![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trustees-scholars-friendsgiving-2023-scaled.jpg)
The UMKC Trustees’ Scholars Program provides a fully funded educational and experiential program for a select group of first-time students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The scholarship is a collaboration between the university and the UMKC Trustees. The program gives students access to UMKC Trustees’ knowledge, experience and mentorship, as well as specialized guidance from key UMKC staff.
UMKC partners with local sponsors to support a Trustees’ Scholar, which provides more than $60,000 over four years. Sponsors can pay $10,000 annually toward a $40,000 pledge or fully endow their scholarship for $300,000. We welcome the opportunity to discuss these opportunities or other possible arrangements with you. Get in touch here about Sponsoring the Program.
This program doesn’t just provide tremendous opportunities for students. It also prepares them to be leaders in their communities and their careers.
Scott Boswell, Board member
![Headshot of Scott Boswell](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/KC-ScottBoswell-2.jpg)
Scholars’ Stories
Second-year scholar Grace Yu did a summer internship with Emerson & Company. “My typical payroll duties included processing, onboarding clients, fulfilling HR needs and handling service calls. For bookkeeping, I managed various responsibilities in QuickBooks, such as reconciliation, billing and invoicing. Additionally, I completed small projects on the side. For example, I performed an audit of our payroll platforms to see where the company stood in terms of profit margins and where we could look to improve. Overall, this internship was an amazing opportunity that really opened my eyes to how a successful small business is run.”
![Headshot of Yu Grace](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/YuGrace330.jpg)
Current Trustees’ Scholars
Students are categorized by their expected date of graduation.
Class of 2025
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jaeden-Johnson_PAR19156_003-copy-scaled.jpg)
Jaeden Johnson
Hometown: Omaha, NE
Major: Dance
Trustee Mentor: Debby Ballard
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ethan-Kauffman_PAR19182_005-copy-scaled.jpg)
Ethan Kauffman
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Major: Music Education
Mentor: Marylou Turner
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/z-kemp-v2-copy-scaled.jpg)
Z Kemp
Hometown: Blue Springs, MO
Major: Music Civil Engineering
Trustee Mentor: Scott Smith
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Maddie-Kunz_PAR27252_004-copy-scaled.jpg)
Maddie Kunz
Hometown: Platte City, MO
Major: Biology (pre-dental)
Mentor: Dr. Joseph Spalitto
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Emma-Taylor_PAR19226_023_2-scaled.jpg)
Emma Schilling
Hometown: Raytown MO
Major: Business Administration
Trustee Mentor: Steve Bernstein
Class of 2026
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Judy-Batts_PAR19430_010_2web.jpg)
Judy Batts
Hometown: Kansas City, MO
Major: Biology
Mentor: Dr. Helen Hill
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Mauricio-Bernal_PAR27073_006_2web.jpg)
Mauricio Bernal
Hometown: Kansas City, KS
Major: Civil Engineering
Trustee Mentor: Gabriel Hernandez
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Chinecherem-Ihenacho_PAR19521_011_2web.jpg)
Chinecherem Ihenacho
Hometown: Raytown. MO
Major: Pre-Nursing
Mentor: Dr. Shayla Sullivant
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Vari-Patel_PAR27009_011_2web.jpg)
Vari Patel
Hometown: Lee’s Summit, MO
Major: Business Administration
Trustee Mentor: Suzanne Shank
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Elliot-Smith_PAR19251_008_2web.jpg)
Elliott Smith
Hometown: Parkville, MO
Major: Urban Planning and Design
Mentor: Dr. Robert Strom
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Larry-Smith_PAR19368_020_2web.jpg)
Larry Smith
St. Louis, MO
Biology or Chemistry (pre-dentistry)
Trustee Mentor: Emmet Pierson, Jr.
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Taylor-Trudell_PAR19292_018_2web.jpg)
Taylor Trudell
Hometown: Knob Noster, MO
Major: Earth and Environmental Science
Mentor: Patti Phillips
Class of 2027
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Atkins-Laila-copy.jpg)
Laila Atkins
Hometown: Grandview, MO
Major: Political Science
Trustee Mentor: Donald Maxwell
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Blanton-Maisy-copy.jpg)
Maisy Blanton
Hometown: Benton, KS
Major: Communications
Trustee Mentor: Steve Doyal
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Custis-Andrew-copy.jpg)
Andrew Custis
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Major: Earth & Environmental Science
Trustee Mentor: Kyle Vena
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Mallams-Atlas-copy.jpg)
Atlas Mallams
Hometown: Liberty, MO
Major: Computer Science
Trustee Mentor: Leigh Anne Taylor Knight
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Mokhtar-Yasmina-copy.jpg)
Yasmina Mokhtar
Hometown: Joplin, MO
Major: Sociology
Trustee Mentor: Heather Humphrey
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Reed-Alexis-copy.jpg)
Alexis Reed
Hometown: Kansas City, MO
Major: Biology
Mentor: Dr. Joseph Reuben
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Richards-Micaela-copy-1.jpg)
Micaela Richards
Hometown: Lee’s Summit, MO
Major: Business Administration
Trustee Mentor: Donna Ward
Class of 2028
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/el-demerdash-maryan-headshot.jpg)
Maryam El-Demerdash
Hometown: Overland Park, KS
Major: Psychology
Trustee Mentor: TBD
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/gandhi-aaria-headshot.jpeg)
Aaria Gandhi
Hometown: Carol Stream, IL
Major: Health Sciences
Trustee Mentor: TBD
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/hall-carter-headshot.jpg)
Carter Hall
Hometown: Washington, MO
Major: Biology
Trustee Mentor: TBD
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/heidbreder-haley-headshot.jpg)
Haley Heidbreder
Hometown: Blue Springs, MO
Major: Mathematics & Statistics
Trustee Mentor: TBD
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Joseph-Ann-headshot.jpg)
Ann Joseph
Hometown: Chesterfield, MO
Major: Biology
Trustee Mentor: TBD
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/martens-audrey2.png)
Audrey Martens
Hometown: Nixa, MO
Major: Psychology
Mentor: TBD
![](https://trustees.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tamiru-tiko-headshot.jpeg)
Tiko Tamiru
Hometown: Kansas City, MO
Major: Business Administration
Trustee Mentor: TBD