The beautiful thing about the great outdoors is that you can come as you are. You don’t need an organized event or a big group to appreciate the majesty of nature. All you need is a positive mental attitude and a spirit for adventure.

If you’re a student at an SEC school or a resident of an SEC town, you’re in luck, because there’s an abundance of natural splendor all across the region. From the shores of the Atlantic Ocean to the peaks of the Ozark Mountains, there’s so much to explore and enjoy.

You can’t go wrong with any of the major landmarks, but here are our favorite outdoor destinations in every SEC state.

Note: Many locations have been closed for an extended period due to COVID-19. Before you plan your trip, please check with the location to make sure they’ll be open when you’d like to visit.

Alabama — Gulf State Park (Gulf Shores)

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When you’ve got a state park on the Gulf of Mexico, you’ve got the best of both worlds. There’s kayaking, canoeing, and fishing along the coastal waterways, miles of hiking and biking along the Backcountry Trail, and educational opportunities galore at the Nature Center and butterfly garden. Oh, and did we mention camping under the stars and falling asleep to the sounds of the ocean?

Arkansas — Devil’s Den State Park (West Fork)

Image Courtesy of Arkansas Outside

An excursion into the Ozark Mountains is a must for any Fayetteville locals, and with 17 cabins and 135 campsites, Devil’s Den is ideal for a weekend among the trees. Marvel at the unique rock formations and caverns, relax in a boat on Lake Devil, or hit the trails through the Ozark National Forest with a backpack, a mountain bike, or even a horse.

Florida — Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive (Apopka)

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The fourth-largest lake in the state of Florida is an invaluable resource for wildlife enthusiasts. The one-way, 11-mile Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is an incredible tour of the area, complete with bobcats, alligators, many beautiful birds, and much more. If you prefer to leave your vehicle and get some fresh air, the 15-mile Lake Apopka Loop Trail features excellent hiking and biking.

Georgia — Providence Canyon (Lumpkin)

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There’s a reason they call it “Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon.” The massive gullies of Providence Canyon reach as deep as 150 feet, and the soil beneath your feet is a beautiful mix of pink, purple, orange, and red hues. Spend the day traversing the 10 miles of hiking trails then spend the night in one of their beautiful cabins. Or if you’re short on time, pull over and have a picnic with a view.

Kentucky — Kentucky Horse Park (Lexington)

Image Courtesy of Georgetown/Scott County Tourism

UK students don’t have to go far to enjoy a unique outdoor experience, especially if they’re equine enthusiasts. Start with a walk through the Hall of Champions, then explore the park grounds to see a collection of statues and memorials for some of the greatest racehorses to ever run the tracks. And if you’re up for it, saddle up and traverse the Horseback Ride Trail through the countryside.

Louisiana — Honey Island Swamp (Slidell)

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Louisiana is known for its swamplands, and the Honey Island Swamp is perfect for a guided tour. You’ll enjoy plenty of photo opportunities with the local wildlife like owls, egrets, hogs, beavers, and of course, alligators. And as an added bonus, your tour guides will educate you on the ecology and geography of South Louisiana. They’ll even pick you up and drop you off at your hotel!

Mississippi — St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge (Sibley)

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For the past 30 years, the St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge has been a protected habitat of nearly 25,000 acres for countless species of flora and fauna. This area isn’t open for tourist activities, but if you want to have an unbeatable outdoor experience, the Refuge is supported by hundreds of volunteers. There’s even a couple RV campsites for volunteers staying a while.

Missouri — Wolfe Mountain (Branson)

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If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush in the summer sunshine, Wolfe Mountain is the place to be. The main attraction is their expansive collection of ziplining courses, which features a total of eight ziplines over the course of three hours on the premium Canopy Adventure package. If you’d rather keep your feet on the soil, the leisurely Wolfe Mountain Walking Tour is just the thing.

South Carolina — Myrtle Beach State Park (Myrtle Beach)

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Can’t decide between the beach or the woods? If you’re in South Carolina, you won’t have to, because the Myrtle Beach State Park is nestled up against an oceanfront maritime forest, making this one of the greenest shorelines you’ll find anywhere. That means it’s perfect for fishing, camping, picnicking, hiking, and maximum relaxation. Be on the lookout for sea turtles as well!

Tennessee — Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Gatlinburg)

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Wonder why they call them the “Great” Smoky Mountains? It won’t take long to figure it out after a trip to Gatlinburg. The shopping is great, but if you’d rather bypass the touristy areas, you’ve got lots of options. Book a whitewater rafting trip down the Big Pigeon River (featuring class-III and -IV rapids), pack your rod and reel for a fly fishing trip, or experience the finest glamping setups under the stars.

Texas — Padre Island National Seashore (Corpus Christi)

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Corpus Christi just happens to be home to the largest undeveloped barrier island in the world, featuring more than 130,000 acres of beaches, dunes, and grasslands. This diverse climate makes the Padre Island National Seashore perfect for a birdwatching tour, and the park rangers are always on hand to educate you on the native wildlife, including sea turtle hatchlings in the summer.

Adventures in the Great SEC Outdoors was originally published in It Just Means More on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Is there ever a bad time to dive into a good book? We don’t think so. And we agree with all the bookworms that there’s something about the summer sunshine and warm weather that makes pleasure reading feel like a little slice of paradise.

From noteworthy graduates to esteemed faculty, no matter your genre, there is an acclaimed literary work out there with a connection to your favorite SEC university. And we are here to help you find it with several “SEC titles” worth adding to your summer reading list.

Image Courtesy of Tale Away

Alabama — “Forrest Gump” by Winston Groom

Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump in a crimson jersey is an iconic image for University of Alabama alumni and fans, but the novel by the same name is a must read. In the novel, Winston Groom, a Mobile native and Alabama graduate, channels his personal experience into a modern folk hero, including his tour of duty in the Vietnam War and his time in Tuscaloosa. “Forrest Gump” has sold 1.7 million copies to date, bolstered by Hanks’ Oscar-winning depiction in the film adaptation.

Image Courtesy of Amazon

Arkansas — “True Grit” by Charles Portis

How do you measure a great Western? Perhaps when both John Wayne and Jeff Bridges play your protagonist in separate films. Charles Portis, a University of Arkansas alumnus, only penned five novels before passing away earlier this year, but those were enough to leave a lasting legacy as one of the 20th century’s most celebrated authors in the genre.

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Auburn — “First Man” by James R. Hansen

Auburn University Professor Emeritus James Hansen isn’t the first man to write about the life and accomplishments of Neil Armstrong, but in 2005, he did pen the “first and only definitive authorized account” of the legendary astronaut. From his upbringing and personal life to his historic flight on board Apollo 11, this biography chronicles one of the country’s most noteworthy citizens, and it provides the template for the critically acclaimed 2018 film.

Image Courtesy of Amazon

Florida — “Under the Tuscan Sun” by Frances Mayes

If you read to escape, the Italian countryside seems like a pretty good place to go, and University of Florida graduate Frances Mayes takes you there. This relaxing memoir, which inspired the popular film, follows a noteworthy UF graduate as she and her husband renovate a Tuscan villa over the course of several summers — learning about Italy’s culture and history along the way. If you need another reason to pick up this New York Times bestseller, it also includes several chapters of recipes!

