11 Journalism Students Selected for Mizzou 39
Seniors Are Recognized for Their Leadership, Service and Academic Achievements
By Ashley Szatala
Columbia, Mo. (March 11, 2016) — Eleven Missouri School of Journalism students are among the 39 selected for Mizzou 39. The award, given by the Mizzou Alumni Association Student Board, recognizes 39 outstanding seniors across all majors for their leadership, service and academic achievement throughout their time at the University of Missouri.
The award is given in spirit of the service cornerstone on which MU was founded in 1839. Mizzou 39 recipients name a MU faculty or staff mentor to recognize at the awards ceremony.
The Missouri School of Journalism recipients and their mentors are:
Jessica Allison
- From: Colorado Springs, Colorado.
- Major: Magazine Journalism. Minor: Psychology.
- Activities and Honors: Walter Williams Scholar; The Maneater; Columbia Missourian; Academic Retention Services Ambassador; STRIPES (Supportive Tigers Riding In Pursuit of Ensuring Safety); Mizzou Alternative Breaks.
- Mentor: Farouk Aregbe, Student Government.
Maggie Bowman
- From: Chesterfield, Missouri.
- Major: Strategic Communication. Minor: Sociology. Certificate: Multicultural.
- Activities and Honors: Rockin’ Against Multiple Sclerosis; Journalism Ambassador; Women of Worth Program; Mizzou Athletics Total Person Program; Won By One Mission Trip; Mizzou Alternative Breaks; Kappa Delta Sorority.
- Mentor: Cara Stuckel, School of Law.
Cat Cojocaru
- From: Rochester, Minnesota.
- Majors: Strategic Communication and Political Science. Certificate: Multicultural.
- Activities and Honors: Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority; Greek Allies; Proud Tigers Mentorship Program; former intern for Senators Claire McCaskill and Harry Reid; Griffiths Leadership Society for Women; Mizzou Alternative Breaks.
- Mentor: Samantha Green, School of Law.
Veronica DeStefano
- From: Naperville, Illinois.
- Major: Magazine Editing. Minor: Textile and Apparel Management. Certificates: Honors College and Multicultural.
- Activities and Honors: Residential Life; FIG Peer Advisor; Community Advisor; Tiger’s Lair; 2015 Summer Welcome; Mizzou Alternative Breaks; STRIPES; Residential Life Hall of Fame; Peer Advisor of the Month; Mark Twain Non-Resident Scholar; Sam Bronstein and Joseph W. Patterson Scholarships.
- Mentor: Adam Callahan, Residential Life.
Rebecca Greenway
- From: Van Meter, Iowa.
- Majors: Print and Digital News, Investigative Journalism and International Studies.
- Certificates: Multicultural, MU Connect, Digital Global Studies.
- Activities and Honors: Honors College; Sue Shear Fellow; Kinder Forum of Constitutional Democracy; Mizzou Model UN; Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute (Sigma Sigma Sigma); National Honor Society of Collegiate Scholars; Mizzou Alternative Breaks; Residential Life; internships/service with UM Systems Office of University Relations; Peace Studies (Justin Huang Scholar); State Department; Defense Department-Army; Civic Leadership Internship; Refugee and Immigration Services CCCNMO; AmeriCorps.
- Mentor: Tim Parshall, MU Fellowships Office.
Kyle Gunby
- From: St. Louis, Missouri.
- Major: Strategic Communication. Minors: Business and Theater. Certificates: Honors and Multicultural.
- Activities and Honors: MOJO Ad; Summer Welcome; Tour Team; Comedy Wars; TheadBare Thrift; Delta Tau Delta Fraternity.
- Mentor: Mark Swanson, Missouri School of Journalism.
Ashley Holt
- From: Aurora, Illinois.
- Major: Radio-Television Journalism. Minor: Sociology. Certificate: Multicultural.
- Activities and Honors: MU Award for Academic Distinction; Soledad O’Brien Pioneer in Media Award (MU Delta Sigma Theta Sorority); Inc Thriving 22; National Association of Black Journalists; Journalism Ambassador; Residential Life Ambassador; Griffiths Leadership Society for Women; National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
- Mentor: Earnest Perry, Missouri School of Journalism.
Young Kwon
- From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- Majors: Strategic Communication and International Peace Studies.
- Certificates: Multicultural, MU Global Connect and Leadership.
- Activities and Honors: E3! Ambassador (White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders); Four Front Minoritized Student Leaders Council; creative director of the MU Multicultural Center; MU Cambio Center; Summer Welcome; Social Justice Scholarship (US Bank Fund); Multicultural Leadership Award and Emerging Leadership Award (Chancellor’s Excellence Awards); Frankie Muse Freeman Social Justice Award (Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Thriving 22 Awards).
- Mentor: Stephanie Hernandez Rivera, Multicultural Center.
Maddy Poletis
- From: Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
- Major: Strategic Communication. Minors: Business and Sociology. Certificate: Multicultural.
- Activities and Honors: MOJO Ad; Kappa Kappa Gamma; Mizzou Alternative Breaks; Martha Stephens Toler Loyalty Award (Kappa Kappa Gamma).
- Mentor: Leigh Neier, College of Education.
Kara Simon
- From: Plano, Texas.
- Majors: Strategic Communication.
- Activities and Honors: Sigma Kappa Sorority President; Homecoming Steering Committee; Rockin’ Against MS Steering Committee; Griffith’s Women’s Leadership Society; MOJO Ad; Honors College; Mizzou Alternative Breaks.
- Mentor: Michelle Murphy, Center for Leadership and Service.
Carolyn Welter
- From: Overland Park, Kansas.
- Majors: Strategic Communication and Political Science. Certificates: Multicultural and American Constitutional Democracy.
- Activities and Honors: MOJO Ad; Panhellenic Association; Greek Life; Student Outreach Recruitment; Dean’s List; Kappa Alpha Theta.
- Mentor: Patrick Elmore, Office of Admissions.
Updated: September 16, 2020