Mike Mossing, UM professor of biochemistry and Oxford School District 2013-2014 Citizen of the Year
OXFORD, Miss. — Mike Mossing, the Oxford School District’s 2013-2014 Citizen of the Year, has literally helped create pathways for students to travel to and from Oxford schools safely while also helping students build their own educational paths to success.
Mossing has championed for school district students with a “service above self” level of involvement even after his own children had graduated from the school district, school district administrators said.
“Mike promotes and advocates quality education for all our students,” OSD Superintendent Brian Harvey said. “His interest in providing technology and science opportunities for our students by having a hands-on approach is what makes him a champion for our kids. He devotes time with many of our high school students in these areas, bringing his experience and knowledge to the table and sharing with our students who want to learn from him.”
An associate professor of biochemistry at the University of Mississippi, Mossing is an active advocate for increasing bike safety awareness in the Oxford community and throughout the state. His dedication to helping students advance academically, such as mentoring the high school’s Robotics Team, is one reason why the school district recognized him as Citizen of the Year.
“He has helped the high school robotics competition team and has worked after school hours with the students and Mr. Reidy at night to prepare for the robotics competition,” said Marian Barksdale, president of the OSD board of trustees. “He has been steadily working with the Oxford Pathways Commission for years to increase bike paths and heightened community and bike safety awareness, always including our student walkers and cyclists in those plans.”
He is an advocate for both the cycling community and public education system. Mossing serves as board president for Bike Walk Mississippi, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to helping communities become bicycle-friendly and improving the overall quality of life, health and community connections.
He is a leader in the bicycling advocacy realm also serving on the Committee for the Oxford Pathways Commission and as an active member of Oxford Cycling. He served on the committee to make Oxford a nationally certified Bicycle Friendly Community and continues to work to make Oxford a better place to bike, walk and receive an education as a public school student. For more information about the Oxford School District, visit http://www.oxfordsd.org.