UM System President Mun Choi announced the fellows at the Curators of the University of Missouri meeting June 20 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photos by August Jennewein)
The University of Missouri System unveiled the second class of Presidential Engagement Fellows who are beginning their term this month.
Jon McGinnis, professor and chair of philosophy; Rachel Winograd, associate research professor at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health; and Lara Zwarun, associate professor of communication and media, will represent the University of Missouri–St. Louis as ambassadors for the 2019-20 academic year.
UM System President Mun Choi announced the fellows at the Curators of the University of Missouri meeting June 20 in Columbia, Missouri.
“The University of Missouri System is home to outstanding faculty. Our Presidential Engagement Fellows are among our finest and most engaged scholars,” Choi said. “With expertise in education, community-based health and more, our 2019-2020 class will offer great value to our communities. I am eager to see them build on the efforts of our inaugural class and use their knowledge to help improve the lives of our citizens.”
The initiative, which he launched last year, is intended to fulfill the system’s land-grant mission by sharing the research of the university’s faculty with citizens throughout the state. Choi’s hope is to improve lives throughout Missouri with the dissemination of knowledge.
During their 12-month terms, the fellows will speak three to five times to audiences of the general public as well as elementary or high school students. In return, the system will grant the fellows a $1,000 stipend and reimburse travel expenses. Each fellow went through a training on how to effectively communicate their research and represent the university.
Members of the 2019-20 Presidential Engagement Fellows class are:
• Jannette Berkley-Patton, biomedical and health informatics, University of Missouri–Kansas City
• Andrew Clarke, food science, University of Missouri–Columbia
• Libby Cowgill, anthropology, University of Missouri–Columbia
• Ty-Ron Douglas, educational leadership and policy analysis, University of Missouri–Columbia
• Jerritt Frank, history, University of Missouri–Columbia
• Manuel Leal, biological sciences, University of Missouri–Columbia
• Jon McGinnis, classical and medieval philosophy, University of Missouri–St. Louis
• John McManus, history and political science, Missouri University of Science and Technology
• Audra Merfeld-Langston, arts, languages and philosophy, Missouri University of Science and Technology
• Leigh Neier, learning, teaching and curriculum, University of Missouri–Columbia
• Barbara Pahud, pediatrics, University of Missouri–Kansas City
• William Schonberg, civil, architectural and environmental engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology
• Rachel Winograd, Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri–St. Louis
• Gerald Wyckoff, biological sciences, University of Missouri–Kansas City
• Lara Zwarun, communication and media, University of Missouri–St. Louis
