Mississippi State University
138 years STRONG and poised to impact the future
CONTENTS
Features
2 Giving the gift of beauty 6 Engineering an impact 8 Leading the way 10 Forever wrapped in maroon and white 12 An Infinite Impact continues
News
16 Flanagan scholarship inspires students as future scientists 18 Division places graduates in new Foundation roles 19 Student ambassadors create awareness of private support
Sections
1 17 20 21
NOTES: Vice
President for Development and Alumni NOTES: Executive Director of Development PROFILE: Brad and Mary Bradway BOARD: 2016 Board of Directors
EDITOR
Amy Cagle DESIGNER
Erin Norwood WRITERS
Amy Cagle, Laura Ladner, Addie Mayfield, Jack McCarty, and John P. Rush PHOTOGRAPHERS
Megan Bean, Russ Houston and Beth Newman Wynn Mississippi State University
138 years STRONG
EDITORIAL BOARD
Cathy Lammons and John P. Rush
and poised to impact the future
ON THE COVER
MSU marks its 138th year and creates impact through its land-grant mission of teaching, research, and service. Cover photo by Megan Bean
Foundations is published two times per year by the Mississippi State University Foundation. Please send comments and questions to P.O. Box 6149, Mississippi State, MS 39762-6149 or phone 662.325.7000. The Mississippi State University Foundation Inc. is a non-profit organization that assists the university in accomplishing its goals and mission by cultivating and soliciting private support and ensuring stewardship for all contributions benefitting Mississippi State University. Discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran’s status is a violation of federal and state law and MSU policy and will not be tolerated. Discrimination based upon sexual orientation or group affiliation is a violation of MSU policy and will not be tolerated.
N OT E S
MSU thrives from impact of philanthropy
JOHN P. RUSH Vice President for Development and Alumni
In the MSU Foundation’s over 50-year history, alumni and friends, corporations, and others have given well over $1.3 billion in support of Mississippi State University. Because our organization administers most of the campus-based fundraising activities and endowment funds, I’ve been able to witness firsthand the powerful impact of this support on the overall university and appreciate the value of the stories behind the progress. Without private gifts, Mississippi State may have only experienced minimal growth instead of the high level of progress apparent. It is the generosity of thousands of contributors that has yielded the difference between a good university and the great university to which Mississippi State aspires. When the MSU Foundation began in 1962, the student population topped 6,000. Private support is now enabling our university to accommodate some 21,000 students. Over time, enrollment growth has been fueled with generous scholarship support for students who dream of completing their education here, and among them are some of the first to earn a college degree in their families. Talented students deserve distinguished faculty as teachers and mentors. Mississippi State competes for some of the top-rated faculty nationally and internationally because endowments for chairs and professorships are helping us in that race. Once on campus, these highcaliber faculty members help Mississippi State attract additional funds for many research and service endeavors. Contributions have helped build the burgeoning infrastructure that comprises the MSU Starkville campus and two MSU-Meridian campuses. A classroom building for all disciplines, a facility for the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans, and a civil and environmental engineering complex will debut soon. The campus infrastructure would lack many new facilities and improvements if not for cornerstone contributions. As private support strengthens the university’s mission, Mississippi State is becoming a driving force in education and economic development in this region. Businesses, corporations and industries select our area because of the way the extended community embraces Mississippi State. These potential employers recognize the university’s ability to educate a highly-qualified workforce because of our significant advances in research. In the coming years, more alumni and friends must understand the importance of philanthropy to not only sustain, but also move MSU forward as an institution capable of being a “go-to” for discovery, innovation and creativity. Without a doubt, private gifts can change the trajectory of Mississippi State University. 1 1 S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 FOU N DA T I ON S
Giving the gift e
beauty
Special endowment can nurture campus for all seasons
Mississippi State University has long been known for the beauty of its 138-year-old campus. On any day, regardless of the season, a panoramic view of Mississippi State’s campus is simply breathtaking. It carries with it a certain aura that captivates visitors and prospective students, parents and faculty, and welcomes returning alumni and friends year-round. Maintaining one of the most striking campuses in the Southeast requires time and financial resources. Proper maintenance and upkeep of the university’s some 4,200 acres are an essential part of the Mississippi State environment. As a means to ensure the campus infrastructure and physical appearance are both inviting and pride inspiring for future generations, an overall endowment built with private gifts is needed. Gifts for a beautification endowment can enhance the general appearance of Mississippi State’s historic campus, including lush landscaping. Over time, gifts designated for the Campus Beautification Endowment will provide a perpetual care program for virtually everything needed to keep the land-grant campus stunning for all seasons. These gifts will enable landscape and maintenance above and beyond normal everyday needs. A detailed master plan for the Mississippi State campus calls for continued enhancements of centrally located “green space” and pedestrian-friendly areas, and strides are becoming realized in many areas. In the coming years, more gifts will be needed for the replacement of trees on the interior of campus, particularly near the Drill Field. New walkways are needed and environmental safety concerns must be addressed. Since even routine annual maintenance of the campus grounds can prove costly, earnings from an overall endowment can mitigate these costs. Alumni and friends may invest in the beauty and allure of the burgeoning campus of Mississippi State. Opportunities exist for naming benches, fountains, outdoor plantings and other structures with a minimum $5,000 gift to the Campus Beautification Endowment, along with the total cost of the project selected. Projects with significant ongoing costs may require an endowment sufficient to cover these additional expenses. If a structure is a memorial for a currently enrolled student or a student project, the MSU Foundation will determine the cost at the time of request. Gifts to grow the Campus Beautification Endowment may be made in honor or in memory of a family member, a classmate or even a mentor. Individuals, classes, businesses, groups or departments can participate and be recognized for their generosity.
