The Spirit of Philanthropy Awards are presented at the annual Lantern Society dinner.
Each year, this award is presented to an individual and to an organization who have demonstrated truly outstanding levels of support for Missouri Southern State University.
| Year | Individual | Organization |
| 2011 | Mary Ann Mitts | |
| 2012 | John & Joy Cragin | |
| 2013 | Ruth I. Koplin Rubison | Freeman Health System |
| 2014 | William Robert Corley | Leggett & Platt, Inc. |
| 2015 | Cynthia Schwab | Southwest Missouri Bank |
| 2016 | Pat & Carolyn Phelps | Roper Automotive |
| 2017 | Ralph L. Gray | Robert W. Plaster Foundation |
| 2018 | George S. Beimdiek | Mercy Hospital Joplin |
| 2019 | The Laferla Family | McCune Brooks Healthcare Foundation |
| 2023 | Bill & Tracy Gipson | Dorothea B. Hoover AAUW Foundation |
