A STRONG, RECOGNIZABLE COMMUNITY ASSET
HOW KC SCHOLARS STARTED THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND IS A COMMUNITY ASSET
From its beginning, KC Scholars was planned and is now implemented as a community asset! It is creating a strong college-going culture across our region and is among Kansas City's most prized and transformative programs!
KC Scholars started as a community-engaged process. Over 70 members of the regional community helped to plan KC Scholars. They served on planning committees in 2016 and 2017 and their experiences and expertise shaped program design.
As a community asset, KC Scholars a 501(c)(3) entity, resides in the community, and has a community-based Board of Directors.
KC Scholars was publicly launched on September 28, 2016. It awarded its first scholarships in May 2017. Read more about the number of Scholars and impact here.
KC Scholars has grown into a strong, recognizable community asset! It is unlike other programs nationally and is changing the lives of thousands of low- and modest-income Kansas Citians and will be transformative to our region’s workforce and economy.
KC SCHOLARS WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT THE REGION
KC Scholars was designed to create individual impact and to positively impact the Kansas City region’s economy and workforce.
KC SCHOLARS PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO DONATE AND SERVE
Designed by the community as a community asset, KC Scholars embraces the philosophy that community involvement is necessary for its success and to achieve the desired impact. Check out the many ways to become involved in KC Scholars.
Community members can donate so that more scholarships are awarded annually. 100% of donations support scholarships.
Community members can be scholarship application reviewers. Learn more.
Community members can share the scholarship opportunities with their family and friends and in the organizations in which they are involved. Refer to the Marketing Resources page for more information.
Community members can set up a Named Scholarship and name it and direct it to support something they care deeply about.
WHY KC SCHOLARS MATTERS SO MUCH
Near every Scholar says that KC Scholars was a game-changer and that it matters a LOT.
Listen to these Scholars share why KC Scholars matters so much.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
As a 501(c)(3) public charity, KC Scholars has a community-based board of directors.

Tammy Edwards
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Board Treasurer and Vice Chair
KC Scholars

Michelle Kay
Enterprise Holdings

Jan Kreamer
Board Chair
KC Scholars

Beto Lopez
Guadalupe Centers

Earl Martin Phalen
KC Scholars

Michael Roane
JE Dunn Construction Company

Jeff Simon
Husch Blackwell

David Warm
Mid-America Regional Council
Board Secretary
KC Scholars
MEET THE KC SCHOLARS TEAM

Carrie Barnes

Maria Chaurand

Karen Collins
Executive Administrative Assistant

Samantha DeVilbiss

Carrie Barnes
Phone
816-398-7658
Email
cbarnes@kcscholars.org
B.A. in Political Science, Central Methodist University
M.A in Public Administration, University of Missouri-Kansas City

Maria Chaurand
Phone
816-406-1636
Email
mchaurand@kcscholars.org
B.A. in Psychology, Rockhurst University

Karen Collins
Executive Administrative Assistant
Phone
816-406-1575
Email
kcollins@kcscholars.org
B.A. in Management, Webster University
M.A. in Management and Leadership, Webster University

Samantha DeVilbiss
Phone
816-601-2299
Email
SDeVilbiss@kcscholars.org
B.A. in History and Anthropology, University of Iowa
M.A. in Student Development in Post-Secondary Education, University of Iowa
Ed.D. in Educational Studies with an Emphasis in Leadership and Higher Education, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Camry Ivory

Darnell Jones

Kailee Karr

Natalie Lewis

Camry Ivory
Executive Administrative Assistant
Phone
816-406-1676
Email
civory@kcscholars.org

Darnell Jones
Phone
816-601-2302
Email
djones@kcscholars.org

Kailee Karr
Phone
816-406-1676
Email
kkarr@kcscholars.org

Natalie Lewis
Phone
816-601-2294
Email
nlewis@kcscholars.org
MBA, University of Texas McCombs School of Business
Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Justin Martin

Emily Monchusie

Jenny Morgan

Earl Martin Phalen

Justin Martin
Phone
816-265-1736
Email
jmartin@kcscholars.org
A.A. in Liberal Arts, Southwestern Community College
B.A. in History and Communication, University of Missouri-Kansas City
M.A.Ed. in Higher Education with an Emphasis in Exercise Science, University of Missouri-Kansas City

Emily Monchusie
Phone
816-398-7671
Email
emonchusie@kcscholars.org
B.S. in Accounting, University of Kansas
M.S. in Accounting, University of Missouri- Kansas City

Jenny Morgan
Phone
816-601-2274
Email
jmorgan@kcscholars.org
A.A. in English from Longview Community College

Earl Martin Phalen
Phone
816-601-2280
Email
ephalen@kcscholars.org
J.D., Harvard Law School
B.A. in Political Science, Yale University

Amy Polen

Jessica Rhodes

Eric Schumacher

Amy Shapiro

Amy Polen
Phone
816-384-1208
Email
apolen@kcscholars.org
B.S. in Organizational Communications, University of Kansas

Jessica Rhodes
Phone
816-601-2297
Email
jrhodes@kcscholars.org
Masters of Science, College Student Personnel, University of Central Missouri
Bachelors of Arts, Psychology, Missouri Valley College

Eric Schumacher
Phone
816-601-2298
Email
eschumacher@kcscholars.org
Master of Public Administration
University of Kansas
BA in Creative Writing, BA in Political Science
University of Kansas

Amy Shapiro
Phone
816-406-1599
Email
ashapiro@kcscholars.org
B.S. in Business Administration, University of Kansas

Kaylee Sundeen

Eric Thompson

Cherelle Washington

Dustin Wightman

Kaylee Sundeen
Phone
816-601-2280
Email
ksundeen@kcscholars.org
M.S. in Counseling and Student Development
Kansas State University
B.S. in Journalism-Mass Communications
Kansas State University

Eric Thompson
Phone
816-601-2292
Email
ethompson@kcscholars.org
EdD in Higher Education Policy and Leadership at University of Kansas (in process)
M.S. in Family Therapy, Friends University
B.S. in Psychology, Jackson State University

Cherelle Washington
Phone
816-398-7662
Email
cwashington@kcscholars.org
B.A. in Communication, University of Missouri-Columbia
M.Ed in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, University of Missouri-Columbia

Dustin Wightman
Phone
816-406-1899
Email
dwightman@kcscholars.org
B.S. in Business Administration, University of Kansas

Sharmelle Winsett

Bryan Woodson

Sharmelle Winsett
Phone
816-601-2293
Email
swinsett@kcscholars.org
B.A. in Communications, Business Management from the University of Missouri-Columbia
MBA (in progress), University of Missouri-Kansas City

Bryan Woodson
Phone
816-601-2295
Email
bwoodson@kcscholars.org
B.S. in Psychology from the University of Kansas-Edwards
M.A. Ed in Higher Education/Educational Leadership and Policy Foundations, University of Missouri-Kansas City
2022 AWARDEES
To learn who received scholarships in 2022, click below to download lists.
KC SCHOLARS SURPRISE AWARD CEREMONIES
Every May, KC Scholars has surprise scholarship award ceremonies at schools across the 6-county service region.
At that moment, you can see lives change. Scholars are so proud and happy that they are receiving the award.
Watch Scholars being surprise awarded – this is what KC Scholars is all about.