Week of Feb. 21-26, 2006

Welcome to the Tower Topics E-newsletter for faculty, staff and students at Western. 

Missouri Western State University, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, 816-271- 4200

Click any link for these stories:

Applied Learning Conference a Success

Eggs & Issues Presents "Eggs and Issues"

Alumni Brown Bag Lunch Series

Western Theatre Presents Bodies, Rest and Motion

Tower Sports

News Briefs

Calendar

Ads

Archives

The deadline for all entries is 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, for the next week's issue. Tower Topics will be online weekly during the fall and spring semester.  For more information call 271-5651.

Student Editor:
Katie Johnston

Staff Advisers:
Kristy Hill and Diane Holtz

Applied Learning Conference a Success

Dr. Kelly Henry, associate professor of psychology and applied learning director, called the first Applied Learning Conference a success, and she is already thinking about next year’s conference.

Approximately 140 people from 20 different college and university campuses in Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska heard keynote speakers, listened to applied learning presentations and attended a poster session at the Applied Learning Conference on campus Feb. 10 and 11.

”It accomplished the goal of giving people a venue to make presentations about their work in applied learning,” said Dr. Henry. She noted that participants filled out evaluations about the conference, and overall, feedback was positive.

Keynote speakers were Janet Eyler, professor of the practice of education at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, “Reflecting on Service;” Kevin Kecskes, director for community-university partnerships at Portland State University; “Engaging Departments: Building Academic Community-University Partnerships for the Common Good;” and Terry Rodenberg, assistant vice chancellor for international affairs at East Carolina University; “Internationalization of the Campus: What It Is, How To Do It, and Why This Doesn’t Work.” 

Next year, Dr. Kelly plans to expand it to a regional conference, and she said participants from other campuses offered to help in the planning.

Dr. Reza Hamzaee, professor of economics, attended the conference. “The Applied Learning Conference was an excellent highlight of our institution. I cannot avoid sharing my excitement and high impression about that highly professional and well organized conference,” he said. “I commend Dr. Henry for an excellent job she did and also appreciate it very much for all other colleagues and staff members who demonstrated the best image of our institution to all other participating institutions in the sate of Missouri. I checked with a few colleagues from other institutions and they were really impressed with everything that Western provided to them."

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Eggs & Issues Presents "Eggs and Issues"

Dr. Todd Eckdahl, professor of biology, drew possibly the largest crowd ever to his Eggs and Issues presentation Feb. 15. Approximately 175 people came to hear his talk, “The Stem Cell Debate: It’s All About Eggs and Issues.”

“This is an issue that people need to be science literate to form an opinion,” he said. “Science is very important when talking about stem cell research, and this (the presentation) is a good place to begin to understand the issue.”

However, he noted that some of the questions raised by stem cell research, such as when human life actually begins or when “ensoulment” occurs, go beyond science, and people may need to search in other places for those answers.

In his presentation, Dr. Eckdahl explained the scientific aspects of stem cell research, including the differences between adult and embryonic stem cell research, and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).

He also talked about the supporting and opposing points of views of the issue, and the legislation that has been passed in recent years regarding stem cell research. Dr. Eckdahl noted that it is very likely that Missourians will have the opportunity to vote in November on a constitutional amendment regarding the research. In order to be on the November ballot, supporters must gather 150,000 signatures.

If passed, he said the amendment would protect the rights of patients to receive stem cell therapies, protect the rights to conduct stem cell research and administer therapies, establish guidelines for ethical practices and ban human reproductive cloning.

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Alumni Brown Bag Lunch Series

The Western Alumni Association will host a brown bag lunch series throughout the spring semester for all Western alumni. The first one will be held from 12-1 p.m. Feb. 23 in Leah Spratt Hall, Enright Rooms, 214-216. Alumni are invited to bring their lunch and listen to guest speaker Nicholas Saccaro, ’01, executive director of the Second Harvest Food Bank in St. Joseph.

The lunch series takes place on the last Thursday of each month through May with a Western alumnus as the speaker each month. For more information, call 5650. A registration form is available at www.griffonalumni.org.

