May 29 - July 1, 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:

Western Hosts Lifetime Sports Academy

Western's Science and Technology Incubator Has First Tenant

Faculty Members Recognized at Awards Reception

Employees and Retirees Recognized

May 2007 Points of Pride

Tower Sports

News Briefs

Calendar

Ads

Archives

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.

Western Hosts Lifetime Sports Academy

Western will hold its 34^th annual Lifetime Sports Academy June 11-15 for children eight to 12. The academy will be held from 1:30-5:15 p.m. each day on Western’s campus. Activities will be held outdoors and in the Looney Complex.

The weeklong camp offers fun and noncompetitive activities such as canoeing, archery, rappelling, water sports, swimming, fishing, gun safety, Frisbee golf, rock wall climbing and bungee pod jumping. Faculty and students in the health, physical education and recreation department will coordinate the activities. Children ages eight to 10 will receive basic (introductory) instruction, and children ages 11 and 12 will receive intermediate instruction.

The goal of the academy is to teach the skills, values and appreciations involved in sport activities that can be utilized throughout life for fun, health and fitness. On June 15 parents are invited to visit the campus and observe, take pictures and visit with the instructors and counselors. 

All equipment is furnished by Western.  However, participants must furnish their own tennis shoes, swimming suits, towels, and change for vending machines.

To register, access a registration form at www.missouriwestern.edu/hper or call 4491. Cost is $75 for the first child in the family and $60 for each additional child. Enrollment is limited to the first 150 to register. 

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Western's Science and Technology Incubator Has First Tenant

The groundbreaking hasn’t been held yet for the Christopher S. “Kit” Bond Science and Technology Incubator, but its first tenant has signed on. The area’s Institute for Industrial and Applied Life Sciences (IIALS), a joint public/private cooperative effort to enhance life sciences training in the region and beyond, plans to move in as soon as the building is completed.

Gary Clapp, president and CEO of the Institute, said the approximately 3,000 square-feet of leased space will include a wet laboratory, classrooms and offices. He said the lab will be set up as an industrial lab, which is a regulated lab environment, and students will be trained on how to work in this type of lab setting.

Clapp said although Western students are well trained to work in an academic lab setting, there are differences between the two types of labs. “In a regulated lab environment, you are forced to work under guidelines from several federal agencies,” he explained. And, he added, the equipment is different in each type of lab, and documentation procedures differ.

“We would create a student with high value for employers because they would not have to spend as many valuable resources to train new employees,” said Clapp. “We’ll have a regional impact on economic development.”

Along with training Western students, Clapp said IIALS lab could be used in Western’s master of applied science programs that will begin this fall and for professional development for personnel in area industries. Even high school students may receive training in the lab, and other tenants in the incubator will have access to the lab as well.

Groundbreaking will be held in June for the $2,695,764 incubator on the university campus west of Interstate 29. Along with a $2.5 million grant from the Federal Economic Development Administration and $70,764 from the university’s unrestricted reserves, the IIALS is funding $125,000 of the cost. The 25,000-square-foot building could serve up to 15 high-technology firms.

 IIALS partners include Western, the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of St. Joseph, Buchanan County, and several area businesses. Clapp has been its director since February 2006.

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Faculty Members Recognized at Awards Reception

Western recognized four faculty members at a recent ceremony. Three faculty members received the Jesse Lee Myers Excellence in Teaching Award and one received the Dr. James V. Mehl Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award.

Jesse Lee Myers awardees include Dr. Teddi Deka, associate professor of psychology; Dr. Susan Hennessy, associate professor of French; and Dr. Michael Ducey, associate professor of chemistry. The criteria for the award include extraordinary teaching ability and outstanding contributions in either scholarly and professional activities or institutional and community service.

Dr. Cynthia Jeney, assistant professor of English, received the Dr. James V. Mehl award. To be eligible for the Dr. James V. Mehl award, the candidate must have evidence of unusually significant and meritorious achievement in professional scholarship.

Dr. Deka regularly presents joint research with her students at meetings of national and regional professional societies such as the Association for Psychological Science, the Midwestern Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society. As a result of her mentoring and encouragement, her students have been awarded highly competitive summer research fellowships sponsored by the National Institutes of Mental Health and have been accepted into prestigious graduate programs.

