Independence Student Receives Trustees Scholarship

UMKC group awards seven for 2016

Morgan Adrales, a resident of Independence, Mo., and a spring 2016 graduate of Truman High School, has been named a University of Missouri-Kansas City Trustees’ Scholar.

When Adrales enters the Computer Science program at UMKC in the fall, she will receive a scholarship valued at $60,000 over four years. Her award is supported by the UMKC Board of Trustees, the founder of the scholarship program.

Adrales, who graduated in the top two percent of her class, was a member of the Spanish Club Executive Board and the National Spanish Honor Society. She was a starter on the varsity soccer team and a member of the Student Council and the National Honor Society.

As a volunteer in her community, Adrales volunteered at the Truman Varsity Sports and the Spanish Club concessions and participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

In the essay submitted to the Trustees’ Scholars selection committee, Adrales explained her decision to pursue a computer science degree at UMKC.

“Almost everyone struggles with finding their purpose in life, and throughout much of high school my future seemed undecided. This remained the case until, while sitting in Technology and Information Management, I noticed that there were only a handful of girls. I began to notice that women make up a minority of computer scientists and engineers. When I came across the National Girls Collaborative website and found that only 18 percent of computer science degrees were awarded to women, my eyes were opened to the gender gap and my future in computer science was set in stone. I have decided to obtain a degree from UMKC and work to encourage girls to join math and science-related clubs. I plan to work with these programs like the KC STEM Alliance to gain invaluable career experience that I would repay through the education of young girls.”

The Trustees Scholarship provides educational fees and on-campus room and board for the first two years. In the third and fourth years, the package provides educational fees and $2,000 for room and board. Each Trustees’ Scholar also receives $500 toward books each year.

To qualify as Trustees’ Scholars, students must meet at least two of the following three criteria: score a minimum ACT Composite of 30, rank in the top five percent of the graduating class, or have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or more in a 17-class core curriculum. Trustees’ Scholars must enroll full time, be seeking an undergraduate degree and commit to living on campus for the first two years.

The UMKC Trustees’ Scholars Program is unique in that it aligns students closely with corporate sponsors, who give students access to their professional knowledge and experience, insight into the inner workings of the company or institution they represent, and a strong mentor relationship throughout the college experience. Students have opportunities to network and find internships or jobs through the Trustees and their connections in the community.


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