Manisha Muthukaruppan, Peer Leadership Advisor (PLA) for a Pre-med Freshman Interest Group (FIG), received the FIG Excellence in Leadership Award on Oct. 25, 2024. She was nominated by Dr. Joel Stancer. This award recognizes faculty co-facilitators (co-facs) and PLAs who go above and beyond in service of Mizzou students.

Manisha is majoring in Biochemistry minoring in Psychology and on the Pre-Med track. She finds passion in teaching, communicating and interacting with others, and helping others gain knowledge and resources to succeed. She has incorporated these interests in the various extracurriculars she is involved in such as being a Chemistry tutor for Mizzou’s TRiO Student Support Services, being a CAFNR Ambassador, volunteering at the City of Refuge as a tutor, volunteering at Mizzou’s MedZou Clinic, being President of Mizzou’s Undergraduate Branch of American Medical Women’s Association, helping create and teach choreography for Mizzou Mirchi – a Bollywood Dance Team, and more. Manisha aspires to become a physician who in addition to being knowledgeable, is also open-minded, and dedicated to helping and educating patients.

Spotlight on Excellence

In his award nomination for Manisha, Dr. Stancer said:

“Since the beginning of the semester, Manisha has been an invaluable asset to our FIG. She has demonstrated exceptional dedication, organization, and commitment to student success. Over the summer, Manisha took the initiative to develop a comprehensive course plan, ensuring that we were both aligned with the goals and objectives for the semester. She has been incredibly responsive to student inquiries, providing timely and informative guidance.

“Furthermore, Manisha has gone above and beyond in her role as a facilitator. She has created engaging and interactive lesson plans, incorporating trivia and other activities to enhance student learning. Manisha has also been instrumental in coordinating guest speakers, reaching out to potential speakers and following up with reminders as needed. Her professionalism and attention to detail have been exemplary.

“Thanks to Manisha’s hard work and dedication, our FIG has been a positive and enriching experience for all involved. I am truly grateful for her contributions and believe she deserves to be recognized for her outstanding leadership.”