Missouri State Magazine

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Alumnus and his daughters make a gift that will elevate teaching, learning and mentorship. In February, Missouri State announced a new name in the College of Business: The Pendleton Family School of Accountancy. “This milestone moment — the university’s first named school — was made possible thanks to a significant seven-figure gift from alumnus Dick […]

Missouri State inducted seven former athletes, an iconic sportswriter and a national championship team as part of its 2025-26 Athletics Hall of Fame class. FORMER ATHLETE HONOREES Chenille Bayless Gaumer, volleyball, 2000-03 The standout setter was a four-year All-MVC performer and remains Mo State’s career assists leader (5,431). Bayless helped lead the Bears to an […]

Ian Platz has a thriving career in defense and antiterrorism initiatives. He says it wouldn’t have happened without a unique Missouri State school and an internship facilitated by a faculty member. At 2 a.m. one night in February 2024, Ian Platz was in his hotel room in Ukraine when his phone alerted him to suspected […]

The new Marideth Sisco Community Education Fund at West Plains is named for an alumna who passed away this May. Sisco ’86 was a radio personality, singer, songwriter, author, retired journalist and expert on this region. The fund will bring in speakers, and her work will be displayed on campus. Editor’s note: Sisco passed away […]

Stories of the true events of our no. 1 ranked program ACT I: THE SCRIPT READ INT. CREDO ARTS CENTER – NIGHT On a chilly Sunday evening, an audience takes shape in the community performing arts center. The energy immediately shifts upon entering the glass front doors of the building — from the cold, dark […]

How well did you pay attention to Missouri State happenings this semester? It’s time to find out! Take the news quiz.  

A professor at the Missouri State University Fruit Experiment Station in Mountain Grove, Missouri, has discovered and patented a new grapevine cultivar. Dr. Wenping Qiu is the director of the Center for Grapevine Biotechnology. He was granted a patent for the Norton Blanc grapevine cultivar, a hybrid of the Norton and cabernet sauvignon grapevines. “We’re […]

Jadie Arnett keeps up with a busy 5-to-9 after her 9-to-5. She comes home from work, allows herself an hour to decompress, then it’s back to work, sometimes until midnight. It’s all part of the hustle to establish her name as a young graphic designer. And it’s working. Arnett, class of 2022, has a Bachelor […]

Joey Hawkins is back at home In the Canadian community just outside Toronto where Joey Hawkins grew up, hockey was everything. But his favorite was always baseball. Hawkins played both sports, among others, from a very young age. By the time he was in high school, he felt there was more long-term potential for him […]

In 2008, a 10-year-old boy with Down syndrome made homemade truffles for an event at Waverly House Gifts & Gallery in Springfield. It was the beginning of his future business: Truffles E Truffles. The venture became so successful, it helped him pay for a chunk of his college tuition. Today, that young man, Adam DeBacker, […]

Dr. Arthur Mallory, the fifth president of Missouri State, passed away Nov. 20. Mallory served as president from 1964-71, starting when he was 31 years old — the youngest president to serve the institution in this role. Mallory’s tenure ended when he was appointed as commissioner of education for the state. He served in the […]

As a child, Diane Adams Whitmarsh ’72 would visit her grandma in Springfield and play on the swings at Greenwood Laboratory School. She peeked in the windows of the school and told her mom she wanted to go there some day. Her mother said she could — for college. As Whitmarsh grew, she still wanted […]