Dec. 17, 2025
Contact: Cary Littlejohn, carylittlejohn@missouri.edu
Photos by Abbie Lankitus, Nic Benner and Reagan Mannis
Tigers of every stripe — students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends — joined forces to make this year one of the most unforgettable chapters in University of Missouri history.
Mizzou commanded the spotlight in the Southeastern Conference and beyond, as we prepared career-ready graduates, made world-changing discoveries and expanded our impact on Columbia, the state of Missouri and the nation.
Behind the achievements lies the heart of Mizzou, where students build friendships that feel like family, chase their curiosity and embrace the unexpected to rise to the challenge.
Leadership here isn't just taught; it's lived. That's why the University of Missouri Board of Curators reaffirmed our vision by extending President Mun Choi's contract and electing board chair Todd Graves to a second term.
To harness that momentum and propel Mizzou into 2026 and beyond, we launched Power the Roar — a bold, $2 billion campaign that stands among the largest fundraising campaigns in the history of U.S. public universities.
Read on to see the many ways we showcased our black and gold spirit this year.
We educated future leaders
At Mizzou, students build skills from day one. Anchored by the renowned Missouri Method, our campus-wide commitment to “learning by doing,” Tigers gain real-world, hands-on experience that fuels confidence, sharpens skills and accelerates achievement.
And the proof is undeniable. This year, recent alumnae appeared on Shark Tank — not once, but twice — showcasing the bold innovation and entrepreneurial spirit that defines a Mizzou education.
Our graduates are turning classroom ideas into industry-shaping ventures. Trent Esser, BSBA ’20, and Hayden Seidel, BS CiE ’20, have grown their student startup into a multimillion-dollar enterprise projected to surpass $10 million in revenue next year.
Mizzou students are also distinguishing themselves on the national stage. Senior Josh Donaldson was awarded a Marshall Scholarship and a Truman Scholarship. Engineering students teamed up with Marching Mizzou to program the first-ever robot to conduct a halftime performance. And senior Carissa Bersche took a top award for research presented at a prestigious conference for Goldwater scholars.
These achievements underscore why students choose Mizzou — because of its return on investment. The university is ranked No. 4 best value flagship university and in the top 15 best colleges for preparing leaders, according to the latest data from U.S. News and World Report and Time magazine, respectively.
And enrollment rose as the next generation of Tigers recognized the potential of a Mizzou education.
We transformed lives
Mizzou’s world-class researchers push the boundaries of science and medicine, delivering life-changing breakthroughs that change lives.
This past year, we empowered older adults through the Stay Strong, Stay Healthy program, designed to boost strength, flexibility and balance; uncovered how diets such as keto influence brain health; and illuminated the power of hope and its role in giving our lives meaning.
Few stories embodied hope more poignantly than that of Dylann Henley, a student who was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia the day after applying to the Sinclair School of Nursing. She received treatment on the pediatric oncology floor at Children’s Hospital, and after graduating this month, she’ll return to that same floor as a full-time nurse committed to caring for others.
Mizzou also reinforced its position as a national leader in nuclear science and medicine. Already home to the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) — the nation’s sole source of four critical medical radioisotopes used to treat more than a dozen cancers — the university announced a bold, transformative initiative to build a state-of-the-art research reactor, marking the largest capital investment in Mizzou’s history. NextGen MURR will expand production and secure a vital domestic supply of critical medical isotopes.
And progress is already underway. University leaders broke ground on two major facility expansions totaling more than 29,000 square feet. These additions will house three production lines dedicated to manufacturing FDA-approved lutetium-177 — a powerful active pharmaceutical ingredient used in cutting-edge cancer therapies.
We’re building a sustainable world
Since becoming the first public university west of the Mississippi River, Mizzou has shaped the future. In 2025, we accelerated that legacy with breakthrough innovations that stand to redefine industries and improve lives.
