| Wednesday, January 22, 2025 |
| New degree programs, vice president for IHL kick off the new year | |
 | New degree programs, academic centers and a new vice president were all approved during the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning's first meeting of 2025. The Board of Trustees convened via Zoom Thursday morning, Jan. 16. Trustee Gee Ogletree was unanimously voted in as IHL vice president for the current term. During Thursday's meeting, two new degree programs were approved for Mississippi State University and Mississippi University for Women. Mississippi University for Women added a Master of Education in Multiple Exceptionalities. Mississippi State University added a Master of Applied Science in Organizational Leadership, a 30-hour degree program housed in the College of Professional and Continuing Studies. Students in the new degree program will learn valuable leadership skills meeting a growing demand for highly trained project managers. The program is aimed specifically toward military personnel and working adults. In addition to the new degree program, Mississippi State University received approval for a new College of Integrative Studies and a new Career Horizons Center. The College of Integrative Studies is a new academic unit to be housed in the existing Division of Academic Affairs. The Career Horizons Center's primary role is helping Mississippians between the ages of 16 and 70 years old suffering from Long COVID rejoin the workforce. Only 25 of these centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education Rehabilitation Services Administration exist throughout the United States, and the new Career Horizons Center at Mississippi State University will be one of 12 housed on a university campus. |
| New College of Integrative Studies now at Mississippi State | |
 | Officials with Mississippi State University (MSU) announced the addition of its 10th college. The new College of Integrative Studies was approved Thursday, January 16 by the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). A unit of the Division of Academic Affairs, MSU officials said the college will equip students to look beyond the boundaries of a single discipline, equipping them with an interdisciplinary and adaptable approach in today's global marketplace. A major focus will be research and experiential, or hands-on, learning opportunities incorporated into the course of study. "This new college broadens horizons for Mississippi State students by immersing them in a dynamic academic environment and helping them gain a broader, global perspective they can apply in real-world work environments," said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. "Today's workforce requires this kind of skill set and knowledge, and we're proud to be a leader among institutions taking this integrated approach." |
| GTR Airport to offer westbound flight to Dallas starting May 5 | |
 | For passengers flying out of the Golden Triangle Regional Airport, heading directly west is about to become an option starting May 5. GTR Airport is partnering with American Airlines, operated by SkyWest Airlines, to offer a westbound flight to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Executive Director Matt Dowell said at a Tuesday announcement event. There will be one daily flight each way between the airport and Dallas/Fort Worth, he said. Dowell also emphasized the impact this addition of a westbound flight could have on the region as a whole, as air service is "such a big part" of connecting incoming and outgoing passengers to the communities within the Golden Triangle. Mississippi State University Vice President of Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan said the new flight will make it easy for the university to do business with other entities, particularly those spread across the west side of the country. She said MSU is looking forward to "helping fill those planes up" once they start flying in May. "Mississippi State University is one of the largest, if not the largest, user of this airport," Jordan said. "We couldn't do our business, honestly, without this airport. The fact that we have an airport just 10 miles from our campus is almost unbelievable for a rural land grant institution like ours." |
| GTR Airport announces new airline partnership | |
 | Traveling west is becoming easier in the Golden Triangle. The GTR Airport announced its new partnership with American Airlines on Tuesday morning, January 21. Matt Dowell is the Executive Director for the Golden Triangle Regional Airport. "Really excited that we have more options here, now that we have connections to DFW and to Atlanta on Delta. So, just more options make it easier for people to come and go from our community and our region," said Dowell. With the addition of American Airlines, residents and visitors will be able to travel West without catching a flight to Atlanta first. "Many, many, many, people at Mississippi State University need this opportunity to travel directly west. Often times, we're overnighting coming and going just to make the flights work otherwise," said Dr. Julie Jordan, MSU's VP of Research and Economic Development. The airport said it has been trying to recruit American Airlines for 10 years. Airport officials are excited to see the project take off. |
| Mississippi State partners with U.S. Navy to boost education, job opportunities | |
 | In an effort to expand opportunity through education, one of Mississippi's largest universities is partnering with a division of the U.S. Navy. Mississippi State University and the U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (CNMOC) recently signed an Education Partnership Agreement, forming an academic collaboration focused on geoscience, data science, and several other disciplines. The command, headquartered at Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, oversees 13 units that work in various scientific fields to deliver information to an array of organizations. Officials both from the school and Naval command say the relationship will result in more opportunities for students and the state at large -- both educational and professional. "Partnerships like this expose students to the real-world challenges they will be addressing after graduation," MSU Dean for Integrative Studies and Northern Gulf Institute Associate Director Jamie Dyer said. "By working with CNMOC, students will gain experience working across disciplines and become familiar with some of the advanced technology used in Naval oceanography and meteorology efforts." Further academic partnerships between MSU and CNMOC are being explored as the two work to encourage STEM-focused workforce development in the Magnolia State. |
| Mississippi State studies UAVs' usefulness in agriculture | |
| Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are the focus of a new study by Mississippi State University (MSU). Madison Dixon, associate director of research at the MSU Agricultural Autonomy Institute, said the university has the largest U.S.-manufactured ag drone fleet in the country. "With this fleet, we will be performing research flights, testing numerous variables and aiming to provide valuable data and insights to farmers," Dixon said. "We will test application efficacy of both liquid and dry agricultural products and will find ways to mitigate off-target drift." Ag drones have been equipped with tanks and nozzles to spray crops with water-based solutions, as well as hoppers and spreaders for dispersing dry material. Applications include cover crop seeding; weed, insect and disease control; as well as crop imaging when combined with cameras and sensors. Dixon said MSU is focused only on U.S. made spray drones. According to the MSU Extension Service, the university is working with a Hylio AG-272 UAS that has an 18-gallon payload capacity and weighs up to 400 pounds at takeoff. |
| Dog's life-changing injuries led to a new home in Starkville | |
