Reveille 25 Honorees 2023

A native of Indianola, Atchley is a 2006 microbiology graduate with a chemistry minor. He completed his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) School of Medicine and went on to complete residency training in Internal Medicine at UMMC followed by residency training in anesthesiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He currently serves as a board-certified Anesthesiologist at OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville. Aside from his duties as a physician, Atchley also performs leadership roles within the hospital. He currently serves as the chief of surgery section and chair of the OCH Regional Medical Center/Mississippi State University Premedical Shadowing Program. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he helped develop the protocol for intraoperative patient management and assisted with the development of COVID-19 intubation protocols for ICU patients. Atchley has volunteered on several international medical mission trips and enjoys giving back to his community through his service on the J.L. King Center’s board of directors, as a Lighthouse Partner of the J.L. King Center, and as a sponsor for the Make-a-Wish Foundation and Palmer Home for Children. He is an active member of the MSU Doctor Dawgs and a supporter of the Catholic Campus Ministry at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Starkville. He and wife Danielle have two daughters, Mia and Lucy. “While my degree in Microbiology taught me how to study, it was the people at MSU who taught me how to be the person I am today. My professors and mentors taught me how to be professional and compassionate. My fellow classmates taught me how to be resilient... It was this foundational experience that allowed me to be successful academically in medical school and residency training in both Internal Medicine and Anesthesiology.”

She is a 2010 biological sciences graduate who went on to earn a master’s degree in genetic counseling from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Boothe is a genetic counselor for the University of Mississippi Medical Center. In addition to her clinical role as the only pediatric genetic counselor serving the state of Mississippi and the inaugural endowed genetic counselor for the Stephanie and Mitchell Morris Center for Cleft and Craniofacial Research and Innovation, Boothe is also a faculty member in the UMMC School of Medicine and serves as the director for the school’s telehealth services in genetics, which began in 2015. Beyond these efforts, she is the facilitator for the Pediatric Genetics Project ECHO, which is a telementoring project that uses case-based learning and traditional didactics for primary care providers around Mississippi to learn more about genetics. Boothe enjoys serving her community and part of her community service efforts are within the disability community, as genetic counselors are advocates for their patients and their families. She has helped facilitate and fundraise for children’s games at events hosted by organizations for Down syndrome and Huntington’s disease and has served as a side-walker for a special-needs horseback riding class. She also participates in the annual “DNA Day” at the local children’s museum. “Mississippi State University has been the springboard for my successes, both professionally and personally.”

A two-time MSU graduate, Burse earned both her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences and master’s degree in food science, nutrition and health promotion in 2006 and 2008, respectively. She also earned a Doctor of Public Health from Jackson State University. She is the owner and principal strategist for public health consulting company Six Dimensions LLC. Entrenched in public health for over 10 years, Burse’s previous work in public health includes experience in the nonprofit sector, state agencies, and academia. These positions have allowed her the opportunity to view public health from various angles, understand the impact of unjust and inequitable systems on community health, acknowledge the importance of policy in health, and develop solutions to respond to the immediate and critical health needs of our communities. As a result, Six Dimensions, LLC was born to create strategic, sustainable, and innovative solutions to public health with a focus on health equity, social justice and improving maternal health outcomes. Her work in this field has gained national attention. After producing the short documentary, Laboring With Hope, which has been viewed by more than 5,000 people across the country, she has committed to continuously creating innovative strategies to improve Black maternal health outcomes. Her work has been featured in Soledad O’Brien’s Disrupt & Dismantle series as well as the Kelly Clarkson Show. Through her work, she has also garnered recognition among Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women, and as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leader and Myrlie Evers Williams Social Justice Award honoree. “MSU helped me discover my passion and gave me the freedom to dream and believe. When I graduated, I did not know what my next career move was, but I discovered the Health Education and Health Promotion program at MSU that unlocked a new world of career and future possibilities.”

The Starkville native earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biomedical engineering in 2008 and 2010, respectively. He went on to earn a doctoral degree in biomedical engineering from Vanderbilt University in 2015 and currently serves as an assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Louisville. Chen’s research interests include investigating the mechanobiological drivers of disease progression, with a focus on neurodegeneration and glioblastoma invasion. He also is the principal investigator of the Chen Laboratory at the University of Louisville, where he leads a team of graduate and undergraduate students, as well as one neurosurgery resident. Together, they are interested in understanding how the mechanical features of brain tumors shape tumor progression and therapy resistance. Prior to arriving at Louisville, Chen worked as a postdoctoral fellow in the Molecular Cell Dynamics and Mechanics Lab of the California Institute of Quantitative Bioscience at the University of California, Berkeley. His postdoctoral work focused on investigating the impact of cytoskeletal regulators in glioblastoma invasion and elucidating the underlying mechanisms that drive mesenchymal shifting in glioblastoma. More recently, Chen’s research was featured on the January 2020 cover of leading scientific publication Cancer Research. Outside of the classroom and lab, Chen serves as faculty advisor for the Biomedical Engineering Society at the University of Louisville and on several department committees. He also is involved in planning outreach initiatives aimed at recruiting underrepresented students into STEM fields. “At Mississippi State, I met inspirational educators that showed me the standard of excellence needed to be successful. The university has been an instrumental part of my life and career, and I am forever grateful for the opportunities that it has provided me throughout my life. I suppose that is what family is all about.”

He earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering in 2011, 2012 and 2015, respectively. The Meadville native is a senior research engineer with the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. In his role, Cox serves as the program lead for the Engineer Research and Development Center’s Asphalt Materials and Pavements Research program and manages its Asphalt Materials Research Laboratory and a multidisciplinary team of researcher engineers and technicians. He performs research and specification development aimed at increasing quality and extending service lives of airfield pavements, which represent a critical infrastructure asset to the U.S. military’s ability to operate and protect the nation. As a Department of Defense expert in asphalt materials, pavements and airfields, Cox also provides expertise during the construction of airfields as well as forensic investigations of airfield pavement failures. Outside of his work, Cox is involved in his community in various ways and enjoys working with students interested in STEM careers. He also volunteers with the U.S. Army and Corps of Engineers Student Internship Programs, where he mentors college students, including several from MSU, through summer internship programs in civil engineering. He serves on the board of advisors for MSU’s Construction Materials Research Center, has been a guest speaker for the Bagley College of Engineering’s Summer Bridge Program, and has served on multiple graduate research committees for MSU graduate students. For his commitment, Cox has received numerous awards and honors, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Innovation of the Year Award, American Society of Civil Engineers-Mississippi Section 2020 Young Engineer of the Year Award, Department of the Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service and the American Society of Civil Engineers - Region 5 2021 Young Engineer of the Year Award, among others. “Growing up in a family of Bulldog alumni, MSU has long been an influence in my life, and I am forever indebted to this institution for who I am today. During my eight years on campus, MSU faculty continually equipped me to be a competent engineer. On top of education, MSU provided me with lifelong relationships instrumental in defining me and developing traits and habits that I rely on today.”

Originally from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, he earned a master’s degree in plant and soil sciences from MSU in 2020, after completing his bachelor's degree from Zamorano University. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota and serves as a director of the Kirchner Impact Foundation's impact investing training programs for the Central American region. Garay Lagos is passionate about economically empowering underserved regions, especially those in urgent need of food security. He has a deep background in the agri-food sector, including experience co-founding and managing socially impactful projects with farmers and rural communities. During his time in Australia, he worked in the beef industry and also served as an agricultural consultant for Escuela Agricola Panamericana-Zamorano. Garay Lagos was the first Honduran and MSU student selected as a Kirchner Food Fellow, a renowned food-security applied program that motivated his desire to keep working in the impact investing sector. As a fellow, he oversaw the recruitment and evaluation of multiple social enterprises that used applied science to further develop the agri-food chain in Latin America. He has also worked with the National Science Foundation (NSF) through a multi-state project he led, which assessed the transdisciplinary scope of Food, Energy, and Water Nexus Security. Recently, he was appointed to be part of the University of Minnesota observer delegation attending the COP27 due to his outstanding leadership, service, and impact towards global challenges such as climate change and food security. "I wouldn't be where I am today in my career if it wasn't for Mississippi State University. As a Latino from a developing country like Honduras, having the opportunity to come to MSU to further develop my career was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. MSU is the place where my passion met purpose and opened a world of possibilities and tools. I can truly say that being an MSU alumni came along with more than a degree—it was the steppingstone that brought me toward my purpose in addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges."

A three-time MSU graduate and Corinth native, Grady earned his bachelor’s, master’s and DVM degrees in 2005, 2007 and 2012, respectively. He is an assistant clinical professor at the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine. His area of teaching focuses on client communication training, small animal examination, and small animal general surgery, while his area of research focuses on veterinary medical communication and pet owner autonomy with regards to decisions involving their pet. In 2018, Grady was named the lab coordinator for the second-year surgery lab in effort to organize a very complex and vitally important lab for the MSU-CVM DVM program. The lab provides patient care, physical exam, anesthesia, and soft-tissue surgical experience with live dogs for approximately 100 2nd year DVM students annually. Additionally, approximately 300 shelter dogs are neutered/spayed through this program annually free of charge, providing a mutually beneficial service for MSU-CVM and our participating shelters. Grady has been involved with the VetAspire day camp program since 2019, where he serves as a small animal physical exam presenter for high school and junior college students interested in veterinary medicine. He also is the site coordinator for the AVMA Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates Clinical Proficiency Exam and is trained and certified to act as an examiner for the surgery, anesthesia, and small animal medicine portions of the exam. “MSU has been integral to my success. The community of students, staff, and faculty that I have been a part of since I began as an undergraduate in 2001 have fostered my personal and professional development. I am fortunate to work every day with a team of smart, talented, and hardworking people.”

