Yesterday, we celebrated the hard work of staff members from across campus during the annual Outstanding Staff Awards. Among the many honorees, we recognized one staff member in attendance, Teresa Hall, who is celebrating a remarkable 45 years at the university.

As part of the ceremony, I was proud to also share the six winners of the Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Award. These staff members were selected by peers in recognition of their strong dedication and commitment to excellence.

Our 2026 Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Award honorees are:

• Administrative University Functions – Laurie Pelster, Department of Dermatology in the School of Medicine

• Administrative University Functions – Beth Monson, Family Nutrition Education Programs

• Facilities & Operations – Jeff Liptak, Mizzou Power Plant

• Leadership & Strategy – Ashley Mitchell, Mizzou Admissions

• Research & Technical Professionals – Peter McCarthy, State Historical Society of Missouri

• Part-Time Professional – Michael Castera, Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center

The awards ceremony is a key part of our annual Staff Recognition Week, which features over 20 different events and opportunities to show our gratitude to staff at Mizzou and the UM System. I’m thankful for the many ways staff continue to advance our land-grant mission and positively impact our state.

Congratulations to all our award winners, and thank you to Staff Advisory Council for organizing such a great week to honor our extraordinary employees.

— Mun