| Tuesday, August 4, 2026 |
| McIntosh named MSU Foundation executive director of development | |
 | Sources from an MSU press release say that Alexander W. "Alex" McIntosh has been named executive director of development for the MSU Foundation. He succeeds Jack McCarty, who retired in December 2025 after 15 years in the role. The MSU Foundation's fundraising efforts secure private support for Mississippi State's mission of learning, service and research. That support makes key advancements possible through facilities and programs that could not otherwise exist. Growing the impact of what is and anticipating what can be positions MSU to thrive in a world it will help define, according to John Rush, president and CEO of the MSU Foundation and vice president for the Division of Development and Alumni. He said McIntosh will lead the team of development professionals who work with committed alumni and friends whose support makes that happen. "Alex brings a clear vision of what our university can be, and his experience demonstrates a proven ability to take us there," Rush said. "He brings an exceptional ability to identify where opportunities will arise, and his experience as a proven leader and member of our team makes him a natural fit." |
| Education: MSU student team drives out competition in robotics design contest | |
 | Mississippi State University students won first place in the Advanced Division of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers' annual Robotics Student Design Competition, recently held during the organization's annual international meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana. MSU's Maroon Robotics Team won the overall challenge and its minor tasks, and earned accolades for best design. Team members include senior biosystems engineering major Lorien Harvey of Raymond; senior biomedical engineering major Kori Edwards of Florence; Bishal Adhikari, a graduate student from Nepal studying biosystems engineering; and Moeen Ul Islam, a graduate student from Bangladesh studying engineering technology in agricultural science. "Robotics competitions give students valuable experience developing real-world skills in electronics, programming, AI, problem-solving and system integration -- skills that complement classroom learning," said Dong Chen, the MSU agricultural and biological engineering assistant professor who established the team in 2025. "I began competing in robotics as a student 10 years ago, and seeing these students overcome challenges, work as a team and achieve success is one of the most fulfilling aspects of my role." |
| Disc golf hall of famer visits MSU Athlete Engineering for advanced insights on biomechanics, performance | |
| According to an MSU press release, a world-renowned disc golf champion and influential teacher recently visited Mississippi State's Athlete Engineering Institute to better understand how the mechanics of throwing impact performance and injury prevention in one of the world's fastest-growing sports. Scott Stokely, a 17-time world and national disc golf champion and Disc Golf Hall of Fame member, spent multiple days in Starkville working with AEI Research Engineer David Saucier, using the lab's advanced markerless motion capture technology to study biomechanics of the disc golf throw. Stokely, who now travels internationally teaching disc golf technique, said the opportunity to pair decades of experience with objective data was a natural next step for the sport. At AEI, researchers used high-speed, markerless motion capture to analyze Stokely's throwing mechanics in detail. The system uses advanced computer vision and machine-learning algorithms to track full-body motion in real time. |
| A Maroon and White Welcome: MSU greets new, returning Bulldogs with student-focused events, supports | |
 | Mississippi State is welcoming new and returning Bulldogs to Starkville in the coming weeks with numerous student-focused events ahead of the upcoming academic year. Incoming freshmen and transfer students will acclimate to campus during August move-in days and community-building activities as the university provides support and resources, making the transition to their new home an easy one. "The start of the academic year is filled with excitement and nervousness, especially from our new students and their families. We are committed to making our campus feel welcoming from the moment our students begin to move into the residence halls and as they work to get settled and find their people through the first weeks of school," said Regina Hyatt, MSU vice president for student affairs. "We know how important it is to get students connected to campus resources and help them find their community to their success, and we'll do all we can to assist in making MSU their home away from home." |
| Mississippi State adds roundabout to campus | |
| When Mississippi State students return to campus later this month, they'll be welcomed with a new type of intersection. A new roundabout has opened at the Stone Boulevard and Bost Drive intersection, by the Barnes and Noble Bookstore. In the past, both the North and southbound lanes were misaligned, and that led to issues trying to make left turns. Along with these issues, there was also a safety concern for pedestrians who needed to cross the road. "It was difficult to enter traffic," said associate VP of administration Saunders Ramsey. "Difficult to go across traffic. Combine that with there was no real safe controlled pedestrian. It was a mess, so it really solved two problems, which were vehicular conflicts and pedestrian conflicts." Ramsey sees the new roundabout as a major improvement for the flow of traffic on campus. "I think the students are going to see a much safer crossing of a major thoroughfare," said Ramsey. "You're going to see a traffic improvement because of the lack of conflicts. So, both from a safety standpoint and a functional standpoint, you're going to see a much better traffic flow. Also, it's going to improve the appearance of the campus. We'll still install a flagpole, which will house multiple flags. It'll just be a very attractive entrance to campus." |
| 'Hamilton' sensation Leslie Odom Jr. to open MSU's Lyceum Series Sept. 11 | |
| Tony and Grammy Award-winning Broadway star Leslie Odom Jr. is sure to pack Mississippi State's Bettersworth Auditorium for the first performance of the university's 2026-27 Lyceum Series. Odom Jr., best known for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical "Hamilton," makes his MSU Starkville campus appearance Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in historic Lee Hall. Among the 2015 original cast members of "Hamilton," Odom Jr.'s Tony Award recognition followed in 2016 when his name was called for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He won the Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album as a principal soloist on the "Hamilton: Original Broadway Cast Recording." Tickets, which start at $65, go on sale Aug. 5 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased online at www.lyceum.msstate.edu or by calling the MSU Center for Student Activities at 662-325-2930. If available, tickets may be purchased the day of the performance at the door. Odom Jr. performed last December at MSU-Meridian's Riley Center to a sell-out crowd. |
| 'Hamilton' star Leslie Odom Jr. to open MSU's Lyceum Series | |
 | Tony and Grammy Award-winning Broadway star Leslie Odom Jr. will perform at Mississippi State University's (MSU) Bettersworth Auditorium for the first performance of the university's 2026-27 Lyceum Series. Odom Jr., best known for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical "Hamilton," will make his MSU Starkville campus appearance September 11, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in historic Lee Hall. Among the 2015 original cast members of "Hamilton," Odom Jr.'s Tony Award recognition followed in 2016 when his name was called for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He won the Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album as a principal soloist on the "Hamilton: Original Broadway Cast Recording." |
