The Lions Forward campaign has been quite successful since its launch in July 2022. Announced publicly this April, Lions Forward: The Campaign for Missouri Southern is the first comprehensive fundraising campaign the University has undertaken since the early 2000s. The five-year, $42.7 million fundraising campaign will transform MSSU and provide current and future students with access to life-changing higher education experiences. With contributions totaling $35,078,884 from over 2,500 individuals so far, the campaign is well on the way to transforming MSSU and the future of higher education in the four-states region.
The Lions Forward campaign aligns with MSSU’s strategic plan and focuses on seven priorities: student scholarships, the Roy Blunt Health Science Innovation Center, immersive learning opportunities, academic excellence, student success center, Billingsly Student Center, and athletics excellence.
Recent gifts from generous donors like Freeman Health System and David and Debra Humphreys have already made an impact on MSSU and students.
On Aug. 19, 2024, Freeman gave $1 million to the Roy Blunt Health Science Innovation Center, which will provide significant funding to further educate the next generation of health care workers in the area. In recognition of Freeman’s generosity, two immersive learning spaces in the new facility will be named the Freeman Skills Lab and the Freeman Simulation Classroom. The former will be a large, flexible space where students from a range of health science programs can practice what they learn, professors can arrange or add equipment to enhance that day’s lesson, and large glass walls offering campus visitors the opportunity to see learning in action, while the latter will be a space that can be used for prebriefing and debriefing of simulation scenarios, specialty lectures related to the scenario of the day, guest lecturers, or for students to complete assignments pre and post simulation.
Also dedicated to the advancement of MSSU students, David and Debra Humphreys are extending their impact on MSSU students by contributing $1 million to their scholarship program. The Debra and David Humphreys Excellence Awards have benefitted more than 100 MSSU students—who are known as “Humphreys Scholars” since its establishment in 2017 through an initial contribution of $1 million. The additional $1 million gift announced in September means the program will continue to ensure many local students are financially supported at the university. Since its establishment, $775,000 in scholarships have been awarded, 66 Humphreys Scholars have graduated from MSSU, nearly 90% of awardees stayed in school and earned their degrees from MSSU, and more than 90% live and work within a 50-mile radius of Joplin.
These are just two initiatives within the Lions Forward Campaign that have already made momentous changes to the university, and the higher education experience has just begun—as of Nov. 1, 82% of the goal has been raised with 26 months left in the campaign, in addition to $12,442,441 of scholarship money, 10 commitments of $1 million or more have been pledged withal 206 commitments of $25,000 or more.
“The impact of the Lions Forward campaign can be seen across campus,” said Dr. Dean Van Galen, president of MSSU. “From student scholarships to athletics, from academic programs to facilities, charitable giving is enhancing opportunities for students and making Missouri Southern a stronger university.”
To discuss making a gift to the Lions Forward campaign, call the Office of Development at 417-625-3104.
To learn more about Lions Forward, visit www.mssu.edu/lionsforward.
We would like to recognize the following donors who have made transformational commitments to the Lions Forward campaign.
- Rod and Janice Anderson
- Kent and C.B. Eastman
- Freeman Health System
- Bill and Tracy Gipson
- David and Debra Humphreys
- Mike and Ann Jernigan
- K. D. & M. L. Steadley Trust
- McCune-Brooks Healthcare Foundation
- John and Nancy Messick
- Bob and Dot Willcoxon
- Anonymous Donors
Gifts from July 1, 2022 through November 30, 2024
