Garrett Johnson 

• Doctorate of Physical Therapy 
• Fulton, Missouri 
• Gerald Browning Endowed Scholarship for Physical Therapy 

Sometimes your CHS family includes your siblings, too – Garrett is a DPT student, and his younger sister studies social work. Their mom, a single mother, helps them both with their educational expenses, and the generosity of donors helps them both reach their dreams within the health care field.

“It means a lot to my mother and I to have any sort of financial assistance so more money can be diverted to my sister,” he said.  

After graduation, he wants to move to Kansas City with his soon-to-be wife and work in outpatient ortho with a mix of concussion and vestibular. One day, he hopes to own a rural clinic to provide accessible health care to those who don’t have the means to travel further.  

Nazeema Begam Asaf Khan 

• Master of Health Administration
• O’Fallon, Missouri
• Bonnie Wakefield, Ph.D. and Douglas Wakefield, Ph.D. Endowment in Health Management 

“The award I received not only represents a significant milestone in my academic career but also highlights the ongoing dedication of alumni to foster the growth of students,” Khan said. “This recognition has been both humbling and inspiring. As I advance in my career, I am eager to specialize in hospital operations and, ideally, focus on surgical care. This scholarship has not only provided financial support but also reaffirmed my commitment to making a meaningful impact in the health care field.” 

Ashley Harbison 

• Master of Social Work
• Arcadia, Missouri 
• Rintha Mary Carter Social Work Scholarship Fund 

Online students benefit from the financial assistance of donors, too; Mizzou Online student Ashley went back to school to earn her MSW. Though she may have more limited volunteer opportunities than in-person students, she’s giving back to her community at a behavioral health agency as a substance use disorder counselor.

“I plan to use my MSW to continue this work and assist in facilitating change for this population,” she said. “Thank you so much for choosing me as a recipient of your scholarship. It means the world to me!” 

Ryan Chen

• Nuclear Medicine
• Kansas City, Missouri
• Richard E. and Carol B. Oliver Scholarship Fund

For Ryan, the moment that cemented his interest in Mizzou as a senior in high school was during his Mizzou tour, when he observed the kind and helpful attitudes of people on campus. He says that kindness has been continually exemplified throughout his time at the university, including mentorship by Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences student support specialist Adria Koehn, who has helped him navigate the waters of college, and the scholarship donors who have eased Ryan’s family’s financial burden.  

Ryan’s parents are small-business owners who immigrated to the United States from China, and they work 13-hour days to provide for their family and offer education to their kids. Through scholarships, Ryan is able to focus more on school and his interests than his finances, giving him time to draw, try new recipes and spend time with friends playing Dungeons and Dragons.  

Emily Connally 

• Health Science (Genetics Research and PA Cardiology) 
• Boonville, Missouri 
• Assistance League Scholarship – College of Health Sciences 

Emily is a single mother to three children and works a full-time job alongside her commitments as a student. Receiving a scholarship helps her achieve a degree and eases her family’s financial burden, especially as she plans to continue her education after she completes her degree.  

“I may not have taken the traditional college route, but I believe pursuing higher education is important and possible at any age. Thank you for helping make that possible for me,” Emily said.  

Kalista Sadler 

• Master of Social Work 
• Jefferson City, Missouri 
• Stanley G. and Sondra S. Remer Scholarship Fund, Military Social Work Scholarship

“Growing up in a military family, I knew I wanted to give back to the people who have helped my family and me,” Sadler said. After graduation, she plans to work for the VA to help veterans in need.

“I am super excited to be continuing my education as a clinical social worker because I see the need in my community,” she said. “The education I have received at Mizzou has been extremely valuable to what I want to accomplish in the future. This scholarship is a big step toward finishing my degree and for that, I will never be able to thank you enough.” 

Shannon Gillespie

• Respiratory Therapy 
• Chicago, Illinois 
• Drs. Tim and Rosemary Hogan Endowed Scholarship Fund 

Scholarships allow students to focus on their studies, as well as extracurricular passions. Shannon, a senior respiratory therapy student, says that she has big plans before graduation, including raising money to fight childhood cancer with Mizzou’s Morethan4 club. “I am hoping I can raise about $1,500 for the club before I graduate,” she said.  

Alongside this goal, she wants to save up money for rent during her externship, decide which area of respiratory therapy she will go into, and make memories with friends and family during her final semester.  

Addison Sircy

• Master of Social Work
• Cumming, Georgia 
• Rintha Mary Carter Social Work Scholarship Fund, Ralph and Ruthie Deuser Endowed Scholarship in the School of Social Work 

Addison, a graduate of the Mizzou Bachelor of Social Work program, dreams of becoming a social worker in a pediatric oncology setting. She found her perfect health care niche in social work because it pairs her lifelong interest in working in the medical field with her passion for mental health. She current works in the Integrative Behavioral Health Clinic, where she helps provide free mental health services and case management for uninsured or underinsured Missourians.  

“This scholarship helps pave a path for me to reach my dreams,” She said. “You are helping not just me, but my future patients as well. With this scholarship, I can focus more on school to become the best social worker I can be.”