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Georgia — “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens

After earning a degree from the University of Georgia, enjoying a career in conservation, and penning a handful of wildlife memoirs, Delia Owens’ debut novel wasn’t just an accomplishment — it set the literary world on fire. A coming-of-age tale blended with a murder mystery, this work spent 30 weeks at the top of the New York Times bestseller list and led Amazon’s list of Most Sold Books in fiction.

Image Courtesy of Cosmos in the Lost

Kentucky — “New Collected Poems” by Wendell Berry

Wendell Berry is about as Kentucky as it gets. He received two degrees from the University of Kentucky, taught Creative Writing for more than a decade, and he still resides in nearby Port Royal. Berry has built quite a legacy in the field, penning a wealth of poems, novels, and essays to complement his activism and passion for sustainable farming.

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LSU — “Journalism’s Roving Eye” by John Maxwell Hamilton

John Maxwell Hamilton spent more than two decades in the field before joining the faculty ranks at LSU, and he’s authored or co-authored ten texts about a profession increasingly under fire. His 2009 “Roving Eye” chronicles the history of American reporters abroad, examining how the challenges of foreign correspondence — from language barriers to national security — call for skillful, tenacious, and unbiased media coverage.

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Ole Miss — “Heavy” by Kiese Laymon

Professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Mississippi, Kiese Laymon’s latest memoir isn’t just a gripping personal account of his upbringing in Mississippi and the dynamics of familial relationships — it’s one of the most lauded nonfiction works of 2018. “Heavy” won the Andrew Carnegie Medal and was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, not to mention being named to dozens of best-of lists from outlets like NPR, The Washington Post, and The New York Times.

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Mississippi State — “Bleachers” by John Grisham

With a law degree and nearly a decade of criminal law experience, it’s no surprise John Grisham became one of the top names in courtroom fiction. And after attending both Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi, he’s no stranger to college football either. Granted, his legal thrillers are highly acclaimed and well known, “Bleachers” is sure to satisfy the football fan in you.

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Missouri — “Roundabout” by Phong Nguyen

On the surface, University of Missouri Professor Phong Nguyen’s novel seems like a standard text, chronicling an accountant’s decision to leave his job and family to embark on a road trip. But this story examines the literary process through a protagonist who knows he is an author’s creation. And if you look closely, you’ll see this “improvisational fiction” is missing something — the letter “e,” which is nowhere to be found in the text.

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South Carolina — “Head Off & Split” by Nikky Finney

As the winner of the SIBA Book Award for Poetry, the GCLS Award for Poetry, and the prestigious National Book Award for Poetry, this collection could fill a trophy case all on its own. University of South Carolina Professor Nikky Finney’s brilliant pieces provide an artful examination of some seminal Southern figures, from Senator Strom Thurmond and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Hurricane Katrina survivors.

Image Courtesy of NY Times

Tennessee — “Leaving Orbit” by Margaret Lazarus Dean

Venturing into outer space is undoubtedly one of mankind’s greatest achievements, and it often makes for a fascinating read, too. While teaching Creative Writing at the University of Tennessee, Professor Margaret Lazarus Dean for years spent her spare time researching NASA’s last three space shuttle launches from Cape Canaveral. The result, “Leaving Orbit,” is a creative work of nonfiction chronicling the end of an era that captured America’s imagination for half a century.

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Texas A&M — “Remaking Horror” by James Francis Jr.

No genre of film has become so ready-made for recycling than horror, particularly during the last two decades. James Francis, Jr., a horror scholar and Texas A&M University graduate, traces the lineage of the horror remake back to Gus Van Sant’s 1998 update of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” analyzing the industry phenomenon through more than two dozen movies.

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Vanderbilt — “Pimps Up, Ho’s Down: Hip Hop’s Hold on Young Black Women” by Tracy Denean Sharpley-Whiting

Hip-hop has dominated popular music for decades, but it hasn’t exactly been an empowering medium for women. Vanderbilt University Professor Tracy Sharpley-Whiting — a 2020 SEC Faculty Achievement Award winner — breaks down the complicated relationship between the genre that engaged young Black women while simultaneously propagating a culture of unveiled misogyny. This is a must read for anyone interested in music, pop culture or the African American experience.

“I’m Booked.” — SEC Literature to Read This Summer was originally published in It Just Means More on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

There’s no denying the past few months have been a challenge. Whether you’re trying to decide which outdoor activities are right for you and your family, still not adjusted to the kitchen table as your workspace, or navigating difficult conversations about racism and injustice with family and friends, it’s possible you might need to unwind and recharge your mental batteries.

The Southeastern Conference boasts no shortage of creativity when it comes to the big or small screen, and in these unprecedented days, a small distraction might be just enough to get you refocused on the opportunity tomorrow presents. So, if your usual watchlist is blank, here are a few SEC-connected films and TV shows to consider.

Alabama — Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)

You don’t have to be a hardcore Trekkie to jump on board for this ride. Star Trek: Discovery is perfect for casual sci-fi fans looking for a fun adventure into the great unknown. And University of Alabama alums and supporters will enjoy seeing 2007 theatre graduate Sonequa Martin-Green in the leading role of First Officer Michael Burnham.

Image Courtesy of IMDB

Arkansas — True Detective (HBO, DirecTV)

One of the most talked-about HBO series of the last decade, True Detective owes a debt to the SEC West. Creator, writer and occasional director Nic Pizzolatto earned a bachelor’s degree at LSU, and it was the University of Arkansas’s Master of Fine Arts program that helped him refine his skills. Likewise, the series began in Louisiana before relocating to the Ozarks in the third season.

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Auburn — Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker (Netflix)

A proud alumnus of Auburn University, Octavia Spencer has become a beloved figure in SEC country. If you’ve already seen her Oscar-nominated performances in The Help, Hidden Figures and The Shape of Water, dive into Self Made, a brand-new, four-part series that tells the story of Madam C. J. Walker, America’s first independent black female millionaire.

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Florida — Barry (HBO, DirecTV)

For decades, University of Florida graduate Stephen Root has made a living playing a range of characters in films and on television. (You may recognize him from Office Space or his work with the Coen Brothers.) But his featured role on Barry allowed Root to truly shine, earning him his first Emmy nomination in 2019.

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Georgia — Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)

After graduating from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s in music, Tituss Burgess went on to an impressive career on Broadway. But it was his self-named character on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt that made him a modern-day comedy icon. The series (and a new interactive special) has earned Burgess four consecutive Emmy nominations.

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Kentucky — Royal Pains (Netflix)

With more than 100 episodes in eight seasons, Royal Pains will keep you entertained for hours. And University of Kentucky grads will undoubtedly appreciate seeing fellow alum Reshma Shetty, who played physician assistant Divya Katdare. Shetty earned a master’s in music at UK and spent time on Broadway before focusing on television and film.

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LSU — Rocky (Showtime, CBS All Access)

Not many SEC graduates can say they have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but Bill Conti certainly earned his. This LSU School of Music graduate has composed some of cinema’s most iconic music, including an original score for The Right Stuff that earned him an Academy Award. But it’s his iconic “Gonna Fly Now” theme from Rocky that will live forever.

