Six fresh alumni share their post-graduation plans
The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Trustees’ Scholars Program is a signature program of the university that provides prestigious scholarships and access to the UMKC Trustees’ knowledge, connections and mentorship for first-time students.
Meet the six students from the Class of 2025 UMKC Trustees’ Scholars cohort, including one who graduated in the winter. They shared their plans after graduation and what being a Trustees’ Scholar means to them.
Z Kemp
Bachelor of Science, civil engineeringMinor in communication studiesKemp will join Kiewit Corporation, a national construction and engineering firm, as a civil engineer.“The Trustees’ Scholars Program was instrumental to my college experience and success,” Kemp said. “Through the program, I’ve been mentored by dedicated business leaders in the Kansas City area, granting me opportunities that I will carry with me as I depart from UMKC.”
Vari Patel
Bachelor of Business Administration, emphasis in financeBachelor of Arts, political science
Patel plans to attend law school as her next step.
“Being a Trustees’ Scholar has meant more than just financial support,” Patel said. “It’s been an investment in me as a person, leader and future public servant. The program has helped me grow beyond the classroom, shaping my character and commitment to service. I’ve learned the value of giving back and look forward to returning that investment by supporting the UMKC community in the years to come.”
Ethan Kauffman
Bachelor of Music Education, instrumental
Kauffman is excited to begin his career as a music educator and director of bands at Black Hawk Middle School in Warrenton, Missouri.
“My experience as a Trustees’ Scholar has been enriched by incredible experiences interacting with the most impactful people in the Kansas City area,” Kauffman said.” Whether it’s attending professional enrichment, a civic gala or chatting with Trustees over lunch, this program has no shortage of excitement! I am incredibly thankful for the support of the program, donors and leadership, as well as their part in making my experience at UMKC fantastic!”
Emma Schilling (graduated in December 2024)
Bachelor of Business Administration, emphasis in marketing
Following graduation, Schilling plans to continue doing freelance graphic design work and grow Studio Em, a graphic design business she started in 2020.
“I had a wonderful experience being a UMKC Trustees’ Scholar,” Schilling said. “It has been one of my biggest blessings, and I have loved learning and growing alongside my fellow scholars. The individuals I met during the past four years and my experiences have greatly impacted my life. My favorite part was the mentorship program and the connections I made at Bernstein-Rein Advertising.”
Jaeden Johnson
Bachelor of Fine Arts, dance
Johnson plans to stay in Kansas City to teach dance to children and work as a freelance artist. She plans to travel and audition for dance companies after a full recovery from an injury.
“I am forever grateful to have been a part of the Trustees’ Scholars Program because I learned how to be a better human,” Johnson said. “It gave me the support I needed through my college journey. I’m thankful for the opportunities and the connections I made, which I will carry throughout my life.”
Maddie Kunz
Bachelor of Science, biologyMinor in chemistry
After graduation, Kunz will attend the UMKC School of Dentistry to pursue a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.
“Being a Trustees’ Scholar has been a life-changing experience,” Kunz said. “This scholarship program gave me endless support and opportunities; I always felt like I had someone in my corner. I would not be here today without it!”
Jun 27, 2025
A surprising number of twins have enrolled at UMKC School of Dentistry
To paraphrase an old idiom, two brains are better than one. At the UMKC School of Dentistry, that saying holds true, especially when two brains have been connected since birth. The school has welcomed an unusually large number of twins as students over the years.
Whether identical or fraternal, these pairs have an uncanny ability to divine their siblings’ thoughts, share their burdens and enjoy working in tandem, giving them a unique experience both in their clinical and class work and also as they build their practices after graduation.
Richie Bigham, assistant dean for student programs, estimates the school has an incoming class with a set of twins every three to four years.
“We’ve had a lot of siblings,” Bigham said, “but having them in the same class is unique to twins. One benefit is they get double the friends.”
What gives? Are genetics responsible for the twin phenomenon? The environment? Nature or nurture?
The twins say it’s not that complicated.
Third-year students Abagayle and Annabella Moody saw dentistry as a healthcare career that would give the sisters the opportunity to work together after graduation. Their classmate, Jade Bauer, also a twin, put it more succinctly – twins do everything together.
“It’s just a twin thing,” Bauer said.
Identical in every way
The Moody sisters are a quintessential pair of identical twins. Not only do they finish each other’s thoughts, but they sometimes say entire sentences in unison. The sisters, originally from Frontenac, Kansas, now live together, commute to school together and work out together. They also share a dog named George.
