School of Law professor honored for commitment to students and community
Allen Rostron, J.D., William R. Jacques Constitutional Law Scholar, Professor of Law and Associate Dean of the UMKC School of Law, was recently appointed the Edward A. Smith/Missouri Chair in Law, the Constitution and Society.
The Smith Chair recognizes a faculty member for their scholarly accomplishments and involvement in the law school and community. It helps attract and retain accomplished faculty members, allowing students to learn about constitutional law from renowned experts.
“Associate Dean Rostron richly deserves to hold the Smith Chair,” said Lumen Mulligan, dean of the School of Law. “He is an expert in the Second Amendment and is in the top 2.5 percent of most downloaded legal authors in the country. His acumen as a scholar is matched only by his skill in the classroom and commitment to our school.”
Rostron has been a professor at UMKC School of Law for more than 20 years, following a decade as an attorney in private practice and at a nonprofit organization. Originally hired to teach civil procedure and tort law, a colleague’s retirement opened the door for Rostron to teach constitutional law, and he’s never looked back.
“I enjoy all the subjects I teach, but I enjoy constitutional law in particular,” Rostron said. “There’s a certain storytelling aspect to it. Constitutional law involves so much history, and every constitutional law case has a story and people behind it. These cases are relevant to the current day, and we see their impact playing out every day. It’s important to everyone to understand.”
Rostron’s passion for constitutional law doesn’t stop at the classroom doors. For the last four years, he has taught a summer course at the SPARK Flossie Pack Center for Lifelong Learning. Earlier this year, he was a fact checker for American Public Square at a live presentation about freedom of speech. Rostron is also involved in planning a series of events at the law school focused on current legal issues.
“I like being an ambassador of UMKC to the larger community and helping people understand what’s going on,” Rostron said. “I like that the Smith Chair will give me more opportunities to do that and to have a bigger role in the law school and the community.”
Jul 22, 2025
From accelerated degree programs to life-changing community fellowships, our generous supporters create opportunity and lasting impact
At the University of Missouri–Kansas City, success isn’t just measured in diplomas, it's measured in impact.
For thousands of students, a UMKC education is more than a degree. It's a pathway to opportunity and improving their community. But behind every student success story is another powerful force: a donor who believed in their potential.Philanthropy at UMKC is not just appreciated, it’s essential. Strategic gifts from generous donors are helping UMKC meet its boldest goals, including improving graduation rates, supporting first-generation students and creating career-ready graduates.
A Legacy of Access: The Victor Wilson Learning Collaborative
This fall, thousands of UMKC students will visit the Victor Wilson Learning Collaborative for the first time. Officially opened in May 2025, the collaborative is a testament to the university’s unwavering commitment to supporting all students’ success.Housed on the fourth floor of Miller Nichols Library, the Victor Wilson Learning Collaborative brings together all the tools students need to thrive including academic coaching, Supplemental Instruction, Peer Academic Leaders, First-Gen Roo Scholars and more. This vision was made possible through the generosity of many, including a $2 million match from the Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation, support from the Bloch Family Foundation and a $250,000 gift from longtime faculty member Elizabeth Noble. But the heart of the story begins decades earlier, with a man named Victor Wilson.Wilson was a quiet Kansas City businessman who left his fortune to UMKC upon his death in 1948. For the past 75 years, his forward-thinking trust and investment in Kansas City’s top university has supported thousands of student scholarships, and now the learning collaborative that bears his name will empower thousands more each year to reach their highest potential.
Fast Tracks and Big Dreams: More in 4 at Bloch
For many students, the biggest barriers to earning a degree are time and cost. The More in 4 program at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management was designed to solve both.Launched in early 2024, More in 4 allows high-achieving students to complete a bachelor’s degree in business administration or accounting and a Master of Business Administration in just four years, cutting tuition, accelerating career entry and maximizing the return on their investment. These students also receive up to $25,000 in scholarships, intensive advising and access to internships and mentors.The driving force behind this innovation is donor support from UMKC alumnus and trustee Nathaniel Hagedorn, who provided funding for scholarships and, inspired by his own accelerated college experience, a strategic vision to lessen the burden of time to degree for students.“I had professors who challenged me to think differently, who cared about my future,” Hagedorn said. “UMKC was my launchpad. Now, I want to be that launchpad for someone else.”
Strengthening Communities: The Community Impact Fellowship
UMKC understands our students’ success extends past the boundaries of our campuses. Their success enables them to be change-makers for the betterment of their neighborhoods, businesses, nonprofits and communities in Kansas City and beyond. That’s why the UMKC Foundation established the Community Impact Fellowship, which empowers students to partner with local organizations and deliver real-world transformation.Through the Community Impact Fellowship, and generous support from the Hall Family Foundation, the UMKC Center for Neighborhoods in Architecture, Urban Planning + Design in the School of Science and Engineering has three fellows from Kansas City working on initiatives that have potentially citywide impact.The fellowship serves as a driving force to develop community experts who can contribute to the continuation and development of resilient neighborhoods and stabilized communities.
Learn More or Get Involved
To explore how you can support UMKC’s student success programs, visit the UMKC Foundation website. Your gift is more than a donation. It’s a legacy of impact.
Jul 10, 2025
Community and research brought Matthew Robinson to Kansas City
At UMKC, students write their own stories, form their own definitions of success and chart innovative career paths. With Kansas City as their classroom, they turn dreams into reality every day.
Matthew Robinson Anticipated graduation year: 2025 UMKC degree program: Ph.D., Economics Hometown: Fresno, California
The interim director of the Center for Economic Information is a familiar face at UMKC. Matthew Robinson had a simple answer for why he chose this school all the way from Fresno, California.
“It was the people,” Robinson said. “I was doing a master's program at another school and met a graduate student from UMKC at a conference in New York. I was so excited about the work that they were doing. I think I bugged them about it for just hours afterwards. Then I met more students, more faculty and I decided that whatever career plans I have, or other job prospects, I'm going there and doing what these folks are doing.”
As for what got him into economics as a field of study, Robinson had a less simple answer: 2008.
“I was kind of kicking around during undergrad,” he said. “I haven't found anything I really like. I am taking an economics course during this time, and the world is, in a sense, falling apart. I'm volunteering, too, in a community full of very hardworking, very talented people. The unemployment rate is shooting up through the roof, and it's not like we got worse at our jobs. It's something else that was happening, and it didn't match up with what was in the textbook. I get to the job site, and I get requests: ‘College kid, explain it.’ I gave the answer that was in the textbook. This is just what they're saying. And after a while, they said that's enough, because it was insulting. It was the standard thing, the bootstrap thing; just work for less money.”
That was a major inspiration for Robinson as he started studying economics.
“When I left Fresno, I made a promise to myself: if I can't talk about what I am doing to my buddies who did not graduate high school, I'm wrong. If I can't talk at an academic conference with a bunch of economists and my people who didn't graduate high school, it's not for me. I'm in the wrong place.”
Turns out, the right place was UMKC.
“I started politely asking my professors why what we were seeing in theory is not what was actually happening. My professors pointed me to some writings, some from UMKC, and I was like, ‘This is it. I need to learn this,’ It took me a long time, but I did end up where things made sense.”
Robinson loves the work so much, he often struggles to focus on just his projects.
