Honors College Staff
Dr. John F. Chuchiak, IV
Director and Professor of Colonial Latin American History
Dr. Chuchiak is a specialist on colonial Latin American history with a research emphasis on the history of Mexico and Maya ethnohistory. He teaches a variety of history courses, ranging from introductory courses on Western and world civilizations, upper level undergraduate courses on Latin American civilization and pre-Columbian cultures, and graduate courses on the history of Mexico, Mesoamerican ethnohistory, and the history of the Inquisition in Spain and the New World.
Dr. Chuchiak's general research focuses on the history of the colonial church in México with a special emphasis on the Franciscan Missions, the Inquisition and the Catholic Church in colonial Yucatán. His most recent publications have examined the contact and colonial transformation of the indigenous cultures of México, most notably the Maya of Yucatan. He is especially interested in researching the realms of Christian mission history, religion, ethnic conflict, gender and social change in the wider Atlantic world.
Dr. Chuchiak has served as Director of the Honors College since 2011.
Scott Handley
Associate Director and Coordinator of the University Fellowships Office
Scott earned a B.A. in History from the Honors College at Texas Tech University in 1997 and an M.A. in German & European Studies from Georgetown University in 2000. His academic interests include 19th & 20th century European history, German politics, and political integration within the European Union. He has lived and traveled in Europe and the Middle East.
Scott serves as the primary academic advisor for all undeclared students in the Honors College. He assists students with all aspects of academic planning, including progress towards graduation, major selection, course registration, and preparation for graduate study. He also advises students on competitive national scholarships and fellowship opportunities.
Scott has served as Associate Director since 2010. He was certified as a Master Advisor in August of that year.
Cassie Prock
Office Manager/Administrative Assistant III
In 2020, Cassie earned a B.S. in Historic Preservation and a B.A. in History with a minor in Archaeology at Southeast Missouri State University. They graduated with academic distinction in the Department of History and Anthropology and as an honors scholar in the Jane Stephens Honors Program. Their academic interests include counterculture history, forensic anthropology, and pre-contact archaeology. In their spare time, they enjoy exorbitant amounts of time outside on their porch reading or crafting.
Cassie oversees community development within the Honors College. They act as a steward of the Honors Student Center and works with the team on developing social media strategies and events/programming for honors students. Staff support, development, and community building is where their passions lie, and they deeply enjoy the ways complex organizing and creativity work together.
Cassie started serving the Honors College in May 2022. They were certified as a Master Advisor in August of that year and Safe Zone certified October of that year. Cassie has been a Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) since of Fall 2024.
Aster Thao Ho
Managing Editor of LOGOS: A Journal of Undergraduate Research
Aster is currently an MBA Candidate at Missouri State University. Before pivoting to graduate studies in the U.S., she earned her Bachelor’s degree in International Business from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City in 2019.
Armed with seven years of marketing experience, she has proven equally adept at anchoring single brands from within and orchestrating diverse campaigns from an agency standpoint. Her marketing career is dedicated to branding, where she finds herself deeply energized whenever she uncovers fresh consumer insights and translates complex concepts into relatable narratives. Looking ahead, she plans to earn a graduate certificate in Fintech to become a specialized marketer in this immense, yet untapped sector, a space where she can explore and tell its untold stories.
Aster is also the current Managing Editor of Volume 19 of LOGOS: A Journal of Undergraduate Research. This role beautifully continues a story she had left open in 2021, when she was the Editor-in-Chief of Brand Originality and first found her lifelong aspiration to ignite the inner artistry within so-called dry businesses.
Sophia Samala
Office Assistant/Social Media Manager
Sophia Samala is a current junior at Missouri State University, working towards a Bachelor of Science in History with minors in Communication & Theatre and a certificate in Intercultural Communication. She hopes to find a career in the History field while staying involved with her passion for Theatre and Theatre Performance! When not at work, Sophia is an executive officer of Melaqueer: a club dedicated to making a safe space for QTPOC (Queer Trans People of Color) to make a community, meet new people, and have fun while doing it! She was also an intern at the GLO Center in Downtown Springfield, which is the Queer Community Center for the entire Ozarks. (P.S. Chappel Roan personally donated to this organization!)
Sophia assists in the management of the Honor College office. So far, she has built a few cabinets, unpacked from the office change from University Hall to Meyer Library, and enjoys bothering Scott Handley with the daily news. Otherwise, she answers calls, helps plan Honors College events, and informs students about the benefits of the Honors College.
Patience Christensen
Office Assistant/Social Media Manager
Patience Christensen is a sophomore at Missouri State, pursuing majors in Acting for Stage & Screen and Communication Studies. She hopes to one day work in stage performance in her wonderful hometown of Kansas City and beyond! She is passionate about sustainable storytelling that challenges and heals in equal measure. At the Honors College, she helps plan events, create social media content, and communicate with students to share the benefits of the Honors College far and wide. She also names the office plants and struggles to put up fairy lights in a straight line. She loves Shakespeare, crochet, and telling silly stories about her cat to anyone who will listen.