Saving lives with Buckle Up Phone Down

Oct. 28, 2024

Wednesday is Buckle Up Phone Down Day, and we’re proud to partner with fellow Missourians across the state to share a simple message that can keep our roadways safe.

To start, make sure you always use your seatbelt. It’s the best way to protect you, your family and your friends while driving. Next, avoid dangerous distractions by keeping your phone down when operating a vehicle. Just by following these two steps, you can make a difference and potentially save a life.

Please do your part to reach our goal of zero fatalities on Missouri’s roads. Join us by participating in the Buckle Up Phone Down movement now and throughout the year.

— Mun

Mizzou Hall of Fame honors alumni excellence

Oct. 22, 2024

We have the best Homecoming in the country – and one of our great annual traditions is welcoming a new class of Mizzou Hall of Fame honorees. These awards recognize distinguished, high-achieving alumni who enhance Mizzou’s legacy of service and excellence.

During our ceremony last Friday, Homecoming Tri-Directors helped us introduce and celebrate three incredible alumni:

• Hayes Barnard, B.S. B.A. ’95 – Founder, Chairman & CEO, GoodLeap & GivePower; Founder, GoodFinch

• Mary Rhodes Russell, J.D. ’83 – Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri

• Bill Thompson, B.S. C.i.E. ’68, L.H.D. ’05 – Chairman Emeritus, PIMCO; Principal, WST Partners; Founder, Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopment at Mizzou

Through their accomplishments, these proud Tigers have transformed communities and society. They live our values of Respect, Responsibility, Discovery and Excellence each day, and we are pleased to commend their impact in Missouri and around the world.

Congratulations to our Mizzou Hall of Fame honorees! We are grateful for their example of leadership, and for the many contributions of our more than 360,000 global alumni.

— Mun

Mizzou community breaks Homecoming service records

Oct. 18, 2024

We’re thrilled to once again celebrate Mizzou Homecoming! Across so many events, Tigers are coming together to recognize what makes our community special – including our commitment to others.

The student-run Homecoming Blood Drive is more than 40 years old and still breaking records. This year, they collected nearly 5,000 units of blood to help save lives. Tiger Food Fight, our annual drive benefiting the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, was another historic success. Our community contributed an amazing 178,836 tons of food for those in need, including on campus through Tiger Pantry.

During our Homecoming Day of Service, Tigers stepped up and completed 1,500 total hours of community service. Throughout Homecoming Weekend, many alumni and friends will also serve as volunteer Homecoming Ambassadors to welcome all to campus.

There are still ways to get involved and show your Mizzou spirit. The Homecoming Endowment is a great year-round opportunity to support our university and advance Homecoming’s legacy for future generations. We also need everyone to cheer on our Tigers during tomorrow’s game against Auburn.

We are proud to continue Leading the Legacy. Happy Homecoming – and go Tigers!

M-I-Z!

— Mun

Engaging alumni in New York City

Oct. 15, 2024

We recently hosted another memorable It Begins at Mizzou alumni event, this time in the heart of New York City. It was great sharing our incredible impact with New York alumni who know firsthand the power of a Mizzou education.

Our main panel discussion explored Mizzou’s commitment to civil discourse and featured Law School Dean Paul Litton, Director of the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy Jay Sexton and Ella Rose Ferguson, a junior studying political science and constitutional democracy. Together, they shared how Mizzou encourages students to tackle society’s toughest challenges while promoting intellectual pluralism and mutual respect.

Guests also had a chance to connect with talented students in the Cornell Leadership Program. Program participants were in town for Tigers on Wall Street, a week-long opportunity to tour and learn more about industry-leading companies, including Meta, Goldman Sachs, Blackstone and many others.

While in New York, I also met with some of our most dedicated supporters, including Chuck Wall, Sandy Sharp and Dan Arnall. We were pleased to highlight our progress and to discuss new ways we can work together to ensure excellence for those we serve in Missouri and across the nation.

Thank you to all who attended and showed their passion for the University of Missouri. I look forward to our next stop in Houston!

— Mun

Chicago alumni connect with Mizzou-Made entrepreneurs

Oct. 8, 2024

Mizzou is on the rise, and the nation is taking notice. Our momentum is undeniable, so we’re bringing our story on the road with It Begins at Mizzou – a series of events that connect alumni directly with exceptional MU faculty, staff and students.

We recently stopped in Chicago where around 100 Tigers turned out to celebrate Mizzou’s impact on society. Beginning the evening’s program was Paul Vogel, who described his own Mizzou Made success story. Paul and his wife, Lynn Ann, are proven leaders, and we’re grateful for their enduring commitment to our community, including a transformative investment in the Trulaske College of Business announced last month.

