Cooley Takes on New Role at MSU

Cooley

STARKVILLE, Miss.–A veteran Mississippi State University fundraiser will fill a newly created role with the MSU Foundation beginning May 1.

Asya Besova Cooley will become the university’s director of development for the MSU Library, the Graduate School, and the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College. She will direct major gifts fundraising for these areas.

Since 2013, Cooley has served as the university’s director of annual giving. She previously was assistant director of annual giving and coordinator of the MSU Foundation’s telefunding program.

“We are pleased to offer alumni and friends the opportunity to work with Asya to further these areas of MSU. Her previous experience in leading annual giving efforts will serve her well in this new role,” said Jack McCarty, executive director of development for the MSU Foundation.

Cooley, a native of Southwestern Russia, is a communication graduate of Alcorn State University who later received a master’s degree in mass communication from Louisiana State University.

Prior to joining MSU in 2011, she was a research associate at the University of Alabama, co-owner and a social media consultant for the HH Agency in Tuscaloosa, and worked with the New York Times Regional Media group before coming to MSU.