Contact: Allison Matthews

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Staff members within Mississippi State’s Office of Financial Aid led a team effort to help students in need of food items and other basic supplies, and their effort culminated this week with a donation to Bully’s Closet and Pantry.

Director of Financial Aid Paul McKinney said his staff has been meeting weekly on WebEx, and they decided during one of these online discussions to help students facing a difficult time.

“The Financial Aid office works with needy students everyday helping them bridge their financial gap to ensure their ability to attend college and be successful. However, the staff wanted to do something more for our students, and they really pulled together to make this happen,” McKinney said. “To be able to do something for them during a time of need is such a blessing.”

The Office of Financial Aid reached out to include other units within MSU’s Enrollment Services, including Account Services, Admissions and Scholarships, the Office of the Registrar, and Orientation and Events. Then, staff members spread the word to family, friends and neighbors about the collection, which they carried out while observing social distancing.

“We all worked together to make this successful,” McKinney said. The result was a truck bed full of items donated to Bully’s Closet and Pantry, which opened in January as a resource for nutritious food, professional clothing, toiletries and other basic items. Students may pick up items for free at the 120 Morgan Ave. location and only need to present their MSU I.D. card. A collaborative effort between the university’s Division of Student Affairs and the Student Association, Bully’s Closet and Pantry is part of the MSU Food Security Network, a broader initiative to meet students’ basic needs throughout their time at the state’s leading university.

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