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Colton Stewart
Anticipated graduation: 2026
Academic Program:  law and justice track, Professional Career Escalators
Hometown: St. Louis

Colton Stewart understood early on the value of networking and making connections to long- term career success.

When he learned that such connections are one of the primary benefits of a new university program, he made the cross-state leap from St. Louis to Kansas City to pursue his career in criminal justice.

Stewart enrolled in the Professional Career Escalators program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. It’s a comprehensive career-development program designed to propel students from their academic studies to high-paying careers by providing a dedicated, GPS-guided path from enrollment to workforce.

It didn’t take long for the program to deliver.

“I am being connected to opportunities I had no clue existed, like a huge police job fair which granted me the opportunity to speak with many police departments as well as FBI, ATF and the Missouri State Highway Patrol,” Stewart said. “The Professional Career Escalators might also connect me to a paid police internship this summer, so the benefits of the program are extensive.”

The Professional Career Escalators program is a unique, trademarked system of personalized support and services unlike anything being offered across the U.S. It prepares students for careers in four key areas of workforce demand: law and justice, engineering and business, education and health care.

Each semester, students participate in the five Professional Career Escalators core experiences: career guidance and development; experiential learning opportunities (such as job shadowing and internships); mentoring with faculty experts and community professionals; graduate and professional school preparation; and leadership development.

“UMKC has amazing connections to Kansas City and to the law enforcement field, so they can easily get their students paired to careers and opportunities,” Stewart said.

Why did you choose your field of study?

It has been something I always wanted to do as a kid. Criminal justice has always been a life long passion for me and now I am able to truly study it.

Why did you choose UMKC?

I chose UMKC for the unique opportunities it had for my field and was able to give me new life experiences in the heart of Kansas City. Its diversity and student involvement really attracted me to the University.

Since entering college, what have you learned about yourself?

I have learned the boundaries of my patience while in college and how much I am able to mentally multi-task at once. I have also learned that everyone's paths are different and that it's never going to be just straight forward. 

Are you a first-generation college student?

Yes. It means a lot to me. It means that I can do much more than my family before me and give much more to the family after me. It means that I have accomplished a great deal in the family as well, and that I am making a name for us.

Do you have any scholarships?

I have multiple scholarships. One for the Professional Career Escalators program, one for being a first-generation college student and one for being multiracial. They mean a great deal to me because they made me feel secure and accomplished.

What other extracurricular activities are you involved in at UMKC?

I am involved heavily in Greek life within my chapter of Kappa Sigma to which I also serve on the Interfraternity Council as the Vice President. I am also heavily involved with the new campus program Men of Color Academy. I am also involved with many other organizations and programs like ASIA, FBI Academy, Professional Career Escalators and more.