Health and Human Services News

Supporting student success through partnerships

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Supporting student success comes in many different forms, through multiple avenues and from individuals across the McQueary College of Health and Human Services (MCHHS) community. These include philanthropic financial donations and grants. 

“Philanthropic gifts and grants are essential for the college,” said Dr. Mark Smith, MCHHS dean. “They help us expand access to advanced instructional technology and equipment, provide support services, develop innovative experiential learning opportunities and offer students financial aid.” 

Two recent examples of support for MCHHS are a community partnership gift from Arvest Bank and a collaborative workforce development grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. 

Opening more doors 

 The Arvest Bank gift will benefit the newly opened Collaborative Care Clinic in Kampeter Hall.  

The funds enable the clinic to purchase new toys and essential supplies. These resources will make the clinic more welcoming and help it provide children with the high-quality pediatric and mental health care they deserve. 

As for the workforce development grant, MCHHS partnered with Ozarks Technical Community College, the Alliance for Healthcare Education and several regional health care organizations to secure the grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.  

Through the Strengthening Community Colleges grant program, Ozarks Tech received nearly $5.7 million. It was one of only 18 institutions nationwide to receive the award and the only recipient in Missouri. Missouri State was part of the grant consortium, which brought together education, workforce and health care partners across the region.

This collaboration has provided $800,000 in scholarships for students pursuing degrees in key health fields at MCHHS. 

Eligible programs include: 

Additionally, BSN students at the Alliance campus will also benefit from these funds. They will support the renovation of instructional spaces and facilities, helping to strengthen health care training. 

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Faculty spotlight: Tarah Trokey

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Our featured McQueary College of Health and Human Services (MCHHS) faculty member is Tarah Trokey. She is an assistant professor in the School of Health Care Professions at Missouri State University and an alumna.

Let’s get to know more about her.

Where are you originally from?

The good ol’ 417 – Springfield, Missouri.

What brought you to Missouri State University and how long have you been here?

My beginnings with Missouri State began long ago in 2005 when I tore my ACL as a high school athlete. I had an awesome athletic trainer who diagnosed my injury. He also educated me on what an ATC (certified athletic trainer) is and showed me the impact trainers have on athletic injuries and their role in the health care team. That athletic trainer was Dr. Allan Liggett, EdD, ATC, who also teaches here at Missouri State as a clinical professor.

I then toured the athletic training program in Kampeter (which will always be the Professional Building to me) and I came to Missouri State as a student. I fell in love with the field of sports medicine! I ended up completing a bachelor’s in athletic training, followed by a post-professional master’s in sports medicine and athletic training. After practicing as an ATC for several years, I was drawn to the physician assistant studies (PA) program here and yet again, I found myself a student at Missouri State. After becoming a PA in 2017, I moved to Oregon. I lived and practiced as a PA there for five years. I returned back to the Springfield area and was practicing urgent care and sports medicine when a colleague told me about a teaching opportunity here. I got the position and I’ve been a full-time professor in PA studies for a little over a year.

Where else have you worked before joining Missouri State?

I worked for several years as an ATC before attending PA school at Mercy Sports Medicine. As a PA, I’ve practiced in Oregon, Washington and Missouri in primary care, urgent care and sports medicine and I still practice clinically in university health at Magers Health and Wellness Center on campus.

What inspired you to pursue your field of study and work in higher education?

Two primary events changed my life, prompting me to seek a career in medicine.

  • My brother’s journey with thyroid cancer in middle school
  • My own recovery journey after sustaining a knee injury to my ACL as a young athlete

As far as higher education, I’ve always loved school and talking about medicine. I love to dissect complex medical cases and learn anything new. Now, I get to continue practicing medicine and help other people develop into PAs. What a gift!

How has your role as a PA – and now as an educator – evolved since you first started your career?

I believe both have expanded exponentially. I’m fascinated by each patient and their uniqueness. I’m fascinated by medicine. I believe my role as a PA and an educator go hand in hand. It’s really about meeting both the patient and each student where they’re at. Both are an art that will never be perfected, but always a work in progress.

