Week of May 24 - 30, 2004

Welcome to the Tower Topics E-newsletter for faculty, staff and students at Western. 

Missouri Western State College, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, 816-271- 4200

Click any link for these stories:

Second Parochial School Track Meet

Night at the Ritz Fund-Raiser a Success

Graduates Inspired by Alumnus

News Briefs

Calendar

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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:
Paula White

Staff Advisers:
Kristy Hill and Diane Holtz

Second Parochial School Track Meet

Fourteen students from Missouri Western State College recently organized a track meet on campus for over 300 elementary school students. The college students were members of the elementary school physical education course taught by Dr. Nannette Wolford, associate professor of physical education, and they were responsible for organizing, setting up and running all events.

For two hours, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders from six private schools in St. Joseph participated in the five events: 100-meter dash, 50-meter dash, 400-meter open, 400-meter relay and 800-meter relay. This year’s participating schools were Cathedral of St. Joseph, Children First, Prescott Seventh Day Adventist, St. Joseph Christian, St. Francis Xavier and St. Patrick.

Dr. Wolford said one of the goals of the meet is to build organizational and planning skills among the college students, and she believed this was accomplished. “It was awesome. The Western students were involved in the real thing—they worked with children at an athletic event that they set up and organized.”

Senior Jenny Pawlowski from St. Joseph, a member of the class, said she gained a lot of experience by helping to plan the event and running it that day. She liked having the hands-on experience with the children, and interacting with the area schools.

“I loved it. I thought it was a lot of fun, and it went smoothly,” she said. But she credited the success of the event to Dr. Wolford, who did a lot of advance work, also.

  Reis Wright, a junior from Platte City, Mo., said that besides being the starter for the events, his favorite part of helping with the meet was just “hanging out with the kids and becoming friends.” He said it was helpful that he’d met some of the same elementary students while serving as a teacher assistant in the schools this past semester.

Another goal of the track meet is to promote physical activity, teamwork and confidence among the elementary-aged children, Dr. Wolford said. “The students get an opportunity to try their best and compete against other schools on the Western track, which is a thrill for them. It makes them feel so important.”

“I thought they were awesome,” she said of the elementary students. “No one complained to me, and they had smiling faces when they came across the finish line, no matter where they finished. They also cheered on a student who was way behind to help him finish the race. It gave me goose bumps and a lump in my throat.”

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Night at the Ritz Fund-Raiser a Success

Great food, outstanding entertainment, and more funds for nontraditional student scholarships at Missouri Western State College marked the 10^th annual Night at the Ritz, hosted by the Western Ambassadors.

This year’s event, dubbed “Caribbean Cruise Night at the Ritz,” raised over $16,500 for scholarships for nontraditional students, those over 25. Also, at the Night at the Ritz this year, it was announced that U.S. Bank as trustee, and on behalf of the funding committee of the W. Fairleigh Enright Charitable Trust, established the Enright Family Scholarship for Nontraditional Students. This scholarship will ensure an additional $5,000 will be available each year for distribution to nontraditional students at Western.

“We want to thank our sponsors and our donors for their commitment to education, and for their willingness to help students in need,” said Jeannie Pitluck, president of the Ambassadors and one of the emcees of the evening with Dr. James Roever, vice president for institutional advancement. 

The evening at the St. Joseph Ramada Inn featured Caribbean musical entertainment by Western’s Steel Drum Band, directed by Dr. Dennis Rogers, professor of music; and the Western Chamber singers, directed by Dr. Richard Bell, assistant professor of music.

“It was an outstanding evening,” said Pitluck. “We had a ball. The Steel Drum Band and the Chamber Singers were excellent. It was great to showcase some of the talent of the college students.”

Two nontraditional students, Mark Galbraith and Joellen Bledsoe, told the audience how Ambassador scholarships had helped them pursue their goals of a college education.

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Graduates Inspired by Alumna

“Staying up all night studying – tiring. Working 40 hours a week to pay bills – necessary. Not understanding something right away – frustrating. Your degree from Western – priceless.”  That was Dr. Jamel Santa Cruze Bell’s version of a popular television commercial when she was the featured speaker at Western’s commencement ceremonies May 15.

“Has it dawned on you yet what a great accomplishment you have done?” she asked the graduates. “That paper you earn today is symbolic of your sacrifices and your efforts. This isn’t just any old piece of paper.” 

Dr. Santa Cruze Bell, a 2000 graduate of Western who earned her master’s and doctorate from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, in just four years, applauded the graduates on their hard work and sacrifice, and encouraged them to thank the faculty and staff of Western, and their families, for their support.  “Missouri Western prepared me well,” she said. “It wasn’t until I graduated that I realized the value of being a graduate of an institution like Missouri Western.”

She told the audience that when she was preparing her presentation, she found out that a lot of commencement speakers talk about citizenship, and she wanted to say something different. But then she realized how important that message of citizenship is, and that it is worth reinforcing. “You are citizen scholars, and you have the opportunity to revitalize public life. Figure out how you can use your talents to make your community better,” she told the graduates. “You can change individual lives. Share your strength and courage.”

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• Eggs & Issues will host Kathryn Koob, former Iran hostage, for a presentation and free breakfast June 4 in the Leah Spratt Multipurpose Classroom Building, Enright Room, 214.  Koob will present, "Can You Believe It Is 25 Year Later?  A Retrospective Look at the Middle East."  To make reservations for breakfast, call 5646 by Friday, May 28.

• Registration for summer classes at Western will be May 27 in the SS/C.  For degree seeking students, registration will be 3-5 p.m., and for students not seeking a degree, registration will be 5-6 p.m.  Late registration will be June 1-2 with a late fee of $50.  For more information, call the Admissions office at 4266.

• The admissions department will set up a display the East Hills Shopping Center through May 29.  Admissions materials, along with Western applications, financial aid information, scholarship information and continuing education class schedules, will be available for visitors in the display.

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Monday, May 24

• Intersession

Tuesday, May 25

• Intersession

Wednesday, May 26

• Intersession

Thursday, May 27 

• Intersession

• ACT from 8:00 a.m.-noon in SS/C 208

• Summer Session Registration, 3-6 p.m., SS/C

Friday, May 28

• Intersession Final Exams

Saturday, May 29

• Library closed

Sunday, May 30

• Library closed

Monday, May 31

• Campus closed-Memorial Day

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• Kittens to give away in four weeks:  two black, two dark gray striped, one light gray striped.  For more information, contact Carolyn Froman at Telephone Services at 7171.

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