The American Next
Tax credits and new jobs: Incentive or myth?
Job growth in Missouri, as in much of the nation post-recession, has been slow and painful — and the numbers cited by politicians and the media don't always tell the real story.
Nursing a more realistic dream for the future and for family
Alaina Harrison, 19, of Hannibal, is studying nursing at Moberly Area Community College. She's wanted to be a nurse since third grade, when she saw the difference between nurses who care and ones who don't after her great-grandmother entered a nursing home.
Show me the love — and the checkbook
Ashley Hicklin, 27, defines success in two parts: financial security and personal happiness.
Weighing the costs and benefits of a college education
More than 30 percent of Americans have bachelor's degrees, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. But what is the value of that degree in today's (and tomorrow's) economy?
A love story (and a rant) from Sedalia
Ask Matt LaCasse about the idea of opportunity as the American Dream, and you'll get an earful.
Missouri echoes the nation's religious views
I grew up in southwest Missouri, and was always very aware that I was living in the Bible Belt. So it surprised me to learn that, far from being distinct, Missouri is actually a pretty good representation of the country as far as religion goes.
Finding the right space
Brooks Yang, a 23-year-old Princeton grad in St. Louis, may tell you that she's "kind of doing nothing" these days. Don't believe her.
Bread in the oven and friends next door
Rocheport is the kind of town that comes as a surprise (and a bit of a wonder) in the hustle and bustle of the technology age. It is tucked along the Missouri River about 10 miles west of Columbia.
Two friends, two very different dreams
Adrienne Long and Alana Flowers were killing time between classes at the MU Student Center. They are both 21, African-American and graduating soon to leave Columbia – and chase two very different dreams.
First comes love, then comes marriage (maybe)
We've long heard the sad prediction that about 50 percent of American marriages are doomed to fail — and that statistic is pretty accurate. According to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about half of first marriages end within 20 years.
Shifting gears, careers and dreams
When Addie Rose Davis pictures the perfect life, she's 30 years old and living in her own house with a husband, two children and a successful job. But at 18, she's not exactly sure how she's going to get there.
Care for yourself — and others
Amanda Powell, 23, of Kirksville said to her "the American Dream is being able to take care of yourself to the extent that you're then able to take care of the people around you."
When the dream confronts reality — and children
Have fun in high school. Go to college. Fall in love. Live happily ever after. That's what Jon Parkhurst, 33, sees as the message delivered to children today – a message that he finds problematic.
Where is the 'middle' in middle class?
The White House has a task force devoted to restoring the middle class. Yet the U.S. government has no firm definition for what exactly middle class is.
Two ways to define a generation: Where do you fit?
The concept of "generation" shows up again and again in media and popular culture, used by everyone from marketers to educators to employers. But defining who belongs to a generation presents an interesting challenge.
The birth of a notion: The American Dream
During the depths of the Great Depression historian James Truslow Adams released a book titled “Epic of America.” In it, he coined a term that has become a mainstay in our culture: “the American Dream.”
