Recognizing two extraordinary alumni
May 19, 2026
Last weekend, we honored two remarkable trailblazers during Mizzou commencement ceremonies. Alumni Mr. Hayes Barnard (BSBA ’95) and Mr. Rodger O. Riney (BS CiE ’68, MBA ’69) each received an honorary degree and offered the Class of 2026 advice on achieving excellence and making a difference.
Mr. Barnard, an entrepreneur, business owner and philanthropist, emphasized the importance of surrounding yourself with people who support you and drive your continued growth. Like so many of our alumni, he found that community at Mizzou.
Mr. Riney, a philanthropist and founder of Scottrade, shared his connection to Mizzou and encouraged graduates to keep solving problems and finding new ways to learn. He said that patience and a commitment to helping others can set them apart.
While each of their journeys has been unique, both our honorary degree recipients provide examples of resilience and leadership. This year’s graduates also leave Mizzou prepared to achieve success, adapt to change and serve communities in Missouri and beyond.
I am grateful to our honorary degree recipients for their incredible impact and to our graduates for inspiring us with their many accomplishments.
— Mun
Director-General Magwood visit and Radioisotope Science Center groundbreaking mark week of nuclear excellence
May 14, 2026
This was a historic week at the University of Missouri as we continue to secure our role as a national and global hub for innovations in nuclear science and medicine.
On Wednesday, we welcomed Mr. William D. Magwood, IV, director-general of the Nuclear Energy Agency, who joined our community from Paris for the President’s Distinguished Lecture. Mr. Magwood discussed the significant recent growth of the nuclear sector, what’s needed to support the nuclear workforce of the future and how Mizzou can help prepare the next generation of leaders in the field.
We were honored that Mr. Magwood also joined us today for the groundbreaking of the Radioisotope Science Center. This transformative facility is a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy to support the domestic development and production of isotopes that are strategically important to our nation. When completed, it will be more than 31,000 square feet and located at Discovery Ridge near the future site of NextGen MURR.
To mark the occasion, we were joined by Director of the Office of Isotope R&D and Production Chris Landers and Program Manager for Isotope Reactor Facilities Jon Neuhoff from the Department of Energy, former Senator Roy Blunt, Curator Blaine Luetkemeyer, Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Kurt Schaefer, State Representative Gregg Bush and former chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Dale Klein, among many other leaders, project partners and supporters.
Mizzou continues to advance nuclear breakthroughs that make a difference while creating opportunities that strengthen our state’s workforce and economy, including through our participation in the newly launched Missouri Advanced Nuclear Energy Task Force. Mr. Magwood’s visit highlights the international importance of the Radioisotope Science Center, MURR and NextGen MURR – as well as their incredible impact in Missouri and across the country.
— Mun
Congratulating our newest Tiger alumni!
May 12, 2026
This week, we recognize the remarkable accomplishments of Mizzou’s Class of 2026 during 16 spring commencement ceremonies. Earning a Mizzou degree shows the hard work and dedication of our nearly 6,000 graduates this semester who together earned 4,737 bachelor’s degrees, 1,020 master’s degrees, 454 professional degrees, 207 doctoral degrees and 14 education specialist degrees. I am proud to celebrate the success of these incredible Tigers alongside their family and friends, as well as the many faculty and staff who mentored them along the way.
Among our outstanding graduates is Hannah Weaver, a textile & apparel management major and Honors College student. Hannah comes from a long legacy of accomplished Mizzou supporters and alumni. She is the great-granddaughter of John Carrier Weaver, who served as University of Missouri System president from 1966-70. Her grandmother, Karen Weaver (BS Ed ’71), is an alumna and married to two-time Mizzou alumnus Tom Weaver (BS BA ’72, MBA ’73). Karen’s father, Charles Koelling (M Ed ’53, EdD ’58), was a professor and associate dean in the College of Education and her mother, Bettie, worked in the School of Journalism’s dean’s office. Hannah’s rich family history shows the power of a Mizzou education to change lives and help our alumni make a difference.
New grads like Hannah are leaders who leave Mizzou prepared to achieve success. More than 95% launch a great career, continue to graduate school, join the military or take on important service roles within six months of graduation. They also join more than 372,000 alumni who are ready to support their continued growth.
