Tell Your Story

Carmaletta: Stay Focused. It will happen.

Kind of like Janie in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, I lived my life a bit backwards. I was married at 18, had a child the next year, worked full-time and was going to school. My life-long goal was to be a college graduate. Marriage, work, house, husband and kid made that look like a very long distance goal. It was pretty rough for a while, but having UMKC close-by made it possible. It took me a few years to get my bachelor’s degree, which made me determined to get my master’s degree in a more timely fashion. With my great advisors and friends at UMKC, I was able to define “what I wanted to be” academically, get on track and stay on it. I used to tell my college students that I know Life intrudes. But before they give up or drop out come talk with me. After two courtships, two marriages, two children and two divorces, I made it and so can they. I now have an earned Ph.D. , am experiencing an intellectual life just as I’ve always wanted, and I continue to learn.

Lawrence: Never fail to Try !

I was and still am the first and only member of my immediate family to graduate with a college degree, actually three degrees. My college began at Central Missouri State University, actually a college when I started but re-named. I wanted to be a Teacher. I had worked with children all my teen years and knew I would be successful. I only went to college the first semester to see if I could make the grade. I did and went on to earn a B.S and M.S. from now University fo Central Missouri and the crown jewel an Education Specialist degree from U.M.K.C.
I never knew I would get a degree and yet I got three. U.M.K.C. was a difficult school to get accepted and to succeed. I took a sabbatical from the Kansas City Public Schools where I had been employed for 7 years. I almost failed two classes dealing with Statistics and had a challenging student teaching experience at Westport Junior High School. But I graduated and went on to be Certified as a teacher, principal K-12 and Superintendent of Schools. My career changed over and over as I went from teaching to administration to Healthcare Administration and Administrative work in Prisons. I am the American Dream in action, now very retired but still dreaming.
I know that UMKC made a significant difference in my personal and professional life. I made some mistakes in my life but UMKC and the training I received and the guidance I received helped me weather those times. Thank you UMKC.
Lawrence A Pulos

Daniel: From Barrio to B.A.

I grew up on Kansas City’s West Side. We were poor, but rich in spirit. I’m a Mexican American and was the first in my family to go to college. I finished my last two years of my Bachelor’s program at UMKC (1970). It was for me, an achievement that impeled me to continue my post-gradutate aspirations; eventually earning a Ph.D. at another university. But the foundation for my perseverance and commitment was the support and dedication of the faculty and peers at UMKC that helped shape my future. After all these years, I am still grateful for what the UMKC experience did for me. I wish I could do more to pay it forward (to UMKC); but personal and family matters take precedence for now.
I encourage everyone connected to UMKC, both now and it the past, to continue to support the outstanding work pursued by this university! My hope is that UMKC will continue to evolve as a major academic institution. With your help, it will.

Eric: I Made the Right Choice to Attend UMKC

I began my career in Economics at Sacramento State University. My unofficial advisor there was Dr. John Henry; after several frustrating experiences in introductory Economics courses, I decided to attend Sac State, and when I walked into Dr. Henry’s classroom that first regular-semester day, the first thing he taught was, “We all used to be Commies.” And while I ultimately don’t agree with this, It was exactly the heterodox approach that I had been implicitly looing for. Upon completing my undergrad degree, Dr. Henry had just leaving Sac State to teach at UMKC! Fast forward a decade after living and working in Santa Cruz, CA for 2 years; living and working in China for 7 years, living for half a year in South America and attending Community College studying History and Political Science in China: after this ten years I decided to attend Wright State University in Fairborn, Ohio and earn an MS in Social and Applied Economics.

Imagine my amazement to find that a book assigned for a class was authored by Dr. Henry from way back from Sac State, ten year before. The professor assigning his book had graduated from the (integrated) Economics program at UMKC; I soon became introduced to Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) of which UMKC was the global center for MMT: everybody in the program at this State College in SouthWest Ohio in the Advanced Macro class that day had been very excited by it. I had the choice of another very established Heterodox Economics program, yet chose UMKC because of the freedom to research theoretical economics there which is a rare opportunity in the United States.

