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Week of March 20-26, 2006 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 Learn About Music Business Mystery Writer to Speak on Campus Eggs & Issues Speaker Shares Economic Development News 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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Students Learn About Music Business When Western music major Justin Amos volunteered to help at a three-day seminar in Nashville, Tenn. recently, he never thought the experience would include a conversation with the president of Capitol Records, interviews with LeAnn Rimes, Martina McBride, and Rascal Flatts; or the opportunity to pass along his band’s demo tape to Emerson Drive. Perhaps that’s why the St. Joseph native called the experience “the best week of my life.” Amos, who plans on a music career when he graduates, volunteered with eight fellow music majors and two video/theatre majors for three days at the 37th Country Radio Seminar for DJs and program directors across the nation. The Western students helped set up for concerts of new country music artists and “big name” performers, and the seminar featured more than 20 performances by country music’s major artists. “It was a blast. We experienced more in that week than most people experience in a lifetime,” said Amos. It definitely confirmed that this is what I want to do with my life.” Mark Elting, adjunct instructor in the recording arts program at Western, accompanied the group, and said the seminar was a great applied learning experience for the students. “This is what the students want to do for a living, and they were able to see firsthand what they will be doing. They got an inside view of what’s going on in today’s music business. We could have never given them such an opportunity on campus.” Amos said on his first day at the seminar, a radio station asked him to interview several of the performers, so he had the opportunity to meet some of the biggest names in country music. Elting noted that the two theatre/video students plan to produce a documentary about the trip and the students’ experiences. Anita Snead served as event decorator and her husband, David DeBolt, was director of event planning. “These guys were outstanding,” she said of the Western students. “They were absolutely phenomenal. We really, really appreciated their help.” Elting noted that Western has already been invited to bring student volunteers to the next seminar, and he hopes they will be able to attend. “Every student walked away with a success story.” Along with Amos, the students who volunteered included Drew Ames and Anthony Bossler, video/theatre majors; and music majors Ben Croskell, Tim Coolman, Lenny Bagley, Mark Morris, Brett Blakemore, Patrick Williams, Tyler Chiarelli and Schyler Smith. |
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Mystery Writer to Speak on Campus Donna Andrews, award-winning mystery writer, will visit Western April 5-7. She will give several presentations that are free and open to the community, and offer a public book reading of her work and autograph books afterwards. Andrews will present an informal workshop to anyone who would like to attend. Her talk will focus on tips for getting published, how to get a manuscript circulating, and selling a first mystery. Her novel, “Murder with Peacocks,” is an assignment for reading by the English 210, Murder and More, course. Andrews will visit the class and talk with them about the art of crafting a mystery story. Andrews was born in Yorktown, Va., and now lives in Reston, Va. She received her bachelor of arts degree in English and drama from the University of Virginia. In 1998 she won the Malice Domestic/St. Martin’s Press Best First Traditional Mystery contest. “Murder with Peacocks,” her first mystery, was published by St. Martins in 1999. Since then, she has published eight more mystery novels and contributed short stories and articles to a number of publications. She has won several awards, including the Agatha Award for best first mystery for “Murder with Peacocks” in 1999, and for best mystery for her book “You’ve Got Murder,” in 2002. She is also the author of the Meg Langslow series. For more information, contact Dr. Patricia Donaher, assistant professor of English, at 5964 or by email at donaher. This event is sponsored by the department of English, foreign languages and journalism; Prairie Lands Writing Project; the co-curricular committee; Sigma Tau Delta and Borders Books. |