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Ole Miss — Home Town (Amazon Prime, FuboTV, Hulu)

After weeks of not venturing too far from your own place, you may have found a few projects that you want to tackle around the house. Before you refurbish that midcentury modern dresser, take a look at what University of Mississippi grads Ben and Erin Napier are creating on HGTV’s Home Town. The couple met at Ole Miss, and together they restore historic homes in Laurel, Mississippi. With DIY projects and a custom piece of art for each homeowner, Home Town is sure to inspire the designer in you.

Image Courtesy of HGTV

Mississippi State — The Firm (DirecTV, FuboTV)

John Grisham, the accounting graduate from Mississippi State University, is a famed novelist who has sold more than 275 million copies of his approximate 35 books. His legal thrillers and other stories have been made into 11 films and four TV shows, including his very first adaptation, The Firm.

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Missouri — Adaptation (Showtime, FuboTV)

If you’ve already completed Mad Men (Jon Hamm, class of 1993) and seen the Major League films half a dozen times (Tom Berenger, class of 1971), it might be time to check out the wacky modern classic Adaptation. Nicolas Cage plays twin brothers, but the real star of the show is University of Missouri grad Chris Cooper as John Laroche, a role that won him an Oscar.

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South Carolina — Luke Cage (Netflix)

After earning a bachelor’s degree in theatre from the University of South Carolina, Mike Colter spent a decade and a half working on modest film and TV roles before making it big in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His portrayal of superhero Luke Cage, which debuted in the Jessica Jones series in 2015, eventually landed him his own series.

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Tennessee — The Invitation (Netflix)

If you prefer thrills and chills in your binge-watching, allow Logan Marshall-Green to be your guide. This University of Tennessee graduate (and former entertainment writer for UT’s Daily Beacon) has been in some fantastic films, but in The Invitation, he’s the star of the show — on both the big and small screen.

Image Courtesy of IMDB

Texas A&M — Monsters, Inc. (Disney+)

Animated films have changed the movie game in the last 25 years, and the Texas A&M University Visualization Lab — one of the top-ranked in the country — has been a big part of it. Several Pixar films feature former Aggie students, including Monsters, Inc.; in fact, legend has it the lovable Sulley character was named after former Texas A&M President Lawrence Sullivan Ross.

Image Courtesy of IMDB

Vanderbilt — Deadwood (Amazon Prime, HBO, DirecTV)

One of the shining stars of HBO’s Deadwood is Kim Dickens, a communications major at Vanderbilt University whose television career skyrocketed thanks to her role as saloon hostess Joanie Stubbs. You might also know her from House of Cards or Friday Night Lights.

Image Courtesy of IMDB

It Just Means More SEC in Your Watchlist was originally published in It Just Means More on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Who doesn’t appreciate good architecture? Professor Marlon Blackwell, that’s who. When greatness can be achieved, “good” simply won’t do. And that’s why this Distinguished Professor and E. Fay Jones Chair in Architecture at the University of Arkansas is the 2020 SEC Professor of the Year. Though he’s certainly more than qualified to receive the honor, he was thrilled, saying: “To represent the University of Arkansas in this consideration of all the professors at these other incredible institutions that make up the SEC, and then to be selected as an exemplar in some way on behalf of the conference — it’s a huge honor and was really unexpected.”

Professor Blackwell has been teaching at the University of Arkansas for nearly 30 years. But, let’s rewind for a second. Before becoming a Razorback, Professor Blackwell fed his passion for architecture at Auburn University (S-E-C! S-E-C! S-E-C!), where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree. From there, he worked at firms in multiple U.S. states before buckling down to earn his Master of Architecture II from Syracuse University in Florence, Italy.

Fast forward to 1992, and he’s landed in Fayetteville, Arkansas. After more than a decade as a member of the faculty, Professor Blackwell served for six years as head of the Department of Architecture in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. He also directed the development of the Integrated Design Studio, the capstone experience in the professional curriculum that sets students up to build the kind of resume he’s worked so hard to achieve. As Professor Blackwell said: “I put a lot of work into the teaching and into trying to be a good colleague at the university in a variety of roles. To see the teaching and the creative research together recognized — that’s pretty rare for me. Usually it’s one or the other.”

As expected, Professor Blackwell has been recognized in numerous capacities. For starters, he’s a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and he received its 2020 Gold Medal. This award, the institute’s highest honor, recognizes architects with enduring impacts on theory and practice. He was inducted into the National Academy of Design in 2018, and in 2017 he received the E. Fay Jones Gold Medal from the Arkansas chapter of the American Institute of Architects. He’s been named among the “30 Most Admired Educators” by DesignIntelligence, was the U.S. Artists Ford Fellow, and he received an American Academy of Arts and Letters Architecture Prize. In 2006, Professor Blackwell was selected by The International Design Magazine as one of the ID Forty: Undersung Heroes, and even earlier, in 1998, the Architectural League of New York named him an “Emerging Voice.”

While racking up awards and impacting thousands of architecture students, Professor Blackwell co‐founded the annual University of Arkansas Mexico Summer Urban Studio, which takes place at the Casa Luis Barragán in Mexico City. He also founded and is co‐principal of Marlon Blackwell Architects, which was ranked №1 in Design in the 2016 Architect 50 — a national survey of architecture firms. It was recognized as the 2011 Firm of the Year by Residential Architect.

Peter MacKeith, dean of the Fay Jones School, said “Marlon Blackwell epitomizes the ideal architect-educator. As committed to excellence in architectural education as he is to excellence in architectural design, Marlon’s professional accomplishments indeed reflect his commitment to both the theory and the practice of architecture, to both the discipline and the profession, to both the student and the client, to both the academy and society at large.”

Caption: Professor Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, (L) with a group of students from the Fay Jones Department of Architecture

Clearly, Professor Blackwell can’t get enough architecture in his life. He has even been a visiting professor at Cornell University, the University of Florida, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Texas at Austin, among others. Even more, he has co-taught design studios with several notable architects and served as the 2018–2019 William A. Bernoudy Architect in Residence at the American Academy in Rome. You’re probably thinking there’s nothing left for him to do in the field, but you’d be wrong. Professor Blackwell also sits on design award juries and serves as a visiting critic around the country.

It’s enough to make your head spin, right? University of Arkansas Chancellor Joseph E. Steinmetz knows it, saying: “Across every area in which a faculty member can contribute to our mission — teaching, research, service — Marlon sets the standard and exceeds expectations. His contributions to the field of architecture, dedication to students, and service to the campus and community are truly extraordinary. He has received the highest honor in his field as a professional architect while providing life‐changing opportunities for students through architectural education.”

The Professor of the Year award is the SEC’s highest faculty honor, and it couldn’t have gone to a more deserving educator. Since his arrival at the University of Arkansas, Marlon Blackwell has gone above and beyond in every capacity. His lifelong love for architecture combined with his passion for sharing knowledge means that students and clients alike will continue to reap the benefits of his dedication to More.

Arkansas professor lives and breathes architecture. Oh, and he also teaches it. was originally published in It Just Means More on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

This spring semester hasn’t been easy on our teachers and researchers. But as expected, SEC faculty have responded with resilience, creativity and compassion in light of the upheaval brought upon by COVID-19.

