Surprising our 2025 Kemper Fellows!

March 19, 2025

Each year, leaders from Mizzou and Commerce Bank partner together and announce winners of the prestigious William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence by surprising them during class. Yesterday, our team visited Strickland Hall to recognize this year’s fifth and final Kemper Fellow, Dr. Julie Passanante Elman.

We’re now proud to share Mizzou’s 2025 class of Kemper Fellows:

• Amy Simons – professor, Missouri School of Journalism

• Pamela Brown – associate professor of biological sciences, College of Arts and Science

• Dennis K. Miller – associate professor of psychological sciences, College of Arts and Science

• Tamara Hancock – assistant teaching professor, College of Veterinary Medicine

• Julie Passanante Elman – associate professor of women’s and gender studies, College of Arts and Science

Mizzou’s faculty are world-class, and the Kemper Fellowship is the campus’s highest recognition for teaching excellence. Throughout the year, Kemper Fellows also serve as ambassadors of Mizzou’s outreach and commitment to student success. We are thrilled to celebrate their accomplishments and the many ways they prepare Tigers to make a difference.

Next month, each fellow will be formally honored during a ceremony that includes firsthand stories of their life-changing impact. Congratulations again to our 2025 Kemper Fellows!

— Mun

Sharing our impact with elected leaders

March 14, 2025

(Left) Matt Sanford, Congressman Sam Graves, President Choi and Michael Hoehn II. (Center) Congressman Wesley Bell and President Choi. (Right) Congressman Bob Onder and President Choi.

I was recently in Washington, D.C., to meet with members of Missouri’s Congressional delegation, including Senator Eric Schmitt, Congressman Mark Alford, Congressman Wesley Bell, Congressman Sam Graves, Congressman Bob Onder and Congressman Jason Smith. I shared the incredible impact of Mizzou and the UM System, including our proven momentum in student success, research excellence and community engagement. I was joined by MURR Executive Director Matt Sanford and NextGen MURR Program Director Michael Hoehn II to discuss the growth of our research reactor program and its ongoing importance to cancer research and treatment in the United States.

This week, our students were also at the State Capitol in Jefferson City to present their own groundbreaking research and to share with lawmakers how their work on campus can improve lives around Missouri. Ten Mizzou undergraduates displayed a range of projects, including innovative research into power grid security and improving the well-being of veterans.

Mizzou makes a difference in each of Missouri’s 114 counties and in communities across the nation and beyond. I am always proud to share our impact and to discuss ways we can continue to support our state’s workforce needs while delivering incredible value for all Missourians.

— Mun

Mizzou Gymnastics reaches new heights 

March 12, 2025

This past Sunday, our No. 7 ranked Mizzou Gymnastics team defeated the No. 13 Auburn Tigers at home in the Hearnes Center, winning with a record-breaking score of 198.100 to 197.0150 – the highest score in program history! With their win on Senior Day, the Tigers became one of only five teams in the NCAA to reach 198.000 this season. It was also the first time in program history the Tigers went undefeated at home during regular season competition. 

One of many standouts from the day was senior Amari Celestine, who tied her career best score for her final home meet floor routine with 9.975. She also set the tempo in performance with the sixth-best all-around score in program history at 39.650.  

This week, the Tigers continue their dominance in the national rankings at No.7. This marks the seventh week in a row that the Tigers are in the Top 10. Their final regular season meet is this Friday against the No. 16 Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville, Arkansas.  

It’s been fantastic to watch our Mizzou Tigers compete in another record-setting season. I can’t wait to continue watching their accomplishments leading into the post-season.

M-I-Z! 

— Mun 

Advancing the future with our Florida alumni

March 5, 2025

We are proud to continue our nationwide tour that brings the best of Mizzou to alumni wherever they live. Most recently, I joined the Mizzou team for a stop in Florida to meet with loyal Tigers in the Naples area.

