Steinkruger Named First Hess Endowed Chair in Chemistry for Student Mentorship

University of Central Missouri (UCM) faculty member Jay Steinkruger, Ph.D., has been appointed to the John Hess Endowed Chair in Chemistry for Student Mentorship.

 

Steinkruger, chair of the Department of Physical Sciences and professor of Chemistry, is the first person to fill the position, which is UCM’s first endowed chair. UCM alumnus Dr. Stephen Lacey and his wife, Ann, established the endowment with the UCM Alumni Foundation in 2023 in honor of professor emeritus John Hess, Ph.D.

 

Hess retired from UCM in 2002 after more than 33 years of service. His work as an educator and mentor touched the lives of hundreds of students, including Lacey, through courses in ecology, genetics, ornithology, herpetology and scientific and technical photography, among many others.

Lacey graduated from UCM in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and completed an MD at Washington University in St. Louis in 1981. He served on the faculty at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas for 26 years. He concurrently practiced gastroenterology in Southlake, Texas, for 25 years.

Through their gift, the Laceys seek to reward and foster the careers of faculty members in Chemistry and Biology who have a similar love of mentoring.

Jeff Robertson, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health, Science, and Technology, said Steinkruger’s application and vision for the position and its resources most closely aligned with the donors’ vision.

“Jay has a reputation for being a strong student mentor,” Robertson said. “The number and quality of the former mentored students that provided letters of support also spoke to their appreciation of his guidance inside and outside the classroom.”

Since joining UCM in 2012, Steinkruger has held the positions of assistant professor, associate professor, professor, and associate dean of the College of Health, Science, and Technology. He also served two years as chair and one year as co-chair of the President's Commission on Access, Opportunity and Community.

During his senior year in high school and into college, Steinkruger said he had mentors who instilled a sense of learning and critical thinking and changed the trajectory of his path. As he started his career, he wanted to play a role in student development, just as mentors had done for him.

Steinkruger said he’s made it a priority to offer holistic mentorship beyond the classroom or the lab, which he noted was described in the Hess Endowed Chair description.

“It’s investing in the person across from you and their general well-being, their family, their friends, all the things that drive them as a human in addition to them as a professional and just trying to be there for them one step at a time,” he said. “As I get to know them and understand the things they are passionate about, I use that trust and relationship to try to bring the best out of them as a developing professional.”

As he embarks on the new endowed chair position, Steinkruger said he plans to continue the same level of personal support, but now he can brainstorm new ways to provide that support with additional resources.

He hopes to work with campus colleagues to develop a more robust advising model for students interested in professional schools. Steinkruger would also like to create a program that allows students to apply for funding to cover the costs associated with opportunities like preparatory courses and entrance exams.

He also wants to work with colleagues to provide additional resources for hands-on experiences for students, such as undergraduate research projects or attending professional development conferences.

Steinkruger said the Laceys have provided an incredible gift that honors Hess and empowers current faculty members to continue paying that forward to students.

“I'm excited to just be able to use the resources with colleagues to empower students, to give them opportunities to do things that they wouldn't have had otherwise. And I think that ultimately is what this is all about,” Steinkruger said. “It's about investing in the next group of young people that are working their tails off to try to develop into the leaders of tomorrow.”

Robertson said the Laceys provided a “meaningful, gracious, transformative gift that will serve UCM students, especially those seeking careers in medical and allied health professions, for generations.”

For more information about the UCM Alumni Foundation, visit ucmfoundation.org. For more information about the College of Health, Science, and Technology, visit ucmo.edu/chst.