Under Dr. Deka’s supervision, the Psychology Club has been increasingly involved in community activities including the Alzheimer’s Walk, Special Olympics, Camp Quality and Dream Factory. She serves on her department’s honors, scholarship and recruitment committees, is a director of the Mid-America Regional Science and Engineering Fair and accompanies regional winners to the international competition.

Dr. Hennessy created “La Table Fraçaise,” a brown-bag lunchtime event where students, faculty and staff gathered for French conversation. Because of its success, “Pause Café” was created, where Dr. Hennessy meets with students for coffee, cookies and French conversation. She regularly accompanies her students to exhibits of French Impressionist art and to theater productions in French.

Dr. Hennessy has brought a number of guest speakers to campus to discuss French culture, history and perspectives, and she organizes regular screenings of French language films. She has led numerous study away trips to France, coordinates study away semesters for Western students and initiated and hosted a number of exchange students at the university. In her campus activities, Dr. Hennessy always draws in the local community by opening events to the public as well as by organizing meetings of regional high school language instructors.

Dr. Ducey has been a leader in dual credit instruction, and his chemistry program accounts for the largest dual credit enrollment at Western. He teaches a broad range of courses and receives strong student evaluations. He has pioneered a problem-based, inquiry-learning approach in the introduction to general chemistry lab course, and as a result of this approach, more students in the introduction courses go on to participate in the Undergraduate Summer Research Institute.

Last year, Dr. Ducey attended a workshop on “Incorporating Computational Science Tools and Techniques into Undergraduate Courses” held at the University of Illinois. This led to a collaboration, “Introducing Students to Computational Chemical Structure Modeling in First Semester General Chemistry,” with colleagues at two other institutions. Dr. Ducey has chaired the Faculty Senate Faculty Evaluation Committee for the past two years, is a regular member of faculty search and screen committees, serves on scholarship committees in both his department and others, co-chairs the annual Chemathon competition and is the chemistry webmaster.

Dr. Jeney published her textbook, “Writing for the Web: A Practical Guide,” with Prentice Hall last year. Her essay, “Online Distance Education and the Buffy Paradigm: Welcome to the Hell Mouth,” was published in a collection by Hampton Press, and examines intellectual and pedagogical issues in teaching college writing.

In her essay, “Granny! What a Big Blog You Have! The Logos of Ethos in a Mass-Pathological Century and Other Truthiness in Web Communication,” presented at the 22^nd annual Computers and Writing Conference held at Texas Tech in Lubbock, Dr. Jeney focused on the need for advanced college writing students in her RoboHelp Flash project to develop knowledge of classical stylistic elements.

Dr. Jeney also presented “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Composition in the Public Sphere: Your God is Too Small,” at the Conference on College Composition and Communication in Chicago. This work examines how college compostion teaching is portrayed in the popular press.

As a result of her work, Dr. Jeney was invited to join the editorial board of Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology and Pedagogy, a refereed online publication exploring the intersection of rhetoric, technology and pedagogy.

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Employees and Retirees Recognized

Four Western employees received Presidential Citation Awards and 10 retirees were recognized for their contributions to Western at a recent campus ceremony.

Presidential Citation Awards recognize the contribution and outstanding performance of staff. Employees are nominated for the awards by their supervisors, peers, or other institutional stakeholders. The James J. Scanlon Service Award recognizes outstanding campus and community involvement. Candidates for this award are recommended to the president by the campus community and reviewed by a selection committee.

Presidential citation award recipients include: Service to Western Students – Kathy Kelly, administrative coordinator for the dean of student development; Service to Campus Colleagues – Rick Leahy, technical operations coordinator; Service to the University – Darcy Grove, administrative coordinator for the dean of professional studies; and James J. Scanlon Service-Leader Award – Dr. John Rushin, professor of biology.

