Missouri Southern to dedicate new data analytics facility

JOPLIN, Mo. – Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) invites members of the media to attend the dedication of the new Gipson Center for Applied Data Analytics. The event will take place this Friday, Sept. 12, at 11 a.m. at the Plaster School of Business on the MSSU campus.

Thanks to a $500,000 gift from Bill and Tracy Gipson, this new facility is an investment in the future of data science education at MSSU. Their support has played a foundational role in the university’s Master of Science in Data Analytics degree.

The Gipson’s gift was part of a larger $1 million philanthropic commitment to the Lions Forward Campaign, first announced in 2023.

The opening of the space will help prepare students for the demands of data-driven careers. The facility’s renovation was also made possible largely through support from the MoExcels Grant.

MSSU will also recognize the generosity of Gene and Laurie Delano, whose significant contribution supported the renovation of the building’s reception area.

President Dr. Dean Van Galen will make remarks. There will also be donor acknowledgments and plaque unveiling, a tour of the new facility.

A Board of Governors meeting will also be held at 1 p.m. on Sept. 12 in the Board of Governors room located on the third floor of Billingsly Student Center.