
Story and photo by Logan Jackson
While Jamie Lu had always had an interest in writing, it wasn’t until the summer before her senior year of high school that her interest turned into passion. Lu participated in an internship with the Osprey Observer newspaper that summer, where she covered various local news stories around her hometown of Riverview, Florida.
“I was able to meet a bunch of community members through the internship,” Lu said. “It was so eye-opening for me to see how vibrant the individuals in my city truly are. There are so many brilliant people doing brilliant things, and I realized that being a journalist would allow me to use my storytelling skills to uplift others.”
As Lu began searching for universities that had strong journalism programs, she said the University of Missouri continued to pop up. Although she didn’t envision attending a school in the Midwest, Lu said Mizzou had a lot to offer, including some stellar scholarship opportunities.
The Stamps Scholarship was of particular interest to Lu. Mizzou has partnered with the Stamps Scholars Program since 2017 to offer this premier scholarship to more than 50 Tigers. Mizzou Stamps Scholars receive a four-year, full cost of attendance scholarship, plus an additional $16,000 enrichment fund to be used during the student’s four years to enhance their studies and academic pursuits. Stamps Scholars are enrolled in the Honors College for all four years, working toward the completion of the Honors Certificate.
Around 20 semifinalists are invited each February to the Stamps interview weekend where they learn more about the Mizzou campus, meet current Stamps Scholars and interview for the scholarship.
“The second I arrived on campus for the Stamps interview weekend I was sold,” Lu said. “The Mizzou campus is beautiful, and everyone was so incredibly nice. I could tell the staff and faculty who I met with were invested in the work that I wanted to do. I knew I would have the support I needed to pursue my goals. It was definitely a very busy and somewhat overwhelming weekend but looking back on it, it was really thrilling.”
Lu is one of seven Stamps Scholars who will begin their Mizzou journey this fall. She’s one of two Scholars who will be pursuing a journalism degree through the Mizzou School of Journalism.
“Learning about the Missouri Method was really interesting and seems like a great way to gain hands-on experience,” Lu said. “As the type of person who wants to be out and interacting with others, this philosophy is so perfect.”
Lu added that she is excited to participate in undergraduate research when she arrives at Mizzou. Research is something she is familiar with, as she was part of projects in high school.
“One of my projects allowed me to navigate news archives, which is something I was obviously excited about,” Lu said. “I’m very excited to begin working with my research mentor at Mizzou. I think the collaboration is going to be great, and it’s going to tie in perfectly with my journalism degree.”
As a Stamps Scholar, Lu has access to an entire network of peers across the country who are part of the program, as well as her cohort on the Mizzou campus. She said tapping into those resources will be vital for her throughout her collegiate experience.
“Networking is so valuable, and I’m excited to interact more closely with the other incoming Scholars at Mizzou, as well as the current Scholars,” Lu said. “The Stamps Scholarship has already opened some doors for me, and I’m really excited to see what the future holds.”