Meet Our Faculty & Staff

Linda Mitchell

Director of Academic Services
Professor of Communication

HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS

• Highly self-motivated
• Successful history in leadership, management, and effective communication
• Classroom, distance education, and administrative experience
• Experience in strategic planning and implementation

TITLE

• Mississippi State University Extension Professor
• Department Head, Center for 4-H Youth Development
• Regional Extension Coordinator, Northeast Region, Mississippi State University
• National 4-H Liaison for the United States Congressional Award Program
• National Program Chair, United States Congressional Award Program

EDUCATION

• Ph.D. in Education with Technology and Communication focus with Minor in Ag and Extension Education: 2005 – Mississippi State University
• MFA in Creative Writing: 2014 – Spalding University, Louisville, Kentucky; Studied abroad in Prague and Berlin
• M.S. in Computer Technology with Distance Education as a Focus: 1999 – Mississippi State University
• B.S. Vocational Home Economics, Nutrition, and Education: 1975 – Mississippi State University

EXPERIENCE

• Department Head, Center for 4-H Youth Development, 2021- current
4-H is the Youth Development Program for all Land Grant Universities. Administrative, managerial, and programmatic responsibilities including oversight of personnel, budget and travel, professional development, and promotion as well as employee performance evaluation. Event planning and donor relations. Curriculum development and implementation. Grant writing, implementation, and management. Educational instruction responsibilities for adults and youth.
• Regional Extension Coordinator, Northeast Region for 22 counties in North MS, 2015-current
Administrative and managerial responsibilities including oversight of personnel, budget and travel, professional development, and promotion as well as agent performance evaluation and plan of work guidance. Networking and conflict resolution responsibilities. Educational instruction responsibilities for adults and youth.
• State 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Mississippi State University, 2006-2015
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) focus. Nutrition, Expressive Arts, and Communication responsibilities. Grant writing and management responsibilities. Curriculum development and implementation responsibilities with evaluation requirement. Educational instruction responsibilities for adults and youth.
• Program-Chair for the United States Congressional Award National Board of Directors, 2005-current
National donor and stakeholder relations, event planning and implementation, Program design for youth working toward Congressional Award. Serve as a panelist for STEM and Leadership education.
• National 4-H Partnership Liaison for the United States Congressional Award National Board of Directors, 2019-current.
Networking and donor relations responsibilities. Serve as a panelist for STEM and Leadership education. Serve on Speakers Bureau.
• Appointed to the Board of Directors in 2000 by Majority Leader as Program-Chair of the National Board of Directors for the only youth award signed into law and presented by the United States Congress, interaction with elected officials from across the nation. Having served on this board since being appointed in 2000 by then Majority Leader, Senator Trent Lott, I work as a team member of a bipartisan program. Donor relations, fundraising, and networking responsibilities. Serve on Speakers Bureau.
• State 4-H, Youth Development Specialist 2006 – 2015 with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) focus. Expressive Arts and Communication Responsibilities. Grant writing, implementation, and management responsibilities. Northeast District Director, Mississippi State University Extension Service, 2002-2006. Administrative and managerial responsibilities including oversight of personnel and budget. Worked with County Boards of Supervisors, commodity organizations, and District Extension Director Team.
• Family and Youth Center Specialist: Mississippi State University Extension Service, 2000-2003. Administrative responsibilities including oversight of personnel and budget. Worked with agents to create and implement a plan of work based on identified needs and then marketed and evaluated that programming.
• 4-H Agent/Home Economist – Union County, 1994-2000
Provided educational instruction in a variety of settings and on a variety of topics including but not limited to ServSafe, business etiquette, communication, social media, Dealing with Difficult People, Nutrition, Leadership,
• Public School Teacher: 1983-1994, Pontotoc Elementary, Pontotoc High School, Nutrition, Ashland High School, Home Economics, English Literature, Communication.
• Consumer Educator MS – Litton Microwave, 1978-1983
Responsibilities included testing recipes, implementing, and hosting a cooking show, publishing an annual cookbook, event planning.

CERTIFICATIONS

• AFPA Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant
• ServSafe Instructor

AWARDS

• NAE-4HA Distinguished Service Award, 2008
• Epsilon Sigma Phi Visionary Leadership, 2006
• State President Epsilon Sigma Phi, 2003
• Mississippi Outstanding Grant Writer, 2010
• Outstanding Presenter, Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, 2003, 2006

GRANT WRITING

• Served as Principal Investigator on a variety of grants and understand the importance of competency in fiscal, budgetary, and other related matters.
• Work in tandem with Sponsored Programs office.
• PI for grants including Toyota, Outfitters, OJJDP, AARP, Tech Wizards, Mississippi Arts Commission, and TransCanada.

TRAINING and PROGRAMING Recognition

• Mississippi State University Extension Leadership Academy Graduate
• Southern Women in Business Leadership Academy.
• In-service Trainer and Facilitator for public school teachers: Staff -development trainer and facilitator for teachers and other employees requiring CEU credits.
• Expressive Arts and Communication Academy
• Directed hands-on experience with creative writing, filmmaking, drama, music, and design. Director for 4-H Southern Sounds, teen expressive arts group who performed numerous times for audiences in Washington, D.C. and NYC, military bases, and schools and festivals across MS.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

• Member New Albany Hillcrest Baptist Church

Christian Drama…writer, director, performer
Choir Member
Women’s ministry
Speaker for Women’s Christian events
Volunteer where, when, and how I am needed

• Accepted Jesus as my Savior at the age of 12 at First Baptist Church in Pontotoc, MS, and was baptized in His name.
• I believe the mission field is wherever I am and with whomever I am in contact.