 | Buddy, a Mississippi dog who found fame online following horrific life-changing injuries, also found a home in Starkville with a surgeon who treated him in 2021. Buddy was intentionally set on fire by a child on April 22, 2021, and he was subsequently placed in the care of the Tunica Humane Society. Initial care was done by veterinarians in that area, and the team at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) was contacted about taking the case a few days later on April 26. Dr. Betsy Swanson, an associate professor of small animal surgery at the CVM, was the senior surgeon on his case, working alongside a surgical team that included students. His extensive injuries also required anesthesiology, ophthalmology, intensive care, radiology and other individuals' care in "a massive team effort it took to get him through everything." From television news to social media posts, Buddy was a celebrity from the moment he was injured. His story attracted those with sympathy for the pain he suffered and those who admired the resilience he showed in his recovery. On a recent Monday, staff and students at the veterinary school smiled and greeted Buddy as he walked the halls alongside Swanson. He enjoys any activity involving people, and the more people the better. Swanson said she most admires Buddy for the same reason others do -- the fact he came through a life-altering injury at the hands of a person yet shows no signs of bitterness toward people. |
| These 14 colleges offer bachelor's degrees in AI -- including just one Ivy League school | |
| The artificial intelligence boom doesn't appear to be going away any time soon. Tech and other industry leaders from Bill Gates to Mark Cuban have embraced the technology and touted its potential to reshape the global economy. Colleges and universities have followed suit, preparing tomorrow's workforce to use and continue to develop AI tools for a variety of business and life applications. Back in 2018, long before ChatGPT gained its current notoriety around college campuses, Carnegie Mellon University began offering the country's first Bachelor of Science degree in artificial intelligence. Since then, over a dozen schools throughout the country have developed their own AI degree programs, including the University of Pennsylvania, which became the first Ivy League school to offer an AI-focused degree in 2024. CNBC Make It identified at least 14 colleges and universities that currently offer bachelor of science degrees in AI, including Mississippi State University. |
| Lampkin, Montgomery intersection to be simplified to two lanes | |
| Starkville is rolling out a redesign of the intersection of South Montgomery Street and East Lampkin Street, reducing it to two lanes and expanding sidewalks to make it less chaotic. The board of aldermen approved a $211,000 bid from Groundstone Construction Tuesday to implement the new layout. With an estimated February start and late April finish, planners hope one of the city's traffic headaches will soon be a thing of the past. "Montgomery and Lampkin is the most problematic intersection, based on its structure, which is necessitated primarily by the railroad crossing we don't control," Mayor Lynn Spruill said Tuesday. "Going to a narrowed and reduced lane structure simplifies the choices of who goes next and improves the visibility of those at the intersection." The new design will expand three of the sidewalks to bring them in line with the existing southeast corner, and in line with what the city's zoning says should already exist along that stretch. The intersection will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act once the project is finished, with shallower angles on its ramps and fewer bumps where asphalt meets concrete. That will sacrifice a lane on either side of the Lampkin Street, but City Engineer Cody Burnett told The Dispatch it's an intentional decision to try and improve the intersection's clarity. With just one car at a time approaching the intersection from a given direction, he hopes it will be easier to tell who arrived at the four-way stop first. |
| Talented Coblentz family builds successful, diverse Starkville area businesses | |
| Many years ago, Robbie Coblentz started a video production business, Broadcast Media Group, amassing clients like 60 Minutes, HGTV, GQ, and PBS. Meanwhile, his wife, Bonnie Coblentz, began her career as a writer, eventually becoming an editor with the Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension Office of Agricultural Communications. "So how in the world did we open a wine bar with a coffee/bagel/gelato shop alongside it?" teased Robbie. ... Dolce reopened in July 2022 with gelato, artisan-grilled cheese sandwiches and really good coffee. Soon, they added fresh-baked NYC bagels from Terrace Bagels in Brooklyn. L'uva took a little longer to complete and opened in February 2023, with a dedicated wine cellar and impressive wine list curated by Booth. In the first year of business, Starkville Daily News awarded L'uva the area's Best Wine List. The wine bar also offers charcuterie boards, flatbreads, and tapas-style dishes, along with upscale desserts. Visit Mississippi recently featured L'uva in a Girls Night Out campaign TV spot, driving more traffic to the thriving wine bar. "Response has been great," said Robbie. "It's the only wine bar in the Golden Triangle and one of only a few in north Mississippi. We've had folks come from all around the area to visit and they turn into repeat customers. It's got a great atmosphere and is truly one of the few adult bars around." |
| Biggest winter storm in decades exceeded forecasts across South Mississippi: 'A total freak show' | |
 | The biggest snow storm in six decades swept across the South and enveloped the Mississippi Coast on Tuesday with strong winds and frigid air that iced roads, closed schools and offices and transformed beaches from Bay St. Louis to Pascagoula into white, winter landscapes. The snow started at dawn and kept falling, silencing the cloudy Gulf Coast except for the sounds of bitter breezes, occasional cars and heavy flakes hitting windows. Residents skied down bridges and spun ATVs in circles through snow. Drivers roared engines, their back wheels spinning, and sputtered up steep, icy inclines. Others took photos of their homes, apparently in awe. "It's the biggest snowfall I've ever seen," Waveland Mayor Jay Trapani said. The snow globe conditions were dangerous, enchanting and historic. The National Weather Service predicted 4 to 6 inches of snow would blanket South Mississippi. But by Tuesday night, the totals exceeded that forecast. Nine inches fell in parts of Long Beach and Ocean Springs. Josh Morgerman, a storm chaser who lives in Bay St. Louis, wandered through the city's quiet downtown Tuesday morning. In a video posted on social media, he said he was "enjoying this total freak show." |
| Extreme cold and snow across the South isn't a threat to most native plants and animals, experts say | |
 | bout 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow covered the ground and plants outside Braden Doucet's Lafayette, Louisiana, home Tuesday afternoon. It's also cold. Much colder than normal. The temperature Tuesday night is expected to sink to 12 degrees F (minus 11 Celsius) and evening lows are predicted to be below freezing through Friday. For people, the freeze and snow have brought most things to a standstill. But wildlife natives like cypress trees and prairie plants, and cold-blooded gators and snakes, should be alright. "I've never seen snow like this in Louisiana, for sure," said Doucet, a graduate student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette who works in a climate change adaptation lab for plants. "You might see a couple dead plants, but as a rule, most plants should be fine," Doucet added. "The individual plants, themselves, haven't seen this level of snowfall and extreme weather, but the populations of these native plants have been here for millennia. They have evolved in this ecological context. In terms of a plant population, a hundred years is nothing. Their genetics have good memory." Phyllis Baudoin Griffard, a retired biology professor at the school, says it's all about "evolution and adaptions" when it comes to plants. But Griffard is not sure how Spanish moss, which drapes oak and cypress trees in swampy areas, will respond to this week's extremes. "They're kind of picky," she said of Spanish moss. |
