MURR at 60: A vital national resource

Oct. 5, 2026

The University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) was built 60 years ago, rising on the site of a former polo field. Inspired by then-President Elmer Ellis’s vision for nuclear-driven innovation, MURR has grown into the nation’s premier university research reactor, operating every day to power discoveries that save and improve lives. 

At a special event next week, we’ll celebrate this historic milestone alongside state and university leaders, as well as the researchers and patients who know MURR’s capabilities firsthand. As we mark MURR’s legacy, we also look ahead to expanding its impact for future generations. Six decades later, MURR continues to change the world.

MURR achieved criticality on Oct. 13, 1966, and was upgraded to 10-megawatts in 1974. To this day, it remains the most powerful university research reactor in the country, ahead of those at MIT, Kansas State and the University of Texas. 

Thanks to MURR’s strength and reliability, it is the country’s sole domestic source of four vital radioisotopes used to fight cancer. It also serves as a critical hub for next-generation energy research, isotopes for industry and strategic applications, archaeology and many other fields where students and faculty make transformative breakthroughs. The reactor is a critical workforce training ground for the nuclear field, with MURR-trained experts making contributions throughout national laboratories and industry. 

MURR is a cornerstone of Mizzou’s research enterprise and one of our many world-class facilities. In May, we celebrated the grand opening of the state-of-the-art, 74,000-square-foot Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopment building. The Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building is celebrating its fifth anniversary, after becoming Mizzou’s first new research facility in more than a decade. Earlier this semester, we broke ground on the Payne Energy Innovation Center, which will develop groundbreaking energy solutions that strengthen our state’s economy and workforce.

We’re also building on MURR’s longstanding record of excellence through NextGen MURR, a new, twice-as-powerful reactor. This spring, we broke ground on a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and the State of Missouri to construct the Radioisotope Science Center near the NextGen MURR site, helping expand production of radioisotopes that are strategically important to our country’s security and future. 

MURR’s continued value to our university, state and nation is a testament to the foresight and investments of those who recognized its enormous potential six decades ago. With that same spirit of ambition, and with the strong support of our Board of Curators, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe and Missouri’s federal and state legislative delegations, we are thrilled to celebrate how far we’ve come and the tremendous possibilities that lie ahead.

— Mun

A Homecoming tradition of record-setting service

Sep. 30, 2026

Mizzou Homecoming means exciting victories at Memorial Stadium and proud traditions that unite alumni, students and supporters of all ages. Just as important to the nation’s first and best Homecoming is our legacy of service. Across campus and throughout the community, Tigers make a difference.

Our annual student-run Homecoming Blood Drive remains the largest of its kind in the nation. Over four days, volunteers collected 5,150 units of blood for the American Red Cross, breaking the previous record by nearly 100 units.

Students also drove a historic turnout for our annual Tiger Food Fight collection for the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, which also benefits Tiger Pantry. They gathered more than 181,000 pounds of food, reflecting the hard work of volunteers who contributed 240 total hours of service to this important effort.

Our outreach continued with the Homecoming Day of Service, where students volunteered with organizations throughout the local community. Tigers completed 1,700 cumulative hours. That’s the equivalent of more than 70 days of service.

It’s part of our land-grant mission to serve others and all of Missouri. When Tigers work together, our impact is incredible. Happy Homecoming, and M-I-Z!

— Mun

A century of Homecoming history at Memorial Stadium

Sep. 28, 2026

This year, we celebrate 100 years of Memorial Stadium as well as Mizzou Football’s historic role at the center of Homecoming celebrations. Fifteen years before Memorial Stadium opened in 1926, we were the first to invite all alumni to return to campus and cheer the Tigers on to victory. Now, as we celebrate the completion of the stadium’s transformation, we also recognize the proud history, exciting wins and shared memories that define Homecoming at Mizzou.

The Tigers’ first Homecoming game at Memorial Stadium was a decisive 15-0 victory over Kansas in front of a record crowd of 30,000 who sat through a swirling snowstorm. Kansas remains our most frequent Homecoming opponent (nearly 30 times) with Mizzou counting 18 wins in the series – including legendary games like Don Faurot’s finale as Mizzou head coach in 1956, where the Tigers won with a last-second safety. Earlier this season, the Tigers scored another historic win against the Jayhawks.

In 1972, the same year the field was dedicated in honor of Coach Faurot, the Tigers defeated the Colorado Buffaloes, then the #7 team in the country, in one of Tiger Football’s most thrilling Homecoming victories. This year’s theme, “Forever Faurotcious” recognizes that special places like Faurot Field, along with beloved traditions like the parade and house decs, are an essential part of the nation’s first and best Homecoming.

