“I chose Mississippi State University and the College of Arts & Sciences because of their strong academic reputation, supportive learning environment, and emphasis on critical thinking and interdisciplinary education,” said Breelyn Davenport Thaggard, a 2023 MSU graduate. “The College of Arts & Sciences provided a solid foundation in the sciences while also encouraging intellectual curiosity and professional growth. MSU’s commitment to student success, research opportunities, and community engagement aligned well with my academic goals and long-term aspirations in healthcare. The resources, mentorship, and diverse coursework within CAS prepared me to succeed in a rigorous graduate program and continue developing as a well-rounded professional.”

As a teenager growing up in Toronto, Thalia Vrantsidis often sought out popular books on physics, relativity and quantum mechanics from her high-school library and spent her time poring over them in search of deeper perspectives. Reading about complex subjects such as the curvature of spacetime or the source of gravity gave her deeper insights into everyday life and shifted how she viewed daily goings-on and the world around her.

Faculty at Mississippi State University are continuing groundbreaking work at the intersection of mathematics, statistics and climate science with the publication of a new peer-reviewed study examining regional snow cover trends across the Northern Hemisphere. The results suggest shrinking snow coverage as well as seasonal shifts for when the wintry layer comes and goes.