| Thursday, September 25, 2025 |
| MSU professor earns national Excellence in Wildlife Education Award | |
 | A Mississippi State faculty member and undergraduate coordinator is being recognized nationally for her distinguished career of teaching, mentoring and preparing students for success in natural resource management. Leslie Burger, MSU Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture associate teaching professor, will receive The Wildlife Society's Excellence in Wildlife Education Award Oct. 5 during the organization's annual meeting in Edmonton, Alberta. Burger has taught and mentored students across multiple levels, including youth, undergraduates and graduate students interested in conservation careers. Her teaching often emphasizes practical skills, career readiness and professional growth. "Leslie Burger is fiercely and effectively focused on what's best for students. She challenges minds and changes lives, one Bulldog at a time," said Steve Bullard, associate dean and associate director of MSU's College of Forest Resources and Forest and Wildlife Research Center. "As an educator, advisor and mentor, she brings a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to the classroom. Students know Dr. Burger cares about them and their success in their curriculum, lives and careers." |
| Magnolia Mornings: MSU hosting Mississippi Water and Energy Conference in October | |
 | Mississippi State's Water Resources Research Institute in partnership with the university's Office of Research and Economic Development is presenting the Mississippi Water and Energy Conference on October 28-30. The event at The Mill at MSU Conference Center will examine the growing importance of addressing water as a critical resource tied to national security, economic development and environmental sustainability. The conference will explore the strategic role of water in national security, economic competitiveness, and environmental sustainability, with sessions addressing energy infrastructure and water reliability, agricultural and industrial water use, climate resilience and watershed management, and policy and governance. Speakers include leading innovators and representatives from the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, Mississippi Power, Southern Power, Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Geological Survey, national labs and private industry. Conference registration is open and will remain available through the first day of the event. |
| Mississippi State University Send-Off Party | |
| Photos: Mississippi State University Alumni Association, Central Mississippi Chapter, serving Hinds, Madison, and Rankin counties, recently hosted a Send-Off Party for all incoming freshman and transfer students who will be attending MSU this fall. The event was held at First Ridgeland. Send-Off Parties are hosted by alumni chapters to allow students to connect with other students from Hinds, Madison, and Rankin counties and provide an opportunity for alumni and friends to congratulate and welcome new Bulldogs to the Maroon and White family. |
| MSU Meridian police officer doubles as keyboardist with Jamal Roberts | |
 | Behind every successful man is a team full of people. In this case, it's Terry Boler, keyboardist and longtime friend of Jamal Roberts. Boler lives the best of both worlds. He's a police officer at MSU-Meridian by day, and a passionate musician by night. He's been playing with Jamal Roberts since adolescence, and now the American Idol fame has heightened their performing experiences. "There's a little more, you know, publicity and cameras to the thing now, but nothing has changed," said Boler. "He's still Jamal. I'm still Terry. We're still just some good ole country boys, but (there is) a lot more media these days... We're working on a show in New York. Manhattan. It's gonna be a fashion show that T4 is gonna headline, so we're getting ready for that. Also, we've got a couple of shows with Jamal coming up in the coming months, and he's getting ready for tour right now. So, we're gonna be sitting back, practicing, and working hard. Whatever he needs us to do, we're gonna be there for him." |
| Free Wi-Fi now available in Downtown Starkville | |
 | The City of Starkville just added some new technology to Downtown that will make the area more accessible to residents. Free Wi-Fi is now available for anyone passing through town. The city and its partners cut the ribbon on the new advancement Wednesday morning. "I think it's an extraordinary opportunity for our residents, our students, our college students, and particularly as we get the new downtown put together, you can see that there's construction down there now, but once it's done, it'll add an enhancement for the students and the residents to hang out," said Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill. The city teamed up with MaxxSouth Broadband to provide the expanded free wi-fi service. The coverage area stretches down Main Street from City Hall to Jackson Street. The free service will show as "Public Wi-Fi by Maxx South" when you're in the area. |
| Judge dismisses lawsuit claims against ex-county administrator | |
 | A federal judge will allow certain complaints to move forward in a lawsuit a former employee filed against the Oktibbeha County and Tax Assessor/Collector JoHelen Walker. But in an order filed Friday in the U.S. District Court of Northern Mississippi in Aberdeen, Judge Sharion Aycock dismissed some of the claims and removed former County Administrator Delois Farmer as a defendant altogether. Carol Vaughn, a former employee in the tax assessor/collector's office, filed suit June 6, 2024, claiming she was demoted and later fired in retaliation for reporting Walker to the state auditor's office for alleged unlawful activity. Vaughn claimed Farmer, Walker and the county violated her First Amendment rights, both Mississippi public policy and its whistleblower statute and wrongfully interfered with her employment. The suit also alleged racial discrimination. Vaughn, who worked as a deputy clerk/bookkeeper in the tax assessor's office for six years is white. Farmer and Walker are Black. In the court order filed Friday, all complaints against Farmer were dismissed after Vaughn failed to provide sufficient evidence connecting Farmer, who was not Vaughn's supervisor, to her termination. One of Vaughn's racial discrimination claims against all three defendants was also dismissed, though the rest of her complaints stand. |
| Guest gives update on KC-46, government funding | |
 | A decision on where the United States Air Force will house the next generation of aerial refueling tanker aircraft is expected within a matter of weeks, Mississippi Congressman Michael Guest said Tuesday. The Mississippi Air National Guard's 186th Air Refueling Wing, stationed at Key Field, is one of a handful of locations in the running to receive the new planes, and the state's federal delegation have advocated strongly for the 186th to be chosen. Guest, who was visiting Meridian while lawmakers are on break, said it is his understanding the Air Force has already made a decision and is expected to announce it in the very near future. "They have not told anyone at this point which base will be receiving the 46s. They made a preliminary decision which is being reviewed by the head of the National Guard, the head of the Air Force, and if they sign off on that decision, then they will begin notifying the federal delegation," he said. Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, who serves as chair of the Armed Services Committee, will likely be the first to learn if Meridian was chosen, Guest said. |
