A big smile spreads across the face of Derrick Everett when he's asked about having such a conscientious spirit. "I got it from my mom," he says. The Waynesboro native is painstakingly reliable and diligent in many different facets of his life, including his journey to obtain his third degree from Mississippi State.
A doctoral student in poultry science, Everett plans to complete his degree in the summer of 2012, having first completed both bachelor's and master's degrees in the same discipline. Throughout his many years of study at MSU, he also has worked at Sanderson Farms and Wayne Farms, both in Laurel, to learn more about the poultry industry and gain the skills necessary for his current dissertation research on poultry litter microbiology. He said he wants to develop alternative litter sources "to ensure the poultry environment is meeting the highest standards of food safety for consumers."
Everett's "do-good" attitude has even recently helped out a fellow graduate assistant. Exiting his car one day at MSU's Hill Poultry Science Building, the Wayne County High School graduate noticed a bank envelope lying on the ground beside another car. After retrieving it, he surprisingly discovered $2,000 in cash. Everett waited around in the rain for a while for someone to come and claim it, but after no one did, he gave it to the MSU Campus Police.
"I didn't earn that money, so there's no way I could have kept it," he said, adding that the rightful owner did get the large sum back.
With big plans to improve Mississippi's No. 1 agricultural industry, Everett claims that he also maintains his hard-working state-of-mind by visiting the MSU Sanderson Center for some exercise.
"A healthy body means a healthy mind," he said. "It just makes you feel better."