July 11, 2023
Preparing for the Future
A kind gesture led to a vital connection early in Luke Annin’s collegiate career. As a freshman, Annin attended an undergraduate research forum hosted by the University of Missouri. He arrived a bit early and asked if they needed any help setting up. “I was pretty early, so I spent a little bit of time helping set everything up,” Annin said. “I didn’t realize that I was helping the director of undergraduate research, Linda Blockus. She came up to me a little later when things began, and we had a great conversation. She connected me with my current mentor and…
July 10, 2023
Advocating for Others
Willow Amann has always had a passion for helping others. When she made the decision to attend the University of Missouri, she was focused on finding a degree program that would guide her as she looked at careers centered on advocacy. Amann, who will be a junior this fall, chose to pursue a degree through the Bachelor of Social Work program. “I’ve been interested in advocacy since high school,” Amann said. “I’m really interested in being on the ground, helping others. I was looking at programs that would be fit my passions, and social work seemed like the perfect…
July 7, 2023
Finding a Connection to Research
Camryn Habben is convinced that the high school version of herself would be in disbelief about how passionate the college version of herself is regarding research. While Habben has always enjoyed science, research wasn’t something she expected to connect with in such a strong way. She has worked in the laboratory of Rocío Rivera, a professor in the Division of Animal Sciences, for nearly two years, focusing on a project related to epigenetics, which is the study of how behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way genes work. Habben is building on her research…
July 5, 2023
Born to do Research
While Anvitha Boosani never officially toured the University of Missouri campus, she knew Mizzou was going to be the perfect fit for her. That feeling came from her familiarity with a single building – the Animal Science Research Center. Boosani got acquainted with the space as a high school student. At just 16 years old, she applied for and received a grant from the National Tri-Services (Army, Navy and Air Force) to conduct her own independent research project. She was living in Nebraska at the time, but her father had just moved to Columbia to work as…
June 29, 2023
Studying the Expression of Aggression
It’s cheaper than therapy, right? James Long found himself using that phrase often when he first began working at COMO Axe Attack, an axe throwing and smash rage room venue in Columbia. Customers would come in, smash a variety of objects and Long would joke around with them afterward that expressing their stress in the rage room with a baseball bat had to be more affordable than therapy. After repeating the phrase for what seemed like the hundredth time, Long, who is now a manager at COMO Axe Attack, started to think about the question a little…
June 27, 2023
Exploring Critical Questions
On her journey to becoming a doctor, Ashley Monks has made sure to take in a variety of experiential learning opportunities as a student at the University of Missouri. Each experience has allowed Monks to grow – both personally and professionally. One of her most in-depth hands-on learning experiences has been in the laboratory of Laura Schulz, an associate professor in the School of Medicine. Monks has conducted research in that lab for more than a year and will continue working on a couple of unique projects after being named a Cherng Summer Scholar. “I knew I wanted to stay…
June 22, 2023
‘A Dream Program’
Haley Hultz, a psychology major, is conducting research through the Personality and Emotion Laboratory headed by Timothy Trull, Curators’ Distinguished Professor and Byler Distinguished Professor of Psychological Sciences. 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…
June 20, 2023
Conducting Research to Help Others
Lara Stefani has built a solid research portfolio during her time as a Tiger.s 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…
May 18, 2023
Generous Giving, Endless Opportunities
A Cherng Summer Scholar, Landon Swartz has found a passion for research during his time at the University of Missouri. 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…
May 10, 2023
Senior Spotlight: Sara Stiens
Named an outstanding senior by the Honors College, Sara Stiens, a biochemistry major, has been incredibly involved in Honors throughout her time as a Tiger. One of two outstanding seniors, Stiens will speak during the Honors commencement ceremony. Photo courtesy of Sara Stiens. Story by Logan Jackson Students pursuing the Honors certificate through the University of Missouri Honors College are part of an innovative and dynamic curriculum that encourages in-depth study in traditional fields of learning as well as additional intellectual inquiry. For Sara Stiens, the Honors College also gave her a sense of belonging. “I couldn’t imagine my…