Story by Kaiya Lynch
After 20 years teaching in the Missouri School of Journalism, Amanda Hinnant still finds new ways to support student success.
Hinnant, a professor in the Missouri School of Journalism and affiliate faculty in the Honors College, has served on roughly 170 graduate-student committees during her time at Mizzou. Alongside her work in the School of Journalism, she also teaches an Honors College Tutorial centered on books featured in the Unbound Book Festival, bringing students together to explore ideas through reading and discussion.
Her recent work as the Honors College Faculty Fellow, however, has introduced her to a new dimension of student support: the Office of Global and National Fellowships.
“My experience as a Faculty Fellow has been rewarding and illuminating,” Hinnant said. “Since last summer, I have been working with the Office of Global and National Fellowships (OGNF), and I had no idea of the depth and breadth of support they offer students who are applying to competitive external awards.”
Through this role, Hinnant has seen firsthand how the office works with students from across campus who are applying for prestigious fellowships and scholarships.
“The members of OGNF meet with students one-on-one to figure out what their goals and strengths are,” Hinnant said. “Then they work together to locate opportunities that will best suit each student. This is the level of support you might expect at a small private college, so to have it at Mizzou is extremely valuable.”
Students supported by the office often apply for nationally competitive awards such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Fulbright, Marshall, Rhodes and Gilman. As part of the process, Hinnant has reviewed student essays and explored student experiences in applying for these awards.
The collaborative nature of the work has also highlighted the role faculty play in student success. Beyond writing letters of recommendation, faculty members help refine research plans, serve on review panels and provide mentorship throughout the application process.
“As a Faculty Fellow, I have been generating ideas to make sure faculty’s work in supporting these students doesn’t go unnoticed,” Hinnant said. “Although students are the main engine behind their own applications, it does take a small village of OGNF members and faculty mentors to help students succeed.”
For Hinnant, this kind of mentorship aligns closely with the Honors College’s mission of fostering curiosity, ambition and academic growth. Through her Honors Tutorial connected to the Unbound Book Festival, she encourages students to engage deeply with ideas while building community through conversation.
“My advice to students is to take advantage of the fellowship advising that our campus offers for external grants, scholarships and fellowships,” Hinnant said. “The process of applying for any one of these awards is helpful for future grad school applications, job and internship interviews, and simply for formulating your goals and articulating what’s important to you.”