April 2, 2026
For decades, Janet and John Farmer have been catalysts for progress in the Mizzou College of Health Sciences.
Their philanthropic efforts have supported faculty, elevated student success and expanded services that improve health outcomes for Missourians. With total pledged giving to the college now surpassing $1 million, their generosity continues to drive innovation for students, faculty and programs.
“John and I give back because of what we’ve received,” Janet Farmer said. “I myself have directly benefited from the generosity of donors, Bill and Nancy Thompson, who provided funding to launch the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment.”
In addition to serving as founding director of the Thompson Center, Janet Farmer has a long history with the College of Health Sciences: She was a faculty member with the Department of Health Psychology and also served as associate dean for research for the college, then the School of Health Professions.
The couple’s deep understanding of the college’s mission to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities has shaped their giving. Janet Farmer noted the importance of advancing health and opportunities through its people as well as programs.
“When you put these people and these programs together, what you get are opportunities,” she said. “And those opportunities lead to future growth and development — but they also require funding.”
Kristofer Hagglund, dean of the College of Health Sciences, said the Farmers’ generosity has created numerous opportunities for students as well as faculty members.
“We are so grateful to Janet and John for being such strong supporters,” Hagglund said. “Their consistent and passionate advocacy for our college has helped our students, faculty and staff achieve some truly ambitious goals, and their generous giving will continue to provide critical support long into the future.”
Backing the next generation
The Farmers’ major commitment to advancing the College of Health Sciences’ mission began in 2014 with the creation of an endowed fund focused on supporting child health initiatives within the college.
As the need for sustained leadership grew, the Farmers expanded the fund to establish the Janet and John Farmer Endowed Faculty Scholar in Child Health. That position is now held by Crystal Lim, chair of the Department of Health Psychology. Additional contributions from the Farmers intend to elevate the role further, creating an endowed professorship that will enable CHS to attract and retain leading scholars in the field.
In 2023, they launched the Janet and John Farmer Health Sciences Innovation Fund, a first-of-its-kind resource for the college. The fund helps the dean of the college respond quickly to emerging needs and support projects that can make an immediate impact. The inaugural awards backed three projects:
- A public health webinar series led by Jenna Wintemberg with the Department of Public Health.
- A coaching pilot through MU Extension focused on rural burnout and well-being, created by Kevin Cloninger with the Department of Health Sciences.
- Support for family and youth therapy services through the Integrative Behavioral Health Clinic, which is helmed by Danielle Easter and Kelli Canada with the School of Social Work.
Through their leadership and generosity, Janet and John Farmer continue to strengthen the college’s capacity to serve communities and advance discovery while preparing the next generation of health professionals. Janet credited the college’s collaborative network of faculty, staff and students working together to drive things forward.
“We give back to help bring the people and programs together so they can contribute to future service, teaching and research in the college,” she said. “When we see the opportunities available in the College of Health Sciences, it becomes obvious that our giving will enable positive outcomes.”
Read about other Tigers working to Power the Roar at Mizzou.
