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Missouri State alumna, plant and soil expert, named dean of Darr College of Agriculture

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Missouri State alumna, plant and soil expert, named dean of Darr College of Agriculture


At the May meeting of Missouri State University’s Board of Governors, Melissa Bledsoe was officially announced as the dean of the Darr College of Agriculture.

She’d been serving as the interim for more than a year.

Provost John Jasinski made the introduction, noting many of Bledsoe’s accomplishments.

“Melissa has been recognized in the state of Missouri, nationally and internationally, for her work,” he told the MSU board at the May 9 meeting. “She’s had great mentors, lots of external partnerships with the Missouri Department of Agriculture — working with Silver Dollar City right now, Convoy of Hope — continues to teach and mentor and guide.”

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Jasinski pointed out that the expert in plant physiology and nutrition had obtained several grants and presented research nationally and internationally.

Bledsoe earned a bachelor’s degree in horticulture and a master’s degree in plant science from Missouri State and then a doctorate in plant, insect and microbial sciences from the University of Missouri.

After working at MU’s division of plant sciences from 2010-13, she was hired as an assistant professor at Missouri State and then promoted to an associate professor.

Bledsoe is currently an endowed professor through the Clif and Gail Smart Professor in Agriculture award. She was also named the interim dean in 2023.

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“Dr. Bledsoe is the right choice to lead the Darr College of Agriculture as it continues to evolve, offering unique ‘farm-to-fork’ curriculum and learning experiences,” Jasinski said in a news release announcing Bledsoe was the permanent dean, starting May 1.

“Her student-focused, team-oriented and results-driven approach — combined with her understanding of changing internal needs and external expectations — will serve the college well for years to come.”

More: New pact outlines roles, responsibilities of Missouri State and MSU Foundation

The structure of the Darr College of Agriculture changed as part of the university’s recent academic realignment, taking hospitality leadership under its umbrella.

“The momentum of the Darr College of Agriculture is fueled by many opportunities on the horizon. I look forward to working with colleagues and the ag community to develop our programs to support the agriculture industry,” said Bledsoe, in the release. “It’s all for our students to learn, grow, and lead the future of agriculture.”

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Missouri

Racist texts about ‘picking cotton’ sent to Black students nationwide, including Missouri • Missouri Independent

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Racist texts about ‘picking cotton’ sent to Black students nationwide, including Missouri • Missouri Independent


Racist text messages received this week primarily by Black students nationwide — including in Missouri — are under investigation by federal authorities.

The FBI said in a statement issued Thursday it “is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter.”

Locally, groups have condemned the attacks, and college campuses are looking into the source of the messages.

The texts, which tell recipients they were “selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation,” have been posted on forums online as far back as Wednesday afternoon. Students have reported receiving the texts at several universities around the state. 

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Thursday morning, the 17-year-old son of St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones received the viral message, which the mayor’s father posted online.

Nimrod Chapel Jr., president of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, called for law enforcement and schools to take action.

“This is terrorism plain and simple. It points to a well-organized and resourced group that has decided to target Americans on our home soil based on the color of our skin,” he said in a statement after Missouri State University students reported receiving the texts. “The schools that were targeted and law enforcement need to take these reports seriously and act quickly to prevent the escalation to physical violence.”

The University of Missouri-Columbia is also aware of students on its campus receiving the messages.

“​​We are actively investigating the matter and working to identify the source of these messages,” said Christopher Ave, the university’s spokesman. “We are also aware that similar texts have been reported at universities nationwide. Based on the information currently available, there is no indication of a credible threat to the safety of members of the MU community.” 

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Attorneys general in other states, such as Louisiana and North Carolina, have launched state investigations. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has not spoken publicly about the issue.



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University of Missouri investigating reports of racist text messages

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University of Missouri investigating reports of racist text messages


COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri says it has received reports from individuals receiving text messages containing racially disparaging language that have been sent to Black people nationwide.

These text messages circulating around the country have been sent anonymously to black men, women and children as young as middle school following the presidential election.

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The messages generally used a similar tone but varied in wording. Some instructed the recipient to show up at an address at a particular time “with your belongings,” while others didn’t include a location. Some of them mentioned the incoming presidential administration.

MU provided a statement Thursday stating that it is actively investigating the matter and working to identify the source of these messages. “We are also aware that similar texts have been reported at universities nationwide,” said Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs Christopher Ave. “Based on the information currently available, there is no indication of a credible threat to the safety of members of the MU community.  

