Each year, the Award for Academic Distinction is given to 15 of the most promising undergraduates at the University of Missouri, chosen by faculty from across campus. 

This honor was established in 2014 by a group of students to celebrate fellow Tigers who have made their mark on campus by going above and beyond expectations. 

Three CAFNR students received the award at the annual ceremony, which took place April 10. 

The award recognizes academic excellence beyond the classroom and is the only university-wide award of its kind. It is one of the highest honors Mizzou offers based on academic distinction alone. The 2026 CAFNR honorees are: 

• Carissa Bersche – a senior biochemistry major from Chesterfield, Missouri 

• Mathew Kimaku – a senior nutrition and exercise physiology major from Lee’s Summit, Missouri 

• Manisha Muthukarruppan – a junior biochemistry major from St. Peters, Missouri 

Ryan Leuthauser, a sophomore majoring in nutrition and exercise physiology from St. Charles, Missouri, also received the Hesburgh Scholarship at the same ceremony.  

Each spring, the TIAA-CREF Hesburgh Endowment Fund enables Mizzou’s General Education Program to award four $1,200 academic achievement scholarships to one student from each of the four undergraduate classes. 

Students can apply directly for these awards or be nominated by a faculty member. Winners are chosen by the Committee on Undergraduate Education (CUE).