| Monday, June 1, 2026 |
| MSU Benefitted From Recent Legislative Session | |
 | The recently-completed 2026 regular session of the Mississippi Legislature saw encouraging gains for Mississippi State University, the state's leading research university, as lawmakers invested in the land-grant institution's core missions and in the university's world-class faculty and staff. "While the bulk of our operations saw level funding, I'm extremely pleased that the Mississippi Legislature and the Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning chose to invest in a long-needed pay increase, primarily for our academic personnel, and provided funds to cover rising health insurance and public employee retirement costs," said MSU President, Mark E. Keenum. "We are also grateful for increased operating funds for each of our five separate agriculture units, with a raise pool for instructional faculty in that division that mirrors that provided for the main campus." Keenum had made university-wide faculty salaries and stabilizing funds for the agricultural units in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine (DAFVM) key priorities in the university's legislative requests. |
| Seven MSU-Meridian outstanding students recognized during spring commencement | |
 | Seven MSU-Meridian graduates were recognized as outstanding students during spring commencement exercises for their exemplary academic performance. Christopher Alan Burrow of Ridgeland, who earned a Doctor of Education in Educational Policy and Organizational Design, said he plans to continue to serve as an associate state superintendent with the Mississippi Department of Education. Catherine Grace Compton of Scooba, a physical therapist assistant at Noxubee General Hospital, graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Applied Science through MSU's College of Professional and Continuing Studies. Makaela Davis of Flowery Brand, Georgia, plans to advance her bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration to the master's level. Jason Frulla of Union, a husband and father of three adult children, two of whom graduated from MSU, received a Master of Arts in Teaching. Alexis Grant of Starkville graduated with a Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree and plans to work in dermatology, she said. Joshua Johnson of Meridian graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and said he hopes to work with Alzheimer's patients. Jordan Smith of Mooreville graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. |
| Two Mississippi State students named prestigious Astronaut Scholars | |
| Two Mississippi State University students have been selected among the nation's top undergraduate STEM scholars, earning recognition as Astronaut Scholars. Madelyn "Sloan" Berry of Brandon and India "Alex" White of Saltillo were named recipients of the Astronaut Scholarship, awarded to just 79 students nationwide. Each scholar receives up to $15,000 and joins the national Astronaut Scholarship Foundation's lifelong network of professional mentors and peer researchers. Both students are members of MSU's Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College and both maintain a 4.0 GPA. Berry is a senior aerospace engineer. White is a senior biomedical engineering major. |
| MSU E-Center's Startup Summit Winner ReClaim Has Vision for the Future | |
| The Mississippi State University College of Business recently held its 2026 Startup Summit at the E-Center. One of the winners is ReClaim, a company designed to turn organic waste into valuable composting material. ReClaim founder Tanner Riley Marlow joined Studio 3 to discuss how he created ReClaim and his vision for the future. |
| School officials have vague answers for aldermen on expected tax impact of new high school | |
 | A board of aldermen work session grew contentious Friday following a status update on the new Starkville High School after Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District officials failed to provide an estimate on how taxpayers could be affected by the board's decision to borrow $101 million. The SOCSD Board of Trustees voted May 12 to authorize the bond, which will hit the books in a year that Oktibbeha County taxpayers are already bracing for another potential tax increase due to adjustments in the state's assessment manual. During the meeting, Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins, who represents Ward 6, asked SOCSD Superintendent Tony McGee to provide his most informed estimate on how much the district's millage rate will increase – to which McGee said he simply had no answer. "We are ... 32 days before your new budget," Perkins said. "You don't have that information? ... Are you telling the vice mayor that you don't know how many mills your millage rate is going to increase?" McGee, again, said he did not. Perkins, after first thanking McGee for his professionalism, pressed further. |
| What's next after CINCO? | |
| In the more than two decades since its founding, the Golden Triangle Development LINK has helped clear thousands of acres of land for industrial development, bringing millions in industry to the region, creating nearly five Megasites and thousands of jobs. While CINCO, the region's fifth Megasite, has yet to see its first tenant, the question of what comes next is already being asked -- and answered. "I won't say that (CINCO) is the last Megasite ever," said LINK CEO Meryl Fisackerly. "I would say our responsibility is that we first need to fill the CINCO Megasite and get tenants there, but we do need to be forward thinking, and we do need to be thinking about what is our next large land development." Fisackerly said the region also has prospects in Oktibbeha and Clay counties, including unfilled space at the Northstar Industrial Park. "Something out here is in Oktibbeha County (is on our radar), being on the west side of Oktibbeha County," she said. "... And the same with Clay County as well. We still have a lot of available land there, and the area that we've been developing there still has a lot of potential just given the infrastructure that's been built there. We've got a lot of different things on our radar looking toward the future." |
