Chancellor Kristin Sobolik delivers the 2025 State of the University Address from the stage at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center on Friday morning. Sustainability and innovation were central themes of the address as UMSL positions itself for the future. (Photo by Steve Walentik)

Chancellor Kristin Sobolik gathered with members of the University of Missouri–St. Louis community at the end of the first week of the new 2025-26 academic year for her annual State of the University Address.

She delivered the address amid a changing and uncertain time for higher education institutions across the country as they navigate demographic shifts, budgetary pressures and even questions about the value they are bringing to their communities.

Chancellor Kristin Sobolik looks out at the audience of faculty and staff members as she gives her annual State of the University Address. (Photo by Valerie Furlong)

“Here at UMSL, we are not standing still in the face of these challenges,” Sobolik said as she spoke from the stage in the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center. “Sustainability and innovation are guiding our ability to adapt and thrive. This morning, I will share how we are managing resources wisely, navigating the evolving landscape of higher education, and – above all – remaining steadfast in our commitment to deliver high-quality academic programs that transform lives.”

The most tangible way UMSL has focused on sustainability and innovation has been through the $110 Transform UMSL initiative, which is nearing the finish line as it heads into the 2026 calendar year. The initiative includes nine key projects – a combination of renovations, demolitions and building expansions – fueled by $80 million in capital funding from the state of Missouri through the American Rescue Plan Act along with university dollars and donor investments. It is helping create a more vibrant on-campus experience that can help attract future students while fostering collaboration, innovation and a greater sense of community.

Through the initiative, UMSL has already completed a build out of the second floor of the Patient Care Center, installed a new electrical grid on North Campus and watched the SSB Tower deconstructed on the Quad.

This fall, the university will open the doors to the new UMSL Innovation Center – which is  bringing together the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center and Supply Chain Analytics Center of Excellence as well as the Center for Excellence in Financial Counseling. UMSL  will also see the full reopening of the University Libraries, including new gallery space, an expanded computer lab and soon-to-come café. And it will open the remodeled Arts Administration Building with practice rooms, a media studio and a recital hall to inspire and showcase the creativity of music and arts students.

Progress is also continuing steadily on the new Richter Family Welcome and Alumni Center, as well as adjacent space in J.C. Penney North that will serve the College of Optometry.

With the SSB Tower removed, crews are now preparing its former footprint for an expansion of the Social Sciences and Business Building that will become the new home to the College of Education and Pierre Laclede Honors College among other programs.

Beyond the physical transformations, UMSL has also been intentional about aligning its academic programs with the workforce and industry needs of the St. Louis region.

“This connection between education and workforce is at the heart of our mission,” Sobolik said, “and it ensures that when our students graduate, they are ready to step into roles that matter.”

Chancellor Kristin Sobolik high-fives Louie the Triton after he makes a surprise appearance on stage during Friday’s State of the University Address. Louie appeared when he heard Sobolik discussing the new Louie logo, unveiled last February, which Sobolik described as “Fierce Louie.” (Photo by Valerie Furlong)

That is what drove the establishment of the new UMSL School of Engineering, which has welcomed its first cohort of more than 60 students studying civil, electrical or mechanical engineering this semester. UMSL has received support from state and local legislators, industry partners and private foundations and donors, including an initial $15 million investment from the state of Missouri and an $8 million grant from the James S. McDonnell Foundation.

The school will help address critical workforce needs for the St. Louis region and state.

The university has also been working to expand access to high-quality educational opportunities for working adults and other nontraditional students through its Advanced Workforce Center, which has been providing flexible pathways – including certificates and other credentials – that help students advance in their careers.

In the past year, the Advanced Workforce Center has announced agreements with World Wide Technology, Nidec Motor Corporation, Scale AI and the Edcor School Network that will help working adults boost career growth and enhance their long-term financial outcomes. It is also adding to UMSL’s enrollment with non-credit enrollment through the center increasing by about 30% in the past year.

The university has launched other innovative partnerships, including collaborating with the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Innovation Center to help reshore manufacturing of pharmaceuticals that are critical to the nation’s health security. With the help of federal and state funding, UMSL built out research and development labs for APIIC that opened in the Science Complex in February.

“In every decision we make, we are balancing financial stewardship with vision,” Sobolik said, “ensuring that UMSL is not only sustainable today but positioned to thrive for generations to come.”

Other highlights from the State of the University Address:

• UMSL has seen an increase of 4% in its 4- and 6-year graduation rates and celebrated more than 2,600 new graduates during the last academic year.
• The university saw its highest-ever level of private giving during the last fiscal year with more than $46 million in gifts and pledges. That represents 135% growth in philanthropic giving since FY20, and its endowment has increased by 52% to more than $131 million during the same period.
• Among the UMSL’s biggest supporters is two-time alum Ed G. Smith, the founder and CEO of American Direct Marketing Resources. On Wednesday, the university dedicated the Ed G. Smith College of Business – the first named college in UMSL’s history – in Smith’s honor.
• Driven by the efforts of faculty and staff members across the university, UMSL has also secured $88 million in research awards over the past year with $85 million in research expenditures. Awards for research and sponsored activity have grown by 344% since FY17 while expenditures have increased by 328% over the past eight years.
• Louie the Triton made a brief appearance on stage as Sobolik discussed the new athletic mascot logo unveiled last February.
• Sobolik closed her remarks by recognizing the people who drive UMSL forward, noting the university’s implementation of merit raises and the addition of 32 new faculty members since last year.