Contact: Phil Hearn
STARKVILLE, Miss.--A chemical engineering award established in honor of veteran professor Atly Jefcoat and his wife Bette will provide $1,500 annually to a deserving student at Mississippi State.
The Atly and Bette Jefcoat Student American Institute of Chemical Engineers Award has been established in the Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering by major university benefactor and Canton native Hunter Henry. It will be funded through the Henry Family MSU Development Fund and/or the Henry MSU Donor Advised Fund.
"Bette and Atly have been such role models for the students--including serving as advisers to the AIChE chapter--that recognition of their many contributions deserves an award that will be one of a permanent nature," said Henry.
Retired Dow Chemical USA president, he was lead donor for construction of what later was named the Hunter Henry Center, a distinctive $12 million glass-and-stainless steel structure that houses the university's foundation and alumni association offices.
Also creator of the Hunter Henry Lectureship in Chemical Engineering and the university's 1988 national alumnus of the year, Henry said the first $1,500 Jefcoat award will be given this year at spring convocation, then presented annually to a worthy student.
Jefcoat, who has been AIChE student adviser since joining the faculty in 1998, is the university's Hunter Henry Chair of Chemical Engineering. In 2002-03, he was selected the AIChE Outstanding Student Chapter Adviser in a national competition that recognizes outstanding performance over a sustained period of time.
Jefcoat said he and his wife were "extremely grateful to Hunter for believing in us and we are humbled by establishment of this award.
"Bette and I have opened our hearts and our home to the MSU chemical engineering students, making them our kids, and they have responded with exceptional performance," he added. "Our kids love Mrs. Bette--and her chocolate chip cookies. Without the outstanding support Bette has given to me and our kids, none of the things we have accomplished would have been possible."
Nominations for the award can be made by anyone on the chemical engineering faculty, or by chemical engineering students and alumni. Recipients of the award must have demonstrated leadership in chemical engineering and made positive contributions to the advancement of the student chapter of AIChE.
For more information, contact Sherre Denson, Swalm School business manager, at (662) 325-8470 or sherre@che.msstate.edu.