Ļć½¶Ö±²„again tops $100 million in private support for consecutive year
Contact: Amy Cagle
STARKVILLE, Miss.āĻć½¶Ö±²„ has concluded another fundraising year for the record booksāraising an impressive $103.2 million for Fiscal Year 2016. This outpouring of generous support also marked the third highest fundraising year in school history, as well as three years running in which institutional fundraising surpassed $100 million.
āBecause of loyal and generous donors, Ļć½¶Ö±²„ continues its greatest era, and a decisive margin of excellence from private gifts helps our university produce future leaders and advance endeavors in education and research to help people everywhere,ā said Ļć½¶Ö±²„President Mark E. Keenum.
Keenum continued, āThe investments in student scholarships and endowed faculty positions, in particular, are making Ļć½¶Ö±²„a stronger university and enabling us to keep pace with enrollment growth.ā
Of the total funds raised in FY 16:
āNew outright gifts accounted for more than $54.7 million;
āNew pledges totaled almost $22.2 million; and
āDeferred gifts made up the remaining nearly $26.3 million.
In all, more than 22,600 donorsāindividuals, corporations, foundations, trusts and estatesāmade contributions during FY16.
MSUās highest giving periods were fiscal years 2014 and 2015, with over $106.2 million and $109.6 million respectively. These successive record years in fundraising have placed the universityās ongoing āInfinite Impactā capital campaign on the fast track.
Earlier this year, āInfinite Impactā crossed its initial goal of $600 million and university leadership announced in April the endeavor would move toward $1 billion by 2020. To date, more than $645 million in gifts and pledges of future support are growing the overall total that assists the university with its long-range strategic plan.
Before boasting three straight fundraising years in excess of $100 million, Ļć½¶Ö±²„earlier tallied three successive years (FY 11, FY 12, and FY 13) in excess of $80 million per year.
John P. Rush, vice president for alumni and development and Ļć½¶Ö±²„Foundation president and CEO, cites the institutionās growing reputation as cause for this substantial rise in giving.
āThe success of āInfinite Impactā indicates contributors are willing to help our university make strides to positively impact education, healthcare, crop production, and pioneering technology, among many other areas affecting our world,ā said Rush.
āAlumni and friends place their confidence in Mississippi State because they understand the value of their Ļć½¶Ö±²„degrees and recognize an education at our university is a great starting point for any student.ā
Alumni participation at Ļć½¶Ö±²„has hit at least 17 percent for the past seven years. In FY 16, Ļć½¶Ö±²„topped 17 percent, placing it strongly above many peer institutions and ahead of the national average in the number of former graduates who support their university.
In FY 17, Rush said, the Ļć½¶Ö±²„Foundation will renew its focus in assisting MSUās strategic goals by fundraising for student scholarships and securing endowments to create distinguished faculty positions for crucial areas. Private gifts for university research endeavors also are a priority, as is support for new and renovated facilities for academics and athletics.
The Ļć½¶Ö±²„Foundation administers most of the institutionās fundraising activities and endowment funds. The universityās current endowment stands in excess of $450 million.
Visit for more information on the work of the Ļć½¶Ö±²„Foundation and for specifics on the capital campaign.
Ļć½¶Ö±²„is Mississippiās leading university, available online at .