Story and photos by Logan Jackson
- Alex Tyrrell – junior dual major in English and middle school education
- Research Mentor: Donald Quist, assistant professor of English
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 not a lot of nature. It was a powerful experience to find a place where I felt my soul settle. I knew I had to find a way to write about it, and the Cherng Summer Scholars program gave me the perfect opportunity to pursue a project tied to the creek’s history and its meaning to me.”
The Cherng Summer Scholars program, supported by a gift from Peggy and Andrew Cherng, is a nine-week research or creative scholarship program for Mizzou students pursuing the Honors Certificate. The program allows students to participate in individually designed projects under the mentorship of a Mizzou faculty member. Students also take part in a weekly seminar course and present their research findings during Mizzou Office of Undergraduate Research’s Summer Forum.
This is the second major Honors College scholarship Tyrrell has received. She has been a Discovery Fellow the past two years.
“I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but I kind of figured that there would never be any type of funding for a project of this nature,” said Tyrrell, a junior dual major in English and middle school education. “Writing is my passion, and I have felt really empowered through the Honors College to pursue that.”
While Tyrrell’s exploration of Crooked Creek is a creative endeavor, she’s also devoted significant time to researching the waterway’s history. She attended a St. Charles County Historical Society meeting where members were more than happy to share their knowledge of the area.
“The entire group was really excited to help,” Tyrrell said. “The president of the historical society gave me a map of the area from around 1904, which is so neat to have. The geography has changed quite a bit over the years, and everyone at the meeting worked together to map things out.”
Tyrrell also reached out to a local sheriff who was more than happy to help.
“He sent me a bunch of newspaper articles on the creek and the area in general,” Tyrrell said. “It was great. I’m very, very grateful to everyone who supported me through the research aspect of the project.”
Tyrrell is currently connecting the different historical pieces to her personal experience with the creek. She has worked closely with her research mentor, Donald Quist, throughout the summer. Quist is an assistant professor of English and has provided valuable guidance on the project.
Her appreciation for strong mentorship, along with her love of English, led Tyrrell to pursue a degree in middle school education..
“I had an English teacher my senior year of high school who was wonderful,” Tyrrell said. “I enjoyed her class and her approach to the material. When I made the decision to go to Mizzou, I reached out to her about the entire process.”
That teacher was Kim Gutchewsky, who studied secondary education (language arts) at Mizzou.
“She had such an impact on me, and I would love to foster a love of language in young people,” Tyrrell said. “It’s less about sharing what I know and more about empowering young people to be themselves.”