Mizzou researchers deployed advanced drone systems that monitor crop health with unprecedented precision. They also identified microplastics in polymer-coated, controlled-release fertilizers, challenging assumptions about “high-tech” soil enhancers. The Mizzou Quantum Innovation Center advanced research into quantum computing, harnessing the laws of quantum physics in an effort to redefine computing.
And to fuel the rise of quantum computing, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, Mizzou unveiled plans for the Energy Innovation Center — a 116,000-square-foot facility in which world-class researchers will design next-generation energy systems.
We strengthened communities
As Missouri’s land-grant institution, Mizzou’s mission is bold: to transform lives in every county and every community across the state.
Our students are stepping up to meet Missouri’s growing need for physicians in rural areas, while MU Extension supported all 114 counties and St. Louis, helping farmers, families and local leaders navigate challenges, maximize opportunities and drive progress.
This year also marked a major investment in the future of Missouri agriculture with the groundbreaking of The Michael L. Parson Meat Science Education and Training Laboratory, advancing food innovation, workforce development and community education.
Mizzou launched RISE-MO — Recruit, Inspire, Support the Early Childhood Profession in Missouri — shaping smarter policies, more effective practices and brighter futures for children, families and educators across the state. Through the School of Law’s legal clinics, including the Child and Family Justice Clinic, Mizzou provided essential legal services to individuals who need assistance but cannot afford representation. And we broke ground on a new building — named for alumnus and former Missouri Senator Dr. Dan Brown — to upgrade and expand the Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab, one of only 35 Level 1 labs in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.
We developed champions
In the nation's fiercest athletic conference, Tigers competed and conquered.
Gymnast Helen Hu captured the national championship on the balance beam, leading Mizzou Gymnastics to a historic third-place finish in the NCAA Championship Final, the highest postseason achievement ever recorded by a women’s team at Mizzou. Track and field standouts Jonathan Seremes (triple jump) and Valentina Barrios (javelin) added to the momentum with national titles of their own, showcasing the extraordinary talent that defines Mizzou Athletics.
This year also brought a thrilling first: Mizzou hosted the 2025 NCAA Cross Country National Championship in Columbia, as runners from across the country descended on the world-class Gans Creek Cross Country Course. The national spotlight continued as SEC Nation made not one but two visits to Columbia, giving fans and the entire community the opportunity to shine on the conference’s biggest stage.
Kellie Harper took the helm as the new head coach of women’s basketball, ushering in an exciting new era. The men’s basketball team returned to the NCAA Tournament with a No. 6 seed. Mizzou Football opened the season 5–0, defeated longtime rival kU in their first matchup in more than a decade and earned a spot in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida.
Meanwhile, the future of Tiger game days is taking shape. Progress continued on the $250 million Memorial Stadium Centennial Project, with the renovated north concourse set to debut for the 2026 season — just in time to celebrate the stadium’s 100th anniversary.
At Mizzou, championships matter — but nothing matters more than preparing our student-athletes for success after college.
Continuing the momentum
It was a record-breaking, history-making, momentum-building year at Mizzou — and none of it would be possible without the incredible generosity of Tigers everywhere.
Gov. Mike Kehoe and state lawmakers granted the sixth consecutive annual increase in core funding, totaling $518 million for the UM System, as well as an additional $50 million for NextGen MURR.
Board of Curators member Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield made a transformative gift to the Mizzou New Music Initiative, empowering our faculty and students to redefine the sounds of tomorrow. Jonathan Murray, BJ ’77, invested in the next generation of nonfiction storytelling at the Missouri School of Journalism. And Cot Fox, BJ ’71, brought his lifetime giving to more than $10 million with a gift advancing translational oncology research at the College of Veterinary Medicine.
The impact was felt across campus. This was Mizzou’s highest fundraising year ever, with more than 28,000 donors from all 50 states and 16 countries contributing $269 million. It marks the third time in four years that Mizzou has set a new all-time fundraising record — a powerful testament to the passion and pride of the Tiger community.
2025 proved that Mizzou is unstoppable — and the roar is only getting louder.
