Alumni Fellows - 2013

Alumni Fellows 2013

Each fall, several of Mississippi State University’s notable alumni are invited to return to campus and deemed Alumni Fellows. Established more than 20 years ago, the fellows program allows the university to recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves in their careers.

Through the years, this program has served as a means for enriching the MSU experience by exposing students to outstanding alumni who share extensive knowledge and real-world experience from their respective field. The MSU Alumni Association will welcome the 2013 class of Alumni Fellows on-campus Nov. 14-16. The group will be honored in conjunction with the MSU vs. Alabama football game.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Mr. Claude G. Steele III

Claude G. “Gibb” Steele III has been selected as Alumni Fellow for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Steele is a 1971 agricultural engineering technology and business graduate who operates Steele Farms in Hollandale.

As a farm partner, Steele exemplifies dedication that dates back to his days as an MSU student. Working each semester on campus, he learned valuable lessons in responsibility and dependability.

“I learned that if you went to class, paid attention, took notes and studied a little, you can make good grades,” said Steele.

Although Steele’s proudest moment as a student was graduation, he also enjoyed developing lifelong friendships as a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He was also a member of the Army ROTC.

Continuing a family legacy at MSU as well as in agribusiness, Steele chose MSU because of his father. After graduation, he became a minority partner and worked closely with his dad and younger brother on the family farm until their father retired.

“My father was easily the greatest influence in my life. He taught me farming and that hard work did not kill you,” said Steele.

As the 78th president of the Delta Council, Steele is among those individuals who devote hundreds of hours of service to the Mississippi Delta because they care about the Delta’s future. Honored to work alongside many of the most respected men in Mississippi, he strives to uphold similar stewardship.

Steele’s family continues to have a presence at Mississippi State as proud alumni and supporters. His grandfather graduated from then Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1915, and his father graduated from Mississippi State College in 1942. Steele’s son, brother, sisters, and two granddaughters have also attended MSU.

He and his wife, Pam, currently live in Greenville.

College of Architecture, Art and Design
Ms. Amie Oliver

Amie Oliver has been selected as Alumni Fellow for the College of Architecture, Art and Design for 2013.

A Mississippi native, Oliver was born in Vaiden, and raised in Cleveland. She is a 1982 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in art. She also holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Bowling Green State University.

When Oliver was asked her fondest memory of Mississippi State, she couldn’t chose just one. However, she recalled two special ones by saying, “I remember receiving Bruce Springsteen’s autograph while working his concert as part of the MSU Student organization Music Maker Productions. I also remember when the MSU football team broke Bear Bryant’s 200 game winning streak -- MSU six, Tide three.”

During her time at Mississippi State, Oliver learned to embrace herself and not follow in the “status quo” by advice from her advisers. “Michael Dorsey, my art curriculum adviser, encouraged me to be true to myself, to take risks and challenge the norm in my art and studio practice,” she said.

Also attributing to her artistic outlook was her background of being raised in the South. “I grew up in the rich delta culture where artists such as Lee and Pup McCarty were role models for a creative life,” said Oliver.

She also cited the influence of her parents, saying, “My mother, MSU alumna Sue Vowell Oliver, encouraged me to pursue my dreams from day one, and my father, alumnus William R. "Nick" Oliver, taught me self-reliance and to never take no for an answer.”

Later, support also came from her husband. “Harry fell in love with my art at the same time he fell for me. My coloring book would be quite gray in scale without his faith in my work,” she shared.

Oliver and her husband reside in Richmond, Va., where she currently works. She is a lecturer and studio artist at the Virginia Commonwealth University, Visual Arts Center.

In her career, Oliver continues to draw from her Mississippi State connection. She claims that some of her most memorable experiences at MSU happened outside the classroom -- on field trips, at conferences and in other locales.

“For this reason, I am interesting in initiating a Mississippi Atelier at the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris. If successful, it would follow the model of other universities in the USA and abroad,” she continued, “It would give opportunities for MSU College of Architecture, Art and Design faculty, students and possibly alumni to pursue their creative research in Paris.”

College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Fred G. Corley Jr.

Dr. Fred G. Corley Jr. is a 1968 graduate in chemistry who represents the College of Arts and Sciences as 2013 Alumni Fellow.

Corley, a native of Yazoo City, is a professor of orthopaedics and an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio, Texas. He has been employed with the school for a number of years.