“There's just so much interesting work going on in the department,” he said. “I'm focused on my research agenda and moving things forward, but then I’ll hear a colleague talk about their work, or I’ll walk down the hallway and stumble into a presentation on something completely different, usually on currency markets, securities, neighborhood health or housing. All of a sudden, it's like ‘Oh, my gosh! That's the most interesting thing in the world,’ and I have to know everything about it. It's a good problem and probably the most difficult part of the program.”
The program at UMKC approaches economics in a way that helps that research relate to the here and now.
“We have a what's called a pluralist tradition,” Robinson said. “It's very focused on taking a look at the economy from different perspectives. We are encouraged to do it, or required to do it, because no one person or one school of thought or perspective is correct. You are expected to understand all of them.”
Robinson also found that support in the other schools at UMKC.
“I got to take three law school courses,” he said. " If you need to learn about space, and how to understand neighborhoods and boundaries, go over to geosciences, which was my code discipline. We're expected to be members of the community rather than just stuffy academics behind the computer screen.”
That’s also why Robinson continues to spend his summers doing volunteer work around Kansas City. He’s also involved with his local neighborhood association.
“It’s another reminder that not everything is in the textbook,” Robinson said. “You need to talk to community members who actually live in the economy. That’s what’s expected. And sure, it can be difficult, but that’s what makes this a great part of our department.”
It’s easy to tell how much Robinson loves Kansas City, UMKC and his community.
“I’m just so lucky to be here,” he said. “Just all the little things that could have gone one way or another. I met my wife here. I have neighbors that have turned into family. I guess it didn't take me too long, because this is the perfect time.”
Jul 09, 2025
Drawing on lessons from farm life and passion for mentorship, Stephanie Graff reflects on journey that led to school’s highest alumni accolade
Returning to her alma mater, Stephanie Graff (BLA ‘03/M.D. ’04) stood behind the lectern at the UMKC School of Medicine and reflected on a career shaped by hard work, mentorship and a belief in the power of community.
In her 2025 Take Wing Lecture in May, titled “Farm to Tablet,” Graff revealed how growing up on a farm in rural Missouri cultivated the foundational skills that still guide her as a leader in breast oncology. Framing her journey through a farm-to-table dining metaphor, she spoke of sowing seeds, weathering storms and working alongside a team to bring quality care and research to the table.
“The skills that I developed early in my life living in rural Missouri, helping support my family are fundamental,” Graff said. “Whether that's being able to relate to anyone, excellent communication, work ethic, stick-to-it-ness or grit. I think that that translates well into a career in science. There are certainly disappointments and setbacks in a career in medicine, just as there are in farming.”
One of Graff’s first career setbacks was in her second year of her thoracic oncology fellowship. Her mentor ended up changing institutions, so Graff quickly had to find a new oncologist to pair with to complete her fellowship training program. The new mentor that “adopted” her was a breast oncologist.
“The breast oncologist said, ‘You know, if you start working with me, you're going to have to see breast cancer, right?’” Graff said. “I absolutely ended up loving it. And so, here I am, all these years later, doing breast oncology. It ended up being fantastic that I had the opportunity to pivot.”
Graff knew early on in medical school that oncology was the right field.
“The science of oncology was just really captivating,” Graff said. “Then when I got to the clinical rotations, the sort of connections that we are able to develop in cancer care with our patients just felt like home to me.”
Now, more than 20 years after choosing this path, Graff has now been named the latest E. Grey Dimond, M.D. Take Wing Award winner. The award is the School of Medicine’s annual honor given to a graduate who has demonstrated excellence in his or her chosen field and exceeded the expectations of peers in the practice of medicine, academic medicine or research.
Currently, Graff is the director of Breast Oncology at Brown University Health where she serves as co-lead of the Breast Cancer Translational Research Disease Working Group at Legoretta Cancer Center and is an associate professor of medicine at the Warren-Alpert School of Medicine. Prior to joining the team at Brown in 2021, she has held several leadership positions with Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute.
During her lecture, Graff shared that the docent team model she experienced at UMKC has inspired her to create team-based care models and mentorship programs at every stage of her career, including a national Facebook group connecting oncologists to share insights and support.
“I'm at a place in my career where there's a lovely inflection point where I can start using my role to create opportunities for others,” Graff said. “My mentors have meant so much to me, and it means a lot to me to be able to create opportunities for others.”
Now that Graff is providing mentorship to young physicians and researchers, what is her biggest piece of advice? The path is messy, but worthwhile if you can learn from it.
“Pull out the golden thread from that failure,” Graff said. “Ask, ‘What can I learn from here? How can I pivot, learn, adjust from this moment to be stronger next time?’ Those are the things that distinguish us and set us apart and are often actually better than the successes at the end of the day for reflection and personal growth.”
As Graff reflects on the years of planting, nurturing and harvesting that brought her to this moment, she’s savoring the fruits of her labor.
“I remember the Take Wing lectures,” Graff said. “I never would have imagined that I would be giving one. To think about the caliber of prior recipients and the impact of their careers, it's a great honor to be among them.”
Jul 08, 2025
More than 1,900 students recognized
The University of Missouri-Kansas City encourages and honors the effort required to achieve excellence. Every semester demands commitment, dedication and tenacity. In the Spring 2025 semester, 1,949 undergraduate and professional students earned a spot on the UMKC Dean’s List.
This is an outstanding academic honor. Students must complete a minimum full-time program of 12 graded hours and meet their individual unit’s GPA threshold to qualify for the Dean’s List. These students showed what it meant to take pride in their academic success. If you know someone who made the Spring 2025 list, be sure to congratulate them for their achievement!
Below are the Dean’s Lists for the Spring 2025 semester.