| Bitcoin mining operation eyes expansion in Columbus | |
| For nearly a year, a bitcoin mining facility in Columbus has quietly operated thousands of computers around the clock, drawing on excess electricity capacity from Columbus Light and Water with hopes of expanding soon. Owned by LM Funding America Inc. since September, the facility houses more than 2,000 specialized computers used to mine the digital cryptocurrency. "We run thousands of these computers," said Todd Liebel, vice president of LM Funding's U.S. Digital Mining and Hosting Co. subsidiary. "They don't have screens on them. They don't look like your standard computer. They're basically just boxes with fans on them, and most of the day is just keeping these computers online and working." Bitcoin is a mostly unregulated currency that is separate from a government-backed currency, like the dollar. Bitcoins are held in digital wallets to be used for transactions, which are publicly and permanently recorded using what is called a blockchain. The 2,300 computers operating at the Columbus facility, Liebel said, are responsible for securing that blockchain. |
| Jackson developer says Prado AI power plant to go forward following PSC decision | |
| A Jackson developer says a natural gas power plant at a proposed tech site will go forward following a decision by the state's utility regulatory agency. On Friday, the Mississippi Public Service Commission declined to issue a declaratory opinion on a request from Prado AI to build a 350-megawatt plant at a proposed tech site in Ridgeland. Prado AI Manager Gabriel Prado says the PSC's decision means his plans can go forward, and that he will be issuing a press release with more details on Monday. "We're celebrating," he said. "It's actually in our favor." Prado AI asked for the declaratory decision in March. At a recent press conference, Prado said the plant would power an AI data center and AI semiconductor plant at the Ridgeland site, without putting an additional burden on the grid. Entergy Mississippi and other providers filed motions to intervene in the case. |
| What will sale of Caesars mean for Biloxi and Harrah's Gulf Coast? | |
 | They are just a couple blocks apart in east Biloxi and both Golden Nugget and Harrah's Gulf Coast casinos will be owned by the same company when a $17.6 billion sale is finalized. The announcement of the sale of Caesars Entertainment to Fertitta Entertainment came Thursday, May 28, in a news release that calls the transaction "A transformational combination of two world-class companies." At first glance, it would seem Caesars is the Goliath in this deal, operating more than 50 casinos in 13 states and 5 countries. The Reno, Nevada-based casino, though, has amassed $11.9 billion in outstanding debt that will be assumed in the sale. Sometimes a merger or casino buyout triggers the Federal Trade Commission to require a casino in a competing market be sold to satisfy antitrust laws. There is no indication that's ever happened in Mississippi, and Jay McDaniel, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission said while's it's up to the Federal Trade Commission, he doesn't see a problem with this acquisition. Fertitta Entertainment will be required to come to a Gaming Commission meeting and ask for approval from Mississippi and all the other states where the casinos will operate. |
| The Family Farmers Making More From Clicks Than Crops | |
 | Nick Welker didn't set out to be a farmer. Growing up, he planned on leaving the wind-whipped prairie of northern Montana. He worried, in part, that his family's farm couldn't afford to support him long term. Today, he's in the fourth generation of Welkers tending the sprawling fields -- and he found a way to make the operation more lucrative. "Hey, guys! Welcome back to Welker Farms," he shouted into his camera, recording a video for his family's hundreds of thousands of followers on YouTube. The Welkers -- Nick, his brother Scott, and their father, Bob -- are part of a growing class of "aginfluencers" monetizing farm life. This year, agricultural lenders expect less than half of producers to turn a profit, according to a survey by the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corp. Eighty-six percent of family farms earned a majority of their household income from off-farm sources in 2024, according to the most recent U.S. Agriculture Department data. "Farmers are always looking for, 'What else can I do?' " said Stephen Nicholson, the North American head of crops at agricultural lender Rabobank. Even large-scale family operations like Welker Farms can struggle to support several households through tough crop cycles, he said. |
| Lt. Governor Honors Students at Delta Council Day | |
| The 91st Annual Delta Council Day was held in Stoneville on Friday, May 8 -- and despite a change in location, the event carried on its tradition of addressing timely issues in a celebratory fashion. Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann was in attendance for the event, his 20th Delta Council Day meeting, to officially recognize approximately young adults from around the Delta whose names have been submitted by their respective high schools and also provide scholarships. Keynote speaker at the event, Congressman G.T. Thompson, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, gave the large audience of around 250 on hand a positive message of support for agriculture and the Mississippi Delta at the 91st Annual Delta Council Day, emphasizing the region's significance and importance on a national stage. Hosemann, noting how successful the day was, said he appreciated the Congressman's talk and was especially proud to meet and honor the students on hand being recognized. "These were all bright young leaders, and I am so impressed with them," said Hosemann. "I made a point to ask each one what their future plans were and to make a point to impress upon them to come back, from wherever they may go next, to run Mississippi." |
| Hyde-Smith promotes 'Great American Cotton Plan' | |
