For Desirée Goodfellow Emmich, the phrase is more than a clever description. It captures the path she has taken from being a Mississippi State anthropology student to an assistant public defender, where she now advocates for the constitutional rights of people who might otherwise struggle to have their voices heard.

From genetics lessons to environmental education, Mississippi State researcher Lourdes Cardozo Gaibisso is working to make science more accessible for multilingual students. An assistant professor of TESOL and linguistics in MSU’s Department of English, Cardozo Gaibisso studies how multilingual students learn science and how educators can create more effective learning experiences. Through a Design-Based Research and Implementation (DBRI) approach, she develops, tests and refines instructional strategies that help connect science concepts to students’ languages, cultures and communities.

Mississippi State University’s John C. Stennis Institute of Government and Community Development celebrates its 50th anniversary April 16, 4:30-7:30 p.m. with a special event at The Mill honoring five decades of service to Mississippi and beyond.