Conservatory
Donovan AndesCaroline BlackKatrina BlumbergIsabella BrownGage BrownAurora ConroyNathan CoveyLana DauwRobin DeimerlyYulin DongVictoria DriverAnnie ElmoreFrancesca FarinaKayla ForbesJacob GehrEthan GodfreySam GranadeCameron GurssCaden HelmerKaitlyn HessLillian HimmelbergEthan HopperWesley HudginsHadley JarvisEthan KauffmanRaef LandesKennedy LaughlinMatt LeePatricia LovingAbigail MartinMackenzi MasonAbby MauldinZoe MeinsLilly MeyerNicole NormanAbigail OhmsQuin O'LaughlinDavid OosseNoah PhillipsDillon PottsEduardo SandovalSam SchislerEric SchmidtEmily SchutzelCrew ShaferCaleb ShepardAnahi SilvaMolly SloanJaxon St.ClairNeave SullivanLily TetenAaron TsengDmitrii TulupovOwen UnreinAidan Van LeerKloe WagnerElizabeth WatzkeMaddie WilliamsIsabel YearianJohn Zhu
Henry W. Bloch School of Management
Zuhur AbdiSasha AhmadSumaya AhmedMariam AlvaradoJake AmesJames AndersonCollin AndrewsRobby AppleberryHannah ArchdekinCamden BakerElisha BaldwinKaia BarkmanBridget BartholomausIsabelle BearceDarren BemissBrady BlankenshipMateus Borsanelli Tofetti MouraRachel BowermasterSydnee BrandtJulianne BromagenAdamari CarrilloBrianna CarterBri CastleberryDaniela Castro-CarreraIvy ChelugetYuhan ChenOlga CherniavskaChris ChiDavis ChildsGrace ClarkA'Mya CliftonAbigail CloughMadi CochranCaroline CooperPatrick CottonBrie CoxAllie CrawfordAbby CrooksPayton Crump-McHughEmely CruzAdriana Diaz LeguilluRose DoanMonse DominguezHaley DowlerGreta EbersoleRoselyn ElizaldeGrant ElsasAliya EmberyMaylin Fernandez-MenaChloe FitzgeraldSebastian FloresCaroline FoellerOsvald FontchaVal FryStephanie Gaspar CancholaAva GatesAmal GatiNadiira GhazaliKiera GodseyIvan GonzalezTriston GoodBryson GoschJohn GosseJordan GreenAustin HaggardSaid HajiElly HarrisLily HayHaley HeidbrederGrace HensleyGriffin HerClaire HicksTruc HoMissy HuntebrinkerKimber HusteadJessica HuynhJanice Jituboh AluyiTala JoudehSarah KannenbergKaleb KingAshley KochEmma KratzAnna KruegerBrooklyn LammersAndy LauJordan LaubNhi LeLillian LePhuong LeLuke LeonettiYijun LiuXiaohan LiuCyrus LoarNoah LockeEmily LongBrandon LopezAnabel Lopez JuradoJay LoweryCassandra LudwigArsh MaheyJuan MarronDestiny Martinez-LopezCarlos MataMia Matthews-BeavenLeah McIntyreSam MeyersHunter MiesnerBenji MitchellAbisai Montes-TorresDaniella MoralesAnna MortonDan NastarowiczPerla Navarro-OrtizChance NelsonAlex NguyenVivian NguyenJack NguyenAnh NguyenQuan NguyenKhanh NguyenLily NguyenLong NguyenAn NguyenKenly Nicolas-EstradaErika NunezWyatt OhnemusFernando OlivaresJavier Olivares BurgosAlice OropezaAlex OvertonDeesha PatelElyse PayneMicaela RichardsJazmin RomoAnnabella SaittaAmy SalazarPacey SalzmanKevin SarmientoLiddy ScuratoSkylar ShepardMaddie SibbingAxel Silva - AguirreMaggie SilvyGabrielle SimmsAlyssa SimoninKinsley SmithConnor SmithLexy SmithKirsten SpildePaige StaufferJoel SteppMiriya StilesBraylin TaylorWhitney TaylorSivkan ThindDrew ThompsonEthan TolbertMandy TranAlex UnsethNayeli VargasEli VogtSteven VuJake WalterYue WangEthan WelkerTristin WhittonLance WillyardEthan Yang
School of Dentistry
Hayley AdairMichael AllisonCamden ChastainLexi CliftDrew CubaMegan DartHannah DavieDrake DuganGiovanni FerraroJason FirthShelbi FlahautCasey GeddesMichael Gimotty IIIMary GipsonJackson GlynnSeth HofheinsKatie JenningsChristopher JohnsonTia KahwajiKatie KannenbergPeyton KusgenTommy MatayaGabby MertzAbby MonroeEthan NettlerKylie NicholsJiani OsbornMichelle PalmerK-Leigh PappasRiley PerelesLisa RaymondQuinten ReasonerSage ReichenbergerMatthew RodriguesMarilise RogersAdam SattlerHadley SchreinerEthan SmithJustin SurberJaiden TaggartNoah TallyJuliana TomitaClaire WaughEdward WunLauren BaileyChloe GerkenNaima IbrahimCarrington KudrnaKaytlyn KunkelHaley MayesDaniela Ruiz LazoHailey SchlupMackenzie SimpsonLauren SlavensHannah SloanJenna Wright
School of Education, Social Work and Psychological Sciences
Jenni AbadMary AguirreShams AlarthyNuhamin AliAshley AlvaConnor AthearnMadison AtkinsWesley Atkinson-SmithKayley BellAmna BilalTJ BlancarteDesiray BlueJasmine BookKylee BrazealVicki BrownJaylie BuiPeyton BurchLeilani BustamanteAlexander CarterEileen ChangAva ChinnockSamantha ComfortNeya CosbyEmily DamianDarci DaughertyMariah DavoltAnna DeckerMartha DelatorrePaige DinkelGrace DorrisAddi DouglasKierstin DowMadalyn DresselBailee EhlersAngelica EscobarKimberly EscobedoJordan FitchKim FloresAllie FloresLai'Ayla FlowersCorinne FogartyMichelle FormanPeter FuentesAndrea Gamboa RizoEmma GarciaNaomi GontermanAbby GrowneyAsma HajiMae'Kenya HallMyles HardyRobert HartmanLilli HaskinsCatherine HawkinsHanan HayyehEstrella Hernandez GarayAlex HerndonAngelina HerrMayerli HerreraNicole HoganMary IangChinecherem IhenachoJordan JacksonAmanda JamesAndria JersettKatelyn JohnsonMya JonesNyree JonesBerna KarisikGrace KiewietKendra KincaidKyra KingMikaylah KingKennedy KingAlyssa LaShurePayne LewisPeixuan LiuAbby LogsdonPaige LyfordErin MagelAqeel MalikTalisa MansouriAudrey MartensMattie MartinMorgan MashburnCate MaxeyIsaac McBurneyJason McCallopJamie McCleadJossie McClellandBrianne McGovernMichael McGroskyMikenna MeadowsBelen Mendoza SotoBri MillerMaya MillerLogan MillerBrenna MorganJules MortonConfi MuhozaAlex NelsonCiCi NguyenEmma NiepmannAdia NobleMichelle OgazMac OppermannJacob PaineNatalie PeaceAinsley PickeringKenya PollestadAna Puentes RezaStar RaspberryAngela RaymerElizabeth ReamsArriana RichardsonJacqueline RiveraAlanie RiveraSarah RobinsonKristina Robles-MunozKiko RodriguezKarleigh Rodriguez AcostaAlec RoeMckenna RowlandTy RusticiAllison RyalsNajma SaidIsabella SalinasPaige SanfordCandy SarresJulian SchollNatalie SeguraDaiysha ShanksMary Kelly ShevlinMariana Simental GrijalvaAdriana SpanglerTarah TavisBlair TaylorLisa ThomasAlyssa TimmonsNayla Torres-RodriguezKayla TottressValeria Trejo-SandovalDhwani TripathiOlivia TurnerLiliana van EijndtWyatt VandusenVianney VazquezBrooke WalterLydia WeaverDallas WelchKevin WentworthMieke WestraLyric Williams-McGuireAdrienne WilsonMarissa WoodruffEmilie YoungHarper YoungAbigail Zuniga
