MSU alum Fred P. Burke commits $10M gift to MSU’s industrial engineering department
Contact: Kevin Tate
STARKVILLE, Miss. —The president, CEO and co-founder of one of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical service companies has committed $10 million in support of Mississippi State’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering in the Bagley College of Engineering.
The gift, from Fred P. and Sara Jean Burke of Atlanta, Georgia, will create programs benefiting MSU faculty, graduate and undergraduate students through fellowships, scholarships, facility updates and recruitment programs. In particular, the gift will encourage students to study both engineering and business during their time at the university.
“Equipping engineering students with business education makes for a dynamite combination,” Burke said.
A 1971 graduate of MSU’s industrial engineering program, Burke earned a Master of Science from Purdue University in 1972. His professional path led him to Guardian Pharmacy Services, which he cofounded in 2004 and now leads as president and CEO. The company has become one of the nation’s largest long-term care pharmaceutical companies. Prior to Guardian Pharmacy Services, Burke also cofounded Central Pharmacy Services, Inc., a nuclear pharmacy company that grew to serve more than 1,000 hospitals and clinics in 22 states before it was acquired in 2001 by Cardinal Health, the nation’s largest pharmaceutical wholesaler and healthcare services firm.
“My time at Mississippi State launched me on my path and had a profound impact in my life,” Burke said.
His recent gift is directed into five distinct areas. The Burke Faculty Fellows Endowment will help attract and retain nationally respected faculty and support ongoing professional development in the industrial and systems engineering department. For students, the Burke Endowed Scholarship will assist undergraduates, while the Burke Graduate Fellows Endowment will support graduate students conducting advanced research. Additionally, the Burke Equipment and Facilities Endowment will fund operational and maintenance needs, and the Burke Excellence Endowment will support initiatives that enhance the national visibility and educational impact of MSU’s industrial and systems engineering program.
“Mississippi State University is a national powerhouse and global leader in engineering education, research and engagement, and the strong support of alumni and friends like Fred and Sara Jean helps make that possible,” MSU President Mark E. Keenum said. “This transformative gift from the Burkes will propel the Bagley College of Engineering and the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering to even greater heights and ensure our faculty and students continue to achieve at the very highest levels.”
The Burke family has a long history of supporting MSU students and faculty, including establishing the Fred and Sara Jean Burke Endowed Study Abroad Program fund, which has helped send more than 70 students around the world to learn amid other cultures. With their latest gift, the Burkes invest in the future by supporting students starting their academic paths, those preparing for industrial and systems engineering careers, and those building future generations through hands-on experience and strong scholarship.
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters.