July 21, 2024

Cherng Summer Scholar Q&A – Kylie McHargue

The Cherng Summer Scholars program allows Honors College students at the University of Missouri to explore their passions through research projects aimed at questions they are interested in analyzing. Students who are accepted into the nine-week program participate in projects that are individually designed, with the support and mentorship of a Mizzou faculty member. This year, there are 12 Cherng Summer Scholars. Meet Kylie McHargue, a senior ancient Mediterranean studies and biochemistry double major. Question: Which faculty member are you working with on your research? Answer: I work in Xiao Heng’s lab. Dr. Heng is an associate…

July 18, 2024

Cherng Summer Scholar Q&A – Blake Arciga

The Cherng Summer Scholars program allows Honors College students at the University of Missouri to explore their passions through research projects aimed at questions they are interested in analyzing. Students who are accepted into the nine-week program participate in projects that are individually designed, with the support and mentorship of a Mizzou faculty member. This year, there are 12 Cherng Summer Scholars. Meet Blake Arciga, a junior biochemistry major. Question: Which faculty member are you working with on your research? Answer: My PI is Satyanarayana Rachagani, an associate professor of veterinary medicine and surgery. Question: What…

July 16, 2024

Cherng Summer Scholar Q&A – Emily Boyett

The Cherng Summer Scholars program allows Honors College students at the University of Missouri to explore their passions through research projects aimed at questions they are interested in analyzing. Students who are accepted into the nine-week program participate in projects that are individually designed, with the support and mentorship of a Mizzou faculty member. This year, there are 12 Cherng Summer Scholars. Meet Emily Boyett, a senior journalism and political science double major. Question: Which faculty member are you working with on your research? Answer: I’m working with Bryce Reeder, an associate professor of political science in the…

July 14, 2024

Cherng Summer Scholar Q&A – Mackenna Rodgers

The Cherng Summer Scholars program allows Honors College students at the University of Missouri to explore their passions through research projects aimed at questions they are interested in analyzing. Students who are accepted into the nine-week program participate in projects that are individually designed, with the support and mentorship of a Mizzou faculty member. This year, there are 12 Cherng Summer Scholars. Meet Mackenna Rodgers, a senior biochemistry major. Question: Which faculty member are you working with on your research? Answer: I am currently working with Peter Cornish, an associate professor of biochemistry, along with some assistance…

July 20, 2023

Following Her Passions

A double major at the University of Missouri, Michelle Woolridge’s degree programs are an extension of her educational journey.  Part of a Spanish immersion elementary school, Woolridge spent her youth learning both English and Spanish. Once she began high school, Woolridge was part of the International Baccalaureate (IB), an extensive educational program that helps students develop a variety of skills for the future, where she was heavily involved in biology. At Mizzou, Woolridge is majoring in romance languages, with an emphasis in Spanish, and biological sciences. “I really enjoyed both…

June 21, 2023

‘A Dream Program’

Story and photography by Logan Jackson Searching for a summer research opportunity, Haley Hultz was hoping to find a program that would allow her to conduct independent research and give her the freedom to explore her passions. She found that perfect mix with the Cherng Summer Scholars program. A full-time, nine-week, summer research or creative scholarship program for Honors College students, the Cherng Summer Scholars program is supported by a gift from Peggy and Andrew Cherng and the Panda Charitable Foundation. Recipients receive a $7,000 award and access to a $1,000 project expense account. Hultz, a …

June 19, 2023

Conducting Research to Help Others

Story and photography by Logan Jackson While Lara Stefani had never toured the University of Missouri before making the decision to become a Tiger, she was very familiar with what the campus had to offer. A graduate of the Dual Diploma Program offered through the Mizzou Academy, Stefani earned diplomas from the Mizzou High School and Colégio Dante Alighieri in São Paulo, Brazil, where she grew up. Along with that familiarity, Stefani said the opportunity to conduct in-depth research helped make the decision to travel more than 5,000…

May 17, 2023

Generous Giving, Endless Opportunities

Story and photography by Logan Jackson The Cherng Summer Scholars program turned a research curiosity into a full-fledged passion for Landon Swartz. The nine-week program, supported by a gift from Peggy and Andrew Cherng and the Panda Charitable Foundation, allows University of Missouri students pursuing the Honors certificate the opportunity to spend a summer participating in research and other creative projects. Swartz, who is from Springfield, Missouri, joined the laboratory of David Mendoza-Cózatl, an associate professor in the Division of Plant Science and Technology (MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources), toward the end of his freshman year.