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Dear University Community,

This month has been full of reminders about the value of connection. A major example was the on the potential Missouri Hyperloop. At the media event marking the release, I joined state officials in speaking about how we will need to make a strong case for Missouri as the best place in the country for this project. The UM System is a major contributor to the state’s infrastructure through the work of its renowned researchers, such as , who oversees the Missouri Asphalt Pavement and Innovation Lab, or , who was recently by the Structural Health Monitoring Journal. Combining the world-class talent at our universities with the revolutionary Hyperloop could make Missouri a proving ground for the technologies of the future.

Using technology to build transformational connections is a primary goal of the UM System. One way we’re doing this is through the , our top priority that will transform health care by connecting and leveraging the strengths of our four universities. The initiative received a major gift this month when Jim Fitterling, an MU alumnus and CEO of Dow Chemical (a company with $86B in revenue in 2018), to the project. This is just one sign that we’re well on our way down the path of health care innovation. Another is MU Health’s recognition as for the 9th year in a row, representing its place in the top 2 percent of organizations improving patient care using advanced technology. We also see progress in how MU researcher Dr. Diana Gil Pagés was awarded a to work towards more effective immunotherapy for cancer patients as part of the NIH Cancer Moonshot initiative. Similarly, MU is using a through the new Midwest Biomedical Accelerator Consortium, which will . I’ll continue to provide regular updates on the NextGen Initiative in future Highlights newsletters.

"The [NextGen Precision Health Initiative] received a major gift this month when Jim Fitterling, an MU alumnus and CEO of Dow Chemical, donated $6 million to the project."

Our universities appreciate the value of connection. There were nearly 5,000 participants in this year’s inaugural , which featured discussions on connecting our communities by improving broadband access in Missouri, as well as . Additionally this month, MU strengthened connections with our community college partners by - just one of our . UMKC connected with our federal government by hosting and also by Alex Azar’s call to aid Venezuelan refugees. Missouri S&T continues to build connections with Missouri’s rural communities by expanding and . UMSL maintained invaluable connections with alumni by celebrating their accomplishments at its .

As a public institution of higher education, our most important work is connecting our students with successful futures. At the Missouri Chamber of Commerce , I about how universities must adapt in this age of disruptive technology and how we must collaborate with industry to plan for the future. At the UM System, we’re modernizing curriculum with events like the (learn about the competition !), new programs at the (read their ), a that recently attracted and so much more.

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Another part of modernizing means supporting non-traditional students, as we enter an era of life-long learning and upskilling. UMKC just received a to help working transfer students complete their degrees. Similarly, , a that helps students get back on track to graduation. We’re working to lower the barriers to degree completion across the system, especially when it comes to education costs. This fall, we showed our who have integrated Open Educational Resources into their courses making education more affordable for our students. There’s no better reward than seeing one of our students find success on their career journey, such as MU’s Corey Gilmore, who has launched, Collaborati, a fascinating leadership lifestyle podcast. Listen to a recent episode , featuring Missouri 100 leader, proud MU alumnus and CEO of Miller’s Professional Imagine/Mpix, Richard Miller.

I’m proud of the steps we’ve taken toward connecting our students and state to a bright future. You can learn more about the progress we’ve made in . If you’re interested in our universities’ visions for the future, I encourage you to check out and State of the University addresses. Missouri S&T Chancellor Dehghani will be giving his , so be sure to keep an eye out for that. Across the system, there’s a lot to look forward to. If you have a story about how our university community builds connections, please send it to president@umsystem.edu.