MPRINT: George and Huel Sills support MSU civil engineering

From the levees of New Orleans to engineering sites around the world, George Sills has built a career shaped by innovation and service. Long before establishing himself in the field, Sills was a determined student with a dream of studying at Mississippi State University. Today, he and his wife, Huel, strengthen MSU’s civil engineering program through a gift that will support students well into the future.

Raised in Kosciusko, Mississippi, Sills began his academic journey at Holmes Community College, where limited financial resources shaped his early decisions. Determined to eventually study engineering at Mississippi State, he and a friend approached MSU administrators with an ambitious idea to allow community college students to participate in the university’s engineering co-op program. Their proposal was approved, making them the first two community college co-op students in the state.

The opportunity launched Sills into a nearly 40-year career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He completed his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Mississippi State in 1975 and later earned a master’s degree in the same field from Texas A&M University in 1981, followed by advanced graduate study at Louisiana State University. Specializing in geotechnical engineering, Sills became the Corps’ first nationwide geotechnical specialist.

His expertise led to significant national recognition. In 1999, the Corps named Sills their National Engineer of the Year and one of the top 10 federal engineers in the nation. Throughout his career, he helped rewrite key levee design manuals and developed engineering innovations that remain in use today. After Hurricane Katrina, he was selected to serve on a senior expert review team tasked by Congress with evaluating major levee and flood protection projects. Sills spent much of his time traveling worldwide to advise agencies on levee and dam safety. His work on these review boards and with the Interagency Performance and Evaluation Task Force brought international attention.

“After all my travels, I noticed people weren’t looking for the Corps; they were looking for me,” he said. “I realized I could keep doing what I loved, spend more time with my family and still make a real difference in the field.”

This realization led him to retire from federal service in 2007 and open his own firm, George Sills Geotechnical Engineering Consultant LLC, where he continued the specialized work that defined his career. As his professional journey evolved, so did the important role his family played in supporting his path.

George met his wife, Huel, in Vicksburg, where she dedicated her own career to federal service working for the Social Security Administration. A Newton County native, Huel additionally served 30 years as secretary of the Warren County MSU Alumni Association, where George served as president for multiple years. She completed MSU coursework at the Meridian campus and has remained a dedicated supporter of the university. The couple has been married for 36 years and shares five children, 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

As the couple watched their grandchildren transition to college, they became increasingly aware of the rising cost of higher education. Their desire to invest in future students, combined with George’s connection to civil engineering, led them to support the Bagley College of Engineering.

The Sills’ gift will help support the Geotechnical and Structures Excellence Fund in the Richard A. Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and will provide updated lab equipment, strengthen student design teams, assist with recruiting and offer resources that enhance hands-on learning and research. This gift will strengthen the geotechnical and structural engineering program and create new opportunities for students and faculty.

“We decided we were in a position to make a meaningful gift to Mississippi State,” Sills said. “This university changed my life, and we want it to keep changing lives.”

George says working with students has become one of the most meaningful parts of his retirement. He remains involved with MSU engineering students, serving on a doctoral advisory committee and returning to campus to give lectures and presentations.

The Sills also make an annual gift to Tau Beta Pi national engineering honor society to help offset initiation costs for students who may not have the financial means to join. Sills remembers facing the same challenge as a student.

“I was invited to join Tau Beta Pi but didn’t have the money at the time,” he said. “People helped me, and throughout my career, that membership proved to be incredibly influential. I want every student to have the opportunity to be involved, no matter their financial situation.”

When asked what advice he would offer aspiring engineers today, Sills didn’t hesitate: “Go to class,” he said with a laugh. “That’s the best place to start.”

Through their support of Mississippi State University, George and Huel Sills are opening doors for future engineers who will one day design, build and protect communities around the world. Their gift demonstrates how opportunity can change lives and investing in students today can strengthen the next generation of leaders.