McKenna-Forbes worked three jobs while taking classes – including Pierre Laclede Honors College classes – as she earned her accounting degree from UMSL.
LATEST IN Alumni
Accounting alum Kerrie McKenna-Forbes celebrates 15 years at Bank of America
McKenna-Forbes worked three jobs while taking classes – including Pierre Laclede Honors College classes – as she earned her accounting degree from UMSL.
Accounting alum Kerrie McKenna-Forbes celebrates 15 years at Bank of America
McKenna-Forbes worked three jobs while taking classes – including Pierre Laclede Honors College classes – as she earned her accounting degree from UMSL.
Accounting alum Kerrie McKenna-Forbes celebrates 15 years at Bank of America
McKenna-Forbes worked three jobs while taking classes – including Pierre Laclede Honors College classes – as she earned her accounting degree from UMSL.
Eye on UMSL: Glass work
Progress continues on the new Richter Family Welcome and Alumni Center, which is part of the Transform UMSL initiative.
Eye on UMSL: Glass work
Progress continues on the new Richter Family Welcome and Alumni Center, which is part of the Transform UMSL initiative.
Eye on UMSL: Glass work
Progress continues on the new Richter Family Welcome and Alumni Center, which is part of the Transform UMSL initiative.
Alum Sandra Van Trease honored as Director To Watch by Director & Boards magazine
Van Trease is being recognized for her exemplary work as a board member for multiple companies and organizations since retiring from BJC HealthCare in 2020.
Alum Sandra Van Trease honored as Director To Watch by Director & Boards magazine
Van Trease is being recognized for her exemplary work as a board member for multiple companies and organizations since retiring from BJC HealthCare in 2020.
Alum Sandra Van Trease honored as Director To Watch by Director & Boards magazine
Van Trease is being recognized for her exemplary work as a board member for multiple companies and organizations since retiring from BJC HealthCare in 2020.
For second consecutive year, three UMSL accounting students awarded prestigious $15,000 PCAOB scholarship
To be eligible for the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board award, students must carry a GPA of 3.3 or higher and be nominated by faculty members.
For second consecutive year, three UMSL accounting students awarded prestigious $15,000 PCAOB scholarship
To be eligible for the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board award, students must carry a GPA of 3.3 or higher and be nominated by faculty members.
For second consecutive year, three UMSL accounting students awarded prestigious $15,000 PCAOB scholarship
To be eligible for the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board award, students must carry a GPA of 3.3 or higher and be nominated by faculty members.
MORE IN Alumni
May graduate Carli Knopf takes international experience to Disney College Program
During her time at UMSL, Knopf studied international business and Japanese, and spent a year studying abroad at Rikkyo University in Tokyo.
MFA grad Alysha Black selected for Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award in Belgium
Black will spend the 2025-26 academic year at Howest University of Applied Sciences in Bruges, Belgium, where she will teach, conduct creative writing workshops and continue to work on her novel.
Master’s grad Shiori Kaji has audit accounting role lined up with Anders CPA
Kaji, whose parents traveled from Japan for the UMSL commencement ceremony in May, wants to use her accounting degree to advance the cause of conservation biology.
Johnna Murray, Rachel Thompson and Shawn Murphy receive UMSL Hero Awards
The award is presented to up to three staff or faculty members each month in recognition of their efforts to transform the lives of UMSL students and the wider community.
Explore Germany with UMSL alum Franziska Hauptmann
Hauptmann now lives in Stuttgart for graduate school and works as a student quality engineer at Porsche.
Education alum Alexis Perez Lane serves as public policy fellow on Capitol Hill
Perez Lane intends to take the lessons she learned in Washington, D.C., back to St. Louis to make change at the local level.
UMSL alum Semir Vajzovic invests in the next generation of engineers
Vajzovic is the director of asset, investment and risk management at Ameren and an adjunct instructor in the UMSL/WashU Joint Engineering Program
UMSL alum Molly Okawa fulfills dream of living, working abroad in Japan
Okawa participated in the prestigious Japan Exchange and Teaching Program and now teaches at Mejiro International School in Tokyo.
Accounting grad Abby Foust is law school-bound
Foust, who graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA and a certificate from the Pierre Laclede Honors College, went on three study abroad trips during her time at UMSL.
Justin Bennett becomes first UMSL DBA graduate with geospatial-focused research
Bennett, the co-founder of Pinnacle Business Strategies, got his start in the geospatial field when he enlisted in the United States Air Force out of high school.
David Roither’s career has carried him to a seat on Missouri’s 22nd Judicial Circuit
Roither was a three-time All-American swimmer at UMSL and earned degrees in political science and philosophy before embarking on his legal career.