The Moodys have had two goals since they were young: work in healthcare and work together. Dentistry seemed like the profession that would give them the best chance at achieving their vision. After they earn their dental degrees, both want to complete pediatric residencies and work separately for a while. But their ultimate goal is to buy a practice and work together for the rest of their lives, according to Annabella.
In dental school, both sisters feel double the fun and double the pressure.
“Sometimes during a test, I would look at Annabella and try to read how she’s doing,” Abagayle said. “And then I would be like, ‘Oh my gosh, I need to focus on what’s in front of me.’”
In clinic, the two team up on difficult cases. If one is doing a complicated crown prep, for example, the other makes sure she is there to assist. Whoever is done with her patients first will help clean up the other’s operatory.
“It’s like a built-in third hand,” Annabella said.
As identical twins, bringing patients to the clinic from the waiting room leads to some unique interactions.
“We’re on different teams, so our patients don’t see us together,” said Annabella. “But we’ll be walking with our patients and pass each other. Our patients are like, ‘What is going on?’”
Always there for each other
Students Sydney and Jade Bauer have wanted to be dentists since middle school. But neither recalls who had the idea first.
During their first two years of dental school, the pair lived together and thought it was helpful to always have a study partner nearby, especially when it came to sharing flash cards. Although they live separately now, they live in the same apartment complex and help keep each other motivated.
“Nobody else really understands what we’re going through in dental school,” Jade said, “so it’s nice being able to vent to someone who understands.”
Now that the two are in clinic, their bond gives them an advantage.
“I wouldn’t say we have a telepathic connection, but I understand when Sydney is stressed or frustrated,” Jade said. “I can tell her to slow down and take a couple breaths, and that’s something her friends wouldn’t be able to recognize.”
Along with their twin intuition, Jade and Sydney share similar values when it comes to caring for their patients. Both of them believe it’s important to form strong relationships, and they think having a twin helps break the ice.
“We’ll tell them about being a twin and introduce them to the other,” Jade said. “It’s also fun when we pass by Sydney and I can say, ‘Oh by the way, that’s my twin.’”
As fraternal twins, Sydney is surprised by how many people get the two mixed up.
“I don’t think we look anything alike,” Sydney said. “But some people think we’re identical.”
Another topic up for debate? Whether or not they share a talent for singing. Following Sydney’s impressive vocal performance at the school’s annual talent show, many asked Jade if she sings too.
“Jade said, ‘I try, but she tells me not to,’” said Sydney.
Originally from St. Louis, the Bauers’ hope is to own a practice together at some point, either in the Kansas City area or in Austin, Texas. For now, they both just hope they can practice in the same city.
“If I ever buy a practice, it will be with Sydney,” Jade said. “We understand each other so well. There’s never been a fight that we haven’t been able to overcome.”
Double the success and the stress
Alumni Adam (DDS ’10, PERIO ’12) and Peter McClellan (DDS ’10) never know what to say when they are inevitably asked about their experience as fraternal twins.
“People always ask what it’s like,” Adam said. “It’s hard to answer that, because you don’t know any different.”
Like the Moody sisters, when the McClellans were students, they experienced everything twice – the success and the stress. Adam internalized Peter’s struggles as much as his own.
During an endodontic competency test, the two sat across from each other working on typodonts. Adam could hear Peter getting frustrated, unable to find the pulp in a specific tooth. It was distracting Adam. He knew his brother was drilling on the wrong tooth, trying to find pulp that wasn’t there.
“Eventually, he figured it out and passed the practical,” Adam said. “But I was so stressed out worrying about him that I failed the practical. It’s something we laugh about to this day.”
Their connection as twins gave the brothers a unique perspective on the benefit of collaboration and mentorship. These values are now built into their everyday at each of their practices. They began separate practices in Prairie Village, Kansas, and over the years each has expanded his individual practice to offices around the Kansas City metropolitan area.
“Part of being a twin is seeing firsthand that things are easier when you do them together,” Peter said. “We both saw collaboration was the future of dentistry. Collaborating instead of being solo practitioners.”
Looking back on their time in dental school, Adam is grateful he always had a partner in Peter.
“I’m glad we had each other to lean on,” said Adam. “I often wonder how I would have done if it was just me. Same for Peter.”
Bigham sees it as an advantage as well.
“You think about their journey and how twins share so much in life,” Bigham said. "When we make acceptance calls with twins, we always like to try to call them at the same time. We notify them together so that they find out at the same moment.”
