International Research Development Office promotes Fulbright program, demonstrates MSU mission through international, local collaboration
A coalition of Mississippi State University faculty members and research administrators gathered this month for Fulbright Faculty and Administrator Coffee and Conversations, a strategic forum to explore how MSU can best support Fulbright engagement across disciplines and career stages.
Participants in the International Research Development Office-led event shared candid insights about current barriers and proposed new strategies for enhancing pre-application guidance, mentoring opportunities, policy clarity and greater awareness of Fulbright pathways for both faculty and staff. Professor Peter Allen of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture shared his experience as a Fulbright Scholar in Chile, underscoring not only the academic benefits of the program but also its broader value in building cross-cultural understanding and longterm professional networks.
Masey Smith, deputy director for research development with the International Institute, emphasized the university’s renewed focus on meaningful faculty collaboration.
“This is just the beginning of aligning our work with faculty and administrator needs on campus and being responsive to feedback,” she said.
Project Manager Chance Carden added, “What made this gathering especially impactful was the sense of shared purpose. It wasn’t just about Fulbright, but also about growing a stronger, more connected culture of international engagement at MSU.”
The session marked a key step toward formalizing a universitywide approach to supporting Fulbright participation, re-energizing the Mississippi Fulbright Chapter and sparking interest in international opportunities.
IRDO delivers finalized curriculum to Liberia
MSU’s IRDO officially has delivered final curriculum packets to Liberian institutes of higher learning partners. After four years of cocreation with Liberian counterparts, the MSU team finalized two associate degree programs and two bachelor’s degree programs, including 35 course packets and associated resources.
“The project celebrates MSU’s commitment to education for all and cultivating partnerships across borders and cultures,” Smith said. “Even past the period of performance, MSU worked to hand off materials and keep in communication with our international partners. It’s a testament to our university and the faculty and staff who make our global innovations a reality.”
IRDO engages local families at field day event
The IRDO also supported the Department of Psychology’s local Family Field Day this month, led by Project Manager Bobbie Jo Bensaid. It welcomed more than 45 families to its Fishing Around the World tent, an interactive activity introducing children to fish species from different countries while highlighting MSU’s focus on global food security.
The tent also featured information about IRDO’s international research projects, global partnerships and Fulbright opportunities for faculty and administrators. Smith said this outreach event reflects IRDO’s commitment to MSU’s North Star Vision and its pillars of research, service and learning.
“Through hands-on activities, we can spark curiosity about science, culture and global challenges right here in the Starkville community. That early exposure lays the groundwork for tomorrow’s global problem-solvers,” Smith said.
Alongside its work supporting faculty research and proposal development, IRDO actively participates in engaged learning to build deeper connections beyond campus.
“When we step out of the office and into the community, we strengthen our impact and our team,” Carden said. “Global engagement starts at home, and events like this show how meaningful connections in Starkville can inspire global thinking.”
For more information about IRDO support, including Fulbright opportunities and other international research opportunities, visit www.international.msstate.edu/offices/international-research-development or
contact Smith at mls524@msstate.edu.