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

Record giving powers Mizzou SEC Food Fight success

April 8, 2026

Mizzou just broke a campus record for donations counting toward the SEC Food Fight, a monthlong competition among conference universities to support campus food pantries. In total, Mizzou earned more than 102,000 points, a 66% increase over the previous year, and placed second overall among the participating universities.
 
Our strong growth was driven by Mizzou students and community members, who earned points by contributing food, monetary support and basic need items for Tiger Pantry, an MSA auxiliary that helps those in need on campus.
 
This year, we raised nearly $35,000, including more than $6,000 on Mizzou Giving Day alone. Students and campus partners also donated more than 50,000 food items, including over 40,000 items collected during the Greek Week Can Drive.
 
Across all competing universities, nearly 600,000 points were earned – reflecting our incredible collective impact on campuses across the conference.
 
Thank you to everyone who contributed and helped make a difference for our fellow Tigers. We’re ready to break even more records next year.

— Mun

Celebrating 40 years of friendship with the University of the Western Cape

April 1, 2026

It was an honor to visit Cape Town, South Africa, to celebrate 40 years of partnership between the University of Missouri System and the University of the Western Cape (UWC). This was my third visit to UWC, and each time I’m struck by the enthusiasm, commitment to excellence and historical importance of our enduring collaboration.

Created in 1986 with support from the UM Board of Curators, the University of Missouri South African Education Program (UMSAEP) continues to thrive by developing meaningful opportunities for students and faculty to advance research that strengthens each institution. There have been more than 1,000 faculty exchanges across many fields and hundreds of student exchanges through the Henry Mitchell Scholarship and other programs. In 2015, we welcomed Ghent University of Belgium as a third member of the partnership – further expanding our collective impact.

Joining us at UWC were UM Board Chair Todd Graves and UMSAEP Director Rod Uphoff, who has led the program since 2006. Throughout the visit, the UM delegation met with faculty and students profoundly shaped by their collaborations with the University of Missouri System, and we learned more about their research in key areas including plant sciences, bioinformatics, public health and education.

One of many highlights was a special 40th anniversary celebration attended by more than 100 current and former UMSAEP participants. The event brought together key figures from throughout the partnership’s rich history, including former UWC Rector & Vice Chancellor Tyrone Pretorius. Phoebe Gerwel, wife of former UWC Rector & Vice Chancellor Jakes Gerwel, and Judith O’Connell, wife of former UWC Rector & Vice Chancellor Brian O’Connell, were also in attendance, along with representatives from the U.S. Consulate General in Cape Town. Despite the time difference, many faculty from all four UM campuses participated virtually to show their support.

I am grateful to all at UWC for the warm reception, especially Rector & Vice Chancellor Robert Balfour and Director of International Relations Dr. Tasmeera Singh. I also want to recognize UMSAEP Founding Director Ron Turner and UMSAEP Director Uphoff for their dedication to the program’s success, along with President Emeritus C. Peter Magrath and former members of the Board of Curators who established the partnership, including then-chair Tom Smith, Ed Turner, James Anderson, Jean Epple, Doug Russell, John Lichtenegger, W.H. Bates, Eva Frazer and Peter Raven.

We look forward to welcoming UWC leaders to Missouri in September as we continue to recognize our shared accomplishments and explore new opportunities that bring lasting impact.

— Mun

Mizzou Chess wins national championship!

March 24, 2026

The Mizzou Chess Team recently took home the national title at the President’s Cup, the highest honor in U.S. collegiate chess. This year was Mizzou’s third time competing in the President’s Cup in the last four years – as well as the team’s second national championship.

Adding to the excitement, Mizzou was proud to host this year’s tournament and welcome the nation’s top chess programs to Memorial Student Union.

Mizzou defeated teams from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Saint Louis University, earning enough cumulative points to achieve victory. Head Coach Cristian Chirilă recognized Mahel Boyer as a top performer on the team, with two critical wins and a draw, and Luka Budisavljević, who was on the 2024 championship team and is the only Mizzou player with two national titles. Fellow chess team members Annmarie Muetsch and Tea Gueci also provided expert analysis throughout the tournament.

