| Tuesday, February 24, 2026 |
| Survey: MSU degree propels Bulldog graduates to career success | |
 | Mississippi State graduates continue to find career success thanks to their Bulldog education, a recent survey shows. MSU's annual First Destination Survey shows 95% of responding 2024-25 graduates reported being employed full or part time, continuing their education, participating in service-oriented programs or serving in the U.S. armed forces. This figure holds level with the successful outcome rate reported by 2023-2024 graduates responding to last year's survey. "Students at Mississippi State University continue to find successful career opportunities upon graduation," said MSU Career Center Executive Director Bethany Mills. The First Destination Survey is administered by the MSU Career Center and follows the National Association of Colleges and Employers guidelines. According to NACE FDS reports, MSU's successful career outcomes rate exceeds the national average. Throughout the 2024-2025 academic year, students engaged with 703 employers throughout the Career Center's 71 career fairs, interviewing events and campus visits. "The Career Center is proud to be a part of our students' career success. Career advisors provide tailored career development advice, help connect students with industry-specific opportunities and meet with students for individualized support when they are unsure of their career path," Mills said. |
| MSU Alumnus Speaks with Starkville Rotarians about Travel Experience in Africa | |
 | A Mississippi State alumnus who travels the globe shared his experience with Rotarians. Steve Brandon has been to Africa 16 times on photo safaris to 12 different countries. Monday, he spoke to the Starkville Rotary Club about traveling the Great Wildebeest Migration of the Serengeti, which he has experienced four times. Brandon said this is an 1,800 mile round-trip, which makes it about 5 miles a day in eastern Africa, and the Great Migration occurs in the Serengeti National Park of Tanzania and the Maasai Mara National Park of Kenya. Brandon said the beauty he sees in Africa every year keeps him going back. He said he hopes Rotarians take away a motivation to explore here and other parts of the globe. "I really hope that they go themselves to experience the majesty of going and seeing this, but at least listening to me in these programs, come away with a sense of conservation and a sense of the beauty and majesty in our wilderness in both the United States and Africa, and all the other places around the world," said Brandon. |
| Mississippi Power, MSU partner on bald eagle banding research | |
 | Mississippi Power has partnered with Mississippi State University for nearly a decade to support bald eagle banding research along the Coast. For the past five years, a major focus of the partnership has been tracking flight patterns of bald eaglets after they leave their nests. Researchers outfit the birds with small GPS devices to conduct the tracking. This year, the team retrieved two eaglets from their nest and banded them. Officials said the effort allows researchers to better understand the life cycles of bald eagles and identify ways to support their habitat. Michael Harvey, Director of Environmental Affairs and Shared Services, said the collaboration extends beyond research. "Having students involved in this, our employees out here involved in this -- getting that message out is important," Harvey said. "It encourages more people to get involved in conservation and environmental stewardship. We want them to thrive here in South Mississippi. So understanding all of that and how that plays together is so important." |
| Indie rock band Flipturn to headline annual Old Main Music Festival at MSU in April | |
 | Mississippi State's Music Maker Productions today [Feb. 19] is announcing indie rock band Flipturn as the headliner for the university's annual Old Main Music Festival in April. Named for a competitive swimming move, the band of five hasn't "made it to the big leagues" with flashy marketing and branding. It's been the group's live shows that have brought music lovers back to see them night after night, and April 17 is the one to put on the calendar for their appearance in the MSU Amphitheater. Flipturn's biggest hit is 2018's "August" on their "Citrona" EP. It has solidified more than 84 million streams on Spotify to date followed by the songs "Sad Disco" and "Savannah." These have become staples at their concerts and at big name festivals such as Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and South by Southwest. As in years past, OMMF will feature an art market earlier in the day, a Kids Zone for families and food trucks. For more information on the free, public event, contact the university's Music Maker Productions at msummp@gmail.com or call MSU's Center for Student Activities at 662-325-2930. |
| 'Once upon a career' promotes big dreams at annual SOCSD Possibility Fest | |
 | Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District's Discovery Center hosted more than 35 families this month from across the community and their children for the annual Possibility Fest, a fun and engaging opportunity for preschoolers to experience hands-on activities and early career exploration. For this year's event, Discovery Center partnered with more than 30 area organizations to help attending families connect with resources, information and valuable community support. From veterinarian and construction worker to dentist and chef, future careers took center stage with young learners in attendance with activity stations bringing the 2026 theme of "Once Upon a Career" to life. Children learned about multiple jobs through books, hands-on activities, dress-up play, crafts and more. Possibility Fest was spearheaded by the Starkville-Oktibbeha Early Learning Collaborative, one of the grant-based programs housed at Discovery Center and the district's arm for management of the SOCSD prekindergarten program. Members of the Mississippi State University Football team also attended to interact with children and their families, and they participated in a photo booth with attendees. |
| Family of injured Starkville police officer releases statement after crash | |
| The Starkville police officer seriously injured while assisting with a funeral procession escort has been identified as Colby Huffman. Huffman, a motorcycle officer with the Starkville Police Department, was hit by a vehicle not involved in the procession Saturday just before 1:45 p.m. While Huffman was airlifted to a hospital in Jackson, the unidentified driver stayed on the scene and declined medical treatment. Huffman's family released a statement through the department on Monday evening, confirming he is still in critical condition and thanking the public for the "outpouring of support and prayers during this difficult time." "The encouragement from family, friends, the Starkville community, and the agencies within and outside of the state has been overwhelming," the statement said. "We are thankful for each prayer, call, text, and comment checking on us and the officer. Lastly, we are grateful for Starkville Police Department's constant support and guidance throughout the process." |