| Golding River Overlook beginning to take shape as city, county move forward with Riverfront Park replacement | |
| Visible progress is underway for the new Golding River Overlook, a joint project between the city of Vicksburg and Warren County. The park, located near Oak and Lee streets on property donated by the Golding family, will replace the former Riverfront Park that was closed after landslides caused more than $1 million in damage. Because the original project received federal funding, the city and county were required to identify an equal or better location and obtain federal approval before moving forward. "Warren County and City of Vicksburg officials are working together to make this another area of our community where we can promote quality of life for residents of all ages," said Kelle Barfield, president of the Warren County Board of Supervisors. An extensive environmental analysis was completed earlier this year, allowing land preparation to begin. Preliminary work includes moving overhead electrical lines underground, a step currently being handled by Entergy. |
| 'Theo of Golden' selected for this year's Tupelo Reads program | |
| Jack Reed Jr. announced Wednesday that Allen Levi's novel "Theo of Golden" has been picked as this year's selection for the annual citywide reading program, Tupelo Reads. The former Tupelo mayor and program founder made the announcement during a short presentation that followed the Lee County Library's monthly Lunching with Books. "Theo of Golden" tells the story of a stranger who shows up in a fictional Southern city in Georgia. The book is about anonymous kindnesses, creative generosity and the importance of experiencing wonder in everyday life. "There is also a mystery to it, and it's presented in a very clever way," Reed said about the novel. The author himself --- an attorney, singer/songwriter and writer – will visit Tupelo on Feb. 24, 2026, to speak about the book. That morning, he'll visit students at Tupelo High School. At 11:30 a.m., Levi will speak at the Lee County Library at noon as the culmination of the program. "With the polarization and division in our country these days, reading this apolitical book about kindness can be good for our community," Reed said. "I can't think of a better time for us to read "Theo of Golden." |
| Symposium introduces new technological opportunities in Mississippi | |
| The Magnolia State Technology Symposium took place Wednesday at the Mississippi Trade Mart. The symposium featured speakers who highlighted topics such as cybersecurity to the future of technology Dr. Kollin Napier, Director of the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network, shared what took place at the event. "Today, it is a great day of technology exploration," Napier said. "We're showcasing what is happening in the state from the front of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and even state government, and how we're encapsulating all of this to push Mississippi forward." Napier also explained the importance of staying informed and educated on technological advancements. "I like to tell people that AI is, of course, not going anywhere and we're only going to see it growing smarter, faster, and more accessible," said Napier. "So, now is the time to really educate people to understand what it is and how to use it ethically and responsibly." |
| State lawmakers utilizing research study data to make possible changes to new PERS tier | |
 | Starting on March 1, public employees in Mississippi will enter "Tier Five" of the Public Employees Retirement System, also known as "PERS." The new tier requires groups like first responders to work for 35 years before receiving full retirement benefits. Research was completed at Mississippi State's Stennis Institute of Government that compares these changes to other states. "I think it's a great starting place for us to leapfrog into some legislation drafting requests," said Sen. Joey Fillingane (R-Dist. 41). The study found that, compared to its four closest neighboring states, Mississippi is the only one requiring more than 30 years of service. In Georgia, for example, the retirement plan has a specific reduction in service years for law enforcement. "It used to be 25 years of service way back in 2011," Fillingane said. "After that point, it was changed to 30 and up to 35 next year for new employees." A proposal from several first responder groups calls for a separate retirement plan for state and local employees. The plan would dial the service requirement back to 25 years. Fillingane said he believes the study reinforces the impact of these careers. |
| PSC Commissioners praise Entergy Mississippi's grid upgrade plan | |
| Entergy Mississippi announced on Wednesday that it is investing $300 million in upgrading the power grid, providing savings to customers while reducing power outages, the company said. It is billed as the largest, most comprehensive grid upgrade in Entergy's history. The plan, named Superpower Mississippi, aims to reduce outages by 50 percent across the Magnolia State, excluding major weather events, within 5 years. The company said it will achieve its goal with the installation of strong utility poles, increased tree trimming, and the introduction of advanced smart grid technology. "Superpower Mississippi will transform the power grid like we've never seen before with better power at lower cost," said Harley Fisackerly, president and CEO of Entergy Mississippi. Fisackerly explained that Entergy Mississippi will use artificial intelligence as part of its move toward more advanced technology. Two of the three PSC commissioners were in attendance at the company's event on Wednesday, praising the upgrades. |
| Entergy Mississippi announces largest grid upgrade in history | |
| Entergy Mississippi announced plans Wednesday afternoon to invest $300 million into upgrading its power grid over the next five years. Speaking on a stage outside the company's facility near Lake Hico in Jackson, Entergy President and CEO Haley Fisackerly explained that the investment, dubbed Superpower Mississippi, would mark a 50% increase in its usual power grid spending. The goal, he said, is to reduce outages by half over the next five years by installing stronger poles, increasing maintenance of rights-of-way, as well as installing smart devices and real-time monitoring systems. The spending still needs Mississippi Public Service Commission approval, but two of the three PSC commissioners were on site for the announcement. Fisackerly, though, said the investment would have no impact on customers' bills because of revenue increases coming new business from Amazon and other industries. The CEO echoed past statements that new industries, including energy-intensive data centers, would not lead to rate increases for residential customers. Earlier this month, Fisackerly told Mississippi Today that two new data centers coming into its service area -- one in Madison County owned by Amazon and another in Rankin County owned by AVAIO -- would provide enough revenue to the utility that rates would actually go up less than they would have otherwise. |
| Entergy Mississippi to carry out $300 million 'Superpower' grid expansion | |
