Just the purchase of a bowl can help support a student.

This year’s Empty Bowls fundraiser will take place in the Ron Richard Athletic Center, April 8, 2026,
from 11:30 to 1 p.m. Attendees can purchase a handmade ceramic bowl which provides funds for
the Groceries to Graduate scholarship and provides the purchaser with a meal at the fundraiser.

Bowls can be purchased for $25 or $15 for students and for the purchase of additional bowls.
They can then use their bowls for soup, dessert and bread. Dr. Megan Beaver, a faculty sponsor of
the MSSU Center for Nutrition Security and the Lion Co-op, has been a part of the MSSU empty
bowls program since its inception in the Spring of 2022.

“Our volunteers and interns help us to plan the event, and they help serve soup, bread, and
desserts the day of the fundraiser. But, we’d also love students and alumni to attend. We have a
lower donation suggestion for students, to try to make it more affordable for them to participate,”
said Dr. Beaver.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, MSSU started the Groceries to Graduate scholarship program,
which provides students $200 per semester worth of tokens that can be used at local farmers’
markets.

“Research shows that food insecurity causes students to step away from their education. It’s hard
to justify paying tuition if you can’t afford groceries for yourself or your family,” said Dr. Beaver

Dr. Beaver had conversations with Frank Pichkur, chair of the Art and Design department, about
how they could raise more funds for the Groceries to Graduate scholarship program. That is when
the idea for the empty bowls fundraiser began.

“At MSSU, Frank Pishkur was really a mover. He’s also the sponsor for Southern Clay, and the
students make lots of bowls. He saw this as an opportunity for his art students to connect with the
broader MSSU campus community,” said Dr. Beaver.

Empty bowls may be familiar to members of the Joplin community as this form of fundraising has
been used in similar events and is well known for raising funds to help those experiencing food
scarcity.

“The attendees/donors get an empty bowl that they can fill with soup for a meal; then they get to
keep the bowl. The fundraisers typically raise money for some type of food access,” said Dr. Beaver.

This fundraiser helps provide scholarships for around 30 students each year, which is around
$12,000 per academic year. Juniors and seniors have priority, but sophomores (30+ credit hours
earned) are also eligible to apply.

“Right now, we have more students applying for scholarships than we can fund each year, so we’ve
had to set up a waiting list,” said Dr. Beaver.