| On Friday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the Great American Cotton Plan, a comprehensive USDA initiative to strengthen the cotton farm economy, restore domestic textile manufacturing, expand cotton trade opportunities, and increase demand for products made with American-grown cotton. Mississippi U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith marked the announcement, saying American-grown cotton represents only 4 million of 20 million bales consumed in the U.S. each year. "The Trump Administration and Secretary Rollins are doing right by our farmers and consumers by promoting American-grown cotton with the Great American Cotton Plan," the former Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner said. "It puts our farmers first, supports long-term sustainability for the industry, and provides the American people with safe, affordable, and natural fibers that we should be using. Congress should immediately pass the Buying American Cotton Act to support U.S. farmers, rural communities, and American manufacturing." As part of the plan, USDA will elevate the "Plant Not Plastic" initiative to encourage consumers to purchase products made with healthy natural American cotton fibers rather than synthetic plastic-based alternatives. |
| Trump's Iran peace deal pits Republican vs. Republican | |
 | President Trump's serious consideration of a peace deal with Iran that would open the Strait of Hormuz but also ease sanctions on Iran, a longtime U.S. adversary, is pitting Republican against Republican in a messy debate that will take over the Senate this week. Defense hawks led by Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) have panned the emerging deal with Iran, which Trump has yet to sign off on. At the same time, several Republican senators who are deeply skeptical about the Trump administration's handling of the conflict and who have complained about the lack of a clear endgame are eager to end hostilities and restore the flow of oil, fertilizer and other goods through the Strait of Hormuz as quickly as possible. Wicker has dismissed Iranian negotiators as untrustworthy and warned of a looming "disaster" if Trump accepts the deal being sketchily described in news reports. |
| Graham Platner Scrutiny Exposes Democrats' Gamble | |
| Maine Democrats have tried and failed to defeat Republican Sen. Susan Collins for 30 years. She's known in every corner of the state and has defied national trends before. This year, some Democrats feel they have finally found the person to oust her: Graham Platner, a political newcomer and Marine veteran who is more than 30 years younger than Collins. For Platner, being a relative unknown is a double-edged sword. Yes, he's a fresh face and he has somehow already ousted the mainstream Democrat in the race, Gov. Janet Mills. But voters are still getting to know him, and some have plenty of questions. And the questions keep coming. On Saturday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Platner's wife alerted his campaign to the existence of sexually explicit texts between her husband and several women last year. Platner's wife said the couple had been in counseling and worked through it all. But this comes amid questions that some voters have about Platner and a controversial tattoo. Not to mention a trove of online posts that people have uncovered about the candidate's past views on war and women. If Democrats want to win control of the Senate in November, they likely need Platner to pull off the unthinkable -- beat Collins. |
| Political tensions run high as America 250 set to take over DC | |
| Security preparations are underway across Washington ahead of a number of celebrations commemorating the nation's 250th anniversary this summer as the threat of political violence looms. The first of the events, the UFC fight at the White House, will take place just weeks after a shooting outside of the complex and two months after the third assassination attempt on President Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner. The White House said it was revisiting the president's security strategy following the dinner, but questions remain about how the federal government, local officials in Washington, and event organizers will handle security as political tensions run high throughout the country. "These kinds of things are always low probability, high consequence events," Thomas Warrick, a former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official and nonresident fellow at The Atlantic Council told The Hill. The multiple attempts on Trump's life and the shooting outside of the White House are the latest incidents in a roughly decade-long string of politically-charged attacks. |
| Judge blocks moves to add Trump to Kennedy Center name | |
 | A federal judge in Washington on Friday blocked the Trump administration's moves to rename the Kennedy Center after President Donald Trump and close the center for two years -- and gave two weeks for removal of the changed signage on the building's façade. The opinion and order came in a lawsuit filed in December by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, a member of the center's board, which argued the name change and subsequent closure of the center violated federal law. Judge Christopher R. Cooper of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia wrote in Friday's order that the name change, as well as board votes to close the center and strip ex officio members like Beatty of voting rights, violated the law. "The Kennedy Center's organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board's unilateral say-so. Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it," Cooper wrote. |
| 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' is 'deeply offensive,' Pence says | |
