Missouri State University announced more than $9 million in private donations.  

These gifts will fund scholarships, create a professorship, renovate Greenwood Laboratory School and more.  

“We continue to be thankful for alumni and friends who care about Missouri State and higher education,” said Brent Dunn, vice president for university advancement and executive director of the Missouri State University Foundation. 

“Private gifts are critical to our university’s success. We’re especially grateful to those donors who have made provisions in their estate planning for future gifts, so their impact on education will continue to live on for generations to come.” 

Given by alumni, community members, former board members and others, the gifts total $9,136,400. 

The donors 

 The following contributed to the foundation: 

• Jerry and Paula Daugherty, Greenwood parents of current students
  The Daugherty donation will fund the Greenwood interior renewal project. 
• The Pinegar family, multigenerational family history of Greenwood alumni
  The Pinegar gift will fund the Greenwood interior renewal project. 
• Estate of Peggy D. Miller, a longtime supporter and Bears Basketball fan
  The estate gift will provide provision to endow scholarships for Bears and Lady Bears Basketball and the Missouri State bands.  
• Bernie and Pam Burrier, longtime Missouri State athletics supporter and emeritus staff
  The Burrier gift establishes the Bernie and Pam Burrier Lady Bears Basketball Success Fund.
• Billy Hixon ’69, foundation Board of Trustees member, and Carolin Hixon, ’85
  An estate gift additional amount to create the Billy E. and Carolin J. Hixon Endowed Fund for Missouri State and the foundation.
• Estate of Jerry Burns ’59 
  This gift created a new professorship in the College of Education: the Jerry F. and Phyllis I. Burns Professorship.
• John Foster, foundation Board of Trustees member
  An estate gift to establish the John D. Foster Scholarship, a nondepartmental scholarship with first preference for College of Business students.
• Dr. Susan Sims-Giddens, Missouri State emeritus faculty member and foundation Board of Trustees member
  An estate gift for an additional amount for the Susan Sims-Giddens and Edwin Giddens Scholarship and the Frankie and S.D. Sims Memorial Scholarship; both are nursing scholarships on the MSU-West Plains campus.
• J.D. Pilkenton, entrepreneur 
  The Pilkenton gift will establish a new endowed scholarship for the College of Business: the J.D., Scott and Ben Pilkenton Scholarship Fund. 

Further six-figure gifts went toward the Bears WIN Program, athletics, the Springfield Way Internship Program and endowed scholarships on the West Plains and Springfield campuses. In addition, there was a significant software gift for the department of digital fashion and merchandising and a gift for the MSU Care Clinic and Bear Pantry.