She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication in 2012, and later earned a master’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas. The Madison native is currently pursuing a doctoral degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and serves as assistant vice chancellor and dean of students for North Carolina Central University. Within her role, she provides leadership, vision, direction and supervision to a comprehensive portfolio of areas within the Division of Student Affairs. Over time, she has expanded existing programs while also implementing new initiatives based on the population-specific needs of her students. Specifically, she has formed a partnership with Aramark to meet the needs of students experiencing basic needs insecurities; established a Well Ride program in collaboration with Lyft and Transportation Services at NCCU; expanded restorative education programs; developed the T.R.U. Eagles retention initiative in collaboration with Amazon's RDU 1 site; created and formalized threat assessment protocols and practices; redesigned operations plans for the Sexual Assault Response Teams and the Behavioral Intervention Teams; established an Administrative Withdrawal Committee and written an accompanying regulation to guide practices; planned several collaborative Campus Safety Walk to identify and examine possible safety issues on campus; and continued to cultivate the town-and-gown relationship between universities and surrounding communities. Throughout her career, Joy has served as a collaborative partner with campus and community stakeholders. She has strategically developed and strengthened internal and external partnerships to include the promotion of student success strategies and programs to increase student success. Hartfield and her husband also developed the You Good? initiative to help eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and the usage of therapy as a tool for disadvantaged populations. They have regularly partnered with non-profit organizations throughout the community to facilitate programs and to normalize the concept of counseling. “At MSU I was challenged, pushed, encouraged, accepted, inspired, and molded into excellence. The commitment of our faculty, and the compassion of our staff inspired me to ask them how they came to sit in their seats. They saw my potential, they believed in me, and they genuinely invested in seeing me reach my potential. Many of those professionals walked with me throughout my professional journey and are still very present parts of my life today.”

A 2015 computer engineering graduate and Collierville, Tennessee, native, she also earned a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Southern California and an MBA from the University of Florida. Haslebacher is a software project manager in the Technology Studio at Walt Disney Imagineering. In her role, she is responsible for driving the successful development of custom software products used to support the design and maintenance of world-class attractions across the globe. Haslebacher’s projects range from software used to program animatronics to enterprise-wide web applications. She has also served as a technical lead, SCRUM Master, Agile Product Owner, and Project Manager within Disney and other such companies as Intel. In these technical leadership roles, she has led teams of over 20 developers, managed budgets in excess of $5M, and developed key relationships within her company as well as with outside vendors and contractors. In addition to her technical and leadership roles, Haslebacher is passionate about building and sustaining a more robust pipeline of women in technology. At Disney, she leads the Women at Disney Circle for technical women and is also a member of the Changineers—a team focused on workplace culture and DE&I efforts at Imagineering. She also sits on the Anita Borg Foundation's Mid-Career Women in Technology Committee, where her goal is to help create a robust and supportive community of women in technology, is a code instructor for the Girl Scouts and takes part in outreach and advocacy efforts supporting STEM education and issues pertaining to women in the workplace through her involvement with the Society for Women Engineers. “My engineering background from MSU set me up with the project-focus and technical skills necessary to get my foot in the door, but my personal experiences at State as drum major of the Famous Maroon Band, President of the Honors Council and countless others set me on the leadership path I continue to this day. MSU helped shape my servant-leadership philosophy and taught me that I could be successful in my career as a technologist while remaining an authentic and empathetic leader.”

The New Albany native is a 2008 agricultural and biological engineering graduate. She also earned a doctoral degree from Arizona State University. She is co-founder and chief clinical officer of neuroscience development company Spike Neuro, a neuroscience development company working to bridge the gap between innovation and commercialization. Early in her doctoral training, which focused on developing better ways to evaluate the effectiveness of assistive devices with a goal of increasing affordable access to life changing technology, Howard identified that life changing academic research innovations were failing to reach their intended patient populations primarily due to struggles with the technology commercialization process. She realized the best way she could meet her personal goal of helping people through bioengineering was addressing this problem, which eventually led to the establishment of Spike Neuro. In her role as Chief Clinical Officer of Spike Neuro, Howard works with academic innovators and universities to support the commercialization of their neuroscience research. She enjoys how this role allows her to apply her passion for commercialization to a wide range of products and helps moving new technology closer to the clinic. Along with her work, Howard also regularly participates in opportunities supporting STEM education and mentoring undergraduate and graduate engineers looking to pursue bioengineering industry jobs after graduation. “Mississippi State provided many of the tools that helped me achieve my current success. The opportunity to work as an undergraduate researcher gave me the confidence and independent research skills I needed to traverse less the traveled path during and after my graduate education. I was given the space to learn by doing, try new ideas, make mistakes, and see how taking risks can result in great things.”

