Raised and educated at Missouri State University, Mr. Dana Edwards had no idea of the on-going impact and legacy he and his family would create and leave at Missouri State.
Edwards was invited to speak at the 2011 Endowed Scholarship Appreciation Dinner that was held on April 4, 2011 at the Plaster Student Union. The event is held annually to honor donors to and recipients of endowed non-departmental scholarships. To read more about this year’s event read Annual dinner honors endowed non-departmental scholarships. At the dinner Edwards spoke about his family’s long-standing ties with the University and why contributing to Missouri State, particularly scholarships, is so important to them.
The family established their first scholarship, the Gene Edwards Memorial Scholarship, in 2008 in honor of Dana’s father, Maurice Eugene “Gene” Edwards, following his passing in December of 2007. The scholarship provides financial assistance for exceptional students graduating from Webster Groves High School in St. Louis, Missouri, with preference for students involved in band.
Mr. Gene Edwards had been a member of the Missouri State University community for nearly 60 years. Graduating from Missouri State in 1950 with a Bachelors of Science in Accounting, Gene was hired immediately into the Missouri State Bursar’s Office. He worked there for 40 years before retiring, and during his time at Missouri State he also served as Treasurer for the Board of Regents (now known as the Board of Governors) and was one of the incorporators of the Missouri State University Foundation in 1981. Gene and his wife Norma “Jeannie” were proud Missouri State University supporters, contributing to athletics as members of The Bears Fund, as well as to the College of Business Administration and the School of Accountancy. In 2003 Gene was added to the Missouri State University Wall of Fame, which recognizes retired faculty and staff that have contributed to the success and positive collegiate experience of students at the University.
Edwards, who now lives in St. Louis with his wife and children, spent much of his youth on and around the Missouri State University campus. Edwards attended Greenwood Laboratory School on the Missouri State campus and after his graduation from high school he followed in the footsteps of his father and pursued an undergraduate degree at Missouri State. Four years later he and his wife, Sharon, graduated from Missouri State’s College of Business Administration, Dana with a Bachelors of Science in Marketing and Sharon with a Bachelors of Science in Accounting.
Dana and his mother continued his father and their family’s legacy at Missouri State University this year with the creation of a new non-departmental endowed scholarship. Created as part of the 30 new scholarships that were announced in conjunction with the 30th Anniversary of the Missouri State University Foundation, the Edwards Family Scholarship will benefit strong-performing students from Greene, Christian, Webster, Wright, Dallas, Polk, Douglas, Laclede, Taney, Barton, Lawrence, Barry, Dade, Newton, Jasper, Ozark, Vernon, McDonald, Stone or Cedar counties in Missouri, with preference for students seeking degrees in the College of Business Administration.
With their commitment to Missouri State University, the Edwards Family has ensured that their legacy and the legacy of Mr. Gene Edwards will continue helping students achieve their educational aspirations for generations to come.
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