| Army initiative to speed water projects, cut paperwork | |
| Flood control, river navigation, and hydropower projects under the Army's Civil Works programs could move faster under a new Army initiative that aims to cut paperwork and speed up project approvals. Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle announced on Monday the "Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork" policy to reduce non-essential regulations, shorten permitting timelines, and prioritize funding for major water resource projects. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) district commanders will have more authority to advance projects efficiently, while emergency response operations are unaffected. Telle said the initiative will reduce bureaucratic delays and enable faster, clearer decisions for critical projects. Locally, the USACE Vicksburg District will use the initiative to accelerate work on the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project, which protects communities, supports navigation, and promotes environmental stewardship. The initiative will also enhance flood risk management efforts to better protect communities, agricultural lands, and economic development throughout the Mississippi Valley from the impacts of flooding, while maintaining rigorous engineering and levee safety standards. |
| Supreme Court tariff ruling puts Mississippi shrimpers' livelihoods at risk | |
| Mississippi shrimpers are worried about the future of their industry following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that invalidated President Donald Trump's tariffs in a 6-3 vote. The Trump administration is seeking alternatives to the ruling. Bosarge Boats COO Leann Bosarge said shrimp boats across the Coast have been stuck at the docks. She said an unfair trade system is to blame. "They're using slave labor and child labor, and they're putting chemicals in these shrimps that are banned here in the United States," Bosarge said. "That unsustainable, unethical fishery overseas is what's putting us out of business." Bosarge said the push from national leaders to find alternatives shows support for American fishermen. Local fishermen view the tariff as a way to level the playing field with overseas competitors. Bosarge said domestic shrimp would win out in a fair market. "We're perfectly fine with competition from overseas, as long as it's a fair fight," Bosarge said. "You give us a fair fight in this country as fishermen, and we'll win every day." |
| Mississippi Senate approves nearly $4.8 billion in higher education funding | |
 | One of the first appropriations votes in the Mississippi Senate on Thursday, Feb. 19, saw the passage of a nearly $4.8 billion higher education funding package, which would send hundreds of millions of dollars to universities, community colleges and training programs throughout the state. The funding total is larger than in past years, said Sen. Briggs Hopson, who chairs the appropriations committee, in part because it takes into account the $2,000 pay raise for university and community college professors that the Senate approved earlier this session. It also reflects growing higher education enrollment. All but one of Mississippi's public universities saw enrollment increases last school year, averaging around a 3% student population increase overall. More than half of the total funding package is earmarked for the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Most of the rest of the money, totaling approximately $1.6 billion, would be shared between the state's eight public universities. Legislators approved more than $105 million for agricultural programs administered by Alcorn State University and Mississippi State University, including the state's extension service and experiment stations. |
| Mississippi House wants to increase public school oversight | |
| A House bill aimed at increasing public school accountability in Mississippi awaits consideration in the Senate. House Bill 1234, authored by Republican Rep. Zachary Grady of D'Iberville, would require public schools to publish data in a dashboard on the Mississippi Department of Education's website. Some of the required data would include monthly revenue and sources, vendor contracts, truancy and absenteeism rates, number of long-term substitute teachers and student-to-teacher ratios. Schools already regularly provide much of this information to the state education agency. The bill to ramp up oversight of public schools comes as some lawmakers say they're unwilling to impose extra accountability measures for private schools, even if they were to receive state money through school choice programs. Proponents of the bill say that Mississippi public schools, in light of recent district takeovers and missing financial audits, need more oversight. But House Bill 1234 has drawn criticism from public school advocates, including Nancy Loome, leader of The Parents' Campaign. She said the bill is especially egregious given House leaders' stance opposing accountability measures for private schools and state leaders' scrutiny of school administrative costs. "This will be a big administrative cost," she said. |
| Remak to introduce local/private bill to allow radar on county roads | |
 | Nearly a dozen bills that would allow sheriff's departments to run radar on county roads in some form have died in the Mississippi Legislature, leaving some local lawmakers to question whether they will have support for it at the local level. Bills sponsored by Dist. 7 Rep. Kim Remak and 20th Dist. Rep. Rodney Hall that would allow the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office to run radar in school zones have either died in committee or been referred to the House Local and Private Legislation Committee. All other bills in both the House and Senate in favor of allowing limited use of radar in other parts of the state have also suffered similar fates. "All of those bills have just died on the calendar," Remak said. "I discussed this last year and whenever I have brought this up there just wasn't a whole lot of support from other counties for a general bill. I am hoping that maybe they will support a local and private bill." State law currently does not allow for sheriff's departments to run radar on county roads. Legislators have resisted bills for years over fears that sheriffs would misuse the law for speed traps to generate revenue, especially in the smaller more rural counties. |
| DiBiase trial resumes in federal court | |
