The MarooNation Ball galas have become signature Missouri State University events in St. Louis and Kansas City with the first occurrence in Springfield scheduled for summer 2016. With a goal to raise scholarship support for current Missouri State students from those respective areas who exemplify the University’s mission in Public Affairs, these galas have proven to be a success.

Vince Balassi was one of the first recipients of the MarooNation St. Louis Student Scholarship that is funded by the MarooNation Ball in St. Louis. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 2015 with a degree in Biology/Microbiology & Biotechnology. Upon his graduation he returned to the Saint Louis area.  Vince is currently working at Sigma-Aldrich in Saint Louis as a production scientist. The group he works for is responsible for taking products and developing them up to diagnostic and medical grade reagents. This process is called In Vitro Diagnostics and is operated under ISO 13485 protocols.

As Vince continues his journey after Missouri State he plans to attend the next MarooNation Ball in St. Louis and continue to further his education through a tuition program offered by his current employer.