3
S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 FOU N DA T I ON S
featured
m e m o r i a l t r e es: 1. Willow Oak 2. Red Maple 3. Water Oak 4. Alta Magnolia
1
5. Nuttall Oak 6. Gingko 7. Bald Cypress 2
7
6
3 5
4
Maroon Memorials: a c e l e b r at i o n o f l i f e Alumni and friends can honor and remember a friend or loved one with a creative and enduring “living gift”— a new tree on one of the most beautiful college campuses. With support for the university’s Campus Beautification Endowment, special memorials will grow and prosper as part of a unique and diverse collection of trees and help to beautify campus. “Memorial trees are a fertile partnership between a donor and the university,” said Ally Walker, the university’s associate director of annual giving. “A gift for a tree in memory of a teacher, student, classmate or relative is a generous and thoughtful way to recognize a person’s life and accomplishments with a living tribute.” Memorial trees can be named with a minimum $5,750 gift to the Campus Beautification Endowment, which includes the cost of the project. Gifts for memorial trees will cover the cost of the tree, a plaque and care during the tree’s first year of growth. The gift also 4
FOU N DA T I ON S S P R I N G 2 0 1 6
provides for replanting and replacement of the tree over time. The Office of Annual Giving within the MSU Foundation accepts gifts for memorial trees, and the university's campus landscape department will assist the donor with tree selection and location. Dedication ceremonies are held upon request. Other items in proximity of the tree, such as a bench, may be added for an additional project cost if these items can be integrated into the overall landscape. An 8” x 10” plaque will display the name of the honoree and the donor name, along with the common name and scientific name for the tree. Trees planted with best results at Mississippi State include Bald Cypress, varieties of Ginkgo, Magnolia, Red Maple, and varieties of oak trees such as Nuttall Oak, Water Oak and Willow Oak, however, other varieties are available. Alumni and friends specifically interested in memorial trees may contact Walker at 662.325.7000 or email awalker@foundation. msstate.edu.
fa m i ly e n s u r es
Living Legacy Memorial trees are becoming a popular way to salute someone through campus beautification. Most recently, a memorial tree was placed on campus honoring the late alumnus Robert Wiley. Wiley was born in 1956, and he was a resident of Tupelo at the time of his passing in 2015. After graduating from Tupelo High School in 1974, Wiley enrolled at Mississippi State. He earned a 1978 degree in management from the university’s College of Business and became president of Comfort Engineering Company Inc. The gift for the tree comes from the Wiley family. Their reason for a memorial tree was simple. In all, three generations of the family have been associated with MSU. The tree not only memorializes Robert Wiley, it is also a tribute to his late father, Thomas L. Wiley, a 1951 general business graduate. The memorial Overcup Oak tree occupies a special place near The Junction, across from the university's amphitheater, and off of Bost Drive. The location has special significance for the family since this is where they always gather on game days. Family members plan to continue their tradition with MSU for many years to come.
5
S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 FOU N DA T I ON S
an Clevelands enhance Bagley College's petroleum program A revitalized petroleumengineering program at Mississippi State University successfully debuted this academic year. The new degree builds on Mississippi State’s original petroleum program, which was suspended some 20 years ago because of financial constraints.
Randy and Nina at their home in Fort Worth, Texas.
It was the initial program from which Mississippi native Randy J. Cleveland graduated in 1983, and now he proudly supports its renewal. He and other petroleum engineering graduates are stepping forward and assisting the university and the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering in their efforts to answer present demand for educated graduates in this career field. The renewed program brings with it an instrumental endowment for a faculty position from Randy, who is president of XTO Energy Inc., and his wife, Nina. In time, a premier faculty member in the area of petroleum engineering will fill the Randy and Nina Cleveland Endowed Professorship. Future earnings from the endowment may be used to provide a salary supplement and a support fund for the holder. “Randy and Nina are loyal donors of 6
FOU N DA T I ON S S P R I N G 2 0 1 6
our college, and we appreciate their belief in our mission and their encouragement of our students and faculty through the areas they honor with their support,” said Jason Keith, Bagley College dean. At Mississippi State, faculty with potential for national and international leadership and distinction in their fields hold named professorships. The efforts of these faculty members are focused on honing teaching skills, and establishing superior records of research or other scholarly activity. Randy understands the need for private support at Mississippi State by virtue of serving as a member of both the Dean of Engineering Advisory Council for the Bagley College and the MSU Foundation board. “I’m at a point in my over 30-year career where I wanted to provide additional support to Mississippi State and recognize the inspiration I
got from my professors when I was in school,” Randy said. “The skills and knowledge I gained as an MSU petroleum engineering graduate have greatly assisted me in my career in the oil and gas industry.” Often it is current or former faculty members who provide inspiration for the creation of an endowed position. Randy, who grew up in Union enjoying math and science, recalls fondly his rapport with faculty member Rudy Rogers. Rogers taught chemical and petroleum engineering courses at MSU for 33 years. “All my professors were extremely supportive and went out of their way to help in any way they could,” Randy said. “In particular, Dr. Rudy Rogers, who became a department head, was a great mentor and helped translate academia to the real world for me.” Additionally, Randy recalled, “Dr. Rogers taught an early 7 a.m. three-day-a-week course in reservoir engineering due to the pressed curriculum at the time. The early class was just one example of what he did to help students succeed.” More than three decades ago, Randy began his professional career with Exxon in New Orleans, Louisiana. After serving as vice president for integration during the ExxonMobil-XTO Energy merger in 2010, he became president of XTO Energy Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of ExxonMobil Corp in 2013. Today, XTO Energy is one of the largest oil and natural gas producers in the United States and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The company has eight operating divisions located across the United States, Argentina and Canada. Along with the endowment for the professorship Randy and Nina are growing at Mississippi State, Randy has contributed toward a second professorship—the ExxonMobil Alumni Endowed Professorship—this one with fellow employees who are utilizing matching gifts from the company. ExxonMobil matches employee contributions to educational institutions three-to-one through its philanthropic foundation, making certain gifts to Mississippi State more affordable. Randy strives to maintain maroon and white connections with fellow graduates, particularly MSU alumni living in the state of Texas since he and Nina reside in Fort Worth. “I encourage other alumni to support Mississippi State, and I hope the ExxonMobil Alumni Endowed Professorship will by funded soon with the help of the matching gift program
