Contact: Mary Pollitz

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Chiquita Brown held her 5-year-old son Khalil’s hand while she stood on the foundation of her future home.

By this time next year, Brown and her son will have the keys to her home built by volunteers from Mississippi State University and the Starkville Habitat for Humanity.

“I feel really blessed and really grateful,” she said. “I’m just excited for me and my family. I told my son when we get a house we’ll get a dog. Well—he’s going to get that dog.”

MSU President Mark E. Keenum, along with Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt, Director of Student Leadership and Community Engagement Kathy Jones and Starkville’s Habitat for Humanity President Alyssa McKinley, celebrated the groundbreaking along with Brown Wednesday [Aug. 21] morning.

Once complete, Brown’s home will be the fourth Habitat house built in Kelly Estates, a former 11-acre dairy farm on 16th Section Road. In the coming years, area volunteers—including MSU staff and students—will transform the site into a 30-home Habitat community. The groundbreaking celebrated the 16th Maroon Edition Habitat home.

“Those are 16 families’ lives that have been impacted in a very significant way,” Keenum said. “These families have a house—but more importantly than that, a home—here in this community.”

In addition, he spoke about the role the university has encouraging students to volunteer and serve others in the community.

“It’s great for us to be able to provide these opportunities for our students, to come out and see and experience firsthand the impact they can have in serving and helping others,” Keenum said. “That’s part of their educational experience with Mississippi State University. Jesus taught us to love our neighbor as ourselves and what a demonstration of love this is.”

Hyatt reflected on former President Jimmy Carter’s legacy of outreach through Habitat for Humanity and wished Brown and her family a life of joy, peace and excitement.

“My hope for you today is that this moment is the beginning of a new journey for your family,” she said. “A journey that will be filled with the joy of knowing this home will be yours, the peace that comes with having a place to call home, and the excitement for the laughter and fun you will share in this place.”

Brown, who works with Aramark, MSU’s dining services provider, will be the first person in her family to own a house. Even though it may be a year before she can call it home, she’s ready to get to work building her life in Starkville.

“I love Starkville. I love Mississippi State. I love my job,” she said. “Everyone is really, really nice. I’m just thankful for it all, and we’re Mississippi State fans so that makes it even better. I’m just ready to help build.”

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.