MSU ranks among top 400 charities

For the fourth consecutive year, Mississippi State is ranked among the nation's top charities by a national weekly newspaper devoted to private giving.

The annual Chronicle of Philanthropy feature lists 400 non-profit organizations according to the amount of private contributions they receive.

Mississippi State is one of nearly 140 colleges and universities included in the ranking on the basis of $23.05 million received in private contributions in 1995-96-the fourth year of the recently completed "Campaign for Mississippi State." The five-year campaign concluded June 30 with more than $143 million in gifts, pledges, and deferred gifts from alumni and friends.

The university raised a record $42.3 million in gifts and pledges during the campaign's final year. Mississippi State's 1998 ranking in the publication will be determined by the $27 million in assets actually received during 1996-97.

MSU ranks 320th in the most recent list, which is topped for the fifth year in a row by the Salvation Army and followed by the American Red Cross.

Emory University in Atlanta, with about $416 million in private contributions, led all universities in private giving. Other state entries on the list include the University of Mississippi and the Sacred Heart League.

"We continue to make great strides in our private fund raising at Mississippi State," said Tom Stogsdill, executive director of development. "The momentum we generated with our major gifts campaign will serve as a foundation for even more growth in private giving in the future."

The MSU endowment currently stands at more than $130 million.