From the steps of Lee Hall on Oct. 8, the night of homecoming elections, the Student Association Executive Board passes to each other a folder holding the results to be announced to the crowd below. Lewis Fuller, Student Association Treasurer, was given the folder to announce Mr. MSU.
“Your Mr. MSU is Robby Skelton,” Fuller announced.
Cheers roared and heads turned, but Skelton was nowhere to be found.
Robby Skelton is a senior business economics and Spanish major in the international business program here at Mississippi State University.
In his time at MSU, Skelton has served on the Alumni Delegates, and he has held multiple executive roles in Lambda Chi Alpha, including president. He has been an active member of Lambda Sigma, serving as a member at large and helping with the organization’s interview processes.
He has worked with the Student Association indirectly, helping with campaigns and participating in big events such as Cowbells to the Capital. He is on the Stennis-Montgomery Association and he is an honors college student with minors in math and philosophy.
Skelton said that he originally did not plan on attending MSU, but over the years he has grown to love Starkville. With his involvement and resume considered, Skelton applied for Mr. MSU.
“Whenever I stepped foot on campus, that all changed. Whenever I got gifted my first cowbell, everything like that just gave a love for Starkville and the university that I never expected,” Skelton said. “Not only is it I want to give back to a place that has meant so much to me over the past 5 years, but it’s also the Alumni Association . . . I wanted to not only represent the students to the alumni but represent the alumni to the students.”
When his name was called, Skelton was not at the bottom of the Lee Hall steps. He was studying for an upcoming test at his house while watching the live stream.
“I really didn’t believe it at first,” Skelton said. “My roommate was on the phone with his mom, and I started yelling, running around the house because I was so excited, he thought something was wrong with me. It was such an unreal feeling, and I am very honored to be in this position.”
Skelton has a deep interest in MSU’s history and traditions. His favorite tradition is Maroon Friday, mainly because he loves MSU apparel and vintage T-shirts, which he has started to collect.
“It is not the best for my bank account, but it is a little collection I have started to gather,” Skelton said.
Skelton’s favorite thing to do around town is attending baseball games in Dudy Noble while being with his friends and having a stadium hot dog. As Skelton was a freshman when Jordan, Bednar, Allen and company secured the College World Series title, this may not surprise many to hear.
Despite being named Mr. MSU, Skelton’s favorite memory at MSU is from Spring 2023.
“My friends Ellie [Herndon] and Jodee [Crane] were running for president and vice president of the Student Association, I was on their campaign team, I helped them out even though I wasn’t the biggest SA member in the world,” Skelton said. “I didn’t know the very intricate details of what it means to be in these positions, but I did know that they had given so much at that point to the students of this university, so I was happy to support them. Getting to hear that announcement, which I actually went to that time, and seeing all the people gathered to support them, it was very cool to see. . . I genuinely can’t think of anyone else that would have been more deserving than them.”
Ellie Herndon, MSU alumna and former SA President, returned the sentiment.
“Robby Skelton is the epitome of what Mississippi State embodies,” Herndon said. “He cherishes our traditions, embraces our bulldog community, leads selflessly, serves others and is a friend to each and every person he meets. I don’t think about MSU without thinking about Robby and the impact that he made on my experience at MSU. He is the perfect person to be selected as Mr. MSU, and I know that every student on campus can see themselves in Robby Skelton.”
Chloe Skelton, Robby’s younger sister and a junior animal and dairy science major at MSU, also felt that Robby Skelton deserved the title.
“I truly feel that my brother is the perfect candidate to serve as the face of this university and I am so proud of him and each and every one of his accomplishments that led him to this point.”
