June 2019
The best job on campus

As vice president for research and economic development, I often tell people that I have the best job on campus. I say that because almost every week I learn something new and exciting about what our students, faculty, and staff are doing in the classroom. Or in a lab, studio, or on stage. Or out in the community. It's extraordinary to consider all of the remarkable scholarship, discovery, exploration, teaching, and learning taking place every single day at Mississippi State University.

David Shaw currently serves as vice president for research and economic development at Mississippi State. Starting July 1, he will begin a new role as the university's provost and executive vice president.

Looking forward, I believe I will continue to have the best job on campus when I begin serving as your provost and executive vice president in a few weeks. While my title and role are changing, the people of this outstanding institution remain the same. It's all of you -- the students, faculty, and staff -- who mean so much to Mississippi State University and who mean so much to me.

I thank all of you who have offered congratulations and encouragement the past few days. I also want to thank the good folks in the Office of Research and Economic Development for their hard work and for their dedication to MSU. It's been a great honor to lead this outstanding team of professionals the past nine years.

As always, thank you very much for taking the time to read this month's letter. I look forward to sharing many more with you, and I welcome your comments at drs4@msstate.edu.