Athletic Director Laird Veatch provided an update on the incredible success of Mizzou Athletics, which includes highly ranked teams in both football and men’s basketball. We also heard from MURR Executive Director Matt Sanford and NextGen MURR Program Director Mike Hoehn II about the global importance of our research reactor. For example, Mizzou is the only source of the radioisotope lutetium-177 in the United States. Lutetium-177 is a key ingredient in Pluvicto, a medicine used to treat prostate cancer that was just advertised during the Super Bowl.

We are confident there’s even more we can achieve, and we’re grateful for our alumni who are ready to work with us to build the future. Among the many distinguished Tigers in attendance, we are grateful to Jefferson Club Board Member Roger Harris for providing an inspiring introduction. We were also pleased to welcome Paul Vogel, who recently made a transformative gift to grow our School of Accountancy. Additionally, I had an opportunity to meet with Don and Audrey Walsworth (Walsworth, Inc.) as well as Rollie and Tina Bartels (Club Car Wash). We had great discussions about the many ways Mizzou can make an impact.

I enjoyed sharing the undeniable momentum of our community and seeing the amazing enthusiasm for Mizzou’s mission. I’m looking forward to the next series of alumni gatherings this summer.

— Mun

Mizzou Law team claims monumental victory at global antitrust competition

Feb. 27, 2025

Last weekend, three Mizzou Law students placed first at the prestigious Global Antitrust Institute annual moot court competition in Washington D.C. The competition covered antitrust law in both the U.S. and the European Union, and Mizzou’s team outlasted some of the top law schools in the nation, as well as others from India and Brazil.

Luke Nutwell, Eric Siemens and Austin Siener withstood six rounds of argument, including a final round judged by Judge Douglas Ginsburg of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and other high-ranking federal litigators and leaders.

“This is a monumental achievement for our law school,” said Thom Lambert, Mizzou Law professor, Wall Chair in Corporate Law and Governance and team mentor. “It required a tremendous amount of work on the part of Luke, Eric and Austin and reflects the excellence of our entire community.”

There is so much momentum at Mizzou Law, including an incredible 50% increase in applications for the incoming law school class of 2028. I want to recognize Professor Lambert, Dean Paul Litton and all Mizzou Law faculty and staff for their commitment to supporting our students.

“I believe Mizzou is seeing a larger increase in applications because the word is out,” said Dean Litton. “Students are realizing that without a doubt, a Mizzou Law degree is one of the best values in the nation, both in the quality of education and the total cost.”

I can’t wait to see what our Mizzou Law community achieves next!

— Mun

Chancellor’s Arts Showcase spotlights student creative excellence 

Feb. 25, 2025

This past Friday, the Chancellor’s Arts Showcase brought more than 700 supporters of the arts together to celebrate the creativity of our students across a range of disciplines. 

It was a night to remember as nearly 120 students participated in a live showcase and an expanded exhibition that stretched across the Missouri Theatre and the Columbia Art League. I spoke to a number of students about their incredible work, and I enjoyed the many remarkable examples of Tiger excellence and ambition. 

The showcase included special recognition of the 2025 Sinquefield Composition Prize winner Giovanni Porfirio, a master’s student at Mizzou. The crowd also experienced the thrilling premiere of his new piece “Clickbait” performed by the University Philharmonic Orchestra. We remain grateful to both Curator Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield and Rex Sinquefield for their incredible support of this prestigious award and the arts at Mizzou. 

Our students’ hard work and accomplishments were on full display. We are proud to share their talents with our community.

— Mun

Student Affairs staff wins 2025 NASPA Excellence Award 

Feb. 24, 2025

We are proud to celebrate three Student Affairs staff members who were recognized by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) for their contributions to higher education and commitment to excellence. 

Dr. Tyler Page, director of Mizzou Housing; Morgan Myers, assistant director of Student Care and Community Standards; and Haley Hamblin-Dold, basic needs coordinator with the Care Team, received a Silver Award for Home@Mizzou – a campus program that supports and works with in-need students to find stable accommodations. Home@Mizzou was honored in the category of Contracted Services, Housing and Residence Life, highlighting the innovation and impact of our outreach on student success and well-being. 