A Family Affair
Identical twins Daniel (B.S. ’79, DDS ’83) and David Stamos (B.S. ’79, DDS ’83) were raised in Independence, Missouri, by a single mother who instilled in them the desire to live a more comfortable life. They believed education was the key to achieving their goal – and they knew they had to do it together.
“In high school, we would split the assignments,” David said. “‘You do the even numbers, and I’ll do the odd numbers,’ and the ones we couldn’t figure out, we would work together on them,” David said.
That collaboration never stopped. After high school, they both attended Metropolitan Community College-Longview in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, on tennis scholarships. They finished their undergrad at UMKC with degrees in biology. Next came dental school (and part-time jobs at the same grocery store). After earning their dental degrees, Daniel headed to Marquette University in Milwaukee for an endodontic residency. David headed to Wisconsin a year later for the same residency.
Now the brothers have started a family of endodontists who are all proud UMKC alumni. David’s son, Alexander Stamos (DDS ’14) practices with his father in Independence, Missouri. Daniel’s daughter, Kate Edwards (DDS ’17), also joined her dad’s practice, with two locations in Kansas City, North. His son, Patrick Stamos (DDS ’15), owns an endodontic office in Columbia, Missouri. The two fathers couldn’t be prouder.
“The kids are following in our footsteps because they saw what the profession could lead to and they liked it,” Daniel said. “I asked my son why he wanted to be an endodontist. He said, ‘All those meetings you used to drag us to, everybody was always just so nice and looked like they were having a good time.’’
Although the Stamos twins practice separately, the two live 10 minutes from each other, and they talk every day on their way to the office.
“Every morning on the way to work, Dave will call me, and we spend five or six minutes rehashing everything,” Daniel said. “And at night as well.”
Through the ups and downs of dental school and beyond, each one of the twins has leaned on that special relationship and second brain to share in their passion and devotion to the field of dentistry. While their paths look a little different from each other, there is no denying their common bond: they cherish their time at the School of Dentistry and deeply value their chosen profession.
“We’ve had a lot of blessings in our life,” Daniel said. “We’re old, but we haven’t forgotten what dentistry has given us.”
Jun 23, 2025
Composer Ian Yeonchan Chung to study music composition
Recent UMKC Conservatory graduate Ian Yeonchan Chung (DMA ‘25) was awarded a Fulbright grant to study in Austria during the 2025-26 school year. Chung is a music composer and will complete a post-graduate degree and compose a new album of music.
The Fulbright grant is a prestigious national program that promotes international educational and cultural exchange. It provides funding for U.S. students to pursue graduate study, conduct research or teach English in one of more than 140 countries worldwide.
When Chung received news he earned the Fulbright grant, he was preparing his children’s micro-opera for debut. In Austria, he’ll be focused on European jazz, which is stylistically different from American jazz. Chung is interested in all types of music; he hopes his time in Austria will expose him to new varieties and experiences.
“I'm trying to build my unique voice as a composer combining different elements from classical music, jazz and traditional Korean music,” Chung said. “I think combining these different elements will help create that voice. I hope to get a lot of new ideas while I’m in Austria.”
In addition to studying and taking in performances, Chung plans to compose and record at least three pieces of jazz music for big bands; when he returns, he’ll work with musicians to perform them live.
“Ian’s achievement is a proud moment for the Conservatory and a testament to his talent, discipline and artistic vision,” said Courtney Crappell, dean of the Conservatory. “We are thrilled to see his work recognized on the global stage. This milestone also reflects the dedication and mentorship of our composition faculty, who guide and inspire our students every step of the way.”
Chung came to UMKC to study under the music composition faculty, particularly Chen Yi. Chen and other faculty members, including Yotam Haber, Paul Rudy and Zhou Long, are known internationally for their works. Their support and connections provided Chung with unforgettable experiences, including serving as the president of the UMKC Composer’s Guild and the opportunity to see his music performed at the Folly Theatre by the Conservatory Orchestra.
“I am forever in the debt of all of the composition faculty. They’ve supported me in so many different ways,” Chung said. “My time here has been so rewarding, and it’s possible because of my professors and their help.”
Jun 13, 2025
Kent and Judy Whittaker’s $3.5 million estate gift will support student scholarships, law school building and areas of greatest need
The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law received the largest philanthropic gift in its history, an endowed estate gift of $3.5 million. The Whittaker family, including an alumnus who became a U.S. Supreme Court justice, has been part of the UMKC School of Law’s story for more than 100 years. Their gift will impact the school for generations to come.