| The federal trial of former pro wrestler Ted DiBiase, Jr. resumed on Monday after over a month delay which was caused by his defense attorney Scott Gilbert checking himself into the hospital. DiBiase's new lead attorney, Eric Herschmann, sought another delay this week and also suggested a mistrial, which U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves denied for a fourth time. As previously reported, DiBiase is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, six counts of wire fraud, two counts of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and four counts of money laundering. The charges stem from DiBiase's alleged role in the state's largest-ever public welfare embezzlement scheme using Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, funds totaling upwards of $77 million, a portion of which was illegally directed to DiBiase's charity organizations, prosecutors contend. He has previously pleaded not guilty and has been free on bond for nearly three years ahead of the federal trial. |
| Listening To America: Data center bringing economic boom to Madison County | |
| Data centers are popping up around the country at a rapid pace as the artificial intelligence arms race expands. The US is home to the most data centers in the world, and two are under construction in Madison County. Amazon Web Services is building a data center complex, which is backed by a $10 billion investment and dozens of local vendors. Five data centers are currently operational on the site. Seven more are under construction. Chad Wages, who owns a local engineering firm, said his company grew from four employees to 18 after AWS announced its plans for the area. "What we proposed and did for AWS is said, hey, while y'all were figuring out all these technical components, let us handle the earthwork," Wages said. Wages said he tries to make sure his employees understand what he called "the once in a lifetime opportunity." The job surge tied to construction is temporary. Once the building is complete, AWS is expected to have roughly 1,000 permanent jobs at the site. Broader concerns exist that supply in building the data center market could outpace demand, leaving communities without the sustained economic benefit they anticipated. When asked whether he worries the work could dry up, Wages acknowledged the concern. "It does, it does," he said. "You always have to be looking forward to the future." |
| Viral Doomsday Report Lays Bare Wall Street's Deep Anxiety About AI Future | |
 | It doesn't take much to cause tumultuous stock moves in a market top-heavy with tech shares and jumpy about the prospects for artificial intelligence. But nothing underlines the sensitivity of stocks right now quite like what happened on Monday, when one of the factors behind the Dow's 800-point drop was a 7,000-word hypothetical. A viral report by Citrini Research tapped into a new strain of fears about AI, painting a dark portrait of a future in which technological change inspires a race to the bottom in white-collar knowledge work. Concerns of hyperscalers overspending are out. Worries of software-industry disruption don't go far enough. The "global intelligence crisis" is about to hit. The new, broader question: What if AI is so bullish for the economy that it is actually bearish? "For the entirety of modern economic history, human intelligence has been the scarce input," Citrini wrote in a post it described as a scenario dated June 2028, not a prediction. "We are now experiencing the unwind of that premium." Many of Monday's moves roughly aligned with the situation outlined by Citrini, in which fast-advancing AI tools allow spending cuts across industries, sparking mass white-collar unemployment and in turn leading to financial contagion. |
| Lack of Trump endorsement rocks GOP Senate primary in Texas | |
 | It's rare for President Donald Trump to sit out a political horse race. But his lack of an endorsement so far in the bitter Republican Senate primary in Texas has created ripples from the Lone Star State all the way up to Washington. Polls have shown longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn trailing state Attorney General Ken Paxton in the March 3 primary, which also includes Houston-area Rep. Wesley Hunt. Despite pushes from Republican leadership and their fundraising arms to back Cornyn, Trump has resisted doing so with early voting already underway. Cornyn's opponents have welcomed the decision, but it's created frustration back in D.C. for the senator's supporters, who are now also staring down a May runoff election, with none of the candidates likely to get more than 50 percent of the vote next week. Senate GOP leadership and its campaign arms have long viewed Cornyn as the best candidate to win in a general election against either Rep. Jasmine Crockett or state Rep. James Talarico, who are locked in a fierce battle for the Democratic nomination. Republicans have already dumped tens of millions into keeping Cornyn afloat in the primary, and a feisty runoff would burn more cash that would be better spent outside Texas to help Republicans keep control of the Senate. Senate GOP leadership and the fundraising arms have made several requests to Trump for a Cornyn endorsement, according to several people familiar with the outreach. |
| Trump's State of the Union will seek to calm voters' economic concerns ahead of midterm elections | |
 | President Donald Trump will use Tuesday's State of the Union to champion his immigration crackdowns, his slashing of the federal government, his push to preserve widespread tariffs that the Supreme Court just struck down and his ability to direct quick-hit military actions around the world, including in Iran and Venezuela. The Republican hopes he can convince increasingly wary Americans that his policies have improved their lives while ensuring that the U.S. economy is stronger than many believe -- and that they should vote for more of the same in November. The balancing act of celebrating his whirlwind first year back in the White House while making a convincing case for his party in midterm races where he personally won't be on the ballot is a tall order for any president. But it could prove especially delicate for Trump, given how happy he is to veer off script and ignore carefully crafted messaging. Jeff Shesol, a former speechwriter for Democratic President Bill Clinton, said Trump has typically used State of the Union addresses to offer more conventional tones than his usual bombast --- but he's still apt to exaggerate repeatedly. "His job, for the sake of his party, is to show the silver lining," Shesol said. "But if he's going to insist that the silver lining is gold, no one's buying it. And it will be a very difficult position on the campaign trail for Republicans to defend." |
| Americans sour on Trump ahead of State of the Union, polls find | |
