< Previous86 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .21ST CENTURY COLLEGE, U N I V E R S I T Y P R O F I L E U N I V E R S I T Y O F M I S S O U R I — K A N S A S C I T Yansas City is quickly becoming known as one of the leading “Smart Cities” in America, and University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) is educating the innovative talent needed to move the city into the future. Located in Missouri’s second largest city, UMKC was founded in 1929, and is the largest comprehensive, fully accredited university in the Kansas City area. e 93-acre urban campus is home to more than 11,000 undergraduate students from all 50 U.S. states, and more than 85 countries. is diversity, along with its urban setting, gives the campus a modern and energetic feel. At UMKC, students can choose from more than 120 academic programs and majors, including degrees from the Henry W. Bloch School of Management and the schools of medicine, computing, engineering and education. While outside the classroom, UMKC students can explore more than 175 clubs and 15 Greek-letter organizations.“UMKC, with its top rated programs in the arts and theatre, its various schools in the medical disciplines, biological sciences, engineering, management, and education, hasallthe elements that by S AVAN NAH K I N GKUniversity of Missouri – Kansas City is educating the workforce of tomorrow in one of America’s smartest cities.M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG . 87are needed to make a great university,” said UMKC Chancellor-Designate C. Mauli Agrawal.As an urban university focused on research and community service, UMKC is rich in relationships — from local businesses to alumni and friends throughout the region. In fact, more than 3,200 local business clients benefit from UMKC’s outreach programs each year. “Public universities were created with the goal of bringing enhanced prosperity to their region,” said Agrawal. “They do this by being knowledge enterprises – they both disseminate knowledge and create new knowledge. I believe they have an unwritten but binding social contract with their communities to be instrumental and perhaps even partly accountable for the economic development of the region and the social, cultural and health well being of the city and the region.”UMKC is a member stakeholder in the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute, and a partner institution in Frontiers: The Heartland Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. These affiliations, and others, support UMKC’s life sciences research efforts by providing a collaboration network and resources to support and conduct world-class life and health sciences research. Photo courtesy of UKMC“ I believe (universities) have an unwritten but binding social contract with their communities to be instrumental and perhaps even partly accountable for the economic development of the region and the social, cultural and health well being of the city and the region.” — UMKC Chancellor-Designate C. Mauli Agrawal88 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .U N I V E R S I T Y P R O F I L E U N IV ER S I T Y O F M I S S O U R I - C O L U M B IAniversity of Missouri – Columbia (Mizzou) is a public institution that was founded in 1839, and has a total undergraduate enrollment of 25,898 on its 1,262-acre campus. e university’s hometown of Columbia is in central Missouri and is host to annual events like the Roots ‘n Blues ‘n BBQ music festival and Art in the Park, a large creative works showcase. Students at Mizzou live in a unique botanical garden, with more than 40,000 plants across campus. More than a third of high school seniors from Missouri attend Mizzou each year, and all freshmen must live on campus. As the only Division I-A sports school in the state, the Missouri Tigers teams are a big focus of campus life. e teams compete in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference and are particularly competitive in football. e school mascot, Truman the Tiger, is named after former President Harry Truman, who was born in Missouri. Mizzou has more than 600 clubs and organizations for students. More than 20 percent of students join the school’s Greek system, which is made up of 50-plus fraternities and sororities. Students also have a vast array of degree options, with more than 280 majors, nearly 70 of which can be completed online. Mizzou has highly ranked graduate programs at the College of Education and Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business, as well as a School of Medicine and a Tier 1 School of Law. is public research university o ers opportunities for students to team up on faculty-led projects as early as their freshman year. Among the scores of notable Mizzou alumni are actor Jon Hamm, singer Sheryl Crow and U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill. Playwright Tennessee Williams, who won the Pulitzer Prize for “A Street Car Named Desire,” attended but did not graduate. by S T EP HEN VO TAWUUniversity of Missouri – Columbia is a leader in athletics, research and more.M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .89by S AVAN NAH K I N GQ U A L I T Y O F L I F E A N D C U L T U R EPutting Down Rootsrom the sweet sounds of Branson, to the cultural amenities of St. Louis and delectable BBQ joints in Kansas City, the Show Me State o ers a unique and enjoyable lifestyle for its residents and visitors alike. Regardless of which stage of life Missourians may nd themselves, the state has something for everyone. Missouri ranks among the top 20best states for millennials as well as retirees. e average high in Missouri’s summers is 89 degrees, while its winter lows rarely dip below FDogwood Canyon Native ParkPhoto courtesy of Visit Missouri19 degrees. The entire state offers a low cost of living and has been ranked the sixth for lowest cost of living and the 9th for affordable housing. According to Zillow.com, the median home value in Missouri is $145,000, while the median rent price is $950. The real estate website ranked St. Louis as the No. 5 Most Affordable Market for Homebuyers in the country. Lifestyle and CultureWith two World-Series-winning baseball teams, the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals, the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and the National Hockey League’s St. Louis Blues, sports fans always have something to cheer about in the Show Me State. Missouri offers top-notch outdoor recreation activities throughout the state. The state park system — which ranks among the top four in the country — has more than 150,000 acres and 1,000 miles of trails to explore. Popular pastimes include hiking, climbing, hunting, fishing and other water sports. The breathtakingly beautiful Lake of the Ozarks has more miles of coastline than the state of California. Forest Park, a 1,293-acre park (500 acres larger than New York’s Central Taneycomo LakePhoto courtesy of Visit MissouriM I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG . 91The median home value in Missouri is $145,000, while the median rent price is $950.Park) in St. Louis, has been named the Best City Park in America. The park is home to famous cultural institutions like the St. Louis Zoo, three museums and the Muny Opera. Other popular landmarks include Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Meramec Caverns in Stanton, the Pony Express National Museum in St. Joseph and the famed Route 66 which travels more than 280 miles through the state. Kansas City, on the state’s western border with Kansas, is a haven for Jazz and BBQ lovers alike. The city’s historic Union Station offers several attractions including Science City (a favorite for children) and the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium. Live music is part-and-parcel for Photo courtesy of Missouri Partnership92 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .the southern city of Branson, which is home to more than 50 theaters and dozens of live shows – not to mention its abundance of other tourist attractions. Silver Dollar City is an 1880s theme park that’s been ranked by Fodor’s Travel as One of America’s Top 10 Parks and will soon open the world’s fastest, steepest and tallest spinning roller coaster.And of course, a visit to Missouri wouldn’t be complete without a riverboat cruise down the Mighty Mississippi or seeing St. Louis’ skyline from its iconic Gateway Arch first hand. The landmark’s newest attraction, The Museum at the Gateway Arch, will open in July 2018 and tell the story of Native Americans’ early explorers and pioneers. Whether it’s in the state’s eclectic cities or peaceful countryside, putting down roots in Missouri can only lead to growth. St. Louis ranked as the No. 5 Most Affordable Market for Homebuyers in the country. Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals Photo courtesy of Visit MissouriHigh school students earn science degrees and employment in half the time through the Missouri Innovation Campus. H I G H ER ED U C A T I O NStudents in Missouri have a unique opportunity to get a jump start on their careers before they’ve even finished high school.Located in Lee’s Summit, near the Kansas City metropolitan area, The Missouri Innovation Campus (MIC) is an innovative accelerated learning program.MIC is a partnership between the University of Central Missouri, Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, Metropolitan Community College and over 50 corporate partners. The program prepares students to be career-ready graduates in half the time and for significantly less cost. 94 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .by S AVAN NAH K I N GH I G H ER ED U C A T I O NNext >