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Western will host the third annual Native American Day April 5 in Spratt Hall. The theme of the day is Sovereignty, Rights and Identities. A keynote address by Dr. Richmond Clow and workshops on “Life Connections,” are free and open to the community. Dr. Clow will speak at 1 p.m. in Spratt Hall, Kemper Recital Hall. His topic is “Water Rights of the Blackfeet.” Dr. Clow is the professor of Native American Studies at the University of Montana. He has written or co-authored four books, and is currently on sabbatical completing a reference guide on sovereignty. Gayl Edmunds will offer an interactive workshop at 2:30 p.m. Edmunds spoke at last year’s Native American Day, and is the president and CEO of Professional Review Network, Inc., which specializes in alcohol and drug abuse rehabilitation and prevention. He is currently the director of Indian Alcoholism Treatment Services in Wichita, Kan. He also works extensively with incarcerated American Indians. Leon Campbell, head of tribal affairs for the last 18 years, Iowa Tribe, White Cloud, Kan., will participate in the event and visit classes. His talks will be titled, “Sovereignty and Solvency: The Day-to-Day Work and Planning of the Contemporary Native American Community.” For more information, contact Mark Hamilton, instructor of English, at 4169 or at hamilmb. This event is sponsored by the Center for Multicultural Education, the Nontraditional Student Center, the department of English, foreign languages and Journalism, the PoliSci Club, and the Scribes and Muses student organization. |
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Eggs & Issues Speaker Shares Economic Development News Tom Lesnak said that although it sounds bad, we have to realize that future shifts in the economy will favor those who are highly educated at the expense of those less educated. That was one of several nuggets of information that the vice president of economic development for the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce shared at a recent Eggs and Issues at Western. Lesnak told the audience of approximately 70 about several economic indicators that show steady growth for St. Joseph, and he talked about past and future economic development trends in the city. He explained that there are five main issues facing economic development in St. Joseph: availability of skilled labor, land, especially rail served sites; available building inventory, competition from other cities, and the community’s self-image. He called the negative self-image a “major problem.” Many times, he said, business prospects will speak with residents and hear a lot of negative things about the city. “Sometimes they take that negative image home with them.” Lesnak predicted that biotech and food processing industries will see growth in St. Joseph in the next few years. He also believes that in the future, healthcare related professions will remain strong, there will be more emphasis on promoting entrepreneurship, construction will remain a solid employer, regionalization will be essential to growth, and competition for economic development projects will further escalate. Lesnak said retaining current businesses and industries is the number one focus of economic development. “It doesn’t get a lot of attention, but it’s been a large part of our growth and success.” For example, 90 percent of the job growth in St. Joseph comes from existing businesses, he noted. Each year, his staff makes approximately 250-300 contacts with existing businesses. Results of a recent survey from them show that 58 percent anticipate increased employment, and 57 percent of companies are increasing funds for job training. However, 68 percent are experiencing difficulty recruiting employees. Businesses also rated community services, and some of the top ratings included trucking, air cargo services, passenger airline service, ambulance and paramedic service, fire and police protection, and schools, both K-12 and university. He told the audience that the university designation for Western has made a huge impact on business prospects. “Schools are a huge issue for companies looking at St. Joseph,” he said. Although Western has always been a high quality institution, the perception from the outside has changed. “Western has a new level of respect.” The third and final Eggs and Issues this spring will be at 7 a.m. April 13 in the Fulkerson Center. Dr. Tim Crowley, Western’s senior counselor, will present, “Owner’s Manual for Success: How to Create the Life You Really Want … Today.” To make reservations for the free breakfast, call 5646 by April 7. |
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Baseball
Softball
The Western Max Experience project passed by a vote of students March 8-9. The project, which will charge each student $5 per credit hour up to 12 hours per semester, will allow for a number of benefits to students and their families, such as free admission to sporting events, free concessions during home games, and a summer fee waiver for the fitness center. Babysitting will also be provided for students with young children during home games and priority parking will be set aside for off-campus students. Improvements to Spratt Memorial Stadium, Looney Complex and the spring sports complex will also be implemented in phases with this new project. The first update will be to install new synthetic turf in Spratt Stadium that could begin as early as next fall. |
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Monday, March 20
Tuesday, March 21
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Thursday, March 23
Friday, March 24
Saturday, March 25
Sunday, March 26
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