[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 79 (Tuesday, May 7, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E459]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT CLIF SMART ON HIS 
                               RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ERIC BURLISON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 7, 2024

  Mr. BURLISON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize President Clif 
Smart of Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, as he 
retires following an outstanding career as the university's longest 
serving president dating back to 1961.
  President Smart is the university's 11th president, and he is 
retiring after 13 years as the top official. During that time, the 
university achieved many notable milestones such as setting enrollment, 
retention, and graduation records, expanding academic offerings, 
raising more than $440 million in donations, and constructing or 
renovating dozens of buildings. More importantly, he accomplished all 
of this while raising tuition by less than inflation, allowing the 
university to be among the most affordable in the country.
  President Smart graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor of 
Arts Degree in political science, and from the University of Arkansas 
School of Law with his Juris Doctorate Degree. He served his country in 
the U.S. Army before joining the private sector as an attorney. He 
subsequently became Missouri State's General Counsel, and then was 
appointed the university's interim president before receiving the nod 
to take over as president.
  President Smart's visionary development of IDEA Commons transformed 
an abandoned industrial area into a thriving hub for economic 
development, innovation, and community engagement. His collaboration 
with the University of Missouri to offer engineering and pharmacy 
programs significantly addressed workforce shortages and strengthened 
the state's economic and educational landscapes. He also facilitated 
the university's recognition as a doctoral-granting institution. These 
are just a few of his many, many accomplishments.
  I want to express my deepest gratitude to President Smart for his 
outstanding leadership at Missouri State University and his profound 
effect on the broader community. I also want to extend my best wishes 
for his retirement and future endeavors. I am proud that he is one of 
my constituents.

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