The largest-ever single gift to Mississippi State University will greatly expand the teaching and research strengths of the university's engineering college and give the academic unit a new name.
In Nov. 15 ceremonies, the university announced a $25 million gift from MSU alumnus James W. Bagley, chairman of the board and chief operating officer of Lam Research Corp., and his wife Jean. The Fremont, Calif., company is a global supplier of silicon wafer processing systems used in semiconductor manufacture.
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of its founding this year, the college will be named the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. It joins the ranks of fewer than two dozen named engineering schools in the nation.
Bagley earned a bachelor's degree in 1961 and master's degree in 1966 from MSU, both in electrical engineering. A 36-year veteran of the semiconductor business and the engineering college's 1994 alumnus of the year, he earlier established the James W. Bagley Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Formerly of Jackson, Miss., the Bagleys met while students at Forest Hill High School.
"The College of Engineering has made enormous progress in the scope and quality of its teaching, research and service programs in recent years," said MSU Interim President J. Charles Lee. "We now have the potential to achieve true greatness in part due to the gift from Jim and Jean Bagley. This gift will have a far-reaching impact on our ability to provide educational programs and research that have direct economic benefits to the state."
The engineering college ranks in the top 11 percent in the nation and fourth in the Southeast in engineering research expenditures. It enrolls approximately 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in 10 majors and fields: aerospace, biological, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, mechanical, and software engineering, as well as computer science.
"This gift is an opportunity to further the goals and objectives of engineering at Mississippi State, while at the same time making a contribution to the state of Mississippi," Bagley said.
"The James and Jean Bagley Endowment will provide additional resources for undergraduate and graduate engineering education, and, through endowed professorships and research support, will seek to stimulate career opportunities in Mississippi," said college Dean A. Wayne Bennett.
"A particular focus of Mr. Bagley's gift is support for graduate fellowships and research," Bennett said. "We're also pleased that the endowment will allow the college to extend its national reach in education, service and faculty recruitment."
Bagley began his career with Texas Instruments in 1966 after completing his master's degree at MSU. After 13 years, he left to join Applied Materials Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., where he served 1987-96 as president and chief operating officer before becoming chairman of the board and CEO of Lam Research in 1997.
Bagley currently serves as a director for Micron Technology, Teradyne and Wind River Systems, all high-technology companies.
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