Mizzou Graduate School

Class of 2026 Spotlight 🎓 Jessica Marmolejos, PhD, Human Development & Family Science

"While at Mizzou, I have received amazing opportunities, such as being awarded the John D. Bies International Discovery Fellowship to collect research about identity and race in Colombia. I am grateful for my advisor and the HDFS doctoral program for providing the tools needed to thrive in this unique opportunity."

Announcing our Spring 2026 MU Graduate School Commencement Marshals.

Please join us in congratulating Ashwin Dhakal, PhD (Computer Science) and Thad Harman, MACC (Accountancy)!

Our 2026 faculty and staff award winners are outstanding examples of the commitment and dedication of Mizzou’s faculty and staff to the well-being and success of graduate students. Thank you for all that you do!

-Graduate Faculty Mentor Award: Chi-Ren Shyu
-Outstanding Director of Graduate Studies: Reginald E. Rogers, Jr.
-Outstanding Director of Graduate Studies: Erin Robinson
-Outstanding Departmental Graduate Contact: Amy Adam
-Outstanding Departmental Graduate Contact: Breanne Meyer
-Graduate Career Champion Award: Benjamin Warner

This year, the John D. Bies International Discovery Fellowship will support international doctoral research for two scholars. Join us in congratulating our 2026 winners:

Classics, Archaeology and Religion student Caitlyn Pallas will spend 12 months in Italy analyzing concrete samples at the University of Padua, and Biological Engineering student Krishieka Jegatheesan will spend four months in Ghana studying hydraulic monitoring of watershed response with the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana.

The Pillars of Discovery Summer Dissertation Writing Fellowship is a new Graduate School award which provides students with funding and writing support as they work on their dissertations during the summer.

Congratulations to the nine inaugural Pillars of Discovery Fellows: Angela Danso Gyane, Virginia Martinez, Tessi Muskrat, Darah Oxford, Kristi Ressel, Luis Rojas, Mary-Claire Sarafianos, Manobendro Sarker, and Elizabeth Taylor!

The 3-minute Thesis is an international research communication competition in which graduate students explain their research to a general audience in just three minutes with a single slide. This year, we would like to recognize the students who placed at the Mizzou 3MT competition in November:

First Place: Leah Gastonguay

Second Place (tie): Soraya Nekouian and Frida Qi Humphreville

Congratulations!

Alexander Insley is the winner of the 2026 Robert N. Epsten Scholarship in International Studies from the Harry S. Truman Good Neighbor Foundation. The Epsten Scholarship honors an exceptional graduate student majoring in international relations, public service, political science, diplomacy, history or the humanities, and whose scholarly work reflects President Truman’s interest and involvement in these areas. Congratulations, Alexander!

Each year, the Graduate School sponsors graduate students to attend the AAAS CASE Workshop in Washington, DC. Participants meet with science policy and advocacy experts to learn about the role of science in policymaking. This year, we were honored to sponsor four students: Laurie Agosto, Luke Bowles, Lillian Caldwell, and Kristyn Conrad. Congratulations, and thank you for representing Mizzou in DC!

Congratulations to Malika Sharma, the 2026 Sandra K. Abell Science Education Award winner! This honor celebrates the outstanding achievements of a graduate student pursuing a PhD in life or physical sciences who has demonstrated a passion for teaching and research.

The Mary Elizabeth Gutermuth Award for Community Engagement recognizes students who demonstrate a commitment to community service through their scholarship or creative works. Congratulations to our 2026 honorees: Kymbriona Taylor, Rylee Park, Michael Limmer, and Indiana Lucila Garcia Torres!