KCU News

Bridging the gap between care and creations. This simple yet powerful mission statement guides a group of students at Kansas City University who have turned their passion for knitting and crocheting into a force for good.

For Shazreh Bukhari, the decision to pursue medicine was deeply personal. Born and raised in Pakistan, she spent years struggling with undiagnosed endometriosis, enduring pain that was often dismissed as “just part of life.” But when she moved to Canada at 17, everything changed.

Nearly 14 years after the devastating 2011 tornado, the spirit of recovery and resilience is alive and well in Joplin, Missouri. The KCU College of Osteopathic Medicine stands as a symbol of hope, built on the site of the former St. John’s Regional Medical Center mobile hospital.

With over 375 additional dentists needed in Missouri, help is on the way. KCU-Joplin’s dental students are committed to addressing this shortage, shaping the next generation of dentists dedicated to serving underserved communities.

Second-year KCU dental student Amara Mbionwu shares the story of her path to becoming a dentist and how she hopes to inspire others to follow in her footsteps.

Kansas City University is pleased to announce the appointment of Tanya Honderick, MPH, MS, RN, CPH, as the director of the Center for Population Health and Equity on the University’s Joplin, Missouri, campus. 

For David L. Weisoly, DO, becoming a leader in neonatal care wasn’t just a professional journey—it was deeply personal. 

In a new article featured in Bella magazine, KCU alumna and board-certified dermatologist, Kelly Reed, DO (COM 2012), reveals how emotional states, especially anger, can have surprising effects on the skin.

Jacqueline M. Miller, DDS, adjunct assistant professor of dental at Kansas City University College of Dental Medicine, received the Greater St. Louis Dental Society’s Award of Merit at the Society’s Annual Installation of Officers and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at Piazza Messina, in Cottleville, Missouri. 

Students at Kansas City University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine are making significant strides in medical research, with projects that have earned national awards and publication in prestigious journals. Guided by Bryan Beutel, MD, assistant professor of Primary Care and an orthopedic surgeon at Sano, these students have tackled fascinating topics that could shape the future of medicine.

Tragedy often leads to isolation. For Denise Wunderler, DO, FAOASM (COM 2004), the sudden loss of her two-year-old daughter, Vienna, ignited an unyielding mission to raise awareness about Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood. 

In a world where connections can emerge in the most unexpected places, the bond between Reed June Apostol, a first-year medical student at Kansas City University, and Denise Wunderler, DO, FAOASM (COM 2004), a passionate advocate for Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood, is truly inspiring.