| 'Hamilton' star Leslie Odom Jr. to headline Lyceum Series | |
| Tony and Grammy-award winning Broadway actor Leslie Odom Jr. will kick off Mississippi State University's 79th Lyceum Series in September. His performance, which is the first to be announced for the upcoming season, will take place at MSU's Bettersworth Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11 in Lee Hall, a Monday MSU press release said. "We're really excited," said Braxton Stone, coordinator with MSU's Office of Student Activities and director for the Lyceum Series. "This show ... represents where the series is headed. It's been around for a really long time. It's got a rich history. We're going into our 79th season this year. But we're committed to bringing some exceptional performing arts experiences to not only just campus but the community as well, ... (including) not only Leslie Odom Jr. but more nationally recognized artists and performances that I think audiences around here would want to see." |
| Programs lend hand to catfish producers | |
| According to an MSU press release, Mississippi raises more than half of U.S. catfish, but overseas competition, rising input costs and bird depredation are among operational and financial challenges producers face just to stay in business. Two federal assistance programs approved in July aim to extend some relief. Two weeks before the U.S. Department of Agriculture officially set aside $20 million to buy U.S. farm-raised catfish under its Section 32 program on July 23, it updated its Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program. Known as ELAP, this program will pay $600 per acre per year to eligible farm-raised catfish producers who suffered inventory loss due to bird depredation. Jimmy Avery, catfish specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the purchases will enhance supply chain mobility by reducing surplus inventory and supporting struggling producers who are warehousing fish in their ponds to wait for better prices. "Roughly 94% of catfish are sold to processors, so farmers in all states have to work closely with their processors to get their fish in the plant," Avery said. "If processors can't sell their products due to cheaper foreign imports or other marketing constraints, products accumulate in freezers, delaying the need for more fish to be processed." |
| $200M industrial project eyeing Oktibbeha County | |
| A more than $200 million industrial development that would create at least 100 jobs is eyeing Oktibbeha County, Golden Triangle LINK CEO Meryl Fisackerly told The Dispatch. Oktibbeha County supervisors on Monday approved offering a fee-in-lieu tax incentive to the as-yet unnamed development, codenamed Project Jacket, chooses to locate in the county. The LINK will ask Starkville's board of aldermen to also pre-approve a fee-in-lieu agreement during its meeting this evening. "We've been working with this company now for almost a year, so we're just really excited to see this one come to fruition," Fisackerly said. "... I think this is going to be a really great win for Starkville and Oktibbeha County. ... It's a good time for them to get a fee-in-lieu project under their belt." Fisackerly would not share the type of industry the project would bring, deferring instead to an announcement from Gov. Tate Reeves if the deal is struck. Until then, the project details will remain confidential. |
| Education: SOCSD resumes two morning carpool shuttle options | |
| In an effort to ease traffic flow during Starkville road construction, Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District is providing two optional morning carpool shuttles. An SOCSD shuttle will run from Bridgeway Church, located at 405 N. Jackson St., to Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary. A second SOCSD shuttle will run from Yellow Jacket Stadium on the Starkville High School campus to Sudduth Elementary and Henderson Ward Stewart. Please see important information below and instructions for drop-off at each location. The district asks that parents please use caution and drive slowly at each shuttle location. Parents should enter the Bridgeway parking lot from Jackson Street to the north of the main sanctuary. Buses will be parked in the gray gravel lot behind the church. Cars may pull forward through the parking lot onto the gravel and to the right side of the bus. Parents should enter the Starkville High School campus from Lynn Lane only onto Victory Lane/Eckford Drive located between the MSU Extension office and New Horizons Church. Buses will be parked in parking spaces on the west side of Victory Lane across from the stadium visitors stands. Cars may pull forward on Victory Lane and should not turn into the parking lot. |
| Chef Ty Thames to bring a taste of Starkville to Catfish Row Museum | |
| Of all the culinary regions of Mississippi, the largely rural northeastern quadrant may be the most overlooked. But as chef Ty Thames attests, its numerous local farms keep a bounty of fresh ingredients close at hand for preparing unique dishes at his eateries. "I like showcasing local cuisine, especially when it's done in a creative way," the Clinton native who owns Restaurant Tyler, Bin 612 and the Guestroom in Starkville said. Since moving to town in 2005, Thames has sourced meats, cheeses and produce from farms along the surrounding prairie known as the Black Belt, an agriculturally fertile crescent that arcs through central Alabama and parallels the Tombigbee River through the region. On Saturday, Aug. 2 at 2 p.m., Thames will close out the 2026 Summer Chef Series at Catfish Row Museum with a demonstration and tasting featuring some of his favorite regional delights, including ingredients like sweet potatoes and a hot sauce he developed and now sells directly to consumers. Guests at the event will see Thames prepare toasted sweet potato cornbread using tubers from Vardaman, a local Starkville butter spread, and a sprinkle of Maldon Sea Salt from England, the only imported ingredient on the menu. For a topping, he will make a pimento cheese spread with locally made Edam cheese and his Mississippi Red Hot Honey Candied Bacon, a Restaurant Tyler dish made with slow-roasted, thick-cut bacon and hot honey he makes himself. |
| The AI Boom Is Transforming the American Economy Beyond Recognition | |
 | The U.S. economy keeps putting more eggs in the artificial-intelligence basket. Tech companies are spending hundreds of billions of dollars to meet AI computing needs and issuing billions of dollars of debt to help make those purchases. The rapid data-center build-out is powering construction spending, hiring and municipal revenues. Meanwhile, a stock-market rally fueled by the rise in shares of chip makers and other companies benefiting from the AI boom has led to a massive increase in household wealth. That is helping to bolster consumer spending. Combined, those factors are likely responsible for roughly one-third of the nation's recent economic growth, according to Michael Pearce, an economist at Oxford Economics. But the strength that the economy is drawing from the AI boom is also a vulnerability: What would happen if the boom fizzled out? |
| EXCLUSIVE: Lynn Fitch announces run for Governor, visits with Magnolia Tribune to kick off campaign | |
