Clif Smart may not have been the obvious choice to lead a university, but he turned out to be the right one. Smart became interim president of Missouri State University at a critical time, when his predecessor resigned after just 11 months on the job. A leadership void had been created at the largest higher education institution in southwest Missouri, and in 2011, Smart, then university general counsel, was asked to step into it.

The Missouri State University Agricultural Innovation Hub is an 8,500-square-foot building now nearing completion at the Darr Agricultural Center campus.

Newsmakers in the areas of accounting, education, engineering, health care, law and publicly traded companies.

Former MSU President Clif Smart is recognized with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement in Business award.

The fundraiser has a $2 million goal by the end of March 2025.

The attraction is now under the same umbrella as Dolly Parton’s Stampede.

The funding covers Traveling Exploration Trunk program expenses for the next year.

Guest columnist Jeremy Harris: "To develop a workforce that is competitive, can sustain itself economically and grow with the future, education in many forms is necessary."

Employers, education professionals and workers say flexibility and purpose draw young people to jobs.

The university is the first affiliate partner of the health care collaboration announced last year.

The former president of CFO is working to connect Drury students with nonprofits.

The MSU Foundation raised roughly $36 million for the year that ended June 30.

Newsmakers in the areas of architecture, banking & finance, education, media, nonprofit and restaurant.

While Gov. Mike Parson’s fiscal 2025 budget has statewide cuts of around $1 billion, myriad Springfield projects are among those poised to receive funding with the stroke of the governor’s pen and legislative backing.

The Decision-Makers’ Outlook publication explores themes such as business outlook and growth, operations planning, inflation impacts, cost of business factors and business owner exit strategies.

Funding goes toward the university's new athletic facility that's nearing completion.

The first female president of the MSU Board of Governors, she was a longtime donor to the university.

Approvals with local impacts include money for Alliance for Healthcare Education.

Newsmakers in the areas of accounting, architecture, consulting, education, health care, law, manufacturing and nonprofit.