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Before You Walk Past: 100 Years of Memorial Student Union Tower

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If you’ve walked through Memorial Student Union, you’ve probably passed beneath its tower without giving it much thought. Maybe you were on your way to class. Maybe you were meeting a friend, grabbing lunch or heading to an event. For generations of Mizzou students, the Union has simply been part of everyday campus life- a familiar place to gather, study, celebrate and connect. But Memorial Student Union was never meant to be just a building. In 2026, Memorial Student Union Tower marks 100 years of remembrance and connection. To celebrate the centennial, an exhibition on the first level of the Student Center traces the story of how a planned student gathering place became one of Mizzou’s most recognizable memorials. And it all began with a different name. Mort's Case, First Level of MU Student Center. A Union Before It Was a Memorial In 1916, the University of Missouri began planning a new student union. The idea was straightforward: create a place where students could gather and c...
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Celebrating Homecoming at Mizzou: A Century of Tradition!

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October brings crisp air, colorful fall foliage, and the spirit of tradition to Columbia as we celebrate Mizzou's annual homecoming with the Student Union!  On the Second level of the MU Student Center, the Traditions Case display is currently dedicated to celebrating one of the University of Missouri’s most cherished traditions: Homecoming .. Steeped in the tradition that dates back to 1911, Mizzou celebrates homecoming each October with community events, service projects, campus decorations, and of course a football game. Since the inaugural celebration, homecoming has looked different accommodating for the Great Depression, wartime, protests, and social unrest. No matter the circumstances, Mizzou Tigers always find a way to celebrate their stripes during this special time.  The exhibition highlights the development of Homecoming across the decades, from the 1910s to the 2010s, illustrated with photographs, memorabilia, and historic documents. Mizzou's annual homecoming is o...
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Color and Memory in the Square Cases

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The square cases at the first level of the MU Student Center now feature two small but meaningful displays that continue our exploration of art, color, and community at Mizzou.  Exhibition Overview – First Level, MU Student Center Exhibition Overview – First Level, MU Student Center One case extends the spirit of Colors in CoMO , the exhibition on the ground level, by highlighting work by an MFA student from the School of Visual Studies. This display features a series of risograph prints that explore the visual possibilities of color combinations. Each print is organized around a distinct theme, showing how shifts in palette can create different moods, relationships, and visual rhythms. Together, the works invite viewers to think about color not simply as decoration, but as a language of structure, contrast, and emotion.                                    Oswaldo Garcia, Color Chart , 2025, 17...
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Colors in CoMO

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Welcome to Colors in CoMO !  On the ground level of the MU Student Center, an exhibition that celebrates color not only as pigment on a surface, but as a reflection of the energy, character, and shared identity of the town we call home. Located in the heart of the University of Missouri, this exhibition brings together works that highlight different perspectives on Columbia, Missouri, creating a vivid and layered portrait of the community around us.   The exhibition features works by artists connected to Columbia, including Joel Chrisman, Frank Stack, Janice Atkins,  as well as student artists whose works were contributed through our collaboration with MSA. Together, these artists offer a rich and varied exploration of CoMO through painting, printmaking, mixed media, and wearable art. Exhibtion Overview, Ground Level, MU Student Center Drawn from the collections of the MU Student Unions, Joel Chrisman’s artworks transport viewers to the quiet landscapes just beyond Columb...
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