Contact: Addie Mayfield
STARKVILLE, Miss.—The Mississippi State University Alumni Association is announcing 25 outstanding young alumni who are being honored as the inaugural recipients of The Reveille 25 awards program.
Launched last fall, The Reveille 25 program is designed to highlight the remarkable accomplishments of the university’s growing number of young alumni. The familiar name is derived from MSU’s former yearbook, The Reveille, which chronicled student life throughout the institution’s history, and paid tribute to the university’s foundational military history.
Accordingly, the signature program will annually honor 25 high achieving, young alumni who are “answering the call” of the university’s mission for educational excellence, and inspiring others through the positive impact they are making in their communities and professions.
The 25 honorees, chosen from among 340 applicants, will be recognized during banquet ceremonies March 26. This year’s Reveille 25 class includes:
—Jamel Alexander of Huntsville, Alabama. He is a two-time MSU mechanical engineering graduate, earning his master’s and doctoral degrees in 2013 and 2017, respectively. The New Orleans, Louisiana native also holds a bachelor’s degree from Xavier University of Louisiana and a master’s degree from the University of New Orleans. He currently serves as a general engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense.
—Morgan Alexander of Starkville. A native of Jackson, Alexander earned a bachelor’s degree in wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture in 2020 and now serves as an admissions counselor at MSU for the Mississippi Delta and Jackson Public Schools regions.
—Shelby Baldwin of Starkville. The Ridgeland native earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing in 2019 and is the co-founder and chief operating officer of Rocketing Systems Inc.
—Brian Barnes of Saltillo. A native of Tremont, Barnes is a 2009 mechanical engineering graduate. He currently serves as a regional engineering manager for the Tennessee Valley Authority.
—Joseph “JoJo” Dodd of Jackson. The 2016 MSU economics major continued his education at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where he earned a master’s degree in biomedical sciences and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Medicine degree. Dodd also is chairman of the board and chief operations officer for the Jackson Free Clinic.
—Matthew Doude of Huntsville, Alabama. As program manager for Dynetics Inc., Doude is a three-time MSU graduate. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering in 2007 and 2014, respectively, followed by a doctoral degree in industrial and systems engineering in 2020.
—Jeffery Ellis of Biloxi. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2006 and serves as an engineering manager for Ingalls Shipbuilding.
—Michael Ferril of Broomfield, Colorado. The 2012 business administration graduate is CEO of Rosy Rings Inc.
—Elliott Flaggs of Jackson. He earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems engineering from MSU in 2007. Flaggs later graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law and currently serves as vice president of Cornerstone Government Affairs.
—Darvin Griffin of Salem, New Hampshire. The Shuqualak native earned a bachelor’s degree in biological engineering from MSU in 2009. He went on to earn his master’s and doctoral degrees from Cornell University and serves as director of clinical development for AbbVie Inc.
—Cody Hardin of Eupora. The 2008 aerospace engineering graduate is a manufacturing engineer for Aurora Flight Services. He also holds a master’s degree from Arkansas State University.
—Seanicaa Edwards Herron of Clarksburg, Maryland. She earned a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness in 2004 and a master’s degree in agricultural economics in 2008. The Hernando native is co-founder and executive director of Freedmen Heirs Foundation Inc.
—Whitney Lipscomb of Ridgeland. The 2009 political science graduate is deputy attorney general for the Mississippi Attorney General’s office.
—David Macias of Vienna, Virginia. The New Orleans, Louisiana native is a 2004 biological engineering graduate of MSU. He completed his Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and currently is an orthopaedic surgeon at OrthoVirginia.
—Lyndsey Miller of Starkville. She earned a 2005 bachelor’s degree in human sciences with an emphasis in interior design, followed by a 2007 master’s degree in architecture. Miller is an associate professor in MSU’s Interior Design program.
—Alphaka Moore of Natchez. A native of Laurel, she earned a bachelor’s degree in technology teacher education from MSU in 2009 and later earned a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Southern Mississippi. Moore serves as athletic director for the Natchez Adams School District and head coach for the Natchez High School women’s basketball team.
—Matthew Priddy of Starkville. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from MSU in 2008 and 2010, respectively. The Columbus native also completed his doctoral degree in mechanical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Priddy is an assistant professor in MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering.
—Stephen Reichley of Starkville. He earned a doctoral degree in veterinary medical science from MSU in 2017. Reichley earlier completed his bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of Findlay and his DVM at the Ohio State University. A native of Stow, Ohio, he serves as assistant clinical professor and associate director of the Global Center for Aquatic Food Security in MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
—Alivia Roberts of Washington, D.C. She graduated in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a minor in political science. The Shannon native also holds a master’s degree in public administration from George Washington University and a certificate in entrepreneurial leadership for the global marketplace from the University of Oxford. Roberts is special assistant to the director of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Justice.
—Nashlie Sephus of Atlanta, Georgia. A 2007 MSU computer engineering graduate, she also holds master’s and doctoral engineering degrees from Georgia Institute of Technology. The Jackson native is an A.I. tech evangelist for Amazon.
—Zechariah Smith of Memphis, Tennessee. The Starkville native earned a bachelor’s degree in biological engineering in 2010 and serves as project engineer manager for Integra LifeSciences.
—Adam Telle of Washington, D.C. He is a 2006 double-major, holding bachelor’s degrees in both computer science and communication. Telle is chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty.
—Crystal Vincent of Wylie, Texas. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing in 2005 from MSU, followed by an MBA from the University of North Alabama. She currently serves as president and CEO of both K Kaz Transport Inc. and Prestige Quality Consulting LLC, and as the product success manager for ServiceNow.
—Ashley Wynne of Woodruff, South Carolina. She earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering in 2012 and an MBA in 2018. The Coventry, Rhode Island native also holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island and is a principal process and product development engineer for Sealed Air Corporation.
—Jennifer Sloan Ziegler of Ridgeland. A three-time MSU graduate, she earned her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in civil engineering in 2010, 2012 and 2013, respectively. Ziegler later earned a master’s certificate in coastal engineering from the University of New Orleans and is a project manager and engineer for Cypress Environment and Infrastructure.
To learn more about The Reveille 25 program, contact Ava Richardson, young alumni programs and alumni outreach coordinator for the MSU Alumni Association, at 662-325-3349 or arichardson@alumni.msstate.edu or visit www.alumni.msstate.edu/reveille25. More detailed information about the individual accomplishments of the honorees will be added to this website prior to the awards ceremony.
The MSU Alumni Association was founded in 1885 by the first three graduating classes of then Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College. The full-service organization aims to serve the university’s more than 155,000 living alumni and currently includes more than 100 chapters and clubs. For more information about the association, visit www.alumni.msstate.edu.
MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.