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Rebecca AbebeYoussef AbouelelaIqra AdenNatalie AdermannShikha AgarwalGrace AllenElizabeth AllenBrooke AmosNatalie AndersonMiriam AndersonAshley AppleberryCarolyn AppletonMeha AsirLaila AtkinsAbanoub AttallahMacy AtteberyAlex BachtellIsabella BakerMonisha BalajiHana BangaKelby BannermanJay BanuelosEden BarnesGrace BatdorfMathias BaucherKaitlyn BerryPatrick Bever-ChrittonUpala BhowmikKayla BiggsMaisy BlantonHaya BodaJosephine BoosmanJohn BorumMichael BosticElyse BredfeldtCourtney BreedloveZoe BrokawMary BrooksSydney BrownKate BrummundChristina CacoulidisBrinlea CalaisLauren CarberyJames CarterSy CartwrightJayden ChismEllie ChoiBen ChoiOlivia ChristensenSarah CochranNeb CockrellMorgan ColeAurelia ColletteMichael CollingsSonja CombsAbby ConnorSalome ConteronAnnabelle CrappellDaze Creamer-EllecampLainey CreasonAshley CrockettMeagan CrockettLilah Crum BarnhillAdelina CurielAidan DavisLilith DavisWendy DiazDarrelyn DollarAlex DufourmantellePaul DurlandVictoria DyeJeffrey EakinsVia EasterKimberly EscobarEva EvansTochi EzeanolueMikayla FarageGrace Fausnett-BondJacqueline Fernandez-PatlanKatie FitzgeraldCassandra FloresMia ForneyMcKaylie ForrestGracyn FrecksGabriele GalluccioJasmine GamelIxchel GarciaAngelika GarcianoCarlie GeiseDevan GirishIshita GorjalaZachary GraggRebekah GrantSydney GravattCallum GraysonSimone GriggsMaddie GrimesEmani GuerinArjelia Guillen MaciasBrennah GuinnZach GunterAlizah HaaseTaiylor Hackett-KempYasmeen HanonSara HanonBrianna Hardesty-BiondoKaleb HardingZachary HarrellHaylee HarrellAlexandra HarringtonIsabel HarrymanThor HarterMarcus HarveySafio HassanGrace HeathClara HeikenRayney HeldLogan HendersonMarc HermanAlejandro HernandezYency Hernandez-SanchezEve HerrMelissa HerreraMila HerreraKate HigginsIan HilderbrandKatarina HillSeth HillLauri HoedlTrent HoglandSienna HoopingarnerMadhav HotaAnnie HoustonEvan HuangMara HuckSarah IllimoottilAhmed IqbalFatima IqbalCara JacobNabeeha JalaliFahad JamalFaduma JarikRayne JasoniValentina Jimenez-ValenciaChance JohnsonDaniel JonesMadisyn JonesAidan JoyceTalen Joyner-KeeneAbby KargesGrant KellerZahra KhanKhadija KhanNatalie KiesGrace KimJoseph KnowlesSamanyu KoduriPrithvi KoneruSri KoyaDiksha KrishnaswamySindhuja KudapaJarissa LaraBenjamin LewisVance LiGianna LickelAnnie LileKyle LilleyJacob LobdellTaylor LopezHennessey LopezSam LuAnwitha MadamanchiLauren MageeGyan MalaniKrish ManekMayzie MangosLilah ManningGabby Marin CastanedaKylie MarshallZoey MarshallBrianna MartinTanner MartinSofia MartinezElizabeth MartinezNysa MaruthyAdele MaupinSabrina McCannEmma McdonaldDade McDonaldAubrionna MeadJuan MedranoRachel MengKendrah MesidorMaddie MeyerAnnamarie MilanoWren MillerYasmina MokhtarCatherine MonaghanJay MooreSkylar MorrisLanya MuhamadConstantin MusteataSaichaitanya NallajennugariRoman NapieralaMichael NavatoJillian NeeleyJessie NguyenEthan NguyenErick NicolasSavy NistalaJocelyn OhAlexa OmorodionBrenna OxleyMin PaingRiya ParikhRyan PasleyPrisha PatelMeirah PaulJordan PaxtonAngelina PearsonAthena PecautNatalie PeersonCharlotte PeetzAriana PerchesMason PercyLana PeregrinaMaya PerezSamantha PettusBlake PfannesCaitlin PickertSantosha PochirajuJailyn PolkElizabeth PorrittJack PowerArthur QualmanHomyra RahimiArushi RaiTheo RaitzerArchi RajSophia RamosSurya RangarajHamza RaufSarah ReedAdam ReedRyen ReedySamyra RegaladoNayab RehmanWilla ReustIsabella ReyesMadelyn RiffeeZoya RizviTamara RobinsonRemi RochaMarco RodriguezCourtnie RossChloe RothoveOlivia RubioThessa RyanJoy RyanHarryson SalcedoJouhel SalinasSamantha Santibanez-RuedaNatalie SarrattAshley SavageKaitlyn SchebaumWilliam SchniedersIsabelle SchroederHonesty SeaseVictor SewankamboArya ShahBelah ShanksDelaney ShieldsKowthar ShireAlexis ShirleyJordyn ShivelyEmily ShoemakeEvan ShoryRob ShresthaAmritasha SinghMolly SloanJonathan SmithNia SmithBrian SparksBen SpringerAshu SrirangamAydan StiglerAlexandre StoutJazlyn SummersTristan SupernawNatalie SwampillaiTennessee TaffnerDa'Mya ThomasNikole ThomasRyan ThomasEmma ThomasKaelyn ThompsonEmily TownsDhairya TrivediHannie TruongAllBright TunKellen TurnerDana Valenzuela PortilloMeaghan VandeheyNivriti VaranasiDanusri VaratharajSarai VasquezCamille VerhoevenMaddie vonFischbachAnshal VyasWalley WalleyBradley WaltonLily WatersKeegan WatkinsLuke WatkissZane Watt HovenVince WeinbauerLyric WestleyChristina WholeyKyra WilburnConstantin WilliamsVictor WilliamsAurora WilsonGavin WithamAlexandria WoerthThistle WolfMarley WoodfordHannah WoodsGrace WorkmanJames WorthamSarah YacoubSarah YimBeck ZaitzZhenos ZakiKarla ZelayaSophie Zinman
School of Law
Kit AdderholtMohammad AlkhatibCallison AmesDominic AmmatelliAllee ArmitageTiara ArtiesRebekah ArwoodKelsy AustwickLevi BanesMichelle BarrineauAshley BartonMelanie BattsJoseph BazataRaef BellBrianna BellamyOlivia BenoitBekah BerardiAlyse BergerCameron BerryEmma BeuerleinCharles Beulens Jenniece BooneQuintin BossertAlexandra BowerBrent BoydShayna BrazealHarrison BurchfieldEthan BureshCade BurghartPadraich BurkeKarima BurnsJason CantrellMarin CareyJosie CareyKenzie CarsonJohn CastelloAmanda CastillejaLindsey CavittTrevor CernechMatthew Champagne Molly ChasteenPiper ChristensonBrian ChristianJesse ClaypoolTyler ClevengerThomas CluckPhilip ColeFrancesco Consalvo Makenna CopelandCade CortezBobbie Crew Stephanie CrockerKristen CroucherIsabella CrutchfieldTaylor CullenIan CuthbertPadriac DaBruzziAdam DanielBrooke DaughertyTedeja DeanJames DeisterTrinity DelaneyAlex DeLucaMichael DerusseauEmily DesbienKendall DillonAudrey DoeringMichael DolanSofia DominguezAnna DonaldsonMackenzie DouglasIvana EasleyLilythe EighmyBijan EsfandiaryNoah FahnestockNoah FanslerAngelina FerraraKatie FiferCarson FinkMatthew FischbachCaroline FishTaylor FlemonsKersten FrostJoey GambleDanny GamezVictoria GardnerErica GarrettKirby