Hailey Pushis, a junior at Heritage Academy, was named the Distinguished Young Woman of South Lowndes County for 2023 during a statewide scholarship program for high school juniors held at Meridian Community College on April 9.

Pushis was one of 10 high school junior girls from Mississippi who competed in the at-large program for the opportunity to represent their city/county in the state program in Meridian, July 14-16. 

Throughout the next year, Pushis will represent her county and serve as a role model to young people by spreading the program’s national outreach message of “Be Your Best Self.” 

Founded in 1958, Distinguished Young Women is a free program that encourages participants to reach their full individual potential. 

Chelsey Little inducted into Phi Kappa Phi

Chelsey Little, of Columbus, was recently initiated into Phi Kappa Phi, a collegiate honor society. Little was initiated at The University of Mississippi.

Little is among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. 

MSU hosts Legal Issues Conference May 3-5

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State University will host the annual Legal Issues Conference May 3-5, spotlighting current legal issues facing higher education.

The conference provides value for employees of any university working in student affairs and student conduct, housing, general counsel and academic administration. The 2022 conference will include panels and presentations on a variety of topics, including free speech on campus and other first amendment issues, the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Clery Act, as well as behavioral intervention threat assessment.

Keynote speakers include W. Scott Lewis, a managing partner with TNG Consulting, LLC, and Will Creely, legal director at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.

The festivities will begin with a special concert from The Molly Ringwalds and an Eagles tribute band at the MSU Amphitheater on May 3, with conference sessions taking place May 4-5 at the Colvard Student Union.

Registration for the Legal Issues Conference is $199. For information, visit www.legalissues.msstate.edu.

Phi Kappa Phi receives national award

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State’s chapter of Phi Kappa Phi was recognized with the organization’s national Service Project Award for fall 2021 work in building a garden around Thompson Hall.

The annual Fall Service Project is a national event hosted by the PKP Council of Students in which each chapter addresses specific needs in its community.

MSU’s chapter of PKP is the Division I award recipient for work by 26 students and four faculty members who planted native shrubs and perennial plants around Thompson Hall, home of the College of Forest Resources. The chapter partnered with other MSU groups and raised more than $3,000 and performed the physical work of clearing old plant materials and establishing the new plantings.