STARKVILLE, Miss. (WJTV) — A couple donated $100 million to Mississippi State University for scholarships, the largest amount ever gifted to a higher education institution in Mississippi.

The gift comes from Texas couple George and Kathy Bishop. The donation will go toward the George Bishop Family Endowed Scholarship that was originally established by the couple with $10 million in 2018.

George, a native of Smith County, earned a degree in petroleum geology from the land-grant institution in 1958. He worked in the oil and gas industry in Louisiana and Texas before founding GeoSouthern Energy in 1981.

A former member of the MSU Foundation’s board of directors, George was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from the school in 2019. The Bishops have been benefactors of the university since 2015.

“Mississippi State opened many doors for me and gave me the foundation I needed to be successful. So, when the opportunity arrived for me to be able to give back to the place that’s been so influential for me and many others, it just felt right,” said George.

Currently, 97 students have benefited from the Bishops’ scholarship investments at MSU.