A girl wearing a maroon sweatshirt stands in front of a trophy display with her hands on her hips.

4-H programs develop life skills, influence positive career paths

Marisa Laudadio says she was once reluctant to come out of her shell. Now she is a highly accomplished high school graduate looking forward to beginning her studies at Mississippi State University in political science and communication.

A man stands next to a 3D printer.

Extension Where You Are

With about 2,300 residents, Quitman is the smallest town in the world to offer its residents 1 gigabit-per-second broadband.

Boats in a harbor.

Catch of the Day

Gulf Coast shrimpers at Biloxi’s Sherman Canaan Back Bay Fishing Dock are ready for the shrimping season. The Mississippi State University Extension Service teaches shrimpers what to do in emergencies at sea and helps them market the thousands of pounds of shrimp they catch each season. 

Three men and a black dog stand in front of a sign that reads "Dantzler Phillips Pilkinton."

Successful production-agriculture operation thrives with Extension assistance 

He’s a locomotive engineer by night but a row-crop farmer by day. And even though Tony Dantzler doesn’t get much sleep in his Artesia home, he is quick to say he’s living his dream.

A man sits behind the steering wheel of a car parked in a cow pasture filled with cows.

Extension continues assisting one of Mississippi’s most successful beef producers

Beef cattle producer Jacob “Jake” Megehee identifies cattle producers’ needs and publicizes them at the highest levels. Elected officials and fellow cattlemen all over the country respect his personal success raising and selling beef cattle through Megehee Cattle Company.

Two women walk and look at a book.

Experiencing Mississippi like never before 

Volunteers in Extension’s Master Naturalist program are receiving scientific, research-based instruction to learn about all of Mississippi’s natural wonders and how to share their knowledge with others.

Harvesting machine in a rice field.

Delta farmer Travis Satterfield reflects on 40+ years in the fields

The price of rice hasn’t increased much since Travis Satterfield of Benoit began growing it in 1974, but nearly everything else in the world of production agriculture has changed.

A man and woman behind plants in a greenhouse.

Turning a New Leaf: Jackson couple grows pesticide-free produce  

Leigh Bailey and her husband, Jamie Redmond, considered a number of options for a second career when the two real estate agents got married about four years ago

Extension helps Mississippi town balance its budget

Local governments and water associations often face the balancing act of meeting the infrastructure needs of the residents they serve and keeping costs for those services affordable.

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. 

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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.