For 30 years, Dr. Michael Budds instilled in his students a passion for music and the role it has played in our society and culture. From 1982 until 2012, Dr. Budds made his Jazz, Pop, and Rock class one of the most popular on Mizzou’s campus. In addition to his teaching legacy, Dr. Budds has generously gifted $4 million to establish the Budds Center for American Music Studies - a destination for the research, teaching, archiving, and celebrating musical achievement within the United States. This center, dedicated to the unique aspects of musical expression throughout American history, will be an academic destination for music scholars around the country. The center will also place a special emphasis on the musical culture within the state of Missouri, and provide a wide range of learning opportunities on campus for music majors, nonmajors, and members of the public. It is Dr. Budd’s vision not only to expand Mizzou’s existing focus on American music, but to establish the MU School of Music as a national model for the study of American music. Your gift to the Michael J. Budds American Music Endowment will benefit the Budds Center for American Music Studies, honor Dr. Budds, and help his vision come true!