I’m seeking new and innovative ways to open the learner’s minds and to collaborate here on campus. We don’t have to do things the way it has always been done or fit into a particular mold. Being a photocopy is truly boring. We need to be different if we expect any changes in the health care industry in years to come, and I believe young people will hold the answers to that! I’m just honored to be a part of each student’s journey. Every day, I leave work feeling challenged and inspired to help scholars (and myself) to strive for greatness.

What courses do you teach in MCHHS?

In PA studies, the rest of the faculty and I often co-teach for the best learner experience. PA school curriculum is designed like a mini medical school model and highly rigorous. I’m involved in both the clinical year and didactic year. I teach in Clinical Practice Issues Seminar, Problem-Based Learning, Clinical Assessment I and II, Clinical Medicine I and II, Clinical Problem-Solving Seminar and other duties.

How does continuing to practice clinically influence the way you teach PA students?

Practicing clinically is the essence of how I keep the fire burning for teaching. Without practicing, there’s no way to remain relevant and challenge myself and students as well. One must walk the walk if you want to talk the talk.

How do you see the PA profession growing/changing in the next few years, and how should students prepare for that future?

As seen across many health care disciplines, obtaining a higher-level degree continues to grow as many doctoral PA programs are becoming accredited and being advertised nationwide. The PA profession continues to hold a master’s level degree as the terminal degree, but it’ll be interesting to see if that remains in years to come.

Clinically, autonomy with PAs continues to grow, and the expectation of the new graduate PA continues to increase in demand. As the profession continues to be competitive, obtaining

Trokey on a run.
Trokey on a run.

postgraduate fellowship experience or additional certifications beyond the required national certification exam may continue to rise as more PAs enter the job landscape. One of the ways the Missouri State PA program is fostering success for future graduates is adding the skill of POCUS (point of care ultrasound) to our curriculum, which can be lifesaving and easily performed on patients at the bedside.

What are you looking forward to most this spring?

The PA program just welcomed 34 new students who began the two-year PA school journey in January. They’re now learning how to perform a full head toe physical exam. I’m most excited to see each of them flourish and grow into professionals who may one day care for myself or a family member.

What do you do for fun or leisure?

Anything active like yoga, running, lifting and rock climbing! Oh, and I love a hot coffee any time.

Learn more about the physician assistant program

Celebrating the next generation of health care professionals

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The McQueary College of Health and Human Services (MCHHS) proudly celebrates its students’ achievements. 

Nearly 400 students will graduate this December. Many participated in department or school ceremonies, where they were hooded, pinned and/or received a white coat. 

“William Shakespeare once said, ‘It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.’ This reminder feels especially meaningful as we celebrate the accomplishments of our students,” said Dr. Letitia White Minnis, MCHHS associate dean. 

She added that each graduation ceremony reflects a moment of transition.  

“On behalf of the MCHHS, I want to congratulate all students celebrating important milestones, whether it be a white coat ceremony, a pinning ceremony or graduation. These achievements reflect your dedication and hard work. We look forward to the positive impact you’ll make in your profession and the communities you serve.” 

These ceremonies mark key academic milestones for students at different stages in their programs. Hooding and pinning recognize progress toward degree completion, while white coat ceremonies represent the transition into clinical rotations.  

The programs 

Occupational Therapy  

Nursing 

Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) 

  • Twenty-six SLP students were pinned this December. The ceremony recognizes their readiness to begin clinical rotations ahead of spring graduation. 

Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) 

  • Thirty-three PAS students received white coats as they transitioned into clinical training, while another cohort of 33 students graduated this fall. 

Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) 

  • DNAP CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) students celebrated their program completion at a graduation ceremony, with 21 graduates this year – 15 in August and six in December. 

Counseling program 

Psychology 

MCHHS remains committed to supporting students as they move from classroom learning into professional practice. These new graduates and trainees will strengthen communities and contribute to the future of the health and human services workforce. 

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Leaving a legacy of athletic training and service

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When Gary Ward joined what was then Southwest Missouri State University in 1978, he was the first athletic trainer for women’s athletics.  

