The Mizzou Philanthropy Award, established in 2026, is presented during Donor Recognition Weekend to honor donors, alumni and friends of Mizzou with an established history of making a significant impact on the university and the world. These awardees display Mizzou’s core values of respect, responsibility, discovery and excellence through philanthropy on behalf of communities and causes important to them.
Inspired by the 900 families whose generosity helped establish the University of Missouri as the first public university west of the Mississippi River, the award honors donors, alumni and friends whose sustained support advances the institution’s mission and global impact. Their philanthropy has created a lasting legacy at Mizzou and around the world.
2026 Recipients: Audrey and Don Walsworth Sr.
The Walsworths’ leadership and philanthropy has empowered the university’s impact across the state and beyond. Don Walsworth Sr., BS Ed ’57, is CEO and chairman of the board of Walsworth, a global commercial printing company founded in Marceline, Missouri, regarded as a leader in yearbook publishing. A member of the Mizzou Hall of Fame, he has served in numerous volunteer leadership roles, including as chair of the University of Missouri System Board of Curators, and received an honorary degree in 2024. A global traveler, Audrey Walsworth, BJ ’56, is among a small number of women who have traveled to every country and territory.
Together, the couple has supported Mizzou Athletics and initiatives that advance student success, international study programs and faculty excellence. Their commitment reflects a strong belief in Mizzou as a driver of economic growth, workforce development and opportunity in Missouri — and the role philanthropy plays in shaping its future.