Of course, it is not unusual for SEC professors to go above and beyond their standard calling, as evidenced by the decades of service and commitment demonstrated by the 2020 SEC Faculty Achievement Award winners.

The SEC Faculty Achievement Award was first presented in 2012 to shine a spotlight on one professor from each member university who has displayed excellence in teaching and research, particularly at the undergraduate level. Each winner receives a $5,000 honorarium and memento from the SEC while becoming his or her university’s nominee for the SEC Professor of the Year Award.

We are thrilled to give you a brief glimpse into this year’s group of recipients and their honorable work in classrooms and research laboratories around the Conference.

University of Alabama — Dr. Subha Chakraborti, Professor of Statistics

With four decades of commitment to the University of Alabama, Dr. Subha Chakraborti is a fixture on the Capstone. A Professor of Statistics in the Culverhouse College of Business, he’s co-authored two highly acclaimed books and published more than 100 journal articles, all while being praised for his mentorship on and off campus. His university honors include the Burlington Northern Faculty Achievement Award and the Burnum Distinguished Faculty Award.

University of Arkansas — Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, Distinguished Professor and E. Fay Jones Chair in Architecture

Marlon Blackwell’s design mind has transformed the University of Arkansas’s Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design and his firm, Marlon Blackwell Architects. His trophy case is packed with educational and professor honors, but his latest award might be his biggest: Blackwell, a Distinguished Professor and the E. Fay Jones Chair in Architecture, recently received the 2020 Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects, the Institute’s highest honor. And to top it off, he was selected as the 2020 SEC Professor of the Year!

Auburn University — Dr. Douglas Martin, Professor of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology

Dr. Douglas Martin received his bachelor’s degree as well as his Ph.D. from Auburn University, so it’s only fitting that he returned to his beloved alma mater to continue his work, where he is currently Professor of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology in the College of Veterinary Medicine. His research has been immensely beneficial, focusing on molecular therapy strategies to combat neurogenerative disorders like Tay-Sachs disease.

University of Florida — Dr. Charlie Hailey, Professor of Architecture

This recognition won’t be a surprise to University of Florida students since Dr. Charlie Hailey, Professor of Architecture, was honored as the university’s Teacher/Scholar of the Year in 2019. He is well known in the academic and design communities for research that draws connections between cultural landscapes and the human agencies that built them. And his books — Slab City and Campsite — have become important architectural texts during the last decade.

University of Georgia — Dr. Lillian Eby, Professor of Psychology

One of the most sought-after minds in her field, Dr. Lillian Eby, Professor of Psychology at the University of Georgia, has been acknowledged as an expert on mentoring relationships. She has conducted ground-breaking research on the potentially harmful aspects of mentoring, and it’s no wonder she has been a valuable mentor to her students. Dr. Eby’s latest accomplishment is becoming the first woman named editor in chief of the Journal of Applied Psychology.

University of Kentucky — Dr. Everett McCorvey, Professor of Voice

As you might glean from his bio, Dr. Everett McCorvey is something of a Renaissance man in the world of music and performance — conductor, director, actor, producer, impresario, and of course, mentor and teacher. A Professor of Voice at the University of Kentucky, he has performed in Tony Award-winning productions, conducted a symphony in Prague, founded the American Spiritual Ensemble, worked on six PBS documentaries, and so much more.

Louisiana State University — Dr. Willis Delony, Boyd Professor of Piano and Jazz Studies

Two decades of outstanding service recently earned Dr. Willis Delony LSU’s highest academic ranking, the Boyd Professorship. Although his mentorship of young pianists is his academic calling card, his influence goes far beyond Baton Rouge. As one of the world’s leading musical minds in jazz and classical genres, he’s composed numerous scores and recorded several albums, all while performing around the world.

University of Mississippi — Dr. Alan Jones, Professor of Emergency Medicine

When he’s not out on rounds, Dr. Alan Jones is building upon his stellar reputation at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. As a medical doctor focused on sepsis and life-threatening infections, he is a Professor of Emergency Medicine and has received more than $27 million in grant funding. In the classroom, he’s passed down his expertise by training and mentoring hundreds of students and future doctors.

Mississippi State University — Dr. Renee Clary, Professor of Geology

Those who know Dr. Renee Clary know she stays busy. A Professor of Geology, she’s director of Mississippi State University’s Dunn-Seiler Museum, director of the 15 Degree Laboratory and co-founder of the EarthScholars Research Group. But her passion is in the classroom, where she teaches and mentors geology students with a focus on environmental geochemistry and paleontology. We’ve heard she has a dinosaur in her garage, too…

University of Missouri — Dr. Anthony Lupo, Professor of Atmospheric Science

For more than two decades, Dr. Anthony Lupo, Professor of Atmospheric Science, has been a campus favorite at Mizzou, winning the University of Missouri Professor of the Year Award in 2010. A long-time member of the American Meteorological Society, his research and work on large-scale atmospheric dynamics and climate change — including serving on United Nations panels — have been valuable contributions in the fight to save the planet.

University of South Carolina — Dr. Gail Barnes, Professor of Music Education

A virtuoso on the violin, Dr. Gail Barnes has performed with symphonies and operas, conducted orchestras, co-authored books and presented teaching clinics around the country. And for more than two decades, the Professor of Music Education has called Columbia home, teaching courses ranging from orchestra literature for undergrads to sociology of music education for grad students, all while serving as director of the nationally recognized USC String Project.

University of Tennessee — Dr. Leon Tolbert, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Dr. Leon Tolbert, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the Tickle College of Engineering, holds nine patents and is a registered professional engineer in the state of Tennessee. A founding member of CURENT, the National Science Foundation/Department of Energy research center for electric grid technology, he received the NSF CAREER Award and the University of Tennessee Chancellor’s Citation for Professional Promise in Research and Creative Achievement, twice.

Texas A&M University — Dr. J.N. Reddy, Regents’ Professor in Mechanical Engineering

As a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and a foreign fellow in the Indian, Canadian, Chinese, Spanish and Brazilian academies, Dr. J.N. Reddy has shared his expertise around the world. And with 21 books in his bibliography — including several that are used as textbooks — this Regents’ Professor in Mechanical Engineering is a legend in the discipline and in classrooms at Texas A&M University, where he’s taught and mentored generations of future engineers.

Vanderbilt University — Dr. Tracy Sharpley-Whiting, Gertrude Conaway Distinguished Professor of Humanities

Dr. Tracy Sharpley-Whiting, Gertrude Conaway Distinguished Professor of Humanities (African American and Diaspora Studies and French) at Vanderbilt University, is one of the busiest women on campus. She was named a top 100 young leader of the African American community by The Root, is a frequent guest on cable news programs and has authored or edited 15 books and three novels, including one on gender politics in hip-hop.

2020 SEC Faculty Achievement Awards Highlight Strength in Classrooms and Labs was originally published in It Just Means More on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The last several months have been interesting, to say the least.

