Goodman to receive MSU Bronze Bear Award

Missouri State University is honoring actor and alumnus John Goodman with one of its top awards.

Goodman is slated to be recognized with the MSU Bronze Bear Award during the fall commencement ceremony on Dec. 15, according to a news release.

“We’re immensely honored to recognize John as a beacon of generosity and commitment to our university,” MSU President Clif Smart said in the release. “His enthusiasm in chairing the Onward Upward campaign and his unwavering support in building the outdoor amphitheater that bears his name have transformed the university and its students.”

Goodman was on the MSU campus for the launch and conclusion of the roughly $274 million Onward Upward capital campaign, according to past reporting.

He also was a campaign contributor, and the John Goodman Amphitheatre at the Judith Enyeart Reynolds Arts Park now bears his name.

Goodman graduated from MSU in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in fine arts, according to the release. He received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from MSU in 2013.

The Bronze Bear Award in 2022 went to former U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt.