Writing the Next Chapter

Through a gift in their will, Dr. Speer Morgan and Kris Somerville will ensure that the Missouri Review continues to thrive well into the future.

Dr. Speer Morgan and his wife, Kris Somerville, have given a combined seven decades in service of the Missouri Review. They intend to give far more.

First published in 1978, the Missouri Review is one of the most highly regarded literary magazines in the United States. Housed within MU’s College of Arts and Science, the magazine is known for printing short stories and poetry by emerging and award-winning authors as well as previously unpublished works by literary figures including Mark Twain, Tennessee Williams, and others.

As an assistant professor in the mid-’70s, Speer joined the magazine as a staff member a year after its inception and was named its editor-in-chief in 1979, a position he holds to this day, in addition to teaching creative fiction writing in the Department of English. It was in the magazine’s offices that he first met Kris, who would become their marketing coordinator in 2000 and, eventually, his wife.

In addition to her role at the Missouri Review, Kris is an assistant professor of English and creative writing at nearby Stephens College as well as a noted author and essayist. But she credits the Missouri Review, and her time as an MU graduate student, for much of her personal growth.

“I walked into the office and asked to be an intern,” Kris says. “Speer said to me, ‘How do I know you can write?’ I gave him a short story and had to wait a summer to find out if I could take the internship.” A decade later, she was in charge of the magazine’s marketing and promotional efforts; two years after that, she crossed the stage with her master of arts.

“I received a great education at the University of Missouri,” Kris says. “I’ve made a home here. And I want to make sure the Missouri Review is well provided for when my career there ends.”

In 1985 Speer created the Missouri Review Trust, which supports the magazine’s ongoing operating expenses and annual writing contest. He and Kris have done more than simply advocate for the endowment, though—the two have named the trust as a beneficiary in their will.

“The giving process was easy,” Kris says. “And many of my friends followed suit. They either gave to the Missouri Review or are giving a lifetime gift to the magazine.”

"I have great friends," she adds.

Speer sees adaptation as the key to success for both the magazine and the university and anticipates the need for growth in the future.

“I see the great hope in students,” Speer says. “I’ve taught here a long time, and the students have always been incredibly good in their desire to learn. Helping MU stay healthy and grow is the best thing you could do.”

The Missouri Review has nurtured and trained hundreds, if not thousands, of students in the field of literature. But thanks to dedicated supporters like Speer and Kris, the magazine and its mission will, like all good writing, only get better with age.

If you, like Speer and Kris, have an area at MU that is especially meaningful to you, consider the ways you can give back to support its future. Contact The Office of Gift Planning at 1-800-970-9977 or 573-882-0272 or giftplanning@missouri.edu to learn more.