Clifton M. Smart III University Advancement Center
Our new home will be ready in...
The Clifton M. Smart III University Advancement Center is the physical expression
of what has always defined Missouri State: relationships.
More than a building, it is a home for life where future Bears, current students and Bears for Life gather, celebrate traditions, create new memories and strengthen lifelong connections. Built through the generosity and vision of the Bear family, it stands as a visible symbol of Bear pride, philanthropy and shared purpose.
The Advancement Center welcomes prospective students, current students, alumni, faculty,
staff, parents, donors, friends and community partners. Whether someone is visiting
campus for the first time or returning decades after graduation, the message is the
same: You belong here. This is where Bears come home.
It connects students with opportunity, alumni with purpose, donors with impact, faculty with support and the university with its future. Every scholarship, every relationship, every tradition and every story is connected through Advancement. The Center makes those connections visible.
The Clifton M. Smart III University Advancement Center belongs to every member of the Bear family. It is the front door to lifelong engagement, where relationships become opportunity, generosity becomes visible and stories become legacy. Here, Bears of all ages and stages gather to celebrate the past, invest in the future and advance Missouri State together.
Buildings create space.
People create purpose.
Together, they create legacy.
This is where Bear pride lives.
This is where lifelong connections grow.
This is where the next era of Missouri State begins.
Welcome home.
Celebrate with us
The University Advancement Center officially opens in November 2026. Please join us for these special events.
Ribbon Cutting and Open House
Nov. 11 at 2 p.m.
Celebrate the official opening of the University Advancement Center with a ribbon cutting followed by an open house. Explore the new space and discover all it has to offer.
Bear Nation Celebration
Nov. 13 at 6 p.m.
On the eve of Homecoming, join alumni, students, faculty, staff, donors and friends as we celebrate a new chapter for Missouri State. This signature event will showcase the spirit, traditions and future of Bear Nation.