Congratulations to the more than 5,100 students graduating this weekend! I’m so proud of their accomplishments and know they are prepared to lead our state and nation.

As we celebrate the Class of 2024, I also want to recognize four incredible MU alumni receiving honorary degrees. An honorary degree is the highest form of recognition offered by the university. We are pleased to acknowledge their many contributions to Mizzou and their fields.

• Dr. Marcia Chatelain is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and a widely published scholar. She is currently the Penn President Compact Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

• Sarah Leen is an award-winning photojournalist and former director of photography at National Geographic. She now serves as a photo editor, teacher and mentor to a new generation of visual storytellers.

• Dr. Gilbert Ross orchestrated mid-Missouri’s first kidney transplant surgery and is a founding member of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. He has spent more than 60 years serving throughout the MU School of Medicine.

• Don Walsworth is a well-known business leader, former chair of the Board of Curators and an incredible supporter of the university and Mizzou Athletics. He is CEO of Walsworth, Inc., one of the nation’s largest book and magazine publishers.

I look forward to formally recognizing our honorary degree recipients – and all Mizzou graduates – at commencement ceremonies throughout the weekend.

M-I-Z!

— Mun