, visit this page. Find Northshore Elementary’s donation page here.

This story originally appeared in the Mississippi Free Press. The Mississippi Free Press is a statewide nonprofit news outlet that provides most of its stories free to other media outlets to republish. Write shaye@mississippifreepress.org for information.

Getty Images recently donated two Canon camera bodies and three Canon lenses to the Office of University Communications at Jackson State University as part of the company's new partnership with the university. JSU is participating in the inaugural Getty Images Photo Archives Grant for Historically Black Colleges, an initiative aimed at preserving and amplifying the visual history of HBCUs.

Getty Images photographers and editors will mentor JSU students and provide best practices for using the equipment ahead of major events on campus, including collegiate sports and graduation ceremonies. JSU plans to put the equipment to use for the upcoming Blue and White Game on Saturday, April 9, as well as the spring game that the university will televise nationally on ESPN on Sunday, April 24.

Funding from a recent Getty Images grant will support the digitization of 50,000 archival photographs from JSU's library, including future images captured with the donated Canon equipment. Archivists and librarians from the H.T. Sampson Library at JSU will work alongside the Getty Images’ team in the photo digitization process. Adnet Global, a post-production agency that specializes in the digitization, restoration, and discoverability of visual analog historic libraries, will also participate.

The stand-alone photo collection created as part of the partnership, the “Historically Black Colleges & Universities Collection,” is now available for licensing on gettyimages.com, with more images to be added throughout 2022. JSU will also begin distributing photography from campus life and sporting events through Getty Images in 2022.

For more information, visit jsums.edu.

MSU Hosting Inaugural Research Week

Mississippi State University will celebrate its inaugural Research Week with more than two dozen events from Monday, April 11, to Friday, April 14.

MSU’s Office of Research and Economic Development is sponsoring the event, which will celebrate and showcase university faculty, staff and students advancing their fields and making an impact in Mississippi and across the globe, a release from MSU says. Events will include research center tours and showcases, panels, lectures, exhibits and more, culminating with the 2022 Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Exhibits from MSU research centers, institutes, support units and academic departments will be on display all week on the first floor of the Old Main Academic Center. Select research centers will be open for tours, visits and conversation from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, April 11, and Tuesday, April 12. MSU will highlight its innovation-based startup companies from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, April 13, during the Innovation Enterprise Showcase at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach in McCool Hall.

To view a complete calendar of Research Week events, visit research.msstate.edu/initiatives/research-week/events. For more information on Research Week, visit research.msstate.edu/initiatives/research-week.

USM Launches Give Wing Campaign

The University of Southern Mississippi launched the largest fundraising campaign in its history, "Give Wing: The Campaign for Southern Miss," on March 26, 2022. The campaign, which aims to raise funds in support of academics and athletics, including student scholarships, faculty support and facilities, has a goal of $150 million.

"Give Wing" consists of three priority pillars: student success, academic excellence, and innovation and discovery. USM has raised $109,445,458 to date, which is roughly 73% of the fundraising goal.

Campaign goals include increasing undergraduate scholarships, programmatic support and facilities for students, endowed faculty professorship and director positions and elevating USM’s research enterprise. The campaign will also fund new and upgraded facilities, including the Quinlan-Hammond Hall of Honor, the new home for the Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families, Pete Taylor Park and other athletic facilities.

The campaign hopes to add $53.5 million in new or enhanced endowed scholarships, $14 million in Eagle Club scholarships for student athletes, and six newly named professorships for distinguished faculty members, a release from USM says. The university also aims to raise funds for entrepreneurial programming, athletic facility enhancements and other university-wide programming.

For more information on "Give Wing," visit givewingtosouthernmiss.com.

Jackson State University recently announced that it is an Alumni Enrichment Institute Partner for the 2022 Alumni Enrichment Institutes. The designation will allow 2021 Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni to travel to the United States in summer 2022 to collaborate with U.S. counterparts following a series of virtual 2021 Leadership Institutes, a release from JSU says.

The Alumni Enrichment Institutes are part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative. Since 2014, the U.S. Department of State has supported 5,100 Mandela Washington Fellows from across Sub-Saharan Africa in collaboration with U.S. professionals.

Before arriving at JSU, Alumni Enrichment Institute Participants will attend Welcome Events in Washington, D.C., where they will engage with U.S. non-governmental organizations, private companies and government agencies with an interest in Africa, a release from JSU says.

Beginning in late July, JSU will host 25 African alumni for a two-week Alumni Enrichment Institute, which the U.S. Department of State sponsors. The cohort will be part of a larger group of 200 2021 Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni hosted at eight educational institutions across the United States. Participants will engage in programming on topics such as the United States’ diverse culture and society, resiliency and ethics in leadership and social justice principles.

JSU's program will include guided visits to local civil rights and art museums, the Chahta Immi Cultural Center, the Nissan Canton Assembly plant, and Sanderson Farms. Participants will also work with iVillage, Habitat for Humanity and a local food bank in Jackson. The program will also include roundtable networking lunches and receptions.

Program sponsors include Rotary Club of North Jackson, Greater Jackson Chambers of Commerce, Mississippi Business Bureaus, Institute for Social Justice and Racial Relations at JSU, Systems Electro Coating, LLC and Systems Consultants Associates.

For more information on the 2022 Alumni Enrichment Institute, email lydia.n.didia@jsums.edu or jennifer.l.steele@jsums.edu.

