As Mizzou confers more than 1,500 degrees for College of Arts and Science undergraduate students on May 17 at Mizzou Arena, a few of these graduating seniors have the added honor of setting the tone for the day’s ceremonies — two of them from the podium as speakers and five as marshals who will lead campus administrators and faculty to the stage.
As they prepare their remarks and practice their procession onto the arena floor, they shared insight into their experiences and highlights of their Mizzou Made journeys.
Speakers
Abigail Henshaw
Abigail Henshaw
Major: Film Studies
Minors: English, History, Journalism
“Graduating from A&S does not mean we are ready for one thing,” said Abigail Henshaw, a film studies major. “It means we’re ready for anything, and maybe even everything.”
Henshaw, whose hometown is Leawood, Kansas, transferred into A&S as a junior. She thrived in her new academic home, recalling how peers and professors created a place she wanted to study, learn, grow, and let her curiosity flourish.
As an A&S ambassador, Henshaw represented the college at a variety of events where she connected with peers, faculty, and alumni, but she especially enjoyed sharing her experiences with prospective students.
During her busy schedule, Henshaw created content for The Maneater, Mizzou’s student newsletter. She worked on the advice and crossword sections before taking on the role as editor of the fun and games section.
For the past two years, Henshaw volunteered at the True/False Film Fest, an experience which led to a volunteer opportunity at Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah in January 2025.
“I am excited to explore my career and personal interests,” said Henshaw, who plans to produce creative projects, write and volunteer at film festivals. This summer, Henshaw will work as a multimedia intern for Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, where she will expand her production and camera operation skills.
Arya Kalathil
Arya Kalathil
Major: Chemistry
Minor: Japanese Studies
“If college has taught me anything, it’s that the best parts of life are often the ones you didn’t plan,” said Arya Kalathil, who spent most of her middle and high school years with the same tight-knit group of friends in O’Fallon, Missouri. Kalathil had some jitters about moving to Columbia but soon found her new community during Mizzou’s Welcome Week, an incoming student orientation event.
A chemistry major, Kalathil quickly tapped into the undergraduate research resources during her freshman year, conducting research with John Brockman, an associate professor of chemistry, and later landed a job at the University of Missouri Research Reactor.
As an A&S peer navigator, Kalathil drew on her own experiences to help students access resources and adjust to college life. “I enjoyed participating in the divisional visits during summer and winter welcomes,” said Kalathil. “I was able to offer incoming students support from the very beginning.”
Kalathil, who aspires to work as a scientist in a forensic lab, says the collective college experiences helped prepare her for what comes next. “Mizzou gives you experiences that change you, people who surprise you, challenges that shape you, and milestones that remind you of how far you’ve come.”
Marshals
left to right: Vishvi Aurora, Drew Dahlgren, Jordyn Gobble, Chin Yi Ng, David O’Dell
Vishvi Aurora
Majors: Biological Sciences, Physics, Psychological Sciences
Minors: Chemistry, Computational Neuroscience, Mathematics
Hometown: Columbia, MO
When asked to choose her top Mizzou experience, Vishvi Aurora struggled to narrow down the list.
“It’s hard to choose just one experience, because I’ve truly enjoyed every second of my time at Mizzou,” she said.
Aroura has been purposeful about seeking opportunities that helped her grow academically, personally, and as a leader – an intention with outcomes that were noticed and recognized with the Remington R. Williams Award. The award is the highest recognition given by the University of Missouri Board of Curators and is granted to only six students across the four University of Missouri System campuses.
“For me, that award was not just about past accomplishments,” said Aurora, “but a reflection of the community, mentors, and experiences that have shaped who I am at Mizzou and who I strive to become.”
Drew Dahlgren
Major: Constitutional Democracy, Political Science, Religious Studies
Minor: History
Hometown: Arlington Heights, IL
Transformative out-of-classroom experiences are central to an Arts and Science education, but Drew Dahlgren clocked more miles beyond the columns than many of his peers — performing with Marching Mizzou in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York; interning in Washington, D.C. through the Kinder D.C. Scholars program; and studying global history in England at the University of Oxford.
Dahlgren also credits Thomas Kane, the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy’s director of undergraduate studies, with making a major difference during his time at Mizzou.
“He does it all,” said Dahlgren, including “connecting students to all sorts of opportunities at Mizzou and beyond. My undergraduate experience would not have been the same without Dr. Kane.”
Jordyn Gobble
Majors: Art, Communication
Minor: Digital Storytelling
Hometown: Lenexa, KS
Jordyn Gobble bridged her coursework in art and communication to numerous other aspects of campus life — including serving as public relations chair of the Intercollegiate Communication Organization of Mizzou and working with first-year students as a peer learning advisor for the Art, Design, and Art History Freshman Interest Group.
While making connections between her academic interests and on-campus involvement, Gobble also made connections with her classmates.
“My favorite A&S memories are tied to the friendships I’ve made along the way,” said Gobble, who met some of her best friends while working on a class project.
“That moment really solidified our friendship,” said Gobble, “and, three years later, we are still going strong!”
Chin Yi Ng
Majors: Mathematics with an emphasis in Actuarial Science, Statistics
Hometown: Klang, Selangor, Malaysia
Mizzou graduates such as Chin Yi Ng accept their diplomas understanding more than the content of their coursework. Ng also understands that true leadership inspires others to be at their best in their careers and their communities.
Inspired to make a difference after Hurricane Helene, Ng joined a Mizzou Alternative Breaks trip to Black Mountain, North Carolina. There, she helped support local families still recovering.
On campus, Ng worked on the Keno Project and used her creativity and understanding of mathematics to unlock solutions to a real-world problem – mislabeled probabilities of winning numerous states’ lottery games.
The project is led by Matthew McIntosh, assistant teaching professor of statistics. It assists with corrections to the published probabilities, helping equip consumers with statistically correct information on the games.
“The project was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in college,” said Ng and adding, “Dr. McIntosh is hands down the most fun and approachable professor I’ve ever had.”
David O’Dell
Major: International Studies, Russian
Minor: History
Hometown: Independence, MO
When it comes to sharing knowledge, Mizzou’s instructors are top of mind. However, students such as David O’Dell also take up the torch and expand on the knowledge cultivated in the classroom.
During O’Dell’s time serving as vice president for the Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Club, the organization held numerous talks by students, professors, and guests about experiences and opportunities abroad and helped students study the Russian language.
This enthusiasm for Russian studies was recognized at a national level when O’Dell received the American Council of Teachers of Russian Post-Secondary Russian Scholar Laureate Award.
O’Dell’s teaching role models include top-tier faculty Russian and German professors Nicole Monnier and Seth Howes – both recipients of the William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence. The award-winning duo co-teaches a course that stands out as O’Dell’s favorite A&S memory.
“The Totalitarianism and Culture class was a learning experience unlike anything else I’ve experienced,” said O’Dell, “presented by two of the best instructors at Mizzou.”