Governor Mike Kehoe Visits Missouri Southern State University to Spotlight Compass Academy Network

JOPLIN, Mo. — Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe visited Missouri Southern State University today to highlight the work of the Compass Academy Network (CAN), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free summer enrichment programs for middle school students in rural communities across Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

“My wife, Claudia, and I are very excited to hear more about this from the teachers, the peer mentors, and the students,” Governor Kehoe said, addressing the CAN members and students. “Wow, it's amazing what you're doing.”

Hosted at MSSU's campus at 3950 Newman Rd in Joplin, the event brought attention to CAN's mission of supporting academic success, personal growth, and future opportunities for rising 6th through 9th graders in underserved areas. The program offers immersive, hands-on learning experiences at no cost to participants, with paid internships available for aspiring educators.

“We've learned more about it in the last year or so since we've been in this role,” Governor Kehoe said. “And I can tell you, as one of those kids, when I was growing up many, many years ago, I was one of those people in the middle that really probably needed a little bit more help. My single mother raised me. We didn't have a lot of resources. We had no resources. And being able to have something like a Compass Academy experience really can be a game changer in young people's lives. You've heard it from these young people here. It's hard to just come up on the stage and sit and look at an audience, much less communicate your thoughts and what this program has done for you. That's very impressive to me because our future needs a lot of bright stars.”

Governor Kehoe, who has emphasized education reform, school accountability, and empowering families throughout his administration—including recent executive orders on A-F school grading and support for school choice—praised the initiative as a model of community-driven education that complements statewide efforts to improve outcomes for Missouri students.

“We're passionate about all forms of education,” Governor Kehoe said. “Education that can lead kids in a great direction to find out where they're most comfortable and the environment they're most comfortable with. I think sometimes as adults that is what we miss—trying to make sure that we see what these young people can do, what their abilities are really is important for us to listen sometimes more than it is to talk. Claudia and I are the parents of four children. So we know that the path through life with some of these kids gets complicated at best, with a lot of pressure and a lot of things happening.”

The Compass Academy Network operates summer programs at host schools, including collaborations with institutions like Missouri Southern, to deliver engaging curriculum, team-building activities, and mentorship. Organizers say the event underscored the importance of bridging K-12 enrichment with higher education resources to help close opportunity gaps.

Missouri Southern State University, which continues to expand its statewide mission in health sciences, immersive learning, and global education, served as a fitting venue to showcase innovative educational partnerships. The visit aligns with Kehoe's broader priorities of accountability, choice, and community investment in education as outlined in his 2026 State of the State address.

For more information on the Compass Academy Network, visit compassacademynetwork.org.