| Will rare Louisiana snowstorm impact 2025 crawfish season? Here's what experts say | |
 | When it gets cold outside and snow begins to fall, people hunker down and so do crawfish. In early December, some Louisiana restaurants started serving up the boiled Gulf Coast delicacy, signaling the start of what could be a regular crawfish season. And seafood industry experts said a deep freeze would be the only thing that could stop that from happening. Todd Fontenot, the crawfish extension agent with the LSU AgCenter, said the historic snowstorm and freezing weather will only have a short-term impact on mudbugs this year. "You know, it's a short-term delay in the old activities, but with some good warming weather come out of this, we find it's gonna get back to where it was pretty quickly again," he said. Fontenot explained that crawfish, being cold-blooded crustaceans, are sitting around, conserving energy to survive. Crawfish season was getting into a little groove ahead of snowy conditions that hit south Louisiana. Fontenot said the indicators were good going into January, with harvesters and boilers operating much more quickly than last year. "People are harvesting crawfish already. Last year, there was very, very little activity," Fontenot said. "No one was catching crawfish in January last year." |
| New Orleans, a City That Has Seen It All, Gets Its First Snow in 15 Years | |
 | Weather upending routines and causing havoc is nothing new for New Orleans, which has contended with hurricanes, heat waves and the occasional ice storm. But snow? Not so much. The city went 15 years without measurable snow until Tuesday morning. "I would call it a poet's snow," waxed Kevin Bennett, a writer who pulled a folding chair outside in the French Quarter to smoke a cigarette in the blur of whirling white flakes. "I love it." Major highways and bridges were closed on Tuesday. Many roadways had become impassable. Classes were canceled in local schools, and many businesses could not open as the snow essentially brought New Orleans to a standstill. Jay Grymes, a longtime television meteorologist in Baton Rouge who became the state climatologist last year, said the state had not experienced wintry conditions like this since the 1960s. Four inches or more of snow were expected across the state, from the border with Texas to the border with Mississippi. Mr. Grymes warned residents they should anticipate staying put until at least Wednesday and possibly into Thursday. Some of the rhythms of responding to hurricanes were evident during the snowstorm, like cooking up pots of gumbo and pans of fried chicken, and using up perishable foods in the refrigerator and freezer. |
| Mississippi Power celebrates its centennial, MLK Day by giving time and money to those in need | |
 | Despite most of its workers on storm activation in preparation for an arctic blast expected to hit the Coast overnight, more than 500 Mississippi Power employees spent Monday morning giving back. While crews mobilized and planned to respond to potential outages due to possible snowfall weighing down tree limbs and contacting power lines, thousands of local residents around the state were provided healthy, shelf-stable meals during the utility company's annual Day of Service project on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s official holiday. With three locations designated for distribution, including Hattiesburg and Meridian, nearly 300 volunteers gathered in partnership with non-profit food bank Extra Table at the Lyman Community Center in Gulfport to pack, distribute, and welcome residents, who began lining up as early as 7 a.m. "Dr. King's message was always about making every effort you could to make your community better and it's very consistent with what we try to do," said Anthony Wilson, President and CEO of Mississippi Power. "We are very blessed to be able to serve our customers. We've done it now for over one hundred years and we feel like we are a part of the community." In celebrating its centennial, Mississippi Power also announced a sizeable financial donation to Extra Table to continue its work of providing meals statewide. |
| MDAH Announces 2025 Mississippi Historic Site Preservation Grants | |
| The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) has announced the 2025 Mississippi Historic Site Preservation Grant program (MHSPG) grantees. In 2021, the Mississippi Legislature authorized the creation of the MHSPG program to acquire sites related to Civil War battles, Native American archaeology, and civil rights history. The funding supports the preservation of endangered and historically significant properties. "The MHSPG program assists applicants with the acquisition of eligible properties," said Barry White, director of the Historic Preservation division at MDAH. "Ultimately, preservation of these sites ensures our state's history is told to future generations." The 2025 grants were awarded for the following projects: Chickasaw Bayou, Warren County, American Battlefield Trust - $278,250. There are five proposed grants for properties in the Core and Study Areas of the Chickasaw Bayou battlefield. These are the Curry, Creekmore, Dunham, Tarver, and 4 J Properties tracts. Mills Tract, Alcorn County, American Battlefield Trust - $14,500. This tract is within the Core Area of the Corinth battlefield. |
| Longtime banker and community leader Aubrey Patterson dies at 82 | |
| Aubrey Patterson, who helped grow the former Bank of Mississippi, now Cadence Bank, into a $13 billion financial institution, has died. He was 82. Born in Grenada in 1942, Patterson earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Mississippi in 1964 and a Master of Business Administration from Michigan State University in 1969. He joined Bank of Mississippi in 1972. He was bank president and chief operating officer from 1983 to 1990, and was named CEO and president from 1990 to 1991. From 1991 until his retirement in 2012, he was chairman and CEO. Following his retirement, he was named chairman emeritus. His contributions to the state and community were also wide-ranging. He served as chair of several nonprofit boards, including the North Mississippi Health Services, the Community Development Foundation, the University of Mississippi Foundation, the CREATE Foundation, Mississippi's Partnership for Economic Development and the Mississippi Economic Council. Patterson also has served on the national board of the Boys Scouts of America and was also chairman and president of the Yocona Area Council of the Boy Scouts in Northeast Mississippi. He received the prestigious Silver and Silver Antelope awards from the Boy Scouts. In 2012, Patterson and his wife, Ruby Kathryn, were recipients of the CREATE Foundation's McLean Awards for Philanthropy. |
| Bill of the Day: Prohibiting DEI programs at Mississippi universities | |
