Mississippi State MFA in Historic Preservation

05/12/2026

Celebrate Preservation Month with us and the this May!

As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we’re looking to the places that bring its most powerful promise to life, that “all people are created equal,” and to the people making sure those places endure. We want to hear about historic sites that tell Americans who we are, places that continue to shape our 250-year journey to becoming a more perfect union.

Preservation Month is your moment. Share how the historic places you love spark joy, inspire wonder, and connect members of your community to our shared history. The places that make us who we are deserve to be celebrated and protected!

The entire month of May, we are holding a membership drive! We have a goal of reaching 250 members by the end of the month and need your help: please consider joining us and inviting a friend! You can easily join via our website mississippiheritage.com/membership.

As we celebrate Preservation Month, we’re also looking forward to gathering with preservationists from across the state at our 2026 Listen Up! Historic Preservation Conference and Heritage Awards in Brookhaven on June 4–5. Make plans to join us as we continue the conversation about the people and places shaping Mississippi’s future through preservation.

Happy Preservation Month!

04/27/2026

📣 Students, this is for you! Apply for a stipend to attend the 2026 Listen Up! Historic Preservation Conference.

-Complimentary conference registration for all applicants with five students recieving a $100 travel stipend
-Open to students of any age
-Any school, and any degree program

📍 Brookhaven, Mississippi
📅 June 4 & 5, 2026

Applications due May 22nd. To apply, visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCUOi_X1MxEU7EIU6A4MZmT1nnMSi9R2LaaqSR1Wijwrphgg/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=113762598142981732316

Hosted by Mississippi Heritage Trust. Join us and be part of the next generation shaping preservation!

01/20/2026

Lolly Rash brings decades of real-world preservation leadership into the MFA in Historic Preservation program as an Adjunct Professor, where she teaches The Economics of Preservation.

With a BA in History from Louisiana State University and an MA in History from the University of Southern Mississippi, Lolly’s career spans nearly every facet of the preservation field. Her professional experience includes serving as Historical Administrator for the City of Biloxi, Vice President at White House Properties, Field Officer for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a member of the Board of Trustees at the Mississippi Heritage Trust, and currently as Executive Director of Mississippi Heritage Trust

In the classroom, Lolly’s approach is rooted in lived experience. Through guest speakers like architects, developers, community advocates, and elected officials, she exposes students to the many paths preservation can take and actively fosters professional connections that extend well beyond the semester.

Her work focuses on capacity building for the redevelopment of historic buildings, ensuring that preservation is not only principled, but possible.

When asked what she wants students to know as they enter the field, her advice is clear:
There are many career paths in historic preservation: regulatory work, advocacy, consulting, and real estate development. Try on different hats and see what fits.

One of her most meaningful preservation memories comes from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when organizations worked together to stabilize, not demolish, historic buildings along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Today, places like the Walter Anderson Cottage, Rectitude Masonic Lodge in Gulfport, and the Quarles House in Long Beach stand restored and are enduring proof of what timely preservation action can accomplish.

Her preservation philosophy? Simple. Direct. Effective:
“Get a roof on it.”

Interested in the Economics of Preservation? Lolly’s class is part of our full MFA program, and is also one of five classes eligible for a graduate level certificate. Click the link in our bio to learn more and apply!

12/31/2025

15 Mississippi sites were placed in the National Register of Historic Places this year. The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of historic resources worthy of preservation. Click https://bit.ly/4pmEeVZ to learn more!

12/16/2025

🎓 Congratulations to our newest MFA graduate, Katy Kemalyan!

Katy walked in the graduation ceremony on Friday, marking the completion of her Master of Fine Arts in Historic Preservation. She joined the program in Fall 2023 and served as a graduate teaching assistant for two years, teaching Art Appreciation to more than 100 students each semester.

Originally from Texas and now living in Meridian, Mississippi, Katy’s work reflects the depth of scholarship and dedication that defines our program. We’ll be sharing more details about her final thesis soon, stay tuned!

Please join us in congratulating Katy on this exciting milestone!

12/01/2025

This is tomorrow! We’re having our end-of-semester get-together for our student preservation organization. We will be reconnecting, recapping the semester, and celebrating the work we’ve accomplished over hot chocolate from ☕️🎄🎅 You don’t have to be a member to attend, so we hope to see you there!

11/24/2025

Yesterday, members of our preservation community gathered at Poindexter Hall on the MUW campus to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Tennessee Williams House Museum & Welcome Center in Columbus, Mississippi. The event honored the site’s recent restoration and recognized Nancy Luke Carpenter, CEO of the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation, with the Preservation Champion Award.

Although our program was not a partner in the event, we are proud that one of our MFA instructors, Lolly Rash, participated in the ceremony as Executive Director of the Mississippi Heritage Trust. Lolly teaches Preservation Economics, a course available to MFA students every spring, and her leadership in the field gives our students invaluable insight into the real-world impact of preservation work.

The Tennessee Williams House, recently reopened after major repairs, stands as an important example of what thoughtful stewardship and community commitment can achieve. Sites like this help our students understand the complex layers of policy, funding, planning, and advocacy required to keep Mississippi’s cultural places thriving.

The MFA in Historic Preservation at MSU is designed to train the next generation of preservation professionals, people who will continue this work across the state and beyond.

If you’re interested in joining a program rooted in hands-on experience, community partnerships, and real preservation leadership, we’d love to talk with you.

Learn more: caad.msstate.edu/mfa

11/18/2025

Our MFA in Historic Preservation program was in the D.C. area this week supporting Assistant Professor Cyndi Parker’s work as the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Ina Mae Kaplan Grant!

As part of her grant-funded research, Professor Parker, joined by MFA alumna Charlyn King and one of our current graduate students, Jennifer Burt, spent time at George Washington’s Mount Vernon with Tom Reinhart, Director of Preservation.

The Ina Mae Kaplan Grant allows Professor Parker to study the ongoing restoration at Mount Vernon, documenting its methods and materials to develop new teaching tools and future preservation research. Today’s visit included rare, behind-the-scenes access from the top of the cupola to the basement-level cellar, offering our students and alumni a firsthand look at one of the most significant preservation projects underway in the country.

Cyndi’s work exemplifies the kind of scholarship, field engagement, and professional collaboration that define the MFA in Historic Preservation at Mississippi State University.

If you’re interested in advanced study grounded in real-world practice and mentorship from active preservation professionals, we invite you to explore our program.

Learn more about the MFA in Historic Preservation: www.caad.msstate.edu/mfa

11/10/2025

MSU alumna Belinda Stewart, a leader in historic preservation and rural revitalization across the South, served as the event’s honorary chair.

11/06/2025

We’re thrilled to see MFA in Historic Preservation alum Cyndi Parker featured in The Dispatch for her restoration plans for the historic Fred Gandy Barber Shop, named by as one of Mississippi’s 10 Most Endangered Historic Places!

This project served as Cyndi’s final practicum for the MFA in Historic Preservation , combining preservation research, community engagement, and visionary design to reimagine “The Conner Gandy” for future use.

We’re so proud of our graduates who continue to make a lasting impact through preservation!

🔗 Read the full article in The Dispatch and learn more about our MFA in Historic Preservation at caad.msstate.edu/mfa!

11/06/2025

We are so proud of our graduates!

Excellence in the classroom. Success in the workforce. ▶️ MSU graduates boast strong career outcomes within six months of earning their degrees, and the list keeps going!