“Mississippi State University provided me the tools I needed to succeed. These included discipline, time management, and encouragement from my teachers to have a stimulated and inquisitive mind,” he said.

Corley owes much of his success to his parents, church, patients, and the great mentors that he has had the opportunity to work with over the years.

“The friends I made and the many long relationships I gained while at MSU continue to fulfill my life,” he said.

Corley will always hold Mississippi State dear to his heart.

“My fondest memory is of the genuine concern that the faculty had for the students and the campus landscape, particularly with the trees in their fall foliage and the aroma of burning leaves,” he said.

Corley was previously honored by Mississippi State University as an Alumnus of the Year for the College of Arts and Sciences. He currently serves as a member of the college’s advisory board and has been a member of the MSU Foundation Board of Directors.

In addition to his degree from Mississippi State, Corley holds a medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.

Corley currently resides in San Antonio, Texas, continuing his career as a hand specialist.

College of Business
Mrs. Mary M. Childs

Mary M. Childs is the 2013 Alumni Fellow for the College of Business. The 1980 banking and finance graduate currently serves as the president, CEO, COO and vice chairman of The Peoples Bank in Ripley.

Opportunities that were available to Childs as a MSU student did not cease after graduation. Throughout her career, she has found that her college education provided her with a background and skill set essential to success. Childs continues to reap the benefits from her MSU connection.

“My time at State equipped me with the background and skills, through professors, classes and relationships, to be successful in my profession,” said Childs.

Childs developed her passion for a career in finance through her father, alumnus Bobby Martin, who has been a banker for 52 years.

“I loved going to the bank with him as a little girl. He and my mother set examples for me of hard work, strong ethics, character and treating people fairly,” she recalled.

Childs continues to follow in her father’s footsteps in more ways than one. She began her career with Bank of Mississippi and later joined The Peoples Bank where her father still serves as chairman.

Together, the father-daughter pair volunteer as members of the MSU Foundation Board of Directors where Childs serves as treasurer. Childs also serves as treasurer for the Tippah County Chapter of the MSU Alumni Association.

“Being a Bulldog continues to offer me many opportunities to make new acquaintances and network through that common bond,” stated Childs.

A strong supporter of MSU, Childs enjoys attending sporting events with her husband, Carey, and their son, Bob.

College of Education
Dr. Janice I. Nicholson

The College of Education is honoring Dr. Janice I. Nicholson as the 2013 Alumni Fellow. Nicholson, a Mississippi native, graduated with her masters and doctorate degrees in elementary education from MSU in 1967 and 1977, respectively.

Growing up in Booneville and receiving her degree from Blue Mountain College in 1964, Nicholson continued her education at Mississippi State. While pursuing her doctorate, she worked as a graduate assistant and part-time instructor in the MSU Division of Continuing Education.

“As a graduate assistant I was able to develop personal and professional relationships that continued throughout my career in higher education,” stated Nicholson.

Over her career, Nicholson taught in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. She spent 37 years in the College of Education at the University of North Alabama in various teaching and administrative roles, as well as serving as department chair in elementary education.

In 2012, Nicholson retired from Blue Mountain College, where she worked for seven years. During those years she held several positions, including acting president and executive vice president for Student Affairs and Graduate/Special Programs.

Passionate about making changes in the world around her and training teachers to do the same, Nicholson continues to hold a strong presence in the realm of education. With a desire to aid students’ financial burden of a college degree, she began an endowed scholarship at Mississippi State. The scholarship also allows her to make an investment in the future of education in her home state.

“The academic experiences at MSU helped me develop the knowledge base and skills needed to be successful,” said Nicholson.

Now retired and residing in Florence, Ala., Nicholson continues to be an active MSU alumnus and a loyal supporter of academics and athletics.

James Worth Bagley College of Engineering
Mr. Timothy S. Duncan

Timothy S. Duncan is the Alumni Fellow for the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. A petroleum engineering graduate of 1995, Duncan is currently the president and CEO of Talos Energy LLC in Houston, Texas.

Knowing few people when he enrolled at MSU, Duncan learned to forge valuable connections. While a student, Duncan was the president of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and a member of Pi Kappa Alpha. These student organizations allowed Duncan to enhance his communication skills that continue to serve him well in his career.

