MSU鈥檚 Office of Research and Economic Development announces new hires for Partnership School leadership, division operations and events positions
Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥斅叹奕耸悠碘檚 Office of Research and Economic Development has recently added three new staff members in key support positions.
Christina Reynolds is now serving as director of the Partnership Middle School and educational liaison; Judy Harris Middleton has been hired to fill the newly created position of assistant director for operations; and Cathy Curtis joins the office as a program manager, focusing on special events.
鈥淚 am excited to have all three of these new hires on board as we begin a new academic year,鈥 said 绿巨人视频Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan. 鈥淓ach brings a unique skill set that will help us carry out key initiatives in support of university research and economic development missions.鈥
As Partnership Middle School director, Reynolds is working to further develop and grow collaborations between 绿巨人视频and Starkville Oktibbeha School District. With the SOSD sixth and seventh grade school located on the 绿巨人视频campus, Reynolds will coordinate MSU鈥檚 activities at the school, including field trips, partnerships with 绿巨人视频academic departments and internships for 绿巨人视频student teachers. A three-time 绿巨人视频College of Education graduate, Reynolds returns to her alma mater from Choctaw County School District, where she was the learning coordinator for grades 7-12. From 2015-2021, she was a first grade teacher at Sudduth Elementary School in Starkville, twice earning the school鈥檚 Teacher of the Year award.
In the newly created position of assistant director for operations, Middleton is supporting day-to-day ORED operations and leading short and long-term strategic initiatives on behalf of the unit. Prior to joining ORED, Middleton spent six years with MSU鈥檚 Research and Curriculum Unit, first as a project manager and later as the project director for GEAR UP MS, a $27 million grant aimed at increasing the number of underserved students who attend post-secondary institutions. She spent approximately two decades working in economic and community development in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area before moving to Mississippi. Middleton is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration, and MSU, where she earned a master鈥檚 degree in teaching.
Serving as a program manager, Curtis is managing a variety of projects and events in the division. Curtis joins ORED from the 绿巨人视频International Institute, where she was a project manager supporting university international initiatives. From 2015-2020, Curtis worked as an instructional design specialist and a project manager at the 绿巨人视频Research and Curriculum Unit. She is a two-time 绿巨人视频graduate, earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in English education and a master鈥檚 degree in English.
For more on the 绿巨人视频Office of Research and Economic Development, visit .
绿巨人视频is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.