Touring campus with Missouri’s new legislators

Dec. 13, 2022

Recently, we welcomed another kind of freshman to campus. Newly elected lawmakers from around Missouri stopped by during their tour of the state. We showed more than 40 attendees a sample of our groundbreaking research at the University of Missouri Research Reactor and the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building. We finished the visit in true Columbia fashion, with Shakespeare’s Pizza in Mizzou Arena.

State support for our land-grant mission has increased by the highest percentage in decades. We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in our research, teaching and engagement work and are committed to delivering even more for the state we all serve.

Earlier this year, a report from Tripp Umbach showed investments in Mizzou return $5 billion to state taxpayers. Those resources directly support innovations and outreach that strengthen our communities – from producing new cancer treatments to Extension programming in every county.

I appreciate lawmakers’ interest in Mizzou and look forward to working together for the good of Missouri.

— Mun

Visiting with Vet Med

Dec. 5, 2022

Last week, I stopped by east campus to meet with faculty and staff from the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). Attendees filled the Adams Conference Center and asked great questions in support of the college and Mizzou.

I was joined by John Middleton, associate vice president for academic affairs and a longtime professor in the college. CVM was the latest in our series of visits with MU’s 13 academic units.

CVM has played an important role in MizzouForward hiring to date, accounting for 5 of the 32 new faculty hired since last year. These world-class investigators arrive with specializations and research funding in areas such as pathogenic bacteria and cancer treatment. Their work complements the college’s many existing accomplishments, including an impressive 93% of students who pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination on their first try and a 100% graduate student placement rate.

Our ambitious investments in CVM don’t stop with MizzouForward. This semester we began a $30 million expansion of the Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory, Missouri’s only lab accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. The project is jointly funded with $15 million in state dollars.

We will work with CVM leadership, faculty and stakeholders to ensure our programs are the best they can be for students and the Missourians we serve.

— Mun

You belong here

Dec. 1, 2022

The Student Success Center is our hub for academic excellence. Located on Lowry Mall, the center houses eight programs that support students throughout their time on campus.

Joined by fellow administrators John Middleton and Jim Spain, we met with leaders from two of those programs – Director Cecilia Olivares of the Discovery Center and Interim Director Chris Dobbs of the Learning Center – who shared their impact and discussed how we can better serve our incredible students.

This semester, 450 first-time college students and 53 transfer students arrived at Mizzou as “Exploring” majors. Those students are paired with an academic advisor from the Discovery Center to help them choose a path that fits their values. Their team also partners with the Career Center and other campus resources to help all students – whether finding or changing majors – to achieve their goals.

Building off that important work, the Learning Center teaches proven strategies for improving academic performance including: exam preparation, note-taking, self-care and wellness. This semester, their team (and nearly 80 student tutors and academic coaches) have hosted more than 3,000 drop-in sessions, with thousands more student contacts online.

A great example of our holistic support in action is Olo Masiza, a computer science and philosophy major who attended a university in South Africa before transferring to Mizzou. Olo visited the Student Success Center his first semester and is now a student assistant for the Discovery Center and Transfer Center. During our visit, he was joined at the front desk by another student assistant, Claire Nyi, a social work major. They are part of a team who answer questions and direct fellow students to helpful resources.

I enjoyed meeting Olo, Claire and everyone supporting student excellence.

— Mun

Saving lives with robotic assistance

Nov. 28, 2022

Thanks to our strong partnership with Siemens Healthineers, MU Health Care became one of the first health systems in the state to offer robotic-assisted percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) – a technique to open blocked or narrowed arteries.

As part of our fall Alliance for Precision Health meeting, I joined Dr. Richard J. Barohn, executive vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the MU School of Medicine, and David Pacitti, president of Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. and Head of the Americas, Siemens Healthineers, for a visit to our cardiac catheterization lab at University Hospital. Interventional cardiologist Dr. Taishi Hirai shared a live patient demonstration of the CorPath® GRX System from Siemens Healthineers.

CorPath GRX enables precise measurements down to the sub-millimeter level and offers automated movements to aid in device manipulation. This system also reduces physician exposure to radiation from imaging equipment used during the procedure.

Siemens Healthineers is an industry leader for lifesaving innovations. Our ongoing collaboration makes groundbreaking resources accessible to Missourians.

— Mun

Groundbreaking collaboration for children’s mental health

Nov. 16, 2022

From their unassuming lab in Hill Hall, an interdisciplinary Mizzou team is changing how youth receive mental health support.

In 2019, the Missouri Prevention Science Institute  (MPSI) launched the National Center for Rural School Mental Health with a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. Modeled off an MPSI program still active in 54 Boone County schools, they are now implementing evidence-based interventions in 25 rural schools across Missouri, Montana and Virginia and will be adding more over the next two years.

MPSI’s experts in education, social work and psychology are prolific researchers. Last year alone, their team published 83 journal articles, logged 8,831 citations and managed more than ten additional local, state and national projects. I stopped by to learn more about the work they do.

