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Week of Feb. 27-March 5 Welcome to the Tower Topics E-newsletter for faculty, staff and students at Western. |
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Missouri Western State University, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, 816-271- 4200 |
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Click any link for these stories: Nursing Students Attend Advocacy Day at State Capital Western Receives Grant from March of Dimes Students Participate in Poverty Simulation Lost & Found: If you have lost any items, please come to SU 228 to claim them. You may be required to describe the item. Click on
Guidelines for Tower Topics: Tower Topics submissions should state time, date, place, sponsor, title of event, name of speaker's and admission fees. Send complete information to the Public Relations and Marketing office (Leah Spratt Hall, Room 106). 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:
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Nursing Students Attend Advocacy Day at State Capitol Vivian Onkoba and Camie Binder hadn’t really thought much about politics or creating legislation until the two Western nursing students spent the day in Jefferson City, Mo. at the 20th annual Missouri Nurse Advocacy Day. Onkoba and Binder joined more than 80 senior nursing students from Western for “From Advocacy to Policy” Feb. 14. “It was a good learning experience,” said Onkoba, from St. Joseph. “I learned a lot about the process of legislation and the way nurses can advocate for legislation.” She said she liked the presentation by the Missouri Nurses Association (MONA) that talked about the bills that the organization supports. “That was the best part – learning what was in each bill and learning what nurses and nursing students can do.” Dr. Kathleen Andrews, associate professor of nursing and department chair, said that in the past, a few nursing students have attended the Advocacy Day, but this year she sought funding so that all the senior nursing students could go. “It’s an important event and the only ‘real life’ exposure students have to political advocacy at the state level,” she said. “We want them to say, ‘This is what we can do when we work together.’” Along with the legislative update from MONA, students also listened to keynote speakers, sat in on a Senate session and had lunch with Dr. Robert Schaaf, representative of the 28th District. Gov. Matt Blunt also addressed the group. “It was a very good experience for the students,” said Dr. Carolyn Brose, associate professor of nursing, who attended with the group. “I think they learned much more than they thought they would.” She believed the students learned a lot watching the Senate proceedings. Onkoba and Binder said they enjoyed the Senate session, and were surprised at the accessibility of the legislators. “They are very approachable and very willing to listen to those who voice their opinions,” Onkoba said. “I realized it’s easy to get your voice heard,” Binder, from St. Joseph, said. “The day made me realize the need to be aware of legislation that is impacting nursing. I realize I have to step up and be heard.” |
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Western Receives Grant from March of Dimes Western received a grant for almost $25,000 from the March of Dimes, and the check was presented at the March of Dimes WalkAmerica Kickoff Breakfast, Feb. 17 at Stoney Creek Inn. Dr. James Scanlon, Western’s president, and Dr. Evelyn Brooks, professor of nursing and director of the Western Institute's Health and Wellness Center, received the grant check at the breakfast. The Brent Henson Memorial grant will be used for an education workshop for high school health education and science teachers in the 17 counties of northwest Missouri. The workshop emphasizes the importance of outreach, education and public awareness about preventable birth defects. Additionally, all participating high schools will have a Western senior nursing student or health education major support the high school educator in implementing “An Ounce of Prevention Curriculum” from the University of Missouri extension office. Dr. Brooks is the principal investigator of the grant. The grant is named for Brent Henson, who was killed in the St. Joseph March of Dimes Bikers for Babies fund-raiser last year. His daughter presented the award at the breakfast. The preventable birth defects education initiative has also been supported by the Northwest Missouri Area Health Education Centers, St. Joseph School District, University of Missouri Extension Office, Buchanan County Health Department Case Managers for Pregnant Mothers, and Heartland Regional Medical Center New Life Center Case Managers. |
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At the Western Board of Governors meeting Feb. 23, Harold Callaway III was sworn in as student governor by Dan Kellogg, circuit judge, division IV, of Buchanan County. He will serve a two-year term. Callaway, a sophomore from Faucett, Mo., has a double major in management and economics. “I’m excited to be able to continue what Bob Hughs (Callaway’s predecessor) started and to push the ideals of the students.” Callaway noted that he had already learned a lot just from his confirmation proceedings, and he was looking forward to the board experience. “I’m excited about all the things I’ll be able to sit in on and learn, and hopefully I’ll help solve problems along the way.” The new student governor has done volunteer work for Mid-City Excellence, and participated in the Barbara Sprong Leadership Challenge program. Callaway is also an orientation ambassador for new student programs. He currently works at the Center for Consumer Research on campus.
The Student Government Association accepted applications and interviewed applicants for the student governor position, and then submitted three names to Gov. Matt Blunt’s office. When Callaway was selected by the governor, his name was forwarded to the Gubernatorial Appointments Committee. Sen. Charlie Shields, the senator from Callaway’s district, sponsored him. Callaway was then presented to the full Senate by Sen. Shields and affirmed on Feb. 23. |
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Students Participate in Poverty Simulation
By the third week of the month, Joyce Jacoby, a 19-year-old single mother, had no money to pay her utilities and was facing an eviction notice. “It’s horrible!” she lamented.
Fortunately, Jacoby’s dilemma was not real; Missouri Western State University social work major Kristin Grimm was only playing the role of Jacoby in the Community Action Partnership’s poverty simulation exercise on campus Feb. 21.
More than 70 participants, which included Western students and members of Leadership St. Joseph, each were assigned a role and given information about their situation. For the next hour, they tried to make it through a typical month, with each 15-minute period representing a week. Throughout the month, participants visited different “agencies,” such as the U-Trust-Us National Bank, Big Dave’s Pawn Shop, Quik Cash, Realville Public School, Friendly Utility Company, General Employer and the Department of Family Services. A group discussion ended the exercise.
“No matter how frustrated or confused I got, I’m sure it was nothing compared to someone who faces these challenges everyday,” Grimm said. “I knew that no matter what, the whistle would blow in 15 minutes, and I could go back to being a middle class college student.”
It seemed “frustration” was the most commonly used word by participants to describe the exercise. Liz Jalbert, employment and training program director for the Community Action Partnership, noted that the family situations and statistics in the packet were real. “This is a simulation, not a game,” she told the participants. “Poverty is not a game for over three million citizens.”
Grimm said the exercise affirmed her decision to become a social worker. “I know social work is where I belong. There are so many other aspects to social work than just dealing with those in poverty, but I do think that poverty and the problems that arise from it are something I need to fully understand to be the best social worker I can be,” she said. “I need to be able to see life through others’ eyes in order to work with them at bettering their lives.”
“I don’t think a lot of Americans realize that there are people right here in the United States suffering so badly. This experience definitely opened my eyes to the problems of those living in poverty every day.” |
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Monday, February 27
Tuesday, February 28
Wednesday, March 1
Thursday, March 2
Friday, March 3
Saturday, March 4
Sunday, March 5
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