GarrettDoug GraceEthan GraySophie GreenErika GreerHarper HaganMcCalister HallBethany HalsteadJennifer HalversonJoseph HardyChristine HarpeBret HartMary Paige HawkinsAddison HaynesGrant HeimanJay HellebuschAlex HerringLiam HeuselTorri HicksBen HobstetterCalvin HolleJordan HopperGrant HouskeKirsten HoutzJulia HowellLukas HudsonAlison HuffAaron HungClayton HutchinsMatthew HyattOlivia JabaleyRyan JacobsenKaylee JacobsonElizabeth JanneyTara JanowskiLogan JeffersCristina JimenezNoah JohnsonLatorrie JohnsonCat JohnsonNathan JohnsonGabe JohnsonJared JohnstoneClaire JoskiKatherine KarnatzMaria KenneyEmma King MurphyCole KingsleyWilliam KirkpatrickAlec KirwanWieu KuotSalenna LaffoonNick LangsdaleRies LasterLauren LawsonJacob Leamon Suhong LeeJilliane LewisLauren LipariMadeline MannRachel MartinRob MasseyBrad MatteuzziElizabeth McCarthyKenny McDermedLauren McFailAli McKeeBruce Mena-SierraKaleb MillerErin MillerAlexander MillerLogan Mitchell Brett MordecaiMeredith MorrisonCorey MyersMatthew NeswickTimothy NicholsJacob NiemeyerKendal NilgesEthan OliverJohn Olomon-HowellAsh OnstottPyper OttBrogan PattonSara PauleySamuel PetersonWhitney PetersonEmma PiazzaMegan PilegeTaylor PinonKirsten PintoAmanda PoeKaylee PopejoyCaleigh QuinnAnthony QuinnJosie RahderNicholas ReckerJoshua RepplingerErin RichardsJessica RigbyAddison RockersChristopher RogersCarrigan RohachAnna RomoMichael RoseTaylor RoseAnthony RossTaylor RumseyKelee RussAndrew SacharinYara SalamedLouise SarverClaire SchallenbergKloe’ SchnellJoseph ScholtenMadison SelfMargaret SelfEmersyn ShaltonTanner SheltonBrent ShinkleTaylor ShoemakerA Z M Umar Faruque Siddiki Diego SilvaTeresa SingletonJoseph SkojacDaniel SlaybaughHelene SlinkerKyle SmithKathryn SopcichWill SpeidelAndrew StaffordKatherine StanziolaRiley SteenstraJoseph SteinbacherMacy SteinlageKaylee StillieTressa StovernCorrine SurrattAnna Syptak-WelchMaxson TechauJohn ThompsonGabrielle ThurnReece TreasureAlexander TrueSumeya TummalaDerek van ThullenarAnna VanBuskirkWilliam VanceAbby VandiverJaquelin Veloz-CisnerosJohn ViewAlex VillalobosIsabella VillegasSydney VogelgesangAlexander von KeudellE Josef VothDanielle WagnerRobert WaldMatt WalkerSeth WalkerStephanie WaxmanLandon WebbSamantha WhiteBrennan WhittJake WillenbringRiley WilliamsAndrew WiseKevin WiseIan WisemanRegan WoodHuiting XuJoshua YanceyChristopher YardleyHeather YatesWilliam YoungsJesse ZeckCamron ZerrPeyton ZigrangGrant Zykan
School of Nursing and Health Studies
Halawe AbdiYaretzy Aguirre CamachoRashawn AionoIbtihal AliNour AlterjalliHiba AlterjalliIsabelle AndersonHajra AsifTami AyegboElla BaileyBeatriz BandaAmoni BastonMia BatistaJudy BattsDaniela BautistaMary BedaSajeda BeeMaqdas BhattiCaroline BrandtAmelia BreuerKatie BuehlerElizabeth BurgenerJasmine CageKarime CalderonAlivia CalvertErin CarberyAlex CarreonDylan CarterTacee CatlettSihaam CaydaruusMia ClasbyKayla CoatesShema ColleyAnnabel ColonRylee CourterWesley CribbBrenna CroninElaina CroninMalath DaffaallahLillian DangKelsey DavisThomas DrososAnnita DubeAnne EbberweinSam EllerbeckJessica Eskew-NoshirwaniLyric EwingKylie FergusonTia FieldsFatima Fierros-EspinozaIsabelle FishKatelyn GendronAbby GoschKinzie GuySu HanBrenden HansenZowie HayesHalle HeerenClaire HeigeleKathryn HeminghausBritney HernandezCecelia HinesGlenne HinkleAnna HoffmanMcKenna HoltzclawHawa IbrahimZainab IqbalAbby IslandJonn JacksonAshley JacobsonAislinn JorgeJalen JuanSimone JudonLillian KamlerKenzie KennicuttMeik KernsJulianna KuyMolly LaFolletteAngelica LamPiper LangmannChrystina Le-ChhengGrace LendtRami LeRoyHannah LindNatalia Lopez-RodriguezDanielle MakaraEiqra ManyiMillie McGheeMakayla MeadRafia MehmoodSarah MelvinDaniela MendezMaria MergenHannah MiddaughAshley MillerFatma MohamedFaiza MohamedEdgar MontoyaKarson MorrisBrooke MuehlingAndrea MulfordNatalie NguyenKristina NguyenNgoc NguyenKatie NobleCrystal OdugwePeyton OsborneMumtaza OsmanBrittany ParkerJasmine PattersonKassandra PerezSarah PerreaJorden PhillipsBryanna PlankerOlivia PlattLaci PowellLexi PribylIsabelle ProudfitOlivia QuinnJulia Rivera-BotkinElle RobinsonGray RobisonLawrence RoccaroJeffrey RodriguezSydney RogersAirly Romo QuezadaRachel RonquilloShannon RoseKathryn RossSam Ruiz-BehrendsEmina SarajlicRuth SchinstockPayton SchnoorIsaac ScottWah Moo SheeSarah Jane ShidelerGavan ShingerKortney SmallTyesha SmithLaChe' SmithMakenna SmockMaia SolQuinn SpearKarsyn StehlikElijah StroutAddi SuttonWaad TahaAmina TahirovicBrooke TannerAn'Jolise TaylorElizabeth ThangShawn TidwellJenny TranMakayla TraylorLauren TrickeyKayla Urness-ReardonBethany VandenburgPajah VangBridgette VelasquezMel VentersDaisy WanaswaMackenzie WebbLinda WhitsellPiper WilkinsDeion WilsonMartha WlehBriona WoodsAisha YacubCarson YantziValencia YzaguirreJazmin ZepedaBethany Ziebarth
School of Pharmacy
Ali AkersHaley AndersonSafa AnsariBrooke AtchisonAlexis BallEthan BillupsKeith BodenhamerKayla BondBryce BortkaRebekah BostonWeston BoswellKamden BoydIan CoffmanKatherine ComerMadison CrawfordCassy DoeblerScott DuensingMaddie EppleMakenzie FletcherNatalie FrankMarian FrizzellJackson GibbsNate GiboneyJay GoldenJake GriebelSeth HammackDarra HarperDrew HedrickJoshua HendersonLauren HendrixKayla HolmgrenNav KaurElla KemmAlison KeverBen KissnerMaya KivistoCourtney KneseClaire KollarsSophia KovalenkoAvery LakeMary LePiqueJomar LopezKalista MamieBrandi MarkhamKamryn MartinKyndall MillsCarson MohrPaige MuellerPayton NeubauerTam NguyenAlannah NowakHailey OeschCole ParkerIsabella PetryMalaina PitschLexi RiggsAli RyalsJoseph SalazarKesley SarbaughAlan ScalziSavannah SchludeJeremy SchmidtKatie SeeChris SimkinsGisele SimonPeyton StearmanMegan StewartJohn StriblingRachel SturdevantVictoria TaggartMegan TandyTevin TaylorTraeten ThorellPeter TranTommy TranCorrina TrimbleStephen UnkDominick VittoneMatney WatersKatie WeberWill WhiteClara WiedemanAllison WinklerAddison WuebkerLauren YoungbloodJefferson ZhongKiara CarpenterSydney FalterTanyaa GurushankarKevin HoJudah JerlsMichael LuAli TehraniEmra TmusicBrett TurnerLogan West
