Niki Mitchem, from St. Joseph, Missouri, never had a doubt that she would attend Mizzou as an undergrad. Now there’s no doubt she will be attending Mizzou as an MPER Scholars master’s student while she begins her teaching career.

Mitchem’s older brother attended Mizzou, and she fell in love with the campus visiting him. She never went on a formal tour, as she knew Mizzou was where she wanted to be.

“I have wanted to be a teacher since I was in kindergarten,” Mitchem said. “I remember sitting in class making little mental notes, thinking, ‘I definitely want to do this.’”

Mitchem has definitely made her own Mizzou experience. She served on the Executive Boards of both Kappa Alpha Theta and Omicron Delta Kappa, was a member of Mizzou 39, Mizzou Top 10 Homecoming Royalty, ODK’s Distinguished 14 Freshmen program, College of Education Ambassadors, and Pi Lambda Theta education honor society.

She even participated in two Mizzou Alternative Breaks’ Trips – one where she reconstructed roofs with Habitat for Humanity in South Carolina, and another where she helped skiers with disabilities learn how to mountain ski in New Mexico.

Mitchem will be teaching English next year at Park Hill South High School in Kansas City, while also being an MPER Scholar. Through the program she will earn her master’s degree as she realizes her lifelong dream.