JSU Hosting EFLSC Week and MS Got Soul

The Jackson State University Department of English, Foreign Languages, & Speech Communication recently received a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council to host EFLSC Week and a series of events titled "MS Got Soul: Thee MS Humanities." The first event took place on Monday, March 28, and the series will conclude on Friday, April 1.

"EFLSC Week—MS Got Soul: Thee MS Humanities" combines literature, language and communication arts as a means of exploring and critically engaging with people, places, cultures, histories, arts and literatures, a release from JSU says.

The National Endowment for the Humanities supported the grant. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed during the event do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the Mississippi Humanities Council, the release says.

For more information, call 601-979-5859 or visit jsums.edu.

USM to Host Mississippi Science and Engineering State Level Fair

Some of the brightest young minds in grades 7-12 will be on full display when the Mississippi Science and Engineering State Level Fair will take place on Friday, April 1, at the Payne Center on the University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg campus.

The event is for children in grades 7 through 12. Projects that received first-, second- or third-place in each of 13 research categories in three competition categories from Mississippi’s seven science fair regions will be on display for judging.

One of the seven regions serves as the host site for the state fair each year. COVID-19 restrictions forced cancellation of an in-person state fair for the 2019 and 2021. This year Region I, which includes Hattiesburg, partnered with the Gulf Coast-based Region VI to host the event at USM.

Each regional science fair chooses one project to enter into the International Science and Engineering Fair held each May. The selected students will receive an all-expense paid trip for an entire week in Atlanta, Ga. One project from this year’s state fair will also go on to the ISEF.

For more information, visit sciencefair.msstate.edu.

Jackson State University’s National Alumni Association will host its fifth annual Blue Tie Gala on Saturday, April 9, at 7 p.m. at the Jackson Convention Complex in downtown Jackson. The fundraiser will recognize 15 individuals for their contributions to JSU’s legacy, and 30 students will receive scholarships to attend JSU.

JSU alum and comedian Rita Brent is hosting the event, which will also include music from Unfazed Show & Band, a silent auction and a 360 photo booth.

Before the gala, VIP guests and sponsors will receive a private tour of the legends hall exhibit, where guests can meet with JSU alumni such as Robert Brazile, Robert Braddy, Connie Payton, Dr. Walter Reed, Dr. Rod Paige and President Emeritus Dr. John A. Peoples, Jr., to name a few. The gathered alums will tell their own story through a collection of memorabilia.

Although the event is sold out, people can still donate to the JSUNAA scholarship fund at jsunaa.org and clicking "Give to JSU." For more information and a full list of JSU alums being honored at the event, visit here.

JSU and Regions Launch Personalized Debit Card

JSU and Regions Bank have partnered to launch a new personalized debit card. The JSU card is available exclusively to Regions’ customers.

Existing customers can order the card through Regions branches, by calling 1-800-REGION, or through the online Regions YourPix Studio® at regions.com/yourpixstudio. Those without a current checking account can open one online or visit their local Regions branch and select the JSU card. The JSU debit card can be used with all Regions Bank personal checking accounts, including checking accounts for students.

For more information on collegiate cards and other options available to customize a debit card, visit yourpix.regions.com.

MSU Receives Appalachian Regional Commission Grant

Mississippi State University recently received a $1.49 million from the Appalachian Regional Commission to infuse virtual reality career exploration and job training into the education-to-workforce pipeline in Clay, Kemper, Lowndes, Noxubee and Oktibbeha counties.

The award is part of a $21 million package supporting 21 projects serving 211 coal-impacted counties through ARC’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization Initiative, a release from MSU says. POWER targets federal resources to communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations and coal-related supply chain industries.

Under the project, MSU’s Research and Curriculum Unit will partner with TRANSFRVR, an education software company that provides hands-on VR training to Fortune 500 companies. VR simulations will introduce students to middle-skill jobs that do not require a four-year degree.

TRANSFRVR will deliver the training through VR to middle and high school students enrolled in Cyber Foundations and CTE courses in six area school districts—West Point Consolidated, Kemper County, Columbus Municipal, Lowndes County, Noxubee County and Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated—and CTE students at EMCC.

EMCC will house VR labs at the Communiversity in Columbus and its Scooba campus to enhance training for its students and individuals in the workforce with support from the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District, Golden Triangle Development Link, PACCAR Inc. and Oktibbeha County Hospital.

For more information, visit msstate.edu or arc.gov.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi teachers would receive their largest pay raise in years, under a bill that the state Senate passed Thursday.

The House still needs to pass the final version of House Bill 530 before it can go to Republican Gov. Tate Reeves for his expected signature, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported.

Mississippi has long had some of the lowest teachers salaries in the nation.

“This is the plan that teachers have told us they wanted,” Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar said. “This is the input they provided to each and every one of us since last year.”

The bill would provide an average increase of about $5,100 — a jump of more than 10% over teachers’ current pay.

The average teacher salary in Mississippi during the 2019-20 academic year was $46,843, according to the Southern Regional Education Board. That lagged behind the average of $55,205 for teachers in the 16 states of the regional organization. The national average was $64,133.

Under the bill, teachers’ base pay would increase by a few hundred dollars most years, with larger increases with every fifth year of experience and a more substantial bump at 25 years.

A beginning Mississippi teacher with a bachelor’s degree currently receives a $37,000 salary from the state, and the local school district can provide a supplement. Under the bill, the base pay from the state would be $41,500. Teachers with higher degrees and more experience are paid more.

