Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for April 16, 2019

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Last Friday we inducted the sixth class into the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees were Maya Angelou, Bill Clay, Sr., Bill Darr, Emily Geraghty and Doug Pitt. You can learn more about the inspiring stories of inductees from this year and prior years on the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame webpage.

We hosted our largest crowd ever for this year’s induction ceremony and banquet. Thanks to everyone who attended.

If you have a nominee for the Public Affairs Hall of Fame, please submit a nomination form online.

Making Missouri stronger

Last week we had the privilege of hosting the Hawthorn Foundation’s board of directors in Springfield. The Hawthorn Foundation consists of Missouri leaders in business, education, economic development, healthcare and labor dedicated to making the state of Missouri stronger. I am on the board for the Hawthorn Foundation and its subsidiary, the Missouri Partnership.

I was the keynote speaker at the meeting. My presentation focused on the growth of Springfield and Missouri State University’s local and statewide leadership. Highlights from my presentation include:

  • 20,026 students from the state of Missouri are enrolled on Missouri State University’s Springfield campus. This is more than any other university in the state.
  • Enrollment on the Springfield campus has grown by 17.2% since 2011. Meanwhile enrollment has decreased by 9.2% nationwide and 11.3% in Missouri.
  • Over the last decade, tuition at Missouri State has increased by less than inflation.
  • Missouri State University receives less state funding per student than any other university in the state. We are working with the legislature to close this gap with an equity adjustment.

Influencing the action plan

Earlier this week, Craig Frazier, vice chair of MSU’s Board of Governors, and Kristan Gochenauer, board secretary, attended the Association of Governing Board’s National Conference on Trusteeship. Governor Gabriel Gore and I also planned to attend, but weather-related flight delays thwarted our travel plans.

The conference included a workshop on how universities can stay relevant and competitive in challenging times. The conference included another workshop on growing and diversifying revenue. A former Walt Disney executive presented a keynote titled “Leading for Creativity.” A former chief economist at CNBC presented another keynote about negative market indicators and how higher education institutions should be prepared for the future economic landscape.

We will discuss the information conveyed at the AGB conference at our May Board of Governors meeting. These and other higher education trends will guide our work this summer on next year’s action plan.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Feb. 5, 2019

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This year’s Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is at 6 p.m. on April 12 at the White River Conference Room. I am very excited about this year’s class of inductees: Maya Angelou, William Clay Sr., William Darr, Emily Geraghty and Doug Pitt.

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou was an author, poet, historian, songwriter, playwright, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, performer, singer and civil rights activist.

Angelou worked for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. She wrote and performed an original poem at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton. And President Barack Obama presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Angelou is best known for her autobiographies and poetry. Her poem, “Yet Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘fore I Diiie,” was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1972. She died in 2014.

William Clay Sr.

William (Bill) Clay Sr. is a retired member of Congress.

The first African-American representative from Missouri, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1969-2001. His tenure was longer than any other former African-American member of the House. Clay started as a civil rights activist and labor union representative in St. Louis and promoted bills that helped minorities and U.S. workers.

William Darr

William (Bill) H. Darr is a successful agribusiness entrepreneur. He founded American Dehydrated Foods, Inc. (ADF) in 1978. Today, his companies, along with ADF, also include International Dehydrated Foods, Inc., Food Ingredients Technology Company and IsoNova Technologies.

Darr has been called a humanitarian, philanthropist, child advocate and higher education champion, among others. He and his wife, Virginia, have created many scholarships to help students pursue higher education. In 2002, they established the Darr Family Foundation. To date, it has awarded more than $2.7 million in grant funding to local organizations serving at-risk children.

Emily Geraghty

Emily Geraghty is an accomplished multimedia journalist and producer. During her years of developing video content and mini-documentaries, Geraghty has developed a unique creative voice producing videos that focus on identity issues for women and LGBTQ people.

She created and directs the size-inclusive sensation, “Women Sizes 0 to 28 in the Same Outfit.” She was also awarded a Webby Award for her mini-documentary “Pretty Big Movement Destroys Dancer Stereotypes” from the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.

Doug Pitt

Doug Pitt is a businessman, investor and philanthropist. In 2007, he founded Care to Learn, a Springfield-based nonprofit that provides immediate funding to meet children’s emergent needs. Those health, hygiene and food items reduce barriers to help every student be successful in school.

To date, the organization has met over 900,000 of those needs for Missouri students, and serves more than 98,000 students from 33 school districts in Missouri.

Join us at the ceremony

Tickets for this year’s induction ceremony are $40. I encourage all members of the university community to purchase tickets online and attend this event.

Additionally, if you have suggestions for future inductees into the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame, please submit a nomination online.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for April 10, 2018

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As I mentioned last week, this week is the annual Public Affairs Conference. I hope you will take some time to look at the schedule and attend some of the sessions.

Dr. Robert Ballard, this year’s featured speaker, will give his presentation tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Juanita K. Hammons Hall. Ballard is the explorer who discovered the wreckage of the Titanic in 1985. His presentation will give his personal account of that experience. No registration or tickets are required to attend.

Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame

On Friday evening we will induct this year’s class into the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees are Jean Carnahan, Peter Herschend, Lane McConnell, General John J. Pershing and Phyllis Washington.

Jean Carnahan was Missouri’s first lady and our first female U.S. Senator. She has been a life-long advocate for children and families.

Peter Herschend is co-founder and co-owner of Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation (formerly Silver Dollar City, Inc). An education champion, Herschend has been instrumental in promoting higher standards for Missouri’s public education system for more than two decades.