The gift from Kent Whittaker, a Kansas City lawyer for 45 years, will support student scholarships, law school building maintenance and areas of greatest need. Impressed by recent UMKC School of Law accolades including the school being named among U.S. News & World Report’s top 100 law schools and accomplishments such as students placing high in competitions, he wants to see the school continue to elevate its reputation as a national law school and hopes to inspire others to make their own estate gifts.
Learn more about estate gifts and other ways to support the law school.
“Kent and Judy Whittaker truly set the standard for excellence as lawyers and leaders in the greater Kansas City community,” said Lumen Mulligan, dean of the UMKC School of Law. “It is exceptionally fitting, then, that their gift sets the standard for philanthropy here at UMKC Law. Their generosity will empower UMKC Law’s success in perpetuity.”
Law school and his career as an attorney shaped Whittaker’s life. He felt he owed a debt to the profession that made him who he is today.
“I was not motivated in college. I was kind of floating through it and having fun,” Whittaker said. “When you graduate from law school and all of a sudden have someone sitting across the table who hires you to help them with a problem, it made a world of difference to me. I was responsible for something. I was serious about it, and it made my life. I was not a workaholic, but it made my life.”
Whittaker is not an alumnus of UMKC School of Law himself, but his family ties are strong. His father, Charles Whittaker, graduated from the Kansas City School of Law – now the UMKC School of Law – in 1924. Charles Whittaker was a U.S. Supreme Court Justice and served on the Court from 1957 – 1962. He was nominated by President Eisenhower after serving at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. After his time on the Supreme Court, he returned to the casework he loved and became a counselor and corporate arbitrator for General Motors Corporation. Kent Whittaker’s late wife, Judy Whittaker (J.D. ‘63), is an alumna and was valedictorian of her class. Kate Whittaker (J.D. ‘95), Kent and Judy’s daughter, is also an alumna of the school.
Growing up with a lawyer, and then judge, for a father made going into law an easy choice for Kent. He remembers talking through cases with his father often, as Charles loved his work and “was consumed by cases.”
“I always knew I was going to be a lawyer; I just didn’t even consider anything else,” Kent said. “I had a lot of fun practicing law.”
Charles was appointed to the Supreme Court the same month Kent graduated from law school at the University of Michigan. It was there that Kent met his future wife, Judy, as a third-year law student helping with first-year orientation. After Kent graduated law school, he and Judy moved to his hometown of Kansas City. Kent began a long career in private practice in Kansas City, including more than 40 years with Hillix Brewer and its successors.
Judy finished law school at UMKC School of Law. During law school, Judy had two children and still graduated as valedictorian. She spent several years at a small firm, Sheffrey, Ryder & Skeer, before being asked to join the growing legal team at Hallmark. Judy spent 30 years at Hallmark, where she worked on many projects that led the company to what it is today, including leasing within the newly built Crown Center, the acquisition of Crayola, purchase of the Spanish International Network (now Univision) television station, numerous patents and more.
“Judy loved her career at Hallmark; I can’t remember a time she was unhappy there,” Kent said. “We were both fantastically lucky in our jobs and loved our time working.”
Their successful careers led to an early decision to pay it forward.
“We decided halfway through our working years that if we were able, we wanted to dedicate part of our estate to making a difference in the community,” Kent said. “We want to help reduce human suffering and support education, and that’s what we’re doing with this gift.”
Jun 13, 2025
UMKC students have achieved an impressive 50% success rate in applying for Gilman Scholarships, twice the national average of 25%.
Seven University of Missouri–Kansas City students have been selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, a competitive national award from the U.S. Department of State that supports students receiving federal Pell Grants in studying or interning abroad.
UMKC stands out nationally for its strong support of students applying for the Gilman Scholarship. UMKC students have achieved an impressive 50% success rate in applying for Gilman Scholarships, twice the national average of 25%.
"It is not uncommon for students to assume study abroad isn’t meant for them, especially when the cost feels like a barrier,” said Ryan Ourada, associate director of Study Abroad and Global Engagement at UMKC. “At UMKC, we’ve worked to remove those barriers through a combination of proactive advising and access to a wide range of scholarships and funding sources. We walk students through their options, help them find funding, and stay with them until they return home."
With nearly 40% of degree-seeking undergraduates receiving Pell grants in the 2024 academic year, UMKC is committed to ensuring students can access scholarships that can help them reach all their academic goals, including studying abroad.