School of Science and Engineering
Mahrukh AamirHashim AbdullaMohsen AbdulrahmanZaid Abu-SalahJaret AdamsMichelle AguileraHafsa AhmedHaya AhmedArshiya AhsanCameron AkhtarSaleh AlameeriMadison AlbaughAmmar AlbeloushiHanna AlemuKarrar AljabaraYaseen AllanHamad AlmaianAlex AlonsoJasem AlostathYousef AlqallafAli AlsaffarNadeen AlsalmanAli AlsulaimanAnas AlthalathiniAnum AmanullahErica AmelunkeViraj AminMeerub AmirLany AndersonNnenna AnikweAbrahim AnsariNicolas AponteHalena Aquino-DunkinEmily ArmstrongJeremiah ArthurBillie AsraltIbrahim AssafFisher AtkinsKeeli AustinWuraola AwopetuAnthony AyalaCatherine BahadursinghAmir BahmandarPaige BaldwinDylan BallRabeea BariHarper BarlowJeff BarnhillGavin BartonAbdalrahman BashirMason BassHanva BassembatTanu BassiJadyn BauerSophia BaugherLucy BeckenbachAaron BeckmanKatelyn BellAdriana BenassiAmgad BenkhadraSarah BensahriSalma BensahriMauricio BernalLogan BeshearsEthan BessetteElle BetzSiya BhaduGrady BiceJacob BiddingerEmma BjornstadMercedez BoatengMaggie BoleyCharlie BonadonnaKate BoosmanJulia BourquinRyann BowmanWyatt BoydCaelan Bradfield WoodheadNico BradshawXavier BrandhorstMary BreauJoshua BrinerShafter BriscoeDylan BrollSharli BrownRand BrownChamberlain BrownsbergerGarrett BryerZaina BsataAbigail BuckLindsey BuehlerBk BurkaJack BurnosMarcus ButlerKyle ButlerCooper BuzbeeBrenda CalderonEsteban CalderonJeff CampLupe Campos-SotoOlivia CarlsonKeyra Castillo AvilaJosh CastroGavin CatchingJudi CavenderNoah ChapmanVictor ChavezXingyu ChenYumiko ChenJohn ChirpichCatherine ChrobakBrody ChurchmanCameron CiancioloTori ClarkJenna ClarkDominic ColbertRiley ConnorsTanisha ConyersJuan Corral-Galindo.Liv CourtneyChristina CuttsMuzan DaffaallahMohammed DaghmoushMichael D'AgostinoJohnny DaoAbdulaziz DarweeshWillow DavisCaitlyn DavisSafae DbaibiNicholas de RaadRJ DedertJenifer DelgadoKopelyn DeLongMiguel DeltoroNoah DevlinOpjeet DhanoaJohnny DiepKyla DinhKatreena DinhLydie DjibaKhoa DoLogan DudleyAbhigna DugaputiZane DunstonBrian DuongTyler EavesJoel EbenezerSarah EbenezerMaryam El-DemerdashMohamed ElgasimNouran ElhiweejTyler EllingtonDoug ElyAnthony EppelheimerKatelyn ErceTina ErfanianEuropa EstabrookEdward Estepan AlcantaraMichael FamurewaArsala FatimaTasneem FatimahSienna FickenArfa FirozIlse Flores HernandezAdamaris Flores ValadezChristina ForbesEthan FordKylan FosterSymone FranksDylan FrazierCamden FreemanConner FreeoufPeyton FryRemica FunderburkJohn GachKrishna GandhamWill GannanCynthia GarciaChad GardnerSai Charan GarrepallyJosh GehrElaina GenovaAdrina GeorgeKyle Darius GepayoNora GharaviAlex GhasemiRyan GibbonsSirat GillCody GlassbrennerKathleen GodornesJackson GoldMJ GonzalezMirka GonzalezJohn GoodenKyle GoodmanBrandon GouvionJackson GrantMichael GreenAnnabelle GriffinAaron GulatiAutumn GuptaKayden GurungLina GuzmanSophia HaiCaden HallCarter HallZach HardeeCierra HarrisAela HartnettMahmood HassanTaiba HayadMuskaan HayerDominic HeaterBen HelusElbert HenriquezTroy HermannSelena HerreraCassie HerringKatarina HertellAlex HiebertBrooke HigginsCassidy HillLauren HinesTrenton HoeflickerBruno HoeltgebaumLuke HoeltingIzzy HogelinTobias HoldenCydnee HollinshedMcKenna HoodClement HorlanderAdam HoskinsMaung HtooCameron HuddlestonKona HudsonAidan HughesAndy HumphreyBawaan HussainKhaled Harun HusseinDaniel HuynhChristine HwangAisha IbitoyeWesley IdahosaMohid IdreesSaid IsakovOh May IsharHiba IssawiSarah JacksonJailyn JacksonLillie JacobsKamron JafariAlexia JaimeAkerth JainSteven JalinskyAlpha JallohMohammad JarradSai Bindhu JavvajiSai Sindhu JavvajiAJ JayasekarAshli JohnsonMark JohnsonSolomon Johnson-Parker-HillGrayson JohnstonKate JohnstonKevin JonesOliver JonesJessica JosephJoan JoshyGisselle JuradoSam JusticeTyler KaiserTyler KaminskiAkshay KannanAnshika KapoorAlan KarnesSimarpreet KaurDavid KeltnerSydney KennedyMatt KentJack KeysRahhaf KhalilShree KhambekarSean KhanHannah KhanZawni KhineWei Shen KhooIan KimTerica KimbleJeff KimbrowDaniel KingSydney KingBraeden KingsolverAubry KleinsorgeMary KleneElijah KlineKat KnightMarshall KnisalZach KnuthKai KowalczewskiMaddie KramerGabriel KribbsAlisa Krolevich BertrandMaddie KunzJacob KuppermanJack KurtzLizzy LaffoldBrandon LaingThao LamJade LambertzCalvin LarisonAlicia LeLoc LeAusten LeckbeeEmanuel LefeboDeming LeiMick LeinbachCooper LennardCat LewinBrett LewisJack LewisAlex LiSunny LinDavid LinAngela LiuKomlan LoccoMelanie Loma-JassoJoseph LongJoey LopezJuan LopezTiffany LorAlyssa LoveAsh LovettAbdullahi MaalimDuncan MacDonald MacdonaldLisa MachKeagon MadisonGrace MahacekLuke MalcomLeher MalhotraSarina MalisosAtlas MallamsMaddie MaloneAdrian ManhnieoSavanah ManionNathan ManningWilson MaoSidney MartinAlexia Martinez ArambulaKassandra Martinez-RiveraAva MastersonJulian MatrasJosh McAnerneyMaura McCaigMichael McCormackAndrew McDanielClayton McGinnisNicholas MckenzieKoby MckindryHayden McnallanPatrick McPartlandTanner MeansJaime MedinaKylee MedlinFinn MeggittLeah MengVanessa MenzAbreham MesfinNick MilesMadyson MinkerChase MinnickSalman MirzaMadison MitchellJaxen MitchellNihal ModuguDarko MohammedSumaiya MohamudJackson MontaigneEli MontgomeryKyle MoorKatelyn MoorePeter MorganRaine MorriganKegan MorrowDenny MosbyXander MosleyMaria Eduarda MottaNina MruckovskiUmer MuhammudKaze MuregoBree MurphyCanann MurphyPhoebe MurphyCody MurrowKaydence MusgroveAlla MustafaTrevon MyersShrihari NagarajanKyle NaluanEmily NatanovaSokhna NdiayeJack NeerMitul NeerubaiBen NelsonTaylor NevezMinh NgoBritney NguyenDanny NguyenCadao NguyenVincent NguyenNhat NguyenEthan NguyenJason NguyenBrandon NguyenMason NguyenChristine NguyenBean NguyenKevin NguyenThuan NguyenCecilia NguyenScott NguyenJoey NguyenNoah NicholsSpencer NormanEthan NorrisTrevor NortonMicah NovakArtemis NowrouziChikasi NwachukwuAndrew O'DellDemilade OgunleyeDiamond OgunsijiFaith OlaoyeSemire Olatunde-SalawuVictor