Mississippi State University set a series of remarkable milestones in fundraising support during the past fiscal year, and it wouldn’t have been possible without you and the entire MSU community.
The 2026 fiscal year, which concluded on June 30, saw our fundraising exceed $230 million for the third year, with a total of more than $237 million, and continued to push our total endowment well beyond the $1 billion mark, a figure which was eclipsed in 2025. Our donors demonstrate a deep commitment to growth and excellence in all phases of university life. They make Mississippi State’s exceptional achievements possible.
Here are a few ways these gifts are changing lives for the better:
Rome Center: A gift from Mike and Laura McDaniel, of Houston, Texas, is funding a new MSU center in Rome to house students studying abroad. A Vatican-owned property, located in the heart of the Eternal City, is being renovated and is expected to be ready by the spring of 2027 to serve as home base for a rotating cohort of 40 students at a time, up to 80 per semester.
Gifts to the Bagley College of Engineering: Total gifts in support of the Bagley College of Engineering exceeded $63.2 million, supporting the university’s prestigious array of programs whose graduates continue to compete and excel throughout all branches of industry.
Ribbon cuttings at Cleveland Student Center, Duff Center and Azalea Hall/Luckyday Tower: The Randy J. Cleveland Engineering Student Center is a state-of-the-art hub for Bagley College of Engineering students, made possible by a gift from alumnus Randy Cleveland and his wife Nina, of Fort Worth, Texas. The renovation also preserved a 1906 building recognized as a Mississippi landmark. The Jim and Thomas Duff Center provides a brand-new, 100,000-square-foot home for the Department of Kinesiology and key Mississippi Institute on Disabilities programs thanks to the generosity of brothers Jim and Thomas Duff, of Columbia. Azalea Hall, which includes Luckyday Tower, is the university’s newest and largest residence hall. It is a living-learning community for the Luckyday Scholars program, made possible by the Luckyday Foundation, founded by the late Frank Rogers Day, of Aberdeen. The five-story hall is home to 412 students.
Inclusion in the Association of Research Libraries: The MSU Libraries were elected to membership in the Association of Research Libraries, becoming the only Mississippi university with ARL membership, one of roughly 125 such libraries across the United States and Canada. Membership is widely regarded in higher education as a marker of institutional research capacity. The group evaluates elements that include collection size, staffing and service to a research-intensive mission. The achievement reinforces Mississippi State’s position as Mississippi’s leading research university.
Crossroads District and Hotel Madelon: Construction of Hotel Madelon is well underway, with a topping out ceremony set for fall 2026. The 120-room Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel will include a full-service restaurant, rooftop bar and dedicated underground parking. It is on schedule to open in the summer of 2027. Hotel Madelon anchors the 15-acre Crossroads District, also under development. The Crossroads District will include restaurants, retail, residential units, research and innovation spaces and a new and prominent home for the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library. The Crossroads District will connect the MSU campus to the Cotton District and downtown Starkville and be part of a vibrant and growing university community.
95% Graduate Employment Rate: In MSU’s most recent annual First Destination Survey, graduates reported a 95% success rate in career outcomes within six months of graduation. That puts MSU’s rate about 9% above the national benchmark and highlights the continuing value of a Mississippi State degree.
Please click the play button above to view the many accomplishments realized in FY26.
Sincerely,
