Beginning November 1, Darrell Sparks will step into acting leadership roles at Mississippi State University (MSU)’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and its associated experiment station. This change in leadership occurs as Scott T. Willard — currently serving as dean and director — transitions to serve as interim vice president for research and economic development at the university.
Proven Leadership Experience
Since 2022, Sparks has served as associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Prior to that, he held several key leadership positions at MSU: associate and interim state chemist, director of the Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory, and faculty member in the Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion.
Willard praised Sparks as “a proven leader and talented administrator,” expressing confidence that Sparks is well-equipped to lead the college and experiment station in collaboration with the university’s leadership team while Willard assumes his new interim role.
Academic Credentials and Commitment
A two-time MSU alum, Sparks earned both his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering from the university. Reflecting on his upcoming responsibilities, he said:
“I’m excited to take on these new responsibilities for my alma mater. Our college prepares students to become leaders in agriculture and life sciences and our faculty members conduct research that advances agricultural productivity and innovation. We also lead in research in life sciences that improves health, well-being and quality of life for Mississippians. I look forward to continuing to support these outstanding programs from this new vantage point.”
About the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences + the Experiment Station
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences — one of MSU’s founding colleges — offers 17 undergraduate majors with 51 concentrations in agriculture, pre-health and related fields, as well as 18 graduate majors featuring 41 concentrations.
The Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) operates 16 branch stations across the state and hosts numerous on-campus facilities including the MAFES Sales Store, the Custer Dairy Processing Plant, the R. R. Foil Plant Science Research Center and the H. H. Levick Animal Research Center. MAFES research focuses on improving producer profitability, conserving natural resources and enhancing health and well-being for citizens of Mississippi.
