New faculty share why they chose Mizzou

Aug. 20, 2024
Contact: Deidra Ashley, [email protected]

At the University of Missouri, our past success, present growth and vision for the future make us a go-to for high-achieving students, faculty and staff who want to accomplish their greatest aspirations. This week, Mizzou welcomed nearly 6,000 freshmen to campus - and they're not the only ones starting their Mizzou journeys: this semester, the university is adding more than 330 new scholars to its list of world-renowned faculty. Read on to learn why they choose Mizzou.

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Emily Althoff

Assistant Extension Professor
College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

I came to Mizzou because of the excellent extension and community education programs that the university has. I'm doing a joint position with Mizzou and Lincoln University, and the opportunity to work for two different land-grant institutions was a big draw for me.

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John Robert Bautista

Assistant Professor
Sinclair School of Nursing

I came to do research on the intersection of nursing informatics through MizzouForward. This topic is especially important right now since artificial intelligence has a transformative role in how we work and play.

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Jennifer First

Assistant Professor
College of Health Sciences

I did my Ph.D. at Mizzou, so I'm Mizzou made. I've spent the past four years at the University of Tennessee and am excited to be a MizzouForward hire and get to collaborate with the amazing faculty here. MizzouForward is really innovative in terms of supporting faculty and their research trajectories and bringing in faculty who have an interest in working with large teams and getting the federal funding to do innovative research.

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Jason Franken

Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics and Management; MFA Chair
College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

I'm originally from Missouri and grew up about an hour away from Mizzou. It's nice to be able to come home and work in a familiar university for the state.

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Jay Johnson

Associate Professor of Animal Welfare and Stress Physiology
College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

I came to Mizzou partially for family (I'm from the Missouri area), but also because I wanted to be able to contribute to an organization that I really respect. I know that the research that's being conducted here is first-class, particularly in the division of animal sciences, and I am excited to be a part of that through MizzouForward.

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Anna Marrero-Rivera

Assistant Professor of Spanish
College of Arts and Science

What drew me to Mizzou was the forward-thinking vision of the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. I was particularly impressed by their commitment to acknowledging the importance of learning languages, especially Spanish, as a means of opening doors both internationally and domestically. It is crucial for me to be part of a department that truly values the languages and cultures of immigrants in the U.S., and Mizzou's dedication to this inclusive approach aligns perfectly with my own academic and personal values.

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Wenyi Shang

Assistant Professor, School of Information Science Learning Technologies
College of Education and Human Development

I teach in the digital humanities, which is the intersection between humanities and technology, and I came to Mizzou because the position was a perfect fit for me. While interviewing for this role, I found my colleagues to be a very supportive and welcoming group. I also liked how Columbia is a true college town. I'm looking forward to finding my community here … and Mizzou sports.

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Ryan Vacca

John D. Lawson Professor of Law
School of Law

There were three main aspects that drew me to Mizzou. First, having followed the success of the law school over the years, I was impressed by the fantastic group of scholars and teachers the school attracted and retained. The faculty's commitment to producing high-quality scholarship and its dedication to excellent teaching was readily apparent, and I'm excited to work with such a terrific group as a MizzouForward hire! Second, the opportunity to be close to family was a significant factor. My family and my wife's family are in Missouri, so having the opportunity to be close to them and to have our kids grow up with their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins was a significant draw. And third, I was highly impressed with the amazing students at Mizzou Law and all that they've been able to achieve over the past several years.

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Rowena Wood

Department of Biomedical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine

I graduated from Mizzou's College of Veterinary Medicine, and I also did my Ph.D. here. Mizzou gave me a lot of experience applying my knowledge - both clinically and also to research questions. I remember how daunting it could be, as a student, to apply all the knowledge that you get in either of those settings, and I was driven to go for a teaching professor position so I could use my background and experience to help students going through similar situations. I'm really passionate about helping students because I remember how tough it was at times.

Story written by Jade Elwess

MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources | MU College of Arts & Science | MU College of Education and Human Development | MU College of Health Sciences | MU Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business | MU School of Law | MU Sinclair School of Nursing

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