In 1967, Joplin Junior College made the transition to a four-year school located on the 320-acre campus of what was formerly the Mission Hills Estate.
Since that time, Missouri Southern has been under the leadership of six presidents.
Each has made their own mark on the university’s legacy – working alongside faculty and staff to meet our students’ academic needs and preparing them to be knowledgeable, responsible, successful global citizens.
Having served as Missouri Southern’s interim president for nearly a year, Dr. Alan Marble was named the university’s fifth president on June 3, 2014, following a unanimous vote by the Board of Governors.
A graduate of Missouri Southern, ’79, he earned his doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Nebraska in 2006. Before coming to MSSU, he had retired from Crowder College after serving the school for 27 years, including seven as president.
His tenure as president marked a period of growth for Missouri Southern, including numerous building and renovation projects; the development of master’s degree offerings; the creation of the advanced medical school acceptance program in partnership with Kansas City University; and the successful rollout of the Great Game of Education (now known as Empowering U), which utilizes open-book management principles to develop financial literacy and understanding across campus.
In June of 2019, it was announced that the Higher Learning Commission had granted Missouri Southern a full 10-year accreditation. The report singled out the university’s focus on transparency and shared responsibility for the future.
Marble retired on June 30, 2020.
Dr. Bruce Speck was named the new president of Missouri Southern in January 2008.
He previously served as the provost and vice president of academic affairs at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn., and associate vice chancellor of academic affairs and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
During his time as president, he led several initiatives including improving the university’s financial position, creating a strategic plan, developing a master facilities plan and implementing program prioritization.
His term as president of MSSU ended on June 17, 2013, with an announcement made by the Board of Governors.
Dr. Julio León first joined the Missouri Southern business faculty in the fall of 1969, and was later appointed dean of the Business Department.
Following the resignation of Dr. Donald Darnton in 1982, León was appointed as interim president by the Board of Regents, and following a search was tapped to serve as president. In making the announcement, the board cited his long history with the school, his business savvy and sense of direction for the college.
His 25-year tenure as Missouri Southern’s third president saw major milestones in MSSU’s history – from the establishment of the international mission and Honors program, to major building projects including Webster Hall and the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center, and elevating the institution’s status from “college” to “university” in 2003.
His wife, Vivian, also left an important cultural legacy, including her work as director of the Missouri Southern International Piano Competition.
León announced his retirement in 2007. In August 2014, the Leóns were welcomed back to campus for the dedication of the Julio S. León Health Sciences Center.
Following the death of Leon Billingsly, Dr. Donald C. Darnton was selected to serve as Missouri Southern’s second president.
During his brief tenure, campus housing was improved with the construction of five new dormitories; an addition was made to the Robert Ellis Young Gymnasium; and construction was completed on what is now the Robert W. Plaster College of Business.
Darnton also worked to strengthen academic programs. The Arts & Sciences, Education & Psychology, Business Administration, and Technology divisions were renamed as “schools.” He created positions such as dean of students, assistant dean of students, director of Academic Development, established a system of Outstanding Teacher awards and created a business lecture series.
He resigned on June 5, 1982.
Having served as the fifth dean of Joplin Junior College from 1961-63, Leon Billingsly was appointed to serve as the first president of Missouri Southern State College as it transitioned into a four-year school on the 320-acre Mission Hills campus.
A forceful leader, he struck a balance between the need for strong academic programs and the need for new facilities (construction during his tenure included Taylor Performing Arts Center and Fred Hughes Stadium) at a time when enrollment was on the rise.
Billingsly was the recipient of the Joplin Chamber of Commerce’s Outstanding Citizen Award in 1977, making him the first person to receive the award not involved in a commercial business.
He passed away on Nov. 25, 1978, with nearly 1,000 people attending a funeral service in Taylor Auditorium. He was remembered as a leader who transformed the former JJC into a four-year state college, a highly effective spokesman for the college in the state legislature and as a man known for his honesty and loyalty.
In 1979, the College Union was renamed the Leon C. Billingsly Student Center. That same year, his wife, Sue, became the first director of the Missouri Southern Foundation, which grew into a more active fundraising organization under her leadership. She passed away on Nov. 14, 2013.
