Mississippi State University is ranked for the third consecutive year among the nation's top 400 charities by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, a national weekly newspaper devoted to private giving.
The annual listing of "The Philanthropy 400," included in the paper's Oct. 31 edition, ranks non-profit organizations according to the amount of private contributions they receive. Mississippi State is one of 138 colleges and universities on the list.
The university was included in the ranking on the basis of $20.2 million in private contributions in 1994-95, during the third year of "The Campaign for Mississippi State." The five-year campaign continues until mid-1997.
Mississippi State ranks 333rd in the overall list, which is headed for the fourth year in a row by the Salvation Army and followed by the American Red Cross.
"Private support of Mississippi State plays a critical role in ensuring the margin of excellence and allows the university to do a better job of serving Mississippi," said Billy Ward, vice president for institutional advancement. "The generosity of alumni and friends translates directly into scholarships for deserving students, equipment and other enhancements that improve undergraduate teaching, and much-needed construction and renovation on campus."
Other Mississippi entries in "The Philanthropy 400" are the Sacred Heart League in DeSoto County, ranked 339th, and the University of Mississippi, which ranked 378th.
The nation's largest charities are the Salvation Army, with more than $644 million in contributions in 1994-95, and the American Red Cross, which received more than $465 million, according to the publication. Harvard University, ranked No. 7 overall with contributions of about $323 million, leads universities in private gifts.