 | Former Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday called President Donald Trump's "Anti-Weaponization Fund a "bad idea" and urged the president to "drop it." "Let's get rid of this fund," Pence said in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press." "I mean, it's deeply offensive to me that you could have a fund that could even possibly compensate people who assaulted police officers or vandalized the Capitol on January 6th," he added. "And I think that's broadly held by most Republicans and most Americans." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The "Anti-Weaponization Fund" is a $1.776 billion fund announced by the Justice Department earlier this month that would allow people who believe they were targeted for prosecution for political purposes, including by the Biden administration DOJ, to apply for payouts. Though Pence has praised some of Trump's policies in the time since, he has also said he holds Trump responsible for endangering him and his family. "I had no right to overturn the election," Pence said in 2023. "And his reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day, and I know history will hold Donald Trump accountable." |
| In a city with an iconic skyline, the Obama presidential museum aims to reshape Chicago architecture | |
 | The granite monolith soars above a leafy stretch of Chicago's South Side, a nearly windowless exterior more suited to a sci-fi film set than the state-of-the art presidential museum held within. Crews are putting the finishing touches on the Obama Presidential Center ahead of the official public opening on Juneteenth, more than a decade after the site was chosen. But the design of the roughly $850 million campus -- particularly the conspicuous 225-foot high rise at its north end -- still divides the city celebrated as the birthplace of the modern skyscraper. For some, it's a jarring choice in Barack Obama's hometown after a grueling battle over its location in a lakefront park where classical style buildings are more common. To others, it's a bold addition that will shape Chicago's iconic skyline for decades to come. Residents have compared it to a grain elevator, ship from "Star Wars" and a mausoleum. "It doesn't fit in at all," said Brenda Nelms, who has lived in the area since the 1970s and leads a group that advocates for nearby Jackson Park, which spans more than 500 acres. |
| Trump on His Presidential Library: He'll Write His Own History | |
 | President Trump's presidential library, planned as a gilded glass tower on a donated chunk of Miami waterfront, is designed to be what Eric Trump, the president's middle son, calls "a lasting testament to an amazing man." If the president has his way, it will also serve as a monument to his norm-busting conduct in office. Mr. Trump had said that the $1 billion project, the priciest presidential library yet, could include a hotel and retail sales outlets. But more disturbing to historians and government watchdogs is his determination to own and control every document a presidential library would contain. Not since the Watergate era, when President Richard M. Nixon took his fight to control the incriminating White House tapes to the Supreme Court, has a president worked so hard to shield documentary evidence of his administration's inner workings from public view. For eight decades, presidential libraries have served as public research centers run by the National Archives and Records Administration, the custodian of presidential records that by law belong to the American people. But Mr. Trump, who was indicted on charges of hiding classified government documents in his Mar-a-Lago estate after his first term, views those records as his personal property. |
| OSHA: Roofing company had similar citations before fatal fall at MUW | |
| A Saucier-based roofing company racked up 10 citations and was assessed more than $82,000 in penalties by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration following an incident at Mississippi University for Women that killed a worker in Columbus last year. The company settled with OSHA for about half that amount, according to inspection details available on OSHA's website and the case status remains open. OSHA also cited the company for similar violations at an Alabama jobsite a few months before the fatal fall at The W. Ignacio Hernandez, 47, of Jackson, an employee of Chavez Roofing LLC, was replacing Painter Hall's roof at The W on July 28 when he fell and died. Chavez Roofing LLC was a subcontractor with Roofing Solutions LLC for the roof replacement work, said Sofia Fernandez, compliance manager with Roofing Solutions LLC. OSHA's Jackson office investigated the incident and, in January, found Chavez Roofing LLC to be in violation of multiple safety regulations, with six of the violations serious enough to warrant penalties. |
| Meridian Community College moves into new Transportation Technology center | |
 | Meridian Community College is moving into its new Transportation Technology Center. After over six months of renovations to what used to be the old College Park automotive building, MCC is finally ready to bring its Diesel Technology and brand-new Automotive Technology programs into their new home. As the last of the paint dries, MCC has begun moving equipment, vehicles, and resources into the building, preparing for the coming Fall semester. Dr. Lori Smith, the dean of MCC's Workforce Development programs, says this is a massive leap forward for their automotive technology programs, which have been needing space to expand as the demand for the programs continues to grow. "Our diesel mechanic program started two years ago and we were anticipating finding a space like this to house diesel and automotive when we started it," said Smith. "The first two-year cohort of automotive will start in August and we are taking applications. We are enrolling students now and our third cohort in our one-year diesel program also will begin in the fall." |
| Vying for the U. of Florida Presidency, Stuart Bell Compares Colleges' Diversity Efforts to 'Segregation' | |
 | In his first interview since being named the sole finalist for the University of Florida's presidency, Stuart Bell on Friday defended his past diversity initiatives at the University of Alabama as an effort to boost in-state enrollment and described colleges' explicit goals of recruiting more minority students as a form of "segregation." "When we talk about DEI and the criticisms we all hear and agree with, we think of segregation, in terms of keeping students away from certain areas," Bell said in an interview with Salem News Channel, a conservative news network. "Those are certainly what DEI became at some places in the country. That certainly was not our focus at the University of Alabama." Conservative activists, prominent Republican lawmakers, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon have called for Bell's candidacy to be rejected because of his diversity efforts as president of the University of Alabama, which they say led to pervasive discrimination against white students and faculty. |
