Contact: Maridith Geuder
The director of housing and residence life at Mississippi State University is the president-elect of the Southern Association for College Student Affairs.
E. Ann Bailey will lead the organization of more than 900 members in 2005.
SACSA, whose membership is spread among 15 states and the District of Columbia, provides programming and resources to promote professional development and research in the student affairs area.
At MSU, the Division of Student Affairs includes the housing and residence life office, as well as those of admissions and scholarships, financial aid, student health, counseling, recreational sports, and student life.
"SACSA is the pre-eminent student affairs professional association in the Southeast," said division vice president Bill Kibler. "The organization has been meeting the professional development needs of student affairs professionals for 54 years with ventures such as an excellent annual conference, a journal, a well-respected career placement service, and other professional services.
"This is a great honor and a fitting tribute to Ann's leadership and contributions to the student affairs profession," he added.
Bailey, who has led one of the MSU divisions' largest units since 2000, earlier served as the office's assistant director and an area coordinator.
While earning a bachelor's degree at the University of Montevallo (Ala.) and a master's degree at Florida State University, she worked as a student intern in student affairs offices. She completed a doctorate in higher education administration at MSU.
In addition to her work at MSU, the former Birmingham, Ala., resident also was an education planning and evaluation coordinator for the state Department of Education and director of student activities at Belhaven College in Jackson.
"I'm very indebted to the institutions that introduced me as a student to service in student affairs, and to those, especially Mississippi State, that since have provided exceptional professional opportunities," Bailey said.
Among other honors, she has received a Leader of the 21st Century Alumni Award from Montevallo, a professional service award from the National Residence Hall Honorary organization and a distinguished staff award from MSU.
She also is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, Association of College and University Housing Officers-International and Southeastern Association of Housing Officers, and Mississippi Association of Housing Officers.
BIRMINGHAM EDITOR: Bailey is a 1980 Mountain Brook High School graduate and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Bailey [35216].