In addition to Gilman advising workshops with the Study Abroad and Global Engagement office, UMKC Career Services offers dedicated, comprehensive support for students in finding and applying for nationally competitive awards through personalized advising.
Through awards like the Gilman Scholarship, students gain critical global experience that enhances their academic, professional and personal growth.
"Studying abroad forces students to think differently,” Ourada said. “They learn to navigate unfamiliar systems, challenge their own assumptions and engage with perspectives that do not mirror their own. It sharpens critical thinking and stretches their social awareness. When they come back, they are not just better students, they become more adaptable, more innovative and equipped for the kind of complex, real-world problem solving that employers and communities expect from college graduates."
This year’s UMKC Gilman recipients will travel to six different countries on four continents:
Sydney Kennedy will study at the University of Queensland in Australia.
Wyatt Boyd will study at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia.
Laila Stevenson will attend Yonsei University in South Korea.
Sofia Martinez is participating in a faculty-led program in Málaga, Spain.
Gabrielle Porter will take part in a program in Denmark.
Tracey Bradford will study at Korea University in South Korea.
Mary Brooks will travel to China to attend a program in Shanghai.
Jun 11, 2025
Changes impact students, faculty, staff and visitors
Beginning August 1, the days of dangling parking permits from your rearview mirror are officially over. The University of Missouri-Kansas City is rolling out virtual parking permits across campus. The shift promises more convenience, fewer headaches and a meaningful step toward sustainability.
Instead of a plastic hangtag, license plates will now serve as parking permits. That means no more lost tags, no need to print temporary permits and no waiting for anything to arrive in the mail. Students, faculty and staff at both the Health Sciences and Volker campuses will register their vehicles online and be ready to park. Visitors, too, can register for virtual parking passes online; parking for UMKC School of Dentistry clinic patients will not be affected. An important note: the parking change does not increase parking rates for the upcoming academic year.
“We’re always looking for ways to make the experience better for our campus community,” said Ken Bledsoe, UMKC parking operations manager. “Virtual permits eliminate a lot of the common frustrations we hear about, like dealing with lost tags, and they help reduce waste at the same time.”
The new system uses license-plate recognition technology to scan and validate vehicles in real time. Students, faculty and staff are allowed to register for multiple vehicles on one pass–and easily update when new vehicles are purchased or rented–but only one vehicle can be on campus at a time.
But if people attempt parking-permit sharing and the system detects multiple vehicles associated with the same permit on the same day, the extras will be flagged for ticketing.
Bledsoe says that while this change will help streamline operations and reduce costs for the university, the focus is squarely on improving the parking experience for the UMKC community.
The images with gold stars show the correct way to park using the new UMKC license-plate detecting system: pulled forward with the rear license plate showing or backed in with a front license plate showing. The other two images depict incorrect parking methods with the new system: backed in without a license plate showing or pulled in with a bicycle obstructing the rear license plate.
Key details:
Your license plate will now serve as your parking permit. Hangtag permits will no longer be issued. If you have a hangtag permit, you must register by July 31. Your existing permit will not be canceled, but it will not be recognized if your current license plate is not connected to your permit in our system.
To prepare your existing permit for the new virtual system, visit parking.umkc.edu, log in with your UMKC credentials, then click on “Permits.” Next, click on “View” beside your current active permit, then you will have options to “Add a new vehicle,” make a temporary or permanent replacement of a vehicle or remove a vehicle from your permit.
To purchase a new permit, visit parking.umkc.edu, log in with your UMKC credentials and select “Order Permits” in the gold section, select your desired permit type then follow the prompts. New permit orders will automatically be set up in the new virtual permit system.
A hybrid enforcement period will occur from July 15 to July 31, where both displayed hangtags and virtual permits will be permitted.
Beginning August 1, hangtag permits will no longer be recognized. Tickets start at $35 and range to more, depending on the situation.
You may register multiple vehicles to your permit; however, only one registered vehicle may be parked on campus at a time.
License plates must be clearly visible and face the driving lane. Do not back into parking spaces unless your vehicle has a front plate. Note: Kansas only issues one plate so those vehicles should not back in.
Visitors can purchase virtual permits by going to parking.umkc.edu; click “order permits,” agree to Terms of Service. Note: Visitor single-day permit is the only available option when not logged in with a UMKC account.
New options in the new system:
The new virtual permitting system allows us to offer more flexibility for part-time employees, and part-time parkers in general, that the old hangtag system allowed. We are pleased to offer the following new options for both employees and students:
16-permit flex pack, priced at $90.
