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Where Are They Now.

Week eight.

Mary Fechtling Comstock on September 09, 2016

    This is the final installment of updates on UHS/PCHS Alumni Scholarship recipients.  This week’s article gives updates on Gus Richardson, Dakoda Owings, Savanah Sands, Ashley Starrett and Craig Griswold.

Gus Richardson, PC class of 2011, graduated in May from Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.  He is just starting his career with the Navy Federal Credit Union in the Pensacola, Florida area.  Gus says “It’ll be a great way to get some experience and get my feet wet with accounting in the real world.”

Gus, a high school basketball standout, played junior varsity basketball at Graceland.  He explained, “It was fun, we were mainly punching bags for schools to warm up against pre-season. Still, we got to push kids around and I enjoyed it overall.”  While in college, Gus drove back home to Unionville to work at Lockridge Lumber on the weekends and also handled the financial records for several organizations at Graceland.

Gus moved to Cantonment, Florida in May and has been going to church and pouring concrete to pass the time until his new job starts.  He has found beach fishing to be “a blast” and is excited there is a motocross track only 30 minutes away.  Gus’s comment on his hometown is “I wouldn't change a thing, small town wins no contest.”

Dakoda Owings, PC class of 2013, is a senior at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin and will obtain a Biology degree in May, 2017.   Her goal is to attend medical school after graduation.  

    At MSSU, Dakoda played college softball her first three years, which she enjoyed but says was very time consuming.  She is not playing this year, instead concentrating on her studies and preparing for medical school entrance exams.  She is also involved with the Biology Club on campus.

    Dakoda loves the Unionville community, stating “I miss my family, the quiet, and, honestly, the cows in my backyard. I wouldn't trade how or where I grew up. It's a place where people wave at everyone they know and even some they don't. And college has taught me that is rare.”

    In her spare time, Dakoda enjoys sketching and painting, reading everything from classics to fantasy, and playing slow pitch softball.

    Savanah Sands (PC class of 2013) will graduate in December from Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.  After graduation, she would like to find employment in a large hospital in either Kansas City or St. Joseph.

Savanah has worked her way through college as a resident assistant (RA), a recreation services worker, a freshman orientation leader and a CNA. She has been involved in residential life and the student nurses association (SNA).

Savanah says “I miss being in a small community where people care and take care of each other.  Also I miss being in a place where I'm not worried about locking my car or not thinking twice about going to run errands by myself at night. Unionville definitely felt safe and I never realized how much I had taken that for granted until I came to a bigger city.”

    Ashley Starrett, PC class of 2014, is attending two colleges simultaneously and will obtain a bachelor’s degree from both institutions in May, 2018.  She is earning a Bi-Vocational Christian Ministry degree at Ozark Christian College and a Biology-Pre Dental degree at Missouri Southern State University, both in Joplin.  Ashley hopes to enter dental school at the University Missouri – Kansas City in the fall of 2018.

    Ashley makes the most of her free time.  During the summer and on college breaks, Ashley works for Dr. Joel Pratt at his dental office in Unionville.  She has also found time to help with several dental/medical mission clinics in Central America as well as the Missouri Mission of Mercy with Dr. Pratt.  Ashley attended Rodeo Bible Camp in Unionville while in junior high and now speaks at several camps in the Midwest.  She also volunteers for On-Time Ministries in Joplin and is a charter member of the Rotaract chapter at MSSU.

    Ashley enjoys any activity connected with water including wakeboarding as well as riding horses and traveling.  She says, “My favorite part about coming home is getting to see people that have invested in my life since a young age and that continue to support my dreams for the future! I'm thankful to have come from a rural community that taught me to cherish the smaller things in life.”

    Craig Griswold, class of 2013, has become a world traveler while in college at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.  He lived and studied in the Czech Republic this past semester, traveling to 11 countries on two continents.  In 2015 he traveled to Brazil as part of a two-week study tour.   Craig says “I have made friends from all over the world.”

    Craig will graduate in May with a degree in biological and agricultural engineering from K-State.  After graduation, he is considering working with water management systems and would like to stay in the Midwest.  Craig expressed, “The great support from our community helps to create successful college students and I cannot express how grateful I am that continued support.”

While at K-State, he has been involved in Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, Engineers Without Borders, University Honor Council, Greek Ambassadors, and the Steel Ring Senior Engineering Honorary.