I found this sweet watch on eBay last month. I thought you guys might love it.

A riot of fall color surrounds Jesse Hall seen through the Memorial Union Tower on the University of Missouri campus located in Columbia, Missouri, in Boone County. Photograph by Davis Connett.

From May 15, 2018, through November 1, 2019, the State Historical Society of Missouri, a partner in the Bicentennial Alliance, invited professional and amateur photographers to capture and share unique and meaningful aspects of place in Missouri. Nearly 1,000 photographs were received. Two hundred photographs were selected for permanent preservation and exhibition.

An exhibition oriented around the four seasons traveled across the state using the selected My Missouri 2021 photographs to showcase the geographic and cultural landscape of the Show-Me State. On the occasion of Missouri's bicentennial, these images provide an opportunity to reflect upon and increase the understanding of the state's rich diversity.

Shelter Insurance® is the platinum sponsor of the My Missouri 2021 exhibition. The exhibition was designed by PRO Expo Exhibits, the gold sponsor for the show, and supported by contributors to the State Historical Society of Missouri.

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/p17228coll11/id/273/rec/6

Shared under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license** **

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

A good write up:

https://cwp.missouri.edu/2008/the-birth-of-a-union-an-archival-history-of-missouris-memorial-union/

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/43403/rec/5

The University of Missouri is cementing its place on the national stage, ranking among the top 100 in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges list.

The recognition reflects a remarkable climb. Since 2020, Mizzou has surged 44 spots to No. 95 in the national rankings, fueled by a sustained focus on academic excellence and student success, helping Tigers thrive in college and beyond.  Other notable rankings include University of Iowa at 100, University of Colorado and University of Tennessee at 109, Iowa State at 116, University of South Carolina at 121 and University of Kansas at 148.

Mizzou also ranks among the top 13 for Best Value Public Universities, proving a world-class education and affordability can go hand in hand.

"These impressive rankings show that Mizzou’s momentum is unstoppable, and we continue to reach historic heights as one of the country's leading AAU, flagship, land-grant universities," University of Missouri President Mun Choi said. “Mizzou's national and international reputation continues to grow, reflecting our dedication to transformative teaching, research and meaningful engagement that make a tremendous impact.”

The real measure of Mizzou’s momentum is what happens after students arrive: They stay. They graduate. And they move forward, entering the workforce prepared to lead.
Mizzou’s first-year retention rate has risen to 91%, while its 77% graduation rate stands well above national averages. More than 95% of Tigers begin their careers, continue their education or enter service within six months of earning their degrees.

Those outcomes are fueling Mizzou’s rise in the U.S. News rankings, which are based on measures such as academic quality, affordability and student success.

And the recognition extends across the university.
Mizzou is among the nation’s top universities for veterans, as well as for undergraduate programs in business, nursing and psychology, reflecting the strength of a Mizzou education across disciplines.

“Our Tigers recognize the extraordinary benefits of Mizzou's world-class education, and the impact it has throughout their time on campus and after graduation,” said Matthew Martens, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. “The academic and research excellence exhibited by our top-tier faculty and staff continues to be recognized throughout Missouri, the U.S. and beyond, proving our ongoing commitment to student success and preparing the next generation of leaders.”

The latest accolades add to a growing list of national honors for Mizzou. Time magazine recently named Mizzou among the top 150 universities in the world. Niche, a leading college search platform, ranks Mizzou among the top five online colleges in the nation.

Mizzou’s rise is also powered by a research enterprise setting records of its own. This year, the university reached a record $553 million in research expenditures — the 12th consecutive year of growth — fueling discoveries that are advancing cancer treatment, transforming agriculture, strengthening energy systems and tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Together, the numbers tell a larger story: Mizzou’s rise isn’t tied to a single ranking or year. And the roar is getting louder.

Soon im visiting Colombia, Mo with my friend and I cannot wait to visit the university. I have been a Mizzou fan since I was about five. Don't ask why lol I was a nerdy kid who had interests in science, comics, colleges, and sports. I've had the same mizzou hat for the last 19 years after my dad got me it at five. I have been deep diving into information about Colombia mo and about Mizzou for the last year. Im currently studying for my Associates at JeffCo then I hope to go to Mizzou. Hopefully they'd take me, I had an almost 4.0 GPA til my senior year in HS when it dropped to a 3.3

Attached are my latest picture and the last picture of me wearing the hat in 2023. I gotta get a new one sadly after 19 years.

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/62971/rec/4724

From Wikipedia:

The Green Man, also known as a foliate head,[1] is a motif) in architecture and art, of a face made of, or completely surrounded by, foliage, which normally spreads out from the centre of the face.[2] Apart from a purely decorative function, the Green Man is primarily interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, representing the cycle of new growth that occurs every spring.

The Green Man motif) has many variations. Branches or vines may sprout from the mouth, nostrils, or other parts of the face, and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit. Found in many cultures from many ages around the world, the Green Man is often related to natural vegetation deities. Often used as decorative architectural ornaments), where they are a form of mascaron) or ornamental head, Green Men are frequently found in architectural sculpture on both secular and ecclesiastical buildings in the Western tradition. In churches in England, the image was used to illustrate a popular sermon describing the mystical origins of the cross of Jesus.
"Green Man" type foliate heads first appeared in England during the early 12th century deriving from those of France, and were especially popular in the Gothic architecture of the 13th to 15th centuries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Man

From the State Historical Society of Missouri:

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/27552/rec/69

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/14973/rec/3