Mississippi State's Garrison named Rhodes Scholar

Contact: Carl Smith

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State senior Evan Garrison is the university’s latest recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship, one of the most coveted international fellowships in the world.

Garrison is a Louis A. Hurst Jr. Presidential Scholar majoring in aerospace engineering/astronautics and mathematics, with minors in artificial intelligence, political science and global engineering leadership. In addition to his studies in MSU’s James Worth Bagley College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences, he is a member of the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College pursuing the Cursus Honorum honors pathway minor.

The Webb City, Missouri, native intends to pursue a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, with the goal of bridging gaps between experts and policymakers, ultimately supporting and protecting critical space infrastructure via research-based policies that address the growing problem of orbital debris.

“Evan Garrison’s selection as a Rhodes Scholar is a testament to his own remarkable drive and determination, as well as his deep personal commitment to excellence. We could not be more proud of him,” MSU President Mark E. Keenum said. “This honor also reflects the exceptional quality of scholarship, academic rigor and support that Mississippi State University strives to provide each and every student.”

MSU students have been named Rhodes finalists for six years in a row, with 13 MSU Rhodes finalists over the last 13 years. Garrison follows 2013 Rhodes Scholar Donald M. “Field” Brown, a 2014 MSU alum from Vicksburg who earned bachelor’s degrees in English and philosophy and went on to further graduate studies at Harvard University.

“I came to college as a small-town kid passionate about addressing orbital debris. I had no idea what that might entail—I just knew that I wanted to address it for the betterment of humanity. MSU put the world before me and told me I could run wherever I wanted. And I like to think I have done just that,” Garrison said. “The Rhodes Foundation’s bet on me and active debris removal research is more than I could have ever asked for and is truly a blessing I don’t deserve. I have a lot to be joyful about, but I’m definitely sad to say goodbye to State. I am glad to have been given the world by MSU, and I look forward to all God has for me as a Rhodes Scholar.”

Also a current finalist for the Marshall Scholarship, Garrison was recognized earlier this year as a Harry S. Truman Scholarship winner. That award honors the nation’s 33rd president, supports students pursuing careers in public service and provides up to $30,000 in graduate-study expenses.

“Evan’s tireless commitment and the boundless energy he puts into all he does is being recognized at the global level through this honor,” said Professor David Hoffman, director of MSU’s Office of Prestigious External Scholarships. “From the moment he stepped onto campus and into our offices his freshman year, he set himself apart with his drive to learn and be a difference maker. This is an astounding win for Evan and his entire support network both here at MSU and beyond. We are elated that Evan was awarded the transformational opportunity to further his journey in Oxford, and we know he will represent the best of MSU while there.”

This summer, Garrison was a visiting student at the University of Oxford and its Trinity College and Department of Computer Science as part of the MSU Shackouls Honors College’s study-abroad course. While there, he studied topics related to his senior honors thesis and took a seminar on British author C.S. Lewis. After completing the MSU program, he stayed in the U.K. as an honorary research assistant in the Signal Processing Group at the University of Liverpool.

Garrison previously was named an Air Force Research Laboratory Phillips Scholar. As a member of MSU’s national championship debate team, he was the 2026 team division season-long national champion in the International Public Debate Association. Additionally, he recently received the 2026 Harry C. Simrall Award for Engineering Excellence from MSU’s Association of Retired Faculty.

He has served as an undergraduate researcher for MSU’s applied aerodynamics and aeroacoustics research group and as a research assistant for the university’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory. He is a member of the American Society for Engineering Education Student Chapter and Tau Beta Pi Engineering Society, also serving in a variety of leadership roles for MSU’s undergraduate research journal Endeavors and other student groups.

Mentoring and advising for MSU applicants, nominees and finalists for nationally and internationally competitive scholarships are available from the university’s Office of Prestigious External Scholarships.

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