Miss Southern Missouri

06/12/2025

Night 1. Feeling amazing grateful I get to be here

06/09/2025

Day 1 of Miss Missouri complete!

06/01/2025

Been staying busy volunteering with the city of Columbia, the food bank, and the Missouri River project all while working 80 hour weeks on my emergency rotation

05/10/2025

This week I got to help the city of Columbia put on a screening for a documentary called “Our Turn to Talk“. Our Turn to Talk is a documentary film, following teenagers in the Columbia area dealing with issues surrounding mental health. This was really special to me because of being in the military, talking about mental health openly is difficult, especially among male soldiers.

My freshman year of college I had a very close friend in ROTC named Kris who took his life at the end of our first semester. Kris was one of the sweetest guys I had ever met and genuinely wanted everyone around him to be as happy as he was. We would walk to our military class together and he would ask me how life was going and if I was doing well. But Kris never really wanted to talk about himself because our class saw men showing emotion as weakness.

Almost 6 years later and I still think about Kris all the time and how great of an officer and a leader he would’ve made. The military has a true shortage of leaders who showed true compassion and empathy for their soldiers and want what’s best for them. Even though we only had one semester together, I still believe Kris would’ve been one of the best officers I’ve ever seen and any soldier would’ve been so grateful to have him as a leader. I hope over the course of my career, the military will change its mindset around discussing mental health topics.

05/08/2025

Spent the day volunteering with Habitat for Humanity helping build houses for those below the poverty line. I had the greatest time ever. A construction crew took me under their wing and taught me how to install siding, trim, and doors. I even took a picture of the siding that I installed by myself. They were the kindest men ever and we’re extremely grateful for the help and let me sign one of the studs inside the house. 

05/06/2025

This weekend I gathered over 30 lbs of new or lightly worn clothes to donate to the Columbia assistance league which helps provide clothes to women trying to leave abusive relationships. The ladies that worked there were the nicest people ever and were so grateful for the donation and I know all of these will go to women that need them.

05/03/2025

Spent the last 2 days volunteering at the food bank market! I got to help feed nearly 500 families and 1000+ individuals across central Missouri on my days off from clinics

04/27/2025

So honored to receive the Don Blenden Memorial Scholarship, a $2000 scholarship given to one student who shows exceptional dedication to the field of veterinary public health.

With being in the military, I know that public health will play a huge role in my career. Army veterinarians are at the forefront of animal and human disease research, go on to do humanitarian missions in Third World countries to help eradicate diseases, and monitor the spread of endemic disease to new regions as we deploy our dogs all over the world

even though I’m already on a full ride scholarship, I plan on using this money to pursue a masters of public health

04/11/2025

Today I had the pleasure of donating almost 50 dog toys to the MU veterinary oncology service for cancer patients. At the university, whenever a patient finishes radiation or chemotherapy they get to graduate and leave with a certificate, a bandana, and a party hat. Now they also get to leave with a new toy. And of course my favorite patient, Rosie will be getting the first toy and getting the toy basket named in her honor!

12/26/2024

12/21/2024

Had an incredible time in Houston Missouri this past weekend! I got to go back to where I won my title and participate in so many cool things. I helped judge the towns food contest, got to be in the Christmas parade, and met so many of the local business owners!