 | President Donald Trump is facing abysmal approval ratings as he prepares to address the nation on Tuesday, according to a series of new polling released this week. Only 39 percent of Americans approve of the way Trump is handling the job of president, according to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released on Sunday. The poll also found that 47 percent of Americans "strongly disapprove" of Trump. His disapproval is rising among independents, in particular. In a separate CNN survey released on Monday, only 26 percent of independents surveyed approve of his handling of the presidency -- a 15 point drop from a February 2025 poll. When it comes to some of the administration's key priorities, respondents also disapprove of Trump's approach. Fifty-eight percent of adults in the Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll said they disapprove of the way Trump is handling immigration -- once his signature issue -- while 57 percent said they disapprove of the way Trump is managing the economy. Sixty-five percent said they disapprove of the way he is handling inflation and 64 percent said they disapprove of the way he is dealing with tariffs. Trump's low approval ratings come as he is set to address the nation from the Capitol on Tuesday in his State of the Union address. Polling from NPR/PBS/Marist University released on Monday shows that 57 percent of Americans think the state of the union is not very strong or not strong at all. |
| Democrats tap Spanberger and Padilla to respond to State of the Union | |
 | Newly sworn in Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic response to President Trump's State of the Union address Tuesday evening. Spanberger, who previously served in Congress for six years, became the first woman elected governor of Virginia in November, flipping control of the office from Republican to Democrat. Prior to her career on Capitol Hill, she served in the CIA. "We are at a defining moment in our nation's history," Spanberger said in a statement ahead of her address. "Virginians and Americans across the country are contending with rising costs, chaos in their communities, and a real fear of what each day might bring." Her gubernatorial race was under the national spotlight as one of the first major indicators of voters' political leaning during the second Trump administration. Spanberger focused her campaign on affordability, a message Democrats continue to embrace ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. The rebuttal to a president's State of the Union is considered an honor, given the high-profile nature of the speech. The selection tends to reflect what party leaders see as top policy priorities and which rising star they regard as the best spokesperson to deliver that message to the public. |
| Gorsuch takes aim at fellow Supreme Court justices in tariff decision | |
 | Beneath the surface of the Supreme Court's tariff decision, Justice Neil Gorsuch had choice words for his colleagues. In a solo opinion, Gorsuch called out his fellow justices for their inconsistent application of a controversial legal doctrine in decisions invalidating former President Obama's environmental regulation to former President Biden's student debt relief and now, President Trump's tariffs. The liberal justices think Gorsuch invented the doctrine out of thin air. Three of Gorsuch's fellow conservatives wanted to carve out exceptions. And another says Gorsuch's stance makes a mountain of a molehill. As far as Gorsuch is concerned, only he and Chief Justice John Roberts have stayed the course. "It is an interesting turn of events," Gorsuch wrote. "Each camp warrants a visit." At issue is the "major questions doctrine." It states the president must point to clear authorization when claiming that Congress made an extraordinary delegation of power to the executive branch. Trump will come face-to-face with the justices Tuesday, setting up for a potentially awkward moment with some of his nominees, including Gorsuch, who was his first to the high court in his first term. |
| Trump's top general foresees acute risks in an attack on Iran | |
 | As the Trump administration weighs an attack on Iran, the Pentagon's top general has cautioned President Donald Trump and other officials that shortfalls in critical munitions and a lack of support from allies will add significant risk to the operation and to U.S. personnel, according to people familiar with internal discussions. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expressed his concerns at a White House meeting last week with Trump and his top aides, these people said, cautioning that any major operation against Iran will face challenges because the U.S. munitions stockpile has been significantly depleted by Washington's ongoing defense of Israel and support for Ukraine. Caine's remarks at the White House meeting have not been previously reported. Separately, in Pentagon meetings this month, Caine also has raised concerns about the scale of any Iran campaign, its inherent complexity and the possibility of U.S. casualties, one person said. The general has said that any operation would be made all the more difficult by a lack of allied support, this person said, speaking like others on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Caine's views, reported earlier by Axios, are seen as highly credible by the administration because of the successful execution of two other major operations he has overseen: the assault on Iran's nuclear sites in the summer and the January raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. |
| The Looming Taiwan Chip Disaster That Silicon Valley Has Long Ignored | |
 | Federal officials have for years tried to wean Silicon Valley from its dependence on Taiwan, an island democracy roughly the size of Maryland that makes 90 percent of the world's high-end computer chips. In secret briefings held in Washington and Silicon Valley, national security officials warned executives from companies like Apple, Advanced Micro Devices and Qualcomm that China was making plans to retake Taiwan, which Beijing has long considered a breakaway territory. A Chinese blockade of Taiwan, the officials said, could choke the supply of computer chips made on the island and bring the U.S. tech industry to its knees. Two presidents have tried persuading the industry to change. President Joseph R. Biden Jr. offered financial grants worth billions to improve the domestic production of chips. After that didn't work, President Trump threatened billions in tariffs to essentially accomplish the same thing. But warnings, gifts and threats have made little difference. The U.S. tech industry has stubbornly refused to shift where it gets most of its chips, which power things like smartphones, laptops and the giant data centers that run artificial intelligence. Now, there is increasing concern that inaction by some of Silicon Valley's most important companies risks destabilizing the global economy. Those worries, drawn into focus by recent live-fire drills conducted by the Chinese military in waters surrounding Taiwan, have prompted dire warnings from White House officials. |
| Inside Apple's Push to Build an All-American Chip | |