for all of us with commitments to MSU,” he said. Randy enjoys returning to Mississippi, where his parents still reside. He shares a love of Mississippi State with Nina. Nina attended the University of Alabama and is originally from Demopolis, Alabama, however, she passionately joins Randy in his support of the Bulldogs. They attend collegiate and professional sporting events when possible. “Nina and I were married before my last semester at State, and some of our fondest memories are from our time in Starkville. Nina worked for then-Vice President Roy Ruby in student affairs,” said Randy. “Our gifts are just a way of recognizing and supporting the university that was so instrumental in my career and in our lives.” Randy and Nina are helping to provide a great education for students enrolled in the Bagley College. Earlier support from them established the Randy and Nina Cleveland Endowed Scholarship for talented petroleum engineering students who may benefit from the financial award for up to four semesters. In the future, a bequest from the couple will extend their support of the Bagley College in perpetuity.
Randy proudly leads XTO Energy Inc., and among its sites are operations in the Uinta Mountains in Utah.
7
S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 FOU N DA T I ON S
Leading the Way New board leaders, members in place
BLACK
BRANNAN
CLEVELAND
DEAVENPORT
DULANEY
GARRETT
HOLLIMAN
JORDAN
MCDANIEL
QUALLS
SANDERS
SCHUERER
SEAL
TAYLOR
TERRESON
WILSON
8
FOU N DA T I ON S S P R I N G 2 0 1 6
The MSU Foundation announces its 2016 leaders and incoming members for the board of directors that guides the fundraising arm of the ever-growing land-grant institution. Through the years, many of the university’s most prestigious graduates have held board seats. Mississippi native Earnest W. “Earnie” Deavenport Jr. begins his first term as board chair. From MSU, Deavenport earned a chemical engineering degree in 1960, and he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science in 2011. The Kiawah Island, South Carolina, resident is the retired chairman and CEO of Eastman Chemical Co. He also holds a master’s degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School and an honorary Doctor of Laws from King College in Bristol, Tennessee. D. Hines Brannan Jr. and William A. “Lex” Taylor III serve as vice chair and treasurer, respectively. Brannan is a 1970 industrial engineering graduate who earned an MBA the following year. He is a retired managing director of Accenture who resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Louisville resident Taylor is chairman and CEO of The Taylor Group Inc. and president of Taylor Machine Works Inc. He earned a general business administration degree from MSU in 1977. The remaining board officers are MSU personnel and graduates. John P. Rush, vice president for development and alumni, is the board’s president and CEO; David Easley, executive director of finance, is chief financial officer; and Jack McCarty, executive director of development, serves as board secretary. New members beginning three-year terms include: Randy J. Cleveland of Fort Worth, Texas, received a 1983 bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering. He is president of XTO Energy Inc. Paula A. Schuerer of Franklin, Tennessee, earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science in 1992, and a DVM and MBA in 1995. She is owner and veterinarian at Animal Ark Animal Hospital. Bryan S. Wilson of Fulton received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in entomology in 1982 and 1984, respectively. He is managing partner of Tacoma Ag. Board members may be reappointed after vacating the board for at least a year following a three-year term. Those incoming returning
members for 2016 include: Tommy Dulaney of Meridian attended Meridian Community College and received an honorary Doctor of Science in Public Service from MSU in 2015. He is president and CEO of Structural Steel Services Inc. Linda M. Garrett of Atlanta, Georgia, is a 1969 accounting graduate and retired principal of Garrett Associates Inc. She also holds an MBA from Georgia College. Mark S. Jordan of Ridgeland is a real estate developer of Mark S. Jordan Companies. He earned a landscape architecture degree in 1976. Mike M. McDaniel of Houston, Texas, is CEO of M3 Resources LLC. He earned a mechanical engineering degree in 1979. Robert L. “R.L.” Qualls of Little Rock, Arkansas, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics in 1954 and 1958, respectively. He is co-chairman of Taylor Companies, director for Bank of the Ozarks, and retired president and CEO of Baldor Electric Co. Mike W. Sanders of Cleveland is a 1964 physical education graduate. He is the retired president and CEO of Jimmy Sanders Inc. Leo W. Seal III of Bay Saint Louis earned a bachelor’s degree in geoscience in 2000. He is president of the Leo Seal Family Foundation. Douglas T. “Doug” Terreson of Point Clear, Alabama, is the senior managing director of energy research at Evercore ISI. He earned a petroleum engineering degree in 1984 and also holds an MBA from Rollins College. Also incoming for the board, by virtue of position, are Ronald E. “Ron” Black of Meridian and Wilbert G. “Mickey” Holliman Jr. of Belden. Black begins a second term as MSU Alumni Association president, and Holliman is the incoming president of the university’s Bulldog Club. Black holds a 1980 bachelor’s degree in marketing and is director of human resources for Southern Pipe & Supply Co. Inc. Holliman earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial management in 1960 and is retired chairman and CEO of Furniture Brands International. 9
S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 FOU N DA T I ON S
forever
wrapped in maroon and white sa lt e r h o n o r s c r i s t i l l e gac y w i t h s c h o l a r s h i p s u p p o rt
On any given Saturday as the leaves first sense the hint of fall, many loyal and passionate alumni and friends of Mississippi State University relive the excitement of football glory as was told by famed radio announcer Jacob Sanford “Jack” Cristil.