Teachers’ assistants would receive a $2,000 increase over two years, taking their pay from $15,000 to $17,000.

The Mississippi Association of Educators said it was grateful for the Senate's decision.

“This legislative action provides an avenue for recruitment and retention of Mississippi’s public school teachers. We know first-hand how difficult the past two years of instruction have been for our educators and their assistants. We believe that by providing them the respect of paying them according to their value, we can expect more talented Mississippians to enter the field,” the non-profit advocacy group said in a statement.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Negotiators from the Mississippi House and Senate reached a deal Wednesday to boost some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation.

The two Republican-controlled chambers will vote on the plan in coming days, and members are expected to pass it by wide margins. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has said he supports higher pay levels to recruit and retain teachers.

During a meeting Wednesday, negotiators from the Senate offered an average increase of about $5,100 — a jump of more than 10% over teachers' current pay. That is a few hundred dollars higher than the House offered last week.

“We think that this is a doable proposal,” said Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis DeBar, a Republican from Leakesville.

Republican Rep. Kent McCarthy of Hattiesburg said House leaders were eager to reach a deal.

“Let’s get this done,” McCarty said.

Within hours, negotiators from the two chambers signed the final plan.

Teachers' base pay would increase by a few hundred dollars most years, with larger increases with every fifth year of experience and a more substantial bump at 25 years.

A beginning Mississippi teacher with a bachelor's degree currently receives a $37,000 salary from the state, and the local school district can provide a supplement. Under the latest proposal, the base pay from the state would be $41,500. Teachers with higher degrees and more experience are paid more.

Dozens of teachers and school administrators were at the Capitol on Wednesday to speak to lawmakers and watch them work.

“We're here to tell them a big thank you,” said LaKristie Barner, a second-grade teacher at R.H. Bearden Elementary School in Sumner.

Barner said her students have been learning about figurative language and preparing to take a third grade reading exam they must pass to advance to fourth grade. She said most of the children come from low-income families, and she spends a substantial amount of her own money buying pencils, paper and other supplies.

The average teacher salary in Mississippi during the 2019-20 academic year was $46,843, according to the Southern Regional Education Board. That lagged behind the average of $55,205 for teachers in the 16 states of the regional organization. The national average was $64,133.

Under the latest proposal, Mississippi teachers’ assistants would receive a $2,000 increase over two years, taking their pay from $15,000 to $17,000.

Starkville High School Principal Darein Spann taught high school English for 14 years before becoming an administrator. He said he knows teachers who work extra jobs, and the pay raise would be “a huge investment.”

“When people are looking at themselves and looking at their livelihoods and making a determination of whether or not this is enough to keep them in the profession — I think this investment would help to do that, would change that conversation,” said Spann, vice president of the Mississippi Association of Educators.

Jackson State University recently received a $75,000 education endowment named for the late Stephen F. Mason, the 17th pastor of the Greater Pearlie Grove M.B. Church. The university will use the scholarship to pay for tuition, textbooks, supplies and other fees included in the cost of education for eligible students, a release from JSU says.

Mason graduated from JSU in 1976 and worked as a teacher in the Canton and Jackson Public School Systems for more than 20 years before becoming an ordained minister in 1988. He served as pastor for Mt. Charity M.B. Church in Carthage for seven years before transferring to Greater Pearlie Grove M. B. Church of Jackson in 1995.

The church relocated from Grand Avenue to its current location at 1640 West County Line Road and held its first worship service in the new location on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012. Mason led the church for more than 26 years until he passed away in October 2021.

Eligible students for the Stephen F. Mason Education Scholarship must be incoming freshmen or sophomores pursuing a degree in the field of education who maintain a minimum 2.75 GPA; submit three letters of recommendations from school officials reflecting exemplary behavior, leadership, excellence of character or community involvement; and submit a one-page essay explaining how the Stephen F. Mason Education Scholarship will impact their academic career at JSU and beyond.

For more information, email rachel.d.james-terry@jsums.edu or visit jsums.edu.

USM and Ezra Jack Keats Foundation Announce Ezra Jack Keats Award Winners

The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation and the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi recently announced the winners of the 2022 Ezra Jack Keats Award, as well as four honor books.

The annual EJK Award celebrates exceptional early career authors and illustrators for portraying the multicultural nature of our world in the spirit of Ezra Jack Keats, a release from USM says. Past winners include Oge Mora, Meg Medina, Christian Robinson, Bryan Collier and Sophie Blackall.

A virtual award ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 7, during the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at USM. To register, click here.

The 2022 Ezra Jack Keats Award winner for Writer is Paul Harbridge, author of "Out Into the Big Wide Lake," and the winner of the Illustrator award is Gracey Zhang for her book "Lala’s Words."

Ezra Jack Keats Award Honor winners for 2022 include Joanna Ho for "Playing at the Border" and Anne Wynter for "Everybody in the Red Brick Building." Illustrator honors include Marta Bartolj for "Every Little Kindness" by Marta Bartolj and Kenesha Sneed for her book "Many Shapes of Clay."

USM Hosting Annual Out of the Darkness Campus Walk

The University of Southern Mississippi and the Mississippi chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will host the annual Out of the Darkness Campus Walk on Saturday, March 26, at 10 a.m. USM School of Psychology students, faculty and staff organize the event. Registration will take place at the Bruce and Virginia Wilgus Fitness Trail located next to the Payne Center on the Hattiesburg campus.

