Journal-World 2007 Academic All-Star Team members are, back row from left, Charles Mersmann, Eudora High; Emily Krystof, Baldwin High; Amanda Vander Tuig, Baldwin; Jennifer Crawford, Bishop Seabury; Amber Peterman, Perry-Lecompton; and Shiv Subramaniam, Bishop Seabury. Front row, from left, are Justin Smith, Tonganoxie; Baoqing Zhou, Lawrence High; and Andy Petz, Free State High. Not pictured, Alexandra Prosser, De Soto High School.

Each year, along with publishing profiles of the newly minted Academic All-Stars, the Journal-World makes a habit of checking in with the All-Stars from 10 years before. And each time, we set out to answer one simple question: What have you been up to since high school?

Following in this tradition, we caught up with as many 2007 Academic All-Stars as possible. Ten years ago, they graduated with dreams of becoming dentists, business owners and scientists. Where are they now?

Jennifer (Crawford) Malloy

Jennifer (Crawford) Malloy, 2007 Academic All-Star

Then: The Bishop Seabury Academy valedictorian boasted a 4.16 GPA while lettering her senior year in basketball, theater, chorus and forensics, for which she qualified for the state competition in 2006. At the time, after briefly considering a career in medicine, Malloy had recently shadowed her uncle while at work at his Goodland dentistry practice. She was immediately “fascinated” by the profession and decided to study pre-dental biology in college with the ultimate goal of becoming a dentist herself someday.

Now: Jennifer Malloy, known in her Bishop Seabury days as Jennifer Crawford, attended Creighton University, where she graduated with degrees in chemistry and German in 2011. She then earned her doctorate in dental surgery from Creighton’s School of Dentistry in 2015 before completing her residency program through the U.S. Air Force at Nevada’s Ellis Air Force Base. Now stationed in Misawa, Japan, Malloy serves as a general dentist for the Air Force.

Advice: “Don’t be afraid to dream big, but be prepared to work hard to get there.”

Emily (Krysztof) Burgoon

Emily (Krysztof) Burgoon, 2007 Academic All-Star

Then: Burgoon, ranked first in her class while a senior at Baldwin High School, aspired to a career “in the virtual world,” as the Journal-World put it circa 2007. During high school, she’d served as class president while working on her school’s yearbook and newspaper staffs, in addition to a slew of other activities including softball, tennis, basketball and her beloved Palmyra 4-H Club. At the time, Burgoon enjoyed dabbling in her own podcasts and video projects, often shooting and editing highlight reels for the Baldwin boys’ basketball team.

Now: Burgoon earned degrees in computer sciences and commercial graphics from Pittsburg State University, where she was member of the school’s Honors College and also minored in mathematics. After graduation, she worked as the community executive director at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Crawford County in Pittsburg before marrying and relocating to Sedalia, Mo. Now the mother of two young kids, Burgoon divides her time between freelance website and graphic design assignments and staying home with her children.

Advice: “As you strive to meet your goals, don’t overlook the people around you. Care about people, show them love and kindness — it’s the second greatest commandment.”

Charles Mersmann

Charles Mersmann, 2007 Academic All-Star

Then: The USAA All-American Scholar balanced academics with sports and outdoor pursuits while a senior at Eudora High School, serving as president of his school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes (he competed on the track team as a senior) as well as the Environmental Club. At the time, Mersmann expressed an interest in studying business, with the ultimate goal of one day opening his own sporting goods store.

Now: Mersmann followed in his older siblings’ footsteps, going to Kansas State University, where he earned degrees in finance and accounting. After graduation, he took a job at Koch Industries in Wichita. Now married with a young daughter, Mersman has spent the last few years working in the logistics department for Koch’s agricultural business, and in his spare time he’s actively involved at his Wichita church.

Advice: “Spend time understanding what your strengths and passions are, and be honest with yourself. Whatever you decide to do, stay disciplined and do it well.”

Amber (Peterman) Bergmann

Amber (Peterman) Bergmann, 2007 Academic All-Star, pictured here with her husband, Nic Bergmann, left.

Then: The quirky Perry-Lecompton High School senior dreamed of becoming a nurse after graduation. As a freshman in high school, she had a short biographical essay read on National Public Radio. Creative writing was a hobby of hers at the time, along with running, collecting wacky socks and playing with her two rats, Augie and Zorb. At school, she excelled academically, earning a No. 1 class ranking her senior year, as well as membership in the National Honor Society, among other achievements.

Now: Bergmann attended the University of Kansas on a full scholarship, graduating with a nursing degree in 2011. She’s been working as a registered nurse at Saint Luke’s Hospital, where she serves overnight in the Medical-Surgical-Trauma ICU, ever since. Bergmann, née Peterman, married her “best friend,” Nic Bergmann, in 2014. The couple live in Kansas City, Kan., where Bergmann’s now back at school — this time as a doctoral student at the KU Medical Center, studying to become an adult-gerontological nurse-practioner.

Advice: “It’s important to stay motivated and work hard toward your goals, but also to take time to relax and enjoy yourself. If you can, try to save up a little money for a rainy day, but don’t be afraid to splurge a little every now and then too. Plan for where you’re going but don’t forget to enjoy where you are in the meantime.”