OlatunjiMary OldhamCaden OllarVictoria OlusanyaIan O'NealEsteban OrdazDylan OrpinIsa Ortiz-AcostaAmna OsmanAhmed OuazzaniGunner PaceSara PaceVaishali PadarthyVaishali PadarthyBrayton PalmaJasmine ParmarJazmin ParraWill ParrishAna PastoraJai PatelYagna PatelAarohi PatelPearl PatelJayda PaulRasagyna PeddapalliGiacomo PennellaVanesa Perez-JaramilloHallee PhamHanson PhanHuynh PhanAlisha PhelpsRaegan PiersonSpencer PingelCarter PittsAudrey PlunkettChina PolferAnjie PopoolaNicholas PortingSai Praneeth PothuriOliver PowellAdam PowersEdgar Prado ZavalaJordan PrierOlyvia PughBreckynn PughWylie PutnamHafsa RahmanNachiket RajinikanthDiana RamirezMarco RamirezPrisha ReddyAlexis ReedHolly ReesThomas ReillyAna Ribeiro TostaDonald RieadZadok RiggsAlyssa RobersonLanden RobyCarson RocheClarice RodriguezDavid RodriguezChris RodriguezClarice RodriguezNick RoederEvelin Romo-MaciasTimothy RonoAlex RoseAly RubleAndrew RuffinAnthony RuizEmery RuliffsonSam SaflyShirin SahaAustin SalinskyAhmed SalousDori SandritterPreston SantoFatoumatta SanyangSafal SapkotaSofia SarrisSamantha SaunsaucieSophy SaykallyLogan SchmoeJake SchneiderAvri SchultzSam ScottJosephine SebunyenziWayne SellersAllison ShaferAyush ShahMahnoor ShahidToufiq UmarParanjay SharmaBailey SharpAlend ShkurCalvin ShuckWilliam SikorskiMatthew SimmonsLogan SimpsonAtlas SizemoreSloan SkarzynskiClayton SlonikerChauncey SmallKendal SmithJadan SmithKatie SmithKaleb SmithArsalan SohailNdeye SonkoJose SosaJames SparksHaley SpringerThomas StasaPeter SternCory SteverJaydine StilesAlex StinsonJordan StrausbaughMahlon StrongSebastian Strong-HuffTuhin SudhakarEd Szczuka JrSthuthi TadipartiHannah TaiAlex TangJunior Tanyi BateEmelin TapiaAida TesfayJeremiah TesfayeRobert TeutschA Chao ThaoMya ThomasAiden ThompsonSam ThompsonMax ThompsonVignesh TiruvannamalaiJen TownesMichelle TranVincent TranAnh Thu TranBen TranaLuis TribaldoSteven TurnerEmily TurnerMya TurnerLevi TurnerRebecca TurnerMadison TwiteShruthika UduthuriLauren UkenaSebashton UnderhillAaron UptonJordy Urbina-GuardadoAmber VaidUrmila Suman VaidyaNathan ValencicGibron VangNathan VanzeylAkshaj VariathJanani Venkat RamananRohan VenkateshLarry VeulemanChris ViermannJonin VillacampaJulio VillarrealNhu VoPhuc VoKevin VoBrian VoHalley VogtsGracie WagnerHay WahReece WalkerLucas WallaceDaniel WalquistGriffin WalshLily WarnerNoah WatkinsAshton WeeksJacob WeidleJohan WestergaardKimora WhetstoneMeghan WhiteLevi WilhelmHajar WilkesIsaac WilliamsTomie WilliamsAlyssa WoodJozey WoodTodd WoodruffIsaac WoodwardGabriel WorcesterRobert WrenGracie WrightAniston WulffZhen XiaoJordan XiongJada YanceyVincent YangEmily YuTaylor YuhasTaylor YuhasAlice ZhaoPresley Ziegenbein
University College
Christian CastrejonJoy CruickshankTristan FeenerTanya Hladky-BlyIan IdeMaria OjedaAxel SanchezMakayla SchulzElise Segers
If a student’s name does not appear on the list, please direct questions to the appropriate school or college.
Jul 07, 2025
UMKC alumna redefining beauty standards with skincare brand that embraces acne without shame
Kaity Smith (BBA ’24) has spent years sharing her acne journey online, building a following with nearly 300,000 followers and 25 million likes on TikTok and more than 90,000 followers on Instagram. Throughout her skincare journey, she realized that most skincare products were not designed with acne-prone skin in mind. Now, with the launch of her brand Acne Girly, the UMKC alumna aims to empower people by normalizing acne and redefining skincare. We talked to Smith about her entrepreneurial journey and the vision behind Acne Girly.
What made you decide to start Acne Girly?
I was so tired of acne being marketed through shame. Why is every product ad zooming in on someone’s breakout or talking about ‘fixing’ your face? I wanted to create something that didn’t make people feel like they had to hide behind their acne. Acne Girly is for people who’ve felt overlooked by the beauty industry and just want products that meet them where they are.
What did you study at UMKC and how has that helped you with creating Acne Girly?
I studied business administration with an emphasis in marketing and entrepreneurship and minored in chemistry. I was also part of the E-Scholars program, which helped me build confidence when it came to representing my brand and staying true to it. My business background gave me the structure to bring Acne Girly to life, and the chemistry background helped me understand how formulations work, especially when it came to acne-prone skin.
What products can be purchased from Acne Girly? How did you decide on these products?
We’ve launched one product so far. Dottie is a hydrocolloid pimple patch that comes in a refillable case. I’ve personally tried almost every patch on the market, and my community already trusts my thoughts on what works. Patches have been a part of my routine forever as they’re effective, satisfying and low-effort. Dottie is my take on them— patches made for breakouts packaged in a way that feels intentional and elevated.
How did you get started as an influencer in the acne and skincare industry?
I started by posting college vlogs on YouTube, but when I moved to TikTok, that’s when things took off. Honestly, a lot of the early comments were negative. People would point out my acne, ask what treatments I’d tried and comment what I was doing ‘wrong.’ It could’ve made me stop posting, but instead I chose to show up anyway. I started answering questions, sharing what I’d been through and representing the acne girls who didn’t see themselves in skincare ads. From there, my platform grew naturally. I was consistent, like posting 10 times a day consistently, and made it a point to respond to almost every comment with a video. I’m mainly on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
What was the process of starting your own business like? Was it similar to building your brand as an influencer?
