Guests dined with one another and University leaders. Students who have received scholarships were also in attendance to meet and thank supporters.

The story of one scholarship

Neosha and John Mackey were among the guests at the event. In 2012, the couple established the Neosha and John Mackey Qingdao University Student Scholarship Fund in honor of Neosha’s retirement as dean of University libraries.

The Mackeys came to Springfield in 1985 after Neosha took a job as head of reference for Missouri State’s libraries. She was named associate dean of library services in 1987, a job she held until 2009 when she was named dean. During her time on campus, Meyer Library nearly doubled in size and significantly expanded its resources.

Neosha and John also saw a significant change in Missouri State’s international outreach efforts during their time on campus. Since 2003, the international student population on the Springfield campus has nearly tripled, and today one out of every 15 students at Missouri State is an international student.

Neosha and John took a leadership role in developing international programs, particularly programs in China. Neosha spent more than a year in China, which she said was one of the most significant events in her time at Missouri State, and John spent two years there. Neosha and John felt a particular connection with Qingdao, a city of about 8 million people on China’s northeastern coast. Missouri State has a long-standing relationship and student/faculty exchange program with Qingdao University.

In honor of Neosha’s retirement, she and John established their Qingdao University Student Scholarship Fund for students attending Missouri State from Qingdao University. Each year, the scholarship will benefit four students from Qingdao University who are studying at Missouri State’s campus in Springfield.

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