A 2010 biological engineering graduate and Brandon native, he currently serves as the president and chief operating officer at Relias Healthcare, one of the fastest growing private companies in America and the third fastest in the State of Mississippi. Jeter is responsible for leading corporate operations and creating environments where Relias’ over 300 providers can thrive, take care of patients and operate at the top of their license. In helping the company to scale its operations, Jeter has helped lead a 30-percent annual growth rate and the launch of new service lines focused on mental/behavioral health, urgent care clinics, and the formation of several new departments. Prior to Relias Healthcare, Jeter gained experience working at Cambria Solutions (recently acquired by Ernst & Young), a national management and technology consulting company based in Sacramento, California. As a member of Cambria’s executive team, Jeter served as the executive director of growth strategy and helped guide Cambria to being named one of Inc.com’s 5,000 Fastest Growing Private Companies nine times. In 2012, he started Cambria’s office in Jackson, Mississippi, and helped steward its growth to more than 40 resources in Mississippi and 150 across several more offices in the eastern U.S. “I owe my first job and most of my career to our alumni network. Former Foundation Chair D. Hines Brannon assisted me in getting my first job at Accenture in Atlanta, where I was able to learn management consulting and work with multiple Fortune 500 companies. Relias Healthcare's CEO and CMO are Mississippi State alumni, and I was recruited by the CEO to become the chief operating officer at Relias in 2021 largely because our paths crossed at Mississippi State. My career has literally started and ended with Mississippi State!”

A native of Great Falls, Montana who has called Mississippi home from the age of 12, she is assistant executive director of e-learning and instructional technology for the Mississippi Community College Board. She is a 2006 education graduate of MSU who also earned a master’s degree from the University of Phoenix and a doctoral degree from the University of Alabama. LeBrun earned her GED and associate degree at Meridian Community College (MCC), followed by her bachelor’s degree in from MSU’s Meridian campus. She worked as a third-grade teacher at Southeast Lauderdale Elementary School and then as an online advisor at the University of West Alabama while working on her master’s degree. In 2009, she returned to MCC as a distance learning coordinator and was later promoted to director of e-learning, which propelled her career in distance learning. Today, she is responsible for providing vision, leadership, and administrative direction of the Division for e-learning and Instructional Technology and the Mississippi Virtual Community College, while also supporting the e-learning coordinators at the state’s fifteen community colleges, in order to enhance the colleges and the System’s ability to maintain a sustainable e-learning environment. In 2018, she received the League of Innovations’ Innovations of the Year Award for her commitment and leadership service. She and her husband Patrick have one daughter, Lorelei. “Growing up, I loved learning. I looked forward to the day I would walk across the stage having earned my high school diploma. But somewhere along the way, life happened, and I dropped out of high school mid-way through my 9th grade year. Thankfully, institutions such as Mississippi State University saw me and believed in my potential. As someone who has earned both a GED and a PhD, I understand the value of education.”

A 2006 political science graduate, she also earned a master’s degree from the University of Colorado. The Hattiesburg native is a director at Community Solutions, an organization that works nationally to create a lasting end to homelessness that leaves no one behind. Through her position, she helps lead the team at Built for Zero, an initiative launched in 2015 that is a movement of more than 100 cities and counties that are proving it’s possible to drive population-level reductions in homelessness. By implementing a data-driven approach, 14 communities have reached a measurable end to homelessness for one or more populations. Lewis Dickerson's portfolio of work supports large-scale systems change initiatives at the state and regional levels in the U.S. and in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, France and Denmark. Lewis Dickerson is an active volunteer who has held many leadership roles in the Denver community since 2007. She served as president of the Metro Denver Homelessness Initiative, the entity responsible for coordination around homelessness in the seven-county metro area. During her tenure, she led the effort to modernize the region’s homelessness data infrastructure while spearheading new public-private partnerships and managing a portfolio of more than $25 million in funding to support housing outcomes for those experiencing homelessness. She also served as president of the Mile High Young Professionals, leading the organization to membership growth of more than 30% and working to embed a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion within the organization. Additionally, she was president of the Junior League of Denver where she led the organization’s 1700 members through the implementation of a new strategic plan and an expanded community focus to impact systemic poverty in the Denver area. As a volunteer with numerous other nonprofit organizations across Colorado through philanthropic and direct service opportunities, Lewis Dickerson has been recognized among the Denver Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and ColoradoBiz Magazine’s GenXYZ Top 25 Young Professionals in Colorado. “My time at MSU was a formative experience that set me up for success in my career and life. MSU and the Starkville community inspired my passion for community service, and the networks I built opened numerous doors and helped build a support system around me. I am forever grateful for my time at MSU and proud to be a Bulldog!”