Once at UMKC my first experience was to have my then future advisor, Dr. Forestater walk down the hall and into the classroom. I felt an immediate connection with him, and he has become my advisor. It was like a final rerising of my first connection with Dr. Henry (who has since passed). Dr. Forstater eventually encouraged my nascent work in climate economics begun at UMKC. This has resulted in the penultimate paper of my soon-to-be proposed dissertation. Dr. Erik Olson’s Advanced Microeconomics class and its teaching pushed the paper That I have been working on for over twenty years over the hump and into the endgame. It reports a utilitarian theory of exploitation. The MMT teacher, Dr. Fullwiler, introduced me to the horrors of the positive discount rate on future Anthropogenic-Global-Climate-Change (AGCC) Damage, the refutation of which has been—along with my exploitation and initial climate-economics paper—central to my research over the past four years. Dr. Srisha Naidu’s class has fostered further Work, as has the visiting Dr. John Marangos whose class allowed another paper in my planned dissertation concerning the economics, politics, culture and relevant management of AGCC in China where I had, again, lived for seven years.

My greatest hopes of completing my work in theoretical economics is being fulfilled at UMKC throughout my time here and as I am the ABD phase of my PhD: there has been such tacit encouragement of my research at UMKC supporting it both in spirit and in terms of class content and beyond. Moving away form the academic, I like to hang out at Einstein Bagels on campus because of the warm energy there, and some of the cultural activities have been amazing. It is so nice to be able to get essentially any external research that I need at the library. Furthermore, I had earned the credit for the interdisciplinary degree: the Earth and Environmental Sciences program included Dr. John Fleeger, Dr. Adegoke, and Dr. FengPeng Sun, my supervisor at the point that I had been in that program: all of these professors were excellent and the classes always super fun and highly educational. I got through them successfully and found Climate Science to be far more like economics than History which I had also begun to take at UMKC: I did, however, enjoy Dr. Dianne Mutti-Burke’s Civil-War-Through-Film class very much. Among other virtues, it had this wonderful assignment involving my visiting Jesse James’ farm and writing up my experiences there in the style of Tony Horwitz’ (Confederates in the Attic) as well as providing graduate-level analysis: this surprisingly effective combination resulted in my writing a history of Jesse James to counter T. J. Stile’s widely-accepted 2002 biography of James (Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War). Last year I earned my MA in Economics as part of the journey to the PhD. This was quite a rewarding experience in and of itself serving as a milestone to my final goal.

My academic-and-beyond story of my attending and continuing to attend UMKC has involved a journey through the worlds of theoretical economics, finance, environmental-, specifically climate- science, and exploring through the magic history of this Kansas-Missouri border area. There have been some great parties, fun get-togethers, and engaging presentations as well. Despite some decidedly negative experiences and closed-mindedness in certain quarters of the university, UMKC has been an exciting place to be: the kind of freedom and independence it inspires and supports leads to many insightful, profound, & mystical and wonderful experiences.

Shauna: Determined to Earn

I was determined to get my bachelor’s degree, no matter what life threw at me. After a divorce, I decided to go back to school as a non-traditional student in my 30s. I chose UMKC for multiple reasons – it was near my job at the time, their reputation and accreditation, and the PACE Program. The convenience of this program allowed me to work full-time, care for my family as a single mom, and earn a degree. My employer encouraged education and reimbursed me for the first half of my degree, then ultimately, I shouldered the remaining fees myself. I chose a Liberal Arts degree due to the broad nature of courses, while also customizing my learning experience. College helped me hone in on my resourcefulness as I searched for efficient parking to make it to classes on time after work. I attended year-round for five years to fulfill my dream of earning a degree. During my time as a student, life continued to go on; I got married, my mom passed away, and my job transferred ownership. I’m proud to say that I completed my degree with a respectable GPA. I learned how to multitask and thrive in challenging environments. I’m a proud alumnus of UMKC and proud of the resourcefulness, tenacity, and determination I displayed to earn my degree. The distinction is something I earned on my own and will always be a part of me. I am now a business owner, and I regularly draw on my college experience to succeed in business and life. I hope that UMKC continues to be a part of the community and to be accessible to all walks of life.