“I had to reach out to people, communicate and make a decent impression while at Mississippi State —it taught me to grow up and get ready for post-graduate life,” stated Duncan.

Among the last of the petroleum engineering graduates at MSU, Duncan is continually grateful to the professors who remained dedicated to helping him earn his degree after the degree program was discontinued.

In 2012, Duncan was honored by Mississippi State as a Distinguished Fellow in the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. He remains academically focused by serving as an advisory board member of the Bagley College’s Entrepreneurial Program and the petroleum engineering program at the University of Houston, where he received an MBA in 2002.

Battling an illness as a young boy, which resulted in cranial tumors, made a great impact in Duncan’s life. After several surgeries that resulted in a loss of hearing in his right ear, he believes this trial defined his proactive approach in life.

One of Duncan’s great professional accomplishments, he feels, was founding Talos Energy. Recently ranked No. 1 in the Houston Chronicle’s Top Workplaces for 2013, the company grew rapidly from 16 employees to over 120 in less than a year.

Prior to establishing Talos Energy, Duncan was the senior vice president of business development and founder of Phoenix Exploration Co. L.P. He was responsible for all of Phoenix’s business development evaluations and negotiations, which included the sale of the company.

Duncan and his wife, Christy, currently live in Kingwood, Texas, with their three children, Rachel, Brooks and Garrett. Christy also graduated in 1995 from the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering with a degree in mechanical engineering.

College of Forest Resources
Mr. James L. Cummins Jr.

Mr. James L. Cummins Jr. represents the College of Forest Resources as Alumni Fellow for 2013.

Cummins attended Mississippi State by way of scholarships and received his Bachelor of Science degree in fisheries management in 1987. He later earned a Master of Science degree in fisheries science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

“Unlike some universities, MSU taught me to think in a practical manner and also how to solve problems,” Cummins said.

He continued, “My greatest accomplishment was getting a well-rounded education and obtaining some great experience during the summers by working for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Conservation.”

Cummins began his career as a fisheries ecologist with the wildlife and fisheries staff for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Services in Washington, D.C. He formerly served as a Legislative Fellow in the office of Sen. Thad Cochran in the United States Senate.

Cummins now serves as the executive director of Wildlife Mississippi, the executive director of Mississippi Land Trust, and the executive vice president of The Carbon Fund. He remains devoted to improving the quality of life in Mississippi through his endeavors.

“My greatest professional accomplishment was, and still is, being able to design a system of incentives for private landowners to practice conservation,” Cummins explains.

Cummins is the founder of the Mississippi River Trust, The Carbon Fund and the Theodore Roosevelt Society. He is vice president of the Mississippi Legislative Sportsman’s Foundation and co-chairman of the Working Wetlands Conservation Initiative. He also serves on the boards of the Binational Softwood Lumber Council, the Center for Conservation Incentives, Gulf Coast Energy, the Mississippi Institute for Forest Inventory and Momentum Mississippi. He has published over 60 articles and submits a weekly conservation article to more than 80 newspapers throughout Mississippi.

Cummins is a native of Greenville who resides in Amory with his wife, Martha.

College of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Huang-Ge Zhang

Dr. Huang-Ge Zhang represents the College of Veterinary Medicine as 2013 Alumni Fellow. Zhang is a 1994 MSU graduate who earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Medical Science.

“I attribute my success to the many skills I acquired under the mentorship of my Ph.D. supervisor, Dr. Larry Hanson, my Ph.D. committee members and colleagues at Mississippi State,” he said.

Not only does Zhang credit Mississippi State with his success, he also holds many maroon memories dear to his heart.

“My favorite memory while at State was the doctoral hooding ceremony. I can still remember when my Ph.D. adviser and the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine placed the doctoral hood over my head,” he recalled.

Mississippi State made a huge impact on Zhang’s life. He believes the challenges from his classes, and the professors who taught them, are what led him to succeed.

“My greatest professional accomplishment is making multiple fundamental discoveries in my laboratory,” he said.

Zhang is currently working as a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Ky. He holds an endowed chair and directs the chemoprevention program in the university’s James Brown Cancer Center. He previously worked with the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Zhang earned his medical doctor degree from the Medical School of Inner Mongolia Agriculture University and also a Master of Science in Veterinary Infectious Disease from the same institution.

He lives in Kentucky with his wife, Li F. Zhang, and their two children.