As the academic year draws to a close, a record number of Mississippi State students who are achieving their goals of good grades in the classroom have taken advantage of a key university resource designed to help them not only complete rigorous courses but thrive in a variety of subjects.

Jake Kasitz, a sophomore meteorology major from Gainesville, Florida, is Mississippi State’s latest recipient of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship, a prestigious award providing financial support and hands-on, practical experience to the next generation of NOAA-related scientists, policymakers and educators.