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 stop by Columns and grab some photos. Even though we were in Texas, we were and continue to be a Mizzou family. While I did check out some other universities, I have always felt at home at Mizzou.”
Ennis’ four years as a Tiger have been full of vital hands-on learning experiences. As he prepares for graduation, that involvement has led to incredible relationships and important skill development. Ennis will graduate with degrees in history and journalism and has completed a handful of internships.
One of those internships – the Honors College Communication Internship – has lasted throughout Ennis’ four years. His role has shifted over the course of the work, but the goal of the work has stayed the same – promote all things Mizzou Honors College. Ennis has done that primarily through written stories but has also helped with social media and photography.
“It’s been rewarding to help share the stories of Honors students, faculty and courses,” said Ennis, who also completed the Honors Certificate. “I’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to make so many connections within the Honors College and promote all the amazing things that are happening.”
Along with promoting the work within the Honors College, Ennis took advantage of exciting course offerings in the college.
“The history classes I took through the Honors College actually made me want to major in history,” Ennis said. “Those classes were just so in-depth and gave me a different perspective than I had through my high school history courses. Honors also gave me access to unique courses that I hadn’t considered before. Those classes pushed my education to the next level and made me feel like I was getting the most out of my college experience.”
One of the courses that Ennis said stuck out to him was the “Epic Destinies, Individual Journeys” Humanities Sequence class. Ennis’ section was taught by Ted Tarkow, a professor emeritus of classical studies and affiliate faculty within the Honors College. Ennis’ father attended the Missouri Scholars Academy, which was created by Tarkow.
“That was a neat full-circle moment, with both my dad and I interacting with Dr. Tarkow,” Ennis said. “It was just another example of the Mizzou family being so connected.”
Like his internship with the Honors College, Ennis’ other internship opportunities have been tied to communications. He’s worked in Texas and Washington, D.C., as well as Missouri.
“Each of those experiences allowed me to flex different communication muscles and gain valuable insights,” Ennis said.
Ennis will use the lessons he learned throughout his time as a Tiger during his next stop. He will serve as an Ambassador for the Stanley M. Herzog Foundation in Kansas City.