CAFNR’s Spring Commencement was held Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Mizzou Arena. View photos from the ceremony and celebration!

Summer has officially arrived, but calendars have not slowed down one bit! I enjoyed celebrating our May 2025 graduates at commencement. It truly is the best day in the life of a university. I was also able to attend the graduation ceremony for the School of Veterinary Medicine this spring.

To wrap up finals week and prepare for commencement, I invited students from all over campus to come to “Scoops with the Dean” at Buck’s Ice Cream (photo above). We had a great turnout, making it a perfect – and delectable – summer send-off.

The CAFNR Staff Advisory Council hosted their annual summer picnic in late May. Lunch included made-to-order lemonade in custom cups, encouraging all who attended to “Squeeze the Day!” Our staff are truly the backbone of the college, and celebrating them is always a joy!

So far this month I have:

• Attended a NextGen MURR meet and greet
• Attended CAFNR Foundation all-board meeting
• Met with Missouri Farm Bureau
• Attended the 22^nd Annual Cattlemen’s Steak Fry
• Attended the North Central Mini-Land Grant Conference in Ames, Iowa
• Met with President Mun Choi
• Met with Provost Matt Martens
• Met with Vice Chancellor of Extension Chad Higgins
• Met with the Interim Vice Chancellor for Advancement Christine Smith
• Met with Arts & Science Dean Cooper Drury
• Met with Veterinary Medicine Dean Sri Sreevatsan

I am looking forward to overseeing the Institute of Food Technologists’ IFT First 2025 global conference in July as president. This tremendous honor will allow me to showcase the impactful efforts not only in IFT, but also in CAFNR.

Have a great summer!

CAFNR Proud,

Christopher R. Daubert, Ph.D.
CAFNR Vice Chancellor & Dean

A photo gallery of CAFNR happenings.

Kaylin Francisco is an outreach coordinator at the Southwest Research, Extension & Education Center

8th Annual Butterfly Festival

Get ready to spread your wings and celebrate the beauty of butterflies at the 8th annual Butterfly Festival on Saturday, June 21, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Jefferson Farm and Garden Extension and Education Center, 4800 E. New Haven Road, Columbia, Missouri. This event brings together nature lovers, families and butterfly enthusiasts for a day of education, exploration and hands-on activities.

Jefferson Farm and Garden, a 67-acre educational farm, is dedicated to connecting the community with agricultural and environmental experiences. The Butterfly Festival is a highlight of the year, offering visitors the chance to learn about native butterfly species, their life cycles and the importance of pollinators in the ecosystem.

For more details, visit the MU Extension website or the Jefferson Farm and Garden Facebook page.

This month we recognize the following faculty and staff members for their years of service to Mizzou!

• Jaewoo Kim, assistant research professor, celebrated 20 years of service May 1.
• Jason Dowell, farm manager, celebrated 15 years of service May 3.
• Katie Ogan, student success coordinator, celebrated 5 years of service May 18.
• Melissa Samuel, manager research activities, celebrated 25 years of service May 22.
• Susan Schommer, research scientist, celebrated 25 years of service May 22.
• Rebekah Schnell, executive assistant, celebrated 10 years of service May 26.