Mizzou’s incredible success is possible thanks to Curator Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield and Rex Sinquefield, whose visionary leadership continues to support our chess students and community. Securing a second national championship reflects their longstanding commitment to Mizzou excellence in chess.

Congratulations to the Mizzou Chess Team on a historic victory.

— Mun

Show-Me Opera amazes in Missouri Theatre

March 18, 2026

Last weekend at the Missouri Theatre, Mizzou’s talented student opera ensemble, Show-Me Opera, delivered two incredible performances of Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel & Gretel.”

Nearly 450 audience members attended each elaborately staged performance, and entrance was free for all K-12 and Mizzou students, as well as for our faculty and staff. The production featured a cast of 30 singers and accompaniment by 30 members of the Mizzou Symphony Orchestra, led by Dr. John McKeever, and was made possible through support from the James and Vera Olson Fund for the Arts.

It’s remarkable for a university to have a dedicated undergraduate opera program, and Show-Me Opera is proud to invite both music majors and non-majors to participate. The ensemble is led by Christina Ray, visiting assistant professor of voice, and Steven Tharp, associate professor of voice, both from the School of Music.

Across its many programs, Mizzou’s School of Music continues to deliver world-class experiences that enrich our campus and the entire Columbia community. Congratulations to all involved on a memorable production!

— Mun

Celebrating CAFNR’s impact on Missouri agriculture

March 12, 2026

Across campus, we’re committed to meeting Missouri’s needs and delivering incredible impact for all we serve, including in rural communities. Last week, we were proud to host multiple events connecting elected officials, friends and alumni with the groundbreaking work happening in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources to support our state’s ag industry.

On Thursday, we welcomed Gov. Mike Kehoe, who joined the Mizzou Collegiate Farm Bureau’s annual farm forum to discuss the future of agriculture. He also met with Dr. Rob Myers and members of our Center for Regenerative Agriculture to discuss the impact of innovations such as virtual fencing, which – for the first time – makes it easy for producers to rotate grazing livestock using just GPS collars and a mobile app.

On Saturday, I joined Alpha Gamma Rho – Theta Chapter, a Mizzou social-professional agricultural fraternity, for their 110th Founders Day celebration. Present at the event were USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice President Mike Deering as well as more than 100 current students and alumni. Alpha Gamma Rho has a long record of service, including hosting an annual youth cattle show that in 2026 raised more than $10,000 for childhood cancer awareness. They also count many elected officials and state commodity leaders among their alumni. It was great to see their continued success.

Later that evening, we gathered in downtown Columbia for CAFNR Unlimited, an annual event focused on advancing student success across the college. We were honored to welcome Undersecretary Fordyce once again, along with Board Chair Todd Graves, Curator John Raines and many partners from Missouri’s elected and state leadership. Those in attendance included State Senators Jason Bean, Rusty Black and Kurtis Gregory, as well as Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Chris Chinn, Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Kurt Schaefer and numerous commodity partners. Their presence underscored the broad reach of CAFNR’s work and its impact on Missouri’s workforce and ongoing growth.

Each event was a great opportunity to highlight the importance of CAFNR’s mission, including its contribution to Mizzou’s $5 billion in annual economic impact. I want to thank CAFNR Vice Chancellor and Dean Chris Daubert for his incredible leadership in growing research, student enrollment and engagement with the ag community. Mizzou is proud to be our state’s flagship, land-grant university and to support the success of producers and all Missourians.

— Mun

Build your Tiger legacy with Mizzou Giving Day

March 5, 2026

Mark your calendars! Mizzou Giving Day kicks off next week at noon on Wednesday, March 11. It’s your opportunity to make a difference across campus and support the continued excellence of our students, faculty and staff.

You can give directly to Mizzou initiatives that matter most to you, and there are generous matches and challenges to maximize your impact. You can also become an advocate and encourage other loyal Tigers to get involved.

As Missouri’s flagship, land-grant university, Mizzou delivers impact across the state and beyond. Whether your gift supports student scholarships, transformative research, beloved traditions, meaningful engagement or other important Mizzou programs, all Tigers – as well as the many others we serve – benefit.

Learn more at givingday.missouri.edu, and visit the Mizzou Giving Day Facebook page to show your support.

Thank you for your commitment to our incredible Tiger community.

— Mun