Class of ’74 funds scholarships

When Carl Myers, BS ’70, MD ’74, showed up to his 40-year School of Medicine class reunion in 2014, he was, frankly, embarrassed. That’s when he learned that his class’ scholarship fund had only raised $9,000. And to him, that was simply unacceptable.

Everyone present knew that, in the four decades since they graduated, the cost of college and medical school had skyrocketed. When Myers was a medical student, tuition was $750 a year. Today, it is nearly $40,000, including fees, not to mention the escalating costs of housing, living and learning materials. He set out to do better.

In 2015, Myers helped endow the Class of 1974 Scholarship. On his personal letterhead, he sent out regular solicitations to his 80 or so classmates, imploring them to give what they could. He set a goal of raising $400,000 by their 50th reunion in 2024. They have already exceeded that bar and are now aiming for $500,000 by 2024. “I’m really enthused,” he says. “We all have an obligation to support the students who come behind us. None of us would be where we are without that education.”

This story originally appeared in Show Me Mizzou Magazine on Dec. 17, 2021.