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��ҹӰԺ Board of Curators announces second class of student leaders selected for the 2024 Remington R. Williams Award

Vishvi Aurora

• Undergraduate student at MU College of Arts and Science pursuing a double major in biological sciences and physics and president of the Arts and Science Student Council.
• Student ambassador for the Office of Undergraduate Research, a student representative for the Chancellor’s Committee for Persons with Disabilities and an undergraduate representative for the Chancellor’s Committee for Libraries.
• “As a leader, Vishvi has seemingly endless stores of energy and an unwavering commitment to improve processes and recognition,” said Nicole Monnier, associate dean for undergraduate studies in the MU College of Arts and Science. “She also actively asks for critical feedback on how she is performing in her roles and how she can improve. And she wants this not for her own selfish ends, but to make the best and biggest impact she can for others and for campus writ large.”

Rithika Ginjupalli 

• Doctoral candidate at UMKC School of Medicine and executive director of the UMKC Community Health Fair.
• President of Medicine Lost in Translation and congressional lead for the American Cancer Society.
• “Rithika’s supervising attending physicians have all noted that she is eager to learn and detail-oriented,” said Trung Pham, an assistant professor of medicine at UMKC. “Rithika’s care for her patients is extremely evident as she is quickly able to build rapport and trust. She is also able to navigate difficult situations with poise and grace, maintaining and calm and composed demeanor.”

Ryan Highfill

• Undergraduate student in the Civil Engineering and Engineering Management programs at Missouri S&T and incoming executive director for the Associated Students of the ��ҹӰԺ.
• Former president of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity and representative at large for the Missouri S&T Student Council.
• “Ryan worked tirelessly to ensure efforts of offices and organizations coordinating supporting events for the Opening Week program were fruitful and had maximum impact on students,” said John Gallagher, interim assistant vice chancellor for student affairs at Missouri S&T. “He brought a collaborative spirit dedicated to ensuring the best experience possible for students to his role.”

Damilola Oduolowu 

• Doctoral candidate at the Missouri School of Journalism and Director of Public Relations & Communications for the Graduate Professional Council.
• President of the Mizzou chapter of Society of Professional Journalists.
• “Damilola took a class with me last semester, and I had the opportunity to observe firsthand his commitment to academic excellence, his ingenious approach and resourcefulness, and his strong sense of integrity,” said Yong Volz, an associate professor in the Missouri School of Journalism. “Beyond that, his service-oriented character, collaborative spirit and leadership quality shone through.”

Okunsogie Jessica Osaze 

• MU doctoral candidate in the School of Medicine and founder of Mizzou 2.
• Director of professional development for the Graduate Professional Council.
• “Jessica continues to advocate for the needs of international students and spouses at Mizzou,” said Aida Bilali Ka, a graduate student at Mizzou. “She is creative in her ideas and leadership skills. Jessica is energetic and has powerful collaborative and fundraising skills that help bring her ideas to reality.”

Teja Teppala 

• Graduate student at MU College of Arts and Science and Outreach Coordinator for the Physics and Astronomy Graduate Student Association.
• Co-lead for the Graduate Professional Council’s programming committee.
• “In the years that I have known Teja, he has repeatedly demonstrated his dedication to serving the community by participating in numerous outreach activities as well as providing great guidance and support to his fellow international students at the ��ҹӰԺ,” said Dallar Babaian, president of Mizzou’s Physics and Astronomy Graduate Student Association. “He has worked closely with department faculty, as well as various leaders in the community in organizing and leading science outreach events to make science education more accessible to those who otherwise would not have access to it.”

Angela Truesdale

• Master's student at UMSL College of Business Administration and Head Supplemental Instructor
• President of UMSL Accounting Club
• “Angela is an outstanding academic student at the top of her class and has fantastic interpersonal communication skills with students and faculty,” said Marcia Countryman, an associate teaching professor at UMSL. “She has made a positive impact on the university, inspired growth and development of her peers, advocated for the college experience and always exhibited outstanding character and collaborative spirit.”

��ҹӰԺ Board of Curators announce inaugural class of student leaders selected for the 2023 Remington R. Williams Award

Gabriella Balaa

• Second-year student at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine.
• President of the MU College of Veterinary Medicine’s Class of 2025, president of the student chapter of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and member of the student chapter of theAmerican Association of Equine Practitioners.

“She embodies the essence of kindness, intelligence, professionalism, leadership and diplomacy,”said Lynn M. Martin, assistant teaching professor of equine internal medicine. “I do not believe I will ever meet another student who demonstrates the same hunger for learning, professional potential and employment of candid servant leadership.”

Martin De La Hunt

• Senior majoring in computer engineering at Missouri S&T.
• Drum major for the Miner marching band and vice president of operations for student council.

“I truly admire Martin for his dedication and perseverance,” said Wulfe Retzlaff, president of MissouriS&T Student Council. “He is consistently questioning to gain understanding, and he strategizes thecompletion of a workload that appears insurmountable.”

Alexander Entwistle

• Junior majoring in biology at UMSL
• President of the Pierre Laclede Honors College Student Association, member of UMSL’s pre-medical society, member of Alpha Lambda Delta and an honors peer mentor.

“His intellectual vigor, willingness to engage in the community, humor, irreverence and energy serve to energize the college as a whole,” said Edward Munn Sanchez, dean of UMSL’s Pierre Laclede Honors College. “Alex is deeply committed to this academic community, and it is infectious. He passes this on to his fellow students through his presence and the many ways that he is visible in the college.”

Jonathan Jain

• A senior at the MU School of Journalism.
• Tri-Director of Mizzou Homecoming Steering Committee and a member of Rockin’ Against MultipleSclerosis (RAMS).

“Jonathan both leads by example and takes on leadership roles,” said Mark Horvit, faculty chair of journalism professions at MU. “He is easy to work with and collaborative by nature and has a great attitude that helps others believe that projects can be successfully completed.”

Ethan Joly

• A senior at MU’s Trulaske College of Business.
• Director for RAMS, president of MU’s club soccer team and campus involvement chair for the DeltaTau Delta fraternity.

“He has compassion and the adaptability to make things better for everyone around him,” said Jamie McDonald, advisor for RAMS. “He goes out of his way every time I see him to make sure that not just inclusion happens, but friendship does.”

Rishabh Mahendra

• A graduate student at MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.
• First president for Universities Fighting World Hunger-Mizzou, president of Division of Applied Social Sciences Graduate Student Association and director of the Deaton Scholars Program.

“He has inspired growth and development of a new generation of fellow students in both academic applications and extramural academic activities,” said Brady Deaton, chancellor emeritus and executive director of the Deaton Institute for University Leadership in International Development. “His leadership style and collaborative spirit set the tone for his colleagues to reach new levels of accomplishments.”

Shonte Reed

• Fourth-year student at UMKC School of Dentistry.
• President of UMKC’s Student National Dental Association, treasurer of UMKC’s Dental Anesthesiology Club and a representative on the School of Dentistry’s (SOD) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.

“In my 20-plus years of working in higher education, she is the most exceptional student I have ever supported and has become a transformational leader for our community,” said Richard Bigham, assistant dean for student programs at UMKC School of Dentistry.