(COLUMBIA, MO) – The Columbia Public Schools Foundation (CPSF) named its 2025 Hall of Leaders, to be honored at CPSF’s Hall of Leaders event this fall. Honorees include Outstanding Alumni J’den Cox and Stephen Webber, Outstanding Retired Educators Beverly Borduin, Linda Harlan and Susan Maglich, and Outstanding Volunteer Carissa Havens.

“The Columbia Public Schools Foundation is pleased to honor this year’s class of Hall of Leaders,” said Katie Harris, CPSF executive director. “We celebrate those who have made outstanding contributions, whether as alumni, educators or volunteers.”

The event, which will include a reception and program, will be held Thursday, Sept. 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the State Historical Society of Missouri, 605 Elm Street. Tickets are available online at cpsf.org/event-tickets.

Outstanding Alumni

J’den Cox

J’den Cox graduated from Hickman High School, where he was an all-state linebacker in addition to a standout high school wrestler. He lettered in wrestling and football all four years.

J’den attended the University of Missouri-Columbia, coming to Mizzou with one of the most impressive wrestling high school resumes in the country. At Mizzou, he was honored as a four-time All-American, only the second wrestler in program history to earn such a distinction. He was a three-time NCAA Division 1 national champion and four-time Mid-American Conference champion, becoming one of the most accomplished Tigers in the program’s history. He was awarded the Most Outstanding Wrestler three times, and, among many program records, finished his collegiate career ranked first in winning percentage and second in wins. He was inducted into the Mizzou Hall of Fame in 2022 as one of the most accomplished and successful athletes in the long history of athletics at the University of Missouri.

On the international stage, he earned two Senior World titles, a World silver medal and two World bronze medals. J’den won a bronze medal in men’s freestyle wrestling at the Rio Summer Olympics in 2016. He retired from wrestling in 2024 at the U.S. Olympic trials, leaving his shoes behind to a standing ovation.

J’den currently serves as the national freestyle and resident coach for USA Wrestling in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he coordinates U.S. Pan American and World teams and works with the nation’s elite youth wrestlers.

Outstanding Alumni

Stephen Webber

Stephen Webber attended Grant and Ridgeway elementary schools, was part of the first class to open Smithton Middle School, and finished his Columbia Public Schools education at West Junior and Hickman High Schools.

At Hickman, Stephen was a varsity soccer player and captain of the debate team. Stephen is also an Eagle Scout from Boy Scout Troop 707.

After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Stephen enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. As an infantry rifleman Stephen served two combat tours in Iraq, eventually earning the rank of Sergeant. During his second tour Stephen led a 12-man squad through months of urban combat in the city of Fallujah.

Shortly after returning home, Stephen was elected as the youngest member of the Missouri House of Representatives, where he served the constitutionally mandated maximum of eight years. Stephen then worked for the Missouri AFL-CIO, the largest coalition of labor unions in Missouri.

He was elected to the Missouri State Senate in 2024 to represent Boone County. He serves on the Education; General Laws; Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety; and Veterans and Military Affairs Committees. During his time in the House and Senate, Stephen has been an advocate for public education.

Stephen has a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Louis University and his juris doctor degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Outstanding Retired Educator

Beverly Borduin

Beverly Borduin retired in 2011 after serving as principal of Grant Elementary for six years. During a nearly thirty-year career with Columbia Public Schools, her previous roles included serving as the assistant principal at West Boulevard Elementary, teaching grades 2-5 at Grant Elementary, and teaching grades 1-2 at Blue Ridge Elementary.

As principal at Grant, Beverly developed partnerships with the community, wrote and received numerous grants for the school, and continued to publish and present at conferences. She was known for her child-focused style of leadership and was beloved by teachers, students and families alike. After a fire decimated a mobile classroom, she joined with community volunteers to build the EcoSchoolhouse to take its place. Since retiring, she worked to establish a partnership with the Rollins Company to create a Montessori preschool at Grant, providing early childhood education and literacy to young students across the economic spectrum, a Double Dose Reading program serving 450 children, and a Books N Bags program distributing more than 7,500 books to kindergartners at Title 1 schools.