Join me in congratulating the newest members of our alumni community!
— Mun
A tradition of service: Mizzou fraternities and sororities
May 6, 2026
As the semester concludes, it’s also a chance to look back and recognize the legacy and ongoing accomplishments of our fraternity and sorority communities.
Last week, we celebrated the 2026 Student Involvement Awards – honoring the excellence of individual student leaders and groups across campus. Each winner provides an outstanding example of how to get involved and make a difference. Mizzou’s fraternity and sorority organizations had an incredible showing and walked away with many top recognitions, including:
- Fraternity Chapter of the Year: Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
- Sorority Chapter of the Year: Delta Delta Delta
- Service Program of the Year: Alpha Gamma Sigma Homecoming 2025 Service Campaign
- New Program of the Year: Smash-a-Car by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. x Sigma Phi Epsilon
- Community Building Program of the Year: Sisterhood United | Cross-council collaborative event
I also attended the recent 140th Anniversary celebration of Sigma Nu, Rho Chapter. The chapter is among the oldest on campus and has a deep history of accomplished alumni, including Rich Kinder, who with his wife Nancy established the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy, and current Chapter Advisor Dave Baker.
For generations of Tigers, our fraternity and sorority communities have provided opportunities for involvement and connection. It’s a legacy that unites alumni to current students while advancing a shared commitment to service at Mizzou and throughout the community.
— Mun
Mizzou ROTC’s leadership legacy
May 5, 2026
This Friday, I’m participating in the Joint Services Pass in Review ceremony with all three branches of MU ROTC. Each year, this important event reminds me of the many contributions Mizzou has made to our armed forces.
From Cadet to Command
We recently welcomed alumnus Major General Lance Curtis to campus for a special presentation on leadership and service, hosted by the College of Arts and Science. Major General Curtis has held multiple command and senior leadership positions and currently serves as Commanding General of US Army Transportation Command, overseeing the planning and delivery of military equipment and supplies around the world. He has completed operational deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Kuwait and is a Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart recipient, among many other distinctions.
Major General Curtis was commissioned from MU Army ROTC in 1992 and trained alongside two fellow cadets who now also hold high-ranking officer roles: Lieutenant General Steven Marks and Major General Martin Clay.
Lieutenant General Steven Marks recently assumed duties as the Vice Commander of US Special Operations Command and Director of the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group. Major General Martin Clay commands the 35th Infantry Division of the National Guard, overseeing brigades in six states including Missouri. Each provides an incredible example of courage and leadership to our community.
Military service is part of our earliest foundations as a land-grant university. We’re proud to continue that legacy of support for ROTC, veteran and active-duty students who dedicate themselves to protecting our country.
— Mun
Welcoming Missouri’s Next Generation
April 28, 2026
Each year, around 10,000 attendees from across the state come together at Mizzou for the Missouri FFA Convention. It’s a three-day, high-energy celebration of student accomplishments and the future of Missouri agriculture.
Among the exceptional FFA students at Mizzou is Braden Havlik, who has served as a National FFA Officer Candidate and is the current CAFNR Student Council President. Braden is a great example of how Missouri FFA prepares students to lead the way.
Mizzou has hosted the convention for nearly a century, and after many years of growth in the Hearnes Center, we recently welcomed participants to Mizzou Arena for the first time. It’s an honor to recognize so many of our state’s future leaders. I was also grateful to receive the Honorary American Degree from FFA and to acknowledge ag’s importance to both our state and Mizzou’s land-grant mission. Congratulations to all who attended.
Later this week, we’ll also host the MSHSAA State Music Festival. Talented high school performers will fill our campus and the buildings around Lowry Mall with music. We look forward to welcoming them to Mizzou.
We’re proud to host the next generation and to celebrate their commitment to excellence. I hope to see many of them return to campus one day as Tigers!
— Mun
Mizzou alum wins Guggenheim Fellowship
April 27, 2026
Mizzou alumnus Oswald Huỳnh was just named a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow in Music Composition! A Guggenheim Fellowship is among the most prestigious honors in the arts and sciences. It recognizes leading scholars who are committed to innovative work with the potential to transform society and culture.
