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 thanks to help from his undergraduate advisor, Jenna Fusinatto.
“She was always available throughout the entire process,” Glover said. “There was definitely some confusion about what classes actually transferred, as well as what courses I needed to be signing up for. My mom came with me for the transfer orientation, and Jenna was super patient with both of us. We had a lot of questions, and she worked with us through each one.”
Glover said having a successful first semester at MU was key for him after making the switch.
“Completing my first semester was a big deal,” Glover said. “It was a big change for me, going from a smaller school to a larger school like Mizzou. I proved to myself that I could do that work and make it through.
“My professors really helped me out during the process. They made me feel comfortable and did such a good job of applying real-world examples to the coursework. That made it easy for me to understand and grasp. It was easy to just hit the ground running.”
A passion for sports, especially basketball, led Glover to serve as a student manager for the men’s basketball team at his previous school, Xavier University. When he joined Mizzou, he began to search for a similar experience to go along with his parks, recreation and sport degree.
“I played sports heavy in high school and wanted to find ways to stay around it,” Glover said. “The parks, recreation and sport degree program at Mizzou gave me the chance to gain that knowledge that I can carry over to the sports world. Working as a student manager with the men’s basketball team here really opened my eyes as well.”
Glover got connected with the Tigers program through the Dos Equis 3X3U National Championships. Glover had worked the event the previous two years. Once he knew he was going to be attending Mizzou, he made an effort to reach out to the MU program.
“There are so many networking opportunities at that event,” Glover said. “I knew that I wanted to be a student manager at Mizzou, but I really hadn’t figured out how to get in touch with the team. There was a coaching event during the event, and I approached Chris Hollender, an assistant coach with MU. I thought the worst he could say was no. We had a great conversation and it opened the door for me to get involved.”
As a student manager, Glover helped with several on-court situations, such as jumping into drills or serving as a scout team player. He also had a hand in looking through film, doing 1-on-1 workouts with players and helping with recruits.
“The experience was very hands-on,” Glover said. “It’s been cool, and it’s been pretty exciting to learn from some of the best minds in basketball. Having the opportunity to get to know the players has been super rewarding.”
Glover said he eventually wants to get into coaching, and his time with the Mizzou men’s basketball team was a great step toward that goal.
“It’s been great to learn the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating a successful program,” Glover said. “This opportunity taught me a lot about hard work and sacrifice. There are early mornings, late nights and a lot of travel. A lot of times your friends are hanging out on the weekends and you’re in the gym working. But that hard work pays off when you see a player show growth.
“You don’t get paid as a student manager and it’s a big time dedication. I fell in love with it from the start, though, and it has led me here.”
Along with the traditional schoolwork for his degree and his work as a student manager, Glover was also part of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Glover’s father was part of the same fraternity, and Glover’s experiences with the fraternity are some of his favorite memories at MU.
“I gained lifelong friends through Alpha Phi Alpha,” Glover said. “The fraternity is centered on helping people, and that really hits close to home. I’ve enjoyed the community service work that we’ve been able to do and the people we’ve been able to interact with.”
Glover worked two jobs at MizzouRec and taught younger kids how to play basketball at a community gym in Columbia, also.
“My planner has saved my life,” Glover said. “I was a student who was able to get by in high school just fine. College is a whole different animal. Once I commit and dedicate my time, it’s my focus. I want to be someone people can count on. My planner helped keep me organized and keep my promises.”
Glover is currently in discussions with a few universities about graduate assistant positions for their men’s basketball programs.
“I plan to follow the route that a lot of coaches go,” Glover said. “I’m really thankful for the coaching staff here, as they’ve been super helpful in preparing me for life after school. Working with an SEC program, it holds weight. It’s definitely a big deal.
“Wherever I end up, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in business administration. If my basketball goals don’t work out, I feel like having that business background gives me a great backup plan.”