Inspired by UMSL study abroad trip, information systems graduate Sean Davis preparing for move to Rotterdam
After earning his UMSL degree, Davis is picking back up his career as a software developer and plans to use the DAFT visa to facilitate his move to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
UMSL alum Princess Stormm builds on passion for supporting local music talent
After working for Hot 104.1 for over 10 years, Stormm is turning her focus to the Midwest Music Summit.
UMSL alum Angel Recci heading up St. Louis’ Telemundo station
Recci has worked with several local organizations, including the St. Louis Sports Commission, Grand Center Arts District and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Sociology graduate Sophie Heinz taking part in commencement 21 years after her father missed his opportunity because of military service
Steve Heinz earned his MPPA from UMSL while stationed at Fort Leonard Wood but was deployed to Iraq before he could attend his graduation in 2004.
UMSL to honor nearly 1,700 graduates during spring commencement ceremonies
The weekend’s featured speakers will include Clayco Founder Bob Clark, James S. McDonnell Foundation President Jason Purnell, former Delmar DivINe Executive Director Jorge Riopedre and UMSL alumni Dr. Mansur Nurdel and Andrea Jackson-Jennings.
UMSL Engineering students celebrate opening of new Greenwood Cemetery access road
Under faculty member Gary Moore’s guidance, four engineering students did an initial site analysis, then brought the design to 90% completion before handing the project off to partners.
UMSL alum Megan Rapp helps preserve Mark Twain’s legacy in Hannibal and beyond
A driving force behind Hannibal’s thriving tourism industry, Rapp is the executive director of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum.
Returning to her roots: Lúcia Lohmann takes over leadership of Missouri Botanical Garden
Lohmann trained at the world-renowned institution while working toward her PhD in ecology, evolution and systematics at UMSL.
UMSL community gathers on campus to take part in fun and games during annual Mirthweek celebration
The centerpiece of the annual tradition was a carnival on the RWC East Lawn with games, rides, face painting and more.
UMSL Alumni Association recognizes 4 leaders at annual Salute to Business Achievement Awards
College of Business Administration alumni Laura Burkemper, Paul Martin, Paul Matteucci and Dale Woods were honored for their impact on UMSL and their success in the business world.
International Business Career Conference offers students advice on global careers
NBCU Academy’s Sandy Sharp delivered the keynote address in front of a packed crowd at Anheuser-Busch Hall.
Biology alum Chris Hollingsworth contributing to Saint Louis Zoo’s hellbender conservation and care team
Hollingsworth earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from UMSL in December 2023 and first joined the zoo staff as an intern early last year.
MFA alum Serenity Dougherty’s PhD research examines stand-up comedy and audiences
Dougherty is using the relationship between stand-up comedians and the audience as a lens for better understanding the writing process, particularly feedback and revisions.
DBA grad Jesse Core produces eye-opening large-scale field experiment with Harps Foods
Core, founder of Scarlet Letter Brewing Company, conducted research at Harps Foods locations aimed at finding out if giving emerging brands more shelf space could increase overall sales for the retailer.
Tritons treated to thrilling overtime win during UMSL Night at the St. Louis Blues
Around 250 UMSL fans enjoyed watching the home team’s 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
Cloud-focused Business Intelligence Workshop on Emerging Technologies features speakers from Microsoft, FinLocker
Assistant Professor Vivek Singh created the workshop last year with the goal of bringing the latest developments in the areas of Business Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence to UMSL.
UMSL counseling alumni release second children’s book in the ‘Kids Can Club’ series
Jen Monika McCurdy and Christine Corrigan Mendez published “Leo Gets His Nighttime ZZZs” on Feb. 12.
UMSL alum Ja’Mel McCaine running innovative creative lab at Clark Family Library
The space McCain manages offers the type of tools that Scott Morris, director of UMSL’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center, is excited to share with his student entrepreneurs.
UMSL leaders, alumni featured among St. Louis Magazine’s Business 500
The guide aims to highlight some of most influential, impactful and innovative leaders from different sectors of the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Alum Paige Vaughn helps carry on the legacy of the late Richard Rosenfeld with research on St. Louis Police Partnership
The partnership uses the strategy of focused deterrence to help probationers and parolees avoid illegal activity and other risky behavior while connecting them to social services.
Engineering grad Bob O’Neill builds on passion for sustainability working in retro-commissioning
As a project engineer with Grumman|Butkus Associates in Chicago, O’Neill looks for ways to save energy and optimize mechanical systems in existing buildings to make them more efficient and sustainable.
