Grace Powderly is ready to help students and serve others by sharing her college experience.  How did she make decisions on which school to attend? And what did she do to make the most out of an opportunity? A fantastic student who once looked at a high school list of clubs, activities, and sports decided to try new things because they looked and sounded like fun. Her decisions led her to a new sport, joining a standout club and an opportunity to travel the world and literally help improve and study global health. Her advice is to get involved and say yes. And her energy and love for life and serving people are contagious and fulfilling. Grace compares the different divisions for athletics, and different sizes of schools and reminds us all,  “It’s ok to not know everything yet.” Relatable has a great perspective, heartwarming and she’s just plain fun.


Guest Bio:
A recent graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, Grace Powderly plans to go on to medical school and study Osteopathic Medicine. She was a four-year Division I tennis player, a scholar-athlete, a tutor, a cancer center volunteer, a member and then president of the Global Medical Brigades (for experiencing Global Health and Giving Back), and recipient of multiple service awards. At the end of the day - she is described as the ultimate teammate, captain, and caregiver to many. 

While growing up around some pretty rough kids, Logan’s English teacher introduced him to a new sport that gave him more opportunities than he ever imagined. But winning championships wasn’t easy and would come at the price literally building from the ground up during Covid.  Logan opens up by sharing he didn't have a lot of money and had to have certain box checks for college, and his advice to “don’t do what I did” in your decision-making process. It wasn’t and still even as a national champion isn’t always easy, but he believes you can do anything you want to if you work for it.  This BMXer Basehead now strives to bring home a Medal for the USA and then go on to coach others.  The power of people, the power of staying strong, and the power of just plain work.


Guest Bio:
A recent graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. National Champion in the hammer throw for NCAA Division I track and field. Logan Blomquist is from Pleasant Hill, Missouri. A former high school football player who was introduced to a new sport as a freshman later became the state champion in both the shot put and discus. Logan now dreams to bring home a medal for the USA and coaching young people.

He was just a kid with a ball at the park. He didn’t know much about college, what it was, how to get there, and what it took to get there. Coach Marc Polite had to be a self-starter and be his own engine. He speaks on the love fest of recruiting and then understands we operate in the sphere of production.  Coach Polite speaks the truth, shares stories to learn from and motivational moments to help you find your boost from within.  Calling all students, athletes, parents, high school coaches, and college coaches to take notes and let this sink in while he preaches the news you need to know. His engine gets going and provides you with the steps, tips, and fuel for college selection and coaching success. Sit back and enjoy while Coach Polite coaches you up!


Guest Bio:
Marc Polite was the 2022 High School Basketball Coach of the year, a former college assistant coach with experience at all divisions, and a Fellowship of Christian Athletes leader. He was a Division I scholarship basketball player and is currently the head basketball coach at Rock Island High School in Illinois. He’s a loving husband and a proud dad of 2. 

A cheerleader, active member of several clubs, and recent high school graduate ventures to find the college that will allow her to climb new mountains and reach global heights. Bella Lambert is a kind-hearted soul who aspires to one day own a product-based company and raise awareness and offer a solution to women’s health problems that still exist today across the globe, but before she can begin to “conquer the world,” she must first find the right college to do so.  Join us as Bella talks about her experiences of self-discovery, a club she joins that boosts her confidence, an internship that challenges her mindset, and a competition that lands her in what becomes her college home.  After hours and hours of Google searches going down one route and then another and yet another, who knew she would land proudly at a college relatively in her own backyard? Just like the trails she hikes and the flowers she loves to plant, you too will enjoy following Bella’s journey to find her tribe and plant her seed with the Utah Utes.


Guest Bio:
Recent Park City High School Class of 2022 graduate, Bella Lambert was involved in numerous clubs, a member of the varsity cheer team now preparing to attend the University of Utah enrolling in the highly acclaimed David Eccles School of Business.  She plans to study Entrepreneurship and travel internationally to experience and learn about new cultures.

It was her first love, her greatest joy, and seemingly the first word she spoke. But Rachel Galligan was devastated that the school she dreamed of and in her own backyard didn’t want her. But along he came, saw something in her, and believed in her. He sold her on the vision and opportunity to build something great. She ended up going to a school 100 miles from home, losing her mother the first week in college, and little did she know, could not have been with a more perfect match and person to develop her and pull out the greatest parts of her on and off the court. A people pleaser who had to be challenged, pushed, and told the truth, he lit her match and the beast in the paint took fire proudly playing together with her teammates for the name across their chest. A healthy chip that she never let go of drove her to the Hall of fame and still fuels her as she travels globally searching for other women who sometimes just need someone to believe in them, describe a vision and an opportunity, and to speak their language. 

