Dear friends,
This Oct. 9 marks the five-year anniversary of the historic $300 million gift from June and Fred Kummer to Missouri S&T.
The gift has obviously reshaped our campus. From my office in Straumanis-James Hall, I see the Missouri Protoplex rising beyond the green pedestrian bridge over I-44. To my right, renovations are underway in the Engineering Research Lab, which is now the Applied Research Center — the future home to cleanroom facilities and university-industry collaboration labs. A short walk south provides a view of the Havener Arrival Complex construction projects and the future Bioplex.
But June and Fred Kummer’s vision went far beyond these construction projects. Through the Kummer Institute, thousands of students have benefited, from Kummer Vanguard Scholars and Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows to K–12 students inspired by the Kummer Center for STEM Education.
Kummer-supported faculty members, through our research centers, the Ignition Grant Initiative and other resources were instrumental in our record-breaking research growth and our achieving Carnegie R1 research status this year.
The Kummer College and its founding dean, James D. Sterling, realize the potential of S&T technologies. By leveraging new courses, partnerships and facilities like the Protoplex, the college is laying the groundwork for innovation and economic growth.
Chancellor Mo Dehghani, the Kummer Missouri S&T Foundation Board, leaders like Steve Roberts, and key staff members including Courtney Jones, Rachel Kohman and Trini Lilly helped shape the strategy and build the programs that bring the Kummer vision to life.
In just five years, a lot has changed — but the transformation of Missouri S&T is just starting.
Cordially,
Richard K. Brow
Curators’ Distinguished Professor emeritus of materials science and engineering, Executive Director of Operations for the Kummer Institute for Student Success, Research and Economic Development
About the Kummer Institute
The Kummer Institute for Student Success, Research and Economic Development was established in October 2020 through a gift of $300 million from Fred and June Kummer, longtime benefactors of Missouri University of Science and Technology.
The gift enabled the university to establish a new college of innovation and entrepreneurship, support development in new areas for research, provide numerous scholarships and fellowships for students, and bolster the Rolla region’s economy.
Learn more about the Kummer Institute at KummerInstitute.mst.edu
Mission
To transform Missouri S&T and the south-central Missouri region by cultivating leadership and technological innovation; promoting an entrepreneurial mindset; fostering expansion of academic-industry partnerships to address emerging needs of industry, and creating jobs and economic growth for the region.
Vision
To transform the university, Missouri and the nation through student success, research and economic development. Institute faculty and fellows are building and nurturing multidisciplinary teams that will create innovations in a variety of scientific and engineering fields.
The technical breakthroughs of the institute will catalyze and increase the economic growth of the region and the state — and will secure the relevance, excellence and future of S&T.