| Entergy Mississippi is preparing to embark on the largest grid upgrade in the company's history in an attempt to meet its customers' power needs while also keeping rates from increasing. The campaign, called "Superpower Mississippi," aims to save customers millions in costs that otherwise would be included in future bills. Although Entergy Mississippi makes power reliability investments every year that are already included in customer bills, the utility provider plans to ask the Mississippi Public Service Commission to approve a 50% increase in total spending on grid improvements at no cost to customers. The upped investment is valued at around $300 million. Vegetation-related outages have increased in recent years due to the millions of dead trees caused by the 2023 drought and intensified severe weather, from thunderstorms to tornadoes. Outages caused by fallen trees, many of which are outside the areas Entergy Mississippi can trim, have nearly doubled in the first eight months of 2025 compared to the three-year average in the same time period before the drought. More than 25,000 dead trees have been trimmed this year as part of grid upkeep. |
| Coast Guard secretary position gains support from key Trump officials | |
 | Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem are both on board with establishing a secretary of the Coast Guard, Fox News Digital has learned. The Coast Guard is the only military service that falls under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security and does not have a top civilian secretary leading the service -- unlike the Navy, Army and Air Force. However, momentum is building -- both within the administration and on Capitol Hill -- to reform the Coast Guard and revamp its standards ... Efforts to install a secretary of the Coast Guard are also picking up steam on Capitol Hill. For example, Rep. Mike Ezell, R-Miss., spearheaded a provision included in the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025, which the House passed in July, to create a Coast Guard secretary as well. Installing a secretary of the service will "streamline some of this red tape that we've seen over the years that's slowed progress down" because he or she will report directly to the White House and Congress --- eliminating multiple layers of bureaucracy, according to Ezell. "This person is going to be instrumental in getting things done," Ezell told Fox News Digital in July. |
| Hegseth orders rare, urgent meeting of hundreds of generals, admirals | |
 | Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered hundreds of the U.S. military's generals and admirals to gather on short notice -- and without a stated reason -- at a Marine Corps base in Virginia next week, sowing confusion and alarm after the Trump administration's firing of numerous senior leaders this year. The highly unusual directive was sent to virtually all of the military's top commanders worldwide, according to more than a dozen people familiar with the matter. The directive was issued earlier this week, as a government shutdown looms, and months after Hegseth's team at the Pentagon announced plans to undertake a sweeping consolidation of top military commands. In a statement Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell affirmed that Hegseth "will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week," but he offered no additional details. Parnell, a senior adviser to the defense secretary, voiced no concerns about The Washington Post reporting on the meeting, scheduled for Tuesday in Quantico, Virginia. None of the people who spoke with The Post could recall a defense secretary ever ordering so many of the military's generals and admirals to assemble like this. Several said it raised security concerns. |
| Every Nation Wants to Copy Iran's Deadly Shahed Drone | |
 | Iran's infamous Shahed drones have been used to devastating effect by Russia to strike Ukraine. Now the U.S. and its allies are racing to develop copycat versions of the low-cost, long-range weapon. For decades, advanced militaries used expensive missiles for precise attacks and cheaper artillery for mass bombardment. The war in Ukraine has shown that drones can be both cheap and precise, with Shaheds costing just tens of thousands of dollars apiece and able to fly more than 1,000 miles, by some estimates. The Iranian-designed drone has proved particularly effective at overwhelming air defenses. Russia routinely launches scores of Shaheds, which explode on impact, at the same time. Missiles are sometimes fired alongside drone salvos, making it more likely they will evade defenses. The Ukraine war showed the importance of affordable, long-range drones, and that the West isn't where it needs to be, said Lt. Gen. André Steur, commander of the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force. "If you do get into a war, you need deep, deep pockets," Steur said. The West, though, is largely behind the curve and faces various challenges, analysts say. |
| White House begins plan for mass firings if there's a government shutdown | |
| President Donald Trump's administration instructed federal agencies Wednesday night to prepare for mass layoffs if the government shuts down Oct. 1, after federal funding runs out. The memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget directs agencies to consider firing employees working on any program that is not funded by another law, such as Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill Act enacted in July, and which does not align with the president's priorities. Once government funding is reinstated after a shutdown, agencies should revise their plans to keep only the smallest number of employees necessary to legally operate, the memo says. Any such layoffs would add to the sweeping reductions in the federal workforce initiated this year under the U.S. DOGE Service, the memo says. DOGE offered to pay federal employees through Sept. 30 to leave their jobs, although some agencies have since tried to rehire workers over concerns that the personnel cuts made it difficult to perform some functions. The directive increases pressure on congressional Democrats, who have insisted that they will not support a funding extension through Nov. 21 if Republicans do not agree to their demands on health care. It is also a departure from previous shutdowns, when employees have been temporarily taken off the job and then returned when new funding was approved. |
| Justice Department to try to charge ex-FBI Director James Comey, AP sources say | |
 | The Justice Department is preparing to ask a grand jury as soon as Thursday to indict former FBI Director James Comey on allegations that he lied to Congress as prosecutors approach a legal deadline for bringing charges, according to two people familiar with the matter. Officials are hoping to file the case in the Eastern District of Virginia days after President Donald Trump appealed to his attorney general to charge Comey and other perceived political adversaries, and following Trump's replacement last week of the office's top prosecutor with a White House aide who had served as one of his personal lawyers. Prosecutors have been evaluating whether Comey lied to lawmakers during his Sept. 30, 2020, testimony related to the investigation into ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. The five-year statute of limitations for bringing a case would be next Tuesday, but the Justice Department is expected to seek an indictment before a grand jury before then, said the two people, who were not authorized to discuss an investigation by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press. |
| Big city mayors say juvenile crime is 'serious' | |
 | A new survey of America's big-city mayors shows they know crime remains a problem for them -- and they want President Donald Trump to help solve it, instead of just ordering up the National Guard. Nearly six in 10 mayors called juvenile crime "serious or very serious" in the nonpartisan U.S. Conference of Mayors' survey of 60 city leaders, shared first with POLITICO. They said most of those offenses involve car and retail theft and firearms. But they also said violent crime decreased in their cities during the first six months of 2025 compared with the same period last year. Many credited their implementation of community policing practices and use of new technology with the drops. The report, released as the group's leadership gathers on Thursday in Oklahoma City, comes as Republicans are pressing their advantage on crime ahead of next year's midterms. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Wednesday showed 40 percent of respondents believe Republicans have a better plan on crime. "While violent crime is down in a very high proportion of the survey, cities and mayors and police departments have implemented many successful initiatives that have helped to achieve this, challenges remain and there is more work to do," said Tom Cochran, CEO and executive director of the group. |
| Autistic mothers hear echoes of the past in Trump's Tylenol warning | |
| The staccato babble of a fussy baby and the distant chatter of a Ms. Rachel YouTube video blanketed the call as Dorothy Ackland recounted watching President Trump's press conference on Monday, during which he said autism may be linked to Tylenol use during pregnancy and urged women not to take the drug. "We're going to save a lot of children from a tough life, really tough life," said Trump. "I'm sitting there and I'm like, 'Wait a minute, you're gonna blame Tylenol and parents taking Tylenol?'" said Ackland, who has autism and gave birth to her fourth child two weeks ago. "Even if it was accurate, there are bigger dangers than being autistic." The vast preponderance of evidence suggests that autism is mainly genetic, not the result of parental indifference or Tylenol use or exposure to toxic chemicals. "The administration is lying to people. They are increasing stigma. They are presenting autism as this tragedy and devaluing the lives of autistic people," said Jules Edwards, co-executive director of the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network. The press conference's optics also struck Edwards. The announcement of a major shift in health care during pregnancy was made by the president and federal health agency heads -- all men. "Misogyny is a heck of a beast," said Edwards, especially Trump's insistence that women "tough it out" with fevers and pain instead of taking acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. |
| Kamala Harris' book fuels debate about 2024, but offers little clarity about 2028 | |
 | In an interview with Rachel Maddow this week promoting her new memoir, Kamala Harris was asked whether her book tour is part of a strategy to run again for the presidency in 2028. "That's not my focus at all," Harris replied, dismissive of the idea. "It really isn't." Democratic strategists agree that her book, "107 Days," and the tour that has followed suggests Harris lacks a serious plan for a future in elected politics, generating more questions than clarity on her path forward and future role in public life. The book has reopened a fractious intraparty debate over who is to blame for last year's loss to President Trump. Polls show Harris' standing in the field of 2028 Democratic presidential contenders as relatively weak for a figure who led the party less than a year ago. And even in California, her home state, Democrats prefer another potential candidate, Gov. Gavin Newsom, over her for the next contest. Harris argues in her book she had too little time to mount a competitive campaign after President Biden announced he would drop out of the race that July, handing the party mantle to her with little notice. Harris would ultimately post the worst electoral college showing for a Democrat since Michael Dukakis in 1988. Potential 2028 candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination, many of whom already are making visits to battleground states, have seized the moment of her tour to criticize her handling of the 2024 race. |
| Hard pass. Cold brew. Dad bod. Merriam-Webster adds over 5,000 words to 'Collegiate' dictionary | |
| Word nerd alert: Merriam-Webster announced Thursday it has taken the rare step of fully revising and reimagining one of its most popular dictionaries with a fresh edition that adds over 5,000 new words, including "petrichor," "teraflop," "dumbphone" and "ghost kitchen." The 12th edition of "Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary" comes 22 years after the book's last hard-copy update and amid declining U.S. sales for analog dictionaries overall, according to Circana BookScan. It will be released Nov. 18, with preorders now available. Petrichor, by the way, is a pleasant odor after a rainfall following a warm, dry period. Teraflop is a unit of measure for calculating the speed of a computer. Dumbphones are just that, mobile devices we used before the smartphone revolution. And ghost kitchens, which came into their own during the pandemic, are commercial spaces for hire. Other additions: "cold brew," "farm-to-table," "rizz," "dad bod," "hard pass," "adulting" and "cancel culture." There's also "beast mode," "dashcam," "doomscroll,""WFH" and "side-eye." "While the print dictionary is not at all important to the growth and profitability of this wonderful language company, it's still our heart," Greg Barlow, Merriam-Webster's president, said. "There are people out there who just love books, and we love books." |
| 8 walking and biking safety tips that just might save your life | |
 | You've heard of defensive driving -- driving practices to help you stay safe on the road, like reducing your speed in bad weather or signaling before switching lanes. But what about defensive walking and cycling? They're a crucial part of pedestrian and cyclist safety, and more people should practice them, says Ryan Sharp, a transportation consultant with Alta, a transportation design firm. "It means paying attention to your surroundings and having a constant awareness of the environment so you can anticipate potential hazards," he says. According to estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 7,100 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the U.S. in 2024. In recent years, more than 1,000 cyclists have been hit and killed annually. But casualties are preventable. Sharp and Julia Kite-Laidlaw, a pedestrian and cyclist safety advocate with the National Safety Council, share their top do's and don'ts for walkers and bikers. While drivers are responsible for driving safely, road safety is everyone's responsibility. "We have decades of data to show that expecting people to always act the right way [on the road] does not work," Sharp says. By taking ownership of your safety, you are helping to create a safe system, which protects everyone on the road. |
| UM Opens Overflow Lot, Expands Shuttle Service In Response To Parking Concerns | |
