Campus NEWSESSENTIALIN SERVICEMSU staff provide much-neededservices for Bulldog communityin midst of pandemicBy Harriet LairdIn response to COVID-19,Mississippi State staffers haveworked diligently behind thescenes to come to the aid ofstudents. From tracking downlaptops for those withouta computer to ensuringthey have food and otheressential items, MSUemployees have jumpedinto action.They are the unsungheroes who’ve goneabove and beyond.In a time of crisis,Bulldogs can doexceptional things,and here are a fewshining examples.4 SUMMER 2020Alumnus_Summer_2020.indd 47/31/20 1:48 PM
MONTELLEO HOBLEYBully’s Closet and PantryAt the time Montelleo Hobley drove fromthe Florida Panhandle toward Mississippiin 2017 to accept his first job in the MSUDivision of Student Affairs, he knew thathis life was about to change. What he didn’tknow was three years later he would have thechance to dramatically and positively changethe lives of hundreds of students during anunprecedented time.Through his role as student servicescoordinator, Hobley oversees Bully’s Closetand Pantry. Prior to spring break, he andthe volunteers who staff the pantry hadhelped about 250 students with clothing andfood since the free service began in January.However, as the virus spread and shut downbusinesses, restricted travel and forced MSUto limit campus operations, more and morestudents found themselves lacking basicnecessities.With a sudden increase of about 200additional students needing immediate help,Hobley worked to ramp up BCP’s offerings.“We added a click list, curbside service,social media accounts that featured cookingdemonstrations, and even opened a new BCPlocation at MSU-Meridian,” he said. “Wewanted to fill every need we could and supplyas many specific items as possible.”Fresh vegetables, pet food, and morehealth and hygiene products were among thestaples that Hobley began to include on thedigital order form now being used by BCP tomeet clients’ changing needs.“I definitely have had to readjust my job,”he said. “I’ve created a satellite workspace hereat BCP that’s separate from my main office inStudent Affairs, and the logistics of keepingthis service running have evolved.”Hobley said the experience has changedhim as well.“I feel more connected now to thestudents, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, storeowners and so many others,” he explained.“I feel what a community is, what joiningtogether for a common cause is.”PAUL HUDDLESTONMSU LibrariesPaul Huddleston, systems administratorfor MSU Libraries, calls himself a “cogin the machine” as he looks back on thehectic weeks after spring break whenuniversity administrators moved coursescompletely online.“I played a small part,” he said modestlyof his important role in equipping studentswith the necessary technology to complete thespring and summer sessions.Prepping computers with the right toolsfor students to effectively learn during thepandemic has been a significant role changefor Huddleston, whose work in the pastmainly focused on keeping technology up-todatefor library employees and patrons.Outfitting more than 250 donatedand purchased laptops suddenly becameHuddleston’s focus as the equipment filledMitchell Memorial Library’s basementoffices. Each one, he said, had to includethe Microsoft Office, Canvas educationalplatform, a lockdown browser for testing,virus protection, a virtual private networkand more.“Along with these computers, we alsoloaned students C Spire hotspots, camerakits, tripods and camcorders—basicallyanything we could provide to help them dotheir work,” said Huddleston, who earnedbachelor’s and master’s degrees in informationsystems from Mississippi State.Huddleston was quick to praise thevarious university divisions, departments,offices and individuals who either donatedcomputers or purchased them.“The university joined together as acommunity to make the best out of thesituation that we could,” he said.He also singled out his library co-workersfor stepping up. Faculty research, libraryloan orders, archival scans, book checkoutand much more have continued, even if theprocesses have been revamped.“The payoff for us has been howappreciative and thankful the students,faculty and community members have been,”he said. “We all have wanted to do what wecould to make the ‘new normal’ feel a littlemore comfortable.”BRENT CROCKEREmergency ManagementEmergency personnel constantly planfor the next major disaster, but no one hadbeen trained to deal with a pandemic of thescope and scale of COVID-19—not evenBrent Crocker, Mississippi State’s emergencymanager.Regular training, according to Crocker,usually covers severe weather, bombthreats, active shooter situations or naturaldisasters such as earthquakes and tornadoes.Pandemics are also included in national, stateand community emergency plans, but thenew coronavirus is like nothing most peoplehave ever experienced in their lifetime.“Many agencies have plans for it, but withthis virus the plans didn’t play out as writtenfor most. Emergency workers are definitelyrewriting the book from this experience,” saidCrocker, who earned a bachelor’s in businessand master’s in information systems fromMississippi State.While the playbook may not haveincluded step-by-step instructions for theuniversity’s response, Crocker knew the firstpriority was guaranteeing the safety andALUMNUS.MSSTATE.EDU 5Alumnus_Summer_2020.indd 57/31/20 1:48 PM
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