Martha Steffens was surprised with the announcement during class.
April 7, 2021
Contact: Sara Diedrich, 573-882-3243, DiedrichS@missouri.edu
Mun Choi, president of the University of Missouri, Latha Ramchand, MU provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, and Steve Sowers, president and CEO of the central region of Commerce Bank, today awarded a 2021 William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence to Martha Steffens, a professor and the Society of American Business Editors and Writers endowed chair at the Missouri School of Journalism.
Missouri School of Journalism Dean David Kurpius joined administrators surprising Steffens by honoring her with the fellowship, which includes a $15,000 check. Kemper Fellowships are awarded to five outstanding teachers at the University of Missouri each year.
The William T. Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence were established in 1991 with a $500,000 gift. Kemper, a 1926 MU graduate, was a well-known civic leader in Kansas City until his death in 1989. His 52-year career in banking included top positions at banks in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. Commerce Bank manages the trust fund.
