What an unprecedented time in our 150-year college history. I know we have all been through many unanticipated changes and challenges in the past month, and I hope you are healthy and safe.

In CAFNR, we are finding new ways to get the job done. Many of us are working remotely, or performing essential functions in laboratories or at our research centers with minimal staff. Our students are learning virtually for the rest of the semester, and I am proud of the innovation I have seen from our communities! At our Equine Teaching Facility, for example, students who are now spread across the country are still able to be on “foal watch” by watching the mares – virtually. Many of our Research Centers are directly reaching out to local Mizzou students to help provide high-speed internet during this time. We share in this issue how we are rising to the occasion, leading differently today, to fulfill our land-grant missions of academics, research and Extension.

A university campus is not the same without the energy from student interactions and activities. Speaking for the faculty and staff, CAFNR deeply misses our students. Our CAFNR seniors are having their last semester marked by this crisis. You may have heard that Mizzou’s May commencement has been postponed. However, we have amazing students, and I am humbled by the grace in which they and their parents have adjusted to this situation. I want to thank CAFNR parents and families for the wonderful support they are providing our students! I invite you to share a note of congratulations with our seniors. We want to show them that even though their last days as Tigers didn’t quite look like what they had hoped, the CAFNR community and Mizzou spirit is still alive and well! We will share these special messages in May as part of a virtual celebration for our seniors.

Thank you to everyone who helped kick-off our 150^th year of celebration with our CAFNR Founding Day in February. It was a wonderful turnout and a special day. We have much to be proud of and celebrate during this anniversary year!

MU Extension has put together a host of resources for agricultural producers, businesses, personal finances, community food systems, and health and well-being – including families who are working and learning from home – during this time of international crisis. In addition, the Mizzou Alumni Association is helping alumni and friends support Mizzou and our students, and connect virtually via their “Tigers Support Tigers” initiative – any future Tigers at your house will especially enjoy the coloring pages of our favorite campus landmarks – and mascot! (Click on “Mizzou at Home.”)

I am so proud of our faculty, staff, administrators, students, and alumni and friends. The amazing CAFNR community is what keeps me going. What we do at this moment may look different, but our goals, our priorities, our drive to distinction – and my pride in our college – remain the same.

CAFNR Proud!

Christopher R. Daubert
Vice Chancellor and Dean