MVSU to Celebrate the Life and Legacy of B.B. King with 11th Annual Symposium

ITTA BENA, Miss. — Mississippi Valley State University will pay tribute to the “King of the Blues” this fall with the 11th Annual B.B. King Day Symposium, scheduled for Sept. 4, 2025, on the MVSU campus. The program, beginning at 9 a.m., is one of the signature events marking the 100th birthday of Riley B. King, the Delta native whose music and story continue to resonate around the globe.

Mississippi Valley State University to Host 2025 Fall Convocation with Keynote Speaker Dr. Miskia L. Davis

ITTA BENA, Miss. — Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) is pleased to announce its 2025 Fall Convocation, scheduled for 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 28, in the Walter Roberts Auditorium of the H.G. Carpenter Building. This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Miskia L. Davis, Director of District and School Performance and Accountability for The Kirkland Group, an education consulting firm based in Ridgeland, Mississippi.

Mississippi Valley State University appoints Dr. Candace Carter Stevens Assistant Vice President of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

ITTA BENA, Miss. — Mississippi Valley State University has appointed Dr. Candace Carter Stevens as assistant vice president of institutional research and effectiveness.

Stevens transitions into the role after serving as an associate professor of mathematics in the Department of Mathematics, Computer and Information Sciences, and most recently as president of the Faculty Senate.

MVSU’s Dr. Abigail Newsome Selected for Harvard’s Strategic Data Project Fellowship

ITTA BENA, Miss. — Dr. Abigail Newsome, associate vice president for academic affairs at Mississippi Valley State University, has been selected to join the inaugural cohort of the Strategic Data Project (SDP) Fellowship, representing MVSU in a prestigious national initiative aimed at strengthening data practices at Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs).

MVSU Names Dr. Alecia Shields-Gadson as New Director of Athletics

ITTA BENA, Miss.—Mississippi Valley State University has named Dr. Alecia Shields-Gadson as its new Director of Athletics, effective Tuesday, July 15. With more than 25 years of experience in collegiate athletics leadership, Shields-Gadson brings a record of strategic innovation, competitive success, and student-athlete advocacy to the Delta Devils family.

MVSU Names Dr. Ernie Troy Hughes as Vice President for University Advancement, Governmental Affairs, and External Relations

ITTA BENA, Miss.— Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) has appointed Dr. Ernie Troy Hughes as its new Vice President for University Advancement, Governmental Affairs, and External Relations. Hughes brings with him more than thirty years of leadership in philanthropy, community development, and higher education advancement.

MVSU Communications Team Wins multiple Awards at 2025 CPRAM Conference

LaTunya Evans,  Communications Specialist

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi Valley State University’s Communications and Marketing Office took center stage at the 2025 College Public Relations Association of Mississippi (CPRAM) Conference, earning 19 awards across 10 categories for outstanding work in higher education marketing and communications.

MVSU Provost Honored with National Distinguished Service Award for Advancing International Education

Mississippi Valley State University’s Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Kathie Stromile Golden, has been awarded the prestigious Distinguished Service Award by NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The award recognizes her more than four decades of leadership and innovation in global education and her tireless efforts to elevate HBCUs internationally.