| On Monday, just hours after being sworn into his second term, President Donald Trump (R) issued an executive order aimed at ending what he termed as "radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing." "The Biden Administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government, in areas ranging from airline safety to the military," Trump's order read. Perhaps nowhere were the Biden Administration's efforts related to implementing DEI seen more than in the education sector of American society, more specifically in higher education. In Mississippi, State Auditor Shad White released a report 19 months ago showing state universities spent $23.4 million on DEI from July 2019 to June 2023. Auditor White has since called for lawmakers to ban all taxpayer funding for DEI programs that occur in any state-funded institution. Now, State Senator Angela Hill (R) has authored legislation in the 2025 session that would do just that. Her bill would prohibit state universities from establishing or maintaining DEI programs. Senator Hill proposes in the bill to allow the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning to redirect any funds that would otherwise have been expended on DEI offices, programs or employees to merit scholarships for lower- and middle-income students, and to reduce tuition for in-state students. The legislation -- SB 2223 -- has been doubled referred to the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee as well as to the Senate Judiciary A Committee, making its path to reaching a floor vote in the chamber unlikely. |
| State Superintendent advocates for hybrid instructional program, other education changes | |
| Members of the Mississippi State Board of Education heard from State Superintendent Dr. Lance Evans last week about his goals for the state's public education system. Evans looks to continue the gains made in the last few years that have seen Mississippi's test scores, graduation rates and other positive indicators trend up. One of the initiatives Dr. Evans plans to introduce is a hybrid instructional program in partnership with Mississippi Public Broadcasting. It will require hiring roughly 12 teachers through appropriated funds from the Legislature, a task Evans indicated to the Board is achievable. He said there is support from members of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The fully synchronous instructional program will provide 10th grade English Language Arts and Algebra I coursework to thousands of students in schools who do not have teachers on staff in these fields of study. Dr. Evans said he hopes the program is not needed but is pitching it to the Board as a way to address the ongoing teacher shortage. "The goal is for this not to have to take place, but there are students in our state that are literally receiving Algebra I instruction through an asynchronous online platform," Evans described. Those school districts need access to those services because they do not have a teacher on staff locally to teach the courses, he added. |
| Fight the Blight: Lawmaker discusses bills to address dilapidated properties in Jackson | |
| If one state lawmaker has his way, owners who are hoping for a big insurance payout after their dilapidated properties burn down might not see a full reimbursement. District 71 Rep. Ronnie Crudup has introduced four bills this year to deal with blight in the capital city. The measures include two pieces of legislation seeking $4 million in direct appropriations to Jackson to cover blight elimination costs. Two other bills would change state law to prohibit owners from being fully reimbursed on insurance claims for property damage to derelict properties until the properties in question are cleaned up. "We've been trying to find some different avenues to deal with blight, and one of the things that we've been looking at is dealing with insurance companies. A lot of these properties are getting burned or catching fire and then left for the cities and the neighborhoods to deal with," he said. "We're all dealing with blight in the city of Jackson. A lot of our neighborhoods have dilapidated properties... But the city doesn't have enough resources to [deal] with it." House Bill 70 would prohibit insurers of dilapidated properties from paying owners more than a quarter of claims for damages until the properties are cleaned. H.B. 71 would prohibit insurers from paying more than 90 percent of claims owed until a property is cleaned up. If the owner fails to clean up a site, the remaining 10 percent could then go to the city or county to cover cleanup costs. |
| Trump's blanket Jan. 6 pardons stun Republicans on Capitol Hill | |
 | President Trump's sweeping pardons of more than 1,500 people charged with crimes related to the Capitol riot of Jan. 6, 2021, including individuals who assaulted police officers, stunned Republican lawmakers who witnessed firsthand the chaos on Capitol Hill four years ago. Trump's action, which defied assurances from his allies that he would examine convictions on a case-by-case basis and not grant clemency to people who committed violence, divided GOP senators and overshadowed talk about his first-100-days agenda. GOP lawmakers are largely willing to overlook the hundreds of people who entered the Capitol illegally four years ago, which disrupted the certification of former President Biden's victory by several hours, but pardoning people who assaulted Capitol Police, causing dozens of injuries, was hard to swallow. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who's up for reelection this election cycle, said people who assaulted police should serve out their sentences, breaking with other Republican senators who tried to avoid talking about the issue. "Whether you're in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Shreveport, Monroe, Lafayette, Alexandria, Lake Charles or Washington, D.C., it's wrong to assault anybody," he said. |
| Senate learns of new allegations against Hegseth | |
 | Pete Hegseth's former sister-in-law, in an affidavit given to senators on Tuesday, alleged that the Pentagon chief pick caused his second wife to fear for her safety. Danielle Hegseth, who was married to the former Fox News host's brother for eight years, said that Pete Hegseth's second wife, Samantha Hegseth, once hid herself in a closet because she was scared of her husband's actions. The affidavit, which was sent in response to a request by Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, was first reported by NBC News. It's the latest in a string of allegations against Hegseth -- who has denied any wrongdoing -- and is likely to intensify arguments from Democrats that he's unfit to hold the Pentagon's top job. Timothy Parlatore, Hegseth's lawyer, denied the latest accusations. "Sam has never alleged that there was any abuse, she signed court documents acknowledging that there was no abuse and recently reaffirmed the same during her FBI interview," he said in an email. Reed, (D-R.I.) said the document shows the shortcomings in the background investigation process. Only he and Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) were briefed on the report ahead of Hegseth's confirmation hearing last week. It's unclear if the new allegations will impact his confirmation prospects. |
| Stefanik mostly impresses at Senate Foreign Relations hearing | |
 | Rep. Elise Stefanik's Senate confirmation hearing to be the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations went smoothly on Tuesday, a departure from the frequent partisan tussles with Democrats common in her previous post as a top-ranking House Republican. The Stefanik who appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was mostly a throwback to her earlier days on Capitol Hill, when she was for a time the youngest woman ever elected to Congress and impressed senior lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who saw her as a future leader: moderate, pragmatic and well-prepared. Stefanik, R-N.Y., who has been in the House since 2015, appeared to be well-received by senators from both parties despite moments of tension with a few Democrats. If confirmed, she would be the first U.N. ambassador in more than two decades to come directly from Congress. "I have deep respect and understanding of the oversight and appropriations role of the legislative branch," said Stefanik, who until recently was the House Republican Conference chairwoman, the third highest-ranking GOP position in the House. "I look forward to using my strong House and Senate relationships to deliver these much needed [U.N.] reforms. We are truly at a critical point in history. The world must be reminded of the key mission of the United Nations and America's role as its formative leader." Her hearing also showcased deep divides between Democrats and some Republicans on whether and how the U.S. should fund the U.N. system. |