The legacy of excellence continues to the present day. Mizzou has come out on top in each Homecoming matchup for nearly a decade, including one of the largest margins of victory ever in a Mizzou Homecoming game when we defeated the Idaho Vandals 68-21 in 2017.

As we begin the next 100 years of Memorial Stadium, we look forward to securing our 10th consecutive Homecoming win when we beat the Florida Gators. I hope to see you at Memorial Stadium and at the many events planned throughout Homecoming Weekend.

— Mun

Dr. Asuroglu recognized with top awards for new music composition

Sep. 22, 2026

Mizzou is one of the nation’s top universities, as well as a global destination for new music composition. Our School of Music faculty are breaking new ground and receiving some of the most prestigious honors in the field for their work.

One recent honoree is Dr. Utku Asuroglu, assistant professor of composition. Dr. Asuroglu has just received several highly competitive awards.

Dr. Asuroglu was awarded a MacDowell Fellowship to attend a prestigious artist residency in New Hampshire. Past recipients include world-famous composers Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland, as well as accomplished artists across disciplines.

In addition, he received a commission from the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress to compose a new work. He is one of only six composers awarded a commission in 2026. He was also awarded a fellowship from the Bogliasco Foundation in Italy for Spring 2027. Past winners of this international fellowship include Pulitzer Prize-winning composers John Harbison and Steven Stucky.

Previous honors for Dr. Asuroglu include a 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship, one of the most distinguished fellowships in the country. 

As we celebrate Dr. Asuroglu and the Mizzou School of Music, we also remain grateful for the visionary leadership of Curator Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield and Rex Sinquefield. Their incredible support has created tremendous opportunities for our music composition students and faculty to achieve excellence, including through the Mizzou New Music Initiative and the Sinquefield Music Center. Thanks to their commitment to our community, Mizzou is a nationally recognized hub for innovative faculty advancing their art form.

Congratulations, Dr. Asuroglu! I look forward to seeing what our School of Music achieves next.

— Mun

Mizzou ranks among top 100 in U.S. News’ Best Colleges list

Sep. 21, 2026

The latest U.S. News and World Report rankings were released today, and I’m thrilled to share that Mizzou has achieved a historic milestone: We’re a Top 100 national university!

We’ve continued our remarkable climb up the rankings, rising to #95 overall and capping a 44-spot improvement since 2020 (ranked #139). KU once again lost ground, coming in more than 50 spots behind us at #148. Other notable rankings include the University of Iowa at #100, University of Colorado and University of Tennessee at #109, Iowa State at #116 and University of South Carolina at #121.

The good news doesn’t stop there! Reflecting our tremendous growth in breakthrough research, student success and meaningful engagement, Mizzou now ranks among the top 13 for Best Value Public Universities, and earned the second-highest rank among SEC flagships.

Mizzou is also among the nation’s top universities for veterans, as well as for undergraduate programs in business, nursing and psychology, reflecting the strength of a Mizzou education across disciplines.

These honors are just the latest example of Mizzou’s growing national and international reputation for excellence. According to a recent Time Magazine ranking, Mizzou is among the top 150 universities in the world. Niche, a leading college search platform, named Mizzou as a top 5 online college in the nation.

It’s clear why our momentum continues to build. This year we achieved a record $553 million in research expenditures, the 12th consecutive year of growth, reflecting bold investments in the people, tools and facilities needed to make groundbreaking discoveries in cancer treatment, agriculture, energy and other critical areas. Our students are also thriving. Mizzou’s retention rate is 91%, our graduation rate is 77% and our career outcome rate is above 95%, demonstrating that Tigers receive the support they need to earn a degree and launch a successful future as soon as they leave campus.

The University of Missouri is proud to prepare future leaders and deliver more impact for our students and state. With the support of our campus community, along with Mizzou’s more than 376,000 global alumni, we uphold our land-grant mission and reach new heights as one of America’s top universities.

— Mun

A dream worth having: 40 years of partnership with University of the Western Cape

Sep. 16, 2026

Yesterday, we held a special celebration marking the 40th anniversary of the University of Missouri South African Education Program (UMSAEP), our historic collaboration with the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The event built on the success of a similar celebration held in Cape Town earlier this year and honored the program’s impact across generations of scholars and students.

UMSAEP was launched in 1986 as a bold initiative to invest in educational partnerships that benefit both universities and the communities they serve. I was proud to recognize this remarkable history and the trailblazing figures who shaped its success across four decades.

