Introducing Yeilim Cheong, Expert in Korean Politics and Democratic Transitions

For anyone considering studying abroad, the experience is often accompanied by a mix of excitement and apprehension. As someone traveling outside my home country of Mauritania for the first time, I shared this sentiment. However, my concerns quickly dissipated upon arriving in Columbia, where I found a welcoming and supportive environment at the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs. From the outset, the community of staff and students made me feel at home, offering assistance in settling down and guiding me to the numerous campus resources available.

The Truman School offered a new course this semester as part of a broader initiative to foster constructive dialogue among students with different political views. The course, Democracy, Pluralism, and Civil Discourse, focuses on the foundations of pluralism in the United States’ political system and provides students with a structured environment to practice civil discourse with their peers. In addition to offering foundational perspectives for the value of open dialogue and viewpoint diversity, students tackle some of the most controversial issues in U.S.

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Rebecca Fallon, an academic advisor at the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs, has received the University of Missouri’s inaugural First-Generation Faculty/Staff Champion Award, presented by the First-Generation Student Success Standing Advisory Board. This award celebrates faculty and staff who demonstrate a commitment to first-generation student success through mentorship, advocacy, and leadership in first-generation initiatives on campus.

Columbia, MO – The Volcker Alliance launched the Service to Service initiative, a partnership with We the Veterans to help schools of public service connect veterans and military families with public service education pathways and propel them into stable and impactful careers in public leadership.

As a Fulbright student researcher, Aryanna Hyde, PhD candidate in Political Science in the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs, is currently in Irbid, Jordan, working on fieldwork for her dissertation project, titled "Migrant Integration and Vitamin Wow: Wasta and the Migrant Experience in Jordan." Aryanna’s research focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by migrants in Jordan, particularly within the context of "wasta"—a cultural concept of networking and social capital that can be vital for navigating everyday life and accessing resources.

After a career of over 20 years with MU, Wayne Mayfield, PhD, Associate Director of Research at the Institute of Public Policy (IPP), Harry S Truman School of Government and Public Affairs, will be retiring January 1, 2025. After graduating from Grinnell College with a BA in Spanish, he started with MU at the Missouri Testing and Evaluation Services where he worked on the Missouri Mastery and Achievement Tests, the first state-developed school assessments in Missouri.

Dr. Rudy Hernandez awarded 2024 Jack Miller Teaching Excellence Award in Higher Education (Junior Scholar). 

The Jack Miller Teaching Excellence Award recognizes exceptional teaching in civic education at both the college and K-12 levels. The award is given annually by the Jack Miller Center to honor educators who excel in engaging students with America’s founding principles and history.

Long known for an underdeveloped public transit system, Michael Gawlick is among the Kansas City leaders trying to reverse that narrative.