Mississippi State Assistant Professor Candace Lukasik has received the Alixa Naff Prize in Migration Studies for her debut book “Martyrs and Migrants: Coptic Christians and the Persecution Politics of US Empire,” published last year by NYU Press.

As global attention turns to the FIFA World Cup taking place in the U.S., and international soccer reaches new heights of popularity, a Mississippi State University researcher is helping explain why the world’s most popular sport occupies a different place in American culture. Rachel Allison, associate professor in MSU’s Department of Sociology, studies women in elite sport, with a particular focus on professional women’s soccer, fandom and the changing landscape of women’s athletics.

“When thinking about my time at State, two classes stand out: ‘Crisis Communications’ with Karyn Brown and ‘PR Organizations’ under Dr. John Forde. I pull from my experience daily. They taught us how to navigate challenging situations with a level head and a clear plan of attack,” said Emily Austin, a communication graduate with a concentration in public relations.