Feb. 27, 2025
Contact: Janese Heavin, heavinj@missouri.edu
The Mizzou Alumni Association and the Alumni Association Student Board recently named recipients of the 2025 Mizzou 18 and Mizzou ’39 awards, which recognize outstanding University of Missouri students. Read on to learn more about each award and see a list of this year’s honorees.
The Mizzou 18 Award
This award honors 18 graduate and professional students in the last year of their degree eligibility. Recipients are chosen for their world-class research, collaboration with faculty and staff, and their demonstrated leadership with undergraduate students.
2025 recipients:
- Umanda Abeysinghe; College of Engineering; Matale, Sri Lanka; Mentor: Noel Aloysius
- Martin Alcantar; College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources; Fort Valley, Georgia; Mentor: Scott Peck
- Apaala Basak; College of Engineering; Kolkata, India; Mentor: Teresa Lever
- Jessica Cayton; College of Veterinary Medicine; High Point, North Carolina; Mentor: Timothy Domeier
- Rebecka Ernst; School of Medicine; Savannah, Missouri; Mentor: Molly Greenwade
- Amanda Greenbacker-Mitchell; College of Arts and Science; Bristol, Connecticut; Mentor: Amy Knopps
- Trevontae' Haughton; College of Engineering; St. Louis, Missouri; Mentor: Prasad Calyam
- Adam Klumb; Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business; Moline, Illinois; Mentor: Shannon Breske
- Sophia Marcolla; School of Law; Quincy, Illinois; Mentor: Paul Litton
- Charles Moley; College of Veterinary Medicine; Kirkwood, Missouri; Mentor: Jerod Skyberg
- Damilola Oduolowu; Missouri School of Journalism; Lagos, Nigeria; Mentor: Cristina Mislán
- Gregory Pekurney; College of Arts and Science; North Richland Hills, Texas;
- Mentor: Robert Smale
- Kejsi Prifti; College of Health Sciences; Gjirokaster, Albania; Mentor: Mansoo Yu
- Meredith Schmitz; College of Education and Human Development; Burlingame, California; Mentor: Laura Page
- Madhushan Serasinghe; College of Arts and Science; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Mentor: Heather Hennkens
- Noah Simmons; College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources; Washington, Missouri; Mentor: Eric Aldrich
- Teja Teppala; College of Arts and Science; Visakhapatnam, India;
- Mentor: Yicheng Guo
- Dinah West; Missouri School of Journalism; St. Louis, Missouri; Mentor: Monique Luisi
The Mizzou ’39 Award
In the spirit of service that was the cornerstone of the 1839 founding of the University of Missouri, the Mizzou Alumni Association Student Board presents the Mizzou '39 Award to 39 outstanding seniors each year. Recipients are chosen for their academic achievement, leadership, and service to Mizzou and the community.
2025 recipients:
- Mohammed Abu-Salah; College of Arts and Science; Columbia, Missouri; Mentor: Ellen Moore
- Emily Brockmann; Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business; Lake St. Louis, Missouri; Mentor: Mary Beth Marrs
- Elizabeth Carlson; Missouri School of Journalism; Naperville, Illinois; Mentor: William Horner
- Natalie Conomos; College of Arts and Science; Scottsdale, Arizona; Mentor: Bret Ulery
- Julia Duffin; Missouri School of Journalism; Buffalo Grove, Illinois; Mentor: Aaron Harms
- Ella Earnest; College of Health Sciences; Orlando, Florida; Mentor: Greg Cox
- Ahmed Ebada; College of Arts and Science; Columbia, Missouri; Mentor: Ahmed Balboula
- Delaney Eischen; College of Health Sciences; Plainfield, Illinois; Mentor: Dale Fitch
- Megan Fox; Missouri School of Journalism; Springfield, Missouri; Mentor: Karsen Idelman
- Lily Franck; Missouri School of Journalism; St. Louis, Missouri; Mentor: Lynn Kim
- Sana Gaballah; College of Arts and Science; Columbia, Missouri; Mentor: Ellen Moore
- Awa-Bousso Gueye; College of Engineering; Kansas City, Missouri; Mentor: Vellore Gopalaratnam
- Siobhan Harms; Missouri School of Journalism; Los Angeles, California; Mentor: Kathryn Lucchesi
- Kathleen Harris; College of Arts and Science; O’Fallon, Missouri; Mentor: Andrea Simmons
- Rucha Kelkar; College of Arts and Science, College of Health Sciences; Santa Barbara, California; Mentor: Stephanie Knollhoff
- Ilay Kielmanowicz; College of Arts and Science; St. Louis, Missouri; Mentor: Seth Howes
- Kyle Klostermann; Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business; Wildwood, Missouri; Mentor: Lindsay Hing
- Cole Lemasters; Missouri School of Journalism; Kansas City, Missouri; Mentor: Ted Tarkow
- Rilee Malloy; Missouri School of Journalism; Mason, Ohio; Mentor: Robert Greene
- Johnathan Martinez; College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, College of Arts and Science; Raytown, Missouri; Mentor: Cody Sallee
- Emma McDougal; College of Engineering; Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Mentor: Bret Ulery
- Taylor McMahan; Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business; Sullivan, Missouri; Mentor: Kelly Mattas
- Elise Milburn, College of Arts and Science; Montgomery, Texas; Mentor: Thomas Kane
- Madelynn Murphy; College of Arts and Science; Saint Charles, Missouri; Mentor: Elise Buchert
- Raahim Naeem; College of Arts and Science; Chesterfield, Missouri; Mentor: Gavin Power
- Grant Norfleet; College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources; Mexico, Missouri; Mentor: Rebecca Mott
- Wyatt Nun; Missouri School of Journalism; Geneva, Nebraska; Mentor: Rachel Harper
- Sofia Ortiz; College of Health Sciences; St. Louis, Missouri; Mentor: Chiswili Chabu
- Olivia Prudhomme; Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business; Naperville, Illinois; Mentor: Leilani Tiefenthaler
- India Reed; Sinclair School of Nursing; St. Louis, Missouri; Mentor: Christyl Barnes
- Yasmeen Saadi; Missouri School of Journalism; Overland Park, Kansas; Mentor: Elizabeth Brixey
- Lima Sherzad; College of Arts and Science; Fulton, Missouri; Mentor: Nadia Irsheidat
- Victoria Shore; Missouri School of Journalism; Marion, Illinois; Mentor: Jon Stemmle
- Kobe Smith; College of Arts and Science; Bloomington, Illinois; Mentor: Velma Buckner
- Audrey Stowe; Missouri School of Journalism, Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business; Guthrie Center, Iowa; Mentor: Jamie Flink
- Chloe Velcheck; College of Arts and Science; O’Fallon, Missouri; Mentor: Mary Beth Miller
- Holly Williams; Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business; Edwardsville, Illinois; Mentor: Mary Beth Marrs
- Kailey Williams; College of Health Sciences; Chicago, Illinois; Mentor: Andrea Simmons
- Isaac Yontz; College of Arts and Science; Columbia, Missouri; Mentor: Rodolfo Hernandez