Alumnus and journalist Sid Salter 10
FOU N DA T I ON S S P R I N G 2 0 1 6
In his nearly six decades with the Bulldogs, his voice became unmistakable and comforting for faithful Southeastern Conference fans everywhere. Mississippi State lost its iconic sports announcer in 2014 as the Memphis, Tennessee, native and longtime Tupelo resident died at age 88. However, Cristil’s Bulldog spirit remains at the university. Future generations can come to know Cristil as the icon who coined the phrase “wrap it in maroon and white” because of a special academic scholarship honoring his legacy. The scholarship, established by veteran Mississippi journalist and longtime friend Sid Salter, will enable students to study and follow Cristil into the broadcast and journalism career for which he was well known. At that time of his retirement, Cristil was the secondlongest tenured college radio play-by-play announcer in the nation. He began his association with MSU in 1953 when legendary athletic director C.R. “Dudy” Noble hired him as a commentator for that season’s football games. From there, Cristil enjoyed a 58-year association with MSU as a football commentator and as the men’s basketball play-by-play voice
for 54 seasons. In all, he shared more than 1,500 collegiate contests with Bulldog fans across Mississippi and around the world. Salter, the university’s chief communications officer and a statewide syndicated political columnist, has had the opportunity to pen the story of Cristil’s life and career, not once, but twice. Salter’s original hard cover book known as “Jack Cristil: Voice of the MSU Bulldogs” debuted in 2011 and coincided with Cristil’s MSU retirement. In 2015, a commemorative softcover edition of the book was written by Salter to finish Cristil’s story with postretirement memories and photographs. MSU President Mark E. Keenum, Athletics Director Scott Stricklin, and Salter initially approached Cristil about the first commemorative book as his MSU career was concluding, and it was the student scholarship to be built from the book’s proceeds that lured Cristil into the project. “Jack wasn’t interested in bringing more attention to himself, however, he was pleased to have his name associated with the academic side of Mississippi State,” said Salter, an alumnus who leads the university’s Office of Public Affairs. “The donation of book proceeds represents a promise kept to Jack, whose friendship I will always treasure.” Proceeds from the sale of the biography written by Salter benefit the Jack Cristil Endowed Scholarship in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences. The initial hardcover book, which sold in excess of 10,500 copies, raised more than $170,000 for the scholarship. A portion of the proceeds from the second edition will grow the fund. The Cristil Scholarship encourages students to follow the sports legend’s pursuit of the fields of broadcasting, specifically sports broadcasting, and journalism. Future recipients must be entering freshmen or full-time students at MSU with proven academic excellence and preference will be given to students with a demonstrated desire to pursue sports broadcasting or sports journalism. John Forde, head of the Department of Communication, said, “We appreciate Sid’s work on his excellent book to develop the Jack Cristil Endowed Scholarship. These awards will benefit our majors for years to come and
encourage them to strive for excellence.” The Cristil Scholarship may be awarded either as a traditional academic scholarship for students or as a scholarship in support of an offcampus internship, Forde added. On the 50th anniversary of his Mississippi State career, Cristil received an honorary doctorate degree from the university. He had studied broadcast journalism at the University of Minnesota before beginning his career in 1948 as a minor league baseball broadcaster for several Midsouth teams. A winner of numerous state and national broadcasting laurels during his career, Cristil was presented the Mississippi Sportscaster of the Year Award a record 21 times, and he was the first non-coach/non-athlete to ever be inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. For all the great Mississippi State memories Cristil "wrapped in maroon and white" for alumni, friends and fans, the gesture can be returned. The Jack Cristil Scholarship remains open for additional contributions through the MSU Foundation.
The new edition of the Cristil book can be obtained at www.upress.state.ms.us/about/ordering and in bookstores across Mississippi. As with the original publication, the softcover version features a foreword by international best-selling novelist and MSU alumnus John Grisham.
11
S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 FOU N DA T I ON S
College of Business begins new era with capital campaign gifts As Mississippi State University’s College of Business enters its second century, gifts through the university’s ongoing capital campaign known as Infinite Impact can create a powerful impact. The College of Business, with its Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy, is preparing students to lead a global economy of the future.