| According to Pew Research, 18 states have never elected a female as governor, with Mississippi among the lot. As of Tuesday, Lynn Fitch is looking to change that. "I still have something to give back to Mississippi," Fitch told Magnolia Tribune ahead of her gubernatorial bid announcement. "It would certainly be an incredible honor." Neighboring states have bucked the norm. Arkansas elected its first female governor in 2022. Tennessee could elect its first woman as governor this year. Alabama's governor, the second woman to hold the office in state history, is currently the longest serving female chief executive in U.S. history. "I'm just really excited because I feel like Mississippi is on the verge of moving from the nation's best kept secret to the nation's leader in conservative governance," the two-term Republican Attorney General said. "We need a governor who's ready to act with maturity and seriousness to make that happen, and we've seen that in some of our states. So I think it's an opportunity and I'm very excited to be able to announce my candidacy for governor." |
| Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch announces run for governor | |
 | Attorney General Lynn Fitch is running for governor, she announced on Aug. 4. A successful campaign would make her Mississippi's first female governor. Fitch made her announcement almost exactly a year before the primary election, which will take place in August 2027. She joins two other Republicans vying to lead the state from its highest office: Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson and former Speaker of the House Philip Gunn. In an email announcing her campaign, Fitch branded herself as "a Trump conservative with Mississippi values." Fitch has long broadcast her support for Donald Trump and his administration, joining a 2020 lawsuit attempting to overturn the results of the election that put Joe Biden in office. Perhaps her most notable achievement in her tenure as attorney general was leading the legal team that overturned Roe v. Wade and set the stage for sweeping abortion bans across the country. She has also been involved with litigating the welfare fraud scandal. Fitch has clashed several times with State Auditor and rumored gubernatorial hopeful Shad White over the course of the scandal. |
| Legislature to Host Redistricting Hearings Across the State | |
| Members of the Mississippi Legislature's joint redistricting committee will hold hearings across the state over the next two months to hear from voters about how lawmakers should draw the state's legislative, congressional and Supreme Court district maps. Each of the eight hearings will be held at 6 p.m. on their respective days and are scheduled through August and into September. The Mississippi Legislature's YouTube channel will broadcast all the hearings live. Legislators will visit Itawamba Community College in Tupelo on Aug. 18; Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia on Aug. 27; Delta State University in Cleveland on Sept. 1; Alcorn State University in Natchez on Sept. 8; an undetermined location in Meridian on Sept. 10; the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg on Sept. 17; Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Gulfport on Sept. 22; and the Mississippi Capitol Building in Jackson on Sept. 24. |
| Mississippi lawmakers launch redistricting process after Supreme Court ruling | |
| Lawmakers on Monday took the first steps toward potentially redrawing Mississippi's legislative, congressional and judicial districts in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Louisiana v. Callais decision that weakened minority voting protections. The Joint Redistricting and Reapportionment Committee, comprised of House members and senators, met at the state Capitol for the first time since the Supreme Court ruling. The state legislative committee will solicit input from voters in eight different areas of the state over the next two months on how the districts should be redrawn in light of the Callais decision. The committee also voted to hire attorneys from Butler Snow to serve as general counsel. Though the committee has scheduled eight hearings, some voting rights activists worry the hearings are merely a facade, and lawmakers have already made up their mind to dismantle majority Black districts. |
| Where can you learn about redistricting maps in Mississippi? | |
| Mississippi legislators officially kicked off the redistricting process with a Monday, Aug. 3, meeting in Jackson. Most of the 20 lawmakers charged with redrawing the state's voting district maps convened on Aug. 3 for the first meeting of the joint redistricting committee, which contains 16 Republicans and four Democrats. The group elected a chair, vice chair and secretary, and it approved the fall hearing schedule. Lawmakers will hold eight public hearings across the state in August and September before they begin working on the redrawn maps. Redistricting is typically a lengthy process, and legislators have indicated that this iteration will be the same way. "It's basically a clean slate, from what I understand," said Sen. Jeremy England, R-Vancleave, who has been one of the most outspoken legislators regarding redistricting. "There's probably easy ways to do this, and then there's the other way when you have a blank slate, which is to start from ground zero." England confirmed that the group's priorities are the state legislative and Supreme Court district maps ahead of the 2027 general elections. The committee may look at congressional districts, England said, but he added that he doesn't "think there's any hurry" because successful candidates in the upcoming midterm elections will secure their seats for two more years. |
| Commissioner Tindell Announces Directors for Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Division, Office of Homeland Security | |
| Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell announced James Herzog as a Deputy Commissioner and Director of the Mississippi State Bureau of Investigation, Joshua Bromen as a Deputy Commissioner and Director of the Mississippi Law Enforcement Division, and Jim Brinson as the Director of the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security. Director Herzog has served as the Lieutenant Colonel of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation since 2024 and brings more than 30 years of law enforcement experience with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Bromen brings extensive experience in law enforcement leadership, training, and public safety, previously serving as Director of the Office of Public Safety and Planning. Brinson has served as Interim Director and previously as Deputy Director of the office, bringing years of experience in homeland security, emergency preparedness, and public safety. |
| House Ag chair 'pleased' with Senate farm bill | |
 | House Agriculture Chair G.T. Thompson said Monday he is "pleased" with the Senate's updated farm bill plans released Friday night, while also outlining areas lawmakers still need to find compromise. "I think Senator [John] Boozman did a really good job with it," Thompson told reporters, noting he was supportive of ethanol fuel language included. The Pennsylvania Republican's comments come as the two chambers are racing to finish their competing farm bills this fall amid a host of other legislative issues and little time left in session before the midterms. The Senate Agriculture Committee is set to mark up their version Thursday. Thompson said there are some provisions he would want to work out with Boozman (R-Ark.), who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee. He said that the conference process will give him an opportunity to add back in controversial measures related to pesticide and animal welfare laws that aren't included in the Senate's plans. It will also give lawmakers a chance to work through a major sticking point: the timing to implement new cost-share requirements with states for nutrition aid. The formal deadline to clinch a new farm bill deal or extend the current version is Sept. 30, though critical programs don't expire until the end of the calendar year. Given the time crunch, Thompson told POLITICO in a brief interview Monday he will begin pre-conferencing the bills over the August recess. |