 | The University of Mississippi Department of Parking and Transportation has opened a new parking lot and expanded Oxford-University Transit (OUT) shuttle services to alleviate parking problems faced by students this semester. The department announced via email to UM students on Wednesday, Aug. 27 that it would open the Residential Overflow South parking lot at the South Campus Recreation Center for all commuter parking permit holders. The university's commuter parking permits come in two types: Commuter Red and Commuter Blue. Commuter Red lots are located farther from the center of campus, while Commuter Blue lots are closer to the center. Both permits will be allowed to use the overflow lot, the announcement indicated. Commuter Blue permits, which were sold for $300 each at a rate of 1.7 permits for every parking space available, were sold out, according to the Department of Parking and Transportation. "This is to ensure proper utilization of lots, and it is common practice in the parking industry for universities," UM Parking Operations Manager Cassidy Savage said. "If we sold these (at a rate of one permit per every space), there would be many instances each day where these spaces would be empty and not be properly utilized, which is not the goal we want for our campus when preferred parking areas are not in abundance." |
| Southern Miss Launches New BA in Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry | |
| The University of Southern Mississippi's School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has announced a new Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry degree. Designed to provide students with a flexible, interdisciplinary foundation in chemical sciences, the program prepares graduates for careers in pharmaceutical, medicinal and health-related fields. The new program, formally titled the Bachelor of Arts in Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, is tailored for students seeking broader academic options and career readiness beyond laboratory-intensive tracks. It is particularly suited for those planning to attend medical, dental or pharmacy school, or to pursue careers in pharmaceutical sciences, regulatory affairs and medicinal chemistry. "This new BA program reflects our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of students and the job market," said Dr. Theofanis Kitsopoulos, director of the School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. "It offers a broad foundation in chemistry while allowing students the flexibility to pursue minors or double majors in fields such as biology, public health, business or foreign languages -- making them even more competitive in the global workforce." |
| Dixie Darlings set for New Orleans Superdome halftime show | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi's (USM) world-famous Dixie Darlings have been invited to perform as part of the DJ Jubilee and Light Balance halftime show at the New Orleans Superdome. The event will take place on October 5, 2025, at noon. The entire team, under the direction of Whitney Hudson, will experience an NFL gameday with the Saints and Cheer Krewe. "We are so excited for this opportunity to showcase our incredible dancers beyond Hattiesburg," said Hudson. "We have a long history of national and international performances and with the assistance from our fans, we hope to continue that tradition." USM officials said the leadership of The Pride of Mississippi is rallying behind the Dixie Darlings to help make the trip possible despite the unexpected cost. "The opportunity was just too great to pass up so everyone is working hard to make this happen," said Dr. Travis Higa, director of The Pride of Mississippi. "One way or another we are going to do our best to support our students in any way we can." |
| Grants awarded to JSU, Shape Up Mississippi | |
| U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) announced that the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded two Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (AAHC) to institutions in Mississippi. Jackson State University received $317,039 for the project "Building the Capacity of the Margaret Walker Center: Improved and Expanded Access to Collections." The Margaret Walker Center (MWC) at Jackson State University will move its archives to secure, environmentally controlled, temporary storage during building renovations and HVAC replacement made necessary due to severe storm damage in 2023. Officials said the MWC will digitizing nearly 1,000 oral histories most threatened by the environmental challenges in Ayer Hall and transfer 35,000 items from a fee-based digital platform to an open-source program. |
| What Declines in Reading and Math Mean for the U.S. Work Force | |
 | The U.S. military is seeing lower scores on its Armed Forces Qualification Test. At Texas State Technical College, a two-year college based in Waco, students increasingly have to take a basic math class alongside their college-level courses to get ready for careers in welding, heating and air conditioning, and manufacturing. And at selective four-year colleges, professors complain that students have lost their reading and writing stamina. New national test results for 12th graders, released this month, showed significant declines in students' math and reading abilities since 2019, results that are now being felt in college and the labor market. "My students now, they leave high school and don't have the capacity to read a lengthy 25-page article. They don't know what to do with it," said Deepak Sarma, a humanities professor at Case Western Reserve University, where the average reported SAT score is between 1440 and 1520. Dr. Sarma recently counseled a student daunted by a dense academic article, suggesting basic tactics like printing it out in order to highlight and underline key passages. On the national test, students' reading scores were the worst in three decades, and math scores were the lowest since 2005. The results have vast consequences for a generation of students, the U.S. economy and the country. |
| UNO should become 'LSU New Orleans,' LSU president says | |
| The University of New Orleans should adopt LSU branding and become LSU New Orleans when it transfers to the LSU system, interim LSU President Matt Lee told the Board of Regents Tuesday. Lee said the change is necessary to make the transfer successful. UNO was known as LSU New Orleans from its founding in 1958, when it was considered a branch of the Baton Rouge main campus, until its change to the University of New Orleans in 1974. "I think for this to really work, it's going to have to be LSU New Orleans because you're marrying two well known brands," Lee said, referring to LSU and the city of New Orleans. UNO was previously part of the LSU System until it was moved into the University of Louisiana System 14 years ago, with proponents of the move saying it was necessary for the New Orleans school to get out of the shadow of the much larger Baton Rouge campus. State lawmakers earlier this year approved transferring the university back to the LSU System in response to UNO's long-running enrollment decline, which has caused a fiscal crisis for the school. UNO is the only public research university in New Orleans and is considered vital for the region. A committee to oversee the transition will hold its first meeting early next month, LSU Board Chairman Scott Ballard said. |
| Vanderbilt Eyes National Expansion | |
