WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Officials at Missouri State University-West Plains announced today they have raised the minimum $250,000 needed in donations and pledges to endow the University’s third professorship, the Endowed Professorship of Business.
Chancellor Drew Bennett said the professorship will provide the money needed to support the salary of the chair of the Division of Business, Applied Technology and Public Service, an important position with demanding responsibilities. The professorship will be awarded beginning with the 2015 fall semester, with Missouri State-West Plains funding the interest for the professorship for the first five years while pledges are being met and the professorship reaches its full endowment level.
“We started working on a business professorship in 2008. Unfortunately, the market went down, and it took a long time to recover,” he explained. “During that time, we were able to endow a nursing professorship and an honors professorship, and members of the business community, including banks, investment advisors, certified public accountants and many business people realized the importance of supporting our faculty in this subject area, as well.
“Professorships are extremely important in our effort to attract and retain quality faculty members for our programs,” he continued. “Those who have helped make this dream a reality know the value of education and truly appreciate the impact that one teacher can make on hundreds, if not thousands, of students over the course of a career; therefore, establishing a professorship, especially a business professorship, is not only an investment in our campus, it’s an investment in the future of our community.”
Those who have invested in the professorship include former 29th District State Senator Emory Melton, a Republican from Cassville who served the people of his district from 1972 to 1996; Century Bank of the Ozarks; Community First Banking Company; Landmark Bank; the Vivian H. Drago Trust; West Plains Bank and Trust Company; Industrial Development Corporation of West Plains; Missouri State University System President Clif Smart and his wife, Gail; Great Southern Bank; Joe Spears of West Plains; Dr. Marvin and Bettye Fowler of West Plains; Jim and Cindy McFarland of West Plains; Regina Gleghorn of West Plains; Wood and Huston Bank; Allison London Smith of West Plains; and the Edward Jones Office of Paul Kimberling.
“The establishment of the business professorship reflects the wonderful support the University receives from the community,” said Cathy Proffitt-Boys, assistant professor of agriculture and entrepreneurship and the current division chair. “This endowment will allow us to provide additional ongoing resources toward expanding our faculty and help us continue to provide quality education to students in our community.”
University officials said donations to the professorship are still being accepted to increase the fund beyond the $250,000 minimum. Donors have the option of making a one-time gift or a pledge for an annual gift for the next five years.
For more information about giving to the professorship or other ways to give to Missouri State-West Plains, call the development office at 417-255-7240 or visit the office’s website at http://wp.missouristate.edu/development/.