| Bipartisan stopgap spending bill inches forward in Senate | |
 | The Senate took a baby step Monday toward passing a funding extension that would head off a partial government shutdown this fall. On a lopsided vote of 89-4, the Senate agreed to limit debate on taking up a legislative vehicle for a bipartisan stopgap measure unveiled over the weekend to extend current funding through Dec. 11. With leaders of both parties on board, the Senate is hoping to pass the bill quickly before departing for its August recess. "I look forward to passing this bill in the next few days," said Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said the bill provides a "responsible pathway" that "allows us to continue negotiating a budget that won't leave working families behind." Both chambers are getting an unusually early start for a funding patch that won't be needed until the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1. The House passed a more bare-bones version on July 21 before leaving town for its own recess. Thune told reporters Monday that the early jump-start would help provide more certainty on funding after a series of funding lapses seen in the past year. |
| States Warn Supreme Court That Trump's Mail-In Voting Order Would Create Chaos | |
| A group of states told the Supreme Court on Monday there would be "extraordinary consequences" if the Trump administration is allowed to move forward with an overhaul of mail-in voting rules so close to the midterm election. The filing responded to a Trump administration request that the justices allow federal agencies to implement two parts of an executive order that directed the U.S. Postal Service to create mail ballot rules and the Department of Homeland Security to compile a national database of eligible voters. A lower court order has blocked those parts of the order in nearly half of all states and the District of Columbia. Those states told the Supreme Court there would be a limited window to correct errors, which could disenfranchise the voters that rely on mail-in voting, such as older Americans and people with disabilities. Other voters would be confused about getting their ballots or whether the USPS would deliver them. Attorneys for the administration have argued that an injunction against the policies is "premature" because the agencies have not yet implemented the executive order. The states argued that it would "not be sensible" to force states to wait to sue to stop the policies they call "plainly unlawful." |
| Mississippi foster youth lose college scholarship funding weeks before fall semester | |
 | About 170 Mississippi foster youth received an email from the state less than two weeks before the fall semester informing them the FAITH Scholarship would not be awarded -- the money had run out. For one incoming Ole Miss freshman from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the news threatened to end her college plans before they began. Demauri, an incoming college freshman, had been accepted to Ole Miss, selected items for her dorm room and prepared to pursue a degree in pharmacy when the email arrived from the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid. "After I saw that email, it was kind of like, is school going to even be a thing now?" she said. Her foster father, Donnie Cunningham, said the message offered little explanation. "And there was no more explanation. But it did say you're more than welcome to apply for the 27-28 year. Well, that's a year away," Cunningham said. Demauri said the news was devastating. |
| Court drops animal abuse charges against former Ole Miss Vice Chancellor Fant Pegues | |
| A former University of Mississippi vice chancellor for student affairs no longer faces animal abuse charges stemming from the discovery of malnourished dogs and remains on property she and her husband own. Lafayette County Circuit Judge Gray Tollison dismissed 10 felony charges and 10 misdemeanor counts against Charlotte Fant Pegues because her husband and co-defendant, Terry Pegues, "testified at trial he was the sole provider for the dogs at issue," according to a Wednesday order. In August 2024, Lafayette County sheriff's deputies went to the couple's rural property south of Oxford and found several bulldog puppies caged "in a cruel matter," a burned dog, a dog skeleton and a German Shepard mix dead in a kennel, according to the indictment for Fant Pegues and Pegues. Graham Carner, Fant Pegues' attorney, said she plans to move forward after maintaining her innocence for the past two years. |
| DuBard School for Language Disorders ready for new school year | |
 | Since 1962, The DuBard School for Language Disorders has helped young students with severe language, speech, and hearing disabilities prepare for traditional public school settings. It is located on the University of Southern Mississippi's Hattiesburg campus. On Monday, 25 new students and their families met their teachers and got comfortable in the classroom ahead of the first day of school on Tuesday. "Every time we do something new, there's a little bit of anxiety that goes along with it, and that goes for our little ones too," Director Dr. Alison Webster said. "We have children who have left us at eight or nine years old, gone on, got their high school diploma, and then come back as USM students," she said. "So it's really exciting to see them soar, not only here, but in their academics. " Starting next school year, the DuBard School for Language Disorders will have a second school on the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast campus. |
| MVSU Marketing Team Honored | |
| The Office of Communications and Marketing at Mississippi Valley State University earned 47 awards across 18 categories during the recent 2026 College Public Relations Association of Mississippi (CPRAM) Awards Ceremony held during organization's annual conference hosted by Northwest Mississippi Community College. In addition to the team's award success, Donnell Maxie, Director of Communications and Marketing at MVSU, was re-elected to the CPRAM Board of Directors, further highlighting the university's continued leadership and involvement in the organization. The MVSU Communications and Marketing team includes Maxie, Director of Communications and Marketing; John McCall, Senior Graphic Designer; Latunya Evans, Communications Specialist; Justice Williams, Associate Graphic Designer; and Karrington Stockstill, Social Media Manager/Project Coordinator. Dr. Ernie Troy Hughes, Vice President for University Advancement and External Relations, praised the team's accomplishments and commitment to advancing the university's brand and storytelling efforts. |
| NEMCC receives $50,000 TVA grant for campus network upgrades | |
 | Northeast Mississippi Community College (NEMCC) has received a $50,000 Connect-ED grant from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to upgrade its campus network infrastructure. The funding will replace network switches across the college's campus, which school officials say will create faster and more reliable digital connectivity for classrooms and workforce education programs. "We have some needs within our IT department and with our Wi-Fi infrastructure across campus, so this is going to help us maintain the educational excellence we have as far as use of technology across campus and the STEM program we have," NEMCC President Ricky Ford explained. |
| Mississippi foster care system fails to meet dozens of safety requirements, new report says | |