The College of Business is home to many outstanding and innovative curricula like International Business, the Master of Business Administration program (MBA) and the PGA Golf Management program. With updated facilities and a state-of-the-art Wall Street atmosphere, the number of students enrolled in the college’s degree programs is increasing each year. The college is heading into the future with motivation to become one of the top business colleges in the country. With global communication and shared markets increasing at warp speed, the college has recognized that businesses have a need for critical analysis, planning and security. An increased effort to encourage a global thinking emphasis is being developed in the College of Business that will address critical topics such as information assurance, cyber security and fraud detection. The safekeeping of information and ideas, particularly in governmental matters, is a newly developing field, and the College of Business wants graduates to lead these efforts. The following outlines specific areas of the College of Business where Infinite Impact gifts can make strides possible. Corporate Engagement Program Teams of MBA students conduct customized, in-depth research on marketing, distribution, competition, pricing and logistics for a gamut of businesses ranging from new startups to large corporations. Research provided through this groundbreaking Corporate Engagement Program is having an economic impact on
the state, while providing unique learning opportunities and real world experience for students. Funding secured through Infinite Impact for research initiatives will be a catalyst for program growth and expansion. Endowed Academic Units and Endowed College A chief ambition of Infinite Impact is to attract donors who are eager to follow the lead of alumnus Richard Adkerson in endowing academic units within the college. Since being endowed, the Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy has gained a tremendous reputation for excellence. Named colleges and departments bring an incomparable level of prestige to a university and differentiate it among its peer institutions. Furthermore, an overall endowment for the College of Business will provide perpetual support that ensures students are exposed to the most highly sought after faculty, continually updated technology and innovative learning experiences. The impact of an endowment gift would permanently affect the influence the College of Business has on the state of Mississippi, our region, our nation and beyond. Endowed Chairs and Professorships The marketplace for high-caliber faculty members is competitive, and an edge in recruiting and retaining them is needed. Endowments for chairs and professorships provide additional funds for salaries and research, as well as adding to the prestige of the 13
S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 FOU N DA T I ON S
faculty member and the college. Infinite Impact gifts can establish these endowed positions and holders can provide students with innovative experiences. eMbarkment Program The eMbarkment Program connects business students to owners and creators of entrepreneurial ventures. Students make site visits to partner companies to gain advice on beginning their own successful start-up companies and to learn management best practices. Currently, these students make trips to nearby companies, but the college would like to expand their fact-finding missions to Fortune 500 companies around the nation. Entrepreneurship and E-Center The E-Center is a university-wide resource with a vision to create a culture of entrepreneurial activity by providing support for business startups, stipulating business planning and mentoring with MSU partners, building an alumni network of entrepreneurs, and collaborating with external sources to expand opportunities. The center has gown to support more than 100 first-time entrepreneurs launching over 70 new businesses each year, and Infinite Impact gifts can help further unite entrepreneurship activities on campus with small business ventures through curriculum development and research efforts. Faculty Excellence Fund Successful academic programs must be complemented with strong mentoring that provides “real world” views. The College of Business desires an enhanced speaker series featuring distinguished alumni and professionals who can provide insight into the global marketplace. The college also hopes to build a Faculty Excellence Fund to stimulate the organization of developmental workshops, travel for exchange partnerships and other similar advancement opportunities. International Business The International Business concentration teaches practical skills in disciplines such as marketing, finance, economics, accounting and management combined with a foreign language component. 14
FOU N DA T I ON S S P R I N G 2 0 1 6
In addition, every student is required to secure an internship with an international company to gain that valuable work experience. Infinite Impact can help secure scholarships for these majors, as well as students from developing or emerging countries that wish to attend Mississippi State. In addition, the university will solicit funds to assist students with study abroad and international internship expenses. Student Scholarships and Graduate Fellowships The College of Business is seeking both annual scholarships and endowments for scholarships, along with graduate fellowships, to reward high academic achievers by assisting them with educational expenses in each of its departments— Management and Information Systems; Finance and Economics; and Marketing, Quantitative Analysis and Business Law; and the Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy. With scholarships and graduate fellowships, the college can compete for top students nationally and internationally. Supply Chain Management Mississippi State has a unique opportunity to create a center focused on transportation and logistics, which could grow into a new geographically relevant academic major. Because of nearby transportation hubs, Mississippi State is poised to become a “go to” in training professionals to lead companies dependent on transportation and logistics. This will become increasingly important as new industry seeks a presence in the southeastern United States. Infinite Impact can provide the necessary capital to springboard this academic expansion within the college. An infinite impact begins now. Infinite Impact provides an opportunity for the College of Business to pursue contributions that will positively alter the course of its future endeavors. Gifts will bridge the gap between being a solid business college and an excellent one. For information on giving through Infinite Impact, contact Rob Jenkins, the college’s director of development, at 662.325.9055 or rjenkins@foundation.msstate.edu.
The College of Business boasts more than 32,000 alumni, and among them are leaders of Fortune 500 companies.
