School of Medicine honored with MAA Gold Standard Awards

Faculty from the University of Missouri School of Medicine were recently honored at the Mizzou Alumni Association Gold Standard Awards, as alumni, faculty, friends and family are recognized for their dedication, service and leadership towards the university.

Distinguished Faculty Award

Kerry McDonald, PhD, chair of the Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology

Established in 1960, this award honors an outstanding member of the Mizzou faculty whose continued achievements have brought distinction to the honoree and the university. It’s awarded on the basis of the total accomplishments of the faculty member, with special emphasis on the faculty members’ relationship with students.

A national leader in cardiovascular research, mentorship and academic service, Dr. McDonald has made a lasting impact on both Mizzou and the broader scientific community. He has maintained continuous NIH funding since 1992 and authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications, reviews and book chapters.

Dr. McDonald’s research explores power generation in the heart on a cellular level, including the impacts of exercise and disease on the heart’s ability to function. He has delivered more than 60 invited presentations and served as an NIH grant reviewer for more than two decades.

Learn more about Dr. McDonald’s contributions to Mizzou.

Legacy Family Award

 The LeFevre Family

This award honors a family who has made an outstanding impact on the University of Missouri over multiple generations of Tigers. The members of this family must have a sustained, demonstrable history of loyalty, support and service to Mizzou, their community and their profession.

With 11 degrees earned across five family members – and four having served on the faculty of the School of Medicine – the LeFevre family exemplifies what it means to be true sons and daughters of Mizzou.

Michael (MD ’79) and Judith first met as members of Marching Mizzou and built a family rooted in education and service. Michael, a distinguished professor and former chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine, was elected to the National Academy of Medicine and helped shape national clinical guidelines during his tenure on the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force.

Michael and Judith’s children, Kara (MD ’07) and Nicholas (MD’ 13), as well as daughter-in-law Whitney (MD ’13), currently serve as faculty leaders advancing dermatology, family medicine and medical education.

Learn more about the LeFevre Family’s contributions to Mizzou.