| Mississippi's foster care system continues to endanger children under its care at higher rates than a federal court order permits, according to a new report for a federal lawsuit the state seeks to dismiss. The Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services met 22 of 107 applicable safety measures related to the agency's care of foster children throughout most of 2025, a court monitor found. The measures are agreed upon by the department and plaintiff lawyers in the Olivia Y. v. Barbour federal lawsuit, a decades-old case that alleged Mississippi frequently endangers those in the state's child welfare system. The report, published on July 29, says that children in the state's care experienced abuse or neglect at more than twice an acceptable rate, were frequently placed in unlicensed facilities or with relatives before the department finished background checks and often went without required visits from caseworkers. The department also undercounted how many foster children experienced abuse and didn't provide enough information for the monitor to determine whether some requirements were being met, according to the report. The monitor did find that caseworkers more frequently had appropriate caseloads and foster children were less often placed in overcrowded homes compared to previous years. |
| U. of Alabama schools remove LGBTQ+ language from non-discrimination policies | |
| Schools in the University of Alabama System have removed LGBTQ+ inclusive language in their non-discrimination policies. The University of Alabama, the University of Alabama Birmingham and the University of Alabama Huntsville's revisions to the policy include removing language including sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. According to UA's equal opportunity policy website, the change was made in late November. The news was first reported by The Crimson White, the University of Alabama's undergraduate newspaper. Alex House, associate director of communications for the University of Alabama, said in an email Monday the policy will be applied the same way. "Discrimination on the basis of 'sex' includes discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender status. Accordingly, the policy's use of the term 'sex' encompasses those protections," the statement said. "The University will continue to apply its policies consistent with applicable law and remains committed to providing a welcoming environment free from discrimination and harassment for everyone." |
| 'Where's the beef?': Agricultural programs strengthen U. of Tennessee's farm-to-table pipeline | |
| The smell of sizzling burgers wafts throughout the halls while students eagerly wait at nearby tables. As an emerging desire for transparency in the American food system grows, many prioritize knowing the origins of their food. The university's hands-on agricultural programs are showcasing the connection between the farm and the table. The University of Tennessee has deep agricultural roots that stretch back over 160 years to its founding as a land-grant institution. Now, those historic roots are serving students in a new way. Long before Neyland Stadium or the Hill, UT began with the simple mission of service and education to Tennesseans through agriculture and innovation. First opened in spring of 2025 on West campus, Orange Acres has become a popular burger spot among students. For sophomore business student Jackson Earls, visiting the restaurant has become a campus ritual. "I enjoy going to Orange Acres before my class on (agriculture) campus," Earls said. "I kind of fell in love with it." While the crispy fries and specialty burgers garner much attention, the agricultural connection hits closer to home than most realize. The beef in each burger is sourced from UT farms. |
| Two Georgia universities scratch extra essay from admissions process | |
| High school seniors applying this year to two of Georgia's most selective colleges may have it a little easier than their older brothers and sisters after the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech have both announced they will no longer require supplemental essays for applicants. "The ultimate goal is really to simplify the application for students, to take one layer out of the process," said Mary Tipton Woolley, the executive director of Georgia Tech's Office of Undergraduate Admission. "We know the application process takes time. It takes a lot of thought from students. It requires students to be thoughtful and introspective, and if we determine that something that is part of the application is no longer useful, then we want to remove that to make it more simple for students." Prospective students will still need to turn in a personal essay as part of the Common App, which is an online platform students use to apply for multiple colleges. That essay will be read by each school they apply for, but the change means students will no longer have to write separate essays assigned by the schools. For Tech, the essay was typically about why the student wanted to study there or why they wanted to pursue their particular major, and UGA previously asked students to write about a book that had a strong impact on them. |
| UGA Press announces endowment for undergraduate internship | |
| The University of Georgia Press announced a new endowment to support its book publishing undergraduate internship program last Wednesday. The Candler Family Experiential Learning Scholarship Fund will provide funding for the university press's paid experiential learning program. Peter Candler Sr. and Shannon Ilges Candler are founding members of the Press's Advisory Council. Their son, Pete Candler, is a current member of the council and spoke about the scholarship fund on behalf of his family. "It is truly an honor to be able to support the Press in this way. We are so grateful for all of you and the heroic work you do," Pete Candler said. The $100,000 gift from the Ilges Foundation was matched by $50,000 from the UGA Foundation as part of a university-wide scholarship campaign. "This generous gift ensures that the University of Georgia Press can continue to offer paid, substantive internships to undergraduates interested in the publishing profession," UGA Press Director Lisa Bayer said. |
| 'What Are We Even Doing Here?': New Lawsuit Challenges Ban on Race and Gender Topics at Texas A&M | |
 | A new federal lawsuit claims that the Texas A&M University system is casting "a pall of orthodoxy" over its classrooms by canceling several courses and forcing faculty members to excise "disfavored" topics from their syllabi. The complaint, filed Monday night in a Houston district court, challenges a system policy that prohibits advocacy of "race ideology," "gender ideology," and other topics in core courses. In practice, that rule has acted as a "prophylactic ban on politically disfavored speech related to race, gender, and sexual orientation," violating professors' First Amendment and due-process rights, according to the lawsuit. The American Association of University Professors is joined in the Texas A&M lawsuit by four faculty plaintiffs, each of whom says the policy prompted their course to be canceled or not offered. (The Chronicle has reported on three of their cases, which took place at the system's flagship College Station campus; the fourth, the lawsuit says, occurred at Tarleton State University.) |
| This High-Powered Real-Estate Fund Is Run by College Students | |
| On a recent summer Sunday afternoon, Brooks Hiller was hunkered over his laptop at his apartment in Chicago, dialing in to hour three of a marathon series of conference calls on real-estate deals. The 21-year-old isn't a professional, and he doesn't make a dime from this work. He is a rising senior at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, where he leads a team of 20 undergraduates who manage about $12 million in equity. Those students operate their own real-estate investment business, called Sample Gates Management, named for the Gothic-style limestone arches that are the gateway to the Bloomington campus. Unlike the many student investment clubs that deploy university money or rely on donations, the Indiana group raises funds from third parties and invests in properties across the country, such as apartment developments and industrial parks. As a high schooler, Hiller was so enamored with the program -- by most accounts, the undergraduate-run real-estate investment group that manages the most capital -- that he chose to attend Indiana with hopes of being a part of it. |
