Nov. 5, 2025

Josh Donaldson Named Finalist for Rhodes, Marshall Scholarships

Story and photo by Logan Jackson Less than a year after receiving the prestigious Truman Scholarship, Josh Donaldson is gearing up for another distinguished scholarship interview. Donaldson was recently chosen as a Rhodes Scholarship finalist. “I am honored to be a Rhodes finalist and incredibly excited to meet the other finalists in November,” Donaldson said. “I am grateful for the Office of Global and National Fellowships, my mentors on campus and my family back home for helping me get to this point. This application process challenged me more than any other. Through intense introspection and reflection on…

Nov. 3, 2025

Finding Her Voice: How the Honors College Helped Charlotte Cicero Lead, Learn and Look Ahead

Story by Riley Palshaw On the night of Oct. 4, Charlotte Cicero walked through downtown Columbia with a camera in hand, keeping pace with University of Missouri President Mun Choi and local leaders as they toured the area to discuss community safety. It wasn’t a typical KOMU assignment, or Saturday night for that matter, but for Cicero, a senior broadcast journalism student and KOMU 8 reporter, it was a reminder of why she fell in love with the profession: to inform, to connect and to give others a voice.  That same sense of purpose has guided every…

Oct. 16, 2025

Redefining the Pursuit of Happiness

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 he encountered The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. The book’s insights laid the foundation for his class, and after arriving at Mizzou in…

Oct. 12, 2025

The Force, Football and Fandoms: Honors College Takes on 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 on fandom, offered through the Mizzou Honors College, seeks to explore. In his course, Fandoms: Gamers, Football, and K-Pop, Oh My!, he invites students…

Oct. 6, 2025

Discovery Fellows Program Connects Students with Research Opportunities

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 Department of Chemistry and the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR). Just two years later, Pryor found her name – along with other collaborators – on a published research article. “One of the first assignments Dr. Hennkens gave me was to read a ton of papers, and…

Sep. 16, 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…

Sep. 15, 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…

Aug. 25, 2025

Cherng Summer Scholars Explore Their Academic Interests

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. Fifteen Honors College students pursued their academic interests through the nine-week program this summer. The projects are individually designed by the students, with the support and mentorship of a Mizzou faculty mentor. “I was beyond thankful for this opportunity,” said Graham George, a sophomore German and international studies (peace studies) double…

Aug. 25, 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.

Aug. 20, 2025

‘Excited to be a Tiger’

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 legislators to discuss funding opportunities for cancer research. “Neil…