James C. Forbes donates to College
October 23, 2003
James C. Forbes, a 1941 electrical engineering alumnus from Mississippi State University, wanted to give back to his alma mater, and in doing so he has become one of the College of Engineering’s largest individual donors.
Born in Tomnolen, Miss., Jim Forbes moved around the northern part of the state with his family during his youth. He completed high school in Benoit, and continued his education at then – Mississippi State College. Mr. Forbes has fond memories of his time as a college student. He played baseball under the great Dudy Noble, who nicknamed him “Gramps”.
He initially came to Mississippi State to become a forest ranger, but there was only one course offered in forestry. Eventually, Forbes was convinced that engineering was where he needed to be, and he excelled – graduating third in class. Upon graduation, Forbes was offered a much-coveted job with General Electric (GE).
He entered the company’s training program in 1941 making $1 an hour. After working in the Northeast, he transferred to West Virginia where he met his late wife, Hazel Ruby. They later moved to Dallas, where he still resides today. During his time with GE, Forbes took advantage of their employee investment program – always investing the maximum in GE stock and never taking out anything. Today, he owns approximately 75,000 shares of General Electric.
Mr. Forbes was the first in his family to become a college graduate. “I owe a lot to Mississippi State,” he declares. “They gave me a good education, and they got me an interview. Without them, I wouldn’t have gotten a job with General Electric.”
Mr. Forbes’ wish is to help others get a college education, and he intends to do this by including the Bagley College of Engineering in his will. The contribution of his GE stock will provide financial assistance for many future students, who will be encouraged to repay the opportunity in turn.
The value of Jim Forbes’ projected donation makes him one of the College’s top donors. He didn’t get there by founding a Fortune 500 Company. He didn’t do it by inventing an indispensable gadget. This engineer and his wife did it together through a lifetime commitment to longtime American values – savings, moderation and basic hard work.