March 2026 News at UCM

Education Professor Receives 2026 Educator of Excellence Award

Charlene Atkins, Ph.D., professor of Mathematics Education, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Educator of Excellence Award from the Missouri Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (MACTE). The award recognizes outstanding contributions to educator preparation and leadership in the field of education across Missouri.

Atkins was honored for her dedication to supporting rural schools and advancing computer science in education. In addition to her role as a teacher educator at UCM, Atkins serves as the coordinator of the UCM Rural Schools Initiative and is a Missouri Regional Hub contact for the Rural Schools Collaborative. She is also an active member of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Computer Science Advisory Council.

“Advocating for rural schools is essential, as the strength of these communities and the supportive educational environments they foster play a critical role in student learning and personal growth,” Atkins said. “My work focuses on strengthening mathematics education and expanding computer science opportunities, particularly in rural districts, while supporting the educators who serve rural communities.”

The MACTE Educator of Excellence Award recognizes individuals whose contributions to teacher education demonstrate distinguished service or promote outstanding practices in educator preparation. MACTE serves as the coordinated voice for educator preparation programs across Missouri and works to advance high-quality teacher education through collaboration, advocacy, and professional development.

LAE Chapter at UCM Claims Top Award at National Championship

UCM’s Lambda Alpha Epsilon, Gamma Delta chapter (LAE-GED) of the American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) won the top award at the 2026 LAE National Conference, hosted March 8-13 in Bloomington, Minnesota.

The team consists of Chris Aguilar, Amber Andrade, Sara Ball, Madison Chenault, Ruth Craig, Madison Dean, Regan Dolan, Kobi Hammond, Vulinhela Harrell, Sebastian Horn, Kylie Ilewelling, Abigail Inman, Tyler Loestetter, Matt Long, Avery Penn, Madison Seyller, Brett Shadduck, Jazmyn Shockley, Juliana Sloan, Matthew Smith, Giuliuna Termmi, Abigal Wilbers and Alana Woodley. Advisors are Scott Chenault, Ph.D., professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology; Gregg Etter, Ed.D., professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology; Officer Ben Brown, adjunct instructor of Criminal Justice and Criminology; and Heather Jennings, deputy Title IX coordinator.

Due to a restructuring of the award system, the national organization now awards a Sweepstakes trophy to the winning region and a Collegiate Excellence Award to the top school. Region III won the trophy, and UCM received the Collegiate Excellence Award, meaning the UCM Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology is once again the No. 1 program in the country in the ACJA.

UCM students took first place in all divisions – lower, upper and graduate divisions – of the student paper contest. Each winning student will receive $200 and have their paper published in the ACJA/LAE Journal.

Fashion Student Shows Collection at Kansas City Fashion Week

Campbell Mayer, a sophomore Fashion major from Eudora, Kansas, showed her collection for her brand CM Sewing at Kansas City Fashion Week on March 25. 

To do this, Mayer submitted her mood board and designs to the Fashion Week team for consideration and did an interview. Once chosen to show on the Spring/Summer 2026 runway, Mayer created her pieces, did model fittings, attended a dress rehearsal, submitted model hair and makeup looks, and showed her collection on the evening runway. Her collection consisted of eight items made from quilt blocks that she created for the clothing patterns.

Mayer received a Graduate Studies Undergraduate Research Grant to help pay for materials and also received the Betty Doris Fitterling Smith scholarship to help with tuition costs. 

She highlighted her runway designs at the UCM Scholars Symposium on April 2 and received a Level 1 award. Catch a glimpse of her collection during the opening of the Senior Showcase Fashion Show on April 22 in the Elliott Student Union Ballroom.

Surrounded by models wearing pieces from her collection, Mayer is pictured in the middle wearing black.

UCM Choirs Take International Performance Tour to Greece

In early March, members of the UCM Choirs took part in an international performance tour to Greece, where students had the opportunity to perform while experiencing the rich history, culture and artistic heritage of one of the world’s most influential civilizations. The tour included performances in Athens, as well as educational travel to Delphi, Meteora and the island of Crete.

During the tour, the choirs performed at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the Alekos Fassianos Museum, sharing a diverse choral program with international audiences and representing UCM through musical excellence. These performances provided students with valuable real-world experience performing abroad while serving as ambassadors for the university and the American choral music tradition. 

Repertoire ranged from Renaissance works to contemporary choral compositions by living composers, as well as American spirituals, which were especially well received by audiences. The concerts highlighted the diversity of the choral art form, demonstrating how music from different time periods and cultures can connect performers and listeners across languages and cultural borders.

Pictured are UCM Choir members and UCM Music faculty at the Parthenon in Greece.

Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity Raises Funds for St. Jude Children’s Hospital

On Saturday, March 21, the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity chapter at UCM hosted its annual St. Jude Ball, raising more than $16,000 to support the mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food.

The event, entirely planned and executed by the collegiate members, brought together students, alumni and community members for an evening centered on a shared purpose: making a difference in the lives of children battling life-threatening illnesses.

Behind the scenes, months of preparation went into the event. Chapter members coordinated every detail, from securing a venue and organizing programming to leading fundraising efforts and engaging donors. For many, the cause made the work personal.