I want to thank the many leaders from UWC who made the trip to Missouri for our celebration, including UWC Rector and Vice Chancellor Robert Balfour, who provided remarks, as well as Advisor to the Rector Shaun Pather, Director of International Relations Tasmeera Rajcoomar Singh, Deputy Dean Carolien van den Berg, Dean Rajendran Govender, Dean David Holgate, Dean Fatima Moolla, Dean Anita Padmanabhanunni and Dean Jeff Yengopal.

We were also honored to welcome distinguished guests from our campus community, including University of Missouri Board of Curators Chair Todd Graves, former UM System President Michael Middleton and First Lady Julie Middleton.

Featured speakers included the partnership’s founding director, Dr. Ron Turner, its current director, Professor Rod Uphoff, and Dr. Mary Stegmaier, vice provost for international programs.

I also want to acknowledge the members of the Board of Curators at the time of UMSAEP’s founding, including Doug Russell, Tom Smith, W.H. “Bert” Bates, Jeanne Epple, James Anderson, Eva Frazer, John Lichtenegger, Peter Raven and Ed Turner, as well as former President of the UM System C. Peter Magrath and former UWC Rectors Jakes Gerwel and Tyrone Pretorius. Their vision for UMSAEP continues to serve as a model for how universities can build and sustain long-term, successful partnerships.

Our commitment to collaboration has resulted in transformative research across more than 40 disciplines as well as hundreds of life-changing student exchanges. At our on-campus celebration, scholars from all four UM campuses and UWC showcased the impact of UMSAEP projects in health sciences, food security, nursing and agriculture, among other important areas.

UMSAEP continues to thrive thanks to the many faculty, students and leaders who are committed to building relationships that bridge continents and make a lasting impact in both countries. I’m thrilled to see what we will achieve in the next 40 years and beyond.

— Mun

On the offensive against rare disease

Sep. 14, 2026

John Ruth, BSBA ’08, is a Mizzoumade leader and former student-athlete. Starting out as a Tiger Football walk-on, he helped his team secure a Cotton Bowl victory in 2008 before graduating and launching a successful finance career. He and his wife Kasey, BSEd ’08, started their family in John’s hometown of Jefferson City, where they welcomed their daughter, Kamdyn, in 2013.

After Kamdyn was born and following years of genetic testing, the family learned she had an ultra-rare neurodevelopmental disorder called Baker-Gordon Syndrome, a mutation of the SYT1 gene and also known as SYT1-Associated Neurodevelopmental Disorder. Determined to find answers and help others also navigating a rare disease diagnosis, the Ruths established the Genetic Autism Alliance nonprofit to accelerate therapeutic research for genetic disorders. They also looked to their alma mater, where the commitment to excellence inspires achievements across the university, from wins on the field to transformative discoveries in research.

Now, uniting the Ruths’ passion, Mizzou’s world-class faculty and significant support from Missouri leaders, we’re launching an extraordinary initiative that will save and improve countless lives, including those of Missouri’s youngest patients.

Thanks to an incredible $10 million investment from the State of Missouri and the support of the Genetic Autism Alliance, we are pleased to announce the Center for Translational Neurogenetics. Led by Mizzou physician and researcher Dr. David Arnold, executive director of the NextGen Precision Health initiative, this new center further establishes Mizzou as a national hub of breakthrough therapies for the rarest diseases.

Dr. Arnold was recruited to Mizzou from Ohio State University and is among the top neuroscience researchers in the country. As part of an international research team, he was recently the first physician in the world to deliver a pioneering new ALS therapy for an MU Health Care patient, and he will continue to break new ground with the Center for Translational Neurogenetics.

Using NextGen’s state-of-the-art resources, our faculty will create rapid, scalable treatments for rare diseases, including Baker-Gordon Syndrome. Bringing together Mizzou’s proven strengths in translational research and the latest in gene therapy, the center will deliver faster diagnoses while also developing tailored care that isn’t available anywhere else.

John, Kasey and their family are thrilled at what will be achieved through the Center for Translational Neurogenetics and the hope it offers for the 1 in 10 people affected by a rare disease. Mizzou is proud to uphold our land-grant mission by advancing excellence in research that helps kids, and all Missourians, lead happy, healthy lives.

— Mun

Mizzou community honors 25th anniversary of Sept. 11

Sep. 10, 2026

Throughout the week, members of campus and our local community came together to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, honoring those lost while also reflecting on the many incredible examples of service.

On Sept. 8, we were proud to host a screening of “The Heroism and Resiliency of 9/11,” a new film directed by filmmaker Michael Gier and narrated by Gary Sinise that examines the extraordinary acts of courage and unity that followed the attacks. Nearly 600 attendees, including many from our military and ROTC communities, gathered at Jesse Auditorium. The event was coordinated and co-hosted by the Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic, and I want to thank dedicated supporters Bill and Nancy Thompson, who are among the film’s executive producers and helped bring this important work to campus.

