Mississippi State is honoring Hal Parker Jr. as its National Alumnus of the Year during the MSU Alumni Association 2025 awards banquet Friday [May 30].

“I realized there are so many types of writing—you can write for a magazine, for essays, for news stories,” said Portia Agyapong, reflecting on her internship in Mississippi State’s College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office last summer. “Even though I initially struggled because I was stuck with an academic writing mindset, it was an amazing experience to learn different ways of writing during my internship. I really learned a lot from it.”

When licensed professional counselor and Mississippi State alumna Julie Vence Hepp announced the creation of the Thomas J. Vence Memorial Endowed Scholarship in March 2025, it was more than a gift—it was a tribute.