August 12, 2024

Incoming Stamps Scholar Luke Richey will pursue a civil engineering degree at the University of Missouri.

Story and Photo by Logan Jackson.

Luke Richey spent back-to-back summers on the University of Missouri campus as a high school student, through the Missouri Scholars Academy (MSA) and the Kinder Institute Constitutional Democracy Academy. As Richey began visiting college campuses to find the perfect fit, those experiences in Columbia were always fresh in his mind.

Richey said that he knew he could find success at Mizzou. As he got more serious about becoming a Tiger, Richey soon learned about the Stamps Scholarship and made it a goal to join the incoming cohort.

“I took my time with my college decision, but I always knew that MU would be a nice place to be,” said Richey, who is from Cape Girardeau, Missouri. “I was very familiar with campus and knowing so many people definitely influenced my decision. Those two academies did help guide me to Mizzou.”

Richey was eventually named a Stamps Scholars, sealing the deal on him attending MU.

“It was really exciting to be named a Stamps Scholar,” Richey said. “When I got the call, I was thrilled.”

The Missouri Scholars Academy, founded in 1985, is a three-week residential program for 330 of Missouri’s academically gifted students who are ready to begin their junior year of high school. Through MSA, Richey was able to take interesting classes, participate in exciting programs and live in Mark Twain Hall on the Mizzou campus.

“I met so many great friends who I still kept in touch with today,” Richey said. “MSA was a good introduction to college life and a great introduction to Mizzou.”

Richey returned to the MU campus the following summer for the Constitutional Democracy Academy, hosted by the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy. That program is geared toward high school students who are passionate about civic education and are interested in diving into the subjects of American political history and thought.

“There were so many great discussions and readings throughout this academy,” Richey said. “It was nice to be back on campus and it was a lot of fun.”

Richey plans to pursue a civil engineering degree at MU.

“I am really interested in the outdoors; I’m into hiking and camping,” Richey said. “I volunteered with the Trail of Tears State Park and did some conservation work, which I really enjoyed. When I found civil engineering, it seemed like a program that really hit on many of my interests.”

As a Stamps Scholar, Richey will have the chance to get involved in undergraduate research. He added that he is also interested in pursuing a study abroad experience.

“There are so many opportunities that I hope to get involved with at Mizzou,” Richey said. “I’m looking forward to learning some new skills and interacting with the incredible faculty. I’m also excited for college life in general. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

This story was originally published by the Honors College.