| Supervisor Ben Carver, son Hayes, attend 2025 Presidential Inauguration | |
 | Ben Carver, an Oktibbeha County supervisor, and his son, Hayes, joined thousands in Washington, D.C., last week to witness the 2025 presidential inauguration. The historic event marked Donald Trump's return to the White House as the 47th president of the United States. The ceremony, held at the U.S. Capitol, celebrated Trump's second, non-consecutive term -- a distinction shared only with Grover Cleveland, who served as the 22nd and 24th president in the late 19th century. For Carver and Hayes, the trip was an opportunity to experience a moment in history. "This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me and Hayes," Carver said. "It's one thing to read about moments like this in history books, but it's another to witness it firsthand -- to feel the energy of the crowd, the weight of the occasion, and the significance of how leadership transitions peacefully in our country." Carver, who represents District 1 in Oktibbeha County, said he wanted to share the experience with Hayes, a high school student at Starkville Christian School, to teach him about the importance of civic engagement. |
| Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave | |
| President Donald Trump 's administration moved Tuesday to end affirmative action in federal contracting and directed that all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on paid leave and eventually be laid off. The moves follow an executive order Trump signed on his first day ordering a sweeping dismantling of the federal government's diversity and inclusion programs that could touch on everything from anti-bias training to funding for minority farmers and homeowners. Trump has called the programs "discrimination" and insisted on restoring strictly "merit-based" hiring. The executive order on affirmative action revokes an order issued by President Lyndon Johnson, and curtails DEI programs by federal contractors and grant recipients. It's using one of the key tools utilized by the Biden administration to promote DEI programs across the private sector -- pushing their use by federal contractors -- to now eradicate them. The Office of Personnel Management in a Tuesday memo directed agencies to place DEI office staffers on paid leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday and take down all public DEI-focused webpages by the same deadline. By Thursday, federal agencies are directed to compile a list of federal DEI offices and workers as of Election Day. By next Friday, they are expected to develop a plan to execute a "reduction-in-force action" against those federal workers. |
| Trump administration strips schools, churches of immigration enforcement protections | |
 | Immigration authorities can now enter schools, healthcare facilities and places of worship to conduct arrests, according to a new policy from the Department of Homeland Security. "Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America's schools and churches to avoid arrest," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement. "The Trump administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense." The directive, which covers agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, rescinds guidance from the Biden administration that created "protected areas" that primarily consisted of places where "children gather, disaster or emergency relief sites, and social services establishments." The Biden-era guideline mandated that immigration enforcement operations shouldn't take place in or near a location that would limit peoples' access to "essential" services or activities. A second directive DHS announced on Tuesday also followed through on one of President Trump's executive orders signed Monday night to "terminate all categorical parole programs that are contrary to the policies of the United States established in my Executive Orders," including the humanitarian parole program for people from Nicaragua, Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela. |
| Trump demands an apology from bishop who asked him to 'have mercy' on LGBTQ+ people and migrants | |
| President Donald Trump on Wednesday demanded an apology from the Episcopal bishop of Washington after she made a direct appeal to him during a prayer service marking his inauguration to have mercy on the LGBTQ+ community and migrant workers who are in the United States illegally. Referencing Trump's belief that he was saved by God from assassination, the Right Rev. Mariann Budde said, "You have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now." After he returned to the White House, Trump said, "I didn't think it was a good service" and "they could do much better." But later, in an overnight post on his social media site, he sharply criticized the "so-called Bishop" as a "Radical Left hard line Trump hater." "She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart," said Trump, a Republican, adding that Budde didn't mention that some migrants have come to the United States and killed people. More than a dozen religious leaders spoke during the interfaith service, including those from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Notably absent from the invited clergy with speaking roles were conservative evangelicals, who are among Trump's strongest supporters. Nonetheless, some of those evangelical supporters were in the pews. |
| University reopens 125 parking spaces | |
 | The University of Mississippi is reopening previously blocked-off parking spots near the former Kincannon Hall location for the spring 2025 semester. This area includes approximately 125 spots, including a dedicated faculty and staff section. The remaining spots are reserved for those with residential garage permits, according to UM's director of news and media relations, Jacob Batte. In addition, the university broke ground on a new parking garage, which is officially named Residential Parking Garage Tower B, on Jan. 6. The new structure will be located in what used to be an adjoining parking lot to the west of the currently standing Residential Parking Garage Tower A. The new residential garage will offer students and faculty 1,300 new parking spaces, according to Batte. "We are always looking for new and creative ways to accommodate the growing parking needs while also preserving our beautiful campus environment," Batte said. |
| 2025 Double Decker Arts Festival artwork, music lineup revealed | |
| Grace Potter, an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for her dynamic stage presence, powerful voice and genre-blending musical style will be this year's Saturday night headliner at the 2025 Double Decker Arts Festival. Visit Oxford revealed the musical lineup and official artwork for the festival that will be held on April 25-26, during a press conference Tuesday at the University of Mississippi Museum. The 2025 Double Decker Arts Festival, marking its 28th anniversary, brings together art, music, food, and family-friendly activities. This year's presenting sponsor is the University Museum, made possible by Ole Miss Athletics. "They do that to give a little more recognition to a department of the university that might not get as much attention as athletics, which is really special," said Visit Oxford's Executive Director Kinney Ferris. |
| UGA student wins Radiolab contest to name one of Earth's quasi-moons | |
