WEST PLAINS, Mo. – For West Plains native and homeschool student Kori Lancaster, choosing to attend Missouri State University-West Plains gave her a natural and smooth transition into college.
“I was able to dual enroll in classes at the university when I was still in high school, which gave me a head start toward earning my degree,” she explained. “Missouri State-West Plains was close to home, affordable and familiar.”
It also gave her an opportunity to learn and grow through her positions as a writing tutor and Student Ambassador.
“Both of these roles helped me discover areas of work and study I was interested in and hone skills that I had not realized I had,” she said. “These positions ultimately helped me to choose a major for my bachelor’s degree.
“Additionally, being part of the (William and Virginia Darr) Honors Program provided me with crucial critical thinking skills and greatly expanded my ways of thinking and relating to people that have proven to be very beneficial in every area of my life,” Lancaster added.
After receiving her Associate of Arts in General Studies with a Specialization in Honors from Missouri State-West Plains in 2013, Lancaster transferred to John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. There, she completed a Bachelor of Science in Communication.
She now lives in Rogers, Arkansas, and works as the fair housing testing coordinator and community education specialist at Legal Aid of Arkansas, a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal services for low-income residents.
Lancaster credits the West Plains campus for giving her strong foundations academically and socially that continue to support her work today. Through her position, she has built up the firm’s fair housing program and utilized a variety of resources to educate the community about the Fair Housing Act in an effort to combat housing discrimination.
“Partly through my efforts, Legal Aid recently received nearly $1 million in federal funding to expand the fair housing program,” she said. “This funding makes Legal Aid Arkansas’ first private fair housing enforcement law firm and allows us to run the only fair housing testing program in the state, which I oversee.
“My degree from Missouri State-West Plains gave me a foundation for learning that allowed me to go on to further my education and secure a job where I can make a positive impact on an often-overlooked community,” she added. “Learning and working at the university allowed me to interact with people from all walks of life, which gave me a better understanding of the world around me.”
Lancaster believes her time at Missouri State-West Plains helped prepare her for adulthood and the responsibilities that come along with it.
“Attending classes and getting involved in the university was exactly what I needed at that stage of my life, and I will always be thankful for my time there,” she said.
“I was able to successfully complete a course that challenged me by using the tutoring services and peer groups. I made friends and expanded my world view by working on campus, participating in the ambassador and honors programs and studying abroad,” she added.
“I would encourage prospective students to break out of their comfort zones and take advantage of new opportunities they will find at Missouri State-West Plains,” Lancaster said.
For more information about Missouri State-West Plains and its degree offerings, visit wp.missouristate.edu or call the admissions office at 417-255-7955.