This event will support the AFSP’s education and support programs and its goal to reduce the annual U.S. rate of suicide 20% by 2025, a release from USM says. In addition to raising awareness and funds to fight suicide, the Walks give those who attend a chance to connect with others and know they are not alone, whether they walk in memory or in support of a loved one or in honor of their own mental health journey, the release says.

Individuals can register to join an existing walk team or create their own team. Sponsorships are also available. For more information, visit http://afsp.org/usm or the event’s Facebook page here.

Those experiencing a crisis should call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text TALK to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi lawmakers on Wednesday discussed the latest proposal to boost some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation, and negotiators said they hope to reach a final deal soon.

Senators offered an average increase of about $5,100 — a jump of more than 10% over teachers' current pay. That is a few hundred dollars higher than the House offered last week.

“We think that this is a doable proposal,” Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis DeBar, a Republican from Leakesville, said Wednesday.

Republican Rep. Kent McCarthy of Hattiesburg said House leaders are eager to reach a deal.

“Let’s get this done,” McCarty said.

Under plans offered by the House and Senate, teachers' base pay would increase by a few hundred dollars most years, with larger increases with every fifth year of experience and a more substantial bump at 25 years.

A beginning Mississippi teacher with a bachelor's degree currently receives a $37,000 salary from the state, and the local school district can provide a supplement. Under the latest proposal, the base pay from the state would be $41,500. Teachers with higher degrees and more experience are paid more.

Dozens of teachers and school administrators were at the Capitol on Wednesday to speak to lawmakers and watch them work.

“We're here to tell them a big thank you,” said LaKristie Barner, a second grade teacher at R.H. Bearden Elementary School in Sumner.

Barner said her students have been learning about figurative language and preparing to take a third grade reading exam they must pass to advance to fourth grade. She said most of the children come from low-income families, and she spends a substantial amount of her own money buying pencils, paper and other supplies.

The average teacher salary in Mississippi during the 2019-20 academic year was $46,843, according to the Southern Regional Education Board. That lagged behind the average of $55,205 for teachers in the 16 states of the regional organization. The national average was $64,133.

Under the latest proposal, Mississippi teachers’ assistants would receive a $2,000 increase over two years, taking their pay from $15,000 to $17,000.

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has said he supports increasing pay levels to recruit and retain people in classrooms.

Starkville High School Principal Darein Spann taught high school English for 14 years before becoming an administrator. He said he knows teachers who work extra jobs, and the pay raise would be “a huge investment.”

“When people are looking at themselves and looking at their livelihoods and making a determination of whether or not this is enough to keep them in the profession — I think this investment would help to do that, would change that conversation,” said Spann, vice president of the Mississippi Association of Educators.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi House leaders said Thursday that they have signed off on a plan to increase some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation by an average of $4,850.

But they acknowledged they had reached the plan without having negotiations with senators.

“It's a solid plan. It's a good plan,” Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn said during a news conference.

Reaching a deal takes two sides, and senators had already left the Capitol for the weekend by the time House leaders publicly discussed their proposal. It will be at least next week before senators accept the House proposal, respond with one of their own or seek face-to-face discussions.

“We look forward to meeting with the House and finalizing a historic teacher pay raise," Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said in a statement Thursday.

The latest House proposal includes a structure that Senate leaders have wanted — increases of $400 most years, with increases of at least $1,000 every fifth year. The increase at the 25th year would be $2,500.

The Senate has been pushing for increases of $500 most years, with increases of $1,325 to $1,625 every five years, depending on the degrees a teacher has earned. The bump at 25 years would be $2,500.

The House and Senate passed separate bills several weeks ago to increase teachers' base pay by at least $4,000.

On March 2, the Senate passed an updated bill that would give teachers an average $4,700 raise over two years. Teachers’ assistants would receive a $2,000 increase over two years.

An earlier version of the House bill would have increased teachers’ base pay by $4,000 to $6,000. The raises for teachers and their assistants would have been given in a single year rather being spread out.

The two chambers each appointed three members to a conference committee to work on a final version of the bill. Under legislative rules, conference committee negotiations are supposed to take place during open meetings.

One of the negotiators, Democratic Sen. Hob Bryan of Amory, said Thursday that the group had not begun discussions.

“What you do is you sit down with each other and say, ‘This is our idea. What do you think?’” Bryan said. “And under the rules, you do that in public.”

Responding to questions Thursday, Gunn said the new House proposal is not a take-it-or-leave-it deal.

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has said he supports increasing teachers’ pay.

The average teacher salary in Mississippi during the 2019-20 academic year was $46,843, according to the Southern Regional Education Board. That lagged behind the average of $55,205 for teachers in the 16 states of the regional organization. The national average was $64,133.

The starting salary for a Mississippi teacher with a bachelor’s degree is $37,000 for the current school year, according to the state Department of Education. Teachers with advanced degrees and more experience are paid more.

Teachers’ assistants are now paid $15,000 a year.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis DeBar, a Republican from Leakesville, has said one problem with the current Mississippi teacher pay schedule is that it does not include annual increases for the first three years. He said the Senate proposal “corrects or frontloads” the salary schedule by providing $500 annual increases for newer teachers.

House Education Committee Chairman Richard Bennett, a Republican from Long Beach, said the House plan emphasizes increasing teachers’ starting pay to retain young educators who might otherwise move away to earn more money. He said Thursday that the latest House proposal would set Mississippi's starting teacher pay above Louisiana's and Alabama's.