| Florida budget language bolsters state control over university gen-ed courses | |
 | A small change in Florida law will grant greater power for state education officials to amend general education course lists for state colleges and universities, and it was approved by lawmakers alongside the $114.5 billion budget. The change allows the State Board of Education and the State University System Board of Governors to approve, reject or amend the list of general education courses, when originally these education chiefs only had the power to approve or reject them. But this comes soon after these state leaders moved to block introductory sociology courses from counting for general education requirements, which escalated a clash between the DeSantis administration and the sociology discipline, a field known for probing issues of race, gender and inequalities. The proposed change brought some backlash from lawmakers through the debate process, but ultimately Florida lawmakers approved the change with a 76-28 vote in the House and a 32-2 vote in the Senate. Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, voted against this change, saying it was "completely inappropriate." |
| Alabama FAFSA data show thousands of seniors using waivers | |
| While nearly half of Alabama's public high school seniors have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, more than 15,000 Alabama public high school seniors have parent or district waivers from the state's FAFSA graduation requirement, according to new data from the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. Another 10,452 students in the Class of 2026 have not yet completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, as of May 28. Alabama requires public high school seniors to complete the FAFSA before graduation or have a waiver on file. Parents may submit a waiver if a family chooses not to complete the form. School district officials also can submit waivers. The latest ACHE data show 24% of the state's 51,256-student cohort had parent waivers and 6% had district waivers. The current FAFSA cycle runs through Sept. 1, so those numbers will continue to change. But the previous two graduating classes also saw high waiver use: 33% of Alabama's public high school Class of 2025 had parent or district waivers, compared with 35% of the Class of 2024. |
| Inside the fight against 'zombie deer disease,' scientists confront changing politics | |
| In what looks like a souped-up high school chemistry lab, with high-tech equipment and carefully labeled specimen jars, Mariano Carossino points to a piece of deer brain. He and the lab technicians select samples of brain stem and lymph nodes donated by hunters to test for chronic wasting disease, the infection spreading fast among deer, elk and moose nationwide. The small, squishy pieces of organs are taken from a medical sample container and examined by lab technicians with long metal tweezers to make sure they are intact enough to be tested for disease. The samples are encased in wax before being thinly sliced and colored with ink. Under a microscope, Carossino, a pathologist at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, and the lab techs at the Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory can tell whether the deer was diseased, alerted to the problem by little pink dots visible microscopically on their computer monitor. Chronic wasting disease, sometimes known as "zombie deer disease," has no cure. It has spread into 36 states. Many states, including Louisiana, have adopted policies aimed at stopping healthy deer from coming into contact with infected deer and environments. But those efforts could soon be dialed back at the will of state legislators, worrying scientists who study the disease and its expansion. It's the latest sign of rising antagonism toward practices meant to stop the spread of chronic wasting disease. Because the illness is not thought to be contagious to humans, some argue that efforts to control it have gone too far. |
| UA selects interim law school dean, months after political firestorm over withdrawal of job offer to Emily Suski | |
| The University of Arkansas has selected an interim dean to lead its law school, roughly five months after UA offered the permanent position to a South Carolina law professor, then rescinded the offer amid pressure from Republican state lawmakers. The interim position will go to Katheleen Guzman, former dean of the University of Oklahoma law school and a UA alum. Guzman earned a Bachelor of Arts with honors from UA's Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and her law degree from the UA School of Law. She has been a member of the University of Oklahoma College of Law faculty since 1993, according to UA. She will begin her tenure July 1 and serve a two-year term through June 30, 2028, according to the university. Dean Cynthia Nance concludes her tenure June 30. Guzman's total annual compensation will be $350,000, according to her offer letter, subject to approval by the UA System Board of Trustees; Nance's compensation is $357,000. |
| Oklahoma colleges and universities can propose 90-hour bachelor's degrees | |
| Higher education officials on Friday approved new policies that could soon open the door for some Oklahoma students to obtain select college degrees in as few as three years. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved revisions to their policies to outline what colleges and universities must consider before submitting proposals seeking to reduce the time it takes to obtain a bachelor's degree to as low as 90 credit hours. While Oklahoma institutions would not be required to offer accelerated degrees, the move for the first time allows universities to explore the option and submit proposals for different degree programs to the regents for review. Each school's proposal for an accelerated degree would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the State Regents. The board's decision comes after Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Legislature both charged the State Regents with studying the feasibility of Oklahoma's higher education institutions offering such programs. The change has been considered in an effort to make college more affordable and to address workforce shortages. Some criticisms have included concern over a loss of academic rigor, a less prepared workforce and underdeveloped degrees. |
