University of Missouri associate professor Chris Prestigiacomo’s accounting class at Cornell Hall had some unexpected visitors Tuesday afternoon.
“We have some guests coming,” Prestigiacomo said to his students as MU Chancellor and UM System President Mun Choi entered the room with fellow administrators.
Choi told Prestigiacomo that he had been awarded one of the five William T. Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence. Tuesday marked the fifth and final Kemper Award reveal of 2024.
Choi was joined by Steve Sowers, CEO of Commerce Bank’s Missouri community markets, and Balaji Rajagopalan, dean of the Trulaske College of Business. All of the administrators congratulated Prestigiacomo on his accomplishment.
The fellowship awards were established in 1991 with a $500,000 gift from the William T. Kemper Foundation. Winning the award comes with a $15,000 stipend.
The Kemper award is one of the most prestigious awards at MU. Only five professors take it home each year.
Prestigiacomo has been an associate teaching professor at MU’s School of Accountancy since August 2008. He teaches thousands of students each year.
“I think if we all listen with our ears, our head and our hearts, I believe God puts us in a place where we can best serve each other,” Prestigiacomo said. “My hope is just to follow these outstanding people here because I know how much they serve others.”
Prestigiacomo’s affect on his students doesn’t come lightly. MU sophomore and business student Ryan Klein said Prestigiacomo was deserving of the award.
“He really took the time to teach us the material,” Klein said. “It was his understanding of the class that made him so good. He wanted nothing more than to see all of us succeed. I think those are the types of teachers that deserve to be awarded.”
Prestigiacomo has received several honors throughout his career. He received a ROAR Award in 2022, a Kemper Award nomination in 2021 and a Teaching Excellence Award in 2018.
The other recipients of the 2024 Kemper Fellowship this year are Nicole Campione-Barr, Jason Furrer, Seth Howes and Amy Knopps.
