Contact: Sheri Pape
STARKVILLE, Miss.--The MSU Alumni Association welcomed the 2012 class of Alumni Fellows to campus for a series of meetings and lectures with students, both in the classroom and informally. Being held in conjunction with the football game against the University of Arkansas, the fellows will participate in events on campus Nov. 15-17.
Sponsored by the MSU Alumni Association, the colleges, the Meridian campus and the Office of the Provost, the fellows program recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves in their respective careers.
This year's class includes:
--Thomas H. "Hunt" Shipman was selected for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Shipman, of Falls Church, Va., is a 1992 agribusiness graduate, who is a partner at Cornerstone Government Affairs LLC.
--The College of Architecture, Art and Design honored Bradley C. Touchstone, AIA, of Tallahassee, Fla., as fellow. Touchstone is a 1993 graduate, and a founder and principal architect at Touchstone Architecture and Consulting P.A.
--Dr. David E. Wigley, of Smyrna, Ga., has been chosen as fellow for the College of Arts and Sciences. Wigley earned a bachelor's degree in agronomy and soil science in 1977, and a bachelor's in chemistry in 1979. He is currently an attorney at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP.
--Paul J. Karre was named fellow for MSU's business college. Karre, a resident of Germantown, Tenn., earned a bachelor's of business administration in management in 1974. He now serves as senior vice president of human resources and communications for International Paper where he began his career 38 years ago.
--The College of Education is honoring 1979 graduate Lt. Gen. Darrell D. Jones as the 2012 fellow. Jones earned a degree in elementary education and his commission into the United States Air Force from MSU in 1979. He now is deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C.
--The James Worth Bagley College of Engineering named Anthony L. Wilson of Fayetteville, Ga., as fellow. Wilson serves as executive vice president of customer service and operations for Georgia Power, a subsidiary of the Southern Company. He earned an electrical engineering degree from MSU in 1987.
--Dr. David E. Wesley Sr., a 1962 and 1968 alumnus, is the 2012 fellow for the College of Forest Resources. Wesley holds two degrees from MSU, a bachelor's in history and political science and a master's in wildlife and fisheries with an emphasis in zoology. He is retired and resides in Missoula, Mont.
--The College of Veterinary Medicine is bestowing the honor of fellow to husband and wife team, Dr. Neil M. Williams and Dr. Deborah Maples Williams. Both employees of the University of Kentucky, Neil serves as a professor and associate director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, while Deborah is the diagnostic services coordinator. The couple resides in Nicholasville, Ky.
--MSU-Meridian, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, named alumnus Raymond L. "Ray" Gibbons as fellow. Gibbons earned a master's in business administration this year. He is a registered nurse at Meridian's Anderson Regional Medical Center.
For a full bio on each of the 2012 Fellows, please visit alumni.msstate.edu/fellows2012.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see www.msstate.edu.