UCM Awards Provost Excellence Scholarship to Lee’s Summit, St. Peters Students

Back row from left, 2024-25 Provost Excellence Scholarship recipient Eliza Thomas, 2025-26 finalists Gracie Jones,
Kelsey Carter, Jillian Burks and Riley Ballenger and Provost Tim Crowley. Front row, 2025-26 Provost Excellence
Scholarship recipients Savannah Kerans and Jake Johnson.

 

The University of Central Missouri (UCM) has awarded its second annual Provost Excellence Scholarships to Jake Johnson of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, and Savannah Kerans of St. Peters, Missouri.

The Provost Excellence Scholarship is UCM’s top financial award, offering recipients up to $16,000 to support their educational journeys at the university. Renewable each year for up to four years, this scholarship rewards a high-achieving student who demonstrates excellence in all aspects of their life. New for 2025-26, the scholarship has been awarded to two well-rounded individuals — one incoming freshman and one incoming transfer student.

The other award finalists were Riley Ballenger of St. Louis, Missouri; Jillian Burks of Kansas City, Missouri; Kelsey Carter of Montrose, Missouri; and Gracie Jones of Kirksville, Missouri.

While only two Provost Excellence Scholars are named at the yearly scholarship event, all finalists qualify for an $8,000 renewable scholarship. All applicants also receive additional scholarship consideration, as 94% of UCM undergraduates receive financial aid.

 

"The Provost Excellence Scholarship is more than just a financial award; it is a recognition of students who embody our 'Education for Service' motto and values through both academic rigor and community leadership,” said Tim Crowley, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs. “As we welcome the 2026 finalists to campus, we are not just looking for high GPAs — we are looking for the next generation of leaders who will enrich our university and the region we serve. It is an honor to support these exceptional scholars as they begin their journey toward professional and personal success here at UCM."

Johnson, a Lee’s Summit North High School senior, plans to major in Criminal Justice and minor in Music. He is the son of Ryan and Katie Johnson.

Johnson’s high school involvement includes playing jazz guitar, serving as an officer in choir, theatre and speech and debate, and as the lead critic for the Kansas City Cappies. He is also a member of the National Honor Society and an International Baccalaureate career diploma candidate. In the community, Johnson is a youth attorney for the Lee’s Summit Youth Court, an Eagle Scout and a member of the Missouri Stream Team and the Missouri Forest Keepers Network.

 

“I think I'm very passionate about the things that I do and I'm very dedicated,” Johnson said. “That opened up all these opportunities for me through those programs. And I've absolutely enjoyed it.” 

While he excels in speech and debate and has acted in plays and musicals all four years of high school, Johnson’s career path is pointing toward becoming a conservation agent. He grew up enjoying the outdoors with his family, and it became both an escape and an opportunity to explore. 

 

“That's what I've wanted to do my whole life, and my passion for the outdoors and protecting it has really aided me in making the decision that I made to come to UCM,” Johnson said. “It's conservation-focused. It's got a great Criminal Justice program. And that's what I want to do. I want to go out and protect and educate the public about the importance of conservation efforts, the importance of the outdoors and how to treat it right as well and how to operate things safely.”

Kerans, a student at St. Charles Community College, plans to major in Graphic Design. She is the daughter of Michele and Brad Kerans.

Kerans’ high school and college involvement includes participation in art contests, community cooperative theatre, set and costume design, and theatre workshop classes. In the community, she volunteers at the Turkey Hill Ranch Bible Camp and helps with Paint the Town, a city-sponsored event.

UCM stood out during Kerans’ college search for its Graphic Design program, which offers foundational drawing skills while incorporating current and emerging technologies. She hasn’t landed on a specific career yet, but she’s enjoyed designing event posters and product labels and has found an interest in branding and marketing.

 

“Throughout high school, I've just been trying different things. Obviously, I've stuck in the art field, but I think just having art throughout my life is what inspired me to get into graphic design,” Kerans said. “There's never been a real moment where I was like, ‘OK, this is what I want to do.’ It's just been the obvious career choice for me.”

As a homeschooled student, Kerans said she was nervous about attending a university with a large campus where she might feel lost. After her visit, she said UCM and Warrensburg are the “perfect size.” 

“Coming into UCM, I hope to be involved with the community,” she said. “I don't want to join too many clubs and overwhelm myself, but that's one of the big things that I'm looking forward to.”

The Provost Excellence Scholarship is awarded to well-rounded individuals who are academically deserving and deeply involved in extracurricular activities at their school or in their community. 

Applicants must have a high school or college GPA of 3.85 or higher. They are required to submit an application that includes a personal statement discussing the impact of education on their lives, as well as a student involvement statement explaining how their involvement aligns with UCM’s values.

Finalists attended a unique campus experience on Feb. 6-7, which included a campus tour, academic meetings with faculty and college deans, interviews with the UCM News Bureau, attending a class for their expected major, making poster presentations and completing a formal interview with the scholarship selection committee. 

The weekend concluded with students and their families watching Mules basketball defeat Washburn on Saturday, where the scholarship award winners were announced during the game.

 

"It's always a very exciting time hosting such amazing students on campus who embody all that UCM is and stands for,” said Chris Lang, assistant vice provost for Admissions, Analytics and Financial Aid. “Each one of the finalists brings incredible experiences and achievements that they should be very proud of. Congratulations to Jake and Savannah for being selected as this year’s recipients.”

For more information about the UCM Office of Admissions, visit ucmo.edu/admissions.