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Week of March 19-25, 2007 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: Students Volunteer at County Music Seminar Western Hosts High School Science and Engineering Fair 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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It was an extreme spring break for Western students and employees as they were very involved in ABC television’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The hit show rebuilt a house for the Jesus Jacobo family in North Kansas City last week, and several Western students and staff volunteered at the site all week and participated in the St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday. They also were filmed with the crowd of contractors heading to the house to start rebuilding on Tuesday morning. Western played a major role in the episode, thanks to the generosity of the MWSU Foundation. Dan Nicoson, executive director of the Foundation, announced on Monday, March 12, that the Foundation would provide full tuition and room and board scholarships to the nine children in the Jacobo family. The producers and film crew visited campus Tuesday to film Nicoson revealing the scholarship donation. Since one of the older daughters is interested in a nursing career, the film crew also shot footage in the nursing department in Murphy Hall. Viewers may also catch glimpses of the clock tower and main sign when the show airs. According to the Kansas City Star, Jesus Jacobo and his wife, Michelle, have four children of their own, and her father lives with them. They also care for five nieces and nephews, so 12 people were living in their 912 square-foot home. The tentative broadcast date is May 13, the season finale.
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Student Volunteer at County Music Seminar It was a command performance: Missouri Western State University students were invited to volunteer at the 38th Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, Tenn. for the second year in a row. The 20 students, either music with a business emphasis majors or communication studies with a video/theatre emphasis majors, worked with country radio DJs from across the country, met many country music stars and enjoyed concerts at the three-day seminar this month. “It was a great experience. The students had the opportunity to see what goes into pulling off a big event,” said Deny Staggs, assistant professor of theatre, who accompanied the students along with Mark Elting, instructor of music. Staggs said students helped compile materials for the seminar participants, and set up for concerts and dinners. He said throughout the seminar, the students talked to many people in the music industry, asking how they got started, and learning about the business and engineering aspects of recording. The students were invited to tour a recording studio and help set up a recording session. The video/theatre majors shot footage of the activities all week and plan to make a documentary about their volunteer service at the seminar. They also interviewed a lot of stars, asking them how they got started in the music business, the name of their first band and the story behind it. Staggs said several country music stars, including LeAnn Rimes, Sara Evans, Big & Rich, Vanzandts and Darryl Worley, recorded promotional spots for Western. “It was a lot of fun. We’re looking forward to next year,” said Staggs.
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A partnership between Western and St. Joseph’s Robidoux Resident Theatre (RRT) created a magical event that the community won’t soon forget, as theatre-goers filled the historic 1,201-seat Missouri Theater for three performances of “Beauty and the Beast” in February. Deny Staggs, assistant professor theatre at Western, said standing ovations after every performance and reaction from the community convinced him that the partnership’s production exceeded the expectations of everyone involved. “We wanted to present something that was bigger and better than what either of our entities had done to date,” said Staggs. “And it was one of the best we’ve ever been involved in.” The idea of a partnership between Western and RRT began more than two years ago, when RRT approached Staggs about teaming up for a production that would appeal to young audiences and the young at heart. “They wanted to get people excited about going to the theater.” RRT wanted to partner with Western for “Seussical the Musical,” which was produced in spring 2006, but Staggs said it did not fit into Western’s theatre production schedule. So RRT suggested “Beauty and the Beast” in 2007. “’Beauty and the Beast’ is one of the largest productions ever to go on Broadway and there are more than 1,000 costume pieces; I said, ‘Sure!’” said Staggs with a laugh. It was a true partnership between the two – the two entities split the production costs, RRT handled publicity and Western handled building the sets and costumes, and they worked together on lighting, sound and design. Several Western students and alumni were on stage as well as in the orchestra pit. Costumer was W. Robin Findlay, associate professor of theatre. RRT’s Cheryl Herrman was musical director and Dr. David Bennett, assistant professor of music, was the orchestra director. Western student Aaron Westlake, from St. Joseph, was assistant director. Staggs said rehearsals were held in Western’s theater in Thompson E. Potter Hall for more than a month before moving to the Missouri Theater, and the majority of the sets were built in Potter Hall. “It was a great experience. We wanted the community actors to see what we do at Western, but we wanted our students to see the quality of community theatre. It was also hugely rewarding for our students to work in the Missouri Theater,” he said. “The show is so magical. Everyone wanted to be involved. It’s definitely one for the history books.” What’s next for the partners? “When it was all over, I said to the production manager from RRT, ‘that was a lot of fun,’ and he said, ‘You know we have to do it again,’” said Staggs. “Maybe not next year but the year after.” |