Kelly’s nomination noted that she has a professional demeanor while serving as a mentor for students, making them feel comfortable, respected, and appreciated. She creates a welcoming environment for students and parents, displaying a customer service attitude which has diffused many difficult situations. She is willing to assist as with programs such as Destination Western, Griffon Edge, and student orientations. Kelly also assisted new staff in the Student Health Center and First Year Programs Office. She is the standards advisor to Alpha Sigma Alpha – Zeta Mu sorority. Kelly began her career at Western in 2003.

Leahy’s responsibilities include not only technical operations in the theatre, but also campus-wide events such as Commencement, Convocation on Critical Issues, athletic events, and press conferences. His nomination said he can be counted on to respond quickly to the needs of both staff and students. After Western hosted the 2003 and 2004 NCAA women’s basketball national championship tournaments, ESPN2 commented both years that Leahy’s work was impeccable and his pre-game preparation contended with the best of any in the profession.

In 2006, Leahy’s commitment and knowledge made the broadcasting of Western football and basketball games possible. He has served at Western for 34 years.

Groce, who joined Western’s staff in 1995, supports the office of the College of Professional Studies in a professional, efficient and friendly manner, according to her nomination. She trains and supports academic department administrative assistants and also serves as an academic advisor. Groce is the cheer squad advisor, a member of Western’s wellness committee, strategic planning committee, and co-chair of Western’s United Way campaign each year.

Dr. Rushin, who joined Western in 1979, was recognized for his service to Western and the community. He regularly develops new courses to offer to students and to area high school teachers, and reviews books, manuscripts and audiovisual materials for the American Biology Teacher. Additionally, Dr. Rushin has served as chair of several committees of the National Association of Biology Teachers, and is chair of the finance committee for the Missouri Academy of Science. He is currently chair of the editorial board of the Transactions of the Missouri Academy of Science.

Dr. Rushin has led the department in the development of numerous summer courses for area high school teachers, was instrumental in the development of Western’s Otoe Creek nature study trail, and helped initiate the St. Joseph Museum’s Super Science Saturday. He is also a judge at science fairs throughout northwest Missouri.

Recognized retirees are Jerry Anderson, associate professor of music; Mary Connor, administrative assistant for the Western Institiute; Jerry Fischer, director of education, WRDCC; Dixie Ham, administrative assistant for athletics; Robert Harris, HVAC/refrigerator technician; Dr. S. Earl Haynes, professor of education; Kenneth Johnson, assistant professor of computer science; Nadyne Justin, administrative assistant for music; Debbie Silvius, nonprint specialist for the instructional media center; and Carolyn Windsor, assistant professor of nursing.

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Tower Sports

Softball - Congratulations to these players for making the 2007 MIAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll:

• Carrie Christensen, senior of Omaha, Neb.

• Megan Floor, senior of Wapello, Iowa

• Nicole Heineman, senior of Omaha, Neb.

• Amanda Nocita, sophomore of Omaha, Neb.

• Lindsey Predovich, senior of Virginia, Minn.

• Lindsey Rizzuti, senior of Olive, Iowa

• Megan Sova, senior of Omaha, Neb.

• Laura Sternbert, sophomore of St. Joseph, Mo.

• Kristi Warneke, junior of Beatrice, Neb.

• Dana Wertz, senior of Lincoln, Neb.

Baseball - Congratulations to these players for making the All-MIAA Baseball Team

• Tommy Bone, junior of Atwater, Calif., First Team Unanimous Selection

• Troy Landi, sophomore of Blue Springs, Kan., Second Team

• A.J. Huttenlocker, junior of Buckley, Wash., Honorable Mention

• Willie Forrest, senior of Mossyrock, Wash., Honorable Mention

• Sam Walker, senior of Sebastopol, Calif., Honorable Mention

• Adam Carolan, junior of Sacramento, Calif. Honorable Mention

Summer Registration Western will hold registration for 2007 summer classes May 31 on the first floor of Fred Eder Hall. Registration times are as follows:

• Degree-seeking students: 3-5 p.m.

• Students not seeking a degree at Western: 5-6 p.m.