Missouri NAACP President Nimrod Chapel said Black students who are members of the organization’s Missouri State University chapter received texts citing Trump’s win and calling them out by name as being “selected to pick cotton” next Tuesday. Chapel said police in the southeastern Missouri city of Springfield, home of the university, have been notified.

“It points to a well-organized and resourced group that has decided to target Americans on our home soil based on the color of our skin,” Chapel said in a statement.

The FBI is investigating these nationwide text messages.

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Missouri women beat Southern, 66-51

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Missouri women beat Southern, 66-51


Missouri women beat Southern, 66-51

The Missouri Tigers have had 15 chances to win a home opener in head coach Robin Pingeton’s tenure in Columbia.

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Thursday night, they won No. 15.

The Tigers beat the Southern Jaguars 66-51 at Mizzou Arena in a matchup where the Tigers had a lot of things to clean up.

“Not where we want to be yet, we’re not supposed to be there yet in November,” Pingeton said. “… Still trying to figure out rotations, lineups. Looking at a lot of different things. I think one of our strengths is our depth, but how do we utilize that in a way that is going to be most advantageous for our team?”

Missouri committed 20 turnovers after piling up 26 in their season-opening matchup at Vermont.

They improved the four assists they had in Game 1 to 15, but still struggled with falling out of rhythm after the first quarter.

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“Ball security is going to be something that keeps me up at night,” Pingeton said. “It did the past week and it will continue to do so until we get that figured out.”

The Tigers came out of the gate strong, led by junior Ashton Judd with a second-chance layup on the game’s first possession.

It was the first of Judd’s 13 points and six rebounds to go with four steals, three assists and a block.

“She’s one of our hardest workers,” Pingeton said of Judd. “… She’s worked really, really hard in the offseason and I think she’s really trying to step up as a leader for us.”

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Missouri would hold the lead Judd gave it through the rest of the game, though Southern never fell too far back.

Two Judd free throws made it 9-4 Tigers with 6:04 left in the first quarter, then neither team scored for two minutes before Grace Slaughter hit two free throws to make it 11-4 with 3:57 left.

Slaughter ended with a team-high 15 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor, 2-of-3 from 3 and 5-of-8 from the free-throw line.

It was the second time in two opportunities Slaughter led the team in scoring after putting up 16 points against Vermont.

Laniah Randle then grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a putback layup, the first of her double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.

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“She’s got a chance to be a really explosive player for us, I think she can impact the game and elevate,” Pingeton said of Randle.

Randle (20), Slaughter (17) and Judd (17) all had a plus-minus greater than the final margin.

“Our team pushes each other a lot and we’re really aggressive,” Randle said.

Missouri continued its run through the end of the first quarter, taking the lead from 7-4 with 6:35 left to 21-4 at the break, ending with an Abbey Schreacke left-corner 3 at the buzzer.

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Southern missed its final 11 shots of the first quarter.

It got started quicker in the second, though.

The Jaguars quickly cut the lead to 24-16 after Aniya Gourdine hit a fast-break layup, then got back to an eight-point deficit when D’shantae Edwards hit a 3 with 4:26 left before halftime.

Judd responded with a 3 to recreate a double-digit lead, but Tionna Lidge hit a jumper at the buzzer to cut it back to single digits, sending the game into halftime with the Tigers leading 31-22.

Missouri’s offense got working again in the third quarter, never allowing Southern to get back within 10 points after a Slaughter 3 made it 39-27 with 5:40 left.

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That started a 12-0 run for the Tigers, ending with two Nyah Wilson free throws to make it 48-27 with 2:05 left before the final break.

Southern cut the lead back to 15, but Schreacke hit her second buzzer-beating 3 to send the Tigers into the fourth quarter up 51-33.

Missouri hovered between a 15- and 20-point lead throughout the fourth quarter, but Southern did cut the game as close as 13 at two points with 3:27 and 2:57 left to play.

Missouri shot 23-of-50 (46 percent) overall, 8-of-24 (33.33 percent) from 3 and 12-of-21 (57 percent) at the free throw line. The Jaguars made 19-of-53 (36 percent) from the field, 4-of-15 (27 percent) from 3 and 9-of-22 (41 percent) at the line.

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The Tigers outrebounded the Jaguars 41-30, led 13-1 in second-chance points and 16-5 in bench points.

Missouri (1-1) will play the middle of a three-game homestand when it hosts Norfolk State at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Head on over to the Tiger Walk to discuss this game and so much more.



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