The COVID-19 pandemic has completely altered our lives, and it’s been especially disruptive for our educational system. K-12 classrooms are closed, and colleges and universities have moved to online instruction, rescheduled or cancelled events, and are now arranging virtual commencement ceremonies. In the face of it all, SEC students, staff, faculty and administrators are spreading positivity and offering helping hands in countless ways as we come together to overcome the outbreak.

University of Alabama

The University of Alabama’s University Medical Center has been on the front lines, providing coronavirus screenings in West Alabama and 3D-printed personal protective equipment (PPE) to local health care workers. Several students are helping as well — senior John Glidden III is volunteering as an EMT in New Jersey, junior Matthew Roy is volunteering at a test site near Birmingham and junior Michael Arundel’s free grocery delivery for seniors has expanded to a second city.

University of Arkansas

University of Arkansas students have found plenty of ways to join the fight in the Fayetteville community. Doctoral student Jingshu Chen is teaching volunteers how to sew cloth masks, and sophomore Madison Huckaby has been delivering for Meals on Wheels. Meanwhile, graduate student turned staffer Sage McCoy is leading the Full Circle Campus Food Pantry. Then, there’s assistant professor Mahmoud Moradi, who is developing 3D molecular simulations of coronavirus, and thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation, Arkansas researchers will be able to investigate the social and psychological toll of COVID-19.

Auburn University

With food and nutrition top-of-mind for all of us, Auburn University’s College of Agriculture continues to help provide an abundant and safe food supply. But, that’s not all Auburn is supplying though; a group of Auburn engineers is converting CPAP machines into ventilators, and Auburn University Outreach is producing protective face masks. In research, assistant professor Constantinos Kyriakis is investigating new COVID-19 vaccine candidates while chemical engineering doctoral candidate Richard Cullum is helping develop reliable tests.

University of Florida

The University of Florida has been engaged in a range of efforts across the state, including testing for COVID-19 in underserved populations, providing PPEs for healthcare workers and building low-cost ventilators using common parts found in hardware stores. In addition, a group of epidemiology doctoral students was called upon by the Florida Department of Health to help investigate disease spread. And for educators who are adapting to online learning, UF anthropology professor Lance Gravlee provided some helpful advice.

University of Georgia

Researchers at the University of Georgia are working to understand COVID-19 in more ways than one, while students and staff are partnering to offer grassroots support to those in need. The Campus Kitchen has expanded its operations to feed employees at local hospitals, three UGA departments are joining forces to supply face shields for medical professionals and doctoral student Caroline Sharkey is sharing tips for maintaining mental health. Even more, UGA medication experts are separating pharmaceutical fact from fiction.

University of Kentucky

Starting with the heartbeat of the campus community, faculty and staff at the University of Kentucky have been calling to check in on students, and moving to the heartbeat of the region, UK’s football practice facility has been converted into a hospital. Like others in the SEC, the university’s outreach includes providing 3D-printed face shield components, and a group of professors are acquiring facemasks for healthcare workers. Meanwhile, the College of Social Work is supporting adoptive parents.

LSU

With hand sanitizers in short supply, LSU chemistry students and faculty are producing 5,000 gallons of it. Elsewhere on campus, the Pete Maravich Assembly Center is being used for PPE manufacturing, the School of Veterinary Medicine is testing COVID-19 vaccines and engineering professor Brian Wolshon is studying how traffic patterns can act as a barometer for COVID-19 response. And for anyone looking to learn from this pandemic, LSU is hosting a virtual lecture on crisis communication on April 29.

University of Mississippi

Students and faculty at the University of Mississippi have been looking out for each other — see two recent student aid fundraisers: Rebel Relief and Rebel Aid. They’re also looking out for the rest of us with a pair of departments teaming up to manufacture face shield headbands while graduate student Tess Johnson grows fresh produce to help needy families. And since we can all use an uplifting story right now, English professor Chris Offutt wrote one about being quarantined with his dog.

Mississippi State University

Farmers don’t have the option to work virtually, so scientists and agricultural technicians at Mississippi State University remain hands-on in preparing for planting season. In Starkville, faculty, staff and students are active with both the College of Veterinary Medicine and the High Voltage Lab providing ventilators for healthcare professionals. Engineering students Ryden Smith and Wesley Cameron turned the low-cost materials in their toolboxes into a facemask sterilizer. And for those who want to help in a different way, Mississippi State is offering online training focused on youth suicide prevention.

University of Missouri

University of Missouri students and faculty have also been busy. MU Health Care workers are assembling mask-making kits and the College of Education is providing 3D printers to produce face shields. Columbia-area high school students are learning about COVID-19 from researchers funded by the National Science Foundation. And because feeding families is always a top priority, Missouri professors are offering their expertise on issues like the state of the agricultural economy and how to combat and overcome food insecurity.

University of South Carolina

The University of South Carolina has been providing resources for everyone in a series called “COVID-19 Impact,” which has covered topics like understanding the importance of supply chains, the current status of healthcare workers and the impact of COVID-19 on travel and tourism. Meanwhile, South Carolina students are explaining how they stay focused away from campus, and the USC Office of Sustainability is hosting Virtual Green Week April 20–24 to remind us to stay green while staying apart.

University of Tennessee

University of Tennessee students are being taken good care of during the pandemic; in fact, all 29,000 should expect a call from faculty, administrators or staff, requests for financial assistance are being reviewed through the Student Emergency Fund and campus experts have shared tips for staying healthy and motivated during quarantine. Still, services for students with disabilities have continued during the transition to online learning, and nursing professor Patricia Roberson shared advice we can all use: How to sustain healthy, happy relationships during social distancing.

Texas A&M University

Some Texas A&M University students have answered the call to take on COVID-19 from the front lines, including College of Nursing seniors and students in the National Guard. On campus, students and faculty are helping in other ways, such as the engineering medicine researchers who are designing 3D-printed diffusers and workers at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital who are innovating telemedicine for pet care. And if you have questions about treatments for COVID-19, biomedical sciences professor Jayne S. Reuben offers important insights.

Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is using $2.8 million of CARES Act funding to help students in need and consolidating lists of funding agents supporting COVID-19 research. Meanwhile, the chemistry department is producing hand sanitizer, and the IRIS Center in the Peabody College of education is providing virtual instruction expertise for educators around the country. The youngest Vanderbilt learners haven’t been forgotten either as the university’s child and family center creates distance learning opportunities for children in The Acorn School.

True to the Mission was originally published in It Just Means More on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The next time you feel the urge to be cynical or skeptical about intercollegiate athletics, see Greg Sankey. See him on March 12, 2020, in Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on what was supposed to be the second day of the SEC Basketball Tournament.

See the Southeastern Conference commissioner, one of the most thoughtful, rational, composed leaders in the nation, choke up and almost break down.

Why? This was the day sports stopped.

Sankey wanted to convey the weight of the SEC’s difficult but necessary decision to cancel the rest of the tournament, which days later would become an even more consequential call. All regular-season conference and non-conference competitions for the rest of the 2019–2020 academic year also would be canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

No SEC Softball or Baseball Tournament. No football spring games or pro days. Eleven different conference championships in all. Not going to happen.

