Honors College student Jonaie Johnson won the Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award and was recognized at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management’s 35th Annual Entrepreneur of the Year awards event in November 2020.

Jonaie is a Dean’s List business student and athlete at UMKC majoring in entrepreneurship. She started her company, Interplay, when she was accepted into the E-Scholars program. Interplay is developing an interactive, automated dog crate. Last year, Jonaie was a starter on the UMKC Roos Western Athletic Conference champion women’s basketball team.

 

 

 

In honor of National Transfer Student Week, the Honors College is highlighting Daisy Garcia Montoya. Daisy discusses her journey from student at Metropolitan Community College – Penn Valley to Communications and Political Science major at UMKC, shares advice to transfer students and faculty, and delves into her goals after graduating UMKC.

Where did you transfer from?

I transferred from MCC – Penn Valley.

What brought you to UMKC?

I’m currently a Henry W. Bloch Legacy Scholar. I spent 3 semesters earning my associate degree at MCC-Penn Valley then transferred to UMKC as a Legacy Scholar. I also have lived in KC and was already excited about UMKC while being at MCC, so it all worked out perfectly.

What has your experience at UMKC been like since you transferred?

The first semester was really rough. I loved my classes and UMKC’s campus, but I didn’t know how to get involved. I came in as a spring semester transfer, so I didn’t see many inclusive activities like transfer fairs or Union Fest. It took a while to find the organizations I wanted to be involved in even though I knew that’s what I wanted to do. However, midway through my first semester, I stumbled across the Multicultural Student Affairs and their office. They sponsored and held a lot of events on campus, so I started going to those. Eventually, I also got involved with the Latinx Student Union and the Honors College. After that, I became really involved with UMKC’s community and Kansas City overall.

What advice would you give to other transfer students at UMKC?

It might seem a little rough at first, but there are so many organizations on campus to be involved with and you’re bound to find at least one you’re comfortable with. The Latinx Student Union is the organization I’m mainly involved with but I’m also a part of the College Democrats and HerCampus. COVID might make it a little difficult, but also go to virtual fairs and events because those are options as well. Look through RooGroups as well! You can see different events and organizations on campus. I did this even before I transferred to UMKC because I couldn’t wait to get involved. Instagram’s a good option too. A lot of organizations have an Instagram page. If you just type UMKC in the search bar, a lot of them will come up. You get a sense of what events they put on and what they stand for.

What advice would you give to university faculty and staff to help transfer students acclimate to UMKC?

The faculty and staff should tell the transfer students the resources that are available on campus. I feel that students don’t know about the counseling services UMKC offers, programs like the Honors College, groups like the Multicultural Student Affairs, and students that are a part of communities as a veteran or LGBTQIA+. Checking in with transfer students and asking them what they need also helps. Connecting them with their interests goes a long way. As a transfer student, you’re new to this atmosphere but sometimes you need someone to come to you first.

What do you hope to achieve both personally and professionally here at UMKC and beyond?

One of my personal goals was to be involved with the Latinx Student Union. Because this group made me feel really welcomed, my mission is to give that feeling to other students, whether they’re transfer students or freshmen and outgoing or shy. As a Communications and Political Science major, I hope to become a journalist. However, I also really love nonprofit work, so working at a nonprofit here in Kansas City that helps students or under-served communities would be how I would continue my professional career.

Any last bits of advice?

Don’t give up and keep going. UMKC is a really welcoming place with a lot of opportunities, whether it’s getting involved or getting connected with other professionals in the greater Kansas City area. You’ll meet a lot of friends and make a lot of memories.

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What is your Lucerna project about?

I wrote an essay describing the many facets of the opioid crisis. There are so many people that have been impacted by this crisis, and unfortunately the problem has been getting worse. I wrote this overview for people in different fields, because like any public health crisis, the public needs to be educated and aware of the problem and how to help. While this is an article that can be used as an introduction to learning about the opioid crisis, I do go into detail about the pharmacology of opioids to describe why and how the drugs are so addictive and harmful.

Why are you interested in this topic?

I am interested in public health, medicine, and biochemistry. I studied Biology and Chemistry at UMKC. Other than my science background, the opioid crisis is a public health nightmare and is extremely important to be familiar with it. Americans are more likely to die from an opioid overdose than a car accident. For me and many others, this topic is personal. My favorite music artist overdosed on a synthetic opioid and one of my family members had an addiction to opioids after being prescribed them after giving birth. This public health emergency is a big problem to tackle and presenting research in a way that people in all fields can appreciate can help the education effort on the topic.

What have been the benefits and challenges of this project?

The main benefit of this project was being able to communicate current research to the readers of this journal. In addition, I was given the chance to tell people a small part of my story, advocate for those going through an addiction, and encourage people to vote for elected officials who recognize this epidemic and will fund public health initiatives. I also think that I was given the opportunity to present addiction accurately, making clear that people with opioid addiction and dependence do not lack morals. The stigma against people seeking help for addiction and lack of access to receive treatment are the main reasons there are so many people who continue taking opioids until the point of overdose. The main challenge of this project was translating some dense scientific material while still being scientifically correct.

What is your advice for students who are interested in publishing their work in Lucerna?