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced a promotional partnership between the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and Mississippi State University on Monday, March 7.

The partnership is part of an initiative to promote universities within the state through MDAC’s Bureau of Regulatory Services inspection stickers. Each sticker represents a division within the Bureau of Regulatory Services and will feature the school colors of the chosen university for one year. The system informs the public when inspections took place and provides contact information for MDAC’s Weights and Measures Division, State Metrology Laboratory, Petroleum Products Inspection Division and Consumer Protection Division.

MDAC awards inspection stickers to ensure fairness and equity in the marketplace. In 2021, MDAC’s Bureau of Regulatory Services tested 11,431 scales and 56,314 devices found at gas stations and obtained 1,919 samples for analysis by the State Chemical Lab, a release from JSU says.

For more information, visit mdac.ms.gov or msstate.edu.

USM Secures Grant for i.R.O.C.K. Academy + Program

The University of Southern Mississippi recently received a four-year, $350,000 Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant will support the i.R.O.C.K. Academy + program at L.J. Rowan Elementary School in Hattiesburg and expand its ability to offer literacy-based academic support and mentoring to at-risk youth.

i.R.O.C.K. Academy's name is derived from the phrase “I am Resilient, Optimistic, Charismatic and Kind.” Leaders at Rowan Elementary created the program after sharing with a group of faculty from USM about their needs for academic support in math and literacy and mentorship for upper-elementary female students, a release from USM says.

After the program's launch, teachers paired mentees with positive role models who engaged in book talks with them. Both the mentees and mentors also received culturally-relevant texts to add to their libraries.

The 21st CCLC program also invests in community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children, particularly those who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools.

Through the grant, i.R.O.C.K. Academy + will provide literacy-based academic support and enrichment opportunities for pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade students and their families, a release from USM says. The program will also introduce a literacy-based mentoring program for third through fifth-grade students; a Family Academy to encourage family literacy and parent engagement; a literacy-based summer camp that will provide STEAM education, skill building and career exploration; and expanded library resources such as new tablets and a collection of culturally-relevant books.

For more information about the School of Education at USM, visit usm.edu/education.

USM Hosting Marjorie Spruill Book Drive

The Committee on Services and Resources for Women at the University of Southern Mississippi is hosting the Marjorie Spruill Book Drive to teach students at Thames Elementary School in Hattiesburg about the contributions of women and girls in history.

Former USM history Professor Marjorie (Wheeler) Spruill created the book drive as part of Women’s History Month programming at the university. CSRW coordinated with Thames School Principal Christie Moss and Librarian Tamara Smith to provide books for the students. In 2021, CSRW partnered with Burger Middle School in Hattiesburg on the donation of 52 books.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, rather than accepting donations directly, CSRW has set up an Amazon Wish List for guests to purchase books and ship them directly to a CSRW member who will deliver them. Smith has vetted all books in the program. CSRW requests that only books from the wish list be purchased. The book drive will continue through the end of March.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi lawmakers will negotiate a final version of a bill to increase some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation.

The House and Senate passed separate plans several weeks ago provide raises of at least $4,000 a year.

On Wednesday, the Senate passed an updated bill that would give teachers an average $4,700 raise over two years. Teachers’ assistants would receive a $2,000 increase over two years.

An earlier version of the House bill would have increased teachers' salaries by $4,000 to $6,000. The raises for teachers and their assistants would have been given in a single year rather being spread out.

After the Senate passed the updated bill this week, the House had two choices. It could accept that version or request a final round of talks. The House chose the second option Thursday, and negotiators have until the end of the month to come up with a plan.

Nancy Loome is executive director of the Parents’ Campaign, a group that lobbies for support of public schools. She sent an email Friday urging people to contact lawmakers about reaching a quick agreement.

“We are counting on the House and the Senate to craft final legislation that takes the best elements from both chambers’ plans, and we hope to see a STRONG final product in a matter of days, not weeks," Loome wrote. “Teachers deserve the very best we can give them.”

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has said he supports increasing teachers' pay.

The average teacher salary in Mississippi during the 2019-20 academic year was $46,843, according to the Southern Regional Education Board. That lagged behind the average of $55,205 for teachers in the 16 states of the regional organization. The national average was $64,133.

The starting salary for a Mississippi teacher with a bachelor’s degree is $37,000 for the current school year, according to the state Department of Education. Teachers with advanced degrees and more experience are paid more.

Teachers' assistants are now paid $15,000 a year.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis DeBar, a Republican from Leakesville, said one problem with the current Mississippi teacher pay schedule is that it does not include annual increases for the first three years. He said the Senate proposal “corrects or frontloads” the salary schedule by providing $500 annual increases for newer teachers.

The Senate plan also would provide larger increases when teachers reach five, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years. Those increases would be $1,325 to $1,625, depending on the degrees a teacher has earned.

House Education Committee Chairman Richard Bennett, a Republican from Long Beach, said the House plan emphasizes increasing teachers' starting pay to retain young educators who might otherwise move to surrounding states to earn more money.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi senators acted quickly Wednesday to unanimously pass a teacher pay raise bill, sending it back to the House for possible debate within the next three weeks.

The vote came a day after the Senate Education and Appropriations committees approved a version of the bill, which would give teachers an average $4,700 raise over two years.

“It's a plan by teachers, for teachers,” said Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis DeBar, a Republican from Leakesville who held public hearings last year to gather ideas about pay raises.

