$100 Million Gift For Mississippi State University, Its Largest Ever

Mississippi State College introduced as we speak that it has acquired a file $100 million reward from alumnus George Bishop and his spouse Kathy. The reward is the biggest within the college’s historical past and can be the biggest for a university or college in Mississippi, in line with the college.

The mega reward might be used to fund scholarships, including to the $10 million the Bishops have already contributed for the George Bishop Household Endowed Scholarship, which was established in 2018. College students learning all disciplines on the college are eligible for the scholarship, with desire given to college students who’re from Mississippi.

“Immediately is a very historic day for Mississippi State College and your entire state of Mississippi as we have a good time this transformational reward that can change the lives of generations of scholars, their households, and their communities. This unprecedented funding in our college students by George and Kathy Bishop displays their visionary understanding of the ability of upper schooling and their appreciation for the life-changing work we’re doing at Mississippi State,” stated MSU President Mark E. Keenum within the college’s announcement of the reward.

George Bishop earned his diploma in petroleum geology from Mississippi State College in 1958. He had a profitable early profession within the oil and gasoline trade in Louisiana and Texas earlier than founding GeoSouthern Power in 1981, which grew to grow to be one of many largest, privately held producers of oil and gasoline within the nation. Forbes pegs his web value at $3 billion.

A former member of the MSU Basis’s board of administrators, Bishop was awarded an honorary Physician of Public Service diploma from MSU in 2019 in honor of his lifetime achievements.

“Mississippi State opened many doorways for me and gave me the inspiration I wanted to achieve success. So, when the chance arrived for me to have the ability to give again to the place that’s been so influential for me and lots of others, it simply felt proper,” stated Bishop within the announcement. “It’s a blessing to assist individuals, and I particularly need to assist college students which have the need to work however don’t have the funds to perform their targets on their very own.”

“I’m most pleased with the truth that all my success doesn’t actually make a distinction to me,” added Bishop. “I got here from nothing, however you need to imagine and know you’re blessed to perform nice issues. I’m pleased with what I’ve achieved, and extra so for what’s been achieved for me alongside the best way.”