As a graduate student in the University of Missouri’s Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis program, Nathaniel Brinkley has focused on how strong school culture, intentional leadership and supportive systems can help both students and educators succeed. His experience at Mizzou has strengthened not only his leadership skills, but also his confidence in the kind of leader he hopes to become.
After a childhood marked by heart disease and transplant surgery, Ella Morrissey discovered confidence, community and her calling in child life.
From tutoring first graders to leading his own classroom, Thomas Skiendziel’s Mizzou experience shaped him into a confident future educator. Now a graduating senior, he’s ready to bring his passion for learning to a third‑grade classroom.
Rushing, a senior in the University of Missouri College of Education & Human Development, is completing her elementary student‑teaching internship in a fourth‑grade classroom at Madison Crossing Elementary School in Mississippi.
A $1.25 million federal grant is creating an opportunity for future special educators and behavior analysts to earn a fully funded master’s degree while preparing to meet one of the most urgent needs in schools today.
Show Me Research Week showcases student research from across Mizzou. This year, 28 students from the College of Education and Human Development shared their work. Read what two presenters had to say.
As graduation season approaches, thousands of high school students across Missouri are preparing to take their next steps into adulthood. For many students with disabilities, that path can feel uncertain. At the University of Missouri, however, a powerful program is helping turn uncertainty into opportunity.
The College of Education and Human Development brought together faculty, staff, students and partners for Teacher Career Exploration Day on March 19, welcoming nearly 100 middle and high school students from across mid-Missouri to explore teaching as a career.
The Education, Leadership, and Policy Analysis (ELPA) department brought its graduate students and faculty to the Missouri Capitol for a full day of direct engagement with the people shaping education across the state. The visit offered a clear view of how policy takes shape and how future leaders can influence it.
The University of Missouri College of Education & Human Development is ranked among the nation’s top graduate education programs, according to the 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings released by U.S. News & World Report.