An ambassador from Great Britain and his wife will be visiting Mississippi State this week.
Ambassador Michael Bates was appointed Her Majesty’s Consul General of Great Britain in Atlanta during June 2001.
On Wednesday, Bates will arrive at MSU to meet with Janos Radv nyi, chair of international security studies, and Jack White, director of the honors program. MSU President Charles Lee is also hosting a luncheon in honor of Bates and his wife.
Bates will also present a lecture titled “The UK and the US: Strategic Partners.” The lecture will be held 2 p.m in Simrall Auditorium.
The campus lecture is open to all students, staff and faculty, with no invitations required. Sponsors for the lecture and visit include Radvanyi, the dean’s offices of the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business and Industry.
Bates’ visit is significant because he is responsible for representing Great Britain throughout the southeastern United States, said Tan Chapman, research associate for the Radv nyi Chair. He covers states such as Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Bates has served in the British Diplomatic Service since 1966. He worked from 1987-89 as assistant press secretary to former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Bates has additionally represented the British government in New Delhi, Moscow, Singapore, Brussels, Riga, and Bratislava. Bates was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1994.
White said that one of the reasons that Bates is visiting is to encourage students to seek several major scholarships related to Britain, including the national Marshall scholarship. Mississippi State has a preparatory program for students interested in applying for the Mitchell and several other scholarships.
“I am very grateful for the interest of the British government and Consul Bates and look forward to meeting him with the hope that we can have successful candidates who will eventually earn a Marshall scholarship or other major awards,” White said.
For more information on Bates’ visit, contact the Radv nyi Chair at 325-8406 or visit www.msstate.edu/dept/isss.