New students will be required to meet with an advisor to select summer courses. Advisors will be located in Janet Gorman Murphy Hall during registration. Classes begin June 4 for the eight-week session and the first four-week session. The second four-week session begins July 2. If students are unable to register May 31, they may register during the late registration June 4, but a $50 fee will be assessed. June 5 is the last day to register or add for the summer session.  For more information regarding summer registration, contact the registrar’s office at 4211.

St. Louis Alumni Event The Western Alumni Association and Admissions Office are hosting “Griffons Gather at the Gateway,” a social for all alumni in the St. Louis area. Alumni will have the opportunity to visit with students who have enrolled at Western and will begin their college career in Fall 2007, followed by a social for alumni and friends only at the same location. The event is hosted by St. Louis area alumni Mary Vaughan ’79, and Brent Porlier ’82. The social with incoming freshmen begins at 3 p.m. June 2 at Porlier Outdoor Advertising, 1027 N. Service Road W, Foristell, Mo. For more information, contact Vaughan at bvmv@sbcglobal.net or Colleen Kowich, director of alumni services, at ckowich or 5646.

Plaza Dedication Western will dedicate its new university plaza at 1:30 p.m. June 7. A reception will follow in the Leah Spratt Hall atrium. The plaza is located west of the Blum Student Union. The plaza, a gift from the John B. and Julia Comello Charitable Trust in recognition of the James B. Kelley family of St. Joseph, celebrates Western’s 2005 university designation, and the family will be special guests at the dedication. Dr. Scanlon will speak at the dedication ceremony. For more information, call 5646.

Swimming Lessons The recreation services department at Western will offer swimming lessons during the summer. Sessions are Monday – Thursday for two weeks in the pool located in Looney Complex. Cost is $50 per two-week session. Parents are welcome to stay. Sessions are broken up into different levels that adapt to each person’s swimming capabilities. The Infant and Preschool Aquatic Program (IPAP) is a 30-minute session for children ages six months to three years where parent and child work together in the pool under the direction of a certified instructor to gain both a respect for and enjoyment of the water. Other levels include Level 1 – Water Exploration, Level 2 – Primary Skills, Level 3 – Stroke Readiness, and Level 4 – Stroke Development. The Level 1-4 sessions last approximately 40 minutes each. Call Wonda Berry at 4247 for scheduled dates or for more information.

Western Is Online The Western television shows "Western Reports" and "U-News" are now online. Individual segments can be seen as streaming video or downloaded to be watched in an asynchronous manner. A button will be placed on the homepage as "Watch Western Television," which will lead viewers to the following URL: http://www.missouriwestern.edu/IMC/News/index.html explaining the programs with links to the actual archives of program segments.

Donations Needed The nursing department is still collecting donations for their trip to Honduras this summer. They will be providing health education and care to underserved individuals in Honduran villages. The students are in the process of collecting new, unopened toothbrushes, adult and kids vitamins, and small hotel size soaps to distribute to the people of Honduras. There will be a collection box in the main entrance of the Eder building until the end of June. Any donations will be greatly appreciated. If you have any other questions about the program, please feel free to contact Julie Baldwin, assistant professor of nursing, at jbaldwin, or Lorie Stephens, at lstephens.

Destination Western Here are the dates for Destination Western, the summer orientation program for incoming freshman: June 6-7, 10-11, 21-22, 24-25, July 11-12, 15-16, and Aug. 19-20.

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Thursday, May 31

• Registration for the summer session begins at 3 p.m. in Eder Hall

Saturday, June 2

•  "Griffons Gather at the Gateway" at 3 p.m. at Porlier Outdoor Advertising, 1027 N. Service Road W, Foristell, Mo.

Monday, June 4

• First day of summer classes for first four-week session and first eight-week session

Tuesday, June 5

• Last day to register or add classes for summer session

Wednesday, June 6

• First session of Destination Western begins. Lasts until June 7.

Thursday, June 7

• University Plaza dedication at 1:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 10

• Second session of Destination Western begins. Lasts until June 11.

Thursday, June 21

• Third session of Destination Western begins. Lasts until June 22.

Sunday, June 24

• Fourth session of Destination Western begins. Lasts until June 25.

Thursday, June 28

• Final Exams for first four-week session

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May 2007 