Aug. 9, 2023

Continuing a Mizzou Legacy

As Owen Neely embarks on the next step of his academic journey at the University of Missouri, he is ready to pursue his passions. Neely grew up in Lockwood, Missouri, a town of less than 1,000 people located northwest of Springfield. He is interested in a career in medicine – and is hoping to eventually return to his small-town roots and bring great healthcare options to rural residents. Neely has the perfect blueprint to follow. His mother, Angie Whitesell, earned a biochemistry degree from Mizzou, as well as her medical degree. She is a family care physician in Lockwood and…

Aug. 8, 2023

Developing Her Journalistic Voice

An avid admirer of words, Ivy Reed jumped at the chance to join the Globe, Clayton High School’s Newsmagazine, during her freshman year. By the time her junior year rolled around, her passion for writing – and a lot of hard work – landed her a spot as an editor-in-chief of the publication, a role she continued during her senior year as well. Reed’s time with the Globe gave her the freedom to stretch her creative muscles and develop her writing style. She will soon be expanding those skills even further at the University of Missouri. Reed will join the …

Aug. 7, 2023

Asking Questions and Uncovering Answers

Growing up, Janet Musangali loved not only asking questions, but putting in the effort to uncover the answers. That natural curiosity led her to develop a passion for science. As Musangali continues her academic journey at the University of Missouri this fall, she plans to continue to follow that passion and major in chemistry. “Since I was little, I was always very curious,” Musangali said. “I had a wide variety of interests, and I wanted to know more about each one. I soon found out that science was a great way for me to explore those interests,…

Aug. 2, 2023

Representing Mizzou on a Big Stage

When Brooke Bowman chose the biological sciences degree program at the University of Missouri her focus was on getting into the medical field, with the goal of eventually becoming a doctor. However, the more time she spent in laboratories across campus, Bowman realized that her career may not be in the clinic. She had started to develop an interest in research. That passion has connected Bowman with a variety of hands-on learning opportunities at Mizzou, as well as an exciting research program on the west coast this summer. Bowman is currently participating in the Bruins-In-Genomics…

July 28, 2023

Exploring Passions Through Creative Projects

The Cherng Summer Scholars program allows Honors College students at the University of Missouri to explore their passions through research projects aimed at questions they are interested in analyzing. Students who are accepted into the nine-week program participate in projects that are individually designed, with the support and mentorship of a Mizzou faculty member. “What I love about this program is that you get to create your own project,” said Faith Quist, a senior double major in journalism and international studies. “You aren’t picking from a list of topics and doing something that you may not have much of an interest…

July 26, 2023

A Summer of Study

Late in his high school career, Lorenzo Ceccon had a bit of a radical idea. Ceccon grew up in Subbiano, a small town just more than an hour southeast of Florence, Italy. While he had never traveled to the United States, he decided he wanted to pursue an undergraduate degree there, nearly 5,000 miles away from home. As Ceccon began searching for potential universities, he happened upon the University of Missouri. It didn’t take long for him to hit the apply button. “Once I made the decision to apply to American colleges, it was a bit late in the game,”…

July 24, 2023

A Perfect Fit

There was little doubt where Margaret Beecher was going to continue her education after earning her high school diploma. Living just a couple hours from Columbia, in a family full of Tigers, Beecher knew the University of Missouri was going to be the perfect fit for her. Receiving the Chancellor’s Award scholarship from MU was a nice bonus, too. “I come from a family of Mizzou graduates, so it wasn’t surprising that I would follow in their footsteps,” said Beecher, who is from the Kansas City, Missouri, area. “Being familiar with what all the campus had to offer was really…

July 21, 2023

Following Her Passions

A double major at the University of Missouri, Michelle Woolridge’s degree programs are an extension of her educational journey.  Part of a Spanish immersion elementary school, Woolridge spent her youth learning both English and Spanish. Once she began high school, Woolridge was part of the International Baccalaureate (IB), an extensive educational program that helps students develop a variety of skills for the future, where she was heavily involved in biology. At Mizzou, Woolridge is majoring in romance languages, with an emphasis in Spanish, and biological sciences. “I really enjoyed both areas of study, so…

July 19, 2023

Beginning Her Research Journey

The Freshman Research in Plants (FRIPS) Program paves the way for first-year students at the University of Missouri to connect with the exciting plant-related research taking place across campus. For Rachel Weber, the program opened the door for her to explore her own research interests. Weber grew up in Columbia, and attended Hickman High School. She chose MU because she knew there would be numerous research experiences for her to pursue. “I knew Mizzou had plenty of research opportunities, which is a big reason why I chose to come here,” Weber said. “I was fortunate enough to learn…

July 17, 2023

Finding a Love for the Lab

Growing up in a family of scientists, it made sense that Audrey Shively would eventually find an interest in the subject matter. Her specific interest developed in elementary school. Shively had a classmate with cerebral palsy. As her teacher explained what the condition is, and how the student was born with it, Shively was curious about why some individuals are born with certain disorders. It was the beginning of what has now become her primary research focus at the University of Missouri – genetics. “I always enjoyed science in general, but this was the first time that I became really…