The Dr. Katie Elizabeth (Wolz) Bradford Endowed Scholarship has been established through the Southeast Missouri University Foundation.
The renewable scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate student attending Southeast Missouri State University majoring in biology and preparing for medical or dental school. Recipients must be in good academic standing with an overall minimum 3.0 grade point average. Preference will be given to students from the Southeast Missouri Service Region from Ste. Genevieve County and south, and their financial need will be taken into consideration. The Department of Biology Scholarship Committee will select the recipient.
The scholarship was established by Bradfords parents, Jay and Kathleen Wolz, and her grandmother, Mrs. Lu Ruzicka, all Southeast graduates of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, who made a $10,000 gift to establish the award.
Bradford graduated from Southeast in 2008 with Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis in biology, chemistry and mathematics/physics. She completed her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) at Indiana University School of Dentistry in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 2012. Following her graduation from dental school, she completed a general practice residency at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio; a dental anesthesia fellowship at Indiana University; and a dental anesthesia residency at New York University Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, where she served as chief resident. Bradford currently lives in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with her husband, Ryan, and their son, Edmond James, EJ. She is associated with Nashville Office-Based Anesthesia, which provides anesthesia services at dental offices throughout middle Tennessee.
Jay served as Southeasts director of Alumni Relations from 2012 until his retirement in 2018. He is a 1977 graduate of Southeast with a Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary studies. He earned a Master of Business Administration in 1998 at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. As a student at Southeast, Jay was editor-in-chief of the Capaha Arrow, forerunner to the Arrow, and was a member of the KRCU staff, the Golden Eagles Marching Band, University Players and Phi Sigma Epsilon. He also served on the Universitys Alumni Association Board of Directors and National Alumni Council.
Kathleen is a 1979 graduate of Southeast with a Bachelor of Science in Education, secondary education, with majors in English and mass communications. She graduated from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale School of Law in 1985 and is a partner in a Cape Girardeau law firm. While at Southeast, she was a staff member of the Capaha Arrow and was editor of the 1979 Sagamore, the Universitys former yearbook. She was also president of Delta Delta Delta, secretary of the Student Government Association and was a member of Kappa Delta Pi. Additionally, she served as Towers North head resident, Greek Housing coordinator and has been a member of Southeasts National Alumni Council.
Ruzicka is a 1951 graduate of Southeast Missouri State College, earning a Bachelor of Science in Education, majoring in speech pathology. She also attended graduate school at Saint Louis University. During her years at Southeast, she was active in Black Mask, Collegiate Players, the Debate Team, Sorosis Society (which later became known as Alpha Chi Omega), the Golden Eagles Marching Band, Centenary Methodist Youth and the Capaha Arrow. Ruzicka is a charter member of the Southeast Missouri University Foundations Copper Dome Society and a member of the Presidents Council, as was her late husband, Leonard Ruzicka, Sr. She was awarded the Universitys Distinguished Service Award in 2009 and the Friend of the University Award in 2013.