Recipient Profile

Heather Cook

Life does not always go according to plan and does not work out how a person would want. Despite everything that happens, it is important to always move forward. Heather Cook is a person who, despite everything that happened, always keeps moving forward.

After graduating from Ozark High School in ’94, Cook got her undergraduate degree in communication and business. She moved to Atlanta to work for Coca-Cola as a business developer. After her son was born, she realized that it was not the right job for her, as her career required much travel. She moved back to the area with her family, and she started to attend Drury for her graduate degree in education. Not long after Cook started attending Drury, her husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness, so she decided to quit school and began teaching at a private school. Her husband passed away just over two years after the diagnoses, leaving Cook alone with two children.

Despite her hardships, Cook is now at Drury again, preparing to graduate this fall. With the help of the Klova Campbell Memorial Annual Scholarship, she is able to keep moving forward towards her dreams. “I want to help prepare young children, especially those with special needs, to find their place in society,” says Cook of her field. After she gets her master’s degree, Cook wants to continue teaching in the special education field.

Article written by Katie Felkel