I am writing today in regard to the Mississippi State University presidential search. As an alumnus of our beloved university, I would like to voice support for the reported candidacy of Dr. Mark Keenum. I have not spoken to him in quite some time but feel compelled to encourage the Institutions of Higher Learning Board to select Dr. Keenum.
By many accounts, this is Dr. Keenum’s third attempt to become president of MSU. This speaks volumes about his character and dedication to his alma mater. He doesn’t need the job but wants the job. As an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has over 100,000 employees and an annual budget of $94 billion, and as a past chief of staff to Sen. Thad Cochran, he could easily follow the path that so many in Washington have in using their vast experience in government to become a lobbyist or accept some other lucrative position. Instead, Dr. Keenum has chosen to put himself again under the scrutiny of the IHL Search Committee, which can sometimes be political and demoralizing. He does this out of a desire to serve MSU and Mississippi in general.
I have read in several forums that some are concerned with his academic experience. I would assume that these people are uninformed about his background.
He is not a politico without classroom experience trying to secure a top university perch. He is an MSU trained professor with a Ph.D. in agriculture who by some accounts had to be coaxed to move to Washington and is now seeking to return to an academic post.
Another asset to our university would be his wife, Rhonda Keenum. Not only would she fulfill the role of first lady of Mississippi State, but she would also enhance it. In addition to serving as a top executive at one of our nation’s top marketing firms, she has served as the head of public liaison to the president of the United States. This is a highly visible position whose duties include planning some of our nation’s most historic events and serving as the liaison to the different groups that make up the fiber of our nation.
I believe they would be great for Mississippi State. He has the temperament, academic experience, political experience and consensus-building skills to take our university to greater heights. She has the experience to finally promote MSU for the great university that it is. I personally don’t believe you could ask for more.
We should move past the politics of past selections, which placed a premium of athletic department politics, petty infighting and outright character assassination by those promoting feudal interests. The state of Mississippi has footed the bill for the current presidential search and it should not be halted.
Edward Sanders is a former columnist of The Reflector. He can be contacted at [email protected].