Gifts boost campaign past minimum goal Mississippi State University’s largest capital campaign is still going strong, surpassing a monumental milestone. The Infinite Impact campaign now stands at more than $600 million as it moves forward. “The credit for our success thus far goes to the alumni, friends, faculty, administrators and staff who have made contributions, and the leadership of the members of the MSU Foundation board of directors,” said John P. Rush, MSU vice president of development and alumni, who serves as president and CEO of the MSU Foundation. As the Infinite Impact campaign continues, gifts are needed for priorities across campus in the university’s academic colleges and schools, MSUMeridian, athletics, the library, and the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College. Many of these areas have featured opportunities highlighted in our special campaign videos at infiniteimpactmsu.com. Alumni and friends may increase their support at all giving levels, including annual gifts needed campuswide and gifts that impact the university’s endowment. Campaign gifts may support scholarships, chairs and professorships, facilities and programs. “While the overall minimum $600 million goal has been met, our larger purpose is to create a better, more responsive and more engaged university—and that goal is an everexpanding one as our university strives to become one of the nation’s most respected public universities,” said Rush. “We will continue to seek the support of our alumni and friends in pursuing and fulfilling many of the long-range priorities of our university.” 15
S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 FOU N DA T I ON S
NEWS
Flanagan scholarship inspires students as future scientists
James Flanagan was an internationally recognized pioneer and author in digital speech processing. Despite his passing in August 2015, just one day shy of his 90th birthday, Flanagan’s legacy continues through his innovative discoveries as well as the newly created Dr. James L. Flanagan Endowed Graduate Scholarship. Flanagan
Born in Greenwood, Flanagan graduated from Mississippi State in 1948 with a bachelor’s in electrical engineering. He later earned his master’s and doctorate degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where his studies of efficient transmission of speech originated. Flanagan began his professional career in communications engineering, acoustics and signal processing at AT&T Bell Telephone Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey. During his 33-years with the company, he developed the Audix One voice-mail system and was responsible for nearly 50 patents including an artificial human larynx. After leaving AT&T Bell Labs in 1990 as director of information principles research, Flanagan accepted a position at Rutgers University as director of the Center for Advanced Information Processing. He later assumed the role of vice president of research for Rutgers before returning home to MSU in 2006 to serve as distinguished emeritus research professor of electrical and computer engineering in the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. Among Flanagan’s numerous national and international recognitions are the 1996 National Medal of Science, the 2005 Medal of Honor of the engineering professional society IEEE and honorary doctorates from the University of Paris-Sud, the Polytechnic University of Madrid and MSU (2012). 16
FOU N DA T I ON S S P R I N G 2 0 1 6
Flanagan is well known for contributing to the acoustic investigations into the John F. Kennedy Jr. presidential assassination, the Apollo 1 tragedy and the Watergate scandal tapes. Additionally, his book, “Speech Analysis, Synthesis and Perception,” stands as the foundation for modern speech and audio processing. The Dr. James L. Flanagan Endowed Graduate Scholarship, established in memory of the alumnus by his wife, Mildred B. Flanagan, will be awarded to full-time graduate students pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) field of study, with preference given to females. The Flanagan family’s passion for MSU runs deep, rearing three generations of Bulldog students including Flanagan’s father Hanks, brother Thomas Marion, and three sons. In 2000, James, Mildred and Thomas Marion Flanagan established The H.G. Flanagan Endowed Scholarship in the Bagley College in memory of the family’s patriarch. Through the Dr. James L. Flanagan Endowed Graduate Scholarship, the Flanagans are providing educational support for the coming generations of modern innovators. The perpetual gift will inspire new “giants” in science and research, while enabling top-notch experiences for ambitious students at Mississippi State University.
NOT E S
Rewards of giving come full circle
JACK MCCARTY Executive Director of Development
New students enroll every year at Mississippi State, bringing optimism and a fresh spirit to the campus. It is always my pleasure to visit with our students, because a conversation with a young person has a way of putting things in perspective. When I can, I try to pick a student’s brain, and I always learn something beneficial in the process. Sometimes I have wisdom to share, and this was the case as I recently visited with Thomas Sherman, a senior majoring in marketing/supply chain management from Greenville. Thomas shared how much he enjoyed his leadership opportunity as last year’s Foundation Ambassador president and how grateful he is for Jim and Julia Rouse, who generously support the student group based in the Hunter Henry Center. Thomas also proudly told me about his internship and a job offer on the table as he prepares for May graduation, while revealing to me the impact of the Tommy Ramey Scholarship on his life. As we talked, my mind recalled an earlier conversation about Tommy Ramey. This one occurred while visiting Fred Carl, a former MSU Foundation board member who attended MSU. During that visit to Greenwood, Fred talked about his friend Tommy, who was president and CEO of the Ramey Agency. He reflected on Tommy’s incredible talent and shared how friends of Tommy wanted to honor and remember him at his alma mater, MSU. After other visits and a stop at the Ramey Agency in Jackson, that initial conversation with Fred led to the creation of the Tommy Ramey Endowed Scholarship within the MSU Foundation. With this fundraising path in my mind, I refocused on Thomas, who credits the Ramey Scholarship as his motivation for success. He obviously had not heard of Tommy Ramey before being named the recipient, however, I was happy to tell him the rest of the story by giving him important details about Tommy, Fred, and others. Witnessing firsthand the impact of scholarships from the beginning of the gift to the living, breathing product of the gift is truly an unparalleled experience. I also learned that Thomas attended classes in McCool Hall within the Seal Family Business Complex, studied in the Taylor Auditorium, and learned from the Thomas B. and Terri L. Nusz Professor, Joel Collier. All these experiences are possible for Thomas, in part, because philanthropy is helping to grow our university. I hope you feel the impact of philanthropy on Thomas Sherman’s life and understand the university has some 21,000 students like him who can benefit from your generosity every day. There is no better time than the present to begin helping a student realize his or her potential through a gift. 17
S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 FOU N DA T I ON S
NEWS
Division places graduates in new Foundation roles McIntosh
Several Mississippi State University graduates have been appointed to key positions within the Division of Development and Alumni. Two are assuming fundraising positions, while one will provide support in the area of donor relations.
