Contact: Addie Mayfield

STARKVILLE, Miss.—A recent gift from David and Susanne Purvis of Houston, Texas, will further enhance the development of Mississippi State’s new academic center through the naming of valuable classroom space, and benefit the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering through an endowed scholarship.

The twofold gift includes a significant building fund contribution for the new multi-disciplinary classroom facility known as Old Main Academic Center, anticipated to open this fall. A first-floor classroom will be named in honor of Susanne’s parents and former longtime MSU faculty, Drs. Leroy H. Boyd and Catherine R. Boyd of Starkville.

The late Leroy Boyd joined the faculty of the MSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 1963, where he served until his retirement in 2001 as professor of animal and dairy sciences emeritus. Catherine Boyd, professor emeritus of human sciences, served the university for 33 years. She continues to reside in Starkville.

Additionally, the gift will create the W. David and Susanne B. Purvis Endowed Scholarship for students seeking a degree through the Bagley College, from which David graduated with a chemical engineering degree in 1983. Candidates for the award must be entering full-time freshmen who have earned a minimum 3.0 high school grade-point average.

“It is exciting and humbling to be able to honor Susanne’s parents for their numerous contributions to the university over many years,” said David Purvis. “I am also excited about creating an endowed scholarship for entering engineering freshmen. Scholarships like this were vital in helping fund my education at MSU, and it’s great to be able to give back to others that may be in a similar position.”

Following a 28-year progressive career with Shell Oil, David Purvis joined BHP Billiton Petroleum in 2010, where he currently serves as vice president-engineering. He also is a licensed professional engineer in petroleum engineering. At Mississippi State, he was inducted in 2000 as a member of the Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering’s Hall of Fame for his achievements and contributions to the engineering profession.

Susanne Purvis earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of New Orleans in 1986. The two were married in 1984 in MSU’s historic Chapel of Memories. They have two grown children, Rebecca and Timothy.

Over the years, the Purvises have supported many areas at MSU, including student scholarships, athletics, the Bagley College’s McCain Hall renovation, the Swalm Scholars program, the costume and textiles collection, and the MSU American Institute of Chemical Engineers Support Fund. They also contribute to the Dr. Leroy H. Boyd Endowed Scholarship, established by Catherine Boyd following her husband’s death in 2011.

“Private gifts enable our university to provide valuable opportunities through quality learning experiences,” said Jack McCarty, executive director of development for the MSU Foundation. “The dedicated support of the Purvis family serves as an investment that will continue impacting MSU students for years to come.”

For more information on naming opportunities for the Old Main Academic Center or creating endowed scholarships at MSU, contact McCarty at (662) 325-9580 or jmccarty@foundation.msstate.edu.