When Gayle Mitchell reflects on her lifelong commitment to education, she begins with her mother, who made reading and learning a priority. Though her mother never attended college, she taught during World War II and instilled in her daughter the belief that education is both a privilege and a pathway. 

Our Paws for a Cause Campaign is a time to honor a cherished friend, a veterinary provider or a fellow animal lover through a gift to the college’s Companion Animals Require Excellence (CARE) Fund. To participate, participants are invited to write a personal message and return it with their gift.  

Noah Berry joined the Mississippi State University Foundation office development team in January 2026. He is the assistant director of development for the MSU-Extension, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station. Being an MSU alum, Berry steps into this role with enthusiasm and proven experience.  

Tommy Williams grew up just off Interstate 20 in Newton, Mississippi, the son of a small-town pharmacist who believed in hard work, steady saving and the life-changing power of an education. Those lessons, learned early, would shape not only his 40-year banking career but also his commitment to giving back, particularly to Mississippi State University, the place that helped launch his future.