Mississippi State University’s Student Lobbying Association went to the state Capitol on Feb. 16, and presented government officials with 24-karat gold cowbells.
Rhett Hobart, Student Association president, said every year, MSU’s Student Lobbying Association travels to the capitol in Jackson to meet legislators and talk to elected officials about higher education, especially as it pertains to MSU. This was the fourth year for MSU to take SLA to the capitol, and 25  people in all made the trip.
 Hobart said the MSU SLA is part of the Bulldog Interest group, and its primary goal is to seek out the government and put a face to higher education at MSU. This trip is beneficial because it enables the government officials to meet MSU students and represent the school at a higher level.
“I thought that this year’s Cowbells to the Capitol was a great way for students to get to know our legislature and to put a face to our university,” Hobart said. “This was a great opportunity for us to express our goal for continued funding and also our support for Mississippi and our state universities.”
Hobart said the association started  the morning by meeting with Hayley Barbour, former governor of Mississippi. Barbour was presented with a golden cowbell which he rang in the rotunda.
Speaker of the House Phillip Gunn was also presented with a golden cowbell. He chose to ring his on the floor of the House. The final golden cowbell was given to Governor Phil Bryant.
Hobart said these golden cowbells were gifts from the office of MSU’s president, but they also presented  miniature cowbells to over 50 alumni on the floor of both the House and Senate and were courtesy of MSU’s Alumni Association.
 
He said the Student Lobbying Association also met with Secretary of the State Delbert Hoseman, State Treasurer Lynn Fitch and the appropriation chairmen from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In addition to these, they met with Terry Burton and Nolan Mettatol, both members of the chairmen of the university committee responsible for writing bills and legislatures that affect MSU personally.
Hobart said after meeting with the government officials, the Bulldog Interest Group hosted a lunch at the MSU School of Architecture where they talked informally with the legislative members about MSU. Each member of the group called his or her respective legislator in advance and invited them to this luncheon.
Morgan McDowell, Bulldog Interest Group director, said the Bulldog Interest Group and similar tripsare the reason MSU’s budget cuts have been reduced from 15 percent to between 5 and 8 percent. He said it is a great experience for any college student looking to be more knowledgeable on state-level politics and provides a great opportunity for students to make a difference for the greater good of MSU.
“The trip was a huge success,” McDowell said. “We hope to continue building on the Bulldog Interest Group and make its mission bigger and better each year. I was very privileged to be the director of the Bulldog Interest Group this year, and I hope it will continue to serve the students of MSU as it has over the past few years.”
John Tomlinson, MSU Government Relations officer, also accompanied the students on the trip. He said it was a great turnout, and he was proud of his students.
“I thought it was one of the best years,” he said. “The students were very organized and had their speakers lined up. I am very proud of our students and how they moved to their appointments.”