Joined by John Middleton, associate vice president for academic affairs, and Chris Riley-Tillman, dean of the College of Education and Human Development, we discussed amplifying MPSI’s already impressive outreach and bringing more life-changing resources to schools in Missouri and around the country.

— Mun

Engineering the future of Mizzou

Nov. 14, 2022

For the next stop on my campus tour, I met with faculty and staff from the College of Engineering. Their work supporting our students’ growing interest across ten undergraduate degree programs is remarkable. I was trained as an engineer and feel kinship with those who study and further the field.

We discussed continuing that momentum with MizzouForward. To date, about 10% of new MizzouForward hires are from engineering – and we have plans to recruit even more.

I challenged faculty to share with national colleagues the many perks of MizzouForward, including startup investments in new faculty research. I also encouraged them to be ambassadors for Mizzou on campus and to advise students to consider graduate school early in their academic career.

As the college expands its influence, we will explore additional innovative collaborations – such as those with industry partners and the team at the MU Research Reactor (MURR) – which benefit our research mission and positively impact Missouri.

— Mun

Kinder student is Rhodes Scholar finalist

Nov. 9, 2022

Last week, we celebrated an incredible $25 million gift to the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy from Rich and Nancy Kinder and the Kinder Foundation – bringing their total contribution to $60 million.  Hall of a $25 million gift by Rich and Nancy Kinder and the Kinder Foundation to the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy.

One speaker at the announcement was Paul Odu, a senior from Kansas City, who learned the day before that he was a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship. In December, Paul will receive degrees in economics and constitutional democracy and has participated in numerous Kinder programs, including the Society of Fellows and off-campus opportunities in Washington, D.C. and Oxford, England. 

In his remarks, Paul shared how – as a son of first-generation Nigerian immigrants – the Kinder Institute helped open doors he never thought possible. Thanks to Rich and Nancy’s continuing generosity, the resources available to students like Paul are among the best anywhere. 

— Mun 

Improving access to student mental health resources

Nov. 7, 2022

On the fourth floor of Strickland Hall, located next to the Student Center, is the recently relocated and newly expanded Counseling Center.

In the morning before opening to students, Christine Even, a psychologist and director of the Counseling Center, along with Jamie Shutter, executive director of student health & well-being, gave me and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs John Middleton a tour of their new, welcoming space. It is an impressive operation.

Dr. Even showed us some of the many improvements, which include a larger intake area to provide better privacy as well as a dedicated space for rapidly responding to students in need. The central location also makes access and referrals easier than ever before. No detail was overlooked – even the calming blue paint color was chosen after consultation with the community.

These resources are already making a difference. For example, the average time to schedule a first appointment has decreased from more than three weeks to within 48 hours. There is also a 24/7 crisis service where anyone who needs support or has concerns for a student can call 573-882-6601 and speak to a licensed clinician.

With 23 full-time clinicians, one part-time clinician, four full-time pre-doctoral interns and five clinical graduate assistants ready to help, the Counseling Center is another great example of our holistic commitment to student well-being.

— Mun

Celebrating First-Gen Tigers

Nov. 3, 2022

On Nov. 8, many academic units, Social Justice Centers and partners across campus are uniting to mark national First-Generation College Celebration Day.

This semester, 21.8% of those new to Mizzou are first gen. For transfers, the number increases to 35.2%. To address common challenges these students face, we have numerous resources that offer support and encouragement throughout their college career.

Brooke Weiler, a senior biochemistry and psychology major, is one of many first-gen students thriving at Mizzou. Her freshmen year, Brooke connected with a faculty mentor who jumpstarted her interest in undergraduate research. Brooke hopes to pay it forward by becoming a biochemistry professor and mentoring others who are first generation.

Our students show the power of Mizzou to change lives and inspire tomorrow’s leaders. Visit the First Gen at Mizzou site for a full list of the day’s events. Additionally, all week anyone can pick up first-gen stickers and buttons in the Student Success Center and the Center for Student Involvement located on the second floor of the MU Student Center.

— Mun

Expanding knowledge with A&S

Nov. 2, 2022

Throughout the year, I’ve been meeting with faculty, staff and leadership from each of our 13 schools and colleges to see how we can better support their work. Next up was the College of Arts & Science – the largest academic unit on campus.

A&S encompasses more than 40 departments and programs, including museums and a literary magazine, that pursue a wide range of research and creative works to expand our understanding of the world. This semester, around 20% of freshmen began their time at Mizzou in A&S.

As a land-grant university, we have the privilege of translating our research and teaching directly from campus to Missouri. With more than 700 faculty and staff representing many areas of expertise, A&S is a great example of our breadth and impact.

I was grateful for the open discussion and the opportunity to share how each person can help recruit new students, contribute to advancement efforts and build a welcoming campus for all.

— Mun