 | As some of the nation's wealthiest institutions cut jobs and shed programs, Vanderbilt University is expanding nationally, seeking to establish campuses in California, Florida and New York. Future expansions to other sites that have not been made public are also under consideration, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier told Inside Higher Ed in an exclusive interview. Vanderbilt's growth comes at a turbulent time for higher education, with a skeptical public questioning the ever-rising costs of attendance and the return on investment and President Donald Trump waging war on the sector over what he has cast as liberal dogma run amok. Repercussions from Trump's broadside against postsecondary education have sent a shock wave of cuts through even the wealthiest institutions, including Harvard and Stanford Universities, both of which have eliminated hundreds of jobs. Other wealthy institutions, such as the University of Chicago, have announced deep cuts driven by economic uncertainty and mounting financial pressures. But for Vanderbilt, it's full steam ahead. The private university is venturing out from its home base in Nashville, Tenn., to establish a footprint that stretches across the country. |
| UGA provost appointed to board of Rowen, site for technology and science companies | |
 | The Rowen Foundation announced this week that Benjamin C. Ayers, the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Georgia, was appointed to its board of directors. Ayers, who has been at UGA for 30 years, with 11 years as dean of the Terry College of Business, will serve on the board of the nonprofit that is overseeing the development of Rowen, a nearly 2,000-acre site off Georgia Highway 316 that is projected to be a major boost to the state's ability to attract technology and research enterprises. The site is located in Gwinnett County along the Barrow County border. The development is touted as one that will eventually attract employees from Atlanta to Gainesville and Athens to work at companies that focus on research in the agricultural, medical, and environmental sciences. Mason Ailstock, the CEO for Rowen, said this week that the addition of Ayers is a "great asset" for Rowen. Ailstock cited Ayers' professional expertise in business and his deep knowledge of UGA and the state. |
| Mizzou researchers hope their better-tasting soybean could catch on with diners, farmers | |
 | New soybean varieties developed at the University of Missouri and through the United States Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Reasearch Service could encourage people in the U.S. and other western nations to eat more soy-based products while prompting farmers to grow varieties geared for domestic, rather than international sales. That was the message Mizzou Associate Professor of Food Science Bongkosh (Jeab) Vardhanabhuti and USDA-ARS Research Molecular Biologist Kristin Bilyeu had after a study recently was published on their work to develop a more palatable soybean. Results of the study were published online in the journal Food Chemistry in June. "Our plant scientist collaborators developed these soybeans for two main reasons: to improve their nutritional composition and to enhance their flavor," Vardhanabhuti said. This soybean could soon have real-world food applications, Vardhanabhuti said. Better-flavored soy-based ingredients could lead to more innovation and expand the variety of products in which they are used. With a milder flavor, more people might begin to enjoy soy and benefit from its nutritional value, Vardhanabhuti added. |
| Missouri Merged 2 Agencies. What Can Trump Learn From the Show-Me State? | |
| In a recent statement and a series of fireside chats, Education Secretary Linda McMahon repeatedly drew attention to her efforts to move all career, technical and adult education programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor and consolidate some as part of the Trump administration's quest to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse. According to ED, many staff members from the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education are already working under the supervision of the DOL, though the funding for the programs they oversee is still managed by McMahon. Moving that money, which was appropriated by Congress to the Education Department, would require legislative approval. But symbolically, the integration process is under way. The Trump administration is not the first government body to propose or execute such a merger, however. A handful of states have combined their departments of higher education and workforce development agencies in the hopes of better aligning state budgets, curriculum and grant allocation with the needs of local employers. Missouri, for example, has been working since 2018 to integrate what was the Department of Higher Education and the Division of Workforce Development into a new Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. |
| Education Department opens FAFSA ahead of schedule -- it's a 'huge win' for college-bound students, expert says | |
| The U.S. Department of Education opened the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form on Wednesday -- one week before the anticipated Oct. 1 launch date. The early start may help more students gain college access, experts say. Completing the FAFSA is the only way to tap federal aid money for higher education, including federal student loans, work-study and grants. "Given the previous glitches, delays, and confusion, having the FAFSA delivered not only on time but early is a huge win," said Rick Castellano, a spokesperson for Sallie Mae. In part because of previous complications with the new form, which initially launched in late December 2023 after a months-long delay, completion rates fell last year. Only 71% of families submitted the FAFSA for the 2024-25 academic year, down from 74% in the previous cycle, according to Sallie Mae's recent How America Pays for College report, which surveyed 2,000 college-aged students and their parents. "Hopefully we'll see those numbers begin to tick in the right direction," Castellano said. |
| Gutted NCES Releases First Batch of Higher Ed Data | |
| Months after the Education Department fired nearly all of the employees at the National Center for Education Statistics and axed $900 million in contracts at the Institute of Education Sciences, the department has released the first tranche of data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System since President Donald Trump took office in January. While statisticians are worried that the Trump administration is moving to undermine the credibility of some government data, education research experts told Inside Higher Ed that so far, they have no immediate reason to mistrust the newly released IPEDS data, which colleges and universities submitted before Trump took office in January. And others noted that the release of the data at all is a win, especially given researchers' concerns earlier in the year that mass layoffs could immediately compromise data from the department. However, the data NCES, which oversees IPEDS, released Tuesday wasn't entirely without issues. It came out weeks later than expected. Some of the communication about the data was wrong. Some researchers said they encountered syntax errors that were later fixed. |
| At Utah Valley U., a Sense of Safety Shattered | |
