July 14, 2023

Turning Curiosity into Research

Faith Quist’s research project is a perfect reflection of her interdisciplinary interests. A dual major in journalism and international studies at the University of Missouri, Quist is studying a variety of materials related to North Korean defectors. Her primary focus is researching when individuals leave the country, where they go and why they choose those locations. “This project allows me to combine my passions,” said Quist, who will be a senior this fall. “I’ve always been a very curious person, and I like to ask questions. I love hearing about other people’s stories. I have an…

July 11, 2023

Preparing for the Future

A kind gesture led to a vital connection early in Luke Annin’s collegiate career. As a freshman, Annin attended an undergraduate research forum hosted by the University of Missouri. He arrived a bit early and asked if they needed any help setting up. “I was pretty early, so I spent a little bit of time helping set everything up,” Annin said. “I didn’t realize that I was helping the director of undergraduate research, Linda Blockus. She came up to me a little later when things began, and we had a great conversation. She connected me with my current mentor and…

July 10, 2023

Advocating for Others

Willow Amann has always had a passion for helping others.    When she made the decision to attend the University of Missouri, she was focused on finding a degree program that would guide her as she looked at careers centered on advocacy. Amann, who will be a junior this fall, chose to pursue a degree through the Bachelor of Social Work program. “I’ve been interested in advocacy since high school,” Amann said. “I’m really interested in being on the ground, helping others. I was looking at programs that would be fit my passions, and social work seemed like the perfect…

July 7, 2023

Finding a Connection to Research

Camryn Habben is convinced that the high school version of herself would be in disbelief about how passionate the college version of herself is regarding research. While Habben has always enjoyed science, research wasn’t something she expected to connect with in such a strong way. She has worked in the laboratory of Rocío Rivera, a professor in the Division of Animal Sciences, for nearly two years, focusing on a project related to epigenetics, which is the study of how behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way genes work. Habben is building on her research…

July 5, 2023

Born to do Research

While Anvitha Boosani never officially toured the University of Missouri campus, she knew Mizzou was going to be the perfect fit for her. That feeling came from her familiarity with a single building – the Animal Science Research Center. Boosani got acquainted with the space as a high school student. At just 16 years old, she applied for and received a grant from the National Tri-Services (Army, Navy and Air Force) to conduct her own independent research project. She was living in Nebraska at the time, but her father had just moved to Columbia to work as…

June 29, 2023

Studying the Expression of Aggression

It’s cheaper than therapy, right? James Long found himself using that phrase often when he first began working at COMO Axe Attack, an axe throwing and smash rage room venue in Columbia. Customers would come in, smash a variety of objects and Long would joke around with them afterward that expressing their stress in the rage room with a baseball bat had to be more affordable than therapy. After repeating the phrase for what seemed like the hundredth time, Long, who is now a manager at COMO Axe Attack, started to think about the question a little…

June 27, 2023

Exploring Critical Questions

On her journey to becoming a doctor, Ashley Monks has made sure to take in a variety of experiential learning opportunities as a student at the University of Missouri. Each experience has allowed Monks to grow – both personally and professionally. One of her most in-depth hands-on learning experiences has been in the laboratory of Laura Schulz, an associate professor in the School of Medicine. Monks has conducted research in that lab for more than a year and will continue working on a couple of unique projects after being named a Cherng Summer Scholar. “I knew I wanted to stay…

June 22, 2023

‘A Dream Program’

Haley Hultz, a psychology major, is conducting research through the Personality and Emotion Laboratory headed by Timothy Trull, Curators’ Distinguished Professor and Byler Distinguished Professor of Psychological Sciences. Story and photography by Logan Jackson Searching for a summer research opportunity, Haley Hultz was hoping to find a program that would allow her to conduct independent research and give her the freedom to explore her passions. She found that perfect mix with the Cherng Summer Scholars program. A full-time, nine-week, summer research or creative scholarship program for Honors College students, the Cherng Summer Scholars program is supported by a gift from Peggy and Andrew Cherng…

June 20, 2023

Conducting Research to Help Others

Lara Stefani has built a solid research portfolio during her time as a Tiger.s Story and photography by Logan Jackson While Lara Stefani had never toured the University of Missouri before making the decision to become a Tiger, she was very familiar with what the campus had to offer. A graduate of the Dual Diploma Program offered through the Mizzou Academy, Stefani earned diplomas from the Mizzou High School and Colégio Dante Alighieri in São Paulo, Brazil, where she grew up. Along with that familiarity, Stefani said the opportunity to conduct…

June 1, 2023

Building a Community

Bryson Ferguson, a senior business administration major, was part of the 2020 Stamps Scholars cohort and was specifically named a Patterson-Green Collegian. Photo courtesy of Bryson Ferguson. Story by Logan Jackson Like his peers across the country, Bryson Ferguson received a variety of college materials through the mail during his senior year of high school. One of those pieces made a major impression on him – a postcard from the University of Missouri. “I remember getting this piece of mail covered in black and gold and thought it was really interesting,” Ferguson said. “Mizzou became the first school I actually…