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| Cynthia Matney with the city of Liberty and Western student Allyson Wiegman engage in a hands-on experience during the “Introduction to Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for Mapping and Navigation” workshop taught by Dr. Cary Chevalier, associate professor of biology and certified Trimble Navigation trainer during spring break. | ||||||||
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Western Hosts High School Science and Engineering Fair With experiments ranging from “Got Milk?” to “The Effects of Bacteriophages Exposed to Different Factors of E Coli K12,” students from six high schools converged at Western for the annual Mid-America Science and Engineering Fair (MARSEF) March 9. Western students and professors served as judges, visiting with students about their projects and offering suggestions. “The more complex, the more interesting they are to me,” said Shawn Lesny, a sophomore ROTC cadet who was judging for the second year in a row. “I like seeing the ideas they come up with; it’s fascinating.” He was one of the judges of Sammy McKay’s project, “Vitamin C Content.” McKay, a junior from Osborn High School, said she tested the amounts of vitamin C in different types of orange juice. “It’s fun to get here and see all the other projects,” she said. “The judges were kind of rough, but not really.” After the judging, the research displays were open to the public, followed by a pizza party and awards ceremony. The two grand winners advance to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, held in Albuquerque this year. Dr. Michael Ottinger, associate professor of physics, was the MARSEF director. |
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Congratulations to...
Baseball
Softball
Tennis
Men's Golf
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Global Justice Lecture Series Dr. Rick Sarre, professor of law and criminal justice at University of South Australia, will speak at 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. March 26 on restorative justice in Spratt Hall, Kemper Recital Hall. Spring Concert Switchfoot! Doors open at 7 p.m., concert 8 p.m. April 17 at the Civic Arena. Tickets are on sale now. Students are free with student ID and may pick up their tickets in the center for student engagement, Blum 207. General public - $20, faculty and staff - $10. The community may purchase tickets at Record Wearhouse or www.ticketmaster.com. Deadline for Barbara Sprong Leadership Challenge is March 27. Applications are available in the center for student engagement, Blum 207. Call 4159 for more information. Eggs and Issues Speaker Series presents "Graying America: Golden Opportunities in Silver Industries," by Drs. Shiva and Monica Nandan, Western faculty members at 7 a.m. March 27 in the Fulkerson Center. Reservations for the free breakfast are required. Call 5646 by March 23. Two music masters will visit campus March 22 and 23. Dr. Reena Berger, assistant professor of music at Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kan., will teach a piano master class at 3 p.m. March 22 in Potter Hall theater. She will work with several Western pianists and will perform Schumann’s Piano Concerto in a minor at the St. Joseph Symphony concert at 8 p.m. March 24 at the Missouri Theater, 717 Edmond St. Dr. John Ross, assistant professor of music at Pittsburg State University, will speak at 12 p.m. March 23 in Potter Hall 112 about his composition, Cere’s Sorrow, which will also be performed at the Symphony concert. Registration for driver education classes begins at 8 a.m. April 6 in Spratt Hall, room 105, and must be done in person. The first two-week session is June 4-15, and the second two-week session is July 5-18. Sessions will be held Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. A copy of the student’s birth certificate is required. Class registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis, as maximum classroom size is 89 students. Registration is $25 for students who are 15-19 years of age, currently enrolled in school, and have not graduated from high school. Registration is $225 to anyone who does not meet the above requirements. |
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Monday, March 19
Tuesday, March 20
Wednesday, March 21
Thursday, March 22
Friday, March 23
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For Sale: Silver snare drum with stand; Ambassador/Continental; Remo weather king; $50. If interested, please email judnol or call 4554 or 390-6184. Looking for a great dog? I have two purebred female chocolate labs, 5 months old, who need a new home. For more information, call 244-8519. |
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