 | The gunshot that killed Charlie Kirk on the Utah Valley University campus was fired just hours after students in Lynn England's introductory Peace and Justice course, a five-minute walk away, were discussing the origins of violence. In an instant, the theoretical became frighteningly real. "My first response was this awful, disgusting feeling," Kade Van Ry told his classmates and England last week. It was the first day back since the assassination thrust the campus into the national spotlight. "How are we supposed to go back to school and study peace studies," he asked, knowing that "one person can come in and make the entire campus afraid and spread hate?" Another student, who didn't give his name, said he wasn't sure he could explain his feelings without cursing. "Charlie was an unarmed man who wanted to talk," he said emphatically. "That was his whole thing. He wanted to talk to us and he got killed for that. So now how many of us want to talk?" England, in his 55 years of teaching college students, said he's cultivated in his classroom a space where students from all political leanings, racial and gender identities, and socioeconomic backgrounds can feel comfortable talking about the day's most polarizing issues. He doesn't want to see that sense of safety broken. So while some faculty members were eager to move quickly back to their lesson plans and leave the ugliness of the previous week behind, England spent each of the five classes he taught that day asking students how they were feeling: "Where do we go now? Do we get caught up in the rhetoric or do we start reaching out to each other?" |
| The Campus With a Front-Row Seat to Trump's Attack on Higher Ed | |
| One Monday evening this month, around five George Washington University police officers stood outside the university's international-affairs school, while two sat inside, making sure nobody entered without scanning their student IDs. Inside, a lecture hall was filled with dozens of students and a few faculty members, attending a town hall put together by the Socialist Action Initiative, a campus organization. When the leaders of the meeting, three students wearing keffiyehs, asked attendees to volunteer their concerns with the university, the first five students all said some version of the same thing: GW has a problem with policing. The officers screening the event's attendees is just one category of law enforcement often seen on the Washington, D.C., campus. There's the city's Metropolitan Police Department. And, since last month, there are members of the U.S. National Guard, who wear camo fatigues and carry guns. The influx of officers and troops can leave the impression of a campus under siege, an impression also reinforced by less visible interactions. The day after President Trump announced the deployment of the National Guard in Washington, GW received a letter from the Justice Department announcing it had found the campus administration responsible for "deliberate indifference" to the "hostile environment" for Jewish, American-Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty. On campus, a lack of explicit information about the university's standing with the government has contributed to a sense of frustration among students and some faculty members. |
SPORTS
| What makes Mississippi State football a problem for rest of SEC, starting with Tennessee | |
 | Almost every SEC game played the same way for Mississippi State football in 2024. The Bulldogs, in coach Jeff Lebby's first season, fell behind early. They attempted to catch up, but ultimately lost all eight conference games by at least 10 points. MSU never held a lead, or was even tied, against an SEC opponent in a second half. Mississippi State is in a different spot this time. The Bulldogs won all four of their nonconference games for their first 4-0 record since 2014. Last season's win total is already doubled. There's a new belief at Mississippi State. Not necessarily that Mississippi State will be competing for an SEC championship -- the program has just one season with a winning SEC record this century -- but that it won't be the same pushover as 2024. All of MSU's remaining eight games are against SEC teams, and the first chance to prove it is against No. 15 Tennessee (3-1, 0-1 SEC) at a sold-out Davis Wade Stadium on Sept. 27 (3:15 p.m., SEC Network). "It's night and day," center Canon Boone said of the team morale. "This time last year, obviously we were not in a spot we wanted to be. I think that this time around, there's lots of juice, lots of energy and lots of excitement, especially as we go into SEC play." |
| Three keys to victory for Mississippi State against No. 15 Tennessee | |
| The first Southeastern Conference matchup in Starkville this season is one that could include plenty of fireworks. Mississippi State hosts No. 15 Tennessee on Saturday at 3:15 p.m. inside Davis Wade Stadium, which will also be a battle between mentor and pupil. Vols head coach Josh Heupel spent time at UCF with Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby, a relationship that shows up in the respective iterations of the veer-and-shoot offense. It will be a big test for the Bulldogs, who will look to stay unbeaten against a prolific team and pick up a second win over a ranked team this season. Here are three keys to victory for MSU in the matchup: No handouts. Score from far. Bend, don't break. |
| Volleyball: Digging Into Dawgs' Dominant Start | |
| What a start it has been for Mississippi State volleyball. As the Bulldogs get set to open up Southeastern Conference play against No. 18 Florida on Friday, MSU is rolling. As league play begins, it bears appreciating what State has been able to do up to this point. MSU is one of only two SEC teams still undefeated. The Bulldogs boast a perfect 10-0 record, marking just the second time in program history they've won their first 10 matches of a season. The only other such occasion came in 2000. To show just how dominant the Dawgs were in non-conference play, over the first 34 sets this year, State has only dropped a total of four. The Bulldogs now get the chance to try and take their non-conference success right into the league slate. It won't be easy. Six of the 15 upcoming SEC opponents for State are currently ranked in the top 25, starting with the Gators at 7 p.m. CT on Friday night. |
| Women's Golf: Whateley Earns First SEC Golfer Of The Week Honor | |
| After a career-best weekend in the Mason Rudolph Championship, junior Samantha Whateley was named the SEC Golfer of the Week, the conference announced on Wednesday. Whateley, a Johannesburg, South Africa native, earned her first collegiate victory at the Mason Rudolph Championship on Sunday. She finished with a 9-under 204 on the par-71 course after shooting 69-67-68. The event marked the first time Whateley had fired off three rounds in the 60s in a single tournament during her three-year career. Her second round of 4-under tied a career-best round for the junior, a mark she has accomplished two other times in her career. Across the entirety of the weekend, Whateley only carded four bogeys throughout 54 holes. Whateley contributed to an excellent start for the Bulldogs, who went 16-under in the opening round of the Mason Rudolph. The score marked the third-best round in program history as well as the best opening round in program and Mason Rudolph Championship history. Whateley and the Bulldogs will continue the fall season on Monday, September 29 at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational. |
| SEC coaches mostly on board with new scheduling that ends some long-time annual matchups | |
