How is Brad Pitt connected to Missouri if he wasn't born in Missouri?

Brad Pitt was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, but he has strong connections to Missouri as he grew up in Springfield. He attended Kickapoo High School there and later graduated from the University of Missouri, where he earned a degree in journalism and a minor in acting. Pitt has often expressed his fondness for the state, and he maintains ties through family and his philanthropic efforts.