| Purdue's Mitch Daniels on Trump Pressure: 'We Need to Be Careful' | |
| Mitchell E. Daniels Jr. has been a consistent proponent of the view that colleges have alienated the public with a left-leaning political monoculture and a high price tag -- ideas that the Trump administration has used to enact sweeping new regulations and targeted investigations. Daniels agrees with some of the higher-education reforms outlined in a proposed "compact" the government sent to a handful of institutions last year. Many of those ideas, including that institutions commit to transparent admissions criteria and contain tuition costs, reappeared Monday in a new letter drafted with the help of several college leaders. But Daniels, who spoke with The Chronicle early Monday before seeing the letter, remains adamant that the government shouldn't condition universities' research funding on adopting reforms. (The White House told The Chronicle that no funding is tied to its new "call to action," but the administration will work with universities willing to engage on changes it deems necessary to the federal research apparatus.) Less than four years after retiring, Daniels has returned, temporarily at least, to his role as president of Purdue University. Daniels said he couldn't say no to a Board of Trustees request that he serve as interim leader after his successor, Mung Chiang, was recruited away to Northwestern University. "I think it's fair to say there was not another obvious alternative for what I call 'the spare-tire role,'" Daniels said. |
| Tuskegee University Dress Code Sparks Debate | |
 | Tuskegee University recently ignited an online firestorm after the historically Black university in Alabama announced new dress code guidelines for students, banning bonnets, du-rags and slippers in classrooms and the cafeteria. Tuskegee leaders, and other advocates of the policy, say the new dress code prepares students for the professional world post-college. Critics argue the standards are overly restrictive and target clothing associated with Black hairstyles and culture. Some Black scholars say the news is going viral because it hit a raw nerve -- an ongoing conversation about respectability politics within Black communities, particularly at HBCUs, and a growing generational divide on the topic. As a part of Tuskegee's new policy, students are also expected to show up on campus with "a business suit and proper shoes for a business meeting" and avoid "revealing clothing" in classes, the dining hall and official university settings such as Convocation, according to a message from the university's president, Mark Brown. (The university has a community closet where students have access to donated business attire.) Professors have the right to enforce the dress code, as well as a new ban on cell phone use in class, the message notes. The battle lines in the debate over HBCU dress codes reflect class and generational divides over respectability politics said Saida Grundy, associate professor of sociology, African American and Black diaspora studies at Boston University and an alum of Spelman College, who published a book on the subject in 2022. |
| Exclusive: College students want ethical AI | |
| The share of business students regularly using AI has increased from 6.2% to 29% over the past three years, according to research from American University's Kogod School of Business, shared first with Axios. The chorus of AI boos at college graduations last spring doesn't tell the whole story: Students increasingly see AI as a critical job skill but want more guidance on using it responsibly. Those commencement jeers aimed at AI boosterism captured real anxiety about the future. But most students aren't fully avoiding the technology. Undergraduate and graduate business students want "more structured preparation to use AI effectively, ethically, and competitively in the workplace," per the study. "We haven't encountered a lot of resistance," Kogod interim dean Casey Evans tells Axios. "We're very intentional," she says, as opposed to forcing AI on students with no choice. "They are really using AI as one of many tools in their toolbox." Kogod's survey suggests AI has moved from a novelty to a routine part of student life, with more than 80% of college students using AI academically in the past six months. |
| Will Admissions Misinformation Ever Die? | |
| This summer, Cuca Acosta, who leads admissions at the University of California, Santa Barbara, wanted to dispel rumors and misconceptions about the admissions process directly to students. Though she's held other question-and-answer events over Zoom for college counselors and consultants, this was the first time she would target students themselves. Before the event, she saw other admissions professionals sharing the post online and encouraging students to take advantage of the opportunity to talk directly with an admissions director. In the end, just one student showed up. Maybe it was just too early in the admissions process for most rising seniors to be interested, Acosta said. But the low turnout points to one of the challenges of dispelling misconceptions about the college admissions process, she said: Students are often too embarrassed or intimidated to ask questions about the admissions process. Sometimes that's because they're afraid to look stupid or ask questions they think should be obvious; other times, it might be because they're worried they might find out something they thought was true isn't, such as that a particular course or extracurricular will give them a leg up. |
| The 'Fraud Squad' at Caltech Will Catch You if You Lie on Your Application | |
| At California Institute of Technology, a little-known band of admissions officials is scrutinizing the fonts on science-fair certificates, checking addresses on high-school transcripts and analyzing signatures on awards. Known as the "fraud squad," these investigators are in charge of vetting applications to the highly selective STEM-focused school, which admitted less than 4% of its 11,400 applicants for the incoming class. Caltech created the team two years ago partly in response to a rising number of anonymous accusations of dishonest submissions. The four-person team inspects every admitted student's application, taking nothing for granted. They scour the internet to confirm obscurities, contact competition officials and high-school counselors and use a video-interview program to suss out students' research claims. At elite colleges such as Caltech, admissions have become more competitive and applications are increasingly complex. Some request long lists of accolades -- research, competitions, awards and independent projects -- that colleges can find harder to verify than grades and test scores. At the same time, technology like artificial intelligence makes it easier to falsify submissions. And for young people, the stakes often feel higher than ever. |
| How predatory trade schools drained $300 million from the GI Bill and failed veterans | |