The Starkville native is a 2013 double major, earning a bachelor’s degree in communication and political science. She currently serves as legislative director for U.S. Congresswoman Julia Letlow. Linhares first went to D.C. to work for U.S. Senator Thad Cochran as a legislative aide and was later promoted to be a legislative assistant. She served as a staff member for five years until he retired from Congress. She then became a senior policy advisor for U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, working with her to develop ideas on policy positions and legislative text for a number of issues, including judiciary and law enforcement, education, labor, workforce development, transportation and economic development. As legislative director for U.S. Congresswoman Julia Letlow, Linhares is her top policy advisor, helping to formulate and lead her legislative agenda which benefits the Fifth Congressional District of Louisiana. Linhares oversees the Congresswoman’s Appropriations Committee Assignment. She is an active member of the Mississippi Society of Washington, D.C. and was on the Society Board from 2016-2020 and served as membership chair. Linhares also co-leads a women’s Bible study group affiliated with National Community Church. In 2016, she was selected to participate in the Stennis Center for Public Service Emerging Congressional Staff Leadership Program. Linhares was awarded the MSU Alumni Association’s Outstanding Young Alumna Award in 2018. “I credit Mississippi State University with helping me prepare and open the door to enter the workforce, specifically working on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for the past ten years. Some of the most valuable lessons I learned at MSU were how to work well and communicate with others from all different backgrounds and who held varying opinions, which is something I do constantly in my current role. My professors and mentors helped me create a plan and network for me to secure internship opportunities, which ultimately led to a broader network that helped me obtain my first job on Capitol Hill.”

A 2018 marketing graduate and native of Fayetteville, Georgia, she is currently pursuing her MBA from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she serves as the assistant director of the Office of Special Scholarships. As the assistant director of the Office of Special Scholarships, McCrary coordinates events and operations for undergraduate scholars in the Stamps President's Scholars and Gold Scholars programs—Georgia Tech’s top two merit-based awards. She also aids in promoting and engaging in student growth activities such as mentorship, professional and leadership development, service initiatives and scholarly discussion. Prior to her role at Georgia Tech, McCrary found her passion for higher education working as an admissions counselor for MSU, recruiting future Bulldogs and serving as the co-Executive director of the S.P.A.R.K. Program. As a former titleholder of Miss Black Georgia USA, McCrary serves the state of Georgia under her platform "Cross-into-College,” which focuses on providing active support and resources for underserved and underrepresented high-school students to promote post-secondary education options. Some of her involvement includes visiting and speaking at various Georgia high schools, offering free, one-on-one academic coaching, and speaking to the Georgia House of Representatives on pressing issues. She also created and promotes Project Love Letter, a Valentine’s Day project based on 1 Corinthians 13:13. Through this, she collects cards, monetary donations and toiletry supplies to donate to Georgia shelters for the purpose of spreading love to those in need. McCrary looks forward to finishing her MBA while serving her community. She plans to continue to live a life of impact while also creating space for others to be seen and succeed. “Attending MSU changed the trajectory of my life. Specifically, getting involved in the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center increased my confidence as a woman of color, a scholar, and as an overall leader. My success now as a higher education leader, as a friend and as a mentor is greatly shaped by my MSU family.”

The Trussville, Alabama, native is a 2013 civil engineering graduate. A hydrology and hydraulics engineer, she serves as the water resources manager for the Ridgeland-based AECOM office. Having achieved Professional Engineering licensure in five states, McEwen has extensive experience with managing Department of Transportation related projects and numerical modeling. She also has a background in floodplain mapping and is a certified floodplain manager. She has served for 2 years as the Program manager for AECOM on the Louisiana Watershed Initiative, a new watershed-based approach to reducing flood risk in Louisiana. Since graduating from MSU, she has pursued not only project-based success, but also supports various community missions. Over the years, she has been actively involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers, serving in various leadership positions at state and national levels including Chair of the Committee of Pre-College Outreach and as Presidential Appointee to the Governing Board of Engineering Water Resources Institute. She founded the Friends of Mississippi River Basin Model nonprofit in 2015, through which she was able to help raise the funds needed provide the Dream Big STEM kits to all Mississippi Public Schools. She serves on the Richard A. Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Advisory Board. And is the Public Relations chair for the 2020 and 2024 MS Infrastructure Report Card. McEwen was awarded as a 2018 New Face of Civil Engineering, the Outstanding Young Civil Engineer in the Private Sector Award ERYMC 2020, and the William H. Wisely American Civil Engineer Award 2020 for her commitment and dedication to the civil engineering profession. McEwen was also named among Mississippi Business Journal’s 2021 Top 50 Under 40 and Engineering News Record Texas & Louisiana’s Top Young Professionals for 2022. “MSU has impacted my success in multiple ways. The Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering provided me with a fantastic technical base, off which my engineering career has been built.”