Sankey found perspective in the memory of the last time one of the SEC’s marquee events was rocked by a force beyond anyone’s imagination or control. He remembered the 2008 Men’s Basketball Tournament, blown off course by a tornado that hit and damaged the Georgia Dome during a game. That extraordinary week saw the event move to Georgia Tech’s on-campus arena. Attendance was restricted. Heavy underdog Georgia won two games in a single day en route to an unlikely and unforgettable title.

Sankey recalled seeing a Georgia player after the nets were cut, walking down a hallway, carrying the championship trophy, saying these words: “This is the best day of my life.”

And then the commissioner choked up. Almost broke down. Didn’t/couldn’t say another word for six painful seconds. It had to be one of the worst days of his life. He was far from alone, and the difficult days were just beginning. At the heart of why he and so many others do what they do is to provide opportunities for young men and women to live their best days.

“I have felt the responsibility to give another team that opportunity,” he said, his voice shaking before regaining command. “But the greater responsibility is the health and the information that’s come about. That’s to say, this is important.”

It’s easy to criticize leaders who have to face crises, imagined and unimagined, not of their making, who then are led to make decisions to no one’s liking. Shutting down an annual celebration like an SEC Tournament involves so much more than losing revenue for the conference, its member institutions and the many outside employees and businesses who truly need the work.

It means robbing young men and women of the chance of a lifetime. Maybe it was the last chance they had to win a championship. Maybe it was the last chance they had to play their sport at all on a competitive level. The NCAA introduced a silver lining, announcing that spring sport athletes may be restored a year of eligibility, but returning may not be feasible for all of them.

Come Sunday, Sankey took to Twitter to provide more perspective on “a circumstance where many things in our world feel uncertain.”

“We take very seriously every decision made related to coronavirus/COVID-19,” he wrote. “We all care about sports, but we care more deeply about the people involved in our sports. For them, I can only imagine the shock, disappointment, anger and frustration that comes from learning your season, your championship, your opportunity to be with your team and your desire to pursue your passion have been disrupted.”

Auburn senior forward Anfernee McLemore captured those feelings in one poignant Instagram post, a picture of him sitting on the basketball floor, staring at the floor, arms hugging his knees. It was a stirring image of distraught disbelief.

No one with an ounce of perspective would suggest that what will be lost by putting a stop to sports is worth the risk of what could be lost if the virus were to spread from an arena crowd into the general population, from players to opponents to grandparents. But if the arena has been your home, your haven for any reason, you understand how much this hurts.

Sports gets us through. You can argue it shouldn’t, but it does, particularly so for everyone who cares about the SEC. It may not matter in the larger scheme of things, but There goes Davis. It isn’t bigger than life, but life is better when you Look at the sugar falling out of the sky!

Until now, and now what? Beyond keeping the faith, holding our families close, socially distancing, washing our hands and praying for wise counsel from our leaders inside and outside the sports world, what now?

Until March 12, 2020, sports was undefeated. You couldn’t stop it. You couldn’t even hope to contain it. And then one of the most thoughtful, rational, composed individuals in the arena sat behind a microphone and almost lost it. Because even though games will be played and memories made again, this time is filled with lost moments that would’ve been among the best days of our lives.

But this time also is filled with messages of hope. The Georgia athletics department released an inspiring video titled “A Greater Mission,” offering common-sense advice to combat the current crisis while reassuring us that “when this is all over, we’ll be here.”

We understand. Sports had to stop. But as soon as it’s safe, sports has to return. Without it, it’s never been more clear that it just means more.

The Day Sports Stopped was originally published in It Just Means More on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Black History Month signifies a celebration of culture, perseverance, and innovation — past and present. This year, we focus on the present as we highlight noteworthy African American leaders from across the SEC who embody the spirit and drive this month represents.

Keep reading to learn more about these trailblazers from all areas of campus and across numerous disciplines.

University of Alabama — Dr. Samory Pruitt, Vice President for Community Affairs

In 2004, the University of Alabama named Dr. Samory Pruitt as its first Vice President for the Division of Community Affairs. A three-time graduate of the university, Dr. Pruitt fully understood the mission of the division — and the space it occupied on campus. Since his appointment, he has worked ceaselessly to support the “transference of resources and leadership from within the walls of academe into the classrooms, church halls and businesses of the community” surrounding the Capstone.

University of Arkansas — Dr. Charles F. Robinson, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

Dr. Charles F. Robinson manages 25 departments and led the recent construction of Adohi Hall — a $79 million sustainable housing project that opened in fall 2019 at the University of Arkansas. A highly accomplished lecturer, his work at Arkansas has earned him the Fulbright College Master Teacher Award and the Arkansas Alumni Distinguished Teacher Award, among others. In addition, he has published three works of nonfiction based on the Southern African American experience.

Auburn University — Dr. Joffery Gaymon, Vice President for Enrollment

Boasting nearly 18 years of higher education administration experience, Dr. Joffery Gaymon leads Auburn University’s campus wide enrollment initiatives, recruitment, admissions, scholarship creation, and the new student orientation experience. Before coming to the Plains, she received a Student Government Association commendation for her work at the University of West Florida. Under her leadership, Auburn has seen an increase in enrolled first time freshmen and in the average high school GPA of those enrolled students.

University of Florida — Dr. Curtis A. Reynolds, Vice President of Business Affairs

Dr. Curtis A. Reynolds has a decade of service under his belt at the University of Florida where he is currently the Vice President of Business Affairs. With more than 25 years of higher education experience in total, Dr. Reynolds is equipped to lead the strategic direction of multiple divisions across UF’s campus, including Campus Planning, Emergency Management, and the Office of Sustainability. He oversees a diversified portfolio of ten departments and sits on the senior cabinet and executive leadership team.

University of Georgia — Dr. Michelle Cook, Vice Provost for Diversity and Strategic Initiatives

For more than 15 years Dr. Michelle Cook has championed the recruitment, retention, and success of underrepresented minority students at the University of Georgia. Her leadership on an NSF-funded Peach State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation grant has helped quadruple the number of STEM degrees conferred to those students at UGA since 2005. Her current focus is helping develop the university’s 2025 strategic plan, as well as other efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

University of Kentucky — Dr. Sonja Feist-Price, Vice President for Institutional Diversity

A former SEC Academic Leadership Development Program fellow, Dr. Sonja Feist-Price describes the work of her office at the University of Kentucky by saying, “As a community where all students matter — we have a responsibility to support them; to provide counsel when they need help; and some gentle direction when they are not sure, exactly, where to turn.” With three psychology degrees (and an additional doctorate in rehabilitation), Dr. Feist-Price is a valuable sounding board for all UK students and staff. When she’s not supporting the implementation of Kentucky’s 2020 strategic plan, she’s maintaining her status as a certified rehabilitation counselor and a licensed professional clinical counselor.

Louisiana State University — Dr. Isiah M. Warner, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives

2016 SEC Professor of the Year Dr. Isiah M. Warner has earned numerous accolades and is considered one of the world’s foremost chemists, having taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in his 35-year career. Dr. Warner has matriculated more than 60 graduate students, and he notably contributes to the graduation of underrepresented populations — particularly women and minorities — in the sciences. In fact, during his tenure, LSU has become the top producer of women and African American chemistry Ph.D. graduates in the nation.

