Teresa Fankhauser graduated from Missouri Western with a Bachelor of Science in Education – Speech/Theatre. 

Fankhauser joined the St. Joseph Allied Arts Council in 2005 and currently serves as the executive director. She works with local arts agencies, Missouri Western, the City of St. Joseph and the St. Joseph School District to foster the arts in St. Joseph. Her position includes working with local, state and national organizations and agencies to affect positive changes for the arts. 

Currently she is vice chair of the St. Joseph Downtown Community Improvement District and serves on the board of the Missouri Association of Community Arts Agencies.

Prior to joining the Allied Arts Council, she served as managing director of the Performing Arts Association of St. Joseph and co-owned the Ice House Theatre with husband Erich Uhlhorn.

Stephanie Stewart has been a registered nurse since 1997, having graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Missouri Western. Stephanie has worked in many areas of nursing, from medical-surgical to gerontological nursing. 

After taking an opportunity to teach in a licensed practical nursing program, Stewart knew that nursing education was where her heart was most happy. She began teaching in Missouri Western’s prelicensure baccalaureate program in August 2013. Stewart is currently pursuing her doctorate and will complete all requirements in May 2022.

She is a co-founder of the Freudenthal Center for Parkinson’s Disease, a nonprofit organization that offers free programs to those diagnosed with PD.

Giving back comes easy for Tom Richmond; it’s in his DNA. The first recipient of this award was his father, Dr. George Richmond, in 2007.

A lifelong community advocate, Richmond serves, or has served, on the Board of Directors for the Missouri Western State University Foundation,

St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Trustees for the Mosaic Life Care Foundation, the United Way Volunteer Center Advisory Committee and has taken part in many other community involvement endeavors including Specialty Industries, Grace Evangelical Church, Mosaic Quality Committee, St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce (Economic Development), Sunrise Optimist Club, Valley Community Food Kitchen, United Way of Greater St. Joseph and Young Life.

He currently serves as the budget committee chair on the Missouri Western State University Foundation Board and is a member of the Western League for Excellence and the Arts Society.

Richmond has worked at Altec Industries since 1981 and is manager of Altec Parts Distribution. He and his wife Judy have four children and 12 grandchildren.

Krystal Graham earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology – Health Sciences. She has since used her education in both the animal and human health regulatory industries – working for Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and PATH, a global nonprofit accelerating health equity in low- and middle- income countries. 

During her time at Boehringer Ingelheim, Graham worked on the international regulatory affairs team, learning the regulatory requirements for Japan, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and other emerging markets for animal health biologics. 

Now at PATH, Graham has shifted to human health and is currently a regulatory affairs officer where she provides expert guidance throughout all phases of planning and subsequent clinical trials to gain World Health Organization Prequalification to address some of the most serious global health crises in low- and middle-income countries.

She and her husband, Patrick, have two children and are located in the greater Seattle area. 

Susan J. Campbell is the head of SJC Marketing, a full-service marketing, communications and content company. A graduate with a core focus on marketing, Campbell brings more than 20 years in marketing, leadership and professional communications to her team. 

In addition to her role with SJC Marketing, Campbell is also active in the local community, serving on a number of boards and committees for local organizations, including the Missouri Western State University Foundation Board, the Craig School of Business Advisory Council, Rotary International and the St. Joseph Library Foundation Board. Campbell entered the Strategic Communication program with the University of Missouri School of Journalism in 2018, earning her master’s in 2020.

A St. Louis native, Campbell now lives in Faucett, Missouri, while her husband maintains the family farm. She is the mother of two children, one a college graduate, and one currently pursuing her business degree.

Gary Baumann earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and his Master of Applied Science in Chemistry, both from Missouri Western. 

He serves as group leader for QA Investigations at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica. In 2021, he published his first science fiction book, “Convergence.” Baumann serves Missouri Western and the St. Joseph community through his volunteer efforts.

Upon graduation, Baumann began working at BioZyme, a St. Joseph-area livestock nutrition and animal microbiology company. He continued to teach at Missouri Western for a few years where he could share his passion for science with students. In 2019, Baumann joined QA at Boehringer Ingelheim. In March 2021, he transitioned to his current role as group leader, Quality and Compliance, Deviations.

In April 2021, he celebrated his 12th wedding anniversary with his wife, Emily (also a chemistry department graduate). They welcomed their son, Bridger Arcturus, into the world in August 2020.

Daniel Ramming has a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and is currently an art teacher and yearbook advisor at Central High School in St. Joseph, Missouri. 

Ramming has taught art and special education in various educational settings. He has taken on additional duties as an advisor for different clubs and activities as needed. 

He has been involved with Downtown St. Joseph redevelopment for more than two decades, including as a board member and vice president of the Downtown Association. 

Ramming was on the Trails West! Steering Committee for several years, and has been involved in other Allied Arts Council events. He donated his sculpture, “Reaching Skyward,” to be a permanent part of Sculpture Walk.

Ramming has long been involved in the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the greater St. Joseph area. He was instrumental in creating a Missouri Western scholarship to help LGBTQ+ families afford a better education. He is currently the president of the Midland Empire Equality Coalition, which organizes the St. Joe Pride Festival.

Derek Coats received his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Missouri Western.

Coats currently serves as deputy chief of staff to United States Sen. Roy Blunt, where he has worked for 10 years. In that role, he oversees many aspects of the day-to-day operations of the senator’s offices throughout the state and works closely with the chief of staff on the senator’s major projects and strategic initiatives. Prior to Sen. Blunt, Coats held various positions in the offices of United States Sen. Christopher S. (Kit) Bond, which were made possible because of an internship during his last semester at Missouri Western. 

He and his wife, Kellie Ann, reside in Columbia with their son, Carter.

Liam Nevin is from Brisbane, Australia and came to Missouri Western in the fall of 2019. 

He was heavily involved with the international community on campus, offering rides to the airport or store and helping with emotional support. He was also involved with the Missouri Western men’s soccer club team, and served as a player and coach in 2019 and 2021. In spring 2021, Nevin served as a volunteer assistant coach with the Missouri Western women’s soccer team who finished second in their conference. 

He will return to Missouri Western in fall 2021 to begin an MBA program and serve as the graduate assistant for the Missouri Western women’s soccer team.

A St. Louis native, Mackenzie O’Neill was steadfast in the pursuit of her nursing degree, all while balancing a collegiate soccer career and representing her fellow athletes on the national stage. She was chair of the NCAA DII Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) E-Board and vice chair and member of the Division II Legislation Committee. 

She served as a tutor for five nursing courses through the Center for Academic Support and was named Golden Griffon SAAC volunteer of the year in 2018-19.

Born and raised by his parents, Victor and Debra, in Kansas City, Missouri, Isaiah Colbert graduated in the spring. 

Majoring in business management and minoring in entrepreneurship, Colbert was all about being involved. He was named a two-time all-conference football player, along with being a two-time team captain. He was also a recipient of the Chris Faros Memorial Scholarship. 

He served as president of his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, as well as peer mentoring during his time with Missouri Western – all while running his own DJ business, Swig the DJ, founded in spring 2019.

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