| On a desolate stretch of land dotted with cactuses some 30 minutes north of Phoenix, more than 30 cranes tower over a construction site 2 1/2 times the size of New York City's Central Park. A mammoth chip-manufacturing facility is rising, along with U.S. hopes of revitalizing a crucial industry. The plant's biggest customer is Apple, which is using its enormous purchasing power to help boost American chip production. The company is seeking to diversify its supply chain, score tariff exemptions and answer the call of two presidents to help the U.S. reduce its dependency on foreign suppliers for the foundational technology of the modern economy. The world's largest chip maker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, or TSMC, is building the site, planning to spend $165 billion to build six chip plants and more, making it one of the largest construction projects in the U.S. The effort is modest relative to the global chip supply chain. And Apple's purchases from the factory represent a small percentage of its total demand for chips, the key components that power its devices. Even so, the scale of construction, at TSMC and other suppliers, shows Apple's effort to reshore its chip supply chain is bearing fruit. |
| UMMC still in recovery mode as state's medical community ponders how to strengthen IT systems | |
 | Labor and delivery Nurse Manager Tori Jones of the Baptist Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian said she first heard of the ransomware attack at the University of Mississippi Medical Center during her team's Thursday morning huddle. "They just told us to keep them in our prayers and just that everything could go as smooth as possible," she said. "That if we had any contacts with the [UMMC] system to just not go through those electronic avenues." The attack forced UMMC to shut down its IT network and go into "downtime procedures." Clinical equipment remained functional, including vital monitors for critical care patients, but all clinics within the center's statewide system were closed. In a statement, UMMC called the attack a "criminal intrusion" and "are working on a solution for patients to contact [the center] about routine medical and/or medication needs." President and CEO of the Mississippi Hospital Association Richard Roberson said this isn't the only time a medical center has been struck with a cyberattack in the state. "It's very challenging, it's very difficult, but we encourage our members to make sure that they are as up-to-date as they possibly can be and to really spend the time and spend the resources to make sure those protections are in place," said Roberson. |
| UMMC closure now extends to Wednesday | |
| University of Mississippi Medical Center clinics will remain closed through Wednesday, as work to ensure a safe network environment continues following last week's cyberattack. The UMMC Triage Line has been established to allow patients to leave a message through a secure, automated voice system. Requests for time-sensitive needs, such as medication refills or postoperative care visits, will be prioritized. "We deeply regret the inconvenience caused by this attack on our system. We are doing all that we can to bring this situation to a safe resolution. In the meantime, we are opening this triage phone line for those most in need of immediate assistance," said Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs. The UMMC Triage Line can be reached at 601-815-0000. Messages received through the UMMC Triage Line will be routed to the appropriate person for response. It is important to speak clearly when prompted to provide information. Patients calling for prescription refills should have on hand the medication name and dosage, plus the name, address and telephone number of their pharmacy. |
| Agencies not following cybersecurity rules: State Auditor | |
 | Cyberattacks are becoming more common in the digital age. The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), the largest hospital in the state, was hit by a cybersecurity attack on February 19, 2026, proving that no one is immune from these attacks. A report from the State Auditor's Office revealed there are state agencies that are out of compliance with cybersecurity regulations. The audit referenced the FBI Internet Crime Report, which showed that 850,000 cyber crimes were reported in 2024. "Any time you have a data breach or a ransomware attack or anything like that, you're always worried about getting your data back," said State Auditor Shad White (R-Miss.). Four months ago, White's office put out a report that highlighted cyber attacks in Mississippi. It included the Hinds County ransomware attack, the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District data breach and a hack into an online meeting held by the attorney general. White said victims of ransomware attacks usually end up having to pay the ransom. According to the report, almost one-third of state agencies have failed to meet cybersecurity requirements within the Enterprise Security Program. |
| IHL approves new degree programs, Center on Collegiate Gambling at Ole Miss | |
| A new nursing program and two new degree paths were approved by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher learning Board of Trustees during their meeting last week. Prior to taking up those matters, the IHL Board presented Governor Tate Reeves with the Karen Cummins Award for his leadership in his current and previous elected offices, and more notably for his work in leading the state to nationally recognized educational gains. The IHL Board went on to approve a request to acknowledge completion of the first step in establishing the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program at Mississippi College. The IHL Board also approved the establishment of a new center at the University of Mississippi aimed at researching and providing guidance on the future policy in relation to college sports gambling. Named the Center on Collegiate Gambling, the new center will operate within the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing at an annual cost estimated to be $700,000, Dr. Casey Prestwood, Associate Commissioner for Academic and Student Affairs, described. In addition, the IHL Board approved a motion to modify a bond request from Ole Miss totaling $256 million. |
| USM's 'Ready For Life' awards highlight workforce-focused programs | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi is recognizing faculty and programs that are helping students gain a real-world edge. The school hosted its first "Ready for Life Champion Awards" ceremony, highlighting innovative, workforce-focused initiatives across campus, spotlighting the faculty members turning classroom lessons into career opportunities. President Joe Paul said the "Ready for Life" movement started with a challenge. "When I became the 11th president at my inauguration, I challenged our faculty and staff to develop unique academic program that created opportunities for our students to have an edge when they leave the university in the world of work and just living an extraordinary life," he said. Monday's ceremony honored 10 faculty members and academic departments leading those efforts. Eight award recipients received $5,000 each to further develop their projects, plus two special commendation recipients received $2,000 each. |