| At NAFSA, More Questions Than Answers on What's Ahead for International Students | |
 | Burned out after more than a year of the Trump administration's attacks on international students -- as well as looming regulatory changes that will likely make it even more difficult for overseas students to study in the U.S.--international educators are yearning for clarity on what the future of international education in the U.S. might look like and how those policy shifts will impact the field. Those concerns were top of mind for the thousands of international education professionals at the 2026 NAFSA conference, held last week at Orlando's Orange County Conference Center. The impending end of duration of status, a long-standing rule that has allowed international students to stay in the country until they finish their program, was perhaps the biggest concern among attendees, hundreds of whom packed into multiple sessions about navigating the rule change. Another top concern was the potential end of or added restrictions to Optional Practical Training, which Trump administration officials have implied may be on the horizon, the impacts of the administration's ongoing travel ban on international education, and more. |
| How Challengers Are Trying to Block ED's New Loan Limits | |
| Two lawsuits, filed, respectively, by a swath of Democratic state attorneys general and professional associations, will take center stage this summer as federal district courts weigh the legality of the Education Department's plan to limit postbaccalaureate student loans. The regulations facing scrutiny stem from a section of Congress's One Big Beautiful Bill Act that caps the amount graduate and professional students can borrow from the federal government; if they take effect, the regulations would define which degree programs fall into which category and what level of aid they receive. As of now, only students pursuing one of 11 qualifying degrees would count as professional, allowing them to borrow up to $200,000. All other graduate students would be capped at $20,500 per year or $100,000 total. Challengers argue that in addition to going beyond congressional intent and therefore breaking the law, the narrow definition could significantly limit college access and weaken pipelines for several high-demand health-care professions. |
SPORTS
| Baseball: Diamond Dawgs Reach Super Regional In Dominant Fashion | |
| No. 17 Mississippi State saved its loudest swings of the Starkville Regional for the final night at Dudy Noble Field. Jacob Parker homered twice, drove in four runs and was named the regional's Most Outstanding Player as Mississippi State overwhelmed No. 25 Louisiana 19-5 on Sunday night to win the Starkville Regional and advance to next weekend's Athens Super Regional against third-ranked Georgia. It was the 17th NCAA Regional Championship in program history. The Diamond Dawgs (41-25) pounded out 20 hits, launched seven home runs and scored in seven different innings to secure another postseason celebration in front of a maroon-and-white crowd. The regional drew 57,794 fans across the weekend, including 9,901 for Sunday night's championship game. Mississippi State will now turn its attention to Georgia, with a trip to the College World Series on the line in Athens. |
| Mississippi State claims Starkville Regional title | |
| In their first postseason games at Dudy Noble Field in half a decade, the Mississippi State Bulldogs remained true to themselves. The end result was a clean sweep of the Starkville Regional, punctuated with a 19-5 drubbing of the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in the final on Sunday night. The Bulldogs (43-17) will now travel to face Georgia in the Athens Super Regional starting on Friday. "You can put the formula together, but they still have to follow the lead and do it, and they did it," Bulldogs coach Brian O'Connor said. "And now they get an opportunity to play again next weekend." With a super regional appearance on the line, Ryan McPherson looked like his old self. The sophomore hurler went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking no one and striking out seven on 83 pitches. It was the most innings and pitches he's thrown since March 13. "I thought McPherson was outstanding. It worked," O'Connor said. "Our plan that was laid out about 10 weeks ago was for tonight." |
| Mississippi State completes Starkville Regional sweep with 19-5 win over Louisiana | |
| Mississippi State put on quite the show for a fanbase eager to pack Dudy Noble Field to witness the club's first home regional since the 2021 national championship season. The Bulldogs capped a dominant weekend with a 19-5 win over Louisiana on Sunday. Brian O'Connor's club held no punches in the Starkville Regional, outscoring foes 39-11 in three straight wins. The maroon and white were especially productive in the finale, tallying 20 total hits, highlighted by a ninth-inning grand slam by Vytas Valincius that had the home crowd in full party mode. On the mound, star pitcher Ryan McPherson (4-1) had his best outing by far since getting injured earlier in the season. The right-hander fanned seven batters while only surrendering two runs on five hits in five complete innings. Freshman phenom Jack Bauer was responsible for most of Louisiana's scoring. While the fast-throwing lefty had three strikeouts in 1.1 innings, he was also hit with three earned runs on the stat sheet. Mississippi State will head east to face a familiar foe in No. 3 national seed Georgia this coming weekend. The Athens Super Regional will begin on Friday. |
| Bulldogs bombard Cajuns 19-5 for Starkville Regional victory | |