 | Look to the sky -- and ask Bulldog nation for support -- and one of Earth's quasi-moons gets a cool new name, thanks to University of Georgia student Clay Chilcutt. In May 2024, the science podcast Radiolab and the International Astronomical Union joined forces to launch a contest that invited listeners to help name one of Earth's quasi-moons. Close to 3,000 people from more than 90 countries submitted entries. UGA faculty member Hina Shaikh incorporated this competition into a class activity in her ASTR 1010 course, when the class was covering the topic of small solar system objects. The students had complete freedom in their choice of name suggestion submission. Radiolab convened a panel of experts and interested parties, including teachers, students, astronomers, astrophysicists, journalists and artists. They included actor Penn Badgley, Bill Nye "The Science Guy," astrophysicist and podcast host Dr. Moiya McTier and astronomer and educator Salman Hameed. They narrowed the names down to seven finalists, including two of Shaik's students' out of more than 2,700 names submitted from 96 countries. In December, more than 10,000 people cast a vote to choose Chilcutt's Cardea -- the Roman goddess of doorways and transitions -- to be the name for the quasi-moon previously known as (164207) 2004 GU9. |
| U. of Kentucky wants to do more health research to address disparities across state | |
 | The University of Kentucky wants more space and money for health research. Last year, the University of Kentucky brought in $488.4 million in funding for all research projects, but that number hasn't increased much since 2021, when it garnered $429.2 million. Ilhem Messaoudi, who was tapped as the acting vice president for research in September 2024, said funding should be growing faster than it is. "In 2024 we almost had $500 million of research expenditures and awards -- lots of projects, lots of faculty, and that's great -- but we've also been at this level for the last three years. We have stagnated," she said. "The first step in solving the problem is acknowledging the problem." To get to the $1 billion club, Messaoudi said she wants to shore-up UK's focus, and build more space dedicated to health research. UK established "research priority areas" in 2018 to better understand the "most pressing" issues facing Kentuckians. Five of the original six areas promoted health care research: cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity, neuroscience, substance use disorder and energy. Co-Executive Vice President for Health Affairs Rob DiPaola said the health disparities in Kentucky, or the challenges unique to the state, are the starting point for how UK can make the commonwealth a better place to live. |
| U. of Missouri students endure frigid weather for first day of classes | |
 | Shivering hands, puffs of breath and rosy cheeks were spotted all across Columbia thanks to the frigid low temperatures Tuesday. As of Tuesday afternoon, temperatures reached a high of 8 degrees. A Monday advisory from the National Weather Service stated that dangerously cold wind chills as low as 20 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as few as 30 minutes. Due to the bitter cold, many schools across Boone County had a two-hour delayed start, including Columbia Public Schools, while others opted to either cancel or utilize an Alternative Method of Instruction, including Hallsville School District and Southern Boone School District. University of Missouri students, however, braved the cold on their first day back on campus for the spring semester. Fred Glass, lead meteorologist with the National Weather Service in St. Louis, said the typical high for this time of year in Columbia is around 39 degrees. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures are expected to rise Wednesday, near a high of 34 degrees. Temperatures fall slightly Thursday, hitting a high of 26 degrees, but are expected to rise into the 40s by Saturday. |
| Kyle Rittenhouse plans return to U. of Memphis after protesters disrupt 2024 event | |
| After meeting protests and rushing off stage early at a University of Memphis event last year, Kyle Rittenhouse is returning. The conservative political group Turning Point USA sponsored Rittenhouse's March 2024 appearance on the Memphis campus, where he was met with protestors outside and inside of the event. It ended with Rittenhouse leaving the stage early after a barrage of questions on political issues. Less than a year later, Rittenhouse is scheduled to return to the University of Memphis -- albeit in a different building and setting -- where Rittenhouse again plans to talk about the second amendment and his views on gun violence. The university, while not a sponsor of the event, is required to allow Rittenhouse to speak on campus pursuant to the Tennessee's Campus Free Speech Act. Rittenhouse will be back on campus on Wednesday, Feb. 26, just 343 days after his last appearance. According to the events page on the University of Memphis' website, Rittenhouse was invited to speak about his experiences and the importance of second amendment rights, much like he planned to do in 2024. |
| The Rise of Young Republicans on America's College Campuses | |
 | When Donald Trump was first elected president, universities set out milk and cookies for rattled undergraduates. College students who wore MAGA hats were berated by classmates. This time around those same hats are eliciting fist bumps and nods. College conservatism hasn't gone mainstream on left-leaning campuses. But the stigma against Republicans is lifting. Supporters of the new president on campus say they now feel more comfortable acknowledging one another in public. And membership at long-moribund college Republican clubs around the country is up, according to interviews with students at a dozen schools. Driving the momentum is a cohort of outspoken conservative men. Some trade crypto and are members of fraternities. But many are more in line with traditional conservatives; they are religious and eschew college sweats for ties and blazers. A disproportionate number are focused on business, computer science and public policy. Some aspire to work in Washington, D.C. These young Republicans say they spent too much time in high school under pandemic lockdowns and are sick of being told how to think, what to say and where they can and cannot go. Now they are a bit more aggressive about saying so. Campus MAGA began morphing from toxic to tolerable in spring 2024, said Cornell University's Republican club president, Enzo De Oliveira. Inquiries into joining the club rose after a pro-Palestinian demonstration disrupted a career fair. "Students were just fed up, they wanted to be left alone," he said. |
| Trump Has Issued a Blitz of Executive Orders. Some Could Affect Higher Ed. | |
 | Hours into his second term, President Trump banned diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across the federal government, eliminated a number of programs related to race and gender, and declared that there were "two sexes." On Tuesday, the new administration sent a memo directing that all diversity staff in federal agencies be placed on paid leave and eventually laid off, according to CBS News. The memo also told agencies to ask employees "if they know of any efforts to disguise these programs through coded or imprecise language." The flurry of executive orders and policy revocations so far, a sign of the new Trump administration's priorities, sends a message about opposition to DEI that could prompt colleges to act preemptively, some higher-ed experts say. Trump's actions come as Republican state lawmakers and colleges in red states have eliminated or altered diversity offices, programs, and jobs on campuses. With federal funding on the line -- millions in student financial aid, as well as lucrative contracts and research grants -- more colleges could be motivated to revisit their DEI efforts, said Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith America. "It seems very plausible that higher-education institutions will pre-comply, even before the Department of Education or the National Science Foundation writes it into specific projects," Patel said. "Universities will adopt the spirit of the executive order." |
