The Board of Governors’ Citizen Scholar Award annually recognizes six full-time students who have made significant accomplishments while enrolled at one of the campuses at Missouri State University. The Citizen Scholar Award has been established out of the desire of the Board of Governors to recognize Missouri State students who are not only outstanding scholars but exemplify the Public Affairs mission of the University.
The 2008-2009 Citizen Scholars
Casey Nicole Beckley
Casey is a Junior majoring in Nursing in the BSN program. She is a member of the Honors College and has maintained an excellent academic record. She has accomplished this while carrying 15-17 hours a semester and working at least 20-40 hours a week. Despite her rigorous academic program and work schedule she still finds time to be involved in service organizations that help others. As Vice President and Head of the Service Committee of Student Community Action Team (SCAT) she provided extensive leadership focused on service to the community.
Amber K. Bowen
Amber is a Senior Elementary Education major. Amber has been an active leader within the Office of the Registrar, the Baptist Student Union and her church. Last year she spent 16 days on a mission trip to Southeast Asia where she was primarily involved in helping gather and synthesize information while working with a journalist. In her full time job in the Registrars’ office she embraced managerial and leadership positions when the office had 3 out of 4 supervisor positions vacant. She also assisted with many of the aspects involved in implementing the Banner system on campus.
Sean M. Cain
Sean is a graduate student working on a Masters degree in Professional Studies while also pursuing a career in screen acting, having just completed filming on a feature-length motion picture in Oklahoma. In May 2007, he graduated cum laude in the Honors College with a Political Science major and a theater minor. Sean’s leadership accomplishments on and off the MSU campus are many. As Student Body President, he worked tirelessly for projects like the Student Recreation Center and a University-wide gasoline discount available through Cody’s Convenience Stores. As a sophomore, he chaired the second annual Public Affairs Week (PAW) that advanced awareness of the University’s mission to students and the community. While only a freshman, Sean served as recruitment chairman in his fraternity, Theta Chi. Sean also provided the fraternity with spiritual leadership by serving as chaplain for a diverse membership.
Ashley M. Egan
Ashley is a senior with a Chemistry major and minors in Biomedical Science and Business. As a Resident Assistant she is responsible for 24 upper-class women. She has spent countless hours making their residence beautiful, dealing with numerous situations, and encouraging academic excellence through her caring and creative energy. As an academically superior and highly ethical pre-med student she was chosen as a Human Anatomy Lab Instructor. She was also selected to be one of just a few Pre-Med students to visit St. Jude’s Research Hospital over Spring break 2009. During her 2007 spring semester she gained experience in understanding how our government works through her selection as a White House Intern.
Catherine C. Shoults
Catherine is a senior Biology major with a Chemistry minor. Her first research project as a sophomore perked her interest in research and ultimately led her to pursue a career in Epidemiology. She was selected for a National Science Foundation-Research Experience for Undergraduates program in Biology/Biochemistry at the University of Missouri. While there she worked on a project involving stem cells and the correction of vision. Her interest in the public health field took her to Ecuador to participate in medical humanitarian relief work in the summer of 2006. Cat has served as president and Service Chair of the society for honors students (Gamma Phi Alpha). She served on the Public Affairs Week committee for 2 years and was chosen Public Affairs Week Volunteer of the Year in 2007.
Clay M. Webb
Clay is a senior honors college student majoring in Political Science with a minor in International Relations. He has served as President of Pi Sigma Alpha (National Political Science Honors Society) and Vice President of the Holt V. Spicer Debate Forum. In 2008, he and his debate partner placed third at the National Debate tournament and the Cross Examination Debate Association tournament, winning over teams that included Harvard, Northwestern and Berkley. During summers, he worked long hours at Missouri State’s Darr Agricultural Center to earn money for school. Clay has also been on staff at Missouri State’s Public Affairs Academy and Missouri State’s Debate Institute. On an internship with Tom Goldberg in Washington, D.C., he helped with lobbying efforts involving international food safety technology, which involved working with legislators and the Food & Drug Administration.