Contact: Carl Smith

STARKVILLE, Miss.—The 29 recipients of this year’s Spirit of State Award represent a variety of backgrounds, hometowns and majors, but they all have a common passion—serving the Mississippi State community.

MSU leaders recently honored the students and noted their contributions to the university and its stakeholders. From promoting healthy lifestyles to mentoring young women interested in science-, technology-, engineering- and mathematics-related disciplines, MSU President Mark E. Keenum said the Spirit of State Award recipients have left a mark on their alma mater.

“This year’s Spirit of State winners are part of Mississippi State University’s 144-year commitment to meaningful and impactful service. I appreciate all of the many contributions these outstanding students have made to our campus and to the community we call home,” Keenum said. “They embody our institutional values of integrity, hard work and respect for others, and I am very proud of them.”

MSU’s premier student award recognizing exceptional personal contributions to university student life, the honor is open to all students, no matter their classification, major or primary campus, and requires nominees to have a minimum 2.25 grade point average and be in good academic and disciplinary standing.

“The most rewarding experience while I have been at MSU has to be being nominated and becoming a recipient of the Spirit of State Award,” said Araceli Marie Figueroa, a senior chemistry major from Laurel. “I have tried to give my all to my organizations; however, MSU has given me so much more that words could not express. I will forever be a Bulldog.”

The 2022 Spirit of State Award recipients include (by hometown):

ANDOVER, Massachusetts—Peter McGinn, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student.

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan—Yuliya Gluhova, a senior anthropology major.

BATESVILLE—Nautica Edwards, a senior kinesiology major.

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama—Jordan Smith, a senior communication major.

BRANDON—Kailey Clinton, a senior biomedical engineering major.

BROOKHAVEN—Caleb Scott McCreary and Christopher Blake Robinson, both senior biomedical engineering majors.

CLINTON—Tanner DeYoung, a senior biochemistry major, and Ann Olivia Radicioni, a sophomore political science major.

GREENVILLE—Kayla Williams, a senior biological sciences major.

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama—Hannah Blankenship, a senior communication and Spanish major; Harry Jones, a senior biochemistry major; and Annie Sieja, a senior mechanical engineering major.

LAUREL—Araceli Marie Figueroa, a senior chemistry major.

MADISON—Chanu Cherukuri, a senior biological engineering major.

MANAMA, Bahrain—Donovan Andrade, a senior communication major.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee—Ian Evans, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student.

MERIDIAN—Catherine Hoffer, an elementary education master’s student.

PLANTERSVILLE—Erin Matthews, a junior biochemistry/pre-medicine major.

STARKVILLE—Tyler Dickerson, a senior economics and Spanish major; Morgan Gray, a senior history major; and Garrett Smith, a senior political science major.

TCHULA—Amoni Glenna Washington, a food science, nutrition and health promotion master’s student.

TUPELO—Maggie Cayson, a senior biochemistry major.

VICKSBURG—Kamira Carter, a senior marketing and supply chain logistics major; Sarah Grace Dulaney, a senior microbiology major; Ryan Jarratt, a senior political science major; and Hope Lee, a senior communication major.

WAHIAWA, Hawaii—Janarah Jones, a senior biochemistry major.

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