John Anderson, BJ ’87, speaks to crowd at the Mizzou Student Foundation’s Mizzou Mile & 5K.
Students, faculty, staff, alumni and Columbia residents gathered on April 26, 2012, at Tiger Plaza to participate in the Mizzou Student Foundation’s fifth annual Mizzou Mile & 5K. Proceeds from the event have helped the student organization to award scholarships for the past three years, and members are raising money to award their fourth scholarship.
“This event not only raises money for the Textbook Scholarship, but it also allows us to educate students and the community about the importance of private giving to the university,” says Mizzou Student Foundation President Melanie Brown. “My entire education has been made possible by generous MU donors. Without their support, I wouldn’t have been able to attend Mizzou.”
MU alumnus, ESPN anchor and Wipe Out co-host John Anderson was the guest speaker at the event. As a donor to MU, Anderson spoke about the impact charitable giving has on the university, students, Columbia community and state of Missouri.
“Without charitable gifts, we would be the M-I-Z without the Z-O-U,” says Anderson.
Anderson went on to say that giving to MU helps protect, grow and share the university with more people. He challenged the students to think about their experiences at MU and to reflect on the number of things that they come in contact with on campus in a given day that has been made possible by private giving.
“The success and triumphs you experience are tied to MU,” says Anderson. “Your pride and connections will deepen and grow the farther away you get from campus, and you will want to feel more connected. But know this place will never leave you and we just ask that you never leave us.”
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