Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State marks its 131st birthday with a Feb. 27 celebration on the university's historic Drill Field.
The free 11 a.m.--1 p.m. come-and-go event will commemorate the land-grant institution's 1878 creation by the Mississippi Legislature. The annual happening is sponsored by the MSU Alumni Association.
"Although the official institutional birthday is the 28th, we wanted to hold this year's celebration during the week when the entire MSU family could come join us," said Jimmy Abraham, the alumni association's executive director.
A large maroon-and-white-trimmed cake created by MSU Dining Services will be cut and served, beginning at 11 a.m. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and area residents are being invited to come as their schedules permit for complimentary food and soft drinks and MSU ice cream, while supplies last.
Nash Street, Starkville's nationally prominent musical group, will provide entertainment.
Abraham said Starkville-based Cadence Bank again is providing corporate sponsorship. "Cadence has assisted us with the birthday celebration for the past several years and, on behalf of the university community, we express our sincere appreciation for their support," he added.
For those unable to attend, a Drill Field-based Webcam maintained by the industrial engineering department at www.ise.msstate.edu/netcam/netcam.php will provide computer users with a visual report of the activities.
For more information on MSU's 131-year birthday, contact the alumni association at 662-325-3444 or visit http://www.alumni.msstate.edu.