LIS SIGNS FIRST CAMPUS AMBASSADOR AT MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

L.I. Smith & Associates, Inc. (LIS) has expanded its Campus Leadership Network with the signing of its first Campus Ambassador, Lee Hayes, a Paris, Tennessee native and civil engineering student at Mississippi State University.

The signing took place Monday, September 14, on the campus of Mississippi State University and marks another milestone in LIS’s continued investment in students, emerging professionals, and the next generation of leaders within the engineering and surveying industries.

Hayes, a graduate of Henry County High School, began his studies at Mississippi State in August 2023 and is currently a senior pursuing a degree in civil engineering.

The Campus Ambassador program is part of the broader LIS Campus Leadership Network, an initiative created to build meaningful relationships with students before they enter the professional workforce. The network includes both NIL student-athlete partnerships and Campus Ambassadors, giving LIS the opportunity to connect with students from a variety of backgrounds who demonstrate leadership, initiative, professionalism, and a desire to grow.

Through the program, LIS aims to create a stronger connection between the classroom and the professional world by introducing students to career opportunities, industry professionals, mentorship, internships, and the many career paths available within engineering, surveying, construction, and related fields.

For LIS, the program represents a long-term investment in people.

“We believe developing the next generation of professionals starts well before graduation,” said Patrick Smith, President of L.I. Smith & Associates. “There is tremendous value in building relationships with students while they are still learning, exploring career paths, and developing as leaders. Our goal is to give them exposure to the profession, provide meaningful connections, and help create opportunities that can shape their careers.”

Hayes’ signing also carries a special connection for LIS.

Smith is a Mississippi State alumnus, having graduated from the university in 1998 with a degree in civil engineering. Since that time, he has built his career in engineering and surveying and now leads LIS, a multidisciplinary firm serving clients throughout Tennessee and across the Central and Southeastern United States.

That shared connection to Mississippi State made the university a natural place for LIS to continue growing the Campus Leadership Network.

As a Campus Ambassador, Hayes will help represent LIS within the Mississippi State community while gaining increased exposure to the professional engineering and surveying industry. The partnership will also provide opportunities for Hayes to engage with LIS leadership, learn more about the firm’s projects and services, and help introduce fellow students to career and internship opportunities within the company.

The addition of Campus Ambassadors represents the next phase of the LIS Campus Leadership Network.

The initiative began with student-athlete NIL partnerships but was intentionally designed to extend beyond athletics. By incorporating Campus Ambassadors, LIS can identify and support students based on their leadership qualities, professional interests, character, and potential, regardless of whether they compete in collegiate athletics.

For a profession facing an increasing need to recruit and develop skilled engineers, surveyors, technicians, and field professionals, LIS sees early engagement as an important part of building a stronger workforce.

Rather than waiting until students are nearing graduation to begin recruiting, LIS hopes to establish genuine relationships throughout their college careers.

“Our responsibility as an established company is not only to think about where our profession is today, but where it will be 10, 20, and 30 years from now,” Smith said. “That means investing our time and resources into young professionals now. If we can help students develop professionally, introduce them to opportunities, and encourage talented people to stay and build their careers in this industry, that benefits everyone.”

Hayes is the first Campus Ambassador signed through the program, and LIS plans to continue developing the Campus Leadership Network at Mississippi State and other colleges and universities throughout the region.

The initiative reflects the company’s broader commitment to workforce development, mentorship, education, and creating opportunities for young professionals throughout the communities LIS serves.