Show-Me State Times

The University of Missouri (Mizzou) has seen significant growth and achievements, as highlighted in the recent State of the University Address. The university's value and impact were underscored through various metrics and initiatives.

Mizzou's rank as Best Value among flagship universities improved from No. 7 to No. 4 in the U.S. News and World Report rankings, making it the top institution in this category among SEC, Big 10, Big 12, and PAC-12 schools. Additionally, Mizzou was named No. 10 on Time magazine’s Best Colleges for Future Leaders list.

This year saw a record number of more than 33,000 prospective students applying to Mizzou, with over 9,200 new students enrolled this semester. The university boasts a retention rate of nearly 93% and a graduation rate of 75%, which is above the national average. More than 95% of graduates are employed or furthering their education within six months of graduation.

The address also highlighted individual student achievements such as John Henry Williams, a medical student and Army veteran; Janet Musangali, an Honors College student researching lipoproteins; and Grant Norfleet, an agricultural education major serving as FFA national secretary.

Mizzou's influence extends statewide through its health care locations, research farms, and extension offices. The MizzouForward initiative is advancing faculty excellence, infrastructure growth, and student success ahead of schedule in its third year out of a planned ten-year $1.5 billion effort.

Significant investments include the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building and several other facilities that support both academic and athletic programs.

Faculty and staff play crucial roles in supporting students' academic careers through advising teams and career services professionals. The Freshman Interest Group initiative celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

In athletics, Mizzou continues to build a championship culture with investments in Memorial Stadium while maintaining traditions. Mizzou athletes have also competed on international stages like the Paralympics.

Research at Mizzou has seen continuous growth with expenditures reaching $485 million last year.

The university remains committed to leveraging its strengths for future progress through strategic investments in facilities that support research and education both locally and globally.

For more details on these developments, readers can visit President Mun Choi’s blog.