Lane McConnell founded the Farmers Market of the Ozarks. The market is home to more than 110 farmers and was named the number six farmers market in the country in 2015.

Gen. John J. Pershing, a native of Laclede, Missouri, led a distinguished military career culminating with his rank as General of the Armies. He is most recognized for his leadership during World War I.

Phyllis Washington is a former vice president of the Missouri State University Board of Governors. She began her career as an educator in 1968 in Kansas City. After just a few years as a teacher, she was named principal of E.F. Swinney Applied Learning Magnet, one of the first magnet schools in the Kansas City school district’s court-ordered desegregation plan.

The Public Affairs Hall of Fame induction ceremony is one of my favorite events of the year. It’s not too late to purchase tickets. I hope to see you there.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

 

Clif’s Notes for Jan. 30, 2018

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Last week we announced this year’s inductees into the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame: Jean Carnahan, Peter Herschend, Lane McConnell, John J. Pershing and Phyllis Washington. I am excited about this class.

Jean Carnahan was Missouri’s first lady and our first female U.S. Senator. She has been a life-long advocate for children and families. Carnahan was a member of the first Congressional delegation to Afghanistan after Sept. 11 and conferred with heads of state in Turkey, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Oman.

Peter Herschend is co-founder and co-owner of Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation (formerly Silver Dollar City, Inc.). Herschend is well known for his efforts to help set the direction of tourism and education in Missouri. An education champion, Herschend has been instrumental in promoting higher standards for Missouri’s public education system for more than two decades.

Lane McConnell founded the Farmers Market of the Ozarks (FMO) in Springfield with local developer Matt O’Reilly in early 2011. The market is home to more than 110 farmers and was named the number six farmers market in the country in 2015. The market has also been placed on the Top 10 List for national news sites such as MSN.com, Food52.com, The Daily Meal and Feast Magazine.

General John J. Pershing, a native of Laclede, Missouri, led a distinguished military career culminating with his rank as General of the Armies. He is most recognized for his leadership during World War I, in which he commanded the American Expeditionary Force.

Phyllis Washington began her career as an educator in 1968 in Kansas City. After just a few years as a teacher, she was named principal of E.F. Swinney Applied Learning Magnet School.

Swinney was one of the first magnet schools in the Kansas City school district’s court-ordered desegregation plan, and the U.S. Department of Education recognized Swinney as one of the top elementary schools in the country. She now serves as the superintendent of Allen Village Charter School.

You can find additional information about this year’s nominees in last week’s news release.

This year’s induction ceremony and banquet will occur at 7 p.m. on April 13 at the White River Conference Center. Tickets are $40 and tables are $750. I encourage all members of the university community to purchase tickets online and attend this event.

Additionally, if you have suggestions for future inductees into the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame, please submit a nomination online.

Submit nominations for Wall of Fame

Missouri State University has developed a rich heritage of outstanding faculty and staff who have contributed much to the success of our university. The Wall of Fame, located outside the Ballroom in the Plaster Student Union, is a designated location for the university to recognize and honor employees who have excelled at Missouri State and significantly contributed to the success and positive collegiate experience of students. While Missouri State University has had many outstanding employees during its long history, the intention of the Wall of Fame is to recognize those faculty and staff members who have had an impact on students that is considered truly noteworthy.

Nominations are now being accepted for next year’s honorees. I encourage you to nominate former Missouri State University employees who you believe should be recognized with this honor. You can submit nominations online. Selection criteria and a list of past inductees can also be found online. Nominations will be accepted until March 9.

A reception and installation of honoree recognition plaques will take place on Oct. 19 in the PSU Ballroom.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Jan. 31, 2017

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Clif's Notes

Last week we announced this year’s inductees into the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame: Maxine Clark, Ann Covington, Hal Donaldson, Langston Hughes and Judith Rowland. I am excited about this class.

Introducing the honoreesCitizen Scholar statue

Maxine Clark, founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop®, is one of the true innovators in the retail industry. In June 2013, Clark stepped down from her chief executive role to apply her entrepreneurial skills to her passion for improving K-12 public education and to invest in and mentor women and minority entrepreneurs.

Ann Covington served as the first female judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals in 1987, the first female judge on the Missouri Supreme Court in 1989 and the first female chief justice in 1993. As a former member of the University of Missouri Board of Curators, Covington has also been active in higher education.

Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope, has committed his life to providing people in need with much-needed supplies and resources like warm meals, groceries, medical and dental screenings, job opportunities and business training. Under Donaldson’s leadership, Convoy of Hope has distributed nearly $700 million worth of food and supplies to more than 80 million people across the globe.

Langston Hughes was a prolific writer of poetry, fiction, drama, libretto, journalism, screenplays and more. His success made him the first African American to make his living solely as a writer. Born in Joplin when rigid racial restrictions dominated Missouri, Hughes was proud of his connection to the state.

Judith Rowland is the U.S. policy and advocacy manager at Global Citizen, a social platform that works to solve world problems through education, outreach and engagement. Among her many accomplishments, Rowland helped secure over 100 co-sponsors on the 2014 Water for the World Act and, in conjunction with partners from across the sector, played an instrumental role in seeing the bill pass through both legislative chambers and be signed into law.

You can find additional information about this year’s nominees in last week’s press release.

This year’s induction ceremony and banquet will occur at 6 p.m. on April 7 at the White River Conference Center. Tickets are $40 and tables are $750. I encourage all members of the university community to purchase tickets online and attend this event.

Additionally, if you have suggestions for future inductees into the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame, please submit a nomination online.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!