Three Rivers College honored former Missouri Speaker of the House Todd Richardson at a public reception recently where he received its 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award.
“Todd has made many contributions to Three Rivers College and the region that will benefit our students and constituents for many years to come,” said Dr. Wesley Payne, President of Three Rivers College. “I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am personally that Todd is an alumni.”
In addition to attending Three Rivers College, Richardson taught Business Law and Government classes as an adjunct instructor.
“When I learned I would be receiving this award, I was thrilled,” said Richardson. “To be named a Distinguished Alumni at Three Rivers College, in my hometown, is a huge honor.”
During the award program honoring his accomplishments, Richardson thanked his father, Mark; wife, Amber; and uncle, Matt, for their dedication to the College and helping make his service in the Missouri legislature possible.
Richardson offered a special thank you to his mother, Kathy, one of the longest tenured employees at TRC, in the form of an endowed scholarship in her name. Richardson pledged $10,000 to the Three Rivers Endowment Trust to begin fundraising for the Kathy Richardson Scholarship, and more donations from family and friends are expected.
“We are thrilled that Todd has chosen to honor his mother with this scholarship,” said Michelle Reynolds, Director of Development for Three Rivers. “Kathy is a longtime employee at Three Rivers College, and the scholarship is a perfect way to allow her legacy, and that of the Richardson family, to live on at Three Rivers for perpetuity.”
In addition to receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award, Richardson has been selected as the Keynote Speaker for the Three Rivers 2019 Commencement ceremony, which will be May 17 at the Libla Family Sports Complex. This year, tickets are required for Commencement.
Richardson, a Poplar Bluff native, currently serves as the Director of MO HealthNet. Prior to that appointment, he was Speaker of the House for the State of Missouri. In his role in Missouri government, he helped secure funding and recruited legislators to make the new Excel Center in Poplar Bluff possible. Richardson was also responsible for securing funding for the Crisp Technology Center expansion on the Three Rivers campus.
For information on donating to the Kathy Richardson Scholarship, or any scholarship, please contact Michelle Reynolds at 573-840-9077 or michellereynolds@trcc.edu.
Three Rivers College is committed to contributing to the quality of life in Southeast Missouri with quality, affordable higher education opportunities and community services that support and encourage the economic, civic, and cultural vitality of the region. For more information about college and workforce programs and upcoming events, visit trcc.edu