A two-time MSU aerospace engineering graduate, she earned a bachelor’s degree in 2014 and a master’s degree in 2018. The Hattiesburg native is a Principal Investigator at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. As the former Miss Mississippi USA 2013, Mitra is well-versed in promoting STEM education in Mississippi and in other parts of the nation. During her reign, she spoke with 50 girls from the I Am Girl organization with the MSU Space Cowboys to teach them about aerospace engineering and how to build rocket kits. She used her platform to serve as a STEM ambassador, worked with UNICEF Bangladesh, U.S. Air Force Academy and partnered with other organizations to support STEM literacy events. In 2019, she was the speaker for a TEDx presentation at Valparaiso University, where she presented “What Beauty Pageants Taught Me About Engineering.” Her primary project at NASA is titled Joint Augmented Reality Visual Informatics System (Joint AR), where she leads a team of 20 engineers to build NASA's next generation spacesuit helmet heads up display. This is an extension of her graduate work at Mississippi State University, which was titled "Human Systems Integration of an EVA Spacesuit Augmented Reality (AR) Display". Upon graduating from MSU, Mitra started full-time as a civil servant for NASA, where she was tasked to build the spacesuit helmet displays and controls. She applied to and was awarded the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate’s (STMD) Early Career Initiative grant and the Mars Campaign Division’s (MCD) Polaris Program grant in order to get funding for her research, and quickly became a project lead just eight months after becoming full time. Mitra’s work has earned her the NASA Early Career Achievement Medal, NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate Early Career Award and the NASA Spaceflight Awareness Trailblazer Award. “Today at NASA, much of what I do was influenced by the opportunities provided to me in graduate school at MSU. In undergrad, I was on the Space Cowboys Rocket Team which taught me how to be a team player, build, manufacture, design hardware and apply my engineering skills learned in the classroom. I will always credit my success in my field to the freedoms and opportunities I was given at Mississippi State.”

The 2007 communication graduate has over 16 years of professional experience in public relations and the gaming and hospitality industry. She currently serves as the director of public relations, guest services, internal communication and special projects for Pearl River Resort—a company located in Choctaw that includes three casinos, three hotels, two top ranked golf courses and a water theme park. She also holds a master’s degree in public relations from the University of Southern Mississippi. Functioning as the primary point of contact for all communication and PR-related projects, Moore oversees and manages the company’s media relations, announcements, speaking opportunities and special events. She also developed and oversees the resort's Guest Ambassador program, which is composed of the best of the best employees who represent themselves and the company in a positive light. Outside of her career, Moore serves as a board member for the Neshoba Youth Coalition and the Emergency Food Shelter Program for Neshoba County. She mentors and inspires young girls as the Director of the Miss Black Neshoba County Pageant. She is also the former president of the United Way of Neshoba County and has served as a mentor for Choctaw Central High School girls in the Ohoyo Thanko Chi (To Build a Strong Woman) program. At age 30, she was named by the Mississippi Business Journal as Top 50 under 40, and was included in the Journal’s list of Top Leading Business Women in Mississippi in 2021. In 2022, the Meridian Star recognized her as leader in the community and named her as Top 20 under 40. “Through the time spent at MSU and the lessons learned from professors, I gained confidence in my written and verbal communication. My professional career has flourished as a result.”

After studying meteorology at the University of Oklahoma, Nunley earned both his master’s degree in geosciences and doctoral degree in earth and atmospheric sciences from MSU in 2015 and 2019, respectively. He is a television meteorologist for KING 5 TV, a lecturer in the MSU Department of Geosciences, and the co-owner of Firsthand Weather LLC. Nunley’s career in television has taken him from New Mexico to Texas, and eventually back to his native city Seattle. Along all those stops, he has covered everything from tornadoes, blizzards and dust storms to wildfires, hurricanes, hailstorms, flooding, and record temperatures. He has published research in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society and the Southeastern Geographer, and his research focuses on the communication of weather information and hazard and risk perception. As a Meteorologist for the award-winning TEGNA station in Seattle (KING 5), he spends most days forecasting and preparing graphics to disseminate accurate and life-saving forecasts on-air to potentially millions of viewers each day. He was involved in the team coverage that earned an Edward R. Murrow Award in TV. He also serves as a key leader in promoting community involvement and serving as an advocate for local Indigenous people. Nunley has dedicated his time to giving back to local schools, conducting school visits to help inspire the younger generation to get into the STEM field. “Mississippi State University has vastly impacted my professional and personal success and is an integral part of my everyday life. It's not only about what you learn from lectures and books, but it's also about what you learn from people and experiences around you. I know without a doubt, that if it were not for MSU and the Department of Geosciences, I would not be in the position I'm in or the person I have become and I owe the majority of my success to the university.”

