Mississippi State names new director of architecture school By The Associated Press 11 hours ago STARKVILLE — A professional architect who has worked in higher education for nearly two decades is the new director of Mississippi State University’s School of Architecture. Karen Spence began her role at the university on July 1. She is a registered architect in Maryland and Missouri and has served since 2015 as associate dean of the Hammons School of Architecture at Drury University, where she has taught since 2002. While at Drury, she directed the general education curriculum and played a key role in developing a minor in environment and sustainability. She recently finished serving a term as president of the American Institute of Architects chapter in Springfield, Missouri.