Contact: Amy Cagle
STARKVILLE, Miss.--In announcing Monday [Oct. 27] its 2014 class of Alumni Fellows, the Mississippi State University Alumni Association also is marking the 25th anniversary of the annual special recognition program.
Established in 1989, the fellows program seeks to spotlight the 136-year-old land-grant institution's most distinguished graduates by showcasing their talents and accomplishments to current students.
In addition to bringing one alumnus of MSU's eight academic colleges back to campus to share professional experiences and provide career guidance, the annual fall semester event includes a series of meetings and presentations with students and faculty, both in the classroom and informally.
"We are proud to welcome some of Mississippi State's most accomplished alumni as our Silver Anniversary fellows group," said Jeff Davis, the alumni association's executive director. "Each of these individuals brings a wealth of experience in their fields to share with students and faculty across the university."
The 2014 fellows are among the university's nearly 130,000 living alumni worldwide. Each honoree carries the distinction for life.
Davis said members of the 2014 class will be on campus this weekend [Oct. 30-Nov. 1] and be recognized at the MSU-University of Arkansas football game.
The new fellows include (by college):
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences:
Bryan S. Wilson of Fulton, who received bachelor's and master's degrees in entomology in 1982 and 1984, respectively. He is managing partner of Tacoma Ag LLC, a company he founded in 2009 that produces generic crop chemicals for sale throughout the United States. Previously, Wilson held leadership positions with United Agri Products, BASF Corp. and Wilson Ag Service. He is a member of the MSU Bulldog Club board of directors.
College of Architecture, Art and Design:
Melodi E. Terhune of Chesapeake, Virginia, who graduated in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in human sciences/interior design. Holding the designation of LEED Accredited Professional, she is a senior certified interior designer and associate for Clark Nexsen in Virginia Beach, as well as past president of the American Society of Interior Designers, Virginia Chapter. Terhune currently serves on MSU's Interior Design Advisory Board.
College of Arts and Sciences:
M. Diane Roberts of Louisville, Kentucky, who received bachelor's and master's degrees in zoology 1963 and 1964, respectively. She later earned a doctorate from the University of Texas School of Public Health. Now retired, Roberts was vice chancellor for academic affairs at Indiana University East in Richmond. Her professional career also included academic positions with Wichita State University, University of Alabama in Huntsville and South Texas Junior College.
College of Business:
Boyce Adams Sr. of Columbus, who earned a bachelor's degree in marketing in 1980. In addition to co-founding BankTEL Systems in 1992, he currently serves as its president and CEO. BankTEL is on the Inc. 5000 list and has been recognized as one of the state's fastest growing private companies. Prior to BankTel, Adams developed software in the oil industry. He is a member of the MSU College of Business Advisory Board.
College of Education:
Larry Box of Starkville, whose education degrees include a 1966 bachelor's, 1968 master's and 1985 doctorate. Now retired, he was superintendent of the Starkville School District from 1991-2002. After beginning his career as a mathematics teacher, Box was promoted to successive roles as principal of Starkville's Sudduth Elementary and Henderson Junior High schools, and as SSD assistant superintendent.
James Worth Bagley College of Engineering:
Robert D. "Rob" Hunter of Birmingham, Alabama, who received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1973 before going on to earn a doctor of law degree from Cornell University. He now is a senior vice president, general counsel and secretary for Altec Inc., a global provider of products and services for the electric utility, telecommunications and contracting industries. Under his leadership, the 2014 Altec legal team was named best in the U.S. in technology by Legal 500. Hunter was named a Bagley College Distinguished Fellow in 2008 and currently serves on the college's advisory board, as well as the advisory board of the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Center for Palliative Care.
College of Forest Resources:
World L.-S. Nieh of Oak Hill, Virginia, a 1990 doctoral graduate in forest products. Now with the U.S. Forest Service in Washington, D.C., his most recent achievement includes representation as the agency's forest products program lead for a $20 million national research program. Previously, he was director of amino resin development with Southeastern Adhesives Co. in Lenoir, North Carolina, and senior development chemist with Georgia-Pacific Resins Inc. in Decatur, Georgia. Before enrolling at MSU, he completed a bachelor's degree from National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan and a master's from Virginia Tech University.
College of Veterinary Medicine:
Dr. Wanda L. West of Churchville, Pennsylvania, who is a 1988 doctor of veterinary medicine graduate. She now is a veterinary research fellow and attending veterinarian at Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. in Princeton, New Jersey. West also volunteers her professional services at various animal shelters, providing free medical and surgical services. In addition to her MSU degree, West holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Tougaloo College and doctorate in pharmacology from the Temple University School of Medicine.
For detailed biographies on the 2014 selections and other information about the alumni association, visit www.alumni.msstate.edu.
MSU is online at www.msstate.edu.