At a ceremony on October 11, Jason Ward was named Beverly B. and Gordon W. Gulmon Deans Eminent Scholar. This designation is to recognize extensive merit in a faculty member within the A&S college.

In his eight years as a faculty member at Mississippi State University, Dr. Ward has amassed an impressive publication record, established an important national reputation, and demonstrated a commitment to public scholarship. In addition to publishing two books, Hanging Bridge: Racial Violence and America's Civil Rights Century (Oxford, 2016) and Defending White Democracy: The Making of a Segregationist Movement and the Remaking of Racial Politics (UNC Press, 2011), Ward has published eight peer-reviewed articles and book chapters as well a scholarly introduction for a forthcoming book reissue. A thoughtful commentator on the connections between historical and contemporary challenges to racial justice, Ward has been featured on National Public Radio and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. His published commentary on race and violence, most notably his Los Angeles Times essay on the Charleston church shootings and various pieces on the Confederate battle flag controversy, underscores his commitment to public scholarship and racial justice. In addition to interviews and published commentary, Ward maintains an active presentation schedule that extends beyond scholarly conferences, nationally televised author panels and invited talks at colleges and universities across the country.