UMKC group awards seven for 2017
Kansas City native Bayley Brooks, a spring 2017 Park Hill High School graduate, has been named a University of Missouri-Kansas City Trustees’ Scholar.
When Brooks begins studying civil engineering 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.
Brooks, who graduated in the top 20 percent of her class, was a member of the speech and debate team, international club, Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) and Student Council.
As a dedicated community member, Brooks has volunteered at KC Pet Project, Immigrant and Refugee Academy, Hillcrest Thrift Store and Harvesters. She also worked as a Starbucks barista and received an AP Scholar Award for excellence on her AP exams in July 2016.
In the essay submitted to the Trustees’ Scholars selection committee, Brooks said that her move to Kansas City in recent years sparked her interest in civil engineering as she was transfixed by the “cool” architecture of city buildings.
“I have always been a self-proclaimed math and science nerd, and the captivating architecture in Kansas City sparked my interest in engineering,” said Brooks. “Civil engineering seems like a natural career to pursue, a career that will help me contribute to society by creating and developing new structures for everyone to enjoy and use.”
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.