Published on April 18, 2025
Updated on April 23, 2025
KC Scholars Undergraduate Research Circles, funded by a MizzouForward grant, are small groups of undergraduate students engaged in year-long paid research opportunities with faculty mentors. KC Scholars are recipients of Mizzou scholarships funded by Great Jobs Kansas City with the long-term goal of work-force development for the Kansas City metro area.
Members of each research circle – one for engineering and one for children’s issues – meet weekly during the school year to enhance their research and professional skills and learn more about their discipline. The research circles are coordinated by the Center for Academic Success and Excellence (CASE) and the Office of Undergraduate Research.
Luke Taylor, a junior from Kansas City, Missouri, majoring in mechanical engineering, has enjoyed the chance to make a real difference.
“We aren’t doing busy work. We are solving real-world problems that will help us in the future. This is giving us such unique experiences,” Taylor said. “I have been able to learn concepts beyond what is taught in my major. This experience has taught me new and unique things that I may have never learned without this opportunity.”
For their work, students are paid $14 dollars per hour and gain valuable experience that increases their competitiveness for research fellowships and summer internships. The skills students learn also translate positively to the working world.
Hamza Abu, a junior electrical engineering major from Kansas City, Missouri, appreciates the income and the professional experience his research circle provides.
“It has been a great help to sustainably get a source of income,” Abu said. “This is one of the biggest benefits and has made it possible to ensure that I can start saving money for when I need it or spend it on daily necessities.”
Osvaldo Avila, a sophomore from Kansas City majoring in computer science, enjoys learning about game development as part of his research circle.
“I have never done [research] before, but I always wanted to get into it,” Avila said. “This program allows me to explore my interests and help pay for my college education.”
Avila isn’t the only student who recognizes the value of the program.
Marena Nuñez Cruz, a sophomore from Kansas City majoring in middle school education, said her research circle has increased her confidence.
“Participating in the research circle has challenged me and deepened my confidence in tackling new educational endeavors,” Cruz said. “It has empowered me to engage in meaningful research, expand my knowledge, and educate others on important issues.”
Samantha Stone, a junior from Kansas City majoring in mechanical engineering, shared how much her research circle allows her to engage with her faculty mentor.
“I have learned concepts I would not have learned in class, and the 2:1 student to mentor ratio provides more opportunities for concepts to be taught at a deeper level, Stone said.”
Anysha Hempfield, a sophomore from Kansas City majoring in computer science, has a clearer outlook on her career thanks to her engineering research circle.
“Having this opportunity to learn from and better understand the work of the professionals that I engage with has helped me shape a better picture of what my career can look like,” Hempfield said.
Dr. André Thorn, the director of CASE, is proud of the program’s impact on students.
“The program’s impact has been immeasurable as it has provided access to paid undergraduate research (a high impact educational practice) to students who might not otherwise have the opportunity, Thorn said. “The financial support and mentoring go a long way to ensure that we get a good return on our investment in these scholar/researchers. We will be reading about their contributions well into the future.”
Discover how you can get involved in research at Mizzou – no matter your year or your major.