 | For-profit trade schools that educate military veterans under the GI Bill have bilked the federal government out of more than $300 million, often by charging eye-popping sums for basic classes that last only a few days or weeks, according to a Washington Post investigation. In New Hampshire, an "organic lawn care institute" taught veterans how to grow grass in a course that took, at most, five days. The school typically billed the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) $14,900 per student, more than triple what it charged civilians not covered by the GI Bill. The federal government paid the school more than $2 million before it came under investigation and closed, records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show. In Texas, a destitute high school dropout opened a "boot camp" that trained novices to become heating and air-conditioning technicians in just six weeks. Tuition and fees ran around $20,000. Within three years, the school had reaped $72 million from the GI Bill to enroll more than 3,500 veterans. The GI Bill ranks as one of the most popular benefit programs in U.S. history. Since its inception near the end of World War II, more than 25 million veterans have relied on it to pay for college, job training and other benefits. But lax government oversight has given rise to chicanery and fraud, allowing predatory for-profit trade schools to cheat thousands of veterans out of training intended to help them build new careers, The Post found. |
| For Higher Ed, Trump's Compact 2.0 Is Either an Olive Branch or a Gloved Fist | |
| Ten months after the Trump administration failed to win widespread buy-in for its "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education," it has posted a new, seemingly gentler version for colleges to endorse. In a public letter addressed to "university presidents and board members," Linda McMahon, the secretary of education, called on "every postsecondary institution" to publish the answers to a series of questions about some of the Trump administration's priorities for higher education. Questions include, "How will your institution ensure admissions decisions are based on merit, achievement, and your university's educational purpose?" and "How will your institution encourage intellectual pluralism in all its academic units?" The new letter is less prescriptive than the old compact. It asks colleges to answer questions, rather than stating the exact changes it wants to see. (The compact had mandated policies including using standardized tests in admissions, and changing or eliminating academic units that "belittle" "conservative ideas.") The new letter also contains no explicit mention of access to federal funding, whereas the 2025 compact suggested any institution that didn't sign on risked its "federal benefits." "We aren't imposing a one-size-fits-all solution," said Jonathan Pidluzny, deputy chief of staff for strategy and implementation at the Department of Education. "We're asking institutions to take this opportunity to explain to taxpayers, to American families, how they can do better." |
| Trump Officials Try Again to Reform Colleges, With Higher Ed's Help | |
| In its latest effort to reform higher ed, the Trump administration called on colleges and universities Monday to publicly answer a set of questions that officials hope will provide more transparency to the American public about how institutions operate and their values. "This forthright conversation with the American people is long overdue," Education Secretary Linda McMahon wrote in the letter. "And it is the essential first step toward rebuilding trust in the sector." The Trump administration has made no secret of its desire to reshape higher education. Since his first day in office, the president has used funding threats and investigations to demand that universities overhaul admissions, disciplinary processes and academic programs. To enact some reforms, the administration has cut individual deals with institutions. Monday's letter appears to stem from the administration's effort last October to give universities preferential treatment for funding if they agreed to a number of policy changes. Several leading institutions declined to sign on to the proposal known as the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education. For its "national call to action," the department consulted with higher ed leaders, including from the Association of American Universities, and appears to be taking a softer approach. |
| Community colleges put education within reach | |
 | U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss, writes: A look around Mississippi proves that there are many pathways to achieving the American Dream. Some people devote years to college and even graduate school. They go on to serve their communities as doctors, lawyers, educators, or scientists. But a four-year college degree is just one path to success. Across the state, community colleges, apprenticeships, and other programs equip Mississippians for meaningful and lucrative careers without the need for a bachelor's degree. I recently met with leaders of Northeast Mississippi Community College, Copiah-Lincoln Community College, and East Central Community College. These are three of the 15 public community colleges in the state. Together, these institutions make education more accessible, and they prepare Mississippians of all ages for today's workforce. Their superpower is pairing classroom teaching with practical experience in the workplace. ... In Congress, I have tried to make workforce training programs even more accessible. Last year, I supported successful Republican efforts to expand Pell Grants so that these funds could be applied toward technical workforce training programs. |
SPORTS
| Arnett back in the saddle, ready to build State's defense | |
| Zach Arnett hasn't taken the podium at Mississippi State in a while. The last time he did was in November 2023, back when he was in Year 1 as the team's head coach. He was fired that month after going 4-6 leading up to that point, then bounced around for the next few years, taking assistant jobs at Ole Miss and Florida State. On Monday morning, Arnett was back at that same podium, this time as MSU's defensive coordinator, a position he held from 2020-2022 before being named the head coach. "I'm very thankful for the opportunity," Arnett said. "Coach (Jeff) Lebby, he's got a great staff here, he runs a great program. I'm excited for the opportunity to be a part of it. Obviously, we've got to do our job and get some results on defense." "If you don't play with effort, no matter what you're doing schematically on either side of the ball, it's not going to be the difference-maker," Arnett said. "Effort, physicality and execution. That's our job as coaches: to make sure we get that implemented by the time we get out of training camp and get into the season." |
| Arnett looking for physical mentality, depth in return to State DC role | |
| Zach Arnett received an unavoidable question when he took the podium at Monday's Mississippi State football media availability. "Is there any sort of awkwardness between you and coach Lebby?" From the outside looking in, a bit of tension could be assumed between the head coach and his new defensive coordinator. Arnett served as MSU's defensive coordinator from 2020-22, and was promoted to the head coaching role after the unexpected death of Mike Leach. He started his lone season at the helm 4-6, and was fired before the season ended. MSU hired Lebby, Arnett's now boss, to take his place. When Arnett was asked the question, he let out a chuckle and said that working with Lebby has been "great." "He's higher on the totem pole. If he wants something done a certain way, or he has a strong belief in something, that's the way we do it," Arnett said of his experience working with Lebby. "That's what every head coach expects of their assistants, and it's your job as an assistant to be a loyal assistant, do it the way the head coach wants it. So, yeah, no awkwardness there." Arnett said taking back his old role was an opportunity he jumped at. "I just have a fond place in my heart for this institution, and it's a great place to coach defense at," Arnett said. |