The Newton native is a two-time MSU graduate who earned her bachelor’s degree in biological engineering in 2008 and master’s degree in biomedical engineering in 2010. She later earned a doctoral degree in bioengineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Priddy currently serves as an associate professor in the MSU Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering studying biomaterials for treating bone injury and infection. Since joining the faculty at MSU in 2016, Priddy has supervised numerous graduate student research projects and actively works to enhance the professional development of undergraduate students more broadly. Having published 29 refereed manuscripts and over 100 conference abstracts accepted for presentation, Priddy has received $2.4M in research funding. In 2022, she was selected as an Access, Diversity, and Inclusion Fellow at MSU. She also serves on the Undergraduate Research and Creative Discovery Committee, the Experiential Learning Task Force, the Institutional Effectiveness Committee and the Computational Biology Advisory Board. Outside of MSU, Priddy is co-founder and executive board member at BioIgnite, Inc., an Atlanta-based nonprofit sparking interest in biomedical science, technology, engineering and mathematics for middle school students. She also has organized other K-12 educational activities and volunteered with many outreach organizations, including I AM GIRL and Project ENspire through MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Starkville and Columbus. Since 2011, she has been actively engaged with the Orthopaedic Research Society, and since 2021, has served as delegate in the multi-year International Consensus Meeting on Pre-Clinical Models of Orthopaedic Infection. Her work has been recognized through the Journal of Orthopaedic Research Early Career Award, the inaugural Mississippi Academy of Sciences Early Career Award, the Boehringer Ingelheim Mentoring Award and Georgia Tech’s 40 Under 40. “My MSU education afforded me skills and experiences that continue to be invaluable in my career. I chose to return to MSU as a faculty member because I want to make an impact in both research and education by allowing students to learn through meaningful experiences. Collectively, my experiences as both a student and faculty member at MSU have nurtured yet challenged me, enabling me to grow professionally and personally.”

A Brookhaven native, Ratcliff is the executive vice president of CLAW Forestry Services LLC. He earned three degrees from MSU, including a 2007 bachelor’s degree in forestry, a 2008 MBA and a 2020 doctoral degree in forest resources. At CLAW, Ratcliff is responsible for leading state and national government affairs efforts across multiple business units. He coordinates and manages the construction of a state-of-the-art dimensional lumber manufacturing facility, where he develops strategies to recruit best-in-class workforce talent to achieve strategic growth opportunities that fit investor goals. Outside of work, Ratcliff is involved in his community and career industry. He is a board member for both the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District and Mississippi 4-H Foundation, serves on the national nominating committee for the Society of American Foresters and is chairman of the Thad Cochran Ag Leadership Program advisory board. At MSU, he serves on the dean’s advisory board for the College of Forest Resources. In 2013, Ratcliff earned the Mississippi Society of American Foresters Outstanding Young Forester Award and is a two-time winner of the Mississippi Forestry Association President's Citation Award. He also received the 2022 Mississippi Forestry Association Meritorious Service to Forestry Award. “The greatest impact MSU made toward my current and future success is through its people—the people I studied alongside, competed with and against in intramural sports, worshiped with at campus ministries, instructors that lectured. The MSU family has an almost transcendent ability to build relationships with one another, finding common goals and bonds that bring us together. MSU has impacted my success because the people that I met have been encouragers and mentors, pushing me to achieve what might have otherwise seemed impossible.”

The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native is a 2015 Interior Design graduate who currently serves as an Associate & Senior Designer at Gensler, the world’s largest architecture firm. Riley is an NCIDQ licensed and LEED GA certified designer who has spent eight years pouring her talents into designing innovative workplaces for clients including LinkedIn, Delta Airlines and other Fortune 500 Technology Companies. She’s been involved with many award-winning projects such as the Shaw Create Centre, which won the Fast Company Innovation by Design Award for the Most Innovative Workplace in 2019. In 2022, she received the Future of the Firm Award for the Southeast Region of Gensler and was named an IIDA Emerging Designer in their online magazine publication of Perspective. Currently serving on the Georgia Chapter of the International Interior Design Association board, Riley also works alongside the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta through Gensler’s annual educational program called Club Ideate. The six-week program is held during the summer in which Gensler employees teach children about the architecture and design industry. She serves on national and local collegiate juries for events including the AUID Design Competition and SCAD Atlanta. “I am proud to say I would not be the person I am today without my years at MSU. The dedication of my professors and instructors within the Interior Design program shaped me into a young woman who had confidence in my abilities and faith in my talent. I look upon my time at State fondly and know that the curriculum I completed set the foundation for a lifetime of learning and love within my field.”

