Contributions place "friends" in university's top donor level

Dunn

Fortunately for Mississippi State University, the “word” they got about the university was to send Durward Dunn III to Starkville. He was soon followed by his sister, Susan, and brother, Paul.

When the Dunns talked to friends and relatives in Mississippi about the university, they were left with a powerful impression.

"People were very complimentary of the school," Mr. Dunn explained. "We talked with families that because of the tradition had seen their grandparents, their parents, themselves, and their children all attend Mississippi State. That was impressive to us.

"There have been people leave Mississippi State and go into the world and compete in an excellent way with people from the Ivy League and other larger, more prestigious schools, and they've excelled. The university has people who are running a lot of the major businesses in this country."

Durward III's decision to attend Mississippi State has proved beneficial to both the Dunns and the university. Durward III and Paul hold business and education degrees from Mississippi State, respectively, and are now employed in their father's New Orleans business. Susan received bachelor's and master's degrees from the university and owns a Christmas Tree farm in Georgia.

In return, Durward and Georgene Dunn have contributed enough to qualify for membership in the university's prestigious Stephen D. Lee Society (minimum qualification $500,000). The Dunns' most recent major gift to The Campaign for Mississippi State will memorialize their son by establishing the George Crow Dunn Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund in the College of Engineering. George died in October 1972 during his senior year in high school. He was planning to attend Mississippi State after graduation.

"It's not the last time we are going to give to Mississippi State," said Mr. Dunn, whose long association with the university also includes 15 years on the Mississippi State Foundation board of directors and many years of service on the College of Engineering's Engineering Advisory Council.

Since 1973, Georgene and Durward Dunn have supported scholarships for forestry, handicapped, and engineering students; the Creative Arts Complex; and faculty salary enhancements. The endowed scholarship funds honor all three of the Dunns' children who attended Mississippi State, George Dunn, and their grandchildren.

Durward III and Paul are both members of the university's Patrons of Excellence major donor club.

"The association we've had with Mississippi State and the people we've met just reaffirmed what we thought was true about Mississippi State from the beginning," said Mr. Dunn, whose Durward Dunn Inc. construction business in the Crescent City builds docks and piers, among other marine facilities.

Dunn, who is working as a volunteer on The Campaign for Mississippi State, believes the campaign has brought to the attention of Mississippi State alumni nationwide the quality of the graduates that the university has produced and the need for private support.

"I've been fortunate to meet and become friends with some Mississippi State people during the campaign who have just reaffirmed my feelings about State," noted Dunn, one of only three non-alumni ever awarded the Alumni Association's Distinguished Service Award (1987).

"It's an outstanding school and we want to help support it. We will continue to do so as long as we are around to help them in any way we can. We just hope others who believe in the university also will lend their support."

Georgene Dunn, a native of Tchula who graduated from Mississippi University for Women, as did her daughter Gene, said that people don't have to be alumni of an institution to support the concept of quality education.

"Although neither Durward nor I attended the university, we continue to see a good quality product at Mississippi State. And maybe the most important aspect of our support is that our children received a quality education and rewarding experience. Durward and I believe education is a real answer and I think Mississippi State has at least given us a feeling we are a part of the solution to the problems we have today.