Started in 2019, the Home@Mizzou program is for students identified as housing insecure or homeless. Students in this educational program work with staff, learn strategies to strengthen their finances, secure employment, address mental health concerns and ultimately secure permanent housing. 

The team will be honored at an upcoming awards ceremony in New Orleans during the annual NASPA Conference. Thank you to Tyler, Morgan and Haley for their immense contributions to our Tigers and campus.  

— Mun

Growing Mizzou’s momentum with our Phoenix alumni

Feb. 19, 2025

Last week, we were in Phoenix to celebrate Mizzou’s incredible momentum with our loyal Arizona alumni. I enjoyed connecting with around 100 Tigers to share our historic achievements, including more than 25,000 applications (and counting) for the upcoming semester, our nearly 93% retention rate and $508 million in research expenditures.

Guests had the chance to participate in hands-on demonstrations of our innovative teaching and research. A special keynote also focused on the impact of the University of Missouri Research Reactor and our plans to build a new, state-of-the-art research reactor, NextGen MURR. From MU’s campus to patients in Missouri, Arizona and beyond – MURR ensures our nation has a reliable domestic supply of critical cancer-fighting radioisotopes. Our alumni asked great questions, and we enjoyed sharing our bold ambition to remain a global leader in nuclear medicine.

We also met with key Mizzou supporters, including Ben and Carolyn Thomas, Don Downing, James and Rhonda White and Dr. Reuben Merideth. We had an opportunity to discuss an exciting vision for the university and how this vision honors the rich history of our institution. We are grateful for their incredible commitment to Mizzou and their partnership to advance our mission of excellence.

Mizzou has more than 362,000 alumni worldwide – including nearly 2,800 in the Phoenix area – and we’re one of the nation’s top universities for future leaders. I enjoyed meeting with so many accomplished alumni.

Their success is powerful proof of Mizzou’s lifechanging impact.

— Mun

Women’s Swimming and Diving team earns top distinction 

Feb. 14, 2025

As we cheer on our Mizzou Women’s Swimming and Diving team at next week’s SEC Championships, I want to congratulate the team on earning the highest GPA (3.86) in all Division 1! The team also received Scholar All-America honors and includes 16 student-athletes with a 4.0 GPA, the most among any Mizzou team. 

This is an outstanding accomplishment for our student-athletes and all of Mizzou Athletics. Mizzou Women’s Swimming and Diving exemplifies the dedication of our student-athletes as they compete for championships and achieve excellence. Congratulations again to Head Coach Andrew Grevers and his team. 

The dominance of Mizzou Athletics is indisputable, and we have the accolades to back it up. Whether in the water, on the court, on the field, or in the classroom, our Tigers continue to be top competitors.  

— Mun

Mizzou makes a difference with United Way

Feb. 12, 2025

This week, we celebrated the incredible success of our 2024 United Way campaign and the hard work of more than 100 campaign ambassadors. Ambassadors gathered in Jesse Hall for a celebratory breakfast recognizing their important outreach and impact.

Awards were also distributed for those who showed special dedication to the campaign. MU Baseball received the Dream Team Award for their commitment to collaboration. The Unity Award went to the College of Health Sciences for their team-wide support and was accepted by Dean Kristofer Hagglund. MU Data Analytics received the Gracious Giving Award for their strong campaign participation, and I was proud to accept on their behalf.

MU faculty, retirees, staff, students and UM System employees have partnered with our local Heart of Missouri United Way for more than 75 years to give back and improve lives. This year, we received an amazing $506,892 from 931 pledges – surpassing our $500,000 goal. So much of our success is because of the many ambassadors who promoted the campaign in units across campus and throughout the community.

The Heart of Missouri United Way advances programs that make a difference to local families and those who most need our support. Thank you to all who participated and showed Mizzou’s dedication to serving others.

— Mun