MSU students, faculty honored for diversity

Mississippi State University honored two students and two faculty members with diversity awards Thursday.

The awards were presented by the MSU President’s Commission on the Status of Minorities and winners included Associate Dean of the College

of Agriculture and Life Sciences Scott Willard, Assistant Professor of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Foundations Deborah Jackson, Industrial and Systems Engineering Doctoral candidate Roy Jafari and Senior Sociology major Bailey McDaniel.

“This ceremony is intended to recognize individuals who demonstrate a significant commitment to enhancing diversity at Mississippi State University,” said Commission Chair Lakiesha Williams. “This year’s winners stepped outside of the norm and exhibited a great passion for exploring

and promoting diversity.”

MSU President Mark Keenum also lauded the winners.

“We are now the most diverse university in the Southeastern Conference and the most diverse land-grant university in the nation,” Keenum said. “We have made great strides and I am very proud of what we are doing to this day. But with all the great strides we’ve made, we still have a lot of work to do, and we’re committed to doing that work. It takes people to do all the great things we’re doing, and the people we’re recognizing this afternoon are the reason why we’re having great success and why we are committed to having great success going forward.”