| The Lesson of A.I. Literacy Class: Don't Let the Chatbot Think for You | |
| The first session of a new artificial intelligence class this month for high school seniors in Newark involved purely human intelligence. The students' assignment: to compare when they had passively scrolled through A.I.-driven social media feeds with times when they had actively selected the videos or Google search results they wanted to see. "Are you steering the technology or is it steering you?" asked a slide on the classroom whiteboard at Washington Park High School. In a class discussion that followed, a student named Adrian Farrell, 18, said he had taken charge of A.I. by asking a chatbot to check his math homework for accuracy. Brianna Perez, 18, said she went into "passenger mode" when using a Spotify feature called A.I. DJ. "It plays your favorite music so you don't have to change it," she said. Schools across the United States are hustling to introduce a new subject: A.I. literacy. In what some educators are calling a "driver's license" for A.I., the new lessons aim to teach students how to examine the latest tech tools and use them responsibly. Teachers say they want to prepare young people to navigate a world increasingly shaped by A.I., as chatbots manufacture human-sounding writing and employers use algorithms to help vet job candidates. |
| Gov. Jeff Landry requests expanded DEI investigation of all Louisiana colleges and universities | |
 | Gov. Jeff Landry has asked the U.S. Department of Education to expand its investigation of diversity, equity and inclusion practices at the state's higher education board to include all public colleges and universities in Louisiana, a press release Monday said. "Let me be clear: Louisiana is done with woke DEI policies," Landry said in the release. "Discrimination against ANY student will not be tolerated." In a letter dated Feb. 23 to the Office for Civil Rights within the Department of Education, Landry said "it is vital to discover if any institution in this state is engaged in practices contrary to federal law and policies." The federal investigation, launched earlier this month, focused on performance targets laid out in the Board of Regents' executive budget reports. The targets called for public universities to increase the number of underrepresented minorities -- defined as races other than white or Asian -- graduating from public postsecondary schools. LSU System President Wade Rousse said Monday LSU would comply with an expanded investigation. |
| 'We cannot be on hold forever': Visa restrictions leave Mizzou's international community in limbo | |
 | Nearing the completion of two doctoral degree programs, after already earning his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Missouri, 30-year-old Femi expected to begin his career in the United States until visa restrictions froze his plans. Femi, from Nigeria, whose name has been changed due to security concerns, said the uncertainty has forced him and his newlywed wife -- a U.S. citizen -- to reconsider plans they had already set in motion, including job opportunities and deciding where they would live. His scheduled interview for permanent residency was canceled, leaving his future uncertain. Without work authorization, Femi said he may be forced to leave the country, where he's built his life for the past 12 years, or stay in school --- extending his student visa status. "It is hard to figure out next steps after graduating since everything is frozen," Femi said. Femi's situation follows a Jan. 14 announcement from the U.S. Department of State that visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, including Nigeria and Iran, will be paused. While the pause does not revoke existing student or work visas, international students and recent graduates have said it has stalled permanent residency processing, led to canceled or delayed interviews and prolonged uncertainty around work authorization, particularly for those already in the workforce or nearing graduation. |
| Fraternities Tackle Mental Health With JED | |
 | A few times a week, Aidan Ruck turns the Sigma Phi Epsilon living room into a space where his fraternity brothers can speak honestly about mental health -- no judgment, just support. Ruck, chapter president and an engineering student at Stevens Institute of Technology, said the meetings give the chapter's roughly 90 members a place to share struggles, from personal challenges to test-taking anxiety. "It's a space for active listening -- not so much, 'Hey, tell us your problems; we're going to try to fix them,'" Ruck said. "If you're looking for support, we can give that to you. But at the very least, it's a space to share and just be human with one another." Ruck said his ability to create that space stems in part from training he completed through the Greek-Letter Organizations program from The Jed Foundation (JED). Sigma Phi Epsilon -- with more than 12,000 undergraduates on over 200 U.S. campuses -- is among the first national fraternities to join the initiative since its launch last July. At a time when fraternities and sororities often face scrutiny over drinking culture, hazing and misconduct, there's growing interest in building safer chapter environments, said ShirDonna Lawrence, JED's senior manager of the program. |
| Most Conservative Students Don't Feel Persecuted on Campus | |
| Despite widespread political rhetoric claiming that colleges suppress conservative viewpoints, new data shows that most college students feel free to express themselves regardless of their political affiliation. According to a report that Gallup and the Lumina Foundation published today, just 2 percent of all college students -- including 3 percent of Republicans -- say they feel they don't belong on campus due to their political views. That's one of the many disconnects between public perceptions about higher education's climate and value and what students say is actually happening on campus, according to the report, "The College Reality Check: What Students Experience vs. What America Believes." "For years, the American public has been saying they're losing confidence in higher ed because they believe it's too political, too expensive and doesn't lead to jobs," said Courtney Brown, Lumina's vice president of impact and planning. "When we compare that to what students and alumni are saying, it's two different stories." In an effort to understand those disconnects, researchers last fall surveyed nearly 4,000 college students and 6,000 alumni about their perceptions of campus climate and the value of pursuing higher education. |
| Trump administration expands efforts to dismantle the Education Department | |