Present your work to the staff for the next volume! Finding something you are passionate about helps keep you motivated and create your best work. Once accepted, the staff are super helpful in editing your writing to make it the best it possibly can be. If you are interested in doing this, I highly recommend it!

What are your professional plans or goals?

Currently, I am preparing to apply for Physician Assistant school in April. A PA is an advanced practice provider (APP) that helps improve patient outcomes, expand access to primary care medicine, and work alongside other APPs. PA school is a two-year master’s program, and I am applying all over the United States (including UMKC!). I am excited to further my education and work in a medically underserved area in the future.

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The Lucerna Symposium, at 5 p.m., Thursday, March 5, will feature most of the contributors to the latest edition of the undergraduate journal. This event is free and open to the public. Click here to RSVP.

 

 

What is your Lucerna project about?

My project studied the powerful rhetoric of St. Louis native Dorothy Roudebush. I was enamored with her ability to take a difficult topic of abortion, one that was clearly dear to her, and express her opinions in a way that was empathetic and nuanced. I chose her speech at the Manchester Christian Church because she was addressing an audience that, as a whole, had different opinions on the topic than Dorothy. In a time where the cultural conversation seems polarized and loud, Dorothy’s speech is an example of how individuals, especially those who would like to see positive change in their community, can engage in conversations about difficult topics such as abortion. I argued that Dorothy used empathetic rhetoric to find common ground and understanding from both sides in such a personal argument.

Why are you interested in this topic?

I find controversial and sticky topics to be the most fascinating. I love topics that include lots of nuance and layers and, while often overlooked, these layers are valuable and relevant to the conversation. I like to educate myself and others who love to study people who are passionate about a topic and express that passion powerfully and elegantly.

What have been the benefits and challenges of this project?

One of the challenges of this project was putting my emotional reactions aside when analyzing her documents. Since I enjoy studying and writing about topics that I am passionate about, I expected some of my own reactions to the subject. Another challenge was taming my curiosity. I spent lots of time in the archives on the UMKC campus studying Dorothy’s documents and artifacts. I had to make sure that I stayed focused on my argument, but also allow myself some time to explore and learn about Dorothy’s work in a more informal manner. I had lots of benefits from this project. I learned that I loved looking at manuscripts in archives and to not be afraid to research in ways I was not familiar with. I also gained fulfillment from learning about an individual from my local community who did such interesting and difficult work.

What is your advice for students who are interested in publishing their work in Lucerna?

My advice would be to find a project or work that you are very passionate about. Then, you just have to submit it and get it over with! If you are passionate about the work you want to publish, then you are proud regardless if you are accepted or not.

What are your professional plans or goals?

My current professional plans are to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education (English emphasis) and a Spanish minor from the University of Missouri-Saint Louis. I then plan to complete a master’s degree in educational administration. I would like to continue research and write about little known individuals who enacted change in their communities, as well as work in creating a more inclusive and modern educational system.

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The Lucerna Symposium, at 5 p.m., Thursday, March 5, will feature most of the contributors to the latest edition of the undergraduate journal. This event is free and open to the public. Click here to RSVP.

What is your Lucerna project about?

My essay, “Please Touch: An Exploration of the Bloch Building as a Post-Museum in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art,” is about the pedagogical styles employed in different parts of the museum. More specifically, it is about the marked differences in the curation styles used in the more modern Bloch building compared to the rest of the museum. My project explores the two styles employed in the museum using Eilean Hooper-Greenhill’s definitions of the modernist and the post-museum.

Why are you interested in this topic?

I grew up in Kansas City visiting the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. When I was choosing a museum/monument for my Discourse H200 project, it was an easy choice for me because I have always felt a connection to the museum. In addition to that, when reading about Hooper-Greenhill’s concepts of the modernist and the post-museum, I could visualize the concepts so clearly within the context of the Nelson, and I wanted to explore the connection more thoroughly.

What have been the benefits and challenges of this project?

One of the major benefits of this project was that I chose a subject that is free to the public and easily accessible. I was able to visit the museum as many times as necessary throughout the project, which I think really helped bring my research to life. Another benefit to my subject of choice was the relatively recent addition of the Bloch Building. It was easy to find primary sources regarding the construction of the Bloch Building that spoke to its purpose because that took place less than twenty years ago. However, I wanted to find similar sources reporting when the museum first opened in 1933, which proved to be more difficult, considering I did not have much experience with historical research.

What is your advice for students who are interested in publishing their work in Lucerna?

My first piece of advice would be to just go for it; it’s like the Wayne Gretzky quote: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” It also helps to have a faculty mentor. A project that you might not think is publication material could actually be a really promising piece, so it helps to have someone to encourage you. I would also strongly recommend taking advantage of the priority deadline, so you can receive feedback from the Lucerna staff and resubmit.

What are your professional plans or goals?

I am graduating in December with a B.A. in Chemistry and Psychology. I plan to take the following semester off to work, perhaps as a substitute teacher, before starting a graduate program for counseling psychology in the fall. I would like to eventually earn a Ph.D. and work either as a substance abuse or family and relationship counselor.

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The Lucerna Symposium, at 5 p.m., Thursday, March 5, will feature most of the contributors to the latest edition of the undergraduate journal. This event is free and open to the public. Click here to RSVP.