Applauding staff dedication and excellence
May 22, 2025
Each May, we celebrate Staff Recognition Week to thank Mizzou and UM System colleagues for their hard work and support of our impact on campus and across Missouri.
One of the week’s highlights is the Staff Recognition Awards Ceremony, which on Wednesday drew a great crowd of employees and their families. We especially recognized staff members in attendance celebrating significant service anniversaries, including Patty Eggleston (45 years) and Jim Forward (50 years). We also distributed numerous awards for staff excellence, including the Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Awards in six categories:
• Administrative/Professional – Crystal Schilling, lead human resources consultant
• Clerical/Office – Michelle Rapp, assistant to the registrar in the School of Law
• Crafts/Maintenance – Michael Nichols, senior reactor irradiation and hot cell technician at the MU Research Reactor
• Technical/Paraprofessional – Ashley Granger, monograph cataloger for Mizzou Libraries
• Part-time/Temporary – Rick Boyce, tutor for the Mizzou Made Academics Program in Athletics
• UM System – Phyllis Hawk, executive operations advisor for the UM Board of Curators Office
Staff are critical to the success of our students and university. Their dedication does not go unnoticed, and we are grateful for their commitment to others. I also want to thank the Staff Advisory Council for organizing this important week and for their many contributions throughout the year.
— Mun
Congratulations, graduates!
May 16, 2025
This commencement weekend, we celebrate nearly 6,000 graduates across all 13 Mizzou schools and colleges. Each Tiger worked hard to reach their goals and achieve excellence. I look forward to celebrating their success.
We are also proud to recognize three honorary degree recipients who made tremendous contributions to their fields and moved our university, state and world forward.
• Harriett Copher Haynes, PhD – Distinguished psychologist, educator, mental health advocate and Mizzou nursing alumna
• James E. Nave, DVM – Nationally-respected veterinarian and mentor, founder of the Nave Veterinary Group and two-time Mizzou alumnus
• Stuart A. Wesbury Jr., PhD – Dedicated health care administrator and community leader whose influence continues to shape Mizzou’s health administration program
Our Mizzou graduates have the education and experience they need to launch impactful careers and to join a global community of accomplished alumni. I can’t wait to see what’s next for the Class of 2025.
— Mun
Celebrating Mini Mizzou’s accomplishments
May 14, 2025
Last Thursday, I was excited to recognize the incredible student musicians of Mini Mizzou with a celebration at the Residence on Francis Quadrangle.
It’s been another memorable year for Mini Mizzou – which is composed of more than 70 student musicians. Each of the two Mini Mizzou ensembles brings energy and Tiger spirit to events on campus and beyond. This past year, they’ve performed on some of the biggest stages in Missouri and across the country, including at Cardinals and Royals games, away football games and SEC and NCAA tournaments.
Mini Mizzou – along with Marching Mizzou – are among our great university traditions. I want to thank Director of Athletic Bands Dr. Amy Knopps and all our talented students. It was an honor to recognize their hard work and dedication.
— Mun
Honoring student excellence with end-of-semester awards
May 5, 2025
As we approach the end of the semester, we’re proud to celebrate the excellence and involvement of our talented Mizzou students.
Earlier this month, I attended the Fraternity and Sorority Life Honors Ceremony to recognize the leadership and positive impact that our fraternity and sorority members have on campus and in the community. Also in attendance were Board of Curators Vice Chair Michael Williams, Mizzou Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Angela King Taylor and other university leaders, along with faculty, staff, alumni and community supporters.
Over 150 recipients were honored with awards! Winners included fraternity and sorority leaders, alumni and community partners who showed an incredible commitment to the values of philanthropy, scholarship, brotherhood, sisterhood and service. I’m also proud to congratulate Fraternity Chapter of the Year winner Sigma Phi Epsilon and Sorority Chapter of the Year winner Pi Beta Phi.
Fraternity and Sorority Honors was just one of many ceremonies held around campus to celebrate community excellence. Whether through fraternity and sorority involvement, student government or our more than 600 recognized student organizations, there are countless ways for Tigers to get involved, make connections and keep our campus a welcoming place for all.
Congratulations to our students on their success and accomplishments.
— Mun
Mizzou honors service of alumnus Col. ‘Bull’ Simons
May 1, 2025
Yesterday, I joined ROTC leaders, cadets, veterans and other supporters in recognizing a Mizzou graduate with a historic record of bravery and excellence.
Col. Arthur “Bull” Simons was a decorated World War II veteran who remains a legendary figure in the U.S. Army Special Forces. He is also a 1941 graduate from Mizzou with a degree in journalism, and he was commissioned from our Army ROTC program.
Col. Simon’s career took him to conflict zones around the world, including dangerous missions to rescue American POWs and civilians. He’s been extensively profiled in books and on television. In recognition of his heroism, the Simons Center for Ethical Leadership and Interagency Cooperation at Fort Leavenworth was named in his honor. In 2012, he was included in the Mizzou Army ROTC Hall of Fame.
We were proud to install a plaque in Crowder Hall that commemorates his accomplishments. This dedication is possible thanks to the leadership of another Mizzou alumnus, veteran and Silver Star recipient, Mr. Cottrell Fox – who earlier in the day also made a transformational gift to our College of Veterinary Medicine. We are grateful for Mr. Fox’s incredible commitment to our community, and for his commitment to honoring a great representative of Mizzou. I’m also grateful to Mr. Mark Lear for helping organize the dedication, Mr. Terry Buckler for sharing his story of serving with Col. Simons and Mizzou Army ROTC faculty for their leadership.
