Beyond the Pool: How a Stolen Phone Built Confidence
For Swedish high school swimmer Emilia Karlberg, her first international swim camp in Spain promised intense training, sunny beach days, and bonding with teammates. However, by the end of the week, Emilia left Spain with something far more impactful: a newfound resilience, problem-solving skills, and confidence she hadn’t anticipated developing outside the water. “I’d…
“Being Heard”: Creating Spaces for Artists of Color
In America’s ever-changing landscape of discrimination, the challenges for artists of color often feel insurmountable. Fighting underrepresentation and limited platforms is an uphill battle, and Midwestern cities like Springfield, Missouri are no different. For writers like Rex Ybañez, a yearning for community has driven artistic action, and as Rex creates spaces where being heard is…
From the Mat to the Stage: Brett Welcome Manages Jiu-Jitsu, Music, and Life
The sky is still dark as you step outside. The early morning air carrying the faint smell of coffee. Inside a nondescript gym in Springfield, the silence is replaced by the sounds of bodies hitting mats, quiet focus, and the murmur of encouragement. It’s 5 AM, and the room is already alive under the eye…
How to Prepare for Pi Beta Phi’s Lip Sync Dance Competition: Puttin’ on the Lips
The Scoop met with Drury University Pi Beta Phi’s Director of Service and Philanthropy, Chloe Christensen, to tell us how to prepare for the chapter’s philanthropy event, Puttin’ on the Lips (POL). “This is our biggest event of the year and it is highly attended by the Drury community. It’s an event with lots of…
Top 5 Coffee Shops in Springfield, MO
Springfield, Missouri always seems to have a new coffeeshop to try. While many of us have our personal favorites, those who new to the area may have no idea where to start when looking for theirs. Billy Dove, a local food expert and influencer, highlights some of his must-try coffee shops for your morning brew….
Top 5 Best Venues to Perform at in Springfield, MO
Springfield, Missouri has a vibrant performing arts scene that is showcased through many local venues. These venues cater towards music, theatre, dance, comedy, and acting for all ages. The community as a whole is committed to providing resources to foster talent, making it a dynamic hub for expressing creativity. The Scoop met with multi-faceted performer…
“Saying the Unsaid”: Affordable Housing in Springfield, Missouri – Q&A with Rex Ybañez
Affordable housing and poverty are among the top issues for voters this November. As these crises plague the polls, residents of Springfield, Missouri face the same national dilemma. The City of Springfield Impacting Poverty Commission reports that 20% of citizens in Greene County live in poverty, and Habitat for Humanity estimates roughly 2,500 are houseless. Groups…
Q&A with Rachel Burch: A Look into the Small Business Industry in Springfield, Missouri.
Rachel Burch is the founder and previous owner of Home Sweet Home Apparel. She owned the company for four and a half years, growing it considerably into a thriving Springfield business before selling it this past summer. The Scoop talked to Burch about the ups and downs of starting a small business and how to…
Q&A with Jarrod Smith: Starting the first collegiate pickleball team
The Scoop sat down with Jarrod Smith, coach of Drury University’s Pickleball team. Smith has spent over two decades coaching tennis, a decade playing pickleball and as a professional pickleball player for many of those years. He turned his passion for pickleball into something bigger: the first collegiate pickleball team in the country. The Scoop…
Q&A With Todd Lowery
The Scoop sat down with local Springfield, Missouri artist and Drury University professor Todd Lowery. Lowery received a degree in graphic design from Missouri State University and later went on to obtain his master’s degree in fine arts from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. At Drury he teaches painting, drawing, and…