Fall 2024 Deaton Scholars Program

The Fall 2024 Deaton Scholars Program was a successful semester of activities. The Deaton Institute collaborated with the Honors Program and the Office of Community Engaged Learning (formerly Service Learning) to support scholars through mentorship and training.

DSP at Mizzou continues to welcome MU students from all programs and levels – undergraduate, graduate and professional. The cohort had a unique mix of these students with backgrounds from across the US and the world.

The final event was held on December 4, 2024, in the Memorial Union, and included presentations from all of the teams on their project proposals. DSP is pleased to share some of their work.

Former DSP Director Rishabh Mahendra reported back on this PhD research work, which included an agricultural cooperative workshop day in India. DSP scholars, including Rishabh, engaged on this proposal in previous years, and it is fantastic to see the full implementation!

DSP scholars investigated MU’s recent history of sustainability activities and commitments, identifying gaps in the progress made over the years that can be reanimated with student engagement.

International students and immigrants are vital members of the Mizzou community. One DSP team identified a need for international students to get more help navigating the options for visas and professional training following their graduation.

Food insecurity in our communities was investigated by one DSP team. They identified opportunities to educate MU students on the issue and the importance of addressing food insecurity with nutritional and culturally appropriate foodstuffs.

One DSP team developed a plan to work with stakeholders in one community to support residents to find healthcare options after changes to insurance access in the region.

DSP team presentations allow for sharing of ideas, networks and resources among the teams and our excellent faculty and staff collaborators.

Congratulations to all the Deaton Scholars this semester! The Deaton Institute is providing ongoing activities to support the teams as they implement their projects. Likewise, a new cohort of DSP will start in February 2025.