Oswald is a 2022 graduate with a master’s degree in music composition. Last year, he was also the recipient of the highly prestigious Rome Prize. Listed among his principal mentors is Mizzou Professor of Composition and Artistic Director of the Mizzou New Music Initiative (MNMI), Stefan Freund. The College of Arts and Science recognized his early career success this spring with the Distinguished Recent Alumni Award.
Oswald’s teaching assistantship at Mizzou was supported by the MNMI and made possible through the incredible vision of Curator Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield and Rex Sinquefield. Because of their drive for excellence, Mizzou is an established, global center of new music composition and performance. Thanks to their dedication, students not only learn from Grammy winning faculty – they are prepared to make an impact and show the world what they can accomplish.
Congratulations, Oswald! We look forward to seeing how all our Mizzou composition faculty, students and alumni continue to break new creative ground.
— Mun
Growing Mizzou’s momentum with alumni leaders
April 23, 2026
We recently welcomed more than 100 Tiger supporters from across Missouri and as far away as New York City and Boulder, Colorado for the Alumni Leadership Conference. This annual gathering brings together both new and experienced volunteers to hear directly from campus leaders, celebrate Mizzou’s momentum and connect with fellow Tigers advocating for our university.
Throughout the day, we hosted important conversations about how to share our many incredible accomplishments — from lifesaving research at MURR to transformative opportunities that prepare students for career success – and I enjoyed highlighting our progress and answering questions. Attendees also met current Tigers making an impact, including our national champion Chess Team and Mizzou’s first NCAA Diving Champion, Collier Dyer. In addition, they received a first look at our newly launched “Let’s Show the World” branding campaign and an exclusive preview of the in‑progress Memorial Stadium Centennial Project.
Last year, we launched our $2 billion Power the Roar campaign to secure Mizzou’s land‑grant mission for generations. We’ve already surpassed $900 million – an extraordinary show of support from alumni and friends across the nation that will change lives and create a better future for all we serve. This momentum is possible thanks to the many dedicated volunteers who share our impact every day.
I’m grateful to everyone who joined us and for their extraordinary commitment to Mizzou.
— Mun
Did you know? Mizzou’s ‘perfect’ novel published 61 years ago
April 21, 2026
More than 60 years ago this week, writer and University of Missouri alumnus John Williams published the definitive novel of Mizzou.
Named after William Stoner, a fictional Mizzou professor and the novel’s protagonist, “Stoner” achieved a modest reception when released in 1965. In the decades since, it has garnered critical acclaim and international notoriety. It’s been called “a perfect novel” and “the most beautiful book in the world.”
The story follows Professor Stoner from his early life on a farm in central Missouri through his studies and career on campus as an English professor. Familiar landmarks, including the Columns and Jesse Hall, appear alongside a compelling portrait of Columbia in the first half of the 20th century.
Williams drew heavily on his time as a Mizzou PhD student, and the work is dedicated to his friends and former colleagues in the MU Department of English.
As our alumni know, Mizzou is a special place. It prepares our community to make a difference and inspires incredible stories like “Stoner” that change how we see the world.
— Mun
Kansas City alumni drive historic result for Tiger Ball
April 15, 2026
Last weekend, I was thrilled to once again join our Kansas City alumni for Tiger Ball. This much-anticipated annual event, organized by dedicated volunteers from the Kansas City Alumni Chapter, supports student success and our important work preparing leaders for our state and nation.
Tiger Ball is one of my favorite events of the year. It brings together incredible friends of the university and also provides a chance to share our remarkable momentum – including a record number of applications for next fall, a record graduation rate of 77% and record research expenditures totaling $553 million. Most importantly, it highlights the impact we are making in Kansas City, across Missouri and beyond.
This year, we raised nearly $200,000 – setting a new Tiger Ball record and continuing to build on our progress for Power the Roar. Since 1999, Tiger Ball has raised more than $1.5 million for Mizzou, demonstrating the extraordinary commitment of our more than 37,000 Kansas City-area alumni.
Thank you to all who attended and showed such incredible support, including Curator Michael Williams and Power the Roar Campaign Co-Chairs Paul and Lynn Ann Vogel. I would especially like to recognize Gary Eickhorst, Jim Gamble and Andy & Lucy Rieger – as well as lead event chairs Kelly Gerding, Mariah Mathews and Claire Early who made this Tiger Ball such a success.
— Mun