Stories
May 13, 2021
Taking a Leap of Faith
During her three years as a student in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), Claire Shipp has appreciated the opportunity to explore her passions. Those interests include agriculture, the environment and serving others. Last semester, Shipp found a course where all of those passions crossed paths. The Environmental Law, Policy, and Justice course, taught by Robin Rotman, an assistant professor in the School of Natural Resources, showcased how Shipp could take her interests and apply them in a real-world setting. The course shaped Shipp’s approach to the Truman Scholarship application she was…
May 10, 2021
Senior Spotlight: Tanner and Sean Allen
As legacy students growing up in Columbia, Mo., the University of Missouri held a special place for twin brothers Sean and Tanner Allen. After four years at Mizzou, the brothers will walk away with degrees in agricultural systems technology (AST) and agribusiness management, as well as multiple memories from their time as Tigers. “We grew up in Columbia, so Mizzou was always where I saw myself going,” Tanner said. “I loved the atmosphere of campus and the traditions my dad taught me from his time as Mizzou.” “Tanner and I are legacy students, and our mother works as a programmer…
May 10, 2021
Senior Spotlight: Angela and Maggie McNay
Sports played a massive role in the lives of twin sisters Angela and Maggie McNay growing up. The twin sisters loved to compete, and they were both big fans of University of Missouri athletics. Having Norm Stewart and Mike Anderson as family friends didn’t hurt, either. Already enamored with sports, friendships with Stewart and Anderson ignited that passion further. “We went to Norm’s house at times during the summer months,” Maggie said. “Our grandma and his wife would work on various projects together. We call Mike, ‘uncle Mike’ and would watch movies at his house. He would always run out…
May 10, 2021
Senior Spotlight: Dallas and Donell Kleiboeker
Growing up on a beef farm in southwest Missouri, twin brothers Dallas and Donell Kleiboeker shared many of the same hobbies, friend groups and life experiences. Those shared interests, especially in agriculture, led them to the University of Missouri. While the two didn’t have any plans on both majoring in agribusiness management, that’s the degree program each brother chose. “We didn’t really plan it out at all,” Donell said. “I think we’ve had so many similar experiences that it narrows the track a little bit. Honestly, though, as seniors in high school, I was talking about being a civil engineer…
May 10, 2021
Senior Spotlight: Abby Schmidt
The Missouri 4-H organization instilled a strong passion for agriculture in Abby Schmidt. She took that passion to the University of Missouri, where she has double majored in plant sciences and agribusiness management. In all, Schmidt said she will graduate in May with nearly 160 credit hours. “It took a lot of organization to make it work, but because I started early on, it was doable in four years,” Schmidt said. “I had 20-plus hours some semesters so that I could cruise along at only 12 credit hours in this final semester.” Schmidt, who is from Foristell, Mo., worked very…
May 10, 2021
Senior Spotlight: Kris Glover
A tuition increase at his previous university led Kris Glover to consider other educational opportunities. His twin sister help bring Glover to the University of Missouri. “When I decided to transfer, I really wanted to find a place where I would be the most successful,” Glover said. “My sister shared all of the great things that she had been able to do at Mizzou, as well as the community and friend group that she had built. I saw some opportunities where I thought I could make an impact.” As a transfer student, Glover said the process was made much easier…
May 10, 2021
Senior Spotlight: Michelle Maile
When Michelle Maile transferred to the University of Missouri, her love for the outdoors led her to select biological sciences for her area of study. Once she got to Mizzou, though, she realized that there were multiple degree programs that hit on her true interests, which are related to natural resources and plant sciences. “At the community college I was at, they didn’t have any natural resource programs,” Maile said. “I honestly didn’t even know they existed. I figured biology was close to what I was interested in, but when I came here, almost everyone was pre-med or pre-vet. I…
May 10, 2021
Senior Spotlight: Carli Carmack
After earning her associate’s degree from North Central Missouri College (NCMC) in Trenton, Mo., Carli Carmack joined the Office of Sponsored Programs at the University of Missouri as an office support assistant. That was nearly nine years ago. Carmack has worked her way up in the office, and now serves as an administrative team lead. While Carmack said she loves her job in the Office of Sponsored Programs, her passion for sports has always been in the back of her mind. Carmack played softball at NCMC and has always enjoyed athletics. She decided that going back to school and getting…
May 10, 2021
Senior Spotlight: Jordan Duenckel
As a senior in high school, Jordan Duenckel knew that he was going to continue his education at the University of Missouri – what he didn’t know was what he was going to study. As Duenckel searched through the MU course catalog, an interesting entry caught his eye. “As I was flipping through, I noticed food science and nutrition,” Duenckel said. “I love to eat, so studying food seemed fun. Science was my best subject in high school, so when I saw something that combined the two, I thought I would give it a go.” To go along with his…
May 10, 2021
Senior Spotlight: Luke Eaton
During his freshman year, Luke Eaton decided to join the soil judging team on a whim. Eaton didn’t know it at the time, but that decision would open up a new world of opportunities – and help him find the perfect emphasis area to study. Eaton knew he was going to major in environmental sciences when he first came to the University of Missouri; he just wasn’t sure which of the four emphasis areas to choose. He started in atmospheric sciences, but switched to a soil emphasis after joining the judging team. “Rachel Owen was my soil judging coach and…