| In Sunday's Starkville Regional finale, Mississippi State wasted no time in putting its foot on the gas early with three straight solo home runs to spark its way to a 19-5 win over the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for its first NCAA Regional championship since 2021. The bats came alive early for the the bombing Bulldogs (43-17), who used 20 hits to smack seven homers -- three through the first four innings -- to earn the right to advance to the Athens Super Regional and take on Georgia for a trip to the College World Series. The Ragin' Cajuns end their season at 41-25 overall. Leadoff batter Gehrig Frei got the scoring party started for MSU in the first inning with a solo shot off the Cajuns' starter Sawyer Pruitt. The score sent all of Dudy Noble into a frenzy, and freshman Jacob Parker added to it two at-bats later with another solo blast that traveled a total of 406 feet. Ryder Woodson made it three in a row with another homer in the second inning to put MSU 3-0. The win for State is its third in a row with at least 10 runs. |
| How Mississippi State's Ryan McPherson plan worked perfectly in dominant regional | |
 | Mississippi State baseball's first SEC home series in March was filled with joy but also gloom. The Bulldogs swept Vanderbilt at Dudy Noble Field, but concern existed for Ryan McPherson, MSU's No. 1 pitcher who exited his start with an injury. He was diagnosed with a forearm strain, but there was no telling what that meant for MSU's outlook after such a strong start to the season. No firm timetable was publicized for when he could return. But behind the scenes, Mississippi State and first-year coach Brian O'Connor had their sights set on the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. If Mississippi State could get by without a fully healthy McPherson until the regionals, the team could be in good shape for a postseason run. That plan has now been executed perfectly. It was McPherson who pitched the No. 14 national seed Bulldogs (43-17) to a dominant Starkville Regional-clinching win at Dudy Noble Field on May 31. Mississippi State's three starters -- McPherson, Tomas Valincius and Duke Stone -- allowed only five runs in the regional in 18 1/3 combined innings. |
| Georgia's Tre Phelps, coach Wes Johnson ejected after home run celebration in regional win over Liberty | |
| While he drilled a huge home run on Sunday night, Tre Phelps didn't make it to the end of Georgia's 6-1 win over Liberty. Phelps, after hitting a two-run homer in the sixth inning of the NCAA regional final game at Foley Field in Athens, was actually thrown out of the game. Right before Phelps turned to round first base, he was seen making hand signals and celebrating toward the Liberty dugout. It's not exactly clear what Phelps said in the moment, or whether he was talking to the Liberty dugout or the Georgia fans sitting above it. The game was held at Georgia's home field, so the crowd was mostly Bulldogs fans. Phelps kept celebrating all the way around the bases to his own dugout, too, and didn't seem to realize that he was ejected until much later. But clearly, the umpires had seen enough of a celebration to warrant his ejection. Georgia head coach Wes Johnson followed suit after he came out and erupted at the umpires over the call. After a few moments, Johnson then left the field with his player. Because of his ejection, Phelps will have to miss the Bulldogs' next game. |
| Social media fueling college softball's rise thanks to broccoli and TikTok dances | |
| No, college softball fans, you're not crazy. There really was broccoli hanging from the dugout fence for Mississippi State during their first-ever appearance at the Women's College World Series on Friday. From wigs to cows to making it rain with fake money, teams across the country have found their niche celebrations and rallying cries. As softball continues its meteoric rise each postseason (just last week, ESPN recorded its most-watched NCAA Softball Regionals on record, including three series that peaked at over a million viewers), it's these moments of connection and pure joy that make the viewing experience unlike anything else in college sports. Of course, social media is a driving factor, but in recent years, viewers are coming not only for the game but also for the antics and the players behind them. One particular face appeared on social media throughout the NCAA Tournament. Cheeks pink with excitement, curly hair flowing and a Hawaiian shirt covered in vegetables over his shoulders, Broccoli Guy has become one of the viral moments of the postseason. Jim Stewart Allen, the Washington state native behind the sensation, said this isn't just a bit. It's an extension of who he is. Enter the Bulldogs, who, in the Eugene Regional, picked up what Allen was putting down almost instantly, thanks to freshman utility player Ally Supan. |
| Women's College World Series: Shirts sporting 'mantra of the softball season' take over WCWS | |
| A deal went down off of Exit 14 in Columbus, Georgia, Wednesday evening. Abby Supan had coordinated everything earlier in the week, making sure her order was complete to satisfy her dozens of buyers. Phillip Weaver was on the other end of the transaction. He and his team of four worked on a total timecrunch but completed Supan's request in time for her flight that night. The two met, exchanged the merchandise, and Supan was off to deliver the goods – 100 T-shirts, sporting junior pitcher Dealainey Everett's, "An underdog is still a freakin' dog" quote, which reached the national stage after MSU's win against Oklahoma on Sunday in Norman, Oklahoma. "We wanted to create something fun and meaningful that showed support to the team," Supan, whose daughter, Ally Supan, is a freshman on the Bulldog's history-making softball team. "This College World Series is such a special moment for the athletes and families, we wanted something that would bring all of us together to show our support to them." The shirts stood out in the bleachers of Devon Park on Thursday afternoon. In what would usually be a maroon-filled section, the seats behind the first-base dugout turned into a sea of white. The shirts were even featured on ESPN's broadcast of the game. "Everybody is showing up in the underdog shirts," ESPN reporter Holly Rowe said as she told the story of Everett's slogan. "I think it might be the mantra of the softball season." |