| The last time LSU and Alabama went an entire season without playing each other, Tigers coach Brian Kelly was a toddler and Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer wouldn't be born for another 11 years. During six-plus decades, that annual matchup has had some intense, dramatic moments, Under a new scheduling format released by the Southeastern Conference this week, LSU and Alabama won't play in 2027 -- the first time that's happened since 1963. And next season will be the first time since 1970 that the Tigers won't play Florida. "I get it," Kelly said Wednesday when asked about how unsettling it could be for some to see longstanding, annual rivalries end under the conference's four-year schedule that was released Tuesday. But the LSU coach added that he also appreciates the SEC's goal of having all 16 teams play one another at least once every two years. Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin was less enthusiastic about at least one aspect of the new schedule. While he agreed with keeping LSU and Mississippi State on the Rebels' schedule each year, he said the inclusion of Oklahoma as an annual opponent was "disappointing" and "doesn't make any sense -- at all." "We don't have anything in common with them or our fans," said Kiffin, whose program will lose Vanderbilt as an annual fixture on its schedule. "That's unfortunate with so many great teams that we've played for a long time here." |
| College Football Playoff leaders 'comfortable' with 12-team format, not in rush to decide on 2026 expansion | |
| The decision-makers behind whether the College Football Playoff expands or not are "comfortable" with staying at the current 12-team format. As part of the CCA meetings at the Big Ten's headquarters in Chicago, the College Football Playoff management committee of the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua didn't spend much time on playoff format discussions despite a looming Dec. 1 deadline on next year's format, according to CFP executive director Rich Clark. Clark said that the CFP leaders only devoted about 20 minutes of a meeting that lasted more than four hours to the topic many around college athletics are so interested in. There isn't another large group meeting scheduled before that Dec. 1 deadline -- and no eagerness to schedule one at this moment, it seems -- which is another example why maintaining the status quo of 12 teams for 2026 has gained steam. "My sense is the room's comfortable with (staying at 12) if that's where we go and that's probably why they're not too pressed with rushing to a decision," Clark said. It mirrors what others like SEC commissioner Greg Sankey have said in the months leading up to this in-person meeting that nothing had to change if there wasn't agreement on a future format. |
| Future CFP format remains undecided after committee meeting | |
| The future format of the College Football Playoff remains undecided after the CFP's management committee met briefly about it Wednesday at Big Ten headquarters. The group met for more than four hours in a regularly scheduled business meeting but spent only about 20 minutes talking about the format for 2026 and beyond. CFP leaders have a contractual obligation to let ESPN know by Dec. 1 if they want to expand the field beyond 12 teams. To make any changes to it, the Big Ten and SEC have to agree on what it should look like because they have the bulk of control over the future format. They have been at an impasse for months. Various models have been presented -- from the status quo to the Big Ten's idea of a 28-team field -- but CFP executive director Rich Clark said staying at 12 for another year isn't facing much resistance right now. Clark said everything remains on the table, though, including automatic qualifiers. "They want to be able to discuss things and understand the pros and cons for every option that's there," Clark said. "They don't want to make a decision until they've done the work and put the work in and understand every aspect of the decisions they're going to make." |
| College Football Playoff's future format still up in the air as power conference leaders mull new working group | |
| On Wednesday in Chicago, the 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame's athletic director gathered for their annual fall College Football Playoff meeting. Plenty was on the agenda: a discussion over the playoff's governance structure, more work on long-form agreements and a review of an organizational study from the consulting firm Korn Ferry. What was missing: a real, serious discussion over the future playoff format. "We didn't talk a lot about format," CFP executive director Rich Clark said. Perhaps that's because a new strategy is emerging? Power conference commissioners are exploring a new working group made up of their own athletic directors -- two to three from each the Big Ten, SEC, ACC and Big 12 -- to consider a variety of CFP formats, those with knowledge of the plans tell Yahoo Sports. As a launching point to the discussion, several Big Ten school administrators are socializing a concept to grant each power conference league an equal number of automatic qualifiers in a field of more than 20 teams. However, administrators caution that such a format must garner the support of the SEC. According to a CFP policy passed last year, the Big Ten and SEC, both together, must agree on a format for it to be approved. |
| Donald Trump heads to the Ryder Cup, embraced by a golf world that once shunned him | |
| Four years ago, President Donald Trump was persona non grata in the professional golf world, ostracized from the sport he loves in the wake of the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The PGA of America pulled his chance to host its major championship and officials in his hometown, New York City, tried ousting his company from the golf course it had hired him to run. On Friday, Trump will be front and center at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black -- welcomed to the first day of competition by the very powers that once shunned him. The Ryder Cup is run by the PGA of America, the organization that yanked its 2022 PGA Championship from his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf course. U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said he's "deeply honored" that Trump will be there to cheer on his squad. European captain Luke Donald said the president's attendance "just shows how big the Ryder Cup is," calling it a "mark of respect," even if he's rooting for the other side. Trump, a Republican, will be the first sitting U.S. president to attend the biennial U.S.-Europe clash in its nearly 100-year history. For Trump, an avid golfer, his Ryder Cup trip will be the culmination of a remarkable turnaround in his relationship with the sport -- and in the sport's relationship with him. |
| Team USA hopes fans supply home-course advantage for 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage | |
 | Tommy Fleetwood walked up the 16th fairway with his three practice partners Wednesday, less than 48 hours before the 2025 Ryder Cup began, and turned around when a spectator called his name. "Hey Tommy!" the fan yelled. "Nice hair!" The 2025 PGA Tour champion responded with a smile and thumbs-up. Everyone in the surrounding area laughed. It was an interaction emblematic of the pre-competition days at the biennial tournament -- a gentle ribbing by the home-crowd spectator and a gesture of good-naturedness from the player. Golfers receive on-course support from their fans, but that's rooting for an individual. Being part of a team changes the crowd's importance, Fleetwood said. "That energy, that passion and that home team environment is something that plays such a big part in the Ryder Cup, and I think you have to embrace that, enjoy it, and look forward to it, even when you're the away team." By Friday morning, however, that friendly tune from the American-heavy crowd in suburban New York -- where the locals are frustrated by their winless football teams, stressed about their baseball teams' playoff races and prepared to provide a home-field advantage for Team USA -- will change. |
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