Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--A new student travel scholarship fund being established at Mississippi State will honor a longtime biological sciences faculty member who now is a professor emeritus.
Armando A. de la Cruz of Starkville, who taught at the university 1970-2000, is establishing a fund that will assist undergraduate and graduate students in attending national and international meetings, said Nara Gavini, biological sciences department head.
"Dr. de la Cruz's commitment will provide resources that will help students gain valuable professional opportunities in their field," he said.
A public reception launching the new Armando A. de la Cruz Student Travel Scholarship Endowment Fund will be held March 24 in 119 Harned Hall. The 3 p.m. event will provide a brief overview of de la Cruz's research in estuarine ecology and recognize two former students influenced by him.
Mary Davidson of West Point, a 1988 doctoral graduate who currently is a faculty member at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, and India native Kirit Chapatwala, a 1978 postdoctoral student now teaching at Selma University, in Selma, Ala., will honor their former professor in brief remarks.
The program will conclude with formal presentation of the new endowed fund established in the MSU Foundation. University officials participating will include Philip B. Oldham, Arts and Sciences dean, Colin Scanes, vice president for research and graduate studies, and John Rush, director of major gifts.
"Dr. de la Cruz is making a generous commitment that continues his legacy to the students at Mississippi State University," said Rush. "It will be an open fund in the MSU Foundation that will allow others to contribute in his honor."
A native of the Philippines, de la Cruz during his MSU tenure taught more than 15 different undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as summer courses for high school students at the Mississippi Governor's School residential program.
During his career, he received 12 scholarships and fellowships, including the prestigious Guggenheim and Fulbright fellowships, and was a member of five honorary professional societies.
An avid traveler, he visited more than 70 countries for research, lectures, conferences, and scholarly expeditions.
"The new travel scholarship will provide opportunities for others to continue his tradition of seeking knowledge in new places," said Gavini.
For more information, telephone Trish Hughes of the MSU Foundation at 662-325-8309.