Our ROTC cadets and midshipmen are proven leaders who continue Mizzou’s legacy of military excellence. We are proud to recognize Col. Simons and all alumni, students, faculty and staff who serve our country.
— Mun
Breaking ground on leading-edge facilities for Missouri ag
April 23, 2025
Last Friday, we celebrated the beginning of two important new facilities for Missouri agriculture.
First, we held a groundbreaking for The Michael L. Parson Meat Science Education and Training Laboratory. This transformative facility will expand Missouri’s leadership in the meat processing industry and provide even more hands-on opportunities for students. The facility’s name recognizes the incredible legacy of former Missouri Governor Mike Parson. His advocacy for Missouri agriculture is reflected in the facility’s mission to make a difference for our state’s producers.
In the afternoon, we celebrated the Phase I grand opening and the Phase II groundbreaking of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (VMDL). Both will be located in the newly named Dr. Dan Brown Building. A College of Veterinary Medicine alumnus, Dr. Dan Brown served as a Missouri Senator and was a committed leader for the state and a strong supporter of Mizzou’s impact.
The VMDL is an innovative facility dedicated to research, diagnostics and disease prevention. This expansion will ensure the health and safety of Missourians, the pets they care for and the livestock they raise.
We were proud former Governor Parson and former First Lady Teresa Parson could join us on campus, along with current Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, First Lady Claudia Kehoe, Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn, Senator Justin Brown, the Brown family, Board Chair Todd Graves and many other elected leaders, state officials and project supporters.
Mizzou is dedicated to Missouri’s workforce needs and to delivering value to producers and citizens around the state. These two facilities reflect our continued commitment to Mizzou’s land-grant mission of service and excellence.
— Mun
Mizzou Gymnastics makes program history at the NCAA National Championship!
April 21, 2025
This past Saturday, our Mizzou Gymnastics team made history by reaching third place in the NCAA National Championship Final! It was an exceptional finish for the Tigers in Fort Worth, Texas, and the first time in program history that the team advanced to the NCAA National Championship Final. It was also the best postseason finish of any women’s team in Mizzou history.
The No. 7 Tigers competed against No. 2 Oklahoma, the No. 4 Utah and No. 5 UCLA with a final score of 197.2500, beating Utah.
Mizzou’s Helen Hu won the NCAA Gymnastics Balance Beam National Championship with a score of 9.9875 during last Thursday’s semi-final competition! Her score secured the Tiger’s advancement to the 4 on the Floor championship by one tenth of a point. Saturday, she concluded her outstanding Tiger career by scoring a 9.9650 on the beam.
I am extremely proud of the Tigers and everything they have accomplished this year! Coming soon, we will share details about a special celebration of the team’s achievements on campus.
M-I-Z!
— Mun
More than 500 students make a difference during Caring for Columbia
April 18, 2025
Last Saturday, I had the honor of helping kick off Caring for Columbia – one of the largest student-run days of service at Mizzou – alongside Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Angela King Taylor and director of Caring for Columbia, Mizzou senior Kathryn Wenger.
Around 550 Mizzou students volunteered their time at 25 local residences and 38 community sites around Columbia, including many nonprofits and schools. Volunteers included members of 54 student organizations, including Mizzou honor societies, student governments and fraternities and sororities.
It’s inspiring to see our students’ remarkable dedication to serving the community and making an impact for others. I’m proud of all who participated, especially our student-leaders in Caring for Columbia who organized such a successful event.
— Mun
An investment in the future: Launching NextGen MURR
April 16, 2025
Supporters from Missouri and around the world gathered in Jesse Hall to formally begin our transformative research reactor project, NextGen MURR. The event included a ceremonial signing where key partners, including a large delegation from South Korea, agreed to develop a roadmap for a new, state-of-the-art facility.
This is a historic moment at Mizzou, and it’s the right time to build on the original MURR’s legacy of success. Because of the visionary investments of state and university leaders more than 50 years ago, 460,000 Americans a year benefit from lifesaving discoveries and innovations created at MURR. Now we are proud to come together and usher in a new era of collaboration for nuclear science and medicine.
We were honored to be joined by consortium partners, including leaders from the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Hyundai Engineering and MPR Associates. We were also joined by Missouri Representative Dirk Deaton, Board of Curators Chair Todd Graves, Curator Bob Fry, Curator and former Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer, along with many local leaders, industry partners and members of the Mizzou community.
A world-class university needs world-class infrastructure. NextGen MURR positions Mizzou to save and improve more lives than ever before, create opportunities for future discovery and provide our nation with a critical domestic supply of radioisotopes for generations.
— Mun
Awards recognize excellence in shared governance
April 8, 2025
During last week’s General Faculty Meeting, I was proud to join Professor Tom Warhover, chair of Mizzou’s Faculty Council, in announcing winners of the 2024-25 Shared Governance Awards. This honor recognizes those who show extraordinary commitment to shared governance and have made a proven impact on our community. Recognition includes an award sponsored by the Office of the President.
This year we celebrated two outstanding recipients:
• Dr. Bill Horner, Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor, for his 25 years of work focused on effective faculty governance and the democratic process.
• The MU Task Force on Artificial Intelligence in the Learning Environment for contributing valuable perspectives that continue to shape our AI polices.
Mizzou’s world-class faculty are dedicated to making a difference. Their partnership remains essential to delivering our land-grant mission of service and excellence. Congratulations to this year’s honorees, and thank you for your commitment to Mizzou.
— Mun