“We put in months of work, but knowing that every dollar raised goes toward helping kids and families at St. Jude makes it all worth it,” said Connor Keegan, co-philanthropy chair. “It shows what can happen when a group of people comes together for something bigger than themselves,” added Lance Ridgway, co-philanthropy chair.

The success of the evening reflects not only the dedication of the chapter but also the generosity of the Warrensburg community and the continued support of alumni and advisors.

“This achievement reflects the true spirit of our fraternity — service, leadership and a commitment to making a difference,” said Ed Wirthwein, director of Community Standards and Support at UCM and chapter advisor. “We are incredibly proud of the hard work and passion our members put into this effort.”

Associate Instructor Helps Establish New Chapter for Therapy Nonprofit

Chase Johnson, associate instructor of Social Work, has helped establish the first Missouri chapter for A Home Within.

The nonprofit organization is a nationwide network of licensed clinical therapists who volunteer one hour per week of pro bono, open-ended therapy to a person who is currently or was formerly in the foster care system. The new Missouri chapter hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, March 19 at the Katy Depot in Sedalia.

Johnson is the Missouri Chapter clinical director, working alongside UCM alumna Monica Rowlette, who serves as the Missouri Chapter executive director. They are working to recruit volunteer therapists and spread the news about the organization’s services. Therapists who join A Home Within gain access to training in trauma-responsive skills, an expansive network of mental health care professionals, free access to the agency's continuing education library, and membership in consultation groups. 

Associate Professor Presents, Directs & Acts at Mid-America Theatre Conference

Aaron Scully, Ph.D., associate professor of Theatre, attended the Mid-America Theatre Conference on March 4-7 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

He was selected to present a research paper, “Memory of a Memory Play: Dramatizing Tennessee Williams,” and his play, “Clicks,” was selected for performance in the Playwrights Symposium. Additionally, Scully directed the play “Miracles and Magic” by Franky Gonzales and acted in two plays: “True American!” by Julia Cerquiera and “The Plagiarized Words of God Almighty” by Nino Greene. Lastly, he chaired a panel titled "Games, Sports and Performance: Americana Beyond the Stage" at the conference.

Criminal Justice Professor Publishes Article on Organized Crime

Gregg Etter, Ed.D., professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, had an article published in the Winter 2026 edition of the Journal of Gang Research.

The article, titled “Brazilian Organized Crime,” is about gangs that are operational in South America and engage in illegal drug trafficking, arms trafficking, human trafficking, illegal gold mining and a host of other crimes.

The National Gang Crime Research Center publishes the journal.

Association of Black Collegians Members Receive Leadership Awards

Students from the Association of Black Collegians at UCM and its umbrella organizations attended the Big XII Conference on Student Government and Leadership on Feb. 26-28 in Lawrence, Kansas, where they participated in leadership development sessions, networking opportunities and discussions focused on student engagement and community building. 

The conference brought together students from institutions across the region and thought leaders from various professional sectors, allowing UCM students to exchange ideas, strengthen leadership skills and represent the university in a collaborative learning environment. 

During the awards banquet, two UCM students were recognized. ABC executive member London Brown (top picture) received the Nelson Mandela Award, recognizing outstanding leadership, service and commitment to equity, and ABC member Jershawn Johnson (bottom picture) received the Mickey Leland Award, which celebrates impactful community service. Their recognition highlights the strong leadership and impact of UCM students among peer institutions.

ABC Secretary Divine Washington said members returned from the conference inspired and equipped with new ideas and strategies to strengthen the campus community.

“We participated in sessions that challenged us to think critically about inclusive leadership practices and how we can intentionally create spaces where all students feel valued and empowered,” Washington said.

Students Assist Department of Conservation Biologists With Paddlefish Research

Dan Metcalf, research animal facility manager and adviser for the UCM chapter of the American Fisheries Society (AFS), and AFS members helped Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) biologists during a paddlefish sampling at Truman Lake in late February.

MDC annually tags paddlefish, the state freshwater fish, as part of its research. UCM students assisted with netting, weighing and measuring paddlefish, then tagging them if they met the size criteria set by MDC.

Along with Metcalf, UCM students included Aiden Juhl, Will Weger, Yonah Bennett, Abby Haas and Chris Ekengren. They worked alongside MDC employees Chris Brooke, Tyler Erwin and Dave Wood.

Brooke, an MDC fisheries biologist who manages the Truman reservoir, has been a great partner for UCM’s AFS chapter.

“MDC biologists are willing to work with us and give students experience and prepare our students for entering the conservation workforce,” Metcalf said. “Students are now more skilled and have more experience as they interview for jobs with MDC. UCM is unique in its location to Truman, so it’s a nice partnership we can maintain.”

The recent sampling project is just one example of UCM’s collaboration with MDC. Opportunities occur year-round for students in the Department of Biological and Clinical Sciences, such as AFS members helping with aquatic habitat and fisheries management. Students recently visited Blind Pony Hatchery in Sweet Springs, where MDC raises paddlefish in preparation for release later this year to help the population.

“MDC has ongoing opportunities, whether it’s monitoring fish communities or research projects,” Metcalf added. “It’s nice that our students can get involved in that process with them.”