Newsmakers: Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2025

Architecture
Southwest Missouri natives Olivia Eddy, Alyssa Pritchard, Ben Roggensees and Daniel Sviston were awarded $1,000 scholarships from the Springfield Area Foundation for Architecture for the 2026-26 academic year. Eddy, Roggensees and Sviston are attending Drury University, and Pritchard is attending Washington University.

Education
College of the Ozarks announced six newly awarded endowed chair appointments. They are Capt. Caleb Dunnam, associate professor of military science, with The Jerry C. Davis Chair of Patriotic Education; Rebecca Hamon, associate professor of nursing, with The Don and Marie Garner Nursing Program Director endowed chair; Eveline Lewis, associate professor of business, with The Ralph T. Reeve Chair of Free Enterprise; Baylee McKinney, instructor of culinary arts, with The Walter L. Green Chair of Hotel and Restaurant Management; William Osborne, professor of biblical and theological studies, with The M. Graham Clark Chair of Christian Nurture; and Karen Shepherd, associate professor of nursing and simulation technology coordinator, with The Shirley Davis Chair of Nursing Education.

Drury University students Cameron Beavers, Savannah Belko and Isabella Woidela were selected as finalists for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of State. Beavers is in his second year of Arabic study at Drury; Belko is a junior who is studying to become a physician; and Woidela is a sophomore who is studying journalism.

Government
The Springfield-Greene County Library District Board of Trustees appointed its 2025-26 officers. They are President Aaron Jones, executive vice president for university relations, general counsel and interim chief operations officer for Drury University; Vice President Christopher Bozarth, principal with CJD Engineering LLC; Treasurer James Nevins, managing partner at Nevont LLC; Secretary Melanie Weiler, community volunteer; and Past President Stacey Penney, private wealth adviser at Penney, Murray & Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services LLC.

Nonprofit
Bill Hennessey and Grenita Lathan were chosen as co-chairs of United Way Ozarks Region’s 2025-26 community campaign, which has a goal of raising $1.8 million by March 31, 2026. Hennessey works as vice president of mission for Mercy Springfield Communities, and Lathan is superintendent of Springfield Public Schools.

Missouri first lady Claudia Kehoe became an ex officio board member at Care to Learn. The wife of Gov. Mike Kehoe, Claudia Kehoe provides guidance to the Care to Learn board in a nonvoting advisory role.