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If she can help in any way, Brandy Moss is all for it.

For nearly a decade, the Winona native has been an integral part of ��̫��ӳ��’s staff in the Department of Procurement and Contracts, the university’s purchasing agency. After graduating from East Mississippi Community College, Moss was hired in 2007 as the department’s invoice control clerk. After a year’s time, she was promoted to procurement card specialist before working her way up to project coordinator.

“It’s been an awesome journey. I love where I am, and I love my job. I work with great people, and I couldn’t ask for a better boss,” Moss said, expressing particular gratitude for the support of Procurement and Contracts Director Don Buffum.

“Don is awesome. If you want to get additional education or move up in your work, he encourages it. He’s behind you all the way,” added Moss, who currently is pursuing a bachelor’s in business administration at ��̫��ӳ��.

In addition to regular interactions with co-workers, Moss appreciates opportunities to assist and learn from colleagues across campus.

“We work with every department at some point in time, sometimes daily,” she said. “There’s a lot of communication because we want to make sure we’re all on the same page. It’s neat to learn about the different things—like research—that departments at the university are doing.”

Outside of her ��̫��ӳ�� duties, Moss enjoys working outdoors and hosting gatherings with her family, which she describes as “my everything.” Moss said she has been busy of late with training for her first half-marathon that will take place Saturday [Dec. 3]. Part of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Memphis Marathon Weekend, the event is designed to promote awareness and raise funds to help in the fight against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

“They call us [participants] St. Jude Heroes, but the kids are the real thing,” Moss said of the hospital’s patients. “They are so much stronger. I’ve told people I don’t care if it takes me 12 hours; I’m crossing that finish line,” she said with a smile.