October 16, 2026
A $2 million planned gift from Sara Sternberger (MHA ’86) and her husband, Howard Epstein, MD, is meant to spark innovation and offer lasting support to students and faculty in the University of Missouri Master of Health Administration program.
The couple’s commitment reflects a belief in the power of education and deep ties to Mizzou. Sternberger, a third-generation Tiger and member of the MU Legacy Society, traces her family’s relationship with the university across four generations. Her daughter, Ellis Tappmeyer (MHA ’18), became the fourth generation of women in the family to attend Mizzou. And her son, Jordan Epstein, received his undergraduate degree from Mizzou in 2021.
“My husband and I feel very fortunate to have had the educational opportunities that were provided to us and the career success that we’ve had over the years,” Sternberger said. “There was never any doubt in our minds that we’d be giving back.”
The planned gift includes support for three endowments that will advance the MHA program in the College of Health Sciences. Earlier this year, Sternberger and Epstein fully endowed the Ellis Family Future of MHA Endowment, which provides scholarship support for MHA students. Their estate commitment also establishes the Ellis Family MHA Program Support Endowment, which will strengthen the MHA program’s reach and impact, and the Sara Ellis Sternberger Endowed Professorship in Health Administration, which will be used to recruit and retain faculty members.
This investment caps decades of engagement with the MHA program and the university. A three-time Mizzou graduate, Sternberger earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration before completing her MHA. She built a successful career in health care and nonprofit leadership but remained closely connected to the university.
Sternberger previously served as president of the MHA Alumni Organization and last year agreed to return to help guide the group during a period of transition. She was part of the search committee that recently named a new MHA program director and is a member of the University of Missouri Jefferson Club Board of Trustees.
Her ongoing commitment to Mizzou stems from the opportunities she received as a student.
“As I look back, the classroom work was certainly important, but networking with alums and having real-world experience through the internships and fellowships was really instrumental for my success,” she said.
The couple hopes their planned gift will help future MHA students benefit from the same combination of academic excellence, mentorship and hands-on learning that shaped Sternberger’s career.
“If we can do it, you can do it,” she said. “Our upbringing shaped our values, and we always wanted to give back to the institutions that gave so much to us. Outside of my family and career, Mizzou has had an oversize impact on me and who I am today. I’m grateful.”
Read about other Tigers working to Power the Roar at Mizzou.