Actor John Goodman chairs Missouri State campaign to raise $250M (2024)

With much fanfare Saturday, Oct. 26, Missouri State made public acampaign — chaired by actor John Goodman — to raise $250 million.

The Onward, Upward campaign, the fourth in the history of the university, started quietly in 2017 and will run through 2022.

MSU officials announced at the "It's On!" event Saturday that $151.7 million, from more than 50,000 donors, has been pledged so far to support students, faculty, facilities and programs.

“I stay connected to Missouri State because it’s one of my blessings,” said Goodman, in a letter. “It’s great when I come back and discover campus all over again. I just love it here. It’s such a great place. It really is. I owe this school so very much."

The venerable actor headlined the campaign kickoff Saturday at Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, along with former NFL player Clay Harbor and David Glass, the owner of the Kansas City Royals.

Actor John Goodman chairs Missouri State campaign to raise $250M (1)

Goodman said he jumped at the chance to be involved and explained why Saturday.

"It's not that I owe but I owe. I owe the school not for any unpaid loans, that I know of, or some bric-a-brac andknickknacks that went missing," he joked. "It was like a trade school for me. I learned a trade here as an artisan."

Brent Dunn, vice president for university advancement, said Missouri State was excited to publicly announce why it was asking for support. The "It's On!" event has been in the planning stages for months.

"It really is a continuation of the momentum to make this truly a destination campus," he said.

"This is not just to celebrate the campaign to raise $250 million, but it's the impact those gifts make. That is what transforms a campus."

What will thefundraising campaign focus on?

MSU officials said the campaign will touch nearly every aspect of the university. There are priority efforts, however, including:

  • Expanding scholarships for students;
  • Adding three new buildings for the Darr College of Agriculture:a small animal education facility, a livestock show barn and a maintenance training education facility;
  • Constructing a permanent Tent Theatre structure between Ellis Hall and Craig Hall, as part of an arts park that can be used all year;
  • Creatinga student-managed investment fund to provide real-world financial market and investing experience for future entrepreneurs and business leaders;
  • Providingmore resources toattract, instruct and prepare students who want to become teachers;
  • Renovatingthe Professional Building, including a Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic in communication sciences and disorders; a new student advisement center; and student collaboration areas for health and human services students in the areas of nursing, biomedical sciences, and sports medicine and athletic training;
  • Providingfinancial support for low-income students who want to study away;
  • Creatinga degree-completion fund to provide financial assistance for students facing unforeseen complications as they finish up their MSU degrees;
  • Expanding IDEA Commons by adding a 30,000-square-foot expansion to the Jordan Valley Innovation Center;
  • Adding a new parking garage, central green space, a private technology-focused office building, and an outdoor rooftop event space at the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center;
  • Elevatingthe MSU-West Plains nursing program by expanding the number of nursing students admitted to the program from about 35 per year to more than 100 per year;
  • Increasingresearch support opportunities of graduate-level students as they make their Missouri Statement.

The Onward, Upward comprehensive campaign is the fourth and largestin the history of the Missouri State, by far.

But, it is not the only Missouri university trying to set a fundraising record. The University of Missouriis in the middle of the Mizzou: Our Time to Lead campaign, which has a goal of raising $1.3 billion.

Prior to launching, Missouri Statehired a company to complete a feasibility study, which suggested a fundraising goal of $225 million. The silent phase started in 2017 and Dunn said it quickly gained steam.

"We've had some good results in the last year or two," he said. "Sowe bumped that goal up to $250 million."

That amount is double the $125 million the university sought in its last campaign, which concluded in 2012.

"To think, by the next campaign, we've grown our goal ... to be at a quarter of a billionis exciting," said MSU President Clif Smart. "It really shows the growth to the profile of the university."

More:To make 'bigger difference,' Clif and Gail Smart donate $1M to Missouri State

Smart said the involvement of Goodman, a 1975 alumnus who frequently wears MSU shirts on national TV shows and has repeatedly visited the campus in the past three decades, "brings that buzz."

"He's a face that everyone connected to our university knows and is proud of," he said. "...He's probably our best-known alum right now, most high-profile alum, and that brings a sense of excitement."

Actor John Goodman chairs Missouri State campaign to raise $250M (3)

CeceleyHusley, a 2019 graduate in biology and chemistry, said she benefited from scholarships and was impressed Goodman is raising money to help others.

"It's pretty stinking cool that somebody would come all the way to Missouri State...it's just a little hidden gem," she said. "Somebody to come and support that means we're making some big moves."

Wrapping up Glass Hall project

Two years ago, the university unveiled a landmark renovation of Glass Hall, home of the College of Business. Thenearly $34 million project included a renovation ofthe original 173,000-square-foot building and construction ofa 35,000-square-foot addition, including a four-story atrium.

