Browsing: People

In 2009, Anne Reed and Leigh Gentry-Hickman met during a women’s Bible study in Tupelo, Mississippi. Their friendship began quietly, but a spark of connection was formed. Years later, that spark grew into something extraordinary.

Two Mississippi State University senior ROTC cadets are being recognized after placing in the top 1% at this summer’s U.S. Army ROTC Advanced Camp.

Neurodegenerative diseases remain among the most complex and least understood conditions in modern medicine, with few effective treatments available for patients and families facing diagnoses such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and frontotemporal dementias (FTDs). At The University of Southern Mississippi, Dr. Vijay Rangachari, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, has been investigating the molecular mechanisms that underlie these disorders, particularly how certain proteins misfold and aggregate in the brain to drive disease progression.

Dr. Kimberly Ward, an associate professor in The University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Speech and Hearing Sciences, has been elected to serve a three-year term as vice president for academic affairs on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Board of Directors.

Mississippi State graduate Ginny Walker Shurlds debuts her first children’s book “Mississippi State From A to Z,” with a special signing at Starkville’s Book Mart on Main Street Friday [Sept. 5] 2–5 p.m. She’ll continue signing copies Saturday morning when the store opens at 9:30 a.m.

Southern Miss marine science professor Dr. Kristina Mojica and Ph.D. student Rachel Lancaster participated in the largest marine debris removal effort in Southeast Alaska earlier this summer. Their work supported the NOAA-funded Ocean Plastics Recovery Project, which removed an estimated 3,600 pounds of marine debris per day from the region’s shorelines aboard the R/V Steadfast.

“Video Killed the Radio Star” may have been the very first music video aired when MTV launched in 1981—but long before that iconic moment, a Mississippi native was already laying the groundwork for what would become a cultural revolution. No, MTV didn’t start in Mississippi, but our state had everything to do with its creation, thanks to Jackson-born Bob Pittman.

Karli Matthews, a middle school student at Lee Academy in Clarksdale, has been named Mississippi’s state champion for the National Civics Bee®. 

Reverend Edwin (Eddie) Kirby is now entering his eleventh year as our pastor at First Methodist Church in Pascagoula. Brother Eddie is an exceptional leader for our congregation—I already have him on the Mount Rushmore of all-time preachers at FMC. To my great joy, he and I have become good friends.

Will Bradham, owner of Bradham Enterprises, which has businesses located in Cleveland, Oxford, and Starkville, could be considered a serial entrepreneur, but it is in his blood. Bradham’s father was an entrepreneur, owning an automotive and parts supply store. Some of Bradham’s earliest memories are working alongside his dad. 

Danyell Latham watched as a crowd of Lambda Chi Alpha members celebrated the groundbreaking of her new home Thursday [Aug. 14].

Latham has worked for the university for nearly a decade and has served as a chef for the Lambda Chi fraternity house for about a year. By November, she and her sons, Robert and Kasen Kelly, will have the keys to a house built by volunteers from Mississippi State, Starkville Habitat for Humanity and the young men she sees every day at the university.

This summer, 21 staff members took time off from their usual jobs at the University of Mississippi to dive into some personal passion projects.

They all had support from the Staff Creative Residency program, launched in 2022 by the Mississippi Lab with funding from the Office of the Provost. The program offers a $500 stipend and five days of paid creative time so recipients can complete a project of their choice.

These days, everyone has their favorite podcasts, even old ladies like me. But I am proud to say that my favorite podcast is a Mississippi creation from start to finish.

Hannah’s Heart is a weekly podcast that can be heard every Saturday evening from 5:00 to 5:30 on American Family Radio (AFR): https://afr.net/podcasts/hannahs-heart/. Hosted by two young Mississippi moms, Kendra White and Anne Cockrell, the show is dedicated to encouraging couples who are walking through some of life’s most difficult trials of infertility and miscarriage. 

Taylor Garretson, a senior at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), was crowned the 2025 Mississippi Miss Hospitality during the final night of competition held July 19 at the Historic Hattiesburg Saenger Theater. The Greene County native emerged at the top of a highly competitive field of 47 contestants from across the state, following a rigorous week of interviews, speeches and stage presentations.

The St. Martin High School girls’ flag football team recently won the inaugural Mississippi High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) state championship. They defeated George County High School in the final game, which was part of the first-ever MHSAA flag football season. The team, along with several of its seniors, has been recognized for its historic achievement and its impact on the sport in Mississippi. 

Congratulations to Landon Harmon, a recent graduate of of East Union Attendance Center, for being selected by the Washington Nationals as the overall #80 pick in the Major League Baseball draft.