Among her honors, Beverly was recognized with both the Outstanding Administrator and the Outstanding K-3 Teacher Awards from the Columbia Fund for Academic Excellence.

Beverly received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as well as a master’s in elementary administration and an education specialist’s degree in educational leadership and policy analysis, both from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Outstanding Retired Educator

Linda Harlan

Linda Harlan retired in 2011 after a teaching career with the Columbia Public Schools spanning more than three decades. She began her career at CPS teaching English and Humanities at Rock Bridge High School when it first opened in 1973.

As an original member of the Rock Bridge High School faculty, she was a leader in the development of all of the programs, activities and curricula at the school. Linda served as the first sponsor of the school newspaper, “The Rock.”

For 22 years, she team taught Humanities at Rock Bridge with Conrad Stawski, founder of the Humanities program in the Columbia Public Schools. Their Humanities program was recognized statewide. Linda frequently took students on field trips and brought in guest speakers like music legend Chuck Berry. After Conrad Stawski retired, Linda continued to teach Humanities, with Mr. Stawski as a frequent guest.

When Hickman High School needed a Humanities teacher, Linda agreed to teach at both Rock Bridge and Hickman. She taught Humanities and film studies at Hickman High School, where she also sponsored the Film Club and co-sponsored the school’s Amnesty International chapter.

Linda has a bachelor’s degree in English and secondary education, cum laude, from Central Methodist University. She is a member of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association and the Boone County Retired Teachers Association. Among her honors, she is the recipient of the National Council of Teachers of English Center of Excellence Award for Humanities curriculum.

Outstanding Retired Educator

Susan Maglich

Susan Maglich retired from the Columbia Public Schools in 2008 after teaching for more than thirty years. Susan served as a first grade teacher and Title 1 reading instructor at Blue Ridge Elementary, and as a building team leader and first grade teacher at Grant Elementary. As a literacy leader, she has used her skills to teach so many CPS students how to read.

Susan also spent her career mentoring other teachers in literacy instruction as a Title 1 team leader, as a grade level leader, as a mentor of student teachers, and as a developer of literacy curriculum.

After retiring from Columbia Public Schools, Susan led the Rollins Reading Group Double Dose Reading Program at Grant Elementary. The program’s goal was to develop and implement extra reading instruction for young students reading below their grade level. Susan built the program from scratch, developing the curriculum and teaching children. Throughout ten years of implementation, more than 450 students participated in the program, and its graduates continued to read and score at or above their expected grade level.

Susan has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Stephens College and a master’s of education degree in special reading and learning disabilities from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She has been honored as the Outstanding K-3 Elementary Educator by the Columbia Fund for Academic Excellence and as the Columbia Teacher Association’s Elementary Teacher of the Year.

Outstanding Volunteer

Carissa Havens

Carissa Havens has served as a volunteer at Ridgeway Elementary and Jefferson Middle Schools since 2017. She also has worked as a substitute teacher for the Columbia Public Schools since 2021.

A mother of three CPS students, Carissa has volunteered and been a part of the PTSA at both Ridgeway and Jefferson Middle. During her time at Jefferson Middle, she worked to create a dedicated space for nursing mothers to welcome a teacher back from maternity leave and gave the teacher’s lounge a facelift. Whether it’s serving on the PTSA, helping with events and field trips, organizing school fundraisers, showing love to teachers and staff, or working behind the scenes planning meaningful experiences, Carissa shows up and makes things better for the students, teachers and school. She also has stepped up to serve as a substitute teacher.

Carissa also volunteers with the Show-Me Central Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build project and serves on the committee for Coyote Hill’s fundraising event.

The Columbia Public Schools Foundation is a private foundation established in 1996 by community volunteers dedicated to the enrichment of public education through community giving. The Foundation has funded projects in every school, allocating more than $1.7 million to enhance education in the Columbia Public Schools. CPSF has supported teachers and students for more than 29 years.

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