Since late 2015, William “Will” Staggers has been serving as the assistant director of development for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Staggers joined fundraising efforts with fellow alumnus Jud Skelton, director of development for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, one of Mississippi State's oldest academic units. Staggers’ position extends to the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) and the MSU Extension Service, both of which serve all of Mississippi’s 82 counties. Staggers, a Starkville native, earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from MSU’s College of Education in 2010 and joined the high school faculty in Quitman as a physical science teacher and football coach. Following that, Staggers worked for Shelter Insurance in Starkville and then assumed the role of accounts payable specialist with the university's Department of Procurement and Contracts. Also in a new role is Bailey Poindexter, who began serving as donor relations coordinator in February. She will be primarily responsible for managing the MSU Foundation’s donor recognition program and the scholarship system, working with areas across campus as it relates to their specific scholarship processes. Poindexter joined the MSU Foundation in 2014, working in the Shared Advancement Services area. From 2011 through 2013, she was an admissions counselor for the Office of Admissions and Scholarships. Originally from Holly Springs, Poindexter earned a bachelor’s 18
FOU N DA T I ON S S P R I N G 2 0 1 6
Poindexter
Staggers
degree in history in 2009 and a Master of Public Policy and Administration in 2015, both from Mississippi State. In March, Alexander W. “Alex” McIntosh assumed the role of director of development for Corporate and Foundation Giving. As Mississippi State places more emphasis on corporate engagement, McIntosh will serve as a liaison on campus. In his new role, he will initiate a more unified experience for particular foundations, corporations, organizations and groups in their interactions with the university. Most recently, McIntosh served as director of development for the College of Arts and Sciences. Earlier, he served the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College, where he was a student services coordinator and lead student recruiter. The Jackson area native joined Mississippi State in 2008. McIntosh is a 2007 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, with dual degrees in economics and political science. He also earned a Master of Public Policy and Administration from MSU in 2012. The MSU Foundation proudly houses fundraisers in each of the university's academic colleges and in many areas across campus. These dedicated development staff members await the opportunity to discuss charitable gift plans with alumni, friends and corporations. A complete list of personnel is available at www.msufoundation.com as well as a link to the university's Guide to Giving.
NEWS
Student ambassadors create awareness of private support
The Foundation Ambassadors improve relationships between MSU, and its students, alumni and friends while encouraging scholarship, leadership and service endeavors. The group educates fellow students about gifts and interacts with donors. Sanguinetti
“We want to help grow and sustain student leaders from this program and promote student philanthropy at Mississippi State,” said Jana Berkery, an adviser for the group and the university’s annual giving director. The organization recently planned events for the spring semester, including Donor Appreciation Day to bring an awareness of how private support impacts campus. One of the biggest events the group assists with is the annual Hail State Giving Days, which is a 48-hour period of fundraising for all areas of the university. The Foundation Ambassadors also raise funds annually in support of an MSU Compass Scholarship, which assists a student in any field of study. The group built the scholarship with gifts from alumni and friends, and they continue to grow the award with additional contributions over time. The most recent recipient is Zierra Long, a junior music major from Tupelo, who receives $1,000 for the current academic year. “We are having a busy semester serving our university with the MSU Foundation’s mission in mind,” said new president Olivia Sanguinetti of Hattiesburg. “It is an honor to lead an organization with a strong platform of hospitality and gratitude.” Along with Sanguinetti, other 2016 officers are: Kelly LaFleur of Madison, vice president; Mackenzie Miller of Biloxi, treasurer; and Taylor Pegg of Cordova, Tennessee, secretary. These students encourage leadership, service, philanthropy and commitment at Mississippi State University.
2016 Ambassadors: Back row (from left): Ellery Chancellor, Ramey Rimes, Katie Bostick, Jasmine Bogard, Allison Stennis, Cody Sheeks, Cory Sheeks, Joe Arata, Drew Latini, Thomas Sherman, Taylor Howard and Taylor McNair Third row (from left): Joely Pugh, Skyler Kennamer, Lindsey Winborne, Molly Wells, Garrett Pitts, Bo Hargett, Heather Daniel, Emily Ware, Celia Andreo and Ellen Doty Second Row (from left): Abbey Bufkin, Lauren Greene, Stephanie Cunningham, Jacob Reifers, Samantha Grunwald, and Madison Horwitz First Row (from left): Mackenzie Miller, Megan Williams, Keyonna Wilder, Olivia Sanguinetti, Kelley LaFleur and Mitch Ryland Not pictured: Mary Frances Broadhead, Roger Davis, Taylor Pegg, Haleigh Smith and Elaine Vyles
19
S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 FOU N DA T I ON S
PROFILE
DONORS:
Brad and Mary Bradway Starkville
HO M E T O W N :
Brad and Mary Bradway are avid Mississippi State University supporters and particularly follow Diamond Dawgs baseball and women’s basketball. In recent years, the couple has devoted more time to their beloved Bulldogs after moving to Starkville from their native Vicksburg. Brad is a chemistry alumnus, graduating in 1974 from Mississippi State’s College of Arts and Sciences. During his time at MSU, Brad pledged Sigma Chi and still maintains his connections with fellow fraternity members. After graduation, Brad spent many years as a farmer, owning and operating Vicksburgbased Sherman’s Defeat Plantation and Donnette Plantation. Once a Starkville resident, Brad became involved in the local schools as part of Project AIM, a school-based mentoring program. Specifically, Brad volunteered as a mentor for third through fifth-grade students. He has also served on the board of the Fellowship of
Christian Athletes. Although Mary utilized her college education as a trust officer for BancorpSouth, she is now retired. She currently serves as treasurer of the MSU Bulldog Club board of directors, a group which helps strengthen the university's athletic experience. She is also a member of Town and Country Garden Club. The Bradways applaud MSU students for their accomplishments and take pride in supporting them. Their giving encompasses the Mary and Brad Bradway Loyalty Scholarship for entering freshmen and community college transfers who are student-athletes with leadership potential. The recipients can receive the award for up to four semesters by maintaining established academic achievements. The Bradways have been married for 46 years and remain dedicated to their family. The couple has three children and two grandchildren.
