Every day College of Business faculty, staff and students impact our local community by living the University Public Affairs Mission in their everyday lives. The Public Affairs Mission has three pillars: ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement. The Mission is a primary way in which an education from Missouri State is different from other universities.
This fall we are pleased to share the stories of two COB faculty members and one COB student for their recent recognition by the Missouri State Provost’s Office.
- Peggy S. Gilbert, Faculty Emeritus, Marketing Department
While recently retiring from a 30 year career with the Marketing Department, Peggy Gilbert continues more than 40 plus years of devotion to serving her community. This length of service has seen many projects and volunteer activities, but her passion to impact academic excellence in impoverished rural areas of southeast Arkansas as well as standing up for others who cannot stand for themselves, continues today. Locally, Peggy is known for her involvement in assisting and defending the elderly against abuse and bullying. For over forty years, Peggy has been “on call” responding to visitation and transportation needs as well as diffusing intense, confrontational situations involving a variety of elder abuse circumstances. Calls for help come from churches, local hospitals and from those around the community who know of Peggy’s fearless passion and devotion to assist elderly persons who are lonely, gravely ill, harassed, mistreated or suicidal. She travels to those individuals’ homes, nursing facilities and/or hospital rooms, caring for their specific needs at all hours of the day and night. Peggy’s efforts have benefited many organizations and individuals over the years by both her personal efforts and through her academic teaching.
Her passion and devotion to others and her mission to ‘stand for others when they cannot’ has impacted countless lives in untold ways. For all these reasons, we recognize Peggy Gilbert with the Public Affairs Faculty Spotlight!
- James Philpot, Associate Professor, Director-Financial Planning Program, FGB Department
A love of soccer and teaching has brought about numerous opportunities for Dr. James Philpot to impact his community. Having played amateur soccer himself, James has been a licensed referee and referee trainer for nearly 17 years. From 3 year olds to high school matches, maintaining ethical playing standards for the sport is sometimes a thankless position; but as James states, “you savor the moments when you get the job well done and especially when you get a nod of affirmation from a parent or a player.”
Close to Dr. Philpot’s heart is his creation of an independent soccer association. While living in Arkadelphia, AR he saw an unmet need for children to experience the fun and resulting social and athleticism skills inherent in the game of soccer. Having developed and organized the program, it is still going strong today, serving over 350 children a year in the Arkadelphia area.
In addition, James and his wife are active in their church, where they volunteer and contribute their time and teaching talents to directing the Youth Sunday School Program. As October’s Public Affairs Faculty Spotlight, we are pleased to recognize James Philpot both on and off the field for his dedication to ethical leadership and community engagement!
- Tyler McCullough, Sophomore, Finance and General Business major
Tyler McCullough put the Public Affairs mission in action this summer as he spent 12 days in Uganda through the “Man Up and Go” project. The “Man Up and Go” movement has served nearly 2,000 orphans in Ethiopia and Uganda, providing needed supplies, equipment and love to young orphans often cast away by their own society. Tyler was able to provide much needed attention and affection to the children he met and states, “it is not uncommon to see a toddler holding an infant to make sure they get fed and cared for – they are literally raising each other, “babies holding babies.” Tyler also had the opportunity to speak and minister to the next generation of young men about the responsibilities of being men and the importance of fatherhood. He notes, “I was totally out of my comfort zone, but grew as a speaker and a leader and it became one of my favorite parts of the trip.”
We are proud to recognize Tyler McCullough as the Public Affairs Student Spotlight for his compassion and growth in ethical leadership and cultural competence.
These stories, by Stacey Trewatha-Bach, were originally shared via the Missouri State Public Affairs Blog.