Mississippi State University Assistant Clinical Professor of Theatre Jesse Wade has received the Adult Playwriting Award from the Mississippi Theatre Association for his original play, “Touch,” the story of a scientist who gives emotions to an android she has created, exploring themes of technology, humanity and connection.

Mississippi State University’s Department of English will welcome Mississippi author and MSU alumna Julie Liddell Whitehead as the featured guest for the 2026 Price Caldwell Visiting Writers Series, where she will share excerpts from her debut short story collection about Hurricane Katrina.

Deep cracks in the ground tell the story of drought, where only about half the normal rainfall has fallen so far in 2026, making it the 10th driest in Mississippi history. Mike Brown, state climatologist with the Mississippi State University Department of Geosciences, said February was the driest on record for Mississippi and March was the third warmest and 11th driest.