STARKVILLE, Miss.--Six academically achieving Mississippi State students soon will join peers from Michigan State University to get hands-on experience in federal public policy issues.
Working this summer in Washington, D.C., they are to receive paid internships and class credit in a program led by a former George W. Bush administration official.
For the second year, Mark Rey, former undersecretary for natural resources and agriculture, is leading two dozen students in the 12-week Natural Resources Science and Policy Course and Internships.
Now Michigan State's William A. Demmer Endowed Scholar in Natural Resource Enterprise and Conservation Leadership, Rey began the program last year on the East Lansing campus. His goal: to give interested students an inside look at how branches of the federal government, as well as non-government entities and the media, affect the development and implementation of natural resource policies.
Participants will complete the 40-hours-a-week program with either a government or non-government agency active in natural resources policy-making. Additionally, the students will attend weekly lecture and discussion sessions, augmented by nine half-day and weekend field trips designed to provide experience in policy development.
After conversations with Mississippi State President Mark E. Keenum, Rey committed to reserve six spots in this year's session for students who would be selected on the Starkville campus through a competitive application and interview process.
"Our universities are very similar in structure and curriculum, and have a lot of things in common," Rey observed. "Yet, at the same time, there are many differences.
"By joining together in this program, I thought it would be a great opportunity for them to interact with people of diverse backgrounds," he added.
Mississippi State participants and the agencies with whom they will work include (by hometown):
CANTONMENT, Fla.--Junior civil engineering major Stephen J. Young, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Division of Natural Resources. A Dean's List Scholar, he is the son of Stephen and Kathleen Young.
CLINTON--Senior political science major Aineisha M. Johnson, American Forest Foundation. A President's List Scholar and member of the Shackouls Honors College, she is the daughter of Tina Johnson.
JACKSON--Senior political science/pre-law major Kathryn E. "Katie" Allen, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Congressional Affairs. A President's List Scholar and member of the Shackouls Honors College, she is the daughter of James and Judy Allen [39212].
NOXAPATER--Andrew "Drew" Massey, a graduate student in agricultural engineering technology, office of Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss. He is a 2009 MSU graduate in agricultural engineering technology and business. [Parents not listed.]
TEXARKANA, Texas--Senior biomedical engineering major Nathan M. Johnson, agriculture subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. A President's and Dean's Lists Scholar and member of the Shackouls Honors College, he is the son of Dr. Martin and Laura Johnson.
THIBODAUX, La.--Senior international business major Joshua M. "Josh" Stroud, American Chemistry Council. A President's List Scholar and member of the Shackouls Honors College, he is the son of Dr. J.B. Stroud and the late Bettye Stroud.
NEWS EDITORS/DIRECTORS: For more information, contact Dr. Nancy McCarley at 662-325-2522.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.
