Scientists with Mississippi State University are playing a key role in an exciting new fossil discovery that’s close to campus, a discovery that may represent the largest mosasaur ever found in the state.

Eight Mississippi State students are heading abroad this year with the help of the highly competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, marking the largest group of MSU recipients in university history.

Torn between two compelling career paths, Mississippi State junior Anthony Mattina is navigating the intersections of faith and science—a journey shaped by a love for both the mysteries of the universe and the traditions of the Catholic Church.