Gavin Sample attended Cape Central High School in Cape Girardeau, Missouri for all four years of high school. Prior to graduating, he participated in Model UN and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA); during his junior year, Gavin received a high enough score on FBLA’s Business Law exam at the District competition to qualify for state. At the end of his senior year, he was honored to receive the Outstanding Citizenship Award from the Sons of the American Revolution (SARS). He graduated from Cape Central in May 2017 and took his talents to his hometown’s Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO). Gavin was awarded a President’s Scholarship by SEMO for high academic achievement, and he also received a Bright Flight Scholarship from the State of Missouri for achieving an exemplary ACT score.

Left: Gavin Sample and his wife, Kirstin, at their high school graduation.

Right: 2017 Cape Central Awards night, with Gavin on the left end.

Left: Gavin and other SEMO students hosting then-US Senate candidate Austin Petersen in November 2017.

Right: Gavin and Kirstin at Gavin’s SEMO graduation in May 2021.

Gavin Sample started his first semester at SEMO in August 2017, majoring in political science. Throughout college, Gavin was heavily involved in the on-campus poli sci community. He was an active member in several clubs including ‘Law, Politics & Society Club’, College Republicans and Turning Point USA. Gavin is proud to have contributed to a friendly, conciliatory environment with his peers in the political science department despite the variety of political disagreements that existed among his fellow students. The college courses Gavin completed helped to deepen his critical thinking, refine his research abilities and improve on his writing skills. He maintained a sufficiently high GPA to keep his President’s Scholarship throughout all four years while also working 20-30 hours a week in retail. Just prior to graduating from SEMO in May 2021, Gavin was accepted to attend UMKC Law for the upcoming Fall Semester.