Contact: Vanessa Beeson

STARKVILLE, Miss.—The Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station director and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences dean at Mississippi State University is receiving a national award for leadership excellence.

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ Experiment Station Section recognized George Hopper with a 2017 Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors ESS Excellence in Leadership Award during the APLU’s recent annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Gregory Bohach, vice president of MSU’s Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine is among those who nominated Hopper for the award, which is one of five that recognizes individuals who have served the SAAESD and land-grant system nationally with distinction.  

“Throughout his career, Dr. Hopper has provided exemplary service and leadership to the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, SAAESD and the national land-grant system,” Bohach said. “His leadership has exemplified the highest level of excellence, enhancing the performance of the land-grant system in the state, region and nation, and helping to attain the triad mission of learning, research and service on behalf of our citizens and stakeholders.”  

Hopper, who also serves as dean of MSU’s College of Forest Resources and director of its Forest and Wildlife Research Center, has dedicated his career to the land-grant mission in the capacities of professor, department head, dean and director. For nearly eight years, he has led the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. In that span of time, he has been a dependable leader in SAAESD, serving in various capacities including 2015 chair, 2016 ESCOP Budget and Legislative Committee member, and SAAESD representative to the Southern Rural Development Center Board of Directors from 2011 to present.

As a natural resources leader, Hopper has been a part of the National Association of University Forest Resources Programs Executive Committee, including a term as president. He also chaired the APLU Board of Natural Resources and served nearly two decades on the Executive Committee of the National Association of University Forest Resources Programs.

A Vicksburg native, Hopper earned MSU bachelor’s and master’s degrees and holds a doctorate from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He is a Society of American Foresters Fellow.

For more information of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, visit www.mafes.msstate.edu; the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, www.cals.msstate.edu; the College of Forest Resources, www.cfr.msstate.edu and the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, www.fwrc.msstate.edu.  

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