Molly McDermott – August & September 2018

The first month of my freshman year has flown by! After move-in day, which was busy but very exciting, Welcome Week kick started my time here at Mizzou. All of the activities during the week, including a free concert, midnight barbeque, and First Roar, were great opportunities to meet new people and become more familiar with campus. It was a stirring experience to walk through the iconic columns during Tiger Walk and officially become a Mizzou Tiger. Plus, the Tiger Stripe ice cream they handed out at this tradition was delicious! (If you’re an ice cream fan at heart, like me, there are many great places in Columbia for this sweet treat.)

 

Getting involved at Mizzou is simple as there are tons of student organizations. Thus far, I’ve joined College Mentors for Kids, the Undergraduate Statistics Club, Salt Company, am looking into an Alternative Breaks trip, and am participating in research related to my major. It was incredible to see all of the student organizations/clubs at the Student Involvement Fair a few weeks ago—there’s truly something for everybody!

 

Attending my first Mizzou football game was so exciting! All of the school spirit and game-day traditions, including singing the Alma Mater at the end of the game, made for a great experience. It also helped that Mizzou won!

Molly McDermott and Jessica Blake at Football Game

 

The Stamps Scholar program continues to amaze me with all of its benefits. Upon reading Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, we all recently traveled to Montgomery, AL to immerse ourselves in the history of our nation and Stevenson’s book itself. Additionally, when looking into plans for next summer, I am astounded by the opportunities I can pursue given the academic and leadership development fund. It has also been wonderful to get to know the second-year scholars and have them as informal mentors in the program.

 

All in all, I am so grateful I ended up at Mizzou and can’t wait to see what my future holds!

 

– Molly McDermott, Stamps Scholar Class of 2022