Loyalty. Pride. Passion. 20
FOU N DA T I ON S S P R I N G 2 0 1 6
2016 Board of Directors BOARD
OFFIC E R S
Chair - Earnest W. “Earnie” Deavenport Jr. | Chairman and CEO of Eastman Chemical Co. (retired) | Kiawah Island, S.C. Vice Chair - D. Hines Brannan Jr. | Managing Director of Accenture (retired) | Atlanta, Ga. Treasurer - William A. “Lex” Taylor III | Chairman and CEO of The Taylor Group Inc. | President of Taylor Machine Works Inc., Louisville President and CEO - John P. Rush | Vice President for Development and Alumni | Mississippi State University Secretary - Jack R. McCarty | Executive Director of Development | Mississippi State University Chief Financial Officer - David D. Easley | Executive Director of Finance | Mississippi State University
M EM B E R S
Richard C. Adkerson | Vice Chairman, President and CEO of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., Phoenix, Ariz. J.W. “Jim” Bagley | Executive Chairman of the Board of Lam Research Corp. (retired), Coppell, Texas William B. “Bill” Berry | Executive Vice President of ConocoPhillips (retired), Katy, Texas Ronald E. “Ron” Black | Alumni Association President | Director of Human Resources for Southern Pipe & Supply Co. Inc., Meridian, Miss. George W. Bryan Sr. | Owner of Old Waverly Golf Club, West Point, Miss. Albert C. Clark | President of C.C. Clark Inc., Starkville, Miss. Randy J. Cleveland | President of XTO Energy Inc., Fort Worth, Texas John D. Davis IV | Neurosurgeon/Founding Partner of NewSouth NeuroSpine, Flowood, Miss. Tommy Dulaney | President and CEO of Structural Steel Services Inc., Meridian, Miss. Michael E. “Mike” Dunlap | President and COO of Dunlap & Kyle Co. Inc., Batesville, Miss. Virginia Carron Eiland | Lawyer/Managing Partner, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, Atlanta, Ga. Linda M. Garrett | Principal of Garrett Associates Inc. (retired), Atlanta, Ga. S. Bryce Griffis | President of Sturgis Timber Co., Sturgis, Miss. David B. Hall | COO of Hall Timberlands, Meridian, Miss. Wilbert G. “Mickey” Holliman Jr. | Bulldog Club President | Chairman and CEO of Furniture Brands International (retired), Belden, Miss. Rodger L. Johnson | President and CEO of JKC Holdings Inc., Atlanta, Ga. Mark S. Jordan | Real Estate Developer of Mark S. Jordan Companies, Ridgeland, Miss. Malcolm B. Lightsey Sr. | President and CEO of SunTech Inc. (retired), Ridgeland, Miss. Rusty C. Linton | Orthopedic Surgeon of Columbus Orthopaedic Clinic P.A., Columbus, Miss. John R. Lundy | Partner of Capitol Resources LLC, Jackson, Miss. Lewis F. Mallory Jr. | Chairman and CEO of Cadence Bank (retired), Starkville, Miss. Bobby P. Martin | Chairman of The Peoples Bank, Ripley, Miss. Mike M. McDaniel | CEO of M3 Resources LLC, Houston, Texas Roderick A. “Rod” Moore | Executive Vice President and CEO, Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance (retired), Brandon, Miss. James E. “Jim” Newsome | Partner of Delta Strategy Group, Washington, D.C. Thomas B. “Tommy” Nusz | President and CEO of Oasis Petroleum Inc., Houston, Texas Robert L. “R.L.” Qualls | President and CEO of Baldor Electric Co. (retired) and Co-chairman of Taylor Companies, Little Rock, Ark. Charles W. “Tex” Ritter Jr. | President and CEO of The Attala Co. (retired), Kosciusko, Miss. James J. “Jim” Rouse | Vice President of ExxonMobil (retired), Houston, Texas Michael W. “Mike” Sanders | President and CEO of Jimmy Sanders Inc. (retired), Cleveland, Miss. Paula A. Schuerer | Owner and veterinarian of Animal Ark Animal Hospital, Franklin, Tenn. Leo W. Seal III | President of the Leo Seal Family Foundation, Bay Saint Louis, Miss. Bobby S. Shackouls | President and CEO of Burlington Resources Inc. (retired) | Houston, Texas Cynthia W. “Cindy” Simpson | Principal/Managing Director of Gensler, Dallas, Texas Cynthia M. “Cindy” Stevens | Management Principal Government Relations of Deloitte LLP, Alexandria, Va. Douglas T. “Doug” Terreson | Senior Managing Director of Energy Research of Evercore ISA, Point Clear, Ala. J.F. “Bud” Thompson Jr. | Partner of Thompson Limited Partnership, Meridian, Miss. Anthony L. Wilson | President and CEO of Mississippi Power Co., Gulfport, Miss. Bryan S. Wilson | Managing Partner of Tacoma Ag, Fulton, Miss. Turner A. Wingo | Owner of Sherry’s Hallmark (retired), Collierville, Tenn. Mark A. Worthey | Owner and President of McClaren Resources Inc., McKinney, Texas James K. Dossett | Legal Counsel, Jackson, Miss. 21
S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 FOU N DA T I ON S
Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Jackson, MS Permit No. 134
Post Office Box 6149 One Hunter Henry Boulevard Mississippi State, MS 39762-6149 www.msufoundation.com ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED
Impact MSU
w i t h a m atc h i n g g i f t Matching gifts are advantageous to increase your giving to Mississippi State University. The impact of many gifts may be doubled or even tripled if you work for a matching gift company. Please contact your human resources office to find out if you qualify for this opportunity. For assistance, contact Janna Sanford, associate director of gift administration, at 662.325.5802 or jsanford@advservices.msstate.edu.
Make the most of matching gifts and help the students, faculty and programs of MSU even more.