University of Mississippi — Erica McKinley, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel

Upon graduating from the University of Mississippi School of Law, Erica McKinley’s legal prowess led her to commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense. After working for the Office of the Attorney General, two Washington, D.C. area law firms, and the National Basketball Players Association, McKinley brought her talent back to Oxford to oversee legal affairs at the University of Mississippi. In this role, she leads risk management and the Office of the General Counsel, while also providing guidance on university policy and legislation.

Mississippi State University — Ra’Sheda Forbes, Assistant Vice President of Multicultural Affairs

Ra’Sheda Forbes, the Assistant Vice President of Multicultural Affairs at Mississippi State University, is responsible for developing strategies and programs that actively promote inclusivity at Mississippi State. A two-time MSU graduate, she uses her background to identify campus climate trends and to create proactive inclusivity in Starkville and beyond. As Director of the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, Forbes is also an advisor and mentor for various multicultural organizations and committees.

University of Missouri — Dr. Brian Brown, Executive Associate Athletics Director

With more than nine years of experience at the University of Missouri, Dr. Brian Brown has touched almost every corner of Mizzou athletics. A graduate assistant turned compliance coordinator; Dr. Brown parlayed his student-athlete experience into a career. Currently he leads Missouri’s integrated healthcare student-athlete service units, and he serves as the sport administrator for multiple teams. Dr. Brown earned his Master of Public Administration and doctorate from the University of Missouri — and the institution has become a family affair. His wife, Natasha, is the Associate Head Track and Field Coach; and his daughter, Elle, is a Mizzou women’s basketball student-athlete.

University of South Carolina — Dr. Valinda Littlefield, Associate Professor of History and SEC Faculty Athletics Representative

Dr. Valinda Littlefield is using her passion for education, community service, and leadership development to improve campus structure, community engagement, and service-learning opportunities across multiple offices at the University of South Carolina. As the university’s Faculty Athletics Representative, Dr. Littlefield “provides oversight of the academic integrity of the athletics program and serves as an advocate for student-athlete well-being.” In addition, she has worked on several local and national committees, including a renovation committee for the National Civil Rights Museum.

University of Tennessee — Dr. Shea Kidd Houze, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students

With oversight of eight units in the Department of Student Life at the University of Tennessee, Dr. Shea Kidd Houze is leveraging more than ten years of higher education experience. Her work as Assistant Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students engages students and staff in meaningful conversations designed to cultivate “compassionate care, mattering and belonging, and leadership and service.” In addition to her administrative duties, Dr. Kidd Houze also serves as a faculty member for the Orientation Professional Institute and as a co-lead facilitator for the LeaderShape Institute.

Texas A&M University — Dr. Eli Jones, Dean of Mays Business School

As a Texas A&M University graduate, a former sales representative for three different Fortune 100 companies, and the co-author of two textbooks, Dr. Eli Jones is ushering in a new wave of business students. As Dean of the Mays Business School, he is responsible for an $83 million budget and has supported efforts to create new positions and secure funding for graduate student scholarships. Under his leadership, the business school secured $25 million from one donor — the largest single gift in its history. Dr. Jones is also known as an outstanding lecturer, having presented worldwide in Belgium, China, France, India, Malaysia, and the U.K.

Vanderbilt University — Dr. Candice Storey Lee, Interim Vice Chancellor for Athletics

After recently being named to Sports Business Journal‘s “Power Players: College Sports” list, Dr. Candice Storey Lee is the first woman and first African American woman to lead an SEC athletics department. As Vanderbilt University’s Interim Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Interim Athletics Director, she oversees the day-to-day operations of the department. A three-time Vanderbilt graduate and former women’s basketball student-athlete, Dr. Lee served as captain won four letters as a Commodore.

We’re honored to highlight a few SEC administrators making a mark. We look to the future with optimism that their impact and influence will extend beyond February 29th.

Celebrating Black History Month with Today’s SEC Leaders was originally published in It Just Means More on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

SEC award champions pioneering research and teaching

The Southeastern Conference may garner most of its attention for achievements in the sports arena, but like most academic entities, the SEC is built on a strong foundation of teaching and research. The SEC Faculty Achievement Awards highlight this strength by identifying individuals from all 14 SEC universities who have excelled in teaching and research, particularly at the undergraduate level.

Tenured faculty are eligible for the honor, with one winner per campus chosen by the SEC’s provosts. From the winner pool an SEC Professor of the Year is selected, receiving a $15,000 honorarium to go along with a $5,000 honorarium gained through the initial selection.

This year’s awards highlight the breadth and depth of the SEC’s innovative research, ranging from gravitational waves to catfish genetics to the study of aging. Furthermore, SEC officials say the awards also demonstrate that not all conference honors are sports related.

The SEC has a history of supporting faculty who earn top academic prizes, including a 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to University of Missouri Professor Emeritus Dr. George P. Smith. According to SEC Associate Commissioner for Academic Relations Dr. Torie A. Johnson, many in higher education are unaware of the conference’s academic successes and pioneering efforts that reflect a mission of teaching, research, and service. And so each year, she says, the faculty achievement awards fulfill the dual purpose of celebrating research milestones and showcasing the collective impact the conference has locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

“We believe the SEC is the only athletic conference recognizing and supporting its faculty’s work in this way, unrelated to intercollegiate athletics,” she says. “Students see that these are the individuals they will have the opportunity to interact with when they study in the Southeastern Conference.”

A history of landmark research

Dr. Gabriela González, a professor of physics and astronomy at Louisiana State University, is one of the SEC’s approximately 14,000 full-time, tenured faculty. Named in April as the 2019 SEC Professor of the Year, Dr. González previously served as a global spokesperson for the group of researchers who detected gravitational waves at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO.

LIGO has two installations — one in Hanford, Washington, and the other in Livingston, Louisiana — that operate together as a single observatory. Dr. González’s landmark research focuses on LIGO instrument development and diagnostics, two critical elements in increasing the astrophysical reach of data-analysis methods. In 2016, she stood on the podium to announce that gravitational waves — or ripples in space and time — had been discovered at the LIGO observatories. She was also in Stockholm the following year when three fellow LIGO leaders were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics after proving century-old predictions made by Albert Einstein.

According to the Argentina native, receiving the highest SEC faculty honor is a humbling experience, one she says she’s proud to share with Dr. Isiah Warner, an LSU chemistry professor and 2016 SEC Professor of the Year. As for her research, Dr. González helped put together the LIGO observatory in Louisiana, concentrating on improving the instrument as well as enhancing the laser interferometer’s ability to detect gravitational waves and properly evaluate data.

“It’s been a great bonanza for science; we have learned so much,” says Dr. González. “We are now beginning to design new facilities and new instruments.”

During her career, Dr. González has mentored doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows, while also orchestrating an outreach initiative for K-12 students in the Baton Rouge area that has so far raised $1 million. Support from LSU — and the SEC as whole — has made it all possible, with the SEC award further promoting foundational educational programming conference-wide.

“The award shows that teaching and research are the core of universities,” Dr. González says. “People sometimes don’t realize that universities with good sports also have very cutting-edge research.”

Pursuing knowledge conference wide

Dr. Rex Dunham, a professor at Auburn University’s School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, feels a sense of belonging with the 13 other individuals who received one of this year’s SEC Faculty Achievement Awards.

