Program Highlights
The Heartland Scholars Academy, established in 2018, enhances student achievement by supporting students as they transition to Mizzou and in their pursuit of rewarding careers in business. This program equips first-generation, rural students with the tools and skills needed to achieve academic success at Mizzou and provides them with exposure to the business world through a variety of activities over four years.
The Heartland Scholars Academy provides participants with:
- Business attire for professional events and opportunities to travel to various cities to learn about business
- Access to additional financial support through scholarships
- Dedicated advisor and career coach and supportive Trulaske faculty and staff committed to their success
- Seminars focused on business cases, student success and professional speakers
Heartland Scholars Academy participants benefit from program-specific scholarships and have the opportunity to participate in corporate trips to locations such as Kansas City, St. Louis and Chicago.
Meet the Director
Shelley Bush-Rowe is director of access programs in the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business at the University of Missouri. In this role, Bush-Rowe provides strategic leadership for the Heartland Scholars Program and the Vasey Academy, advancing student access, engagement and professional readiness. She concurrently serves as director of process and policy improvement in the Mizzou Division of Finance and Business Services, where she leads cross-functional initiatives that strengthen operational effectiveness, align policy with institutional priorities and enhance the student and employee experience.
Apply Now
If you’re a first generation student from a rural area, the Heartland Scholars Academy can help you take your first steps at Mizzou. Before applying to the Heartland Scholars Academy, incoming first-year students must be accepted into Mizzou, designating business as their major, and have a minimum 3.25 high school GPA.