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University News | Monthly News Roundup | Division of Theatre and Dance | Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology | Rankings

August 2026 News at UCM

By Nicole Lyons, September 4, 2026

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Students and faculty at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) didn’t waste a single second this summer, even as the new academic year was quickly approaching. Whether it was training criminal justice professionals or premiering a new play, summer was a time for professional growth.


Check out the August news roundup to read about all the ways UCM employees and students are redefining what’s possible every day.


The UCM News Bureau publishes the news roundup, a monthly collection of newsworthy moments from UCM’s two campuses. UCM faculty and staff members can submit items for consideration at ucmo.edu/news/news-roundup.

 

Professor, Students Present at International Gang Specialist Training

Gregg Etter, Ed.D., professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, and three graduate students presented at the 29th International Gang Specialist Training Program on Aug. 3-5 in Chicago, Illinois. 


The National Gang Crime Research Center (NGCRC), which trains police and military forces from multiple nations on gangs and organized crime, hosted the annual event, featuring more than 100 specialized training classes. 


Etter and graduate students Juiliana Sloan and Jazymn Shockley presented a class on Transnational Crime. In addition, Etter and graduate student Avery Penn presented a class on Human Trafficking. Penn and Etter also presented a class on “The Role of Cultism and Religion in Organized Crime: A Three Country Study of Nigeria, South Africa, and Singapore.”


NGCRC awarded each graduate student a $750 scholarship to cover conference entry fees. They also earned 24 hours of P.O.S.T. credit for attending the training program and a Gang Specialist training certificate from the NGCRC.

 

 

 

 

Six people stand next to each other on a theatre stage with a backdrop for the play behind them. Some of the people are actors who are in costume for the 1940s-era play, while Aaron Scully is wearing a gray UCM polo and black shorts and the director is wearing a black-and-gray patterened dress. They are all looking at the camera and smiling.

St. Louis Theatre Premieres Play Written by Associate Professor

First Run Theatre premiered and produced “Tenn,” a play by Aaron Scully, Ph.D., associate professor of Theatre. The show ran July 31, Aug. 1-2 and 7-9 at the Kranzberg Black Box Theatre in St. Louis.


The play focuses on American playwright Tennessee Williams in 1945. According to the show’s synopsis, “Williams reflects on the moments that led to the opening of ‘The Glass Menagerie’ on Broadway – the night that changed his life, and the lives of those that worked with him, forever. The play is a celebration of artistic collaboration and what can happen when a group of people truly believe in a piece of art.”


Scully, second from left, is pictured with the director and cast members of “Tenn” on Aug. 8 at the Kranzberg Black Box.

 

Recent UCM Rankings

UCM is where students find exceptional value, achieve real success and make a tangible impact. Publications consistently recognize UCM among the Midwest's top public universities for academic quality, affordability, social mobility and online innovation. UCM also earns specialized recognitions that showcase distinctive strengths within individual programs and services. 


Here are just a few examples of recognition the University of Central Missouri has earned recently:

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