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Michael Talley, a senior respiratory therapy major, is participating
in 10 externships at hospitals around the country through
the School of Health Professions. Steve Morse photo
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A Challenge to Succeed
By Brittney West
“If there was one piece of advice that I would offer incoming
Mizzou students, it would be to start off smart, start off on
the right foot,” says Michael Talley, a senior majoring
in respiratory therapy
at Mizzou.
Not only does Talley give sound advice, but
he follows it himself. He shows his dedication to achievement
and success through his involvement in numerous organizations
and scholarly programs at MU. When Talley is not busy studying,
he can be found mentoring students for United Ambassadors, a student
recruitment team for the University’s admissions
office; doing community service with Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
Inc.; or conducting research as a McNair
Scholar.
Although Talley has accomplished a lot with
his education, things have not always gone smoothly for him.
“I came from a broken home. I have worked
since I was 15 years old; at times I felt like I was raising myself,”
Talley says.
A 2001 Normandy High School graduate from
St. Louis, Talley has overcome all of the challenges that have
been thrown at him. He credits much of his success in achieving
his goals to Normandy track coach Patrick Sullivan. Sullivan,
he says, has been like a father to him, providing emotional, physical,
mental and financial support.
One of Talley’s main goals was to go
to college and pursue a career in the medical field. It wasn’t
until he arrived at Mizzou that he learned about the respiratory
therapy program, which is part of MU’s
School of Health Professions.
“I’ve always had an interest in
science and anatomy. Respiratory therapy is a growing field that
will allow me to help people and to have job security,”
he says.
Talley is learning real-world skills in the
program that he can use wherever he decides to pursue his career.
“At MU our students are able to develop
the leadership and professional qualities that will serve them
well in any advanced level of study,” says Rosemary Hogan, clinical
associate professor in the School of Health Professions and respiratory
therapy program director. “In addition to the excellent
classroom and clinical experiences offered on campus, each student’s
senior year offers the opportunity for externship rotations throughout
the country. These provide students with a well-rounded background
and further opportunity for professional growth. All of these
experiences combined are what separates us from other universities.”
As director of the respiratory therapy program,
Hogan gets to know students on a professional level. She describes
Talley as an outgoing, personable person who has leadership potential.
The fact that he is very involved in campus activities also has
contributed to his success.
The McNair Scholars Program has proved to
be one of Talley’s most meaningful campus experiences. The
purpose of the program is to prepare students for graduate education
by providing mentors and enriching experiences, such as undergraduate
research opportunities. Talley receives a stipend and works
with mentor Michael Prewitt, interim
vice provost for undergraduate studies and director of the Student Success Center.
He is researching smoking prevalence rates in the general population
compared to the hospital inpatient population.
“Michael is driven to succeed. As his
mentor with the McNair Program, I have found him to be very enthusiastic
about his chosen profession, and he strives to excel,” Prewitt
says.
Talley plans to go to pursue a master’s
degree in health care administration after he graduates from Mizzou.
“I've had the opportunity to watch
Michael grow and develop into a fine young man who is poised for
greatness,” says Andre Thorn, assistant director of Academic
Retention Services. “He has served as a shining example
of how a student can achieve great things in college in spite
of his circumstances.”
“Mizzou’s rigorous academic program and diverse atmosphere
have allowed me to grow as a person. I’ll be graduating
with experiences that I could not have gotten anywhere else,”
Talley says. 
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Last Update:
September 3, 2008
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