Carolyn and Tex Ritter, center, are thanked for their gift by President Donald Zacharias, left, and Student Life director Eddie Keith.

Kosciusko couple pledges $300,000 to Mississippi State campaign

The gift of Charles W. "Tex" Ritter Jr. and his wife, Carolyn, will be divided equally among the Division of Student Affairs, College of Agriculture and Home Economics, and Mitchell Memorial Library.

Tex Ritter, a 1956 agriculture education graduate of the university, is president and chief executive officer of The Attala Co. He is a member of the Mississippi State University Foundation, Alumni Foundation Board, Bulldog Club, and Inter-Alumni Council.

Carolyn Ritter is a member of the Mississippi State Alumni Association's national board of directors and vice chairman of the association's Student Relations Committee.

The couple's contribution to the Division of Student Affairs will build an endowment to recognize annually both the social fraternity and sorority with the highest chapter grade-point average. Winners will receive a plaque and a cash award. A separate award will go to the fraternity and sorority with the most improved grade-point average.

Dr. Eddie Keith, director of student life, said a purpose of every Greek organization is to achieve academic excellence.

"It is great to have such generous alumni and friends who want to reward the Greek chapters at Mississippi State for their outstanding academic achievements," Keith said. "This gift will give chapters the incentive to continue to stress scholarship."

At a campus program last week, the Ritters were formally thanked by officers of the Panhellenic and Interfraternity councils.

The portion of the gift designated to Student Affairs will be paid over five years, with interest from the principal providing funds for the awards. Until the endowment is fully funded, the Ritters will give $2,500 a year for the awards.

The remaining two-thirds of the Ritters' contribution is in the form of a deferred gift of $100,000 each to the College of Agriculture and Home Economics and the library.

Commitments to The Campaign for Mississippi State, the university's first major gifts effort, reached $84.7 million by mid October. The five-year campaign, now entering its third year, seeks $110 million in support of university priorities.