Mark: Finding my university home at UMKC.

I started my professional career at Hallmark in 1984 as an Industrial Engineer and also had roles as an Operations Research Analyst, Marketing Strategist, and then Business Unit Controller. I moved on to focus on operations finance, strategy, and M&A at SF Railway (now part of BNSF), KC Southern (now part of CPKD), Kraft, and H&R Block. While I was at Hallmark, I took classes in Overland Park for an MBA through the University of Kansas. I lived in Brookside and didn’t know much about UMKC, but took 2 MBA classes (transferred credits to KU) and joined the Swinney Rec Center. I felt very connected to UMKC, but moved away from Brookside and was busy with family/work.

In my early 40’s, I decided to focus on the goal of becoming a CFO – but I didn’t know accounting at all, so I started an MS Accounting program at UMKC. I chose UMKC because Dave Donnelly was the Accounting Department Chair and I knew it would be a great program – which it was with 3 of his classes, 2 challenging (but very valuable) financial accounting classes taught by Dave Cornell, and other good classes. I increased my respect for UMKC when Dr. Donnelly and Dr. Cornell stepped up to manage the Bloch Business School through a challenging transition. I was honored to have met Henry Bloch a few times (when I worked for H&R Block) and sincerely appreciate everything that he has done for UMKC.

Over the past 15 years, I have hired a number of UMKC graduates (as analysts or accountants) and they have all been outstanding professionals! I’m trying now to give back to UMKC by becoming an Adjunct Instructor and am excited to teach intro to Accounting/Finance this fall for the EMBA class of 2027!

Gary: UMKC, the Beginning of MY Lifelong Adventure

I entered Kansas City University in 1961 on a full ride Victor Wilson Scholarship. In 1963, KCU became UMKC. I was a Biology major with dentistry as my career goal. Aside from my pre-dental courses such a comparative anatomy and organic chemistry, I gravitated toward the field biology courses such as plant ecology and ornithology. I graduated with a BS in Biology in 1965 and had applied to the UMKC School of Dentistry. Acceptance to dental school back then was not a given so as a back up the head of the Biology Dept. had lined me up a Masters Degree program at Kansas University. Well, I received my letter saying I had been accepted. At that time, no one had ever taken the Victor Wilson Scholarship into professional school. I wrote a letter to the scholarship committee saying I realized no one had ever done this, but that I was still in the same system and was there any chance my scholarship could carry into dental school. I didn’t hear anything for several weeks and thought it was a case of nothing ventured, nothing gained, but low and behold I received a letter from the faceless scholarship committee that said they had decided to extend my full ride scholarship into dental school. So I ended up with my scholarship covering four years four years of undergraduate and four years of dental school. My father died when I was in high school. So even with working part time during undergraduate school, I probably wouldn’t have been able to afford my UMKC education. For that I will be eternally grateful. I graduated from the UMKC Dental School in 1969 during the height of the Vietnam War. Graduating dentists were being drafted into the Army. Rather than wait to be drafted, I signed up for the U.S. Navy Dental Corps. For three years of the Vietnam War, I served overseas. I decided I liked the Navy and ended up serving for 30 years. At some point I realized I was interested in and adept at the leadership and management side of Navy dentistry. So during my career my assignments included serving as Executive Officer of the largest Navy Dental Command in the world in San Diego, overseeing over 600 healthcare professionals; Commanding Officer of the 21st Dental Company and Brigade Dental Officer on the Commanding General’s staff of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade; Commanding Officer of Naval Dental Center Pensacola responsible for the dental readiness of 45,000 sailors and Marines in a six state area of the SE United States and Head of Dental Operations on Navy Medical Department staff responsible for supporting all Naval and Marine Corps medical and dental facilities west of the Mississippi and across the Pacific. My personal awards include The Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals and two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals..