| The Trump administration is expanding its efforts to dismantle the Education Department by moving its oversight of school safety grants and foreign funding for universities to other agencies, the administration announced Monday. "As we continue to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states, our new partnerships with the State Department and HHS represent a practical step toward greater efficiency, stronger coordination, and meaningful improvement," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. Monday's announcement, which arrived despite bipartisan congressional disapproval of Trump's department breakup plan, was particularly notable because it now involves Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s agency in a new role managing the government's response to school violence across the country. The administration said the State Department will also now support how McMahon's agency monitors billions of dollars in foreign funding at colleges and universities -- one of the Education secretary's major priorities for higher education. |
| Education Department Warns Colleges With High Student Loan Nonrepayment Rates | |
| At least 25 percent of borrowers at more than 1,800 colleges and universities are behind on repaying their student loans, according to federal data released last week that offers more insights into the growing delinquency and default crisis. The Education Department says the latest batch of nonrepayment data serves as an "early indicator" of what institutions could be at risk of failing a related accountability measure based on the percentage of borrowers who default on their loans. The list includes a range of institutions. Nearly two-thirds are for-profits, while public institutions comprise a quarter. At 122 institutions, more than half of students are at least 90 days behind on their loans. In light of this data, the Education Department says institutions of higher education must do more to ensure their students and graduates repay federal student loans. Loan delinquency and default rates are up significantly since the Trump administration resumed collecting on student loan debt last year; collection had been paused since the COVID-19 pandemic. An analysis of student loan data from the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, published last fall shows that nearly 12 million borrowers are behind on repayment. |
SPORTS
| Baseball: No. 4 MSU Closes Homestand Against Austin Peay | |
| No. 4 Mississippi State will try to close out its nine-game homestand to start the season undefeated as its hosts Austin Peay on Tuesday at 4 p.m on SEC Network+. The Diamond Dawgs are 8-0 and off to their best start since opening the 2015 campaign by reeling off 13 consecutive wins. MSU began this year with back-to-back weekend sweeps against Hofstra and Delaware as well as midweek wins over Troy and Alcorn State. The Bulldogs are set to send redshirt freshman left-hander William Kirk to the mound for his first-career start. Kirk has made two appearances out of the bullpen during the young season and sports a 1-0 record and a 6.75 earned run average with no walks and four strikeouts across four innings. The Governors will call on a southpaw of their own in Chance Cox. The redshirt senior's only outing of the year was a start at UNLV where he surrendered five runs on three hits and two walks while striking out six across 4 1/3 innings. Austin Peay comes to town after claiming a series win against Eastern Michigan at home over the weekend. The Governors won 8-7 in 11 innings on Saturday and followed up with a 6-1 on Sunday to improve 4-3 on the year. |
| No. 4 Bulldogs navigate windy Game 3 to sweep Delaware | |
| The 8-0 record and second series sweep may indicate that the Diamond Dawgs are back in the swing of things, but Game 3 against Delaware on Sunday was far from routine. Mississippi State baseball won 7-3 on a cold and windy day at Dudy Noble Field, working through six different pitchers to take down the Fighting Blue Hens. Starting pitcher Charlie Foster got into trouble early, but Duke Stone came out of the bullpen to steady the ship and strand three runners in the second inning. He would be credited with the win after the Bulldogs pulled ahead during his four innings of work, and Tyler Pitzer would pick up his first save of the season by striking out the tying run with loaded bases in the ninth inning. With some early mixed results for Foster, MSU head coach Brian O'Connor faced a question about revisiting the weekend rotation, but he backed up his young pitcher. Gusts up to 30 miles per hour made the basics a bit more complicated across the board, and it wound up making a difference in the ballgame. A couple of outfield errors and four total mistakes by Delaware helped MSU build a lead after trailing 2-0 early on. "The wind impacts a college baseball game more than anything. More than the cold," O'Connor said after the game. "You could see how tough it was for our guys to catch the ball in the air, and them. A lot of times my experience has been when it's a windy day, it's typically a funky ball game." |
| No. 17 Alabama faces Mississippi State, looks for 7th straight victory | |
| No. 17 Alabama heads into a Wednesday matchup in Tuscaloosa with Mississippi State as winners of six consecutive games. The Crimson Tide are 10-3 on their home court. Alabama averages 92.6 points and has outscored opponents by 8.7 points per game. The Bulldogs are 5-9 in conference matchups. Mississippi State has a 6-7 record in games decided by 10 or more points. Alabama makes 45.9% of its shots from the field this season, which is 2.6 percentage points higher than Mississippi State has allowed to its opponents (43.3%). Mississippi State averages 78.3 points per game, 5.6 fewer points than the 83.9 Alabama gives up. The teams meet for the second time in conference play this season. Alabama won 97-82 in the last matchup on Jan. 14. Labaron Philon led Alabama with 32 points, and Josh Hubbard led Mississippi State with 23 points. Hubbard is shooting 34.5% from beyond the arc with 3.0 made 3-pointers per game for the Bulldogs, while averaging 22 points and 3.6 assists. |
| Alabama's Charles Bediako appeals to state supreme court in continued eligibility fight | |
| Alabama men's basketball player Charles Bediako is not giving up in his efforts to continue playing college hoops. Bediako, a recent G League player, is appealing his eligibility ruling to the Alabama Supreme Court. On Feb. 9, a Tuscaloosa Circuit Court judge denied a preliminary injunction in Bediako's lawsuit against the NCAA, making him ineligible to continue playing for the Crimson Tide. That decision overruled a temporary restraining order for immediate eligibility that was granted to Bediako in January and allowed him to play five games for Alabama this season. Now Bediako is appealing the Feb. 9 decision by judge Daniel Pruet, while simultaneously seeking injunctive relief from Pruet (again) to return to the floor for the Tide while his appeal is pending. It is unclear when or if the Alabama Supreme Court might hear Bediako's appeal, which is why, with the season winding down, he is asking for injunctive relief from the same court and judge that denied it earlier this month. "We understand that Charles is pursuing an appeal in his case against the NCAA, and ultimately, he must do what he considers to be in his best interest," the university said in a statement. "The University continues to support Charles as he works toward completing his degree." |
