Dr. Alex Pickard (1936-2019) came to MU in 1961 to be the trumpet professor and five years later, became the Director of Marching Mizzou for the next twenty years. Under his direction, Marching Mizzou students delighted fans with theatrical halftime performances including innovations like the famous “Flip Tigers” drill, and formed new spirit groups like Mini Mizzou and the Golden Girls. In 1975 he took the band to England, where they performed in iconic Wembley, Chelsea, and Twickenham stadiums. A year later the famous MIZ-ZOU chant was born, coined by band members after a 22-21 football victory over Ohio State. In 1982, Dr. Pickard continued to serve as Associate Chairman until his retirement in 2002. This fund was created by he and his wife, Anne-Marie, to help support students in Marching Mizzou with scholarships and awards.