Guest Bio:
Rachel Galligan grew up in Central Illinois as a very active, sport loving, and fun neighborhood kid. She fell in love with the game of basketball playing at Division I Eastern Illinois University and later was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Having enjoyed several college coaching stints at different universities, Rachel has always had a knack and love for recruiting. Now a women’s professional basketball league analyst, Rachel also travels the world recruiting other women looking for the opportunity to play the game of basketball as the coach and founder of Go Global Recruiting. 

He worked a part-time job since he was fifteen making countless sacrifices to be able to attend and pay for college. Little did Ben Honza know, he would fall in love with Culinary Arts, the job, the creation, and the relationships he would build. He and his parents authentically share their journey of search, discovery, frustration, and patience, and eventually his being admitted to a school with a 10% acceptance rate. Dive in as they travel the path of the initial visit, applying, the college day visit, the in-person interview, and awaiting the snail mail letter in the mailbox. Heartfelt advice is shared for other parents as their journey begins. He worked, they searched, he discovered, they persevered, and his hard work literally paid off as he found the place that represents him. Ben’s motto matches his college’s motto: Hard Work U and Student Made. It’s like it was meant to be. 

Guest Speaker:
A graduating senior in the Class of 2022 from Cape Central High School, Ben Honza worked his way through school beginning as a host and working his way up the ladder to first chef. That work experience brought out a love he never knew he had and now begins his freshman year in college studying Culinary Arts at a school with the tagline Hard Work U. 

Small-town dual sport athlete revisits his “terrible thought process” on deciding where to go to college ending at a great fit in the big city. He goes unrecruited, turns Hall of Famer, and now achieves unprecedented success as a Division I Athletic Director.  While helping students and athletes sits at the forefront of his mission and purpose, Brady speaks on the ever-changing landscape of athletics, the transfer portal and its purposeful original intentions, the madness of NIL, and how he uses his education, critical thinking, and analytical skills daily in his profession. He’s a standup guy who leads with compassion for others and makes decisions with strategic thought.

Time listening to this insider with Brady Barke is sure to increase your understanding, challenge your thinking, inspire you to think strategically, and gain perspective on the why and how of recruiting, the decision-making process, coaching, and the overall landscape of college athletics. The power of asking the tough questions to gain information for better understanding, insight, and assessment. 

Guest Speaker:
Brady Barke begins his 7th year as the Director of Athletics at Southeast Missouri State University where the athletic department has achieved unprecedented success. First-ever Commissioners Cup Champions for the 20-21 season just five years after taking the helm and communicating that exact vision. Rightfully so, during the 2022 NACDA convention, Brady was awarded the FCS Athletic Director of the Year. Previous stints include Chief of Staff for the University President, Director of Compliance, and experience at the NCAA Office. A former Division III student-athlete, Brady played golf and basketball at Webster University and was later inducted into the Hall of Fame. He has a law degree from Southern Illinois University and an MBA from SEMO.

Hailing from New Jersey, this recent college graduate shares her experience of being a very shy and not that confident of a kid but leaned on doing as many things as she could and always wanting to succeed at all of them. Karate, piano, guitar, soccer and eventually joining track and field, Kayla Park speaks on how she learned to power through and keep believing she would succeed in the end. While she always loved and still enjoys being very active, Kayla soon realizes her young love for art and that personal and more freeing, therapeutic hobby would lead her to change her major from Pre-Med to something that made her happy and she really enjoyed. 

Kayla shares how she went through the college decision and application process all wrong and advises her younger self on what to do differently. She believes college rankings really don’t matter and that it’s truly how you spend your time at college that’s important. Kayla Park speaks directly to current college freshmen, comforting them to not fear a whole new environment, to remember they are not alone, and to take on change and not be afraid of change - even if that means changing your major and changing your friends. 

Kayla talks about internships, inclusion, underrepresented communities, and giving back to those less fortunate than you which is exactly what she did and continues to do. And she authentically opens up to her high school, college, and young professional peers encouraging them to be true to themselves which is something she always struggled to do until college. 

Age and experience led her to gain confidence and find computer development, coding, and design. A determined Jersey kid who found her way. Walk in her shoes and gain a lot of ground. 

Guest Bio:
Kayla Park is currently a Junior Associate of Manual Labor Studio where she does web development and design after graduating from Colgate University with a 3.8 GPA, involved in several clubs and is a walk-on athlete for the track team where she majored in Computer Science and minored in Art and Art History.