Last week, Brent Dunn announced he will retire July 1, 2027, after more than 40 years of dedicated service to Missouri State University.

Brent joined Missouri State in 1985 as director of annual giving. Since then, he has served in leadership roles across development and athletics and, since 2007, as vice president for university advancement. He also serves as president and CEO of the Missouri State University Foundation.

His impact on Missouri State is hard to overstate.

Through his leadership, the university has reached record levels of private support. That includes nearly $50 million raised in outright gifts, estate gifts and pledges for fiscal year 2026. He helped lead two capital campaigns, Onward, Upward and Our Promise, which combined, raised nearly $500 million. He also participated in The Campaign for SMS, which raised more than $50 million.

More than just numbers

Those numbers are impressive, but the real story is what they make possible.

Fundraising strengthens every part of our university. It helps make education more affordable and accessible for students through scholarships. It supports faculty through endowed professorships and program investments. It enables staff to make a greater impact across campus. It enhances our facilities, enriches the student experience and invests in our university’s future.

You can see the results across campus in places like Roy Blunt Hall, the Judith Enyeart Reynolds Performing Arts Complex, the John Goodman Amphitheatre and the Clifton M. Smart III University Advancement Center. You can also see them in the students who are able to stay enrolled, graduate and build meaningful lives because someone chose to invest in them.

That’s the power of advancement.

Advancement is about more than fundraising. It’s about relationships. It’s about connecting alumni and friends to the university they love. It’s about helping people see how their generosity can change lives. It’s about building a stronger Missouri State for today’s students and for generations of Bears to come.

That work depends on all of us. By supporting the Missouri State Foundation, you help open doors for students, strengthen academic programs and invest in the future of the university we care about.

Guided by strategy

That work is also central to our strategic plan, “Igniting Opportunity.” One of our goals is to strengthen the student and alumni experience. Another is to build the partnerships and resources needed to help Missouri State be the nation’s leading public affairs university. Advancement plays a critical role in achieving both goals.

But fundraising is not the responsibility of university advancement alone. Advancement provides the expertise, coordination and support, but building relationships and identifying opportunities to invest in Missouri State is a responsibility we all share. Faculty, staff and university leaders across campus can help connect alumni, friends and partners with the people, programs and priorities that inspire their support.

University advancement recently completed a divisionwide strategic plan, “Elevating Together: Shaping our Future with Purpose and Partnership.” It aligns with “Igniting Opportunity” and provides the advancement team and the broader university a strong roadmap for the future.

I’m deeply grateful to Brent for his leadership, loyalty and belief in Missouri State. He has been one of this university’s greatest champions, and we’re better because of his work.

The upcoming search

Now, we begin the process of identifying our next advancement leader.

We’ll conduct a national search. We’ll use a search firm to help us attract a strong and diverse pool of candidates. Our goal is to have Brent’s successor in place by July 1 next year.

This is an important position for our university. We’ll look for a leader who truly understands the importance of philanthropy, values alumni engagement, works collaboratively across campus to strengthen fundraising efforts and can build on the strong foundation Brent and his team have created.

Please join me in thanking Brent for his extraordinary service to Missouri State. We’ll have more opportunities to celebrate him in the year ahead.

It’s a great day to be a Bear!

Biff