| Who Is In Charge of the Education Department Right Now? Few Details Are Out There | |
 | President Donald Trump tapped a veteran bureaucrat to lead the Education Department until the Senate confirms his appointee Linda McMahon, but he has so far held off on announcing other interim leaders for the agency. However, that's not too unusual for the second day of a new administration, policy experts say, and while the department didn't respond to a request for comment, a spokesperson said more details about the department's landing team can be expected in the coming days. The landing team refers to a group of political appointees that don't require Senate confirmation, take up leadership roles shortly after inauguration and help the new administration get up to speed. Members of the landing team are often also selected to serve as acting officials and fill the role of a nominated senior official until they are confirmed. In addition to the landing team, civil servants or career staffers help to keep the agency running. So, regardless of who temporarily fills the department's key roles, higher ed experts say they expect little policy work to get done until the former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO takes the reins, if she is confirmed. The Senate has yet to schedule a hearing for McMahon. "There's not really going to be a whole lot that this department can do from a firm policy stance. So we're expecting just the basic operations to continue," said Emmanual Guillory, senior director of government relations at the American Council on Education. |
| Aye, the pirates of the Mississippi Legislature are making their usual motion: Jargon explained | |
| Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender writes: The 140th Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature is now under way, and as lawmakers argue over how to spend $7 billion of your dollars, it can be hard for the layperson to understand all the legislative jargon, mangled Latin terms and rules and definitions. Scores of lawyers have worked for decades to make legislative rules and jargon confusing. If it weren't, we might not need scores of lawyers. For instance, state government doesn't borrow money. It issues bonds, or passes bond bills. Agencies don't overspend, they request "deficit appropriations." As I've done several times before, I present a primer of legislative terms and meanings. |
| State governments braced for their share of President Trump's mass deportation program | |
| Columnist Sid Salter writes: After the last orchestra note fades and the final glasses of champagne are consumed at the inaugural balls, President Donald Trump's meter will begin running by those on both sides of the contentious illegal immigration issue. Advocates for strong border control and advocates for immigrant rights alike are watching the situation closely, including some in Mississippi. ... Politically, illegal immigration and immigration issues are vastly overstated issues in Mississippi. Neither demographics nor fiscal reality supports the political alarm present. Globally, nations want to change immigration quotas, caps, and visa regulations to solve supply chain and worker shortage challenges. Mississippi's unemployment rate is 3.1%. The advocacy group American Immigration Council identifies 64,600 immigrants in Mississippi (2.2% of the state's total population) as of 2025, with 37,400 immigrant workers in the state's workforce. AIC reports that 41.5% of Mississippi's immigrants are naturalized U.S. citizens. Countries of origin include Mexico (25%) and India (7%). Most Mississippi immigrants work in construction (6.9%) and hospitality (5.1%). ... The opposing Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) counters that illegal immigration is by far a net fiscal drain on Mississippi taxpayers. |
SPORTS
| New In 2025: State-Of-The-Art LED Lighting System At Davis Wade Stadium | |
| Mississippi State Athletics is set to unveil an upgraded, state-of-the-art LED lighting system at Davis Wade Stadium for the 2025 football season. The custom-designed system, complete with DMX controls, is set to elevate both the game-day experience for players and fans and the university's commitment to sustainability and technological innovation. The new LED system will bring best-in-class technology to the stadium and will be custom-designed by Techline Sports Lighting. It will provide cleaner and more uniform light levels on the field and is equipped with color-changing lights and a variety of special effects features. This will be the first lighting upgrade to Davis Wade Stadium since 2010. Davis Wade Stadium was built in 1914 and is the second-oldest stadium in major college football. "We are committed to providing our student-athletes and fans with the best possible game-day experience," MSU Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "The state-of-the-art lighting will make Davis Wade Stadium an even more electric atmosphere. We believe these upgrades are one more step in our pursuit of making Starkville and Davis Wade Stadium one of the premier destinations in college football." The project will be completed in partnership with a Mississippi-based company. Mississippi State Athletics is committed to giving back to and investing in our state's economy wherever possible. |
| Mississippi State to upgrade lighting system at Davis Wade Stadium | |
| The future is bright in Davis Wade Stadium -- literally. Officials with Mississippi State Athletics on Monday announced plans to unveil an upgraded LED lighting system for the 2025 football season to boost the game-day experience for both fans and players. The new LED system will be custom-designed by Techline Sports Lighting. It will provide cleaner and more uniform light levels on the field and is equipped with color-changing lights and a variety of special effects features. Per a release from the university, choreographed LED lighting sequences will be added to key moments during home games, including the team's intro sequence before kickoff, key in-game moments, and in conjunction with other special elements during timeouts and quarter breaks. The LED lights will also feature instant on/off capabilities, conserving energy and ensuring a quick, reliable transition during events. In addition to a better playing and viewing experience for those in the stadium, the brighter and cleaner LED lighting also will enhance the television broadcast quality for fans watching from home. "This is going to take our game-day environment to a whole new level. The brighter, more uniform lighting will improve visibility for our players and enhance the viewing experience for our fans," Mississippi State head football coach Jeff Lebby said. |
| Mississippi State to install new LED lights at Davis Wade Stadium | |
| For the first time in 15 years, Davis Wade Stadium is getting a lighting upgrade. Mississippi State will install a new LED lighting system at its historic football stadium in time for the 2025 season, the athletic department announced Tuesday. Techline Sports Lighting, an Austin, Texas-based company, will custom design the new lights, which will provide cleaner and more uniform light levels on the field, per the athletic department release. The new lighting will have the capability to perform a variety of special effects, including color-changing technology. The new lights give MSU the ability to introduce choreographed LED lighting sequences during pregame ceremonies and introductions and at other key points during games. The lights can also be turned on and off instantly, helping conserve energy, and their enhanced brightness and cleanliness will help the stadium look sharper on television. The Bulldogs open the 2025 season on Aug. 30 at Southern Miss, with the home opener scheduled for Sept. 6 against Arizona State. Davis Wade Stadium opened in 1914, making it the second-oldest stadium in major college football behind Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium. It was last expanded in 2014. |
