He then attended Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau where he received his BSBA in economics in 1995. He was Student Government President at Southeast and in 1993 he worked in Washington D.C. as a legislative intern for the late Congressman Bill Emerson. From there he attended the University of Missouri School of Law in Columbia where he received his Juris Doctor in 1998.
After graduating with a BSBA in economics from Southeast Missouri State University in 1995, he held the position of Student Government President and later worked as a legislative intern for Congressman Bill Emerson in Washington D.C.  He then attended the University of Missouri School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1998.