Stogsdill is new director of major gifts

Thomas M. Stogsdill, who has more than 15 years fund-raising experience, began his duties at Mississippi State in August. Since 1991, he has been vice president and campaign director for Elon College in North Carolina, where he supervised the successful completion of the school's $18 million "Investing in Excellence" major gifts campaign.

Stogsdill

"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 and corporations and foundations will be especially beneficial to the university.

"We look for Tom also to be a significant asset to our ongoing major gifts campaign."

Ward said that 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 a master's degree in music and a master's degree in religious education, both from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

Prior to his work at Elon College, Stogsdill was director of development and later vice president for development for Wingate College, in Wingate, N.C., where he was responsible for the total fund-raising program of the college.

His other fund-raising experience was 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.

Stogsdill is a member of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives.