The College of Arts and Science gathered on March 4, 2026, to celebrate progress and achievement. The program highlighted the college's top awards for faculty, staff, and alumni.
This year's ceremony also introduced two new award categories: Career Development Advocate Award and the Dorina Kosztin Memorial Service Award.
Each year, faculty and staff are nominated for a series of service awards. Those selected are then surprised by the college's leadership team as they take on the role of Prize Patrol, attending classes and meetings to present the awards leading up to the event. Awardees were recognized at the event for their exceptional service to the university.
A&S Student Council also presented its Chalk Awards, which come from nominations by students, and are selected by students.
Alumni chosen for recognition returned to campus to visit classrooms, meet with students, and take tours. They each shared remarks about the impact of their time at Mizzou on their lives and careers.
Faculty Awards
Professor of the Year
Iskander Akhmadullin, School of Music
Kristin Schwain, School of Visual Studies
Associate Professor of the Year
Rebecca Meisenbach, Communication
Marcello Mogetta, Classics, Archaeology, and Religion
Assistant Professor of the Year
Alejandra Salinas Tolosa, School of Visual Studies
Cheyenne Staib, Textile and Apparel Management
Staff Awards
Advisors of the Year
Elise Buchert, Biological Sciences
Lauren Hynes, School of Music & Theatre and Performance Studies
Staff Members of the Year
Jacqueline Chenault, Psychological Sciences
Liz Ronecker, Events and Community Engagement
New A&S Awards
A&S Career Development Advocate Award
Kathryn Brueggemann, Communication
Christine VanPool, Anthropology
A&S Dorina Kosztin Memorial Service Award
Bethany Stone, Biological Sciences
Student Council Chalk Awards
Blue Chalk Advising Award
Betsy Miller, Psychological Sciences
Green Chalk Teaching Assistant Award
Paul Anderson, School of Music
Purple Chalk Teaching Award
Sarah Arriagada, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Red Chalk Research Faculty Mentor Award
Mary Jo Muratore, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
A&S Alumni Awards
Dean's Enduring Excellence
SallyAnn Salsano, BA in Communication '95
Founder, Executive Producer, and CEO of 495 Productions
Creator of the award-winning reality series "Jersey Shore"
Spirit of Philanthropy
Don Packwood, PhD in Physics '71
Retired, Hewlett-Packard
Distinguished Alumni
Laura Giokas, JD, BA in Political Science '00
Global General Counsel, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
Rebecca Kase, LCSW, BA in Psychological Sciences '03
CEO, Trauma Therapist Institute
Paul R. Robinson, PhD
BS in Chemistry '72; MA in Chemistry '73
Retired, Topsoe
Distinguished Recent Alumni
Oswald Huỳnh, MM in Composition '22
Composer
Distinguished Service
Museum Associates
Museum of Art and Archaeology
Honorary Alumni
Ann Mehr, PhD
M Ed in Elementary Education '81
PhD in Art Education '93
Retired, Columbia Public Schools
David Mehr, MD
Family Medicine Residency '79
Professor Emeritus of Family and Community Medicine
MU Health Care