| Mississippi State football stadium to get LED lights, special effects | |
 | A longtime request from Mississippi State football fans is becoming a reality. MSU announced Tuesday that it will be installing an LED lighting system at Davis Wade Stadium. It will be ready for the 2025 season. A news release says the lights will be able to change colors and have "a variety of special effects features." Choreographed LEO lighting sequences are planned for the team's pregame introductions and in other "key moments" such as timeouts and quarter breaks. Mississippi State athletics director Zac Selmon appeared in a video posted Tuesday to the team's social media accounts with him turning the lights off at Davis Wade Stadium and saying, "The future is bright." It's the third investment by MSU into the football program since the start of the 2024 season. In October, Mississippi State was approved for a $3 million renovation to the suites at Davis Wade Stadium. And in November, Mississippi State was approved to initiate project renovations for the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex, including the construction of an indoor practice facility. The Bulldogs' home schedule for the 2025 season includes four teams -- Texas, Georgia, Tennessee and Arizona State -- that made the College Football Playoff. MSU is also hosting the Egg Bowl against Ole Miss. |
| Terrell Buckley the latest ex-NFL player named football coach at HBCU | |
 | The trend of hiring former NFL players as college coaches continued as Terrell Buckley was named the head coach at Mississippi Valley State University. The 53-year-old Buckley was a decorated cornerback during his days at Florida State, winning the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back. He was drafted in the first round of the 1992 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers and played for the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and New York Giants, and won a Super Bowl title with the New England Patriots in 2001. He spent 14 seasons in the NFL and finished with 50 interceptions. Buckley follows several high-profile former NFL players who have been hired at HBCUs, including Deion Sanders at Jackson State, who then moved on to Colorado; Eddie George, who is at Tennessee State; Michael Vick, who took the reins at Norfolk State and DeSean Jackson who was hired at Delaware State. |
| Sources: SEC, Big Ten to hold second AD meeting to explore CFP format changes and more | |
| The SEC and Big Ten are scheduled to hold a second joint meeting of their athletic directors next month, where conference leaders are expected to deeply explore the future of the College Football Playoff format. The meeting -- set for Feb. 19 in New Orleans -- comes a week before CFP commissioners meet in Dallas to discuss the future of the playoff, its format and governance structure. Those with knowledge of the meeting spoke to Yahoo Sports under condition of anonymity. The SEC's and Big Ten's gathering marks a second step in the budding relationship between two leagues that announced a partnership last spring. Their athletic directors met in Nashville in October, a historic event and one of the first gatherings of two major conference administrators in recent NCAA history. The Feb. 19 meeting is expected to focus on CFP format and governance as well as the transition into a post-settlement world with athlete revenue sharing. The NCAA and power leagues' landmark settlement of the House case is up for approval in April and implementation in July. But perhaps the most interesting topic is the expanded playoff's future format. |
| Exclusive Q&A with AD John Cohen: Latest on facility upgrades, NIL, state of Auburn athletics | |
| Any wonder about how things are moving for Auburn University's athletics department in the early days of 2025 can be answered by John Cohen. Auburn's athletics director does have answers in the literal sense. But his example also serves as one. Just last week, a scheduled sit-down with the Montgomery Advertiser turned into more of a walk-along. Cohen, who came to Auburn in October 2022, took nearly 40 minutes to discuss what'll be a significant year for both his athletic department and the landscape of college athletics. He tackled questions about the success of Auburn basketball, ongoing facility renovations and Auburn's place in an ever-changing NIL landscape, which will shift even further as the pending settlement of the House vs. NCAA lawsuit is set to introduce revenue sharing for student-athletes. However, he didn't do so from behind his desk chair. He did it from the field of the old indoor football facility at the Auburn Athletics Complex, taking laps between calls and meetings to get his steps in -- while, of course, taking a reporter's questions. |
| Indiana Athletics eliminates 25 positions in layoffs as it braces for NCAA revenue sharing | |
| Indiana University Athletics endured a round of layoffs this week aimed at reducing costs as it prepares to share revenues with athletes at the start of the 2025-26 academic year, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation. The department eliminated 25 positions -- 12 were open positions that are not being filled -- as it looks to trim 10% of the budget from each of its auxiliaries (compliance, academic services, communications, etc.) and programs. According to multiple sources, Deputy Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator Mattie White was among the employees laid off. White spent 19 years in the department, working her way up through academic and student services to a senior administrative role during Fred Glass' tenure. She was elevated to her current position as one of Athletic Director Scott Dolson's deputies in 2020, when Dolson was promoted to AD as Glass' replacement. According to a source with knowledge of the layoffs, the athletic department isn't planning on cutting any sports. Additionally, there were no cuts to any of the various teams' coaching staffs or personnel and the department isn't asking employees to take pay cuts. A department-wide email outlining the staff reductions was sent out Thursday and cited the costs associated with the NCAA's new revenue-sharing model. |
| Funding Student Success: Beer Sales Bolster Latino Student Athlete Scholarship Program | |
| A fan at Western Oregon University's football game can provide support for student athletes on the field by cheering loudly, and off the field by purchasing a special beer during the tailgate. To support Hispanic student participation in college sports, an Oregon-based brewery created a specialty beer that funds scholarships at Western Oregon. Proceeds from each sale are set aside to provide financial aid for Latino students in college athletics. At Western Oregon, around 24 percent of students are Hispanic or Latino, and across all undergraduates, 74 percent receive financial aid. WOU participates in NCAA Division II athletics and has six men's and six women's teams, as well as co-ed cheerleading. Xicha Brewing is a Latino-owned company with roots in Salem, Ore. The brewery approached the university this past fall to create a specialty pilsner, called Mi Familia, for WOU Athletics "so they could play a larger role in supporting Latiné students in the community," says Maureen Brakke, director of marketing and communications at WOU. In addition, the university maintains a partnership with Parallel 45 Brewing, launched in September, which allocates funds to WOU's football team. Wolf Tracks Ale is a seasonal fresh hops craft beer that aligns with football season, and $1 from each beer is donated to the program. Western Oregon joins the ranks of colleges and universities with specialty beers that support fundraising initiatives. |
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