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.

Mississippi State University student journalists earned 28 awards at the 2026 Southeast Journalism Conference earlier this semester, securing high-ranking placements in more than two dozen categories and demonstrating excellence across student media platforms.

“I felt deeply connected to the campus on my initial visit, so the choice to attend Mississippi State University was an easy one. I was charmed by our beautiful campus and cozy small town. I knew I wanted a large-campus experience, but I needed smaller classrooms and hands-on learning to truly succeed,” said Emily Stone, a 2019 MSU graduate. “I was eager to get involved, intern, work and gain a ton of experience. MSU and the College of Arts and Sciences gave that to me, and I credit my career growth to how much was invested in me as a student.”