Sep. 2, 2026

Engineering Her Own Path

Story by Logan Jackson While Olivia Esbeck grew up just south of Houston, Texas, she had a feeling that she would head north when it came time to begin her college journey.  Esbeck has multiple ties to the University of Missouri, including several generations of family members who are alumni. Her grandfather, Carl Esbeck, is also a professor emeritus in the School of Law. However, when it came to choosing Mizzou, her biggest influence wasn’t family; it was the quality of the degree program that fit her interests perfectly – biomedical engineering. After visiting the College…

Sep. 1, 2026

Embracing a New Challenge

Story and photo by Logan Jackson David Braman set a big goal for himself before his senior year of high school – secure a full-ride college scholarship.  “I had always been passionate about my academics and the leadership positions I held,” Braman said. “Before my senior year, I began doing a lot of research on full-ride academic scholarships across the country. I was really intrigued by what I saw from the University of Missouri and thought it would be the perfect place to begin my next chapter.” Braman is from the island of Kauaʻi in Hawaiʻi,…

Aug. 31, 2026

Chasing Her Dream at Mizzou

Story and photo by Logan Jackson Before Tabitha Musangali turned 10, she had already chosen her ideal career – cancer researcher.  “I’ve dreamed of being a researcher since I was in the third grade,” Musangali said. “Cancer research is what I’ve been most passionate about throughout my life. My grandmother died of cancer, and I’m named after her, so there is a special connection there.” It’s a career that Musangali plans to continue to pursue at the University of Missouri as a biochemistry major on the pre-medicine track. Musangali is one of eight Stamps Scholars beginning…

Aug. 16, 2026

Driven by Curiosity

Story and photos by Logan Jackson Fourteen Honors College students pursued their academic interests this summer through the Cherng Summer Scholars program. Students individually design their projects, with the support and mentorship of a Mizzou faculty mentor.  “This experience has provided me with so much,” said Cole Brodeur, a junior biochemistry major. “I’ve been given independence with my project, which is invaluable. I’ve gained experience with experimental design and learned important techniques.  “I’ve also been able to learn about other fields through the program, which has been eye-opening. I really enjoyed hearing about the other…

Aug. 11, 2026

Digging into the Defenses of Plants

Story and photos by Logan Jackson Two unique programs allowed Jacob Hicks to jumpstart his research journey when he arrived on the University of Missouri campus two years ago. This summer, another program allowed Hicks to build on the important work he began as a freshman. Hicks earned the Brazeal Scholarship as a freshman, an award for students pursuing the Honors College Certificate that was created in 2004 by Jim and Cathy Brazeal in order to attract and retain the best young scholars to the Mizzou campus. The scholarship allows recipients the opportunity to pursue research…

Aug. 10, 2026

Small Protein, Big Questions

Story and photos by Logan Jackson When Archer Stone began searching for potential research laboratories to join two years ago as a Discovery Fellow, there was one that piqued his interest. Caroline Grunenwald, an assistant professor of biological sciences, studies Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium commonly known as staph. She’s specifically interested in its stress responses at the host-pathogen interface. It’s an infection that has a personal connection for Stone. “My sister got sick with staph when I was younger, and it was really bad,” Stone said. “There was a lot going on; it was super scary stuff.

Aug. 9, 2026

From Soil to Sequencing

Story and photos by Logan Jackson Adam Muellersman’s time at Mizzou has included a handful of exciting research opportunities. He said his most recent experience has been the perfect fit. Muellersman, a senior environmental sciences major, has spent the summer studying the microbial communities in soil samples from both Tucker Prairie and Sanborn Field. Tucker Prairie is a 146-acre tract of land that has never been plowed. Sanborn Field is the oldest, continuous experimental field west of the Mississippi River. Both are managed by Mizzou. Muellersman is researching the similarities and differences between them to see how…

Aug. 6, 2026

From Checkbox to Discovery

Story and photos by Logan Jackson While Madeline Claravall wasn’t thrilled about the idea of joining a research laboratory early in her collegiate career, she knew the experience would be an important one as she eventually began applying to medical schools. A biological sciences major on the pre-medicine track, Claravall reluctantly began the search during her freshman year.  Now a junior with more than a year of research under her belt, Claravall admits that the hands-on lab experiences have been both academically and personally fulfilling.  “I definitely approached research as a checkbox,” Claravall said. “I knew…

Aug. 3, 2026

Strengthening Community Coverage

Story and photos by Logan Jackson Nearly a year ago, the Missourian Publishing Association, which operates the Columbia Missourian, purchased the Boone County Journal, a weekly newspaper that serves Ashland, Hartsburg and southern Boone County. The paper has continued to provide important news and feature stories for the area. In an effort to strengthen community relationships even further, Mizzou student Theo Agniel has spent his summer conducting an audience analysis to gain insight into the community’s feelings on the change. “My research mentor, Dr. Nick Mathews, brought this idea to me, and I thought it sounded…

July 28, 2026

Turning a Personal Connection into Creative Scholarship

Story and photos by Logan Jackson Alex Tyrrell has spent the past few summers working on a variety of personal writing projects. This summer, Tyrrell is taking her writing to a new level. Through the Cherng Summer Scholars program, Tyrrell is writing about Crooked Creek, which runs through Weldon Spring, Missouri. Part of the creek is close to where Tyrrell grew up, and she spent a lot of time exploring the area. “It’s a creek that I got acquainted with in my teenage years,” Tyrrell said. “The creek is in a very suburban area, so there’s…