Charles Feeney

Friday, September 5, 2025

Dedicated students, distinguished colleagues and dear friends,

Happy Friday! Happy Day of Charity!

Rotavirus! “How could I never have heard of something that kills half a million children every year?” Bill Gates asked himself and then presented to the World Health Assembly in Geneva that he “couldn’t escape the brutal conclusion that — in our world today — some lives are seen as worth saving and others are not!” You see, the rotavirus infections were solved long ago in developed countries. So then, he went on to optimistically conclude that in the next decade, “people will finally accept that the death of a child in the developing world is just as tragic as the death of a child in the developed world.” That was in 2005! He and his wife then established the largest charity foundation in the world with the belief that “All lives — no matter where they are being led — have equal value.”

Today is the International Day of Charity all over the world, and giving has perhaps never been more important than today. Defined as “the voluntary provision of assistance to those in need and unmotivated by self-interest,” charity, at its core, is an “expression of global solidarity.” It is solidarity with others whose luck may have run out due to various reasons — wars, ideological differences and being at the wrong place at the wrong time — and often due to no fault of their own.

Here and today, it is heartwarming to know that in America alone, generous donors gave nearly $600 billion to charities in 2024! That is an increase of 6.3%, compared to 2023, outpacing inflation. Even closer to home, here on campus, our students, faculty and staff have long been involved with many local and national charity organizations, including Make-A-Wish Foundation, Shop with a Cop, etc. 

But we are not at the end of our giving journey! In fact, today at 11 a.m., right here on campus, during our 2025 MinerRama, all of us can sign up to give and “voluntarily provide assistance to those in need.” Local charity organizations will be available to enlist assistance. We can provide material support or offer a helping hand in supporting their mission.

To be sure, today’s MinerRama offers more — much more. Archery, rugby, amateur radio, languages, backpacking, ballet, birding, blacksmithing, campus ministry, chess, tennis, robotics, Engineers Without Borders, rockets, spelunking and over 200 other campus clubs and groups that will display their banners and showcase their art at our 2025 MinerRama fair. Whatever your interest, you can find a congenial group of students, staff and faculty members who will welcome you into their midst and become your new supporting “tribe” here on campus and beyond.

Oh, incidentally, soon after Bill and Melinda Gates established their $30 billion philanthropic foundation, Warren Buffett, a prolific and generous investor, pledged another $30 billion to the foundation, thereby taking a significant step in reducing unnecessary death of impoverished children around the world. Interestingly, inflation-adjusted, Buffett’s pledge alone is more than double the lifetime total, combined, given by two giant philanthropists of the past: Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller! 

Interestingly, both Bill Gates and Warren Buffett called Charles Feeney, the billionaire who gave every dime of his fortune away before his death, their hero.

So to all our students, faculty and staff, I say happy Charity Day, when you can take advantage of our MinerRama to make a new friend or two, find your support team, and give of yourself if you can. Or, at a minimum, stop by to simply say, “I see you, and I value what you do. Thank you for making a difference,” or any other powerful, affirming statements of support that you can offer.

Warmly,

-Mo.

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Mohammad Dehghani, PhD
Chancellor
mo@mst.edu | 573-341-4116

206 Parker Hall, 300 West 13th Street, Rolla, MO 65409-0910
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