‘Mother of American kindergarten’ among MSU Hall of Fame inductees

Missouri State University announced Aug. 12 that its Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame 2026 inductees include an education pioneer, a political scientist and humanitarian, and the family behind a philanthropic foundation.

They comprise Susan Blow, Ken Rutherford and the Dunn Family Foundation. Blow will receive the year’s legacy award.

Previously, 43 others have been inducted.

“Each of this year’s inductees has made a meaningful impact through years of leadership and service. Through their vision, generosity and dedication, they’ve improved lives, strengthened communities and inspired others to make a difference,” said MSU President Richard “Biff” Williams, in a news release. “We’re honored to celebrate their remarkable achievements.”

The induction is Sept. 10 at the Old Glass Place. Tickets for the black-tie optional dinner event are $50 and can be purchased online.

A look at the inductees:

Susan Blow
Known as the “mother of the American kindergarten,” Blow, who lived from 1843 to 1916, is credited with transforming early childhood education in the U.S. She opened an experimental public kindergarten at Des Peres School in St. Louis in 1873. The program quickly expanded, earning support from parents, teachers and administrators. By 1880, every public school in St. Louis included a kindergarten. 

Blow helped bring national attention to the movement through demonstrations at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, attracting educators from across the country to train under her. Kindergarten programs spread rapidly, growing to more than 400 schools in 30 states by 1880 and over 1,300 public kindergartens nationwide by 1900.

Ken Rutherford
Rutherford, a political scientist and global humanitarian advocate, built a career devoted to advancing the rights and protection of people affected by armed conflict. Before joining James Madison University, he was a professor of political science at MSU, where he helped establish the university as a United Nations depository library and advanced its public affairs mission as a provost fellow and conference chair. 

Rutherford co-founded the Landmine Survivors Network and helped lead the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which was awarded the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize. That year, he joined Princess Diana on her final humanitarian mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina. He later helped negotiate victim assistance provisions in the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions and directed the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery from 2010 to 2019. 

A landmine survivor injured in Somalia, Rutherford has been named among the 100 most influential people in armed violence reduction.

Dunn Family Foundation
The Dunn Family Foundation has spent more than four decades turning one Kansas City family's legacy of generosity into lasting support for education, human services and community well-being. Founded in 1981 by Bob Dunn, grandson of J.E. Dunn Construction Co. founder John Ernest “Ernie” Dunn Sr., the private charitable foundation grew out of a philanthropic legacy carried forward by three generations of the Dunn family.

Today, a family board of directors spanning four generations guides the foundation’s giving toward enhancing quality of life and meeting community needs across the greater Kansas City area, with priorities that include enriching neighborhoods, supporting people in need and strengthening spirituality.

Each year, J.E. Dunn Construction donates a portion of its net income to nonprofits nationwide, a commitment that has exceeded $17 million in recent years, while employees contribute more than 54,000 volunteer hours annually through a national network of community ambassadors.