DNP graduate Roselie Woodard embarks on new role as outpatient psychiatric nurse practitioner
Woodard’s research project examined how screening guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics can be used to improve early identification of ADHD for female youth with a history of self-harm.
Nursing PhD graduate Cherryl Rainey researches the impact of mentorship on work engagement and professional development in nursing
Rainey, who works at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, has found mentorship to be a critical component of advancing in the nursing field.
BSN graduate Madison Zerban working as a pediatric hematology and oncology nurse at St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Zerban graduated in December with her bachelor’s in nursing and a certificate from the Honors College.
UMSL alum Nicole Northway designs bamboo pajamas with personality at Emerson and Friends
Based in Clearwater, Florida, the company is known for its playful illustrations, from ocean animals to rainbows, florals and holiday imagery.
Mother-daughter duo graduates with same information systems capstone class
Temperance Blackman and her mother, Tyra Jones-Williamson, achieved their goal of earning a degree from UMSL together, and they are pursuing their master’s degrees starting in January.
Alum Irwin Loiterstein enjoys more than 50-year career in Christmas trees
Loiterstein, a member of UMSL’s first graduating class, had planned on becoming a CPA but instead developed into one of the region’s largest wholesalers of Christmas trees.
Alum Justin Bennett leads Social Work Interstate Licensing Compact effort
Bennett sits on the Missouri State Committee for Social Workers and serves as the compact commissioner for Missouri, the first state to sign on to the compact.
Aspire Software CEO Mark Tipton named UMSL’s 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year
Tipton, an UMSL Business alum, helped design and build the end-to-end business management software system that revolutionized the landscaping industry.
Business and tennis alum Marina Prediger lands new position as internal auditor with Lenovo Brasil
In her new role, the BSBA and MBA graduate performs audits focused on the internal operations of the company, providing independent insights related to risks and improvement potentials.
Online MBA students travel to Costa Rica to complete project for capstone class
Students visited a wide array of local businesses, and the trip also included plenty of opportunities to experience Costa Rica’s vibrant culture and natural beauty.
Explore New York City with UMSL alum Kenya Williams
Originally from St. Louis, Williams moved to New York to join the National Student Nurses’ Association.
Felice McClendon aims to build a thriving Delmar corridor with no divide
McClendon, who holds a graduate certificate in nonprofit management and leadership from UMSL, was named the inaugural executive director of Delmar Main Street in May.
Four-time UMSL alum Miranda Ming helps students from all backgrounds achieve success
Now the executive director of Momentum Academy in St. Louis, Ming worked to create the CLIMB program at UMSL.
With Big Belly Deli, UMSL alum Nick Boyd chases entrepreneurial dreams
Boyd and Chris Timmermann, co-owners of Big Belly Deli in Florissant, opened their shop in December 2023 and built a loyal following with their signature Dutch Crunch bread.
UMSL alum Clara López Bueno making an impact on St. Louis business community
López, who originally came to UMSL from Spain to continue her tennis career, landed a job at World Wide Technology after graduating with her master’s in supply chain and analytics.
Three UMSL graduates among St. Louis Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2024
Alums Stephanie Korpal, Jessica Cross and Maggie Rapplean were honored at the annual luncheon at the Chase Park Plaza.
UMSL chapter of accounting honor society Beta Alpha Psi maintains Gold standard
In 11 years with Johnna Murray as the faculty advisor, UMSL’s Beta Alpha Psi chapter, Gamma Psi, has been awarded Gold status 10 times and Distinguished status once.
Annual UMSL Alumni 5K is the latest stage of a year-long race for school counseling alum Marcy Morris
Morris has been running one race each month to commemorate her 50th birthday, and she was one of more than 230 participants in Saturday morning’s event.
LATEST NEWS
- Eye on UMSL: A global welcome
- Dean Marius Boboc brings leadership, research experience to the College of Education
- Fontbonne University archives find new home on UMSL’s campus
- UMSL’s Supply Chain Analytics Center of Excellence set to open for fall semester
- UMSL receives new $1.3 million grant from US Department of Education to continue delivering TRIO Student Support Services
- Fall semester kicks off at UMSL with new student convocation and other Weeks of Welcome events
- 2023 graphic design alum Nicole DuFour builds on passion for illustration with children’s book, ‘The Star Dweller’
- DNP graduate Victoria Cobb works with BSN students to treat loneliness in older adults
- Assistant Clinical Professor Dr. Tareq Nabhan named president of the St. Louis Optometric Society
- Communication master’s student Ken Westermann to present at the International Conference on Communication and Media Studies in Paris
