Last week H. Wes Pratt announced that he will retire from Missouri State on Aug. 1, 2022.

Wes is a giant in the Springfield community.

• He helped revitalize the local NAACP chapter.
• He established The Gathering.
• He co-founded and led Minorities in Business and guided it through a recent name-change to the Multicultural Business Association.
• He was appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court to the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness.

Recognizing that MSU leads Springfield in diversity, equity and inclusion, Wes pushed the university’s diversity training, resources and expertise into the broader community.

Wes has long served as an important source of sage advice to a multitude of leaders in our community. He speaks truth to power and maintains an enormous network of influence in Springfield and beyond.

His tenure at the university

Wes has worked for MSU since 2007. He started as coordinator of diversity, outreach and recruitment.

He will retire as our chief diversity officer.

Wes focused his work on helping the university value the inclusion of diversity.

During his time at MSU, Wes expanded diversity training and development, coordinated and enhanced the Collaborative Diversity Conference and Facing Racism Institute, and worked with the Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB) to relocate their national headquarters to MSU’s campus.

Embodying public affairs

Wes’s career is a testament to the university’s public affairs mission. Wes doesn’t just talk about public affairs, he has committed his life to community engagement, cultural competence and ethical leadership.

I will miss working with Wes as our chief diversity officer. He has played a critical role in MSU’s — and Springfield’s — success.

I hope you will join me in celebrating Wes’ career at a retirement reception scheduled for 3 p.m. July 18 at the Jay Wasson Idea Loft in the efactory.

Search for an interim

An internal search for an interim chief diversity officer will begin immediately. The interim will be appointed to a one-year term, and we will assess the need for a national search at that time.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!