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Week of April 18 - 24, 2005 Welcome to the Tower Topics E-newsletter for faculty, staff and students at Western. |
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Missouri Western State College, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, 816-271-4200 |
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Click any link for these stories: Experience Western! a Great Success Research Center Directors Appointed Lost & Found: If you have lost any items, please come to Blum Union, Room 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 speakers 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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Experience Western! a Great Success Western opened its doors to the community with “Experience Western! Discover the Treasure,” a variety of fun and informative activities on Saturday, and the community responded in a big way. More than 1,000 visitors of all ages joined in the fun and took advantage of the free activities. Glitter and glue, face paint and beads, musical instruments, a “mine shaft” and a MASH tent, and hundreds of children and their parents filled the Treasure Island children’s area of Experience Western! on the second floor of the Nelle Blum Union. At times throughout the day, it was difficult for visitors to wend their way around clowns, balloons and children. Youngsters skipped away from Treasure Island with a helium balloon, a balloon animal and a giveaway bag full of gifts, and craft items they had made. “There was something for everyone,” said Erin Tieman who, with her husband, Lee, brought their three children to the event. “My toddler was playing with Legos and at the next table, his sister was building a craft. The activities were great, and the kids had a lot of favorites.” She said they stayed at least an hour longer than they had intended, and still had trouble getting the children to leave Treasure Island. Jeanne Modlin, ’85, and her husband, John, brought four of their children to the event because it looked like there would be a lot of fun activities for them to do. “They had a ball. There was something there for all of them,” she said. Both she and Tieman commented that their children really enjoyed “Mining for Health,” an activity to encourage healthy habits sponsored by the nursing students. “It was educational and hands on, and something they don’t get to do every day,” said Tieman. She said that although she and her husband had lived in St. Joseph for several years, they had never had the opportunity to really visit the Western campus. “It gave our family the opportunity to view the facilities and to see the people associated with the college,” she said. “I was really impressed with the entire event.” The Fulkerson Center made its debut as a conference center that day, as more than 60 displays from all academic departments and several community groups transformed the Center into a showcase of information and services. Modlin said her family enjoyed the displays, and they picked up some financial aid information for their daughter who is a junior in high school. She said she liked having her children come out and learn about her alma mater. “It was interesting learning about the departments and what Missouri Western has to offer,” she said. “Everyone was very helpful and willing to talk about their departments. I hope they do it (Experience Western!) again. It was a good way for families to see the college.” The music department wowed the crowd with performances from its Steel Drum Band, Jazz Ensemble and Chamber Singers, and audiences loved the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity step show. The Western Institute’s Center for Arts and Culture’s voice students entertained crowds in the Fulkerson Center, also. Approximately 100 cars of all makes and models turned out for the car show, and it drew a large crowd of onlookers. The day also included presentations and displays of student research. “Campus support was outstanding, as almost every department had a role in Experience Western!,” said Kristy Hill, director of public relations and marketing, and coordinator of the event. “And the turnout from the community was just as we had hoped. We were pleased that so many people from the area joined in on the fun.” “On the way to the car, we talked about what a great day it was,” said Tieman. “This gave us a chance to realize that this college is part of our town. We decided we needed to be better supporters of Missouri Western.” |
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Photos by Scott Johnson |
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If you haven’t noticed already, very shortly you will realize change is afoot on Western’s campus: All buildings except the residence halls are now being referred to by different names. The names are not necessarily new, just different; for example, the MC Building will now be known as Spratt Hall. Everyone on campus is encouraged to begin referring to the buildings (many now “halls”), by their new names. Students certainly noticed the change when they registered for classes this month – the new building names are on the class schedule. Also, the names have already been changed on several Western web pages, and the entire website will be changed soon to reflect the new names. Most importantly, if the campus community uses the new building names, we will truly honor those for whom the buildings have been named. The changes were made for several reasons, according to Don Willis, director of scheduling services. There has been talk for several years about changing the “building” designation to “hall.” When the current naming system did not fit in the templates of the new Banner system for class schedules, etc., the time seemed right to make an overall change. "The name change also reflects a change in culture, which goes hand in hand with our new university status. Academic and residence buildings are usually referred to as ‘halls’ on most university campuses," he said. |
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Three Western faculty members have been appointed as research directors for three new research centers in the Western Institute. Dr. Evelyn Brooks, associate professor of nursing, will serve as the director of the center for health and wellness; Dr. Todd Eckdahl, professor of biology, will serve as the director of the center for life sciences research; and Dr. Shiva Nandan, associate professor of marketing, will serve as the director of the center for business and economic development research. In
the spring a request for nominations went to Western faculty.
The nominations were reviewed and approved by a selection
committee comprised of the deans of Arts & Sciences and Professional
Studies and four faculty members with each from a discipline related to
the theme of the research centers. Nominees
had to be supported by their department chairs. “This is an exciting evolution of Missouri Western
State College to a university. The regional needs are great and collaborative opportunities
abound,” said Dr. Chris Shove, dean and executive director of the
Western Institute. With faculty at the lead, the Western Institute is beginning research projects for consumer research, restorative justice, engineering testing, chemical analysis, industrial development information systems and urban planning for impoverished towns. With the City of St. Joseph as a co-applicant, Dr. Shove submitted a proposal to the U.S. Economic Development Administration to fund the feasibility of a research/innovation building titled the Western Venture Center. The federal government’s decision is expected soon. |
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Monday, April 18
Tuesday, April 19
Wednesday, April 20
Thursday, April 21
Friday, April 22
Saturday, April 23
Sunday, April 24
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