After Wednesday's vote, senators gave DeBar a standing ovation.

The House must act by a March 24 deadline. It can accept changes that the Senate made, which would send the bill Republican Gov. Tate Reeves for his expected signature. Or, it can seek final negotiations with the Senate to try to make changes.

DeBar said he hopes the House will send the bill to the governor this week and remove it from potential disputes over separate tax-cut proposals.

Mississippi has some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation.

The average teacher salary in Mississippi during the 2019-20 academic year was $46,843, according to the Southern Regional Education Board. That lagged behind the average of $55,205 for teachers in the 16 states of the regional organization. The national average was $64,133.

The starting salary for a Mississippi teacher with a bachelor’s degree is $37,000 for the current school year, according to the state Department of Education. Teachers with advanced degrees and more experience are paid more.

Weeks ago, the House and Senate passed separate bills to boost teacher pay by at least $4,000 a year.

House committees did not consider the Senate bill before a Tuesday deadline, so the two Senate committees passed an amended version of the House bill. It now contains the Senate plan, plus a provision to provide $1,000 raises for two years to teachers' assistants. That would bring the assistants' pay to $17,000 a year. The assistants' raise was in the House bill but not originally in the Senate plan.

Jackson State University relaunched its Institute for Social Justice and Race Relations on Thursday, Feb. 24, in the College of Liberal Arts. The original institute opened in 2013, but a lack of funding halted programming four years later.

The institute will serve as a multimedia resource to engage and educate students, the academic community and the public regarding matters of social justice, activism and race relations, a release from JSU says.

From 2013 to 2017, the Institute for Social Justice and Race Relations held more than 189 public programs and community events and had more than 13,487 program participants. It provided more than 58 Heritage Tours and over 1,300 Heritage Tour participants.

For more information, visit jsums.edu.

MSU Hosting Charles H. Templeton Ragtime & Jazz Festival

Mississippi State University will host its 16th annual Charles H. Templeton Ragtime & Jazz Festival from March 24-26 in the Charles Templeton Music Museum located on the fourth floor of the university’s Mitchell Memorial Library. The festival is making its in-person comeback after being held virtually in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The festival begins with the Gatsby Gala in the lobby of Mitchell Memorial Library at 6 p.m., which will feature 1920s-inspired fashions that the MSU School of Human Sciences fashion design and merchandising students created and MSU Fashion Board members will model. Admission is free and era-appropriate outfits are encouraged.

Tours and seminars will take place throughout both days. Scheduled seminars will include “The Life and Music of Janice Cleary” on March 25 at 1:30 p.m., which is dedicated to celebrating the late Cleary, who donated one of the largest sheet music collections in the U.S. to the university shortly before her death in 2021. There will also be a presentation of her sheet music on March 26 at 11 a.m., showcasing rarities from her collection.

Concerts will take place on March 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the McComas Hall Theater. Featured musicians include The Sweet & Hot Quartet and pianists Donald Ryan and Adam Swanson.

Registration for the event is available at festival.library.msstate.edu. Admission to all festival events is free for MSU students with valid student I.D. General admission tickets good for all festival events are available for $65 each. Patrons can purchase a “Friday Only Ticket” for $35, which is good for all Friday events including the evening concert. A “Saturday Only Ticket” option also is available for Saturday’s events and concert. Tickets just for the Friday and Saturday concerts can be purchased for $15 each. Discounted fees are available for senior citizens and retired MSU faculty and staff members. Tickets are available for advance purchase online and also will be sold at the door.

Parking will be available at the Old Main Academic Center parking garage on Barr Avenue. Patrons also can use MSU’s S.M.A.R.T. shuttle system for transportation to and from the festival. For more information about parking, visit parkingservices.msstate.edu.

For more festival information, visit festival.library.msstate.edu, call 662-325-6634 or email ragtimefestival@library.msstate.edu.

MSU Hosting Fundraiser for Camp Kesem

Mississippi State University’s chapter of Camp Kesem is launching an in-person camp this year after the new chapter’s planned summer programming was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Camp Kesem offers activities for children ages 6-18 who have a parent impacted by cancer at no cost to families, with individual donations and corporate support providing funding.

The group will host a fundraiser called "Make the Magic" on April 2, which will include a formal dinner and a silent auction, with all proceeds going toward this summer’s program. The event takes place at 6 p.m. at the Storehouse on 1437 Fire Station Rd. in Starkville, and attire is formal.

Ticket purchases and donations can be made at https://donate.kesem.org/MissStateMTM2022. To donate items to the silent auction, call Susan Brooks at 662-312-8588.

For more information on Camp Kesem, visit kesem.org/programs-services/camp-kesem.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Proposals to increase some of the lowest teacher salaries in the U.S. were in danger Tuesday as Mississippi legislators engaged in a political showdown. Hours before a big deadline, Senate committees voted to keep the issue alive.

“The bottom line is the teachers. ... They don’t need to be used as pawns in a game of politics,” said Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis DeBar, a Republican from Leakesville.

The battle appeared be about which chamber — the House or the Senate — would receive credit for a plan that would help about 30,000 educators. Weeks ago, each chamber passed its own bill to boost teacher pay by at least $4,000 a year. Legislators must agree on a single bill to send to Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, who has pledged his support.

Tuesday was the deadline for House and Senate committees to consider general bills that had already passed the other chamber, including the teacher pay bills.

