Dr. John T. Park, chancellor emeritus of UMR, received the University of Missouri Alumni Alliance Award during the annual UM Legislative Day luncheon Feb. 26 in Jefferson City.

Dr. John T. Park, UMR chancellor emeritus

Park, who served as UMR’s chancellor from 1992-2000, received the award in recognition of his years of service to UMR.

Park joined the UMR faculty in 1964 as an assistant professor of physics. He was named Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in 1983 and became Chancellor in 1992, a post he held until his retirement eight years later.

During his chancellorship UMR’s existing physical facilities were improved and new structures added, a degree program in computer engineering begun, and a $60 million capital campaign successfully concluded. Park also championed new student leadership programs and created the UMR Board of Trustees.

UMR also won the Missouri Quality Award and, in so doing, became the first public research university in the nation to be honored for making substantial performance improvements.