Since retiring from the Navy in 1998, I have been a volunteer naturalist and a birding teacher and field trip leader for several organizations including the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in La Jolla, CA, the San Diego Audubon Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

So my education and experiences at UMKC not only allowed me to have a successful career in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps, but it allowed me to return to my love of the natural world as a volunteer teacher and naturalist for the past 27 years. For that UMKC will always have a special place in my heart.

Gary Grantham
BS Biology ’65, DDS ’69

Harold: 50+ Years of Connected Service

My UMKC journey began a year after UKC joined the Missouri system in 1964. The journey continued through three degrees including BA, MA, and EdS. I thought the latter was my terminal degree; however, I went on to another university to complete the EdD. Highlights included working with the School of Education alumni as president and the UMKC Alumni Association as vice president. The alumni organizations make UMKC a strong, community-based asset. In 2006, I was awarded a Presidential Citation as the first Bill French Service Award.
All that being said, the real impact has been made on my life through the friendships and relationships of hundreds of alumni devoted to UMKC. I was able to win a Goals 2000 grant to work with area education departments in five universities. The work we did together brought about changes to their teacher education programs. The greatest change was made by UMKC that led to the establishment of the Institute for Urban Education.

I continue to support UMKC not from a feeling of duty, but as a strong belief that an urban university makes a difference in the lives of its students, graduates, families, and all who are a part of Kansas City.

Chelsea: Caring Boldly: A Pediatrician’s Path Through UMKC’s EMBA Program

The most meaningful gift I received from UMKC’s Executive MBA program was my cohort—an incredible group of professionals who have become life-long friends, thought partners, and colleagues. The strength of this community continues to shape my journey as a physician-entrepreneur.

I joined the EMBA program as a seasoned pediatrician with a growing curiosity about the business side of healthcare. UMKC’s entrepreneurial focus drew me in, and the experience quickly exceeded my expectations. With the support of my professors and peers, I launched a concierge pediatric telemedicine platform during the program. That venture laid the foundation for my latest endeavors—co-founding a pediatric medical device company and opening a direct primary care pediatric clinic in the Northland, where I soon will be serving families who prioritize their children’s health and development.

I hope future UMKC students discover, as I did, that the university offers not only knowledge, but a community that encourages bold ideas and practical action. My exposure to business through UMKC empowered me to branch out from traditional medicine, innovate healthcare delivery, and create a clinic grounded in personalized care, evidence-based practice, and plenty of heart. I am deeply grateful to the professors who helped me grow the confidence, skills, and strategic insight I needed to make that leap. My hope is that UMKC continues to champion innovation and develop leaders who aren’t afraid to build something new.

Samantha: ROO and sobriety for life.

I don’t share my story often but UMKC was a part of my sobriety journey. My life was spiraling out of control and I was desperate to change that. I had a friend, who had a friend who worked at UMKC. With their help, I was hired at UMKC, to answer phones for a department. It was my first sober job. That job changed how I felt about myself. I was forced to choose between short term fun or long term goals. I chose long term goals, sobriety being one of them. 10 years later, I was still working at UMKC, and had gotten my bachelor’s degree. I left UMKC (only) to pursue a career as an addictions counselor. I was terrified to leave. That was in 2010. Seven years later and employed as a licensed addiction counselor, I returned to UMKC to pursue a degree in counseling. In 2020 I graduated with my Masters and am successfully working as a licensed therapist and additions specialist. Being a Roo changed the trajectory of my life and I will forever be grateful. P.S. I am still sober today. Thank you UMKC.

Jordan: MPA for First Gen Roo

I didn’t have to look far when I was searching for a graduate program in Kansas City. UMKC was accessible and supportive as I received my MPA. I think fondly of the 2 years I lived over by the Nelson-Atkins Museum, worked as a graduate assistant on a research project with my dept, and took classes in the evening. One of my favorite memories was going on a study abroad trip to Portugal, which was funded through a scholarship from the Women’s Graduate Assistance Fund. Proud to be a UMKC alum. Roo up!