Earlier today, we continued our solemn Patriot Day tradition of laying a wreath in Traditions Plaza to honor the nearly 3,000 Sept. 11 victims. The program brought together leaders from Mizzou and the City of Columbia, as well as local first responders, veterans and members of Mizzou’s military community.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant university, we are honored to support those who dedicate their lives to service, including members of the military and first responders. Both events were powerful reminders of a defining moment in our country’s history and of our enduring dedication to making a difference for Missouri and our nation.

— Mun

Journalism’s gold standard since 1908

Sep. 7, 2026

The Missouri School of Journalism, the first and best in the world, was founded on Sept. 14, 1908, by its first dean and Mizzou legend, Walter Williams. It opened with 64 enrolled students including 53 freshmen. Thanks to Williams’ vision, this year the J-School welcomed more than 1,700 total undergraduates. Next week, we’ll celebrate his enduring legacy and the school’s 118-year tradition of excellence on Founder’s Day.  

Williams was a Boonville native and pioneer in journalism education who also wrote the “Journalist’s Creed” to ensure the highest standards at Mizzou and across the profession. For well over a century, J-School faculty have built upon Williams’ dedication to trust and integrity, while helping students launch extraordinary careers using the Missouri Method of hands-on learning.

Mizzou alumni serve in prestigious roles at leading news organizations and communications agencies across the country. Hanna Battah, BJ ’15, got her start at Mizzou’s NBC-affiliate KOMU 8 before becoming co-anchor of ABC News’ “World News Now” and “Good Morning America First Look.” Fellow alum Kenton Gewecke, BS ’17, worked as chief meteorologist at KOMU and is now on the meteorology team at ABC News, including “Good Morning America.” Kenton and Hanna appear on “GMA” and “ABC News Live” in front of millions of viewers.

Our students and alumni are also among the most accomplished in the field, including more than 75 Pulitzer Prize winners. Among them is Laine Cibulskis, BJ ’26, who won with a team from The New York Times during her senior year at Mizzou. Additionally, new faculty member and recent alum Lisa Krantz, PhD ’24, earned the award the same year she completed her doctorate at Mizzou. 

From Walter Williams to today’s world-class faculty, Mizzou leads the way and prepares our students to make an impact. We are grateful to alumni across our 13 schools and colleges who provide their own examples of excellence and pave the way forward for the next generation.

— Mun

A new championship era begins at Memorial Stadium

Aug. 31, 2026

This is the week Tigers have been waiting for! 

Tomorrow is the Mizzou Day of Celebration, where we’ll recognize our generous supporters and mark historic investments in student success, research and engagement, while showing the world our remarkable momentum. 

As part of the day’s many highlights, we’re celebrating a ribbon cutting for the $260 million Memorial Stadium Centennial Project. The home of Tiger Football now stands among the best in the SEC. Modern upgrades, including an incredible North End Zone, honor Tiger traditions while providing student-athletes and fans an excellent gameday experience worthy of a powerhouse program.

The excitement continues Thursday when Mizzou takes on the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions for Kickoff in CoMo. Coach Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers are ranked #25 in the country and are ready to dominate all season long. Alumna Sheryl Crow (BS Ed ’84) will perform the National Anthem. 

But that’s not all. Alumni are also invited to our Sept. 19 Memorial Stadium 100th Anniversary Game, where we’ll commemorate a century of Tiger football and look forward to a new era of excellence. Tigers will wear throwback uniforms that honor generations of Mizzou greats as they take on the Troy Trojans. We’ll also celebrate the long-overdue recognition of the 1960 Tiger team as national champions, following a unanimous resolution in the U.S. Senate introduced by Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt. 

In connection with a landmark season, a special 100th anniversary collection is available for fans. I’m also honored to provide a foreword to a centennial book documenting the history of Memorial Stadium and featuring rare photos and unforgettable highlights. Look for the collection and book this fall in the new Tiger Team Store in the North End Zone. 

Once you’re geared up for the new season, be sure to share your Mizzou spirit during Black and Gold Fridays. Each Friday throughout the season, all fans are invited to show that Mizzou pride runs deep in every corner of Missouri and wherever Tigers live and make a difference. 

We’re ready to continue our momentum on the field and beyond as we win championships, drive impactful discoveries and prepare future leaders for success, all while bringing pride to Missourians and Tiger fans everywhere. See you at Memorial Stadium!

— Mun