June 30, 2017
Student Spotlight: Alex Ballard
Meet Alex Ballard, a transfer student from Holmes Community College in Grenada, MS. He chose to pursue forestry with a concentration in urban forestry because of guidance provided by one of his community college professors. Alex was thankful for the extra time taken to show him all the options available at Mississippi State.
“I love working outdoors, and I also love being around a lot of people. Urban forestry intrigued me because it allows me to practice forestry in an urban area while giving me the social perspective I was looking for in a career.” When asked to share his favorite thing about the university Alex stayed true to his major saying “the campus is beautiful and has many trees to help improve its beauty along with a huge diversity of species. MSU continues to plant more trees and help better the environment of the university every day.”
Alex said that when he first transferred to MSU he wasn’t exactly sure what direction he wanted to pursue for his career. However, while attending the college of forest resources he was exposed to so many different ideas and career paths that he was able to find a clear direction. He encourages future transfer students to “embrace your time at MSU even if you aren’t sure what exactly you want to do in the beginning”.
Urban Forestry Concentration
The forestry major is a science-based program leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry and consists of five concentrations; Environmental Conservation, Forest Management, Forest Products, Urban Forestry, and Wildlife Management Concentration. By combining a general education with specialized professional courses, the curriculum is designed to produce graduates who have skills in interpersonal communications, written and oral communications, and cultural understanding.
The concentration in Urban Forestry addresses an emerging need for the management of trees in our towns and cities, and the urban/wildland interface. Urban and community foresters manage trees along city streets, in municipal parks, private woodlots, and utility right-of-ways. Employers include federal, state, and municipal governments, private consultants, and industry. For more information visit cfr.msstate.edu.
Scotty McCreery @ the MSU Riley Center
Come check out Scotty McCreery at the MSU Riley Center on Tuesday, July 20th at 7:30 p.m. He has won the hearts of millions with his guy-next-door looks and North Carolina drawl.
McCreery wraps his deep, resonant voice around a lyric with relaxed assurance, and he stays true to his country roots. Winning a national talent contest wasn't the peak of his career. It was just the start. For more information or to purchase tickets for the show, visit www.msurileycenter.com.
S.M.A.R.T. System
Starkville – Mississippi State University Area Rapid Transit (S.M.A.R.T.) is committed to provide safe, efficient and reliable mobility options to improve the quality of life for citizens and visitors to the City of Starkville, Mississippi and the campus of Mississippi State University.
Buses run every fifteen minutes or better when operating on a normal schedule. S.M.A.R.T. transit operates a fixed route shuttle service which welcomes all passengers. However, any passenger under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Currently, there is no charge to ride S.M.A.R.T. For more information visit smart.msstate.edu.
