Stogsdill named director of major gifts

The former chief fund-raiser for Elon College in North Carolina began his duties at Mississippi State earlier this month. Since 1991, he has been vice president and campaign director for Elon, where he supervised the successful completion of the school's $18 million major gifts campaign.

"We are very fortunate to have a person of Tom's experience join our development staff at Mississippi State,” said Dr. Billy Ward, vice president for institutional advancement. "His knowledge of raising private contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations will be especially beneficial to the university.

"We look for Tom also to be a significant asset to the university's ongoing major gifts campaign."

Mississippi State currently is in the third year of a five-year major gifts campaign, with a goal of raising $78 million to support faculty development, student financial aid and scholarships, educational program enhancement, buildings, and library enhancement, in addition to strengthening the university's future endowment.

The Campaign for Mississippi State: To Serve Mississippi . . . and Beyond already has raised more than $70 million, with another campaign total announcement planned for Oct. 1.

Ward said Stogsdill's responsibilities include planning and coordinating the major gift and corporate/foundation giving program of the university, assisting in implementing university fund-raising strategies and policies, and providing leadership and supervision to the development officers of the university's colleges and schools, among others.

A native of Arkadelphia, Ark., Stogsdill holds a bachelor's degree in music from Oklahoma Baptist University and master's degrees in both music and religious education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

Prior to his work at Elon, Stogsdill was director of development and vice president for development for Wingate College in North Carolina. His other fund-raising experience includes service as a senior consultant with Church Stewardship Ministries and with Cargill Associates, both in Fort Worth. He directed more than 65 capital fund-raising programs during his time with the two firms.