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Josiah Anderson

July 15, 2025

Bringing Stories to Life

Story and photos by Logan Jackson An avid reader throughout high school, Josiah Anderson also spent plenty of time crafting his own stories. Anderson has continued his storytelling pursuits as a student at the University of Missouri and, this summer, is exploring those interests even further. Through the Cherng Summer Scholars program, Anderson is developing three short stories centered around the theme of dysfunctional love. “I’ve always written but I never really considered myself a writer until about halfway through high school,” said Anderson, a sophomore English major. “I told myself that I would try to…

Jane Ray

July 14, 2025

Making Research More Accessible

Story and photos by Logan Jackson As a freshman at Mizzou, Jane Ray got involved in the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program offered through the Department of Psychological Sciences. The program allows students to rotate through different psychology labs and engage in research, a weekly seminar and various workshops. For Ray, the opportunity connected her with Lisa Flores, a professor of psychological sciences. Ray got heavily involved in Flores’ lab early on and even presented some research toward the end of her freshman year. Ray has continued to conduct research with Flores and is…

Nick Ice

July 13, 2025

Using Research to Help Others

Story and photos by Logan Jackson When Nick Ice arrived at the University of Missouri, he was looking for an opportunity to combine his interest in science with his desire to help others. Those passions led him to research. For the past two years, Ice has been an undergraduate research assistant in the lab of Kamal Singh, an assistant professor of veterinary pathobiology whose research includes studying the basic science behind protein interactions. Some of these interactions include viral, parasitic, bacterial and mammalian proteins. This summer, Ice is leading his own project tied to a specific parasitic…

Chris Josey speaking during the Honors College commencement ceremony.

May 18, 2025

Making a Positive Impact

Story and photos by Logan Jackson Chris Josey’s teaching efforts have been recognized often throughout his two decades as an educator. He said his most recent award may be one of his favorites. Josey, an associate teaching professor of communication, was named the 2025 Honors College Outstanding Faculty. Nominees for the award are solicited from Honors students across campus and chosen by a selection committee. “This award really means a lot to me,” Josey said. “I love interacting with Honors students, and it’s really gratifying to know that they appreciate me enough to nominate for this award.

Isaac Yontz smiling while holding a certificate.

May 15, 2025

Honors Outstanding Senior: Isaac Yontz

Story by Logan Jackson As Isaac Yontz was making his college decision, he was pretty sure of one thing – he didn’t want to attend the University of Missouri. Yontz grew up in Columbia and was hoping to forge a path away from a university and city that were all too familiar. On the heels of the pandemic, though, Yontz realized that being closer to family may be his best option. While he was still a bit reluctant, Yontz made the decision to become a Tiger. He found his place at Mizzou little by little. As…

Three individuals smiling and posing for a photo in front of the Mizzou Columns.

May 13, 2025

Always a Tiger: Ennis Earns History and Journalism Degrees

Story by Logan Jackson At least once a year, Sam Ennis and his family would make the trek from Texas to the University of Missouri to watch some Tiger football or basketball and enjoy the Mizzou campus. Those trips left a lasting impression on Ennis, and when he eventually began to look at his college options, Mizzou definitely stood out. It didn’t hurt that both of his parents earned degrees from Mizzou, either. “I have a lot of great memories tied to Mizzou sporting events,” Ennis said. “And anytime we came up to campus, we had to…

Elise Milburn smiling and posing for a picture in front of a historic landmark.

May 12, 2025

An Incredible Learning Environment: Milburn Earns Constitutional Democracy and History Degrees

Story by Logan Jackson The first piece of college recruitment material that Elise Milburn received came courtesy of the University of Missouri. While Milburn wasn’t shocked to see those types of materials as a high school student, she was a bit surprised to see something from a university in Missouri. “My family didn’t know anything about Mizzou,” said Milburn, who is from Texas. “We definitely joked about it at first, as I never imagined myself going somewhere I had never heard of before and that was fairly far away, but I did end up taking a closer…

Tanner Smith holding a microphone while speaking to a crowd.

May 11, 2025

Investigating Multiple Opportunities: Smith Earns Communication and Political Science Degrees

Story by Kaiya Lynch Senior Tanner Smith vividly recalls his first day at the University of Missouri. “I remember sitting in the dorms and was like, ‘What am I supposed to do now?’” Smith said. A communication and political science double-major with a sociology minor, Smith quickly realized that his next step was undergraduate research. Before coming to Mizzou, Smith was determined to become a lawyer. He wanted to forge his own path – and not necessarily follow in his parents’ footsteps. “I was dead set that I was not going to go to Mizzou,”…

A student pointing at a research poster while talking to another individual.

May 10, 2025

Building An Incredible Research Portfolio: Fritschi Earns Biochemistry Degree

Story by Logan Jackson When Eric Fritschi arrived on the University of Missouri campus as a freshman, he knew he wanted to get involved in research. The Freshman Research in Plants (FRIPS) Program allowed him to do just that. Now, as Fritschi heads toward graduation, he’s built an incredible research portfolio. “I didn’t know what I would enjoy about research, but I always knew I wanted to give it a shot,” said Fritschi, who will graduate with a biochemistry degree and the Honors Certificate from Mizzou. Fritschi will also earn minors in biological sciences and chemistry.

Maya Bowman headshot

May 6, 2025

Exploring Her Interests: Bowman Earns Computer Science Degree

Story by Logan Jackson While Maya Bowman admitted that the scholarship opportunities offered by the University of Missouri made her decision to become a Tiger an easy one, what happened on her official campus tour truly sold her on attending Mizzou. “My dad earned a degree from Mizzou, so I already had a connection with campus,” said Bowman, who grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. “He was with me during my tour, and after we finished, he showed me his favorite spots. Hearing how much he loved Mizzou and diving into those memories was really great and…