32-permit flex pack, priced at $128.
48-permit flex pack, priced at $180.
These flex-pack options are equivalent to 1, 2 or 3 days of parking per week, respectively, for a 16 week-semester. These packs, however, do not expire at the end of a semester, and are not limited to being used on certain days of the week. Unused portions of these packs will not be refundable. These permit packs will be available for purchase by employees beginning on July 15, and will be available for students when fall semester permit sales begin, on July 28.
For complete instructions and FAQs, visit parking.umkc.edu or with additional questions, contact Parking Operations at 816-235-5256 or parking@umkc.edu.
Jun 11, 2025
An out-of-the-park opportunity available through Royals partnership
Some students just stand out in a crowd. Their smiles are infectious, their drive and passion present in everything they do. Maisy Blanton is one such student. A Trustees’ Scholar, honors program student and Roo News contributor, Blanton is often surrounded by similarly hard-working friends with a common goal. One of her goals was to make a commercial spot with Pine Tar Collective for one of Kansas City’s largest screens: Crown Vision at Kauffman Stadium.
Maisy BlantonAnticipated graduation year: 2027UMKC degree program: Communications, dual emphasis in digital journalism and media and professional communicationHometown: Wichita, Kansas
Why did you choose UMKC?
I knew I didn't want to move away from home, but also moneywise, I couldn’t afford to go super far. Then I applied for the Trustees’ Scholars program here. I was planning on going to another university, but then I found out I got a full ride and UMKC was somewhere not too close and not too far from home.
Why did you choose your field of study?
I always knew that I loved to write; I am an English and reading person, not a math and science person. I slowly figured out that I’m interested in public relations. I’m a big people person, and I like to write, so the communications program was it.
What are the benefits of the program?
I got to make a commercial for Crown Vision for the Royals! If you talk to people on campus, make friends and network, then those opportunities will come to you. I got it because of talking to my professor, Joshua Jackson, who I had taken two classes from at that point. We were chatting about internship opportunities, because he had set up some things with a new broadcast class. I was asking if there any PR or marketing things within that, and he said, “I think you'd be good for this.” These partnerships are so interesting because I’ll have this project in my portfolio. I'll get to add it on LinkedIn. The professional development, the networking and getting to talk to these people that work for the Royals has been so great.
I also really love Roo News. I love being involved in the newspaper. Everyone on the staff is a friend and very fun. It's like a nice little pocket community. I feel like it's really easy to get involved. If you're enthusiastic and you're kind, there are so many opportunities here.
How has your college program inspired you?
It's inspired me to think outside the box about what I actually want to do. There's a wide range of things that people are into here at UMKC, especially in the comms department. It encourages me to try everything and figure out what I want to do. I don't have to figure it all out right now.
Since entering college, what have you learned about yourself?
That I'm not a morning person. But seriously, growing up doing theater, I always had the mentality of everything is an audition. That's been reinforced in college. Even just talking with my professors after class, that is a career-networking opportunity. I've learned to be super mindful, because in a college setting like this. Yeah, they could just be a professor or a classmate. They could also be a future boss or future coworker.
Tell us about your scholarships. What do they mean to you?
I found out that I got the Trustees’ scholarship around March of my senior year of high school. It’s a full-ride program. We stay in the residence halls for two years, and that gets us integrated into the campus culture here. It’s unique and fun because of the community that is here. You know more people than you would at a bigger school. There are seven people in each class, so you already have six friends on campus. We also have mentors, which is super helpful to just have someone who's near your field guide you or just talk through things. It's just a nice community. I didn't have to worry about not knowing anyone. It’s a fresh start with a built-in support group.
I also get to study abroad next semester. I got a scholarship from Study Abroad Global Engagement, and one from Alex and Josephine B. Coleman. I think that they covered the rest of my study-abroad costs. So, I’m excited for that opportunity that is only available to me through scholarships.
What do you hope to take from your experiences at UMKC into your professional career?
I obviously hope to take a lot of the relationships I make here. I'm sure I'll cross paths with these people in my career journey. I also have a love for Kansas City. I’m not originally from here. I didn’t get to explore before moving here, but there are so many places to love in Kansas City. Also, learning to talk to people who I disagree with or I made assumptions about before talking to them. That's been super big, because I feel like there are just so many different perspectives at UMKC, and this is a very divisive time in our country. Being here is being in an incubator of so many different ideas. I've been learning how to leave my assumptions out the door.
Jun 03, 2025