April 25, 2025
Bringing History to Life
Andrew Fialka, who is currently an associate professor of history at Middle Tennessee State University, just published a graphic history: “Hope to Never See It: A Graphic History of Guerrilla Violence during the American Civil War.” Story and photos by Logan Jackson As Andrew Fialka’s junior year at Mizzou was coming to a close, he was struggling to come up with an engaging honors thesis idea to finish out his history degree. A chance encounter after the Mizzou men’s basketball captured the Big 12 tournament title sparked not only a thesis idea, but a decade-long passion. “I was out celebrating…
April 7, 2025
Mizzou Undergraduate, Alum Awarded Critical Language Scholarship
Each year, the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) – which is granted by the U.S. Department of the State – allows students from across the country to spend up to 10 weeks abroad, where they study one of 12 critical languages. This year, two of those students will be University of Missouri Tigers. Junior Rachel Mueller and alum Colton Sharp were selected for the award and both will study Korean. Mizzou also had six alternates, including an alternate for the CLS Spark.
March 30, 2025
Marc Canellas has Built a Career Advocating for Others
Marc Canellas (pictured second from the right) was part of a family of Tigers. His older brother and twin sister also attended Mizzou. The siblings are pictured here during their time as undergraduates (around 2008) with their parents. Photo courtesy of Marc Canellas. Story by Logan Jackson Like his peers, Marc Canellas spent his final year at the University of Missouri balancing academics, applications and social activities, as well as preparing for the next phase of his personal journey. He somehow also found the time to co-create an entire professional conference centered on politics and science. Canellas spent the summer…
Dec. 17, 2024
Making an Impact Through Giving
Susan Duncan recently met with the three Tarkow Teaching Fellows, who are named in honor of Ted and Marjorie Tarkow. The program is funded, in part, through an endowed gift given by Duncan. They were joined by Honors College Dean Catherine Rymph and Tarkow. Story and photography by Logan Jackson Susan Duncan couldn’t help but smile as she listened to Chris Josey praise one of the students in his Extended One Read course. Josey, an associate teaching professor of communication, is one of three Tarkow Teaching Fellows in the University of Missouri Honors College, a program funded, in part, through…
Dec. 17, 2024
Seventy Years of Joy
For 70 years, the Humanities Sequence has used discussions on literature, philosophy, art, history, religion and music to introduce Honors College students to the big ideas, questions and debates of the Western tradition. Story and photography by Logan Jackson “Find the fun without sacrificing complexity.” Throughout her nearly 30 years as a professor in the Humanities Sequence, Rachel Harper has made it a priority to create a learning environment that allows students to gain a deeper appreciation for the world around them. Through discussions on literature, philosophy, art, history, religion and music, students are introduced to the big ideas, questions…
March 12, 2024
Honors College Welcomes Andrew Leland as Cherng Distinguished Scholar
Since high school, Andrew Leland has had to grapple with his worsening vision due to retinitis pigmentosa, a rare and progressive eye disease that leads to the deterioration of the retinas. Nearly a decade ago, Leland began using a cane full-time – a decision that brought frustrations but also a desire to explore new questions and experiences. Leland’s journey eventually became a memoir, The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight, which was published last year. Since high school, Andrew Leland has had to grapple with his worsening vision due to…
March 6, 2024
Uplifting and Supporting Others
Kanwal Haq said her time at Mizzou was highlighted by outstanding mentors and supportive faculty. She especially enjoyed her time in the Honors College, where her “Readings in Biological Science” course changed the trajectory of her life. Photo courtesy of Kanwal Haq. “… the idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that’s wrong with the world.” Those words appear in Tracy Kidder’s book, Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World. A medical anthropologist and physician, Farmer was a professor at Harvard University and served…
Sep. 25, 2023
Prepared for the Future
After graduating with three degrees from Mizzou – constitutional democracy, economics and political science – Luke Pittman is now studying at Harvard Law School. Photo courtesy of Luke Pittman. Of all the skills Luke Pittman gained during his four years at the University of Missouri, time management proved to be one the most vital. When Pittman graduated in May, he did so with three degrees – constitutional democracy, economics and political science. Balancing that workload was key as Pittman pursued his interests in politics and policy. “I did come to Mizzou with…