Oct. 17, 2025

Redefining the Pursuit of Happiness

Sam von Gillern’s course Lessons from Positive Psychology on Happiness and Success allows Honors College students the opportunity to explore research in the field of positive psychology. Story by Riley PalshawPhotos by Logan Jackson As humans, we’re told that happiness is something worth pursuing. But what does happiness actually mean? Sam von Gillern explores this question with his Honors College students in Lessons from Positive Psychology on Happiness and Success, an Honors Seminar course centered on research in the field of positive psychology. For von Gillern, who created and teaches the course, the idea began at Iowa State University when…

Oct. 13, 2025

The Force, Football and Fandoms: Honors College Takes on Pop Culture

Doug Valentine’s Honors Tutorial course — Fandoms: Gamers, Football, and K-Pop, Oh My! — invites students to break down the culture and community that surrounds pop culture. Story by Tanner O’Neal RileyPhotos by Logan Jackson When one thinks of an Honors College class, what most often comes to mind? History, theology, anthropology and perhaps sociology, to name a few. What one doesn’t think of? Harry Potter fan rivalries, the rise and fall of Beanie Baby mania or the new-fangled cultural icon bringing the most stoic of men to their knees, the Labubu. That’s exactly what Doug Valentine’s one-credit Honors Tutorial…

Oct. 7, 2025

Discovery Fellows Program Connects Students with Research Opportunities

Nora Pryor’s research journey at Mizzou began through the Discovery Fellows program. The scholarship, offered to incoming Honors College students, can last for up to two years. Students who receive the scholarship work closely with Honors College staff to find the perfect research fit. The Honors College awards around 15 Discovery Fellow Scholarships each academic year. Story and photos by Logan JacksonVideos by Eric Kiekeben Like many undergraduate students just beginning their research journeys, Nora Pryor was tasked with reading multiple research papers and articles in 2022 when she first began working with Heather Hennkens, an associate professor in the…

Sep. 23, 2025

Katherine Fapp Joins Honors College Faculty

Story and photo by Logan Jackson During her time as a departmental lecturer in the University of Oxford’s Rothermere American Institute (RAI), Katherine Fapp interacted with a variety of students – even some from the University of Missouri. RAI and the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy have collaborated in a variety of ways over the years, and Fapp – who lectured on U.S. History – had the opportunity to meet with several Mizzou students while at Oxford. This fall, Fapp began teaching Tigers full time. Fapp joined Mizzou as an assistant teaching professor, with appointments in…

Sep. 17, 2025

A Supportive Environment

The Honors College Communication Internship team plays an important role in telling the Honors story. They showcase their storytelling skills in a variety of ways and through numerous communication channels. The team includes five students. Meet one of the new faces on the team, Riley Palshaw! Palshaw is a junior journalism major, with an emphasis in strategic communication. How did you find your way to the University of Missouri? I like to say I grew up in a newsroom, quite literally. My dad was the advisor for my high school newspaper, so I spent a lot of time as a…

Sep. 16, 2025

A Transformative Experience

The Honors College Communication Internship team plays an important role in telling the Honors story. They showcase their storytelling skills in a variety of ways and through numerous communication channels. The team includes five students. Meet one of the new faces on the team, Tanner O’Neal Riley! Riley is a junior journalism major. How did you find your way to the University of Missouri? Believe it or not, potatoes. During my junior year of high school, my family and I took a trip to our hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, my city of birth, for my cousin’s baby shower. My…

Aug. 26, 2025

Cherng Summer Scholars Explore Their Academic Interests

The Cherng Summer Scholars shared more about their projects during the Summer Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievements Forum, hosted by the Mizzou Office of Undergraduate Research. Not pictured: Thao Nguyen. Story and photos by Logan Jackson More than 80 Mizzou students pursuing the Honors Certificate have participated in research or creative scholarship projects through the Cherng Summer Scholars program since its creation in 2018. This year’s cohort was the largest in the program’s history. Ava Fleury’s research this summer focused on exploring the connection between atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea.  Fifteen Honors College students pursued their academic interests through the…

Aug. 26, 2025

Mizzou Welcomes 2025 Cohort of Stamps Scholars

Story and photo by Logan Jackson The University of Missouri is one of just 36 universities across the United States and into the United Kingdom that partners with the Stamps Scholars Program on a premier scholarship. Mizzou has collaborated with the program since 2017, offering Tigers a full four-year scholarship, covering up to the total estimated cost of attendance (including housing), plus an additional $16,000 enrichment fund for students to use throughout their time at Mizzou. Mizzou has welcomed more than 50 Scholars since the partnership began – and will bring in another stellar cohort this fall. Seven students will…

Aug. 25, 2025

Honors College to Welcome Celebrated Translator Emily Wilson

Story by Logan Jackson The Mizzou Honors College will welcome celebrated translator and author Emily Wilson to campus for a public lecture on Friday, Sept. 19. Her lecture will begin at 4 p.m. in Bush Auditorium (Cornell Hall). Emily Wilson “We are thrilled to welcome Emily Wilson back to the Mizzou campus,” said Honors College Dean Catherine Rymph. “She has done incredible work through her translations and is a dynamic speaker. We are very fortunate to have her share more about her work and interact with our students.” Wilson visited the Mizzou campus in 2019 to…

Aug. 21, 2025

‘Excited to be a Tiger’

Incoming Stamps Scholar Casper Safranski plans to pursue a biochemistry degree at Mizzou. Story and photo by Logan Jackson A personal tragedy set Casper Safranski on a mission to advocate for others. As a middle schooler, Safranski lost his best friend to Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a very aggressive brain cancer that primarily affects children and is, unfortunately, incurable. After his friend passed, Safranski began looking for ways to raise awareness for DIPG, as well as other pediatric cancers. He found a partner in the Super Sam Foundation, which supports families fighting pediatric cancer. Safranski also met with Missouri…