Honestly, it was a whole different beast. With influencer content, it’s mostly you and your camera. But launching a product means working with labs, designers, manufacturers and legal teams—it involves constant communication and decision-making. As an influencer, I built a brand based on me. With Acne Girly, I had to think bigger: how does this serve others? What does this brand stand for without my face on it? The stakes are higher, the to-do list is longer and you’re responsible for way more than just engagement. But at the end of the day, both are about building trust and showing up consistently.
What do you hope people experience after using Acne Girly products?
I want people to use our products and feel like they’re not alone in this—that their acne doesn’t make them less clean, less confident or less deserving of good skincare. I also want the experience to feel a little luxurious and feminine. The packaging, the textures and the tone of our brand are all intentional to make people feel like using our products is an experience in itself. People deserve skincare that supports their skin and looks beautiful while doing it.
What are your future goals and aspirations with Acne Girly?
I’d love to expand into makeup with products that don’t just cover acne but also actually respect it. I want Acne Girly to be a one-stop, reliable place any acne girly can go to and know the products were made with them in mind. Skincare, makeup and maybe even community spaces. My dream is to change the way people with acne experience beauty.
Jul 02, 2025
UM System Award honors students for exceptional leadership, peer mentorship and campus community impact
Michelle Wu, a fifth-year medical student in UMKC’s B.A./M.D. program, has been named a 2025 recipient of the Remington R. Williams Award, one of the University of Missouri System’s highest non-academic honors.
Named in memory of Remington R. Williams (J.D. ’22), a former UMKC student representative to the UM Board of Curators known for his compassion, leadership and dedication to student success, the award recognizes exceptional student leaders who make a lasting impact both inside and outside the classroom through outstanding character and a collaborative spirit.
Wu is one of just seven students across the entire UM System and the only UMKC student to receive the honor this year.
Originally from Dallas, Texas, Wu chose UMKC for its accelerated medical school program. But it was her unique circumstances of her first year that sparked her passion for building community.
“My first year at UMKC began in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it difficult to meet people or feel connected to campus life,” Wu said. “Coming from Texas, I did not know anyone in the program, and with everything held virtually, it was hard to build community. That experience motivated me to get more involved starting my second year, both to form connections and to help others feel more at home.”
She joined the Union Programing Board, eventually became president and city outreach coordinator, and also co-founded the UMKC chapter of Global Medical Brigades. Through her involvement in these organizations, Wu has helped foster a welcoming campus culture while also guiding fellow medical students through the challenges of their education.
In his nomination letter, UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal wrote: “Michelle consistently promotes an inclusive and supportive environment that inspires students and faculty around her. Her work on the Union Programming Board is a prime example of her dedication to creating a vibrant campus where students can build connections.”
In her five years with the Union Programming Board, Wu has helped bring students together through campus events that promote well-being and connection.
“She played a key role in organizing engaging events that brought both graduate and undergraduate students together,” said UMKC Associate Professor Xiang-Ping Chu, M.D., Ph.D. in his nomination letter. “Through her efforts, Michelle fostered a stronger sense of community by facilitating fun, inclusive events that not only contributed to student enjoyment but also promoted a well-rounded, healthy school life. Her work in this capacity was instrumental in helping create a vibrant, supportive environment where students could connect and unwind, ultimately cultivating a better school experience for all at UMKC.”
But her impact extends far beyond the campus events. She’s known among her peers and mentors as a trusted leader – someone students turn to for both academic support and personal encouragement.
“I wanted to support others who might feel just as overwhelmed or out of place as I once did,” Wu said.
At Saint Luke’s Hospital, where she worked under the mentorship of Richard W. Lustig, D.O., Wu became a go-to resource for younger students navigating clinical training.
“Michelle is always willing to offer advice and guidance, whether related to clinical challenges or academic inquiries,” Lustig said in his nomination letter. “She has taken many students under her wing, patiently helping them navigate the complexities of medical training while fostering an environment of respect, empathy, and mutual support. Her mentorship goes beyond simply answering questions; Michelle actively inspires and guides younger students to become better clinicians and leaders.”
That commitment to excellence was on full display during a neurology rotation when Wu noticed signs of a second stroke in a patient whose initial symptoms had been attributed to a single event.
“Trusting her clinical instincts, she advocated for further imaging, which led to the discovery of the new stroke,” Lustig said. “This timely intervention prevented the patient from suffering additional neurological damage and demonstrated Michelle’s unwavering commitment to patient care and her capacity to lead others by example. Her ability to advocate for the patient and her peers, even in the face of initial skepticism, is a testament to her character and determination.
Her contributions don’t stop at patients’ bedsides. Wu has already conducted impressive research in anesthesiology and authored clinical case studies. She hopes to continue that work in the future with a career in anesthesiology.
“I intend to remain actively involved in clinical research, contributing to advancements in anesthetic techniques and pain management therapies that can improve patient outcomes,” Wu said.
Through her leadership, mentorship, research and patient advocacy, Wu exemplifies the values celebrated by the Remington R. Williams Award.
To recognize the prestige honor of this award, each winner will receive a leadership medallion to wear at graduation, a $1,000 award and an invitation to attend a board meeting hosted at their institution to be recognized.
Jul 02, 2025
Claire Hutton leverages team partnership to get her degree while playing professionally
At UMKC, students write their own stories, form their own definitions of success and chart innovative career paths. With Kansas City as their classroom, they turn dreams into reality every day.
After the publishing of this article, Hutton went on to score her first international goal on the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team. Read the full coverage on ESPN and US News and World Report.
Claire HuttonUMKC degree program: Business Administration - Entrepreneurship and InnovationHometown: Bethlehem, NY
Claire Hutton takes success into her own hands on and off the field. Being a defensive midfielder on Kansas City’s National Women’s Soccer League team, KC Current, as well at the U.S. National Women’s Soccer team, Hutton is using a benefit of the team’s partnership with UMKC, which provides scholarships for KC Current players. She has funding and flexibility to get her business degree while playing professional soccer.
“This is just something that I've always been interested in,” Hutton said. “I'm definitely more of a math and science girl. I'm going to most likely have another career after soccer, and thought it would be cool to have business, which is a wide field, under my belt once I'm done playing.”
In addition to being a UMKC student, Hutton started 19 of 22 matches for the Current in her rookie season in 2024 and was named a finalist for both 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year and 2024 U.S. Soccer Young Player of the Year.
What does the partnership between UMKC and KC Current mean for you?
The relationship between KC Current and UMKC is incredible. If I didn't have this opportunity, I would be going home at 3 p.m. and twiddling my thumbs, so being able to have this opportunity through the KC Current that provided me with the resources to get connected to UMKC helped me.
Since entering college, what have you learned about yourself?
I've learned that I can do a lot. I can handle a lot of things, and I can focus on many different things at once. I've learned that I'm interested in different things, whether it be learning about Excel or even just taking a new History of Rock’n’roll class. I'm someone who loves to learn, so having this opportunity and different options for classes has been so fun.
What do you hope to take from your experiences at UMKC into your professional career?
I think one of the biggest things is I don't know what I'm going to do after I'm done playing. That's why this experience is providing me a good platform to go on and do anything I want. It's providing me a lot of background information and knowledge, and it’s helping me connect with different people who I wouldn't be connecting with if I wasn't going to school at UMKC.
What do you admire most about UMKC?
I just admire the resources. I took a class in the fall, and in that class, we learned so much about all the different resources and who was available on campus if we needed help and where we could go. I think it just shows how willing people are at UMKC to help students and get them more involved in the community.
What is one word that best describes you and why?
I think “ambitious.” I'm always searching for the next step and how to be better.
Jul 01, 2025