Contact: James Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—A senior communication major at Mississippi State will represent her university, state and country this July at the prestigious Hansen Summer Institute on Leadership and International Cooperation.

Elise Moore, a Madison native, will be the first Mississippian to participate in the institute, which brings students from around the world together every year at the University of San Diego. Moore is a member of the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College and holds the Steve and Melody Golding Presidential Endowed Scholarship at MSU.

Moore will be one of five Americans taking part in the three-week program. Additionally, 20 international students participating are from 20 different countries. The institute provides a distinctive university-based leadership experience and program in international cooperation. A primary goal of the program is creating an international community of young scholars who will use their summer experience as a foundation for developing lasting friendships and acquiring common practical understanding of a more peaceful future. For more, visit www.hansensummerinstitute.org.

“All I really want to do with my life is make somebody’s life better,” Moore said. “That can be done in many different facets. I’m hopeful this summer will give me a little more direction in which way I want to go. There’s so much to learn from other people. There’s no reason for us not to build bridges.”

Moore has been involved in service work throughout most of her life, a habit she said was instilled by her parents. In high school, she accumulated more than 1,000 hours of community service. During her three years at MSU, she has volunteered with several non-profit organizations. She also has served in leadership positions with campus events and organizations such as New Maroon Camp and the MSU Roadrunners program. Pursuing a minor in marketing in addition to her degree in public relations, she is a founding member of  MSU’s Undergraduate Women in Business chapter.

“I am excited to hear of Elise Moore’s acceptance to the Hansen Summer Institute on Leadership and International Cooperation,” said Donald Shaffer, MSU associate professor of English and African American studies. He also serves as mentor to the university’s Presidential Scholars. “She has worked incredibly hard to bring this opportunity to fruition. I know her entire Presidential Scholar cohort is proud of her accomplishment. Our community of Presidential Scholars and our entire community of honors students are enriched by opportunities such as this, and I know Elise will have a lot to share with us when she returns.”

Moore said her experiences at MSU have prepared her for this leadership opportunity.

“Different mentors here saw me for who I was, and said they wanted to help make my dreams come true,” Moore said. “Whether that’s helping me figure out what I want to do with my life or helping me apply for this program, the people here really invested in me. Because MSU has so many students and faculty with different backgrounds, it exposed me even more to people who aren’t like me. MSU provided an opportunity for me to grow, learn, listen and try to understand people.”

For more about MSU’s Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College, visit www.honors.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.