We also highlighted innovative programs like Entrepreneur Quest (EQ), a competition where students pitch business ideas and receive funds to make their dreams a reality. During a great panel discussion, recent graduates Blake Brown and Michelle Gershkovich shared how winning EQ awards helped launch their respective businesses, BTB Kicks and ALLTER. Fellow panelist and Executive Director of Entrepreneur Programs Greg Bier described how Mizzou helps student-entrepreneurs like Blake and Michelle develop the confidence and resilience they need to achieve excellence.

I enjoyed celebrating our community and gathering with so many Chicago alumni. In the weeks ahead, I look forward to meeting with more loyal Mizzou supporters across the country.

— Mun

Mizzou’s 2024 United Way campaign kicks off 

Oct. 1, 2024

Last week was the kickoff for our annual United Way donation campaign. Our partners from Heart of Missouri United Way were on hand to celebrate our impact with more than 150 students, faculty and staff.

Each year, we partner with United Way to give back to our community and support some of the most vulnerable in our area. Last year we raised nearly $475,000, exceeding our goal of $460,000. We’ve set an ambitious goal this year to raise $500,000 by December 13. Your support makes a real difference as 99 cents of every dollar donated stays in Missouri.

We’ve worked with United Way for more than 75 years to support our fellow Missourians. Both Mizzou and Heart of Missouri United Way are committed to bettering the lives of everyone in our community.

— Mun

2024 State of the University: Achieving Excellence

Sep. 25, 2024

During today’s State of the University address, I shared Mizzou’s incredible momentum with a full Jesse Auditorium and more than 1,500 streaming online. As a community, we celebrated students, faculty, staff and supporters who are making a difference. We also heard powerful stories of our university’s life-changing outreach.

Central to our growing impact is MizzouForward and its transformative investments in student success, groundbreaking research and infrastructure growth. The results speak for themselves: Mizzou was just ranked the #4 best value among all U.S. flagships by U.S. News and World Report and the #1 best value among all flagship universities in the SEC, Big 10, Big 12 and PAC-12.

I was proud to highlight our impressive growth and to preview the future of Mizzou’s teaching, research and engagement mission. It was an honor to publicly recognize our many accomplishments, and I want to thank each member of the MU community for your dedication to achieving excellence. M-I-Z!
 
— Mun

Arts After Hours displays A&S creativity and community 

Sep. 24, 2024

Last week, the College of Arts and Science hosted Arts After Hours, a new event that showcases the collaborative spirit of A&S. Community members were invited to take a self-guided art walk while checking out exhibits and live events around Lowry Mall.

Visitors enjoyed a variety of displays from A&S programs, including the Laws Observatory, the Department of Architectural Studies, the George Caleb Bingham Gallery, the Missouri Historic Costume and Textile Collection, Ellis Library, the Museum of Anthropology and the Museum of Art & Archaeology. Students from the School of Music performed outdoors throughout the evening, and Mizzou Theatre hosted a Q&A with Broadway playwright Keenan Scott II. 

A&S is committed to bringing the best of Mizzou to our community and engaging with those on campus and beyond. I was impressed by the range of excellence displayed by our talented students. 

— Mun

Accountancy gift celebrates power of Mizzou education 

Sep. 20, 2024

On Thursday, we announced a remarkable gift from Paul and Lynn Ann Vogel to our School of Accountancy in the Trulaske College of Business. 

Their support will provide unmatched experiences to our accountancy students, including scholarships, academic advising and career placement services. Thanks to their generosity, we will also appoint another full-time accountancy faculty member to advance our programs and prepare students to achieve excellence. We were proud to announce that our existing master’s program will be named the Paul and Lynn Ann Vogel Master of Accountancy Program in their honor. 

The Vogels know the power of a Mizzou education. Paul Vogel is a prominent MU alumnus from the School of Accountancy and Mizzou Law. He remains deeply connected to campus, including as a member of the Trulaske Dean’s Advisory Board. Together, the Vogels achieved incredible career success and are now dedicated to making a difference for a new generation of Tigers. 

Supporters like Paul and Lynn Ann Vogel ensure we attract world-class faculty and prepare students to lead our state and nation. We are grateful for their generosity and enduring commitment to Mizzou. 

— Mun

One week from State of the University!

Sep. 18, 2024

You are invited to the 2024 State of the University address next Wednesday, September 25 at 10 a.m. in Jesse Auditorium.

During the event, you’ll learn more about our incredible momentum, hear firsthand stories of Mizzou’s impact and preview exciting initiatives ahead. You can also take a picture with the Cotton Bowl trophy, enjoy Buck’s Ice Cream, tour our Mobile Simulation truck and much more. If you’re not able to join in-person, be sure to watch via our livestream.

State of the University is a celebration of all our community has accomplished, as well as our ambitious plans to continue achieving excellence. I hope to see you there!

— Mun