Trulaske College of Business celebrates 592 spring graduates

Heartland Scholars inaugural graduating class

Trulaske College of Business undergraduate and graduate students celebrated their achievements inside Mizzou Arena during the spring 2022 commencement weekend. Students received BS BA degrees in the morning inside the arena. Students receiving master’s degrees from the college were recognized during MU Graduate School ceremony later in the same location.

Over 450 undergraduate students graduated from the Trulaske College of Business - representing 22 states. A total of 23 students graduated from the execMBA program, 11 students from the Crosby MBA program, 3 students earned their Master of Science in Business, and 105 students earned a Master of Accountancy.

The commencement speaker at the undergraduate ceremony was Sue Engelhardt, BS BA ’75, MBA ’77 and University of Missouri President Dr. Mun Choi conferred the degrees for the class.

"Sue is one of our own, graduating with her BS BA in 1975 and her MBA in finance in 1977, as a first-generation college student who was raised by a single mother. After graduation, she pursued a career in the brokerage industry, working for Drexel Burnham Lambert and Smith Barney," interim dean Chris Robert said in his address. "In 2018, Sue and Irl established the college’s Heartland Scholars Program to provide resources for promising students in rural communities in Missouri, which is Sue’s home state, and Southern Illinois, where Irl is from. A week ago, Sue and Irl joined us in Cornell Hall to celebrate an additional gift to support the Heartland Scholars Program – one that will help us begin endowing it."

After her address, Engelhardt fulfilled her dream of walking across the stage in a cap and gown, degree in hand, after regretfully missing her graduation in 1975.

Each year, the college also gives graduating seniors the opportunity to speak at the commencement ceremony. Students apply for this privilege and the Trulaske Student Council interviews the applicants, selecting just one honoree for each ceremony. This spring, Kate Pluenneke was chosen to address the crowd. Pluenneke is a native of Kansas City, now with dual degrees in business and economics, and has been involved in the Cornell Leadership Program, Homecoming Steering Committee, Chi Omega and the alumni association’s student board.

Congratulations to Trulaske’s newest alumni!