While he retired in 2010, he continued teaching part time until 2019. He remains active on game days, running the clock for Missouri State football and basketball. In addition, he also serves on the McQueary College of Health and Human Services  Community Advisory Board. 

His dedication to Missouri State athletics has earned him recognition beyond campus. 

On Oct. 7, Ward was honored at the 39th annual Springfield Area Sports Stars induction ceremony of the Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame.  

“I’ve been honored in other halls of fame, but being recognized here in Springfield means a lot. This is where I spent my career, so this one feels special,” Ward said.

Gary Ward
Gary Ward

Finding his calling in athletics

Ward’s journey into the world of athletics started far from Missouri. Born in Laramie, Wyoming, he grew up playing multiple sports.  

His curiosity about sports medicine deepened when he began noticing who helped injured players on the field. 

“I remember watching college football games on TV and seeing a player get hurt,” Ward said. “Someone would run in from the sideline and I wondered, ‘Who is that person?’ That was the athletic trainer. And that’s how I got interested in athletic training.” 

 He earned his first bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1974 from Montana State University and completed a master’s in athletic training in 1975 at the University of Arizona. Later, he completed a second bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Florida International University in spring 1978 and joined Missouri State that fall. 

Building programs from the ground up 

When Ward came to the university, he had a dual appointment as an athletic trainer and instructor in physical education. Soon after, he helped launch the undergraduate athletic training program in 1979.   

By 1981, he also played a key role in establishing a campus-based sports medicine clinic that served the community, especially high school athletes who lacked access to athletic trainers. The clinic later partnered with St. John’s Hospital (now Mercy), expanding both services and hands-on training opportunities for students. 

Ward is proud of the national recognition that Missouri State’s athletic training program earned over the years.  

“For many years, we had a 100% pass rate on the national exam,” he said. “We were also one of the earliest accredited programs in the country.” 

His contributions extended beyond athletic training. As the only physical therapist on campus at the time, Ward served on committees that helped establish both the physical therapy and occupational therapy programs. 

“I got to do a lot of different things. Hopefully, I was helping programs grow and giving something back to the university,” he said. 

Batman, Robin and the scorer’s table 

Ward is well known for his long-standing partnership with colleague Jimmy Wright at the scorer’s table. The duo is often described as “Batman and Robin.” 

Gary Ward (right) and Jimmy Wright (left).
Gary Ward (right) and Jimmy Wright (left).

Together, they have worked on an estimated 6,000 sporting events together on the official table crew for Missouri State, Greenwood Laboratory School, the Blue and Gold Tournament and the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions. Ward handles the main clock duties in various sports. 

The partnership began informally in the early 1990s at a basketball game at Greenwood Lab. As Ward was sitting in the stands watching his son play junior high basketball, he needed a break from the other dads. So, he went down and sat with Wright, who was working the clock at the game. 

“After a few games, I started keeping the official scorebook for Greenwood at that time while Jimmy continued to run the clock,” Ward said. “Those roles are what we still do at Greenwood.” 

At Missouri State football games, Wright runs the play clock and Ward runs the game clock. In basketball games, Wright handles the shot clock and has been the only person to have ever done that job since the shot clock was added in 1985, while Ward manages the game clock. 

The Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame honored them together at the induction ceremony — celebrating their decades of teamwork, consistency and behind-the-scenes dedication to the local sports community. 

“It was nice to be recognized together. It wouldn’t have been right to honor one without the other,” Ward said. 

Reflections from his career 

According to him, he hopes people remember that he treated others with respect and dignity.  

“You never know what someone else is going through, so give them the benefit of the doubt and always look for the best in people.” 

His years of dedication reinforced his belief that sports could help students develop leadership, teamwork and resilience — skills that matter far beyond the classroom or the training room.  

Having worked in teaching, clinical practice, program development and game-day service for over four decades, Ward describes his career in one word: “varied.” Through his contributions, he has left a lasting influence felt across campus and throughout the community. 

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