House committees did not consider the Senate's teacher pay raise bill. Two Senate committees — Education and Appropriations — passed an amended version of the House bill.

The revised House bill will go to the full Senate for more debate. It now contains the Senate plan, plus a provision to provide $1,000 raises for two years to teachers' assistants. That would bring the assistants' pay to $17,000 a year. The assistants' raise was in the House bill but not originally in the Senate plan.

The average teacher salary in Mississippi during the 2019-20 academic year was $46,843, according to the Southern Regional Education Board. That lagged behind the average of $55,205 for teachers in the 16 states of the regional organization. The national average was $64,133.

The starting salary for a Mississippi teacher with a bachelor’s degree is $37,000 for the current school year, according to the state Department of Education. Teachers with advanced degrees and more experience are paid more.

Outside the Capitol, many people don't know or care whether a bill came from the House or Senate. Inside the building, it can be hugely important to legislators who want credit for popular proposals.

Several senators, including DeBar, said leaders in the Republican-controlled House were withholding support from the Senate's teacher pay plan to seek leverage for a tax cut bill proposed by Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn. The House and Senate have passed separate tax cut proposals, and the House plan is larger. Those bills face a March 15 deadline.

Gunn told reporters on Tuesday that House committees did not consider the Senate teacher pay raise bill “because ours is far superior.”

“We passed this thing the second week of the session,” Gunn said of the House teacher pay bill. "The question arises ... why has it not been sent to the governor already?”

Antonio Castanon Luna is executive director Mississippi Association of Educators, which represents about 10% of the state's educators, including teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and others. After Senate committees voted Tuesday, he said MAE members were encouraged.

“We're committed to ensure that every single educator that shapes a student's life is able to be supported in continuing in the profession, in continuing to provide for their families ... and in investing in the future of Mississippi,” Castanon Luna said.

Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said Tuesday that increasing pay is important to recruiting and retaining educators.

“This should hopefully invigorate teachers again to do what they do best, which is teach our children for our future,” Hosemann said.

The University of Southern Mississippi is set to host its annual Economic Outlook Forum on Thursday, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Thad Cochran Center Grand Ballroom on the university’s Hattiesburg campus.

The USM College of Business and Economic Development is coordinating the forum, which brings together experts from banking, finance and academia to explore issues and research related to the economic outlook for 2022. The First, a National Banking Association, serves as the title sponsor.

Adrienne Slack, vice president and regional executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, New Orleans Branch, will serve as the forum's featured speaker. Slack is responsible for the New Orleans Branch Board of Directors, regional Energy Advisory Council and provides insight and counsel to the Atlanta Fed’s monetary policy process.

Dr. Chad Miller, professor of economic development and graduate coordinator of the Master of Science in Economic Development program at USM, will also speak at the forum. He teaches economic development organization management, research data analytics, real estate development and land use planning, and coordinates the International Economic Development accredited True South Basic Economic Development course.

For more information or to register for the forum, visit usm.edu/business/eof.

MSU Receives Amazon Cyber Security Grant

Mississippi State University recently received a grant from Amazon to support diversity in the university's Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

The grant will help promote undergraduate diversity in cyber security through the Amazon Cyber Security Scholarship and the Amazon Security Support Fund, which aims to provide computer science and engineering minority students with funding for cyber security educational opportunities.

MSU will use the funding to provide hands-on experience in cyber security, conference attendance, support for minority student societies focused on advancement in STEM and to provide outreach to students interested in cyber security, a release from the university says.

For more information or to view criteria for the scholarship, visit https://www.cse.msstate.edu/scholarships/amazon-cyber-security-scholarship/.

MSU Receives Early-Childhood Education Grant

The Mississippi State University Extension Service recently received a $5 million grant from the Mississippi Department of Human Services to directly impact early-childhood education in the state by developing a new curriculum for children from birth through age 5.

MSU will use the funding to develop “My Mississippi Adventures,” a developmentally appropriate, integrated curriculum to be used in licensed child care facilities. The curriculum will focus on people, places and things indigenous to Mississippi, a release from MSU says.

Faculty across the state will develop the curriculum materials, which will be aligned with the Mississippi State Department of Education’s Early Childhood Learning Standards. The curriculum will offer a professional development component for early child care and education professionals in the state.

MSU Establishes New Online Degree Program

Mississippi State University's Center for Distance Education and Department of Communication recently established a new online degree program to provide new options for students interested in earning a communication bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in communication and media studies.

The degree will equip students to “specialize in the theory, critique and practice of communication, equipping students to communicate effectively and ethically in diverse contexts,” a release from MSU says.

Graduates in communication and media studies are prepared to pursue jobs in community outreach and engagement including advocacy work, community organizing, diplomacy, grant writing, non-profit work, politics, public affairs, event planning and fundraising, human resources, philanthropy, publishing, sales and speech and technical writing.

The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning board approved the new degree program, which requires a 2.0 minimum GPA for entry. For more information or to apply, visit online.msstate.edu/comm.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A private, historically Black college in Mississippi is getting $10 million from the head of Netflix and his wife, a film producer.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings visited Tougaloo College on Monday to talk about the donation from himself and his wife, Patricia Quillin, news outlets reported.

“This $10 million donation is really just a small bit of what’s needed to provide kids the opportunities that Tougaloo can offer,” he said, according to WAPT-TV.

College President Carmen Walters said the gift will create scholarships, The Clarion Ledger reported.

