A woman and two small children in a field with black cows grazing behind them.

Back to Her Roots

Although Greta Thornton’s children are adults, she could not give up the volunteer work that she says keeps her connected to agriculture.

MSU President Mark Keenum stands next to a young man in a green 4-H blazer.

4-H'er discovers his passion, gets big opportunities

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving found Tyler Packer packing up to head to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend the National 4-H Congress

A girl on a brown horse led by a woman and man.

Trauma survivor benefits from Extension hippotherapy program

General outpatient therapy is a major step in helping trauma victims on the road to recovery, but hippotherapy has emerged as an effective method of helping them regain mobility over time.

A green forest of trees.

Football coaching legend also known for success in timber industry

To many Northeast Mississippians who played high school football between the early 1960s and the late 1980s, Ben Jones is a coaching icon.

A man stands in front of a rack holding meat.

Meat processors maintain compliance through Extension training, assistance 

Enslin & Son Packing Co. in Hattiesburg features a variety of traditional and specialty sausages and smoked meats.

A woman wearing a black, yellow, and white dress stands in front of a bookshelf filled with books.

Extension Center For Government and Community Development trains local government officials

When Myra Murrell Davis graduated from East Central Community College in 1979, she did not have a clear career path in mind.

A man wearing a maroon shirt stands in front of a wall of boxes from Eubanks Produce Farm.

Producer's rise to success

Allen Eubanks grew his family business near Lucedale from a 200- acre row crop farm to a 2,500-acre, high-tech produce operation, and he credits researchers and agents with the Mississippi State University Extension Service with helping him succeed.

A young boy next to a 4-H flag.

4-H Shooting Sports teaches teen character and generosity

Quitman native Taivon Collins learned an important life lesson when he broke his gun during a 4-H shooting sports competition.

“If life gives you lemons,” he says, “you get a new .22 rifle.

2 woman and a man stand smiling.

Teacher training for Poplarville and beyond

Fifth-grade teacher Michele Lee travels from Pearl River County to a two-week MSU Extension conference every summer because she’s learning teaching techniques that help her students understand math better.

A man in blue scrubs with crossed arms leans against a wall.

Extension medical program offers career insights

He delayed his journey to become a doctor, but Johnny Lippincott has been intrigued by the field since childhood.

Two women stand on either side of a machine.

VIP help female business owner reach online customers

After Becky Tatum acquired Delta Grind in 2008, she wanted the wholesale cornmeal production business to remain true to its roots, but she also had her own vision for what it could be. 

A man wearing a blue shirt and cowboy hat stands in front of a piece of farming machinery.

Extension Helps Delta Farmer succeed, excel

Abbott Myers’s entire family farmed, but he did not intend to carry on the family business when he entered Mississippi State University in the mid-1960s.

An older man, a woman, and a teenage boy around a green tractor.

Four generations of 4-H’ers span the century 

Mississippi State University Extension celebrated its centennial in 2014. The organization has touched countless lives in the last 100 years, including four generations of 4-H’ers in one family

A woman sits on one side of a table, and a man with a laptop sits opposite from her.

Additional county agents focus on community development 

The Mississippi State University Extension Service is adding community resource development agents in four counties across the state to help reach Mississippians in new ways. 

A man holding a styrofoam cup with a plant sprout.

Extension Service helps demonstrate sustainable ag

One of the best ways to learn a new skill is to watch someone else doing it, a concept Keith Benson uses to teach sustainable agriculture in Holmes County. 

A woman in a grocery store holding a blue basket filled with produce like leafy green lettuce.

Eating healthier, living better

With a business to run and five active children, Alberta Cheval never spent much time in the kitchen.

An older man and a young man stand next to each other smiling.

4-H offers family time, life lessons

Raising championship hogs is a family tradition for Humphreys County 4-H’er Nic Carter, and the college freshman is leaving big boots for his sister and cousins to fill.

Woman with brown hair stands next to a street sign.

Hernando's City Clerk relies on MSU Extension

Hernando is the fastest-growing town in DeSoto County, but City Clerk Katie Harbin is part of a team at City Hall dedicated to maintaining Hernando’s small-town appeal.

Four women and two men stand spaced out in green grass.

Noxubee County volunteers make a difference through service

Everybody who knows Landis and Katherine Mickens, who’ve lived in Noxubee County all their lives, knows they care about service. The Mickens’s ties to their Macon neighbors are strong and run deep, just like their 38-year marriage.

A woman walking on a sidewalk curved around a tall tree.

Extension continues educational efforts despite pandemic

Serra Beth Greenlee takes a lot of classes at her local Mississippi State University Extension Service office in Alcorn County. When she saw the Walk-a-Weigh program would be offered virtually, she signed up.

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About Extension Matters Magazine

Extension Matters magazine is the premier publication of the Mississippi State University Extension Service, telling our clients’ own stories of success through Extension education.

“We are excited to have our clients tell their stories, and we are thankful for the opportunity to interact with Mississippians through our local offices in all 82 counties across the state,” says Dr. Gary B. Jackson, director of Extension.

Extension Matters profiles people just like you, men and women who want to expand their knowledge base and learn about the latest innovations. Families, farmers, business owners, and government leaders are benefitting from the educational opportunities Extension agents and specialists are bringing to people and communities just like yours. Extension Matters shares our clients’ successes to show how you, too, can succeed through Extension.