Contact: Checky Herrington

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State’s comprehensive leadership in scientific research continues to be a source of pride for MSU’s growing family of supporters. Soon, they’ll make sure the rest of the world knows about groundbreaking discoveries being made by Mississippi’s flagship research university.

The inaugural #StateProud Week March 6-12 will celebrate Mississippi State’s achievements through social media engagement and a series of on-campus promotional events. Also, the university will feature #StateProud Week resources here that can be shared with broader audiences, including #StateProud cover photos for Facebook, videos, success stories, and “Pride Points” — a collection of MSU highlights that can be used for civic club presentations and other promotional opportunities.

“We’re providing a variety of resources so that all MSU supporters, no matter where they’re located, can participate in #StateProud Week,” said Sid Salter, MSU’s chief communications officer. “They can use resources on the #StateProud website, including Facebook cover photos, to celebrate MSU’s achievements and share their pride with others. The support generated during #StateProud Week will resonate throughout the year and make sure the world knows about the great things going on at Mississippi State University.”

#StateProud is an outgrowth of the We Ring True branding campaign launched last year to reinforce MSU’s longtime standing as a premier research institution where students are driven to make a difference. The campaign includes campus-focused programs meant to celebrate everyday successes along with cross-platform communication tools to help the Mississippi State community-at-large stay informed and share success stories.

#StateProud Week will focus on MSU’s trailblazing achievements in scientific research and its leadership in veterinary medicine, agriculture, engineering, business, education, aerospace, architecture and many other fields.

Student-led teams at MSU are involved in a number of research and development projects with state, national and global impacts. They’re designing the eco-friendly “Car of the Future,” finding a cure for pandemic flu, developing concussion-free football helmets, and partnering with NASA on future space exploration.

Mississippi State has been in the top 10 nationally in agriculture-related research for more than 15 years and is applying its vast body of knowledge to partnerships with the United Nations and the World Food Programme to find solutions for world hunger and food security. Mississippi State also serves as the national lead for the FAA’s Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, and last year MSU was invited for the fourth consecutive time to participate in the nation’s premier automotive engineering competition.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.