Half will endow need-based scholarships, and the other $5 million will help Tougaloo students at Brown University, an Ivy League school in Rhode Island, Sandra Hodge, Tougaloo's vice president of institutional advancement, told the newspaper.

Hastings said he and his wife learned about the small school in Jackson because of its 58-year-old partnership with Brown.

“The capital gap in our country is substantial at every level between household wealth and college endowments,” said Hastings, who received his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College in Maine. “This is the beginning of a great partnership with a great college a lot like the one I went to, except for the endowment.”

Tougaloo's partnership with Brown University lets students, faculty and administrators participate in exchange programs, fellowships and research.

The gift to the Brown-Tougaloo Partnership is the largest it's ever received, Hodge said.

Walters said that will help support four or five students attending Brown for graduate programs for medicine and public health — and help them avoid pricey loans.

Hastings said that in the past five years he and his wife have focused on giving to historically Black colleges, after years of giving to programs for kindergarten through high school.

“HBCUs have been so successful in producing Black lawyers, Black doctors, engineers, dentists – all the professional classes. And it’s a less well-known story in white America,” he said.

In 2020, Tougaloo received $6 million from philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott, and said it was the largest amount it had ever received from a single donor.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A company is creating a media training program focused on students at historically black colleges and universities in Mississippi.

The program by Atlanta-based Gray Television Inc. will be based at one of the broadcasters it owns, WLBT-TV in Jackson. The station is an NBC affiliate.

Gray Media Training Center is expected to host its first internship group when the fall semester begins in August. Gray anticipates spending more than $1 million to create the center.

Students will learn best practices for broadcast and digital journalism and will receive training in production, sales, operations, IT, engineering, coding and marketing, the station reported. Training Center fellows will create a weekly public affairs show that will be produced, directed, hosted, shot and edited by students.

“We want to teach and train the students of today in a real-world environment, so they can become the future leaders of our industry for decades to come,” said Hilton H. Howell, Gray Media executive chairman and CEO.

Gray selected WLBT to house and run the center in recognition of changes that have occurred at the station. More than 50 years ago, the FCC revoked the station’s broadcast license because the station had failed to serve the public interest of the Black community in the Jackson area. The agency gave control of the station to a biracial nonprofit group for several years.

“For the past several decades, WLBT has been a local institution that affirmatively serves the entire local community," WLBT Vice President and General Manager Ted Fortenberry said. "Starting this year, the WLBT team and resources will be directly involved in expanding opportunities in media for Mississippi students and especially for students of the state’s HBCUs through cutting-edge, immersive training programs right here in Jackson.”

Jackson State University recently hosted an official grand opening for its new Women’s Business Center located in the College of Business Rotunda.

The center provides business services to women seeking federal contract dollars as women-owned small businesses and economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses. Additionally, women can take part in one-on-one counseling, low-cost training, networking, free workshops, technical assistance and mentoring services. Information is also available on business startups, financial reporting and procurement.

Qualifying participants must be a United States citizen and a woman business owner who controls at least 51% of a small business that is in the legal form of an individual proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, S Corporation or C Corporation.

Businesses must operate primarily within the U.S. or make a significant contribution to the U.S. economy through payment of taxes or use of American products, materials or labor. Nonprofits are not eligible for the program, nor are Debarred or suspended firms or firms owned by debarred or suspended individuals.

The WBC @JSU is located inside suite 332 on the third floor of the College of Business. For more information, call 601-979-4186 or email sydney.brown@jsums.edu.

JSU Joining FedEx-HBCU Student Ambassador Program

Jackson State University is one of several historically Black colleges and universities partnering with FedEx to launch the FedEx-HBCU Student Ambassador Program. The program, which will introduce a new cohort each year, will officially begin in March 2022 with the first cohort of students participating in virtual and hybrid meetings.

Students in the program will participate in seminars designed to provide empowerment, engagement, and education, a release from JSU says. The first cohort of student participants will also help set the direction for upcoming FedEx Ambassador programs, such as career pathways initiatives, HBCU leadership institutes, and student forums and think tanks.

Jay’La Manor, a junior business major from Las Vegas, Nv., and Ezra Snell II, a sophomore sociology major from Clinton, Miss., will represent JSU in the inaugural cohort.

Other participating HBCUs include Tennessee State University, LeMoyne-Owen College, Mississippi Valley State University, Lane College, Paul Quinn College, Miles College and Fayetteville State University.

For more information, visit fedexcares.com.

MSU Offering Federal American Rescue Plan Act Funding

Mississippi State University aims to assist students with expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic during the upcoming spring semester via the Federal American Rescue Plan Act. The U.S. Department of Education uses the program to disburse funding to help students experiencing financial need or emergency costs including tuition, food, housing, healthcare and childcare.

Students who applied for ARP funding during the fall 2021 term do not need to reapply again for this spring semester and will automatically be considered, a release from MSU says. For students who did not apply during the fall, the online application deadline is Feb. 22, at which point MSU officials will review eligibility and begin working to distribute awards.

To comply with guidelines from the U.S. Department of Education and the ARP legislation, students must certify on their application that they have experienced financial need or have emergency costs due to the pandemic. Only students enrolled for the current spring semester are eligible to receive monetary awards, with amounts varying by student. Receipt of the funds will be through direct deposit or paper check, or students can choose to apply them to their MSU accounts to cover any outstanding balances.

For more information on ARP fund eligibility and applications, email financialaid@msstate.edu or call 662-325-2450.