Student First Scholarship expands opportunities for Arts and Sciences students

By Joseph Newell

STARKVILLE, Miss.— Mississippi State’s College of Arts and Sciences now offers additional support for students’ professional development through the creation of a new scholarship, the Student First Undergraduate Excellence Opportunity. 

First offered during the 2022-23 academic year, the scholarship supports the student experience by providing funds for extracurricular experiences such as study abroad, internships, co-ops, fieldwork, field studies, conference presentations and other professional development opportunities. 

Sara Frederic, director of development for the College of Arts and Sciences, said, “We wanted to provide students with value-added experiences while pursuing their undergraduate degree at MSU. This scholarship allows students to utilize the knowledge attained within the classroom and apply it in the field to get a well-rounded experience as a student. It is a positive experience for students, great exposure for MSU and promotes growth all the way around.”

This year, the scholarship was awarded to Mackenzie Paul, a psychology and philosophy double major from Weseca, MN, who graduated this spring. Paul used her scholarship to attend a research conference and present her work.

“During the conference, I had the opportunity to make connections with researchers who shared similar research interests,” said Paul. “I received valuable feedback on my work, which helped me to refine my research objectives and methodology for our collaborative project. It was a great opportunity to discuss our work and to exchange ideas.”

Paul said the experience has inspired her to continue to pursue her research goals and to engage more deeply with the global research community.

The Student First Undergraduate Excellence Opportunity ranges from $500-$1000 and is available to students with a declared major in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students must be a full-time junior or senior, have a FAFSA on file, and a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Students applying must also provide a support letter from a faculty member or advisor.  

The College of Arts and Sciences intends to make the Student First Undergraduate Excellence Opportunity a permanent scholarship. The funding is made up of multiple endowments that produce support at the start of each fiscal year. This year’s scholarship was made possible by donations from Dr. John Rada, Malcolm and Joy Lightsey, Greg and Laurie Barker and The Henry Family.

For more details about MSU’s College of Arts and Sciences, visit www.cas.msstate.edu.

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