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Celebrating 120 Years

CALS 120 Years

Innovation meets tradition. For 120 years, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Mississippi State University has trained the agricultural leaders of tomorrow. While the agricultural landscape has changed exponentially in the last 12 decades, CALS remains at the forefront of innovation, technology transfer, and world-class applicable research that translates to better productivity and profits for our farmers.

As we train tomorrow’s leaders in precision and autonomous agriculture to feed, clothe, shelter, and fuel a growing global population, we stand upon the rich roots of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Mississippi State University. These roots have nurtured the fertile ground upon which today’s agricultural innovation, technology, and research are planted. See some of the major events that have occurred over the last 12 decades.

1800s - early 1900s

1878
Mississippi A&M College established
1880
Frank A. Gulley, first professor of agriculture and horticulture, hired
1882
Department of Horticulture established
1901
Department of Rural Engineering established
1903
School of Agriculture founded
W.L. Hutchinson, Dean
1904
Department of Dairy Husbandry established
1907
Department of Animal Husbandry established
1910
Department of Rural Engineering renamed
Department of Agricultural Engineering
1912
J.C. Roberts, acting Dean
1913
Department of Markets and Rural Economics established, later renamed Department of Agricultural Economics
1925
James N. Lipscomb, Dean
1931
Lloyd-Rick building constructed
1932
Department of Agronomy, Crops Division established
J.R. Ricks, Dean;
Name changed to Mississippi State College
1935
Department of Agronomy, Soils division established
1936
Department of Agricultural Administration established
1939
E.B. Colmer, Dean;
Bedenbaugh Hall constructed

Mid - 1900s

1945
Department of Poultry Husbandry established
1947
Frank Welch, Dean;
Moore Hall constructed
1949
Department of Agricultural Forestry established
1951
Clay Lyle, Dean
1954
School of Forestry established and moved out of College of Agriculture and Home Economics
1958
Name changed to Mississippi State University
1961
Louis Wise, Dean
1962
Department of Entomology established;
Ballew Hall constructed
1965
Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Science established;
Dorman Hall constructed
1966
Norman Merwine, Dean;
Hill Poultry building constructed
1967
James H. Anderson, Dean;
Department of Agriculutural Engineering renamed Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
1968
Department of Landscape Architecture established
1969
Department of Agricultural Chemistry renamed Department of Biochemistry
1970
Charles E. Lindley, Dean;
Herzer Dairy Science building constructed
1971
Clay Lyle building constructed
1974
Ammerman-Heransberger Pilot Plant constructed
1989
William Fox, Dean

Present - Day

1990
College of Agriculture and Home Economics becomes College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
School of Human Sciences established;
Department of Animal Industries established;
Department of Food Science and Technology established
1993
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences established;
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology established
1997
Department of Biuochemistry renamed to Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
1998
Dorman Greenhouse constructed
2000
J. Charles Lee, Dean
2001
Garrison Sensory Evaluation Lab constructed
2002
Vance Watson, Dean
2003
Landscape Architecture complex constructed
2007
J. Charles Lee Agricultural and Biological Engineering building constructed
2008
Melissa Mixon, Dean
2010
George M. Hopper, Dean;
Lloyd-Ricks Watson renamed Lloyd-Ricks-Watson building;
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology renamed to Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology
2018
Meat Science and Muscle Biology Laboratory constructed
2019
Animal and Dairy Sciences building constructed
2020
Poultry Science building constructed
2020
Scott Willard, Dean

Help us continue to excel in training tomorrow’s leaders with your gift to the 120-year fund. Funds donated will be used to further enhance student, faculty, and staff development. Click the link below and search for the CALS 120-year Excellence Fund to make your gift today.

Contact Will Staggers at 662.325.2837, wstaggers@foundation.msstate.edu, or Lacey Gordon at 662.325.6312, lgordon@foundation.msstate.edu, for additional assistance.