May 16, 2025
Honors Outstanding Senior: Isaac Yontz
Isaac Yontz will graduate with degrees in constitutional democracy and political science and earned the Honors Certificate. Yontz has been able to study abroad and conduct undergraduate research. His efforts led to him receiving the Mizzou ’39 Award early this year and, recently, he was named the Honors College Outstanding Senior. Photo by Logan Jackson. Story by Logan Jackson As Isaac Yontz was making his college decision, he was pretty sure of one thing – he didn’t want to attend the University of Missouri. Yontz grew up in Columbia and was hoping to forge a path away from a university…
May 14, 2025
Always a Tiger: Ennis Earns History and Journalism Degrees
Sam Ennis’ father (pictured right) attended the Missouri Scholars Academy (MSA) as a high school student. MSA was created by Ted Tarkow (pictured left). Ennis (pictured middle) interacted with Tarkow as a student at Mizzou, through a Humanities Sequence course. Photo courtesy of Sam Ennis. Story by Logan Jackson At least once a year, Sam Ennis and his family would make the trek from Texas to the University of Missouri to watch some Tiger football or basketball and enjoy the Mizzou campus. Those trips left a lasting impression on Ennis, and when he eventually began to look at his college…
May 13, 2025
An Incredible Learning Environment: Milburn Earns Constitutional Democracy and History Degrees
The Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy served as a home away from home for Elise Milburn. She was able to study abroad and conduct research through the program. Milburn was also very involved in the Honors College, earning more than 40 Honors credits as a Tiger. Photo courtesy of Elise Milburn. Story by Logan Jackson The first piece of college recruitment material that Elise Milburn received came courtesy of the University of Missouri. While Milburn wasn’t shocked to see those types of materials as a high school student, she was a bit surprised to see something from a university in…
May 12, 2025
Investigating Multiple Opportunities: Smith Earns Communication and Political Science Degrees
Tanner Smith was part of the ASH Scholars Program for all four years as a Tiger. That program allows students to conduct research in the arts, social sciences and humanities disciplines. Photo by Logan Jackson. Story by Kaiya Lynch Senior Tanner Smith vividly recalls his first day at the University of Missouri. “I remember sitting in the dorms and was like, ‘What am I supposed to do now?’” Smith said. A communication and political science double-major with a sociology minor, Smith quickly realized that his next step was undergraduate research. Before coming to Mizzou, Smith was determined to become a…
May 11, 2025
Building An Incredible Research Portfolio: Fritschi Earns Biochemistry Degree
The Freshman Research in Plants (FRIPS) Program jumpstarted Eric Fritschi’s undergraduate research career. He will graduate with numerous research awards and honors. Photo by Logan Jackson. Story by Logan Jackson When Eric Fritschi arrived on the University of Missouri campus as a freshman, he knew he wanted to get involved in research. The Freshman Research in Plants (FRIPS) Program allowed him to do just that. Now, as Fritschi heads toward graduation, he’s built an incredible research portfolio. “I didn’t know what I would enjoy about research, but I always knew I wanted to give it a shot,” said Fritschi, who…
May 7, 2025
Exploring Her Interests: Bowman Earns Computer Science Degree
Story by Logan Jackson While Maya Bowman admitted that the scholarship opportunities offered by the University of Missouri made her decision to become a Tiger an easy one, what happened on her official campus tour truly sold her on attending Mizzou. “My dad earned a degree from Mizzou, so I already had a connection with campus,” said Bowman, who grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. “He was with me during my tour, and after we finished, he showed me his favorite spots. Hearing how much he loved Mizzou and diving into those memories was really great and motivated me to…
Dec. 12, 2024
Senior Spotlight: Avery Rayle
Story by Logan Jackson As Avery Rayle was exploring plant sciences degree programs at colleges across the state, she said there was one thing that stood out about the University of Missouri – ample opportunities to conduct meaningful undergraduate research right away. Nearly four years later, Rayle is finishing her plant sciences degree with a stellar research portfolio. “I knew I wanted to study plant sciences, and as I was comparing programs at different universities, none of them had an emphasis on research like Mizzou,” Rayle said. “There are so many dedicated programs here for getting undergraduates in the lab…
May 10, 2024
Senior Spotlight: Jayden Francois
Jayden Francois was looking for two things in a university – a place where he could conduct research and a spot that would prepare him for a Ph.D. He found both at the University of Missouri. “The biggest thing I knew I was going to need was a place where I could expand on my research interests,” said Francois, who is from Kansas City, Missouri. “I also knew from a young age that I was going to eventually be gunning for a Ph.D. Mizzou seemed like the perfect place for me to participate in research and ready myself for a…
May 9, 2024
Senior Spotlight: Maggie Courtney
Growing up in a family of Tigers, Maggie Courtney spent plenty of time on the University of Missouri campus, attending football games and Homecoming festivities. She also got a closer look at campus through the Missouri Scholars Academy, where she spent three weeks as part of a unique learning community during the summer after her sophomore year of high school. While Courtney had those close ties MU, she wasn’t sure if Mizzou was going to be the right fit when the time came for her to choose where to continue her education. The Stamps Scholarship interview weekend…
May 8, 2024
Senior Spotlight: Jaden Reed
Born and raised in the United Arab Emirates, Jaden Reed remembers thumbing through a variety of University of Missouri publications sent to her mother, a Mizzou alumna. As Reed began to make her own college decision, those MU materials were always in the back of her mind. She eventually decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps and made the 7,500-mile trek to Columbia, Missouri. “When I was younger, I remember poring over the pictures of the Golden Girls and important Mizzou landmarks, like the columns,” Reed said. “As I was looking at potential universities in high school, Mizzou always felt…