Andy Petz

Andy Petz, 2007 Academic All-Star

Then: While ranked first in his senior class at Free State High School, Petz also aimed high in his extracurricular pursuits, achieving a perfect “1” rating at regional and state piano competitions when not playing football for the then-undefeated Free State Firebirds. The linebacker also earned a spot on the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association school-athlete team, but favored baseball. His ultimate goal at the time was to play for a Division 1 team after completing his studies at Cowley Community College. If a baseball career didn’t pan out, Petz said, he’d consider engineering instead.

Now: Petz attended Cowley Community College on a baseball scholarship, and, with his teammates, helped the Tigers place as one of the top six teams nationwide in the Junior College World Series. After graduating with an associate’s degree in pre-engineering, Petz earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Washburn University, where he was named a First Team Academic All-American while playing for Washburn’s baseball team. He then moved back to Lawrence, graduating from the University of Kansas with a degree in civil engineering. Now married and living in Overland Park, Petz works as a structural engineer for Black & Veatch.

Advice: “Don’t waste time because it goes by fast. Use your time to work hard, better yourself, and learn new things that increase your value. Use your time to enjoy and appreciate the family and friends who enrich your life.”

Alexandra Prosser

Alexandra Prosser, 2007 Academic All-Star

Then: Like her fellow All-Stars, the ambitious Prosser excelled at pretty much everything while a senior at De Soto High School. Aside from being ranked first in her class, Prosser was also a Commended National Merit Scholar who played flute in the Kansas Music Educators Association All-State Band, lettered in tennis and choir, and served as president of her school’s National Honor Society chapter. At the time, she planned to study biological sciences in college before ultimately pursuing a career in science.

Now: After earning a degree in political science from the University of Tulsa, Prosser relocated to Washington, D.C., where she’d accepted an internship in health IT policy. While in D.C., Prosser decided to apply for medical school. She’s slated to graduate this month from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, and in June will begin her residency in pediatrics at Children’s Mercy Hospital.

Advice: “When deciding on a career, investigate the fields that you are interested in by talking to people in those fields. They will usually be honest about what they love and hate about their job.”

Justin Smith

Justin Smith, 2007 Academic All-Star

Then: The busy Tonganoxie High School senior was in the midst of experimenting with a polyphasic sleep schedule (taking several short naps throughout the day, as opposed to one long period of sleep) when the Journal-World last visited with him in 2007. Smith, ranked first in his class, was trying to maximize his time between lettering in cross country, track, debate and forensics, among other activities. He figured the experiment, if successful, would serve him well in college, where he planned to study chemical engineering.

Now: Smith attended the University of Kansas, earning a dual bachelor of science degree from KU and Germany’s University of Regensburg, where he spent one semester as part of a study abroad program. In the summer of 2011, Smith worked as an intern at a brewery in Lawrence’s sister city of Eutin, Germany, where he also assisted in a joint effort between locals and KU School of Music faculty to preserve the city’s long-standing summer music festival. Lately, he’s been working as a graduate student researching synthetic organic chemistry at the University of Louisville.

Advice: “Some good advice would be to make sure you are actively involved in the practice of whatever it is that you intend to use your education for. For example, if you set out to study science at a university, try to get an early start on joining a research group.”

Baoqing Zhou

Then: In the spring of 2007, Zhou was still a fairly recent immigrant to the United States, having made the journey from China with her family only five years before. Despite having to learn English from scratch as a seventh-grader, Zhou thrived at Lawrence High School, where she served as captain of the Scholars Bowl team, a section leader in the symphonic band and president of the chess club, among other achievements that included being named a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. At the time, she hoped to pursue a career in science, planning to study scientific research in physics or chemistry.

Now: Zhou’s hard work took her all the way to the Ivy Leagues, and she graduated with a degree in chemistry from Cornell University in 2011. She holds a master’s degree, also in chemistry, from the California Institute of Technology. Now married and living on the West Coast, Zhou says she’s working toward a doctorate in chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Just as she did in high school, Zhou still makes time for hobbies, enjoying what she describes as a close-knit community of martial arts practitioners in Santa Barbara.

Advice: “A piece of important advice I have for graduating seniors is to make well-informed decisions AND persist after the decisions are made, no matter how hard. Doing the work in order to make the decisions well-informed will make the decisions your own, with all the associated freedoms and responsibilities.”

Amanda Vander Tuig

Amanda Vander Tuig, 2007 Academic All-Star

Then: The aspiring pediatrician ranked first in her class while a senior at Baldwin High School, where she lettered in cross country, basketball and track, picking up a Wendy’s High School Heisman Award finalist designation along the way. Aside from sports, Vander Tuig also served as co-editor and business manager of her school publication, president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and in various roles on Baldwin High’s student council.

Now: Vander Tuig attended Pittsburg State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry before matriculating to the University of Kansas. There, she earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical studies as well as a doctorate degree in pharmacy. After completing her pharmacy residency programs at the KU Hospital, Vander Tuig relocated to Seattle, where she works as a critical care pharmacist specializing in burns, pediatrics and emergency medicine. Ever the over-achiever, she also serves as a clinical instructor at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy. When not at work, Vander Tuig enjoys traveling (recent jaunts include Germany, Ireland, France and Italy) and soaking up the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Advice: “Travel everywhere you can, try new things, make new friends, eat new foods, find your passions and pursue them wholeheartedly…I promise you won’t regret it!”