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Western Theatre Presents "Bodies, Rest and Motion"

Western's communication studies and theatre department will present Roger Hedden’s “Bodies, Rest and Motion” 8 p.m. March 2-4 and 2 p.m. March 5 in the Thompson E. Potter Hall, main stage.  

Directed by Jeremy B. Warner, instructor of theatre, the show features the talents of Brent Corey of St. Joseph, Mo.; Mason Smith of St. Joseph, Mo.; Jennifer George of St. Joseph, Mo.; Christiana Hansen of Omaha, Neb.; Anthony Bossler of St. Joseph, Mo.; and Brandon Hylton of Smithville, Mo. “Bodies, Rest and Motion” is based on a 1993 movie, and features a look at four young adults’ lives over a 48-hour period. The play contains adult themes.

General admission tickets are $8. Tickets are $4 for senior citizens, Western employees and students. Tickets can be purchased in Murphy Hall, communication studies and theatre suite, 207. For more information, contact the box office at 4443.

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Tower Sports

Men's Basketball

• Feb. 15 - Western 70, Northwest Missouri State 63

• Feb. 18 - Western 62, Central Missouri State 71

Women's Basketball

• Feb. 15 - Western 80, Northwest Missouri State 67

• Feb. 18 - Western 58, Central Missouri State 72

• The Federal Reserve Bank is accepting applications for management career track analyst, financial institutions examiner and management career track internship positions. Juniors and seniors may submit their resumés to the career development office, Eder Hall, 202, by March 1. Applicant must have strong analytical skills and management potential. Minimum GPA 3.0.

• The center for multicultural education is offering an internship opportunity for the spring 2006 semester. If you have a passion for diversity and community programming, creating new programs and want to improve leadership skills, go to the student employment website and apply today. For more information, stop by Blum Union, 210.

• The deadline for financial aid applications including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and other federal-based scholarships is March 1.

• If you are looking for an internship, a part-time or full-time job or want to attend graduate or law school, you are invited to attend the Spring Career Fair from 1-3 p.m. March 3 in the Fulkerson Center. Don't forget to bring an up-to-date resumé.

• Ready.Set.Go...Discover College, an early awareness program for middle school students, needs faculty to help give presentations as the middle school students visit campus. Each presentation is 45 min. and begin at 9:15 a.m., 10 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Dates available are March 3 and 31, April 21 and 28, and May 5. For more information contact Kim Schank at 4266 or redmon@missouriwestern.edu.

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Tuesday, February 21

• Poverty Simulation Exercise - 9-11 a.m. Blum Union, 218-219

• Municipal Election Forum featuring candidates for city council in 3rd, 4th, and 5th districts - 7:30-9 p.m. Popplewell Hall, 304

Wednesday, February 22

• Strategic Planning Forum - 3-4:30 p.m. Spratt Hall, Enright Room 214

• CSMP Department Colloquium with speaker Deborah Becker, instructor of computer science, "What's in your Interview Wallet?" - 3:45 p.m. Agenstein Hall, 109

• Foreign Film Series featuring Indochine - 6:30 p.m. Hearnes Center, 102

• Free guitar masterclass - 6:30 p.m. Cafe Acoustic, 2605 Frederick Ave.

Thursday, February 23

• ACT Residual - 8 a.m. Eder Hall, 208

• Alumni Brown Bag Lunch Series - 12-1 p.m. Spratt Hall, Enright Rooms, 214-216

• C-Base Workshop - 3-4 p.m. Hearnes Center, 213

• Strategic Planning Forum - 3-4:30 p.m. Spratt Hall, Enright Room 214

• Board of Governors Meeting - 5 p.m. Blum Union, 220

• CAB Movie Night - 7 p.m. Blum Union, Junior College Room

• Evolution and Intelligent Design Conference

Friday, February 24

• Evolution and Intelligent Design Conference

Saturday, February 25

• Academic Profile - 9 a.m. Hearnes Center, 213

• Evolution and Intelligent Design Conference Public Forum - 7 p.m. Fulkerson Center

• Women's Basketball vs. Pittsburg State - 5:30 p.m.

• Men's Basketball vs. Pittsburg State - 7:30 p.m.

• St. Joseph Symphony - 8 p.m. Missouri Theatre, 717 Edmond St.

Sunday, February 26

• Evolution and Intelligent Design Conference

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