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Dear university community,

The end of the semester is quickly approaching and we are already busy with our plans to return to normal operations in the fall. We’re in a new phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, but our university leaders remain committed to sustaining a safe community and following public health guidance. Thank you to everyone for your tenacity and efforts in this extraordinary time.

I’m extremely proud of the creative ways that we’ve carried on our missions of education, research and engagement over the past year. This year’s took the form of a two-week virtual event, which included projects from talented students at , , and . MU found creative ways to hold the Chancellor’s Art Showcase, a recording of which can be watched . Throughout the pandemic, we’ve worked to provide students with a high-quality education and a meaningful experience. Those efforts are showing results. Over the past year, several graduate education programs have risen in national rankings. The for family medicine, and Missouri S&T and programs jumped in the rankings.

"MU found creative ways to hold the Chancellor’s Art Showcase, a recording of which can be watched on our YouTube channel."

Our community continues to achieve the incredible in many respects. MU junior , one of 62 recipients of the nationwide. UMKC sophomore and was congratulated by Vice President Kamala Harris and Nettie Washington Douglass, who is the great-great-granddaughter of Frederick Douglass and the great-granddaughter of Booker T. Washington. with Opportunity Scholarships, which are designated for first-generation college students and/or students who are underrepresented in the workforce. We also honor faculty this month, especially the 17 recipients of the UM System President’s Awards, who are recognized for their exceptional contributions to their universities and fields of study.

"UMSL awarded talented St. Louis-area high school graduates with Opportunity Scholarships."

We’re still working to improve lives across the state and nation, too. for their work in partnership with , starting with northwestern Missouri as a test site. UMSL is partnering with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks’ Department of Social Work, using a grant from the Department of Justice to develop .

, our highest-priority initiative to chart new territory on the path to better health for Missouri and beyond, also continues. Be sure to register for Dr. Fungai Chanetsa’s talk on May 4 to hear about how many disciplines have the opportunity to get involved with precision health research. If you missed any of the previous lectures in the , you can . And most importantly, don’t forget to save the date for the grand opening of the NextGen Precision Health building on Oct. 19!

To close, please join me in congratulating Dr. Kristin Sobolik on her . During her tenure, she has already elevated the stature of UMSL and I look forward to her continued outstanding leadership of eastern Missouri’s premier public research university.

Thank you to our entire community for all that you do to advance our missions of education, research and engagement. If you have an inspiring story about our university community, please send it to president@umsystem.edu.To close, please join me in congratulating Dr. Kristin Sobolik on her . During her tenure, she has already elevated the stature of UMSL and I look forward to her continued outstanding leadership of eastern Missouri’s premier public research university.