A proud Tiger reached out to me about our Department of Economics — winner of the inaugural Award for Outstanding Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion from the American Economic Association (AEA). We celebrated this incredible honor a few months back, and I’m pleased to again recognize our faculty, staff and students for making a difference.

In the award application, Jeffrey Milyo, chair and professor of economics, highlighted the department’s collective progress toward creating a more welcoming learning environment. Some advancements include redesigning an introductory microeconomics course to better cover diversity-related topics, launching the Diversity in Economics seminar series and facilitating peer mentorships for incoming undergraduates. The department plans to build on these programs and launch new DEI initiatives in the future.

Amazing discoveries are possible when we respect one another and share our own perspectives. I want to thank everyone in the Department of Economics for their contributions to the Mizzou community. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor!

— Mun