Mizzou TRiO students receive 2025 Missouri-Kansas-Nebraska Chapter of the Educational Opportunity Association Awards 

By Jake Aron and Kaleigh Ibarra  

Three participants in TRiO Student Support Services at the University of Missouri were recently recognized for their success. Kiera Gonzales, Mike Murphy and Briana Villegas each received awards from the Missouri-Kansas-Nebraska Chapter of the Educational Opportunity Association (EOA), a non-profit consortium that supports educational opportunities for first-generation, low-income, students with disabilities, and veterans.  

Kiera Gonzales 

Kiera Gonzales is a senior from O’Fallon, Missouri, majoring in health sciences with an emphasis in leadership and policy and minors in business and human development and family services. She received the Missouri-Kansas-Nebraska (MKN) Rising Achievers Scholarship.   

Gonzales has always enjoyed leadership, but thanks to TRiO, she feels like she has become a stronger leader.  

“Through my courses and the help of TRiO, I have learned different leadership theories and skills have helped me become the leader I am today,” she said.   

She credits her TRiO advisor, Shannah Lewis, for being instrumental in her TRiO experience. 

“Shannah has been a rock through everything,” Gonzales said. “She is a fountain of knowledge on all things TRiO and health science advising. She has helped me through deciding what career path to take, internships and graduate school. If she does not have the answer, she has a plethora of other professionals to connect me with!”  

Outside of TRiO, Gonzales is a proud member of Mizzou’s Women’s Club Rugby team. She’s been playing rugby for seven years and was glad to join Mizzou’s team as a freshman. She is now a team captain and the vice president of the club. She is also the HR Coordinator for Right at Home, an in-home care and assistance company serving the elderly population, and a member of the College of Health Sciences student council.  

After graduation, Gonzales plans to attend Mizzou’s Master of Health Administration program and pursue a career in medical device sales. 

Mike Murphy 

Mike Murphy is a junior from Lansing, Illinois, studying environmental science with an emphasis in atmosphere and a minor in geography. He received the MKN Veterans Scholarship. 

Murphy says TRiO has meant the world to him. After being away from a traditional school setting while serving in the Air Force for five years, he worried specifically about his math skills diminishing. But since he started receiving tutoring assistance from TRiO for the past two years, he has passed every math class he’s taken here at Mizzou. 

“My acquired math skills from TRiO tutoring is where I’ve seen the most growth in myself.” Murphy said. 

Murphy appreciates not only one-on-one tutoring, but also the mentoring and career and financial counseling that TRiO offers. 

“TRiO has really enhanced my Mizzou experience in a very positive way,” Murphy said.  

Murphy is also a member of Mizzou’s Meteorology Club. He and his wife attend most Mizzou basketball and football games.  

Following graduation, he plans to seek a job as a meteorologist or in a related field and hopes to settle close to Columbia. 

Briana Villegas 

Briana Villegas is a junior from Kansas City, Missouri, majoring in international business and minoring in Spanish. She received the MKN Board of Directors Scholarship.  

Villegas says TRiO has helped her grow both academically and personally.  She’s thankful for the support she has received at Mizzou, including from TRiO, that got her to where she is today.  

“TRiO has provided me with invaluable support and resources, creating a stronger sense of community and enhancing my overall academic journey at Mizzou,” Villegas said.   

One of her favorite aspects of TRiO is its community. She’s been able to meet and work with people from a wide range of backgrounds. For her, TRiO means an opportunity to have access to and succeed in higher education.  

“They help us see all the potential we have and what type of future we could have.” Villegas said.  

This year, she served as vice president of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) and will serve as president next year. She’s also co-founder and treasurer of the TRiO Student Organization (TSO), a member of the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS), and a member of the Global Professional.   

After graduation, Villegas plans to pursue a career in global market research.