Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.--A Meridian native and Mississippi State alumnus is returning to his alma mater to serve as development officer for special projects and the university's Meridian campus.
Josh Thompson, who began work earlier this month, is responsible for seeking major gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations for general university projects. He also is coordinating Meridian campus advancement and development programs.
Thompson works directly with both Bo Hemphill, the MSU Foundation's executive director of development, and Meridian Dean Donna L. Clevinger. While continuing to reside in Meridian, he will maintain offices on the Starkville and Meridian campuses.
Thompson, a 2003 insurance and risk management graduate of the College of Business and Industry, previously held positions with Meridian-based Insurance Solutions of Mississippi Inc. and Starkville's BankFirst Insurance Services.
He currently serves as president of the Lauderdale County chapter of the MSU Alumni Association.
"In his new role, Josh will help raise funds for areas of Mississippi State that critically need financial support but are not covered by our other college development officers," said Hemphill. "He also will help focus energy on the importance and needs of the Meridian campus."
"State of the Future: The Mississippi State Campaign," the foundation's current major effort, seeks to raise $400 million in private support for a range of student, faculty and construction needs. Currently exceeding $386 million, the campaign is scheduled to conclude at the end of December 2008.
In addition, Mississippi State has committed to raise some $5 million specifically for scholarships to attract qualified students to the Meridian campus, which enrolled a record 821 students this fall.
Established in 1972, the Lauderdale County institution offers upper-level undergraduate and selected graduate programs through its divisions of Arts and Sciences, Business and Industry, and Education.
NEWS EDITORS/DIRECTORS: For additional information, contact Kristy Riley of the MSU Foundation at 662-325-4214 or kriley@advservices.msstate.edu.
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LOCAL EDITORS: Thompson's wife, the former Amanda Myers of Starkville, is a 2005 English graduate of MSU.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.