The University of Southern Mississippi is set to host its annual Economic Outlook Forum on Thursday, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Thad Cochran Center Grand Ballroom on the university’s Hattiesburg campus.

The USM College of Business and Economic Development is coordinating the forum, which brings together experts from banking, finance and academia to explore issues and research related to the economic outlook for 2022. The First, a National Banking Association, serves as the title sponsor.

Adrienne Slack, vice president and regional executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, New Orleans Branch, will serve as the forum's featured speaker. Slack is responsible for the New Orleans Branch Board of Directors, regional Energy Advisory Council and provides insight and counsel to the Atlanta Fed’s monetary policy process.

Dr. Chad Miller, professor of economic development and graduate coordinator of the Master of Science in Economic Development program at USM, will also speak at the forum. He teaches economic development organization management, research data analytics, real estate development and land use planning, and coordinates the International Economic Development accredited True South Basic Economic Development course.

For more information or to register for the forum, visit usm.edu/business/eof.

MSU Receives Amazon Cyber Security Grant

Mississippi State University recently received a grant from Amazon to support diversity in the university's Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

The grant will help promote undergraduate diversity in cyber security through the Amazon Cyber Security Scholarship and the Amazon Security Support Fund, which aims to provide computer science and engineering minority students with funding for cyber security educational opportunities.

MSU will use the funding to provide hands-on experience in cyber security, conference attendance, support for minority student societies focused on advancement in STEM and to provide outreach to students interested in cyber security, a release from the university says.

For more information or to view criteria for the scholarship, visit https://www.cse.msstate.edu/scholarships/amazon-cyber-security-scholarship/.

MSU Receives Early-Childhood Education Grant

The Mississippi State University Extension Service recently received a $5 million grant from the Mississippi Department of Human Services to directly impact early-childhood education in the state by developing a new curriculum for children from birth through age 5.

MSU will use the funding to develop “My Mississippi Adventures,” a developmentally appropriate, integrated curriculum to be used in licensed child care facilities. The curriculum will focus on people, places and things indigenous to Mississippi, a release from MSU says.

Faculty across the state will develop the curriculum materials, which will be aligned with the Mississippi State Department of Education’s Early Childhood Learning Standards. The curriculum will offer a professional development component for early child care and education professionals in the state.

MSU Establishes New Online Degree Program

Mississippi State University's Center for Distance Education and Department of Communication recently established a new online degree program to provide new options for students interested in earning a communication bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in communication and media studies.

The degree will equip students to “specialize in the theory, critique and practice of communication, equipping students to communicate effectively and ethically in diverse contexts,” a release from MSU says.

Graduates in communication and media studies are prepared to pursue jobs in community outreach and engagement including advocacy work, community organizing, diplomacy, grant writing, non-profit work, politics, public affairs, event planning and fundraising, human resources, philanthropy, publishing, sales and speech and technical writing.

The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning board approved the new degree program, which requires a 2.0 minimum GPA for entry. For more information or to apply, visit online.msstate.edu/comm.