Reid Stevens
When he reflects on three years as an Ļć½¶Ö±²„student, Reid Stevens is as ācool, calm and collectedā as two mentors who have made his experience especially memorable.
āIāve been a student worker in President Keenumās office since freshman year, and itās fun because the work we do varies every day,ā Stevens said of the universityās chief executive whom he got to know as a member of First Baptist Church in Starkville.
A Starkville Academy graduate, Stevens said he also āowes a big thanksā to Instructor of Philosophy and Religion Albert Bisson, whose example inspired him to pursue a different academic and career path than he originally intended.
āI was a business major and interested in taking the communication route when I first started at MSU, but I became really interested in religion when I saw the classes listed in the universityās master class schedule. I felt the Lord was calling me there,ā he said. āI enrolled in Mr. Bissonās Judeo-Christian Ethics course, and that class really got my gears going about pursuing a degree in religion. Heās very smooth and laid back, and the way he teaches gave me a desire to learn the material.ā
With encouragement from his academic adviser, Stevens ultimately became a philosophy major with a concentration in religion. Now a junior, he plans to graduate a semester early and is considering options to attend seminary for graduate school.
āThe mental framework that Iām getting from my religion classes at Ļć½¶Ö±²„has been great, and my work in Dr. Keenumās office, involvement in Sigma Chi Fraternity and service as an intern for the college pastor at First Baptist have given me the āpeopleā aspect thatās important in ministry,ā Stevens said. āIām seeing how the academic material is relatable to peopleās lives. Loving people and building relationships will help me be effective.ā