| Why Mississippi State softball has what it takes to return to WCWS | |
| In seven seasons, coach Samantha Ricketts has transformed Mississippi State softball into a Women's College World Series caliber program. The Bulldogs (43-21) made the WCWS for the first time in school history, losing 8-0 to No. 11 seed Texas Tech on May 28 and 4-0 to No. 2 seed Texas on May 29 at Devon Park. Even though there were struggles, Ricketts is confident the Bulldogs have what it takes to return, only now with crucial WCWS experience. "We're going to continue to build off the foundation they set with players like (Xiane Romero), (Kinley Keller), all the younger ones we have coming back," Ricketts said. "Now we're excited, we know what it's about, we can't wait to be back." MSU is losing six seniors from its lineup, all of whom played in at least 50 games and four of whom started at least 55 times this season. However, the Bulldogs also return a fair amount of production, including sophomore Morgan Stiles who was second in hits and fourth in RBIs, and freshman Kinley Keller, who had the team's highest batting average at .330. "I definitely think (the WCWS) raised the standard in our program with the whole mindset, knowing that we can make it here and we will make it here," Romero said. "Just making sure that everybody has bought into and is ready to do that." |
| Hattiesburg's hosts are eliminated. Southern Miss goes 0-2 in own regional | |
| Empty-handed in Hattiesburg. Southern Miss leaves its own regional without a win after losing a dramatic 15-11 extra-inning battle to Virginia in Saturday's losers bracket contest between the top two seeds in the Hattiesburg Regional. It's the first time the Golden Eagles have gone 0-2 in a regional since 2011 in Atlanta and did so as the No. 9 national seed -- the highest in program history. "It's obviously frustrating to lose your first two in this regional," USM coach Christian Ostrander said after the game. "I'll take ownership of that. Tough day, tough moment for us. But we'll move on, draw positives from it and build and get ready for the next." Southern Miss lost the first game of the weekend against four-seed Little Rock, 7-4, on Friday after allowing four ninth-inning runs. |
| Ted Cruz Calls New Bipartisan Bill 'Last, Best Hope' to Save College Sports | |
| Calling it "the last, best hope" for federal college athletics legislation, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz tells Sports Illustrated he will urge his colleagues to get on board with the Protect College Sports Act that he co-authored with Sen. Maria Cantwell. "I am very, very glad we got here," Cruz says. "There were a lot of days it didn't look like we would. But this is absolutely critical for the future of college sports." The 111-page bill, which was introduced Wednesday, is notable because of its bipartisan nature. Cruz, a Republican from Texas, and Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington, have also aligned Sens. Eric Schmitt (R.-Mo.) and Chris Coons (D.-Del.) in helping craft the legislation and advocate for the bill. A 60-member majority would be needed for the bill to pass the Senate; Cruz said that would mean seven Democrats joining a 100% Republican vote to reach that threshold. "But my objective is to not just see it squeak by with 60 votes," Cruz says. "I'd like to see a clear mandate. Sports shouldn't be a partisan issue. In a time of deep partisan division, sports is the one thing that gets us coming together. College sports is a unique American treasure, and college sports today is in crisis." |
| Big 12 becoming first P4 conference to have all members agree to CSC participation | |
| The Big 12 is becoming the first Power Four conference to have each of its members sign participation agreements with the College Sports Commission, the agency formed last year to police name, image and likeness payments. "The Big 12 wants rules and enforcements, and we want to be a leader in that area," commissioner Brett Yormark said Friday after the league wrapped up four days of annual meetings. "I think signing the participation agreement certainly is indicative of that." The agreement requires schools to waive their right to file lawsuits against the enforcement agency and gives it wide latitude to sanction programs for violating rules that outline how players can be paid after the House settlement last year. But all 68 Power Four schools must sign the 11-page document for it to become valid. All schools had initially been asked to review and sign the document by last December. Richard Linton, president of Kansas State, said the Big 12 board of directors -- composed of the presidents and chancellors from the league's 16 schools -- unanimously agreed to sign the document. |
| Brendan Sorsby Partook in Illegal Bets, NCAA Argues in Court Filing | |
| The NCAA on Friday accused Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby of placing over $90,000 in bets while playing for Indiana, Cincinnati and Texas Tech from 2022 to 2026, and of transferring money to others for bets in Texas, where sports betting is barred by a criminal statute. Sorsby is away from the team for treatment of gambling addiction and has sued the NCAA to declare him eligible. The assertions are raised in the NCAA's brief opposing Sorsby's application for a temporary injunction from Judge Ana Estevez of Lubbock County (Texas) District Court. Sorsby, who reportedly landed a $5 million NIL deal to join Texas Tech as a transfer from the Bearcats, seeks a resolution before June 22, which he says is when he would need to apply to the NFL for the league to consider holding a supplemental draft in which the 22-year-old would be eligible for selection. As Sportico has detailed, the NFL is under no obligation to hold such a draft and might have reservations about doing so for a player who is addicted to gambling. The Sorsby case is being closely watched for any precedence it could set in the future for college athletes accused of betting. |
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