| Ream Hired As Mississippi State Director Of Soccer Operations | |
| Head coach Kevin O'Brien has completed his first staff at Mississippi State with the addition of Lucy Ream as the program's director of soccer operations. Ream comes to Mississippi State after one year as the director of operations at Lipscomb where she served under O'Brien. "We're excited to welcome Lucy Ream as our new director of operations at Mississippi State," O'Brien said. "I had the privilege of coaching Lucy earlier in her career and witnessed firsthand her incredible work ethic, professionalism and commitment to excellence. She brings a strong administrative skillset that will elevate our entire program and allow our staff to fully focus on training, development and serving our student-athletes at the highest level. Most importantly, she is someone I trust completely, and I know she will make an immediate impact on our team and culture." Prior to being hired as the director of operations for Lipscomb, Ream was a two-year letterwinner for the Bisons after transferring from Eastern Kentucky. |
| Date announced for 41st annual Pig Pickin' at Delta State | |
| Delta State football fans and alumni can now begin the countdown to one of the university's most popular events. Officials announced Tuesday that the 41st annual Pig Pickin' will take place on Saturday, Sept. 5. Pig Pickin' weekend will once again kick off the Delta State football season and bring together the Statesmen family for a full day of food, fun, and football. Per usual, the event will include a BBQ competition and live entertainment. The Statesmen, entering year one of the David Dean era, will take on Wingate that night at 6 p.m. Dean was hired earlier this month following the departure of longtime former frontman Todd Cooley, who took a job under Pete Golding at Ole Miss. "Pig Pickin' and Homecoming are more than events; they're traditions that bring our Statesmen family together year after year," Director of Alumni Affairs Corey Mullins said. "Whether you graduated five years ago or fifty, these weekends are about reconnecting with old friends, celebrating Delta State, and creating new memories on campus." |
| What NCAA memo said about tampering rules after allegations against Ole Miss, per report | |
| NCAA schools received a memo on Feb. 23 that could have big implications for schools that break tampering rules, according to a report from Yahoo's Ross Dellenger. NCAA Vice President of Enforcement Jon Duncan sent a memo that said the NCAA will be working with Geoff Means, the chair of the Division I Board of Directors Infractions Process Committee, to expedite the resolution of violations. "It is our sincerest hope that these potential policy and rules changes will better serve the new era of Division I while balancing fairness and efficiency to meet membership expectations," the memo said, according to the report. According to the memo, that process will include "streamlining various stages of an investigation, collecting information from schools or student-athletes more quickly, conducting interviews on a shorter schedule and/or limiting extension requests often made by parties in infractions cases." Dellenger reported that Duncan charged the staff to "pursue significant penalties" for tampering violations. Ole Miss football has been caught up in a recent storm of tampering allegations. |
| Inside the NIL hack funneling Nike, Adidas money to NCAA blue bloods' athletes | |
 | When the University of Tennessee athletic department switched its apparel provider from Nike back to Adidas last summer, the biggest clue as to why was hidden within a sentence seven paragraphs into the university's announcement. Tennessee's new 10-year partnership with Adidas, effective July 2026, "will offer unprecedented NIL opportunities for student-athletes across all 20 of the university's varsity programs," according to the announcement. Lucrative outfitter contracts between big-name sports apparel companies and college athletic departments are nothing new. Universities get discounts on product and the cachet of being associated with blue-chip brands; brands get to see their logos on television and build relationships with generations of loyal fans. In college athletics' name, image and likeness (NIL) era, these symbiotic relationships have a new twist: Power conference NCAA schools and apparel providers are negotiating contracts to include money earmarked for NIL, allowing schools to legally facilitate endorsement deals for athletes without exceeding revenue share limits. "The scope of what these relationships look like has changed," said Chris McGuire, Adidas vice president of sports marketing for North America. "Initially, 'the arms race,' was all about facilities and how could the financing from apparel deals help them build better facilities to attract the recruits." Now, it's about who can inject cash into NIL to secure more above-the-cap dollars for a program's athletes. |
| Meta's Addiction Trial Could Spell Trouble for Sports Betting | |
| A Los Angeles jury has spent the past week hearing competing arguments over whether social media platforms such as Meta are designed to cause children to become addicted, which in turn causes them to suffer mental health harms. Although this line of litigation isn't about sports, it has serious ramifications for leagues, teams, athletes and others in the industry who use social media platforms to recruit and retain young fans. The case invites questions about the addictive qualities of sports betting and sports prediction apps and their exposure to similar legal theories. The "KGM Trial," as it is referred to in court documents before Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl in Los Angeles County Superior Court, is one of thousands of cases brought by those who say social media companies and their platforms -- including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok -- ensnare and keep young users, all in the pursuit of profits. The companies are also accused of negligently failing to warn minors about the dangers of using their platforms, such as when sharing videos and posting reflections. No matter how litigation against social media companies plays out, there appears to be a reckoning looming for those companies. Not only do they face an avalanche of lawsuits, but some lawmakers have pushed social media bans for young people. Sports betting and sports prediction apps might be more vulnerable to arguments they cause users to become addicted and suffer various harms. |
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