On Saturday, Smart announced David Glass has made a third and final gift toward the project. The amount of his support has not been publicly disclosed.

Actor John Goodman chairs Missouri State campaign to raise $250M (4)

"This is his, at least third gift on Glass Hall— the original gift, the gift he gave on the renovation, and then this third gift to finish the project off," Smart said."It's the last piece of the Glass Hall renovation, the boardroom. It had not been named and will be named for the David Glass family."

Helping students pay for college

In the silent portion of the campaign, Missouri State raised enough money to create 222 new privately funded scholarships.

"It gives everybody more of a chance to come here and enjoy this beautiful campus and this great experience," said Alexa Willard, a senior and member of the Lady Bears Basketball team.

That brings the total number of available scholarships offered through the Missouri State Foundation to 1,381. In the past year, the scholarships awarded more than $2.4 million in financial assistance to students.

Actor John Goodman chairs Missouri State campaign to raise $250M (5)

Abdillahi Dirie, president of the Student Government Association, said he was excited to be part of the event.

"I've been given a lot of opportunities here at Missouri State," he said.

Dirie, who is studying health communications, said the scholarships will make a huge difference in the lives of students.

"College affordability is something that is an issue here just at public universities so we we are trying to give access to every student to be able to pay for college," he said.

Dunn said expanding that help will continue to be a priority."It's an ongoing thing. That is going to always be an emphasis during the public phase of the campaign."

The minimum amount for an endowed scholarship is $25,000.

"That scholarship will continue forever," Dunnsaid. "That will live as long as we're in business."

The size and scope of the scholarships vary based on the donated amount and the wishes of the donor. The amount awarded annually may range from a few thousand dollars to a full-ride.

Clay Harbor, a former NFL player and alumnus, said the scholarships will change the lives of students.

"My time in Springfield and at Missouri State was amazing and helped refine the person I became and I am and I owe a lot to Springfield ... learning a lot of leadership qualities," he said.

Harbor, who has also been on TV, said the scholarships will give students a chance to go to school and find what they love. "That is really special and the opportunity to do that is humbling."

Smart said the campaign will raise funds to help students "financially strapped at the end" of their undergraduate education go ahead and complete degrees.

"I hope that we can establish a robust help-you-finish-college scholarship. There are so many students that run out of the ability to fund or their parents run out of money to fund or there isn't money to borrow," Smartsaid. "You don't want to get someone to come up short of the finish line by 12 hours or six hours."

The campaign will raise funds to helplow-income students who want to pursue a study away experience but need help paying for the option.

"We'd love to have a more robust scholarship fund for study away," he said. "Everyone who does study away, 99 percent of them come back changed and it's the most significant thing they've done to create a world view and to go off into adulthood from that."

New, renovated building projects

Actor John Goodman chairs Missouri State campaign to raise $250M (6)

On the fundraising priority wish list, there are three new buildings for the Darr College of Agriculture and a permanent structure for Tent Theatre.

"They are projects that resonate with donors and they are projects that help our community, our state or our world," Dunn said. "In order to get those done, we're going to have to have private support."

In recent years, the university— with the help of private donors— has added space to expand health sciences programs but more is needed.

"You make a big impact on the number of people who can go into health care, which is needed," Dunn said.

Smart said it's time to overhaul the aging Professional Building for the next generation ofhealth and human services professionals.

"We need a new up-to-date speech and language clinic in there. We are operating in spaces that are 40-plus years old," he said. "That is a major focus."

Smart said the push to expand IDEA Commons to add 30,000 square feet to the Jordan ValleyInnovation Center will continue to spur investment in downtown.

Actor John Goodman chairs Missouri State campaign to raise $250M (7)

"We will be fundraising for both the efactory, Jordan Valley Innovation Center expansion. That is not only transformational for the university but we believe transformational for Springfield," he said. "If we're able to develop that piece north of the square, we believe it will result in another level of development downtown."

In the initial stage of the campaign, the university has received donations from 50,000 donors— including 27,000 who have not previously given to Missouri State.

"We hope to double that amount," Smart said.

By the numbers

  • Campaign goal: $250 million
  • Amount pledged so far:$151,738,352
  • Donors so far:50,000+
  • New donors:27,103
  • New student scholarships:222

More education news

  • How close is Missouri State to renaming JQH Arena? Clif Smart weighs in.
  • MSU expands free dual credit offer to low-income students across state
  • Federal grant paves way for $2.5 million expansion of eFactory
Actor John Goodman chairs Missouri State campaign to raise $250M (2024)
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