Some students just stand out in a crowd. Their smiles are infectious, their drive and passion present in everything they do. Maisy Blanton is one such student. A Trustees’ Scholar, honors program student and Roo News contributor, Blanton is often surrounded by similarly hard-working friends with a common goal. One of her goals was to make a commercial spot with Pine Tar Collective for one of Kansas City’s largest screens: Crown Vision at Kauffman Stadium.

Maisy Blanton
Anticipated graduation year: 2027
º£½ÇÂÛ̳ degree program: Communications, dual emphasis in digital journalism and media and professional communication
Hometown: Wichita, Kansas

Why did you choose º£½ÇÂÛ̳?

I knew I didn't want to move away from home, but also moneywise, I couldn’t afford to go super far. Then I applied for the Trustees’ Scholars program here. I was planning on going to another university, but then I found out I got a full ride and º£½ÇÂÛ̳ was somewhere not too close and not too far from home.

Why did you choose your field of study?

I always knew that I loved to write; I am an English and reading person, not a math and science person. I slowly figured out that I’m interested in public relations. I’m a big people person, and I like to write, so the communications program was it.

What are the benefits of the program?

I got to make a commercial for Crown Vision for the Royals! If you talk to people on campus, make friends and network, then those opportunities will come to you. I got it because of talking to my professor, Joshua Jackson, who I had taken two classes from at that point. We were chatting about internship opportunities, because he had set up some things with a new broadcast class. I was asking if there any PR or marketing things within that, and he said, “I think you'd be good for this.” These partnerships are so interesting because I’ll have this project in my portfolio. I'll get to add it on LinkedIn. The professional development, the networking and getting to talk to these people that work for the Royals has been so great.

I also really love . I love being involved in the newspaper. Everyone on the staff is a friend and very fun. It's like a nice little pocket community. I feel like it's really easy to get involved. If you're enthusiastic and you're kind, there are so many opportunities here.

How has your college program inspired you?

It's inspired me to think outside the box about what I actually want to do. There's a wide range of things that people are into here at º£½ÇÂÛ̳, especially in the comms department. It encourages me to try everything and figure out what I want to do. I don't have to figure it all out right now.

Since entering college, what have you learned about yourself?

That I'm not a morning person. But seriously, growing up doing theater, I always had the mentality of everything is an audition. That's been reinforced in college. Even just talking with my professors after class, that is a career-networking opportunity. I've learned to be super mindful, because in a college setting like this. Yeah, they could just be a professor or a classmate. They could also be a future boss or future coworker.

Tell us about your scholarships. What do they mean to you?

I found out that I got the Trustees’ scholarship around March of my senior year of high school. It’s a full-ride program. We stay in the residence halls for two years, and that gets us integrated into the campus culture here. It’s unique and fun because of the community that is here. You know more people than you would at a bigger school. There are seven people in each class, so you already have six friends on campus. We also have mentors, which is super helpful to just have someone who's near your field guide you or just talk through things. It's just a nice community. I didn't have to worry about not knowing anyone. It’s a fresh start with a built-in support group.

I also get to study abroad next semester. I got a scholarship from Study Abroad Global Engagement, and one from Alex and Josephine B. Coleman. I think that they covered the rest of my study-abroad costs. So, I’m excited for that opportunity that is only available to me through scholarships.

What do you hope to take from your experiences at º£½ÇÂÛ̳ into your professional career?

I obviously hope to take a lot of the relationships I make here. I'm sure I'll cross paths with these people in my career journey. I also have a love for Kansas City. I’m not originally from here. I didn’t get to explore before moving here, but there are so many places to love in Kansas City. Also, learning to talk to people who I disagree with or I made assumptions about before talking to them. That's been super big, because I feel like there are just so many different perspectives at º£½ÇÂÛ̳, and this is a very divisive time in our country. Being here is being in an incubator of so many different ideas. I've been learning how to leave my assumptions out the door.