Damian Agee

Damian Agee poses in front of the Cuills Wade Depot on the MSU campus.
Photo by Megan Bean

Senior electrical engineering major Damian Agee takes great pride in showing off Mississippi State University on campus tours. For the Hebron native, MSU is an easy sell to prospective students.

“I just talk to them and tell them why I came here,” Agee said. “If that’s not enough of a pitch, I don’t know what is. If you’ve seen the campus and you’ve seen the atmosphere, you’re going to want to come.”

Agee was drawn to MSU’s engineering program after taking a class in the subject as a high school student. When he enrolled in 2013, he became part of the MSU Promise Program, which helps students in economically challenging situations meet tuition expenses and provides institutional mentoring and support.

During his time on campus, Agee said the Promise Program has helped him flourish in the university community. As a freshman, he participated in the Day One leadership program, which taught him the value of time management. He then became involved with the Maroon Volunteer Center.

Last year, Agee joined Maroon VIP, a volunteer student organization that provides assistance with tours, information and events to the MSU Welcome Center and Office of the President. He said this experience has taught him more about the university and its history.

When taking a break from classwork and extracurricular activities, Agee likes to visit the nearby Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, which reminds him of his hometown in rural Jones County.

Agee plans to complete an internship in electrical engineering this fall and finish his coursework next spring. He hopes to become a project engineer after graduation.

“My favorite thing about State is the homey atmosphere,” Agee said. “Everybody’s friendly, the whole Southern thing. A lot of teachers I’ve had genuinely care about your grades, but they want you to show that you care. I like how they try to build a relationship with you even if they have a lot of students.”