Week of

Week of May 7-13, 2007

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:

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" Includes Western

Important Information about Mitchell Ave. Closing

Summer Hours of Operation

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 Tower Topics to submit any story or photo ideas.

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:
Jennifer Kohler

Staff Advisers:
Kristy Hill and Diane Holtz

Ping Pong Tournament

The Sweet 16 winners of the ping pong tournament April 28 are Craig Wolfe, Mark Ryder, Luke Ackers, Brian Munson, Dustin Strickler, Dustin Pendleton, David McDowell, Brian James, Drew Newhart, Jimmy Daugherty, Marcey Sullwold, Ben Lee, Roy Yeomans, Larry Pendleton, Adam Wood, and Jacob Schoonover. First place went to Brian Munson, who won the Nintendo Wii.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" Includes Western

St. Joseph viewers may see some familiar sights in the May 13 broadcast of ABC’s hit television show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” featuring the Jacobo family from North Kansas City, Mo. The Western Foundation offered full tuition and room and board scholarships for the nine Jacobo children, and that announcement will be featured in the broadcast, the season finale.

While the Jacobo home was being rebuilt, “Extreme Makeover” design team members Paige Hemmis and Michael Moloney visited Western’s campus to film the announcement of the scholarships by Dan Nicoson, executive director of the MWSU Foundation. They also filmed campus scenes, including the clock tower, the entrance, and nursing department lab.

The May 13 broadcast begins at 6 p.m. with a special program about the making of "Extreme Makeover," and the show begins at 7 p.m. Colleen Kowich, director of alumni services, said the university will host “watch parties” for area alumni on campus and in three Kansas City-area locations. An alumna in Washington, DC, is also hosting a watch party in her home for DC-area Western alumni.

St. Joseph alumni and friends are invited to attend a watch party at 6 p.m. in Leah Spratt Hall, Kemper Recital Hall. Contact Kowich for more information at ckowich@missouriwestern.edu.

In Kansas City, watch parties will be held at the following locations:

Northland: Outback Steakhouse, 4323 NE Choteau Trafficway. Contact Venny Pruitt ’74, vpruitt@missouriwestern.edu, or Stacy Williamson ’02, swilliam@nkcsd.k12.mo.us for more information.
Downtown: Willies Pub, 1501 Grand. Contact Greg VerMulm ’89, greg.vermulm@marketsphere.com for more information.
Overland Park, Kan.: Raoul’s Velvet Room, 7222 W. 119th St. Contact Gini Fite ’01, atcpta_gf@yahoo.com or Nick Parker ’02, NicholasParker@spherion.com for more information.

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Chemathon

Students from area high schools came to Western to participate in the 2007 Chemithon. There were several chemistry-related activities that the students could take part in, along with a periodic table display contest (right), t-shirt tie-dying and the Mentos-Coca-Cola challenge (left).

Important Information about Mitchell Ave. Closing

Beginning May 14, construction work will begin on Mitchell Ave from American Family Insurance to the I-29 overpass. Because of this, ALL campus entrances on Mitchell Ave. will be closed. The only way to access campus will be from Faraon St., where a temporary stoplight will be installed. Work should last approximately 2-2 1/2 months. When the fall semester begins, there may still be some construction happening on Mitchell, but the Mitchell Ave. entrances should be open no later than mid-August, weather permitting.

The following are noteworthy changes on Mitchell Ave. once all work is completed:
1. At SW College Drive (east of bridge), you will only be able to turn right entering or exiting campus. This is a permanent change.
2. At SE College Drive (first entrance east of the main entrance) - there will be a permanent stoplight.

Thank you for your patience during the road work!

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Western had a great showing in the Apple Blossom parade May 5. The theme of the parade was "Joe Town Heroes," and our float's theme was "MWSU: Creating Joe Town Heroes." Riding the float were students from the Regional Law Enforcement Academy, military science, and nursing; and alumni in a lab coat and dressed in business casual. Also, a student donned a cap and gown for the float. Western received a prize for representing the theme.

Ellen Kisker, director of nontraditional student services, and Ed Harris, president of the nontraditional student association, received awards for National Nontraditional Advisor of the Year and National Nontraditional Student of the Year, respectively, at the national meeting of the Association for Nontraditional Students in Higher Education at Oklahoma State University.

Summer Operation Hours

The following are the summer operation hours for various services and departments on campus:

Barnes and Noble Bookstore:

8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday

Library:

7:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday – Thursday

7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Friday

Closed – Saturday

1 -6 p.m. Sunday

Food Services:

Open May 9 – July 27

Quiznos 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday – Thursday

Deli in Popplewell Hall 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Monday – Thursday

Center for Academic Support:

8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday - Friday

Fitness Center:

5:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Friday

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday

Looney Area and Gymnasium:

8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday

Pool:

6:30-7:45 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday

1-5 p.m. Monday - Saturday

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Senior art exhibits have been on display in the Potter Hall lobby and gallery.

Tower Sports

Congratulations to softball player Lindsey Predovich, named to the MIAA 1st team for the third time! Nicole Heineman was named to the 2nd team, and Kristi Warneke and Amanda Nocita received Honorable Mention!

Baseball

Loss vs. Fort Hays State, 3-1, May 4

Softball

Win vs. Fort Hays State, 5-1, at the MIAA Championships May 4

Chemistry Graduate Information Night The Western chemistry department is hosting a Chemistry Graduate Information Night at 7 p.m. May 8 in the Blum Student Union, room 218. Representatives from the chemistry department, the office of graduate studies and the office of admissions will be present to provide answers to questions regarding the new master of applied science degree program, one of the graduate degrees Western will offer beginning in fall 2007.

ARC Workshop Tony Spicci of Graphic Information Technologies in Columbia, Mo., will teach a two-day workshop entitled “Introduction to ARC-GIS I,” May 14-15. The workshop is limited to a maximum number of 10 participants to ensure quality instruction and personal attention. If you are interested, reserve your place as soon as possible. For details including course content and instructions on how to register, visit www.wi.missouriwestern.edu, click on Seminars and then GPS & GIS, or call 4100 for more information.

Guitar Festival Western will host the fifth annual St. Joseph International Guitar Festival May 16-20. Contenders will compete for over $8,000 in prize money, including gifts and debut concerts in St. Joseph, Boston and Houston. This year’s prizes ranks the festival in the top four classical guitar competitions in the United States. For more information about the events taking place, visit www.missouriwestern.edu/guitarfestival or contact the music department at 4420.

Taste at the Top St. Joseph area alumni are invited to the second annual Taste at the Top at 5:30 p.m. May 17 at the Fountains at Corby in St. Joseph. Call 5646 by May 10 to make reservations or for more information or register online at www.griffonalumni.org.

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Monday, May 7

Health Center closed for renovations

Tuesday, May 8

Last day of finals!
Luis Gaytàn senior performance emphasis piano recital at 7:30 p.m. in Potter Hall Theater.

Friday, May 11

ROTC Commissioning Ceremony, 4 p.m., Blum 218. Reception follows.
Spring final grades available on line.

Saturday, May 12

Commencement at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Looney Complex. Free reception for new alumni and their families follows each ceremony.
Nurses Pinning Ceremony, 8:30 a.m., Fulkerson Center. Reception follows.

Sunday, May 13

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition broadcast with the Jacobo family at 7 p.m. on ABC. Watch party on campus begins with KMBC special at 6 p.m., Spratt Hall, Kemper Recital Hall.
Fountain City Brass Band concert at 7:30 p.m. in While Hall at UMKC. Tickets are available by calling the central ticket office at 816-235-6222 or online at www.fcbb.net

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