University of Missouri

By Sara Moyers Bryan Garton Sept. 9, 2026 Bryan Garton, senior associate dean and director of academic programs in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri, recently received the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes agricultural educators for visionary leadership, career dedication and advocacy.

Clockwise from left: Walter Williams Hall in 2026, a bust of Walter Williams located in Boonville, Mo., Walter Williams at his desk. The Missouri School of Journalism, the first and best in the world, was founded on Sept. 14, 1908, by its first dean and Mizzou legend, Walter Williams. It opened with 64 enrolled students including 53 freshmen. Thanks to Williams’ vision, this year the J-School welcomed more than 1,700 total undergraduates.

Sept. 8, 2026 Contact: Eric Stann, StannE@missouri.edu Video by Mizzou College of Health Sciences Being Truman the Tiger is hard work. Between racing down the sidelines, knocking out pushups after every touchdown and keeping more than 60,000 fans energized, game day requires strength, stamina and plenty of Mizzou spirit. Fortunately, Truman has some experts in his corner.

Sept. 8, 2026 Contact: Janese Heavin, heavinj@missouri.edu For millions of Americans, Sept. 11, 2001, is a vivid memory. For younger generations, it’s a history lesson. This week, scenes from that day will be replayed on screens across the country as the nation remembers the 25th anniversary of the attacks. For young children, those images can be confusing and scary. For parents, navigating the questions and conversations that follow can be tricky.

A computer-generated visualization shows a compound, MKV3, connected to a protein in the human body that transports copper. Sept. 8, 2026 Contact: Eric Stann, StannE@missouri.edu Photo courtesy of Michael Petris University of Missouri researchers have discovered a new way to harness one of the body’s natural defenses: copper. While copper is essential for life and helps power important biological processes, having too much of it can be toxic.

By Logan Jackson Supported by a gift from Peggy and Andrew Cherng, Cherng Summer Scholars pursue work that matters. Sept. 8, 2026 Photo by Logan Jackson Fourteen Honors College students at the University of Missouri pursued their academic interests this summer through the nine-week Cherng Summer Scholars program. Students design their own research projects with the support and mentorship of a Mizzou faculty mentor. The program is supported by a gift from Peggy and Andrew Cherng.

Sept. 3, 2026 Contact: Janese Heavin, heavinj@missouri.edu Photos by Scott Schaefer, Will Burris, Abbie Lankitus and Violet Lewis The University of Missouri recently celebrated a series of major milestones, including a transformative $50 million gift to the College of Engineering, a groundbreaking for the new Payne Energy Innovation Center and the ribbon-cutting for the newly renovated North End Zone at Memorial Stadium. And Mizzou capped it all off with a celebration worthy of the moment.

Sept. 3, 2026 Contact: Janese Heavin, heavinj@missouri.edu Photo by Abbie Lankitus WHAT: In recognition of the 25th anniversary of Patriot Day, the University of Missouri will hold two separate events to remember the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. On Sept. 8, the university will host a screening of the film “The Heroism and Resilience of 9/11: From Tragedy to Triumph” in partnership with the Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic.

From left: Jeff Liptak, Ashley Mitchell and Amanda Simpson Sept. 3, 2026 Contract: Travis Zimpfer, zimpfert@missouri.edu University of Missouri Board of Curators recognized staff members, including three from Mizzou, from across the UM System as the inaugural recipients of the Curators’ Outstanding Staff Awards.

By Janese Heavin Sept. 2, 2026 Contact: Travis Zimpfer, zimpfert@missouri.edu Photo by Abbie Lankitus The University of Missouri is strengthening its position as a national leader in energy innovation with a historic $50 million gift and the start of construction on a new interdisciplinary research facility designed to tackle some of the nation’s most complex energy challenges.