Director’s Corner: Have a Safe and Relaxing Spring Break!

Hello CASE scholars and supporters! I hope you all are enjoying a well-deserved, safe and relaxing Spring Break 2021! There have been many news reports and videos surfacing on social media showing several spring breakers not following CDC guidelines when visiting the top “spots” for spring break. The CASE team hopes you continue to practice…

Amand Hardiman: More Than a Mentor

When I came to MU for the Center for Academic Success & Excellence’s (CASE) Summer Transition program (now known as Summer Bridge) in 2018, I was skeptical. I was unsure what my four years here would entail and anxious to know who I would meet that would impact my journey. A few weeks into my…

Alex Becks: Making Her Mark

On the first day of her junior year in high school, MU junior and Brooks Scholar, Alex Becks faced an important decision. Her choice, ultimately, would lead her over a thousand miles away from her home in Chicago but provide a unique experience and opportunity for growth. “I decided instead [of attending public school] to…

Director’s Corner: A Year in the Pandemic

Dear CASE Scholars and Supporters: As we round the corner on a calendar year since the universe introduced us to the terms COVID-19 and Coronavirus (or ”Rona” in the vernacular), this introduction has changed the trajectory of the world like few other natural or unnatural disasters. The current reality and perhaps our collective futures will…

KC Scholar Abigail Ruhman: The Vow That Literally Paid Off

One evening after it happened, Abigail Ruhman walked into her kitchen at home. She quickly stopped in her steps when she noticed her mother, Lisa Ruhman, sitting at the kitchen table with tears silently rolling down her face. Abigail wondered what could possibly make her strong, iconic, tenacious mom cry alone at the kitchen table.…