A 2009 business graduate, he is an airpower strategist and futurist for the U.S. Department of the Air Force. The Morton native is currently pursuing dual master's degrees in business administration at Brown University and IE University in Madrid, Spain. Additionally, Warnsley has earned master's level coursework from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill and the University of Tennessee - Knoxville. In his current role, Warnsley leads the Air Force’s futures and concept development efforts by overseeing the development and indoctrination of new military operational concepts across the Air Force. He is responsible for strategizing concepts with sister services of the Department of Defense specifically in the subjects of human capital development, cyber, space logistics, and special operation forces. He also created a concept development workshop that works directly with the Air Force, Department of Defense/Joint Services and external think tanks, public interest groups, and tech industry groups to identify future trends and deliver vetted concepts that aid in maintaining air, cyber and nuclear superiority for the U.S. Air Force. Warnsley is the current board chair of the mental health nonprofit Getting My Cheese Back on My Cracker and is a member of the Re-imagine Education. Additionally, Warnsley currently owns a logistics startup, Warnsley Brothers Trucking, with his brother Charles. In 2016, he received the General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Management Engineering Award for the U.S. Air Force, and was previously named among Dayton, Ohio’s Top 40 Under 40 and the Urban Land Institute of Cincinnati’s 2013 Emerging Leaders. “It was Mississippi State's career center's strategic partnership with the U.S. Air Force that led to my first career position in Dayton, Ohio. Personally, the circle of friends gained while attending MSU continues to reap countless benefits daily. From having a best friend of 15 years whom I see, talk, and play with daily, to now being a godfather to the child of two successful MSU grads, my life has been thoroughly blessed as a Bulldog.”

The Starkville native is a 2009 MSU communication graduate who also earned a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College. He has served as a staff member in the U.S. Senate for more than 14 years and currently serves as the Legislative Director for Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi. In his current role, Wolverton leads and manages Senator Hyde-Smith’s legislative staff and is the principal individual responsible for advising Hyde-Smith on all facets of her responsibilities as a U.S. Senator. Previously, he served as the military legislative assistant and senior policy advisor to U.S. Senator Thad Cochran, for whom he worked since 2009 in a variety of legislative and political capacities, including Cochran’s 2014 reelection campaign. His legislative portfolio was focused on national defense, homeland security, unmanned systems, disaster recovery, information technology, and economic development. Wolverton has served as the parliamentarian for the Mississippi Society of D.C.'s Board of Directors, vice president of the Mississippi State Alumni Association’s DC Chapter, and has also volunteered for numerous charitable organizations. In 2020, he was named among Mississippi's Top 50 Most Influential Elected and Appointed Government Officials. “It's difficult to think of a way in which MSU has not impacted any personal or professional successes that I may claim. While a degree from MSU doesn’t guarantee that you will be a great success, the lifelong friendships, quality educational experiences, leadership opportunities, and the reputation earned by thousands of previous graduates, guaranteed that I was given a chance to achieve the goals I set out for myself, dream more, learn more, and do more for the betterment of our state and nation.”

She is a 2018 double-major who holds bachelor’s degrees in marketing and foreign language. A native of Treviso, Italy, Zeng is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University with a concentration in international and global affairs. Prior to attending Harvard, Zeng was a Project Manager at CET Platform Italy, a small NGO, where she wrote grant proposals for the European Union’s Erasmus Plus Programme. Feifei also managed projects to help young immigrants and refugees integrate into new societies. She was a 2017 Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellow at Princeton University and a 2018 Andi Leadership Institute Fellow in Washington, DC. As a Women and Public Policy Program Fellow, Zeng spent eight weeks last summer interning at the International Foundation for Y-PEER Development, where she worked on two projects designed to empower young migrants and refugees. She also mentored female migrant youth directly and empowered young migrant women to share their stories and to believe in the power of their voices and experiences. “As a first-generation student, a transfer student from community college, and an international student, I never imagined that one day I would be studying at Harvard University with a full scholarship. I still remember as a new student at MSU, the Shackouls Honors College staff and faculty members told me, “You tell us where you want to go, and we will help you get there.” And this promise has become a reality! I am immensely grateful to MSU for investing in my education with scholarships, funding, mentorship, and more—a family.”