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MSU CALS, MAFES honor faculty, staff and students for excellence

Kenneth Graves with Dean Scott Willard in front of a black background with the university seal

From left, Kenneth Graves, facilities manager in the Mississippi State Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, accepts the MSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean's Award from Scott Willard, CALS dean, MAFES director and interim vice president for research and economic development. (Photo By: David Ammon)

04/22/2026
By: Vanessa Beeson

Mississippi State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station recently honored faculty, staff and students for outstanding dedication and impact in teaching, research and service.

CALS Dean, MAFES Director and Interim Vice President for Research and Economic Development Scott Willard presented the CALS Dean's Award, a special honor, to Kenneth Graves, longtime facilities manager in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. Graves, a CALS alumnus, began working at the dairy as a student and has been an integral part of the MAFES Bearden Dairy Research Center for nearly 30 years.

"Kenneth has served admirably for decades in a position that requires attention to detail 365 days a year in overseeing our MAFES Bearden Dairy Research Center. He has mentored countless students and staff and has facilitated our research and extension faculty with his can-do attitude and collaborative spirit, while advancing MAFES dairy research and overseeing the high-quality milk production that becomes our famous Edam cheese and other dairy products," Willard said. "Kenneth will be missed with his impending retirement, and honoring his commitment and service to others with the CALS Dean's Award is a fitting tribute to his efforts and to a job well done."

Darrell Sparks, who serves as acting CALS dean and acting MAFES director while Willard fulfills his interim vice presidential duties, said this year's honorees exemplify the spirit of embracing change and seizing opportunity required for success in higher education.

"Our faculty, staff and students embrace change and see it as an opportunity rather than a challenge," Sparks said. "In 2025, we increased our external grants and contracts from the previous year by 10% and doubled in the financial contributions from our alumni—totaling almost $14 million. We had the highest enrollment ever in the college at nearly 2,700 students and awarded almost $1 million in scholarships."

In addition to Graves, this year's honorees include:

Teaching and Advising

Faculty receive awards from Dean with a black background and the university seal
From left, CALS teaching award winners Brenna Jungers, Will Davis and Kuan Ming Huang, all agricultural economics assistant professors, with Scott Willard, CALS dean, MAFES director and interim vice president for research and economic development. Not pictured: Seong Yun, associate professor in agricultural economics. (Photo by David Ammon)

—Assistant Professor Kuan Ming Huang, Department of Agricultural Economics, CALS Teacher of the Year and Undergraduate Teaching Award–Lower Division

—Associate Professor Seong Yun, Department of Agricultural Economics, Undergraduate Teaching Award–Upper Division

—Assistant Professor Will Davis, Department of Agricultural Economics, Graduate Teaching Award

—Assistant Professor Brenna Jungers, Department of Agricultural Economics, CALS New Faculty Teaching Award

—Instructor Cappe Hallberg, School of Human Sciences, CALS Excellence in Advising Award

Cappe Hallberg with the dean in front of a black backdrop with university seal
From left, Instructor Cappe Hallberg, School of Human Sciences, CALS Excellence in Advising Award winner, with Scott Willard, CALS dean, MAFES director and interim vice president for research and economic development. (Photo by David Ammon)

Service and Safety

—Associate Professor Elizabeth Canales, Department of Agricultural Economics CALS/MAFES Outstanding Faculty Service Award

Elizabeth Canales with the dean in front of a black backdrop with university seal
From left, Associate Professor Elizabeth Canales, agricultural economics, winner of the CALS/MAFES Outstanding Faculty Service Award with Scott Willard, CALS dean, MAFES director and interim vice president for research and economic development. (Photo by David Ammon)

—Senior Research Associate Olga Pechanova; Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology; MAFES Safety Award

Olga Pechanova with the dean in front of a black background with the university seal
From left, Senior Research Associate Olga Pechanova, Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology and MAFES Safety Award winner with Scott Willard, CALS dean, MAFES director and interim vice president for research and economic development. (Photo by David Ammon)

Research

faculty holding plaques with the dean in front of a black background
From left, Associate Research Professor Raju Bheemanahalli Rangappa, plant and soil sciences; Himani Joshi, doctoral student in animal and dairy sciences; and Associate Research Professor Heather Hanna, Social Science Research Center; with Scott Willard, CALS dean, MAFES director and interim vice president for research and economic development. Not pictured: Assistant Professor Vitor Martins, agricultural and biological engineering. (Photo by David Ammon)

—Assistant Professor Vitor Martins, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, MAFES Excellence in Research Faculty Award and Outstanding Publication Award

—Associate Research Professor Heather Hanna, Social Science Research Center, MAFES Grantsmanship Award

—Associate Research Professor Raju Bheemanahalli Rangappa, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Publication with Most Impact on Mississippi Award

—Himani Joshi, doctoral student in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, MAFES Excellence in Research Award–Graduate Student

Opportunity Excellence

team of people with the dean in front of a black backdrop
The Mississippi Entomological Museum was honored as Opportunity Excellence Team. Front row, from left: Darby Tassell, laboratory technician; Isabella Warden, laboratory technician; Harry Jones, laboratory technician; Jennifer Seltzer, research program manager; Megan Gaulke, research technician; and Nicole Rasoamanana, research associate I. Back row, from left: Adam Haberski, research associate I; Anthony Deczynski, research associate I; Phillip Barlow, research associate I; Tony Johnson, laboratory technician; Leah Wisener, laboratory technician; JoVonn Hill, associate professor and MEM director; with Scott Willard, CALS dean, MAFES director and interim vice president for research and economic development. Not Pictured: Jenna Mason, research technician; Joseph MacGown, intermittent worker; and Joe MacGown, research technician and science illustrator. (Photo by David Ammon)

—Mississippi Entomological Museum, Opportunity Excellence Team

—Ruchita Bhattarai, master's student from Nepal studying agronomy in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Opportunity Excellence Student

student with dean in front of black background
From left, Ruchita Bhattarai, master's student, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and Opportunity Excellence Student, with Scott Willard, CALS dean, MAFES director and interim vice president for research and economic development. (Photo by David Ammon)

Staff

two staff standing with the dean in front of a black background
From left, CALS and MAFES staff winners Mary Ann Latham, program and grant development specialist, and Rebecca Leigh, administrative assistant I, with Scott Willard, CALS dean, MAFES director and interim vice president for research and economic development. (Photo by David Ammon)

—Mary Ann Latham, program and grant development specialist, CALS/MAFES Professional Staff Award

—Rebecca Leigh, administrative assistant I, Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center, CALS/MAFES Support Staff Award

Learn more about CALS at www.cals.msstate.edu and MAFES at www.mafes.msstate.edu.

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