Agricultural Leadership of Tomorrow

Feb. 18, 2022

Agricultural Leadership of Tomorrow (ALOT) invited me and a few MU faculty members to address their most recent class of budding agricultural leaders. It was great to see their enthusiasm and to share how MU can help support their important work.

ALOT provides its members with international experience, networking opportunities and an expanded understanding of agribusiness issues in-state and beyond, which explains why so many have become leaders in Missouri’s agricultural industry and government. With more than 400 ALOT alumni across Missouri, I was grateful for this opportunity to build new partnerships that will strengthen communities for years to come.

— Mun

Roundtable with Reed-Francois on women leaders in athletics

Feb. 17, 2022

On Thursday, I joined Desiree Reed-Francois, MU’s director of athletics, as well as university and industry leaders from across the country for roundtable discussions hosted by Women Leaders in College Sports and the NCAA. Together, we considered the importance of inclusive applicant pools, how to find (and hire) the best people and ways candidates can prepare for executive level leadership positions. Leaders also discussed how to build a pipeline of talented candidates from all backgrounds.

Athletic Director Reed-Francois has a bold vision to grow our championship culture at Mizzou — while also supporting our incredible student-athletes. It was great to celebrate her work as well as our collective efforts to build a welcoming campus.

We were proud to participate in these conversations and we know there’s always more we can do. We are committed to creating an inclusive learning, living and working environment where all Tigers can achieve excellence.

— Mun

Recognizing our 2022 Geyer awardees

Feb. 16, 2022

Each year, the Mizzou Alumni Association presents the Geyer Award to those who have made an impact on MU and higher education. Later today, I’m traveling to the Governor’s Mansion in Jefferson City to join Gov. Mike Parson in celebrating our 2022 recipients: Sen. Dan Hegeman and Dave Griggs.

Both are longtime advocates for our mission of learning, research and engagement. They’ve also been important partners as we prepare Missouri’s workforce for the future.

I’m grateful for this opportunity to recognize two champions of education throughout the state.

— Mun

Courtside with our Kemper Fellows

Feb. 12, 2022

At tonight’s Tiger basketball game, we highlighted a few of our 2020 and 2021 Kemper Fellows.

Every year, the William T. Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence honors five outstanding faculty members for their impact on Mizzou students. We were glad that some of our past winners could join me, Curator Darryl Chatman and Steve Sowers, president and CEO of Commerce Bank Central Region, on Norm Stewart Court for a round of applause from Tiger fans.

Together, we were proud to recognize:

2020 Kemper Fellows

• Libby Cowgill, associate professor of anthropology in the College of Arts and Science
• Daryl Smith, associate teaching professor of management in the Trulaske College of Business

2021 Kemper Fellows

• Antoinette Landor, associate professor in the College of Human Environmental Sciences
• Marty Steffens, professor and the Society of American Business Editors and Writers endowed chair at the Missouri School of Journalism

Congratulations to all. Later this spring, we will announce our 2022 Kemper Fellows.

— Mun

Governor hosts higher ed roundtable at MU

Feb. 11, 2022

It was a busy morning at the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building. I was happy to welcome Governor Mike Parson — and more than 20 of Missouri’s elected officials and education leaders — for a roundtable discussion on building the workforce of tomorrow.

Governor Parson reiterated his bold vision for higher education and encouraged us to continue finding collaborative solutions to the problems facing Missourians. I highlighted a few of the many ways we deliver for citizens, including our push for rural broadband coverage, our dual-enrollment program with Moberly Area Community College and the incredible work of the University of Missouri Research Reactor (currently the only U.S. supplier of five life-saving radiopharmaceutical isotopes used in cancer and cardiac drugs).

After concluding the group discussion (and before the Governor toured NextGen) I presented him with a Mizzou Football helmet from the Armed Forces Bowl in appreciation of his support and his service as a veteran.

It’s essential that we’re good stewards of state support and create more opportunities for our citizens. It’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly. A recent report noted that taxpayer investment in Mizzou results in a $5 billion return for the state.

I want to again thank Governor Parson, and our many partners throughout Missouri, for helping us prepare the next generation for the future.

— Mun

Board of Curators presentation

Feb. 3, 2022

Snow may have changed our plan to gather on campus, but I’m happy to (virtually) welcome the University of Missouri Board of Curators to Mizzou for their meeting today.

As part of the day’s agenda, I’ll have an opportunity to highlight for the Curators some incredible people from our community – such as Marcia Chatelain, an MU alumna who won a Pulitzer Prize. I’ll also be sharing more about our plans for enhancing student and faculty support, as well as our ambition initiatives to promote research across campus.

I’d encourage you to tune in and hear more about all the great things happening at Mizzou. I am scheduled to speak at around noon, and a recording of the meeting will be posted later on the UM System website.

— Mun

Working together for Mizzou

Feb. 2, 2022

Yesterday, I was honored to address a joint meeting of the Missouri Students Association and the Graduate Professional Council. I shared brief updates including information on COVID-19, before opening it up to general questions.

Students raised important issues, and I was glad for this opportunity to talk about ways we can support students and the areas where we have more work to do. One thing we have been able to do is provide free KN95 masks at the Mizzou Store for students, faculty and staff. Our latest shipment just arrived and once we get beyond the current snow event, they will be available for pick-up.

I very much enjoyed meeting our Mizzou undergraduate and graduate students. Their input is critical as we work together to ensure Mizzou is a place where everyone can achieve excellence.

— Mun

Three MU faculty members named AAAS Fellows

Jan. 26, 2022

Today, we’re proud to announce that three Mizzou professors have been named 2021 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS). This honor is one of the highest recognitions a scientist can receive for a career of discovery and service to society.

MU’s newest AAAS Fellows are:

• Lee-Ann H. Allen, professor and chair of the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, and the George Trimble Endowed Chair for Excellence in Medicine in the MU School of Medicine
• Susan Renoe, associate vice chancellor for strategic initiatives in the Office of Research and Economic Development, assistant professor of strategic communication in the Missouri School of Journalism, and executive director of the Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS), which is housed at MU
• Cheryl S. Rosenfeld, professor of biomedical sciences in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine

While their interests range from the study of bacteria to reproductive biology, what unites each of these researchers is shared determination to create incredible breakthroughs that make the world a better place. Congratulations to them all!

— Mun

MU celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jan. 24, 2022

Today at 7 p.m., I hope everyone will attend our annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy.

This year’s theme is “Spoken Word: Facing the Challenges of Tomorrow” and features keynote speaker Ashley M. Jones, Alabama’s poet laureate. This all-virtual event is a chance for our community to come together and reflect on Dr. King’s mission, timeless teachings and inspiring example.

During the event, we’ll also honor a Boone County resident or group with the MLK Community Award for extraordinary leadership in furthering the goal of achieving greater diversity in the community.

— Mun

Mizzou researchers prepared the way for pig-to-human heart transplant

Jan. 21, 2022

You may have heard the news that surgeons in Baltimore transplanted a pig heart into a human patient. But did you know that the breakthrough technology (gene edited “knockout” pigs) that makes the procedure possible was pioneered at Mizzou?

Randall Prather, Curators’ Distinguished Professor and director of the National Swine Resource & Research Center, recently published an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun outlining the history of this groundbreaking research and how discoveries with knockout pigs (which included making them glow) eventually led to a lifesaving transplant.

Dr. Prather and his team continue their work as leaders in the field of pig genetics. I’m proud to see them so prominently recognized for their accomplishments and to be part of a culture of innovation that makes the impossible possible.

— Mun