March 6, 2025
Contact: Janese Heavin, heavinj@missouri.edu
Story by Abbie Lankitus
Photos by Abbie Lankitus, Gretta Cohoon, Andy Ramirez, Sophia Scheller and Sam Cox
February brought wide weather swings, crazy good Mizzou basketball, hands-on learning and research (always) and recognition of outstanding students. University of Missouri photographer Abbie Lankitus takes us through her favorite photos of February.
In a recent Show Me Mizzou story, we highlighted the world-class work of veterinary ophthalmologist Elizabeth Giuliano and board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist Kile Townsend that saved the eyesight of Eclipse – a horse trained in equine yoga.
While Eclipse resides in southeast Missouri, Mizzou’s College of Veterinary Medicine has horses on site for teaching purposes so we were able to capture this photo of Black Jack getting his eye examined.
This photo was so cool to me because you can quite literally see inside his eye where the light is shining. We also turned off the lights in the barn to highlight the light used to examine his eye and show what it usually looks like when Giuliano is examining his eye. Speaking of Giuliano, she’s only one of fewer than 700 veterinary ophthalmologists in the world.
Gretta Cohoon is the new Mizzou Student Affairs photographer. This month she attended National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) night at one of the men’s basketball games where NPHC members sang and danced in each of their respective groups.
I love the joy that’s on this student’s face as he performs with his fraternity. Fraternities and sororities are about connection, scholarship, philanthropy and family while at college and create lifelong bonds long after students have graduated.
To me, this photo represents those moments that can collectively make us feel like college is some of the best times of our lives. Performing with your “brothers” or “sisters” to a crowd of Mizzou faithful – unforgettable.
A lot of events happen in Stotler Lounge. Some small, some big. In February, former U.S. Ambassador to Malawi David Young visited Mizzou. I had met Young over the summer in D.C. when I covered a story for Mizzou Magazine on students with the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy interning in D.C. and taking classes in the evening.
Young visited for a week and conducted mock U.N. scenarios with the students. He definitely has a unique perspective on career work that students don’t often hear about . What does it mean to be a civil servant? What does it mean to be an ambassador for the U.S.? He answered these questions and more during this talk.
But what stuck out to me photographically was the afternoon light streaming into the room, casting these beautiful shadows of the Memorial Union window archways. The blinds were lowered soon after to help those in the crowd blinded by the light, but for a moment, the room really shone with the tradition of the building.
What a February for Mizzou men’s basketball. This particular night was special because the Tigers beat then No. 4 Alabama and never gave up the lead. Didn’t even let the score tie.
I think a big factor was the student section. I stood in front of it for most of the night. I had forgotten an adapter for my long lens, so I was stuck with two shorter ones.
I could’ve asked my husband to bring the long lens to me from home, but instead I thought, “Nah, let’s challenge ourselves!”
So glad I did that.
I got to be up close and personal with the student section all night, and man, they were rowdy. Every single point, Alabama turnover and foul against us was met with ear-bursting cheers. Speaking of which, I forgot my ear plugs and definitely felt the effects. But you know what? I wouldn’t trade it. The atmosphere was electric and what every photographer wants when shooting for the home team. Here's to an even more electric March!
Snow, snow and more snow! We’ve had quite the wet winter. What we’ve been missing though is sunny days with the snow. There were a couple of those this month, thankfully, and student photographer Sam got some moments from the day.
One of my favorite ways to capture the Columns is when the sun gets low, and the shadows stripe the ground like long fingers pulling you in to admire their grandness. Throw in a happy dog, and it doesn’t get much better.
Speaking of the shadows of the Columns, at noon they’re dead on to the sidewalk. Student photographer Sophia captured students passing the Columns on their way to and from class. It was a unique way to highlight this spot, showing an immediately recognizable location without actually photographing the Columns.
No matter if there’s snow on the ground or tall grass, the Columns’ shadows always bring ever- changing views to the Quad.
This is my third year photographing the Chancellor’s Arts Showcase and it’s one of my favorite events. Not only is it visually cool for a photographer, the quality of art and performances showcased is an incredible thing to witness.
There’s a full gallery on Show Me Mizzou photographed by student photographer Sam Cox and me, but these two were my favorite of the evening.
I’ll draw special attention to the vertical image. It’s my favorite for what I experienced while photographing it.
It’s of Luca Freccia. He introduced the Theatre and Performance Studies section, talking about the community he found at Mizzou. In this photo, however, he’s giving the final performance of this section by singing “Out There” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It was devastatingly, hauntingly beautiful.
It was really hard to focus on taking photos when all I wanted to do was sit in awe of this performance. It’s the kind of art that transcends the performance and instead speaks to something bigger and greater than the moment. Bravo Luca!
Each year the showcase brings exceptional work to the community of Columbia and each year I am thrilled at the quality. If you haven’t been before, put it on your calendar for next year! It’s a truly one-of-a-kind, can’t-miss event each year.
In late February we had a huge temperature swing, and it felt like spring was coming for a hot minute. If it weren’t for the bare trees, I could’ve sworn it was April or May already. But maybe that’s just my cold self ready to shake the snow from my shoes and put the winter coats away.
Something Sophia caught in this photo is one of my favorite things to photograph – students studying outside on our beautiful campus. The warm sun and cool breeze bring a sort of focus to my mind as I walk around finding these shots. I was thankful Sophia grabbed this one on her way back from another shoot.
There are so many unique locations across campus. Scenes that maybe only a few students get to see because they’re specific to a department and the rest of campus doesn’t even know they exist.
I think this is one of those spaces.
This day, the Textile and Apparel Management 3480 Technical Design class, where students collaborated with the popular clothing brand Champion to design a line of retro Mizzou apparel, found out whether their designs had been picked by Champion to be featured in the next fall release.
It’s a special class – one that we’ve covered the last few years. The story will come out later this month, so be on the lookout for the designs that will have an early release at The Mizzou Store and support your fashionably apt Tigers.
If you’re a student at Mizzou, you are well aware of the Missouri Method. It’s the practice of putting your education to work in a hands-on learning environment. You’re not just in a lecture, you’re taking what you’re taught and putting it into practice in the real world.
So is the case at PhysZou in the College of Health Sciences.
I just think this photo that Andy, one of the university’s video producers, captured is a perfect example of learning outside the classroom – showing that Katelyn is fully prepared to step through the Columns when she graduates into the career she chooses.
Also, seeing this from an inverse view of the foot is just a really cool photo. What can I say?
Chosen for their academic achievement, leadership and service to Mizzou and the community, the honorees of the Mizzou Alumni Association Mizzou 18 and Mizzou ’39 awards represent a variety of majors, activities and organizations from across campus. On this evening, they were recognized in front of friends and family as newly initiated members.
What student photographer Sam captured was, I think, the feeling of being a part of this exclusive distinction as a student. The lights illuminate the profiles of each student – each different and unique in their own way – and shows the story of their exceptionalism.
Students at Mizzou are different. They are prepared and talented. They are Tigers and True Sons and Daughters for life. I love capturing or seeing the moments that express those truths. Each day at this job is a treat to be able to tell the student experience and story.