“It’s hard to put into words, but it’s gratifying that my peers consider my research as being important, impactful, and worthy of recognition,” says Dr. Dunham. “When I look around at the accomplishments of the winners at other universities, it’s truly amazing.”

Dr. Dunham is internationally known for his exploration into catfish genetics, focusing on better food production, increased yield, and positively impacting nutritional quality for consumers. A member of Auburn’s faculty since 1981, Dr. Dunham’s work has led to channel catfish — North America’s most numerous catfish species — becoming the majority hybrid catfish industry.

“Having an impact on farmers is one of the most satisfying aspects of my career,” Dr. Dunham says. “Part of the program is a process called xenogenesis, where we’re working with stem-cell technology to make it easier to produce hybrids. It’s extremely satisfying to have a role in impacting food security.”

Ultimately, Dr. Dunham views the SEC award as a product of the advanced knowledge generated by all SEC universities.

“Nobody has a significant accomplishment without help from others,” he says. “We do have a lot to be proud of. The important thing is to keep striving to improve.”

Back at the SEC, Dr. Johnson says acknowledging the important research and lifelong opportunities that occur around the league aligns with SEC’s “It Just Means More” campaign, which emphasizes achievements both on and off the field. For instance, fans tuning into the SEC Network for a sporting event may see a bottom screen ticker announcing the latest SEC Professor of the Year.

Achievements in sports might make the highlights on ESPN, but SEC administrators are equally thrilled about the next generation of scientists emerging from its high-impact classrooms and labs.

“It shows the importance of research at our universities and the caliber of our faculty members,” says Dr. Johnson. “We get to recognize 14 people a year, but those are in no way the only ones who are deserving. Our students are fortunate to access our professors in their pursuits.”

‘It Just Means More’: SEC award champions pioneering research and teaching was originally published in It Just Means More on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

For the first time in conference history, all member institutions have been designated by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education as doctoral universities holding the highest level of research activity.

The 14 member universities of the Southeastern Conference possess large and varied research portfolios comprising agricultural advances, medical discoveries, and technological breakthroughs. Though diverse, these wide-ranging accomplishments have placed the league under one very important, research-themed banner, SEC officials say.

For the first time in conference history, all member institutions have been designated by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education as doctoral universities holding the highest level of research activity. Announced in December, the “Very High” classification — formerly known as Research 1 or R1 — includes less than three percent of educational institutions in the United States. According to an SEC press release, the SEC is one of only four NCAA conferences with every member in the top category.

“Achieving the ‘Very High’ research status from a respected academic organization acknowledges decades of important work happening within the SEC,” says Associate Commissioner for Academic Relations Dr. Torie A. Johnson. “It is gratifying to us as conference administrators to be able to highlight what is taking place on our campuses.”

In the past, SEC faculty and students alike have earned numerous awards and honors for their research, whether for studying penguin nests in Antarctica or for creating 3D-printed prosthetics for children with missing limbs.

Spanning the gamut of research

Combined, SEC universities’ research and development investments total nearly $5 billion, with an approximate outward economic impact of $65 billion. Outcomes considered in the $65 billion figure include employment and entrepreneurship opportunities as well as technologies from SEC labs entering the marketplace.

“The message being sent is that discovery and innovation are at the forefront in the SEC,” Johnson says. “Leaders at all of our institutions know scholarship is important and something in which the institution is going to invest.”

SEC researchers are focused on practical, interdisciplinary study in critical areas like cybersecurity, one of the greatest economic and security challenges facing the country today. Additionally, SEC schools are spearheading important, and in some cases, cross-collaborative research into the nation’s water resources, looking into issues like land growth and erosion along the Mississippi River. A recent PBS “Nature” episode featured conference-led research on butterfly evolution and migration.

“Our work really does span the gamut,” says Johnson. “There’s a little bit of everything when you consider all 14 institutions together.”

Dr. Harris Pastides, President of the University of South Carolina and the SEC, notes that conference scientists are not only engaging in scientific research that has long-term applications but also work that has tangible, everyday benefits.

“We’re doing basic science, but we also do practical research that makes the world we live in a better place,” Pastides says. “Our work is relevant in making the world more innovative, creative, and prosperous.”

Since 2013, the SEC has supported several research-focused endeavors aimed at faculty, students, and administrators. For example, intra-conference teamwork is the goal of a travel program sending faculty to neighboring SEC campuses to conduct research, develop grant proposals, present lectures, and deliver performances. More than 100 faculty will make a trek this year to study music, engineering, anthropology, law, medicine, and African American studies, among other areas of interest.

When planning the travel program, the SEC provosts made certain to allow for performing arts and other research areas beyond the STEM fields, notes Johnson. A music-related venture, for instance, may involve a cellist studying his or her craft with an SEC colleague and then playing before a new audience at the colleague’s university.

Among the conference’s past initiatives is the SEC Symposium, designed to address significant scholarly issues by harnessing the disciplinary strengths of member universities. Previous programs invited both SEC researchers and outside faculty to discuss and present research in the areas of obesity prevention and renewable energy.

Spreading the good word

The Carnegie Commission on Higher Education established its classification in 1970 to support research and policy analysis, publishing its first official findings in 1973. Believed to be the country’s most comprehensive educational institution review, the commission takes into account the number of doctoral graduates and research expenditures a university produces. By garnering a “Very High” designation at each of its member universities, the SEC joins the Ivy League, Pac-12, and Big Ten as the only other NCAA conference to enjoy this achievement.

Many of the SEC schools had previously been designated as “Very High Research Activity” prior to the most recent Carnegie announcement. However, the new, all-inclusive status has special meaning for a conference where loyalty runs deep.

“Once everyone earned their stripes, it was an opportunity to tell the world that as a group, we are peer to some of the country’s great research universities,” says Pastides. “It’s a chance to tell others what we already knew. For faculty, it gives them a great source of confidence that they are working at institutions akin to the best in the country. It may not be a revolutionary announcement, but it’s an important one.”

From a communications standpoint, the Carnegie Commission nod also dovetails with the SEC’s “It Just Means More” campaign, further boosting image enhancement efforts that already promote league academic accomplishments on a regional, national, and international level, says Johnson.

“There is a segment of the population that believes the SEC and its institutions are only about sports, especially football,” she says. “We challenge ourselves daily to try and alter that viewpoint by helping people see there’s more happening here than our championship-caliber athletic programs. We want to spotlight and support our championship-caliber research accomplishments as well.”

Prospective students with technical interests may be more likely to visit an SEC campus in response to the commission’s acknowledgement, Johnson says. The designation could also draw notice from the National Science Foundation and additional grant-funding agencies seeking to support proposals from top scientists and engineers.

Considering the goals of any university are to teach, conduct research, and serve the wider world, the benefits of the commission’s backing are limitless, says Pastides.

“The 14 members of the SEC have embraced this trifold mission with gusto and great zeal in recent years,” he says. “It is not a surprise to see our efforts, particularly in research, being acknowledged nationally by the Carnegie Commission.”

SEC universities all receive highest research designation from top commission was originally published in It Just Means More on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.