Alumni Association announces 2007 class of Mizzou ’39
Allison Clarke, posted Feb. 7, 2007
Three CAFNR seniors are among this year’s recipients of the Mizzou ’39 award. Each year, the Mizzou Alumni Association Student Board selects 39 of MU’s top seniors based on their achievements and dedication to the University.
“Our mission is to promote the spirit and tradition among Mizzou students,” said Jayson Meyer, assistant director of Alumni Relations. “It’s an award program that we have modeled after the same spirit and service that was demonstrated by the University’s founders.”
Mizzou ‘39 is different from other honorary programs in that its application process gives candidates the opportunity to select one faculty or staff member who has influenced them in a positive way during their time at MU.
“One of the [application] questions asks them to speak to their Mizzou experience and, in particular, a faculty or staff member who has been important to them as part of their Mizzou experience,” Meyer said. “It's tough, but we’re specific about choosing that one person. We’re blessed with lots of faculty and staff members who frequently don’t get the recognition for their impact, time and service they provide to MU students.”
Named after the founding year of the University of Missouri, 1839, the award program is in its third year and seeks to recognize those students who reflect the ideals of those founders. Because the awards program is based on the founding principles of the University, the recipients are honored during Founders’ Week in February.
“We try to make it a special process,” Meyer said. “It’s a senior honorary, so we have special ceremonies for them throughout Founders’ Week.”
The first of a series of recognitions and ceremonies was the induction Feb. 5 on the Francis Quadrangle. This was the first time the recipients met each other. On Feb. 8, the campus community will recognize the honoraries during the Founders’ Celebration at the Reynolds Alumni Center. Then, on Feb. 10, the students’ families will join in the celebration as recipients and faculty or staff members will be honored at the Mizzou ’39 Banquet. Finally, the 39 will be recognized during halftime of the MU men’s basketball game against Baylor University.
“It’s really awesome to be a part of. [At the induction], I was really proud of what I had done and what the recognition is really all about,” said Christina Crowe, atmospheric science major and award recipient. “It’s great to celebrate what we’ve done for the University. I am excited about all the activities; I think it’s great that I get to recognize one of my professors at the banquet on Saturday.”
Crowe selected Patrick Market, associate professor of atmospheric science, as the person who inspired her during her time at Mizzou.
The other CAFNR students who received the award are Nichole Busdieker, an agricultural journalism and agricultural economics major; and Megan Fox, an agribusiness management major. Busdieker and Fox’s honorees were agricultural journalism instructor Jason Jenkins and animal science professor Jim Spain, respectively.
“I just wanted to represent my department on campus and show that atmospheric science is also doing great things,” Crowe said. “I’ve tried applying for things before and haven’t gotten them. I figured it’s worth a shot; and it would be really cool if I got it; and I did. I’m just really proud.”
