University of Missouri

Each year, five outstanding teachers at the University of Missouri are selected as recipients of the prestigious William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence. This peer-nominated award includes a $15,000 stipend. This week and next, university administrators and executives from Commerce Bank will surprise the honorees.

The William T. Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence were established in 1991 with a $500,000 gift. Kemper, a 1926 Mizzou 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.

Amy Simons

Amy Simons is a professor in the Missouri School of Journalism. She came to Mizzou in 2010, determined to use her 15 years of newsroom experience to prepare the next generation of journalists and communicators.

And she’s done just that — fully embracing the Missouri Method, a hands-on learning style that ensure students experience journalism firsthand.

“In both theoretical and hands-on courses, my students regularly apply the concepts presented in lectures and discussion,” she wrote of her teaching philosophy. “I believe that as an educator, it is my responsibility to guide students through those experiences, transmitting information acquired during my decades in newsrooms and classrooms, to ask students to consider multiple perspectives and arrive at their own conclusions through critical thinking.”

And that approach has paid off as she’s helped nearly a generation of students prepare for successful careers.

“Every newsroom needs an Amy Simons.” alumnus Charles Minshew, now a data editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, wrote in a letter of support. “And in a sense, the University of Missouri is making it possible.”

Pamela Brown

Pamela Brown is an associate professor of biological sciences in the College of Arts and Science. Since joining Mizzou in 2013, she has been on a mission to help students see the real-world impact of science — no matter their career path.

She encourages students to find their own connections to biology, making coursework feel relevant and empowering.

“My goal is to help students realize that science courses can do so

much,” she wrote of her teaching philosophy. “Scientific literacy is more important than ever as students are challenged to make decisions in a world increasingly influenced by biotechnology.”

One student, in a letter supporting the nomination, wrote that Brown helped boost her confidence as a non-science major and encouraged her to explore new opportunities. Another, a graduate student, praised her for her unwavering support, deep expertise and exceptional mentorship.

Beyond the classroom, Brown has been a driving force for STEM education. As a Faculty Fellow for STEM in the Honors College, she piloted an innovative introduction to STEM research course designed to spark curiosity and prepare freshmen in the Honors College to pursue discovery. Brown also has appointments in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Medicine.