| Loadholt looking to add stability, continuity to offensive line | |
| Phil Loadholt is hoping to slam some revolving doors shut. With training camp just days away, Mississippi State's second-year offensive line coach is trying to kickstart some much-needed improvement up front. The Bulldogs allowed 45 sacks last season, which were the most in the SEC and the fourth-most in America. Loadholt's solution for that? More cooks in the kitchen. "I feel like we were able to build a lot of depth in the room and a lot of competition, which is what I'm looking for at all times," he said regarding the offseason. "So I think we've got a lot more depth in the room, more competition going into the fall, which is going to be great." State brings back just one starter -- senior center Canon Boone -- but also welcomes five transfers from five different schools such as Miles McVay from North Carolina. They'll join other returners such as Jakheem Shumpert-Perkins, T.J. Lockhart, Saquon Miles and Blake Steen, who suffered a season-ending injury in last year's season opener. |
| MSU Athletics announces Bully's Kids Club membership sale | |
| Mississippi State Athletics announced Monday that memberships for the 2026–27 Bully's Kids Club, presented by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, are now on sale. Memberships should be purchased by August 31 to secure the lowest available price and receive their membership package before Mississippi State's home football game against Missouri. Designed for Bulldog fans ages 12 and younger, the school said Bully's Kids Club brings young Mississippi State supporters closer to the action throughout the year with exclusive experiences, special opportunities and kid-friendly benefits. Memberships are available for $55 and include free admission to all regular-season Mississippi State women's basketball, softball and baseball home games, along with select non-conference men's basketball games. Each member will also receive an official Bully's Kids Club Member Pack featuring a Bully's Kids Club T-shirt, pillowcase, custom-shaped keychain, sticker sheet and additional items courtesy of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi. |
| Softball: Bulldogs Excel In Summer Softball Leagues | |
| Mississippi State's Leila Ammon, Gretta Grassel, Kalani Sells and Ally Supan put together impressive seasons with their summer teams over the past two months. Ammon, Supan and Sells earned league honors while all four played key roles in their teams' success. Playing in Chattanooga's Scenic City Collegiate League, Supan was the model of consistency for the Smokies. Over the course of a 24-game stretch, the 2026 SCCL Player of the Year recorded a hit in 21 games and scored in all but one, totaling a league-leading 46 hits and 11 doubles. She tallied 14 multi-hit games and put together a 12-game hitting streak. Her .597 average and .652 on-base percentage both ranked second in the league. ... The Bulldogs will return to campus in two weeks with classes starting in Starkville on Aug. 19. |
| Four Bulldogs Named Cobalt Golf All-American Scholars | |
| Four Mississippi State men's golfers – Garrett Endicott, Ugo Malcor, Dain Richie and Drew Wilson – have been named Cobalt All-American Scholars by the GCAA. This is the second-consecutive season all four Bulldogs have been named All-American Scholars. They have also been selected to the SEC Academic Honor Roll every year they have worn the Maroon and White. Endicott, Malcor and Richie completed their Bulldog careers with a 2025-26 season that featured two team wins, an SEC Quarterfinal appearance and the program's best finish in the NCAA Championships. Endicott set the program career record in scoring average (71.30) while Richie (72.06) and Malcor (72.09) finished fourth and sixth in that category, respectively. Wilson will enter his final season at State in 2026-27, having made significant contributions in his first three seasons. |
| Julia Lopez Ramirez Selected For 2026 Solheim Cup | |
| Former Mississippi State golfer and current LPGA Tour member was selected to compete in the 2026 Solheim Cup for Team Europe, beginning on September 7 in Bernardus, Netherlands. Lopez Ramirez will be one of 12 golfers to compete for Team Europe in the event. Lopez Ramirez was selected by Team Europe captain Anna Nordqvist as one of four captain's picks. This will mark the fifth consecutive Solheim Cup that a Mississippi State Bulldog has been in the event, as Ally Ewing competed in the last four Solheim Cup events for Team USA. Since making her professional debut in 2025, Lopez Ramirez has made 40 starts on the LPGA Tour, making 27 cuts. She has finished inside the top 25 eight times in her career, including two top 10 placements. She earned a career-best T3 in the 2025 ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open at 14-under. Lopez Ramirez currently ranks second in the LPGA this season with an average drive distance of 288.5 yards per drive. |
| Thune doesn't guarantee NIL bill votes this week even with SEC, Big Ten backing | |
| Senate Commerce Committee aides said Monday the full chamber could begin voting on a sweeping college sports bill before starting a monthlong summer break, but Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., stopped short of penciling it onto his packed pre-recess calendar. Commerce Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and ranking Democrat Maria Cantwell of Washington, along with co-author Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., have been in talks with the leaders of the powerful Southeastern and Big Ten conferences since advancing a version of the measure on June 18. Those revenue-generating giants, known as college athletics' "Power Two" leagues, announced late Friday their member schools would support the bill. The conferences' about-face comes as Congress has few legislative days left. The House left in late July for its August recess. And Thune intends to use this week to move a bipartisan spending measure to fund the government until Dec. 11, a Russia sanctions bill, over 70 executive branch nominees and possibly a cryptocurrency bill. At the top of a call with reporters, Commerce Committee aides sounded bullish about at least procedural votes this week on the Protect College Sports Act. But later, they admitted it would rank behind Thune's previously stated priorities. Speaking to reporters about the same time Monday in the Capitol, Thune did not clear the Cruz-Cantwell-Schmitt bill for takeoff. |
| USC, Notre Dame rivalry series renewed with key detail Trojans would not compromise | |
 | One of college football's most hallowed rivalries will continue on, after all. After months of back-and-forth negotiations, USC and Notre Dame announced Monday that they've agreed to a four-year series beginning in 2030 when the Irish will open the season against the Trojans at the Coliseum. The following year, the teams will play in Week 1 at Notre Dame Stadium and the two games after that will be played somewhere between Week 1-3 of the 2032 and 2033 seasons. USC ended up getting exactly what it asked of Notre Dame more than a year ago, when the two sides first sat down to talk about renewing their rivalry series. USC's leadership sought to shift the game to the beginning of the season, first offering to play during Week 0 of the 2027 season. But Notre Dame rejected multiple scheduling offers. That changed in recent weeks, as Notre Dame opted to cancel a home-and-home series with Indiana in 2030 and 2031 to accommodate their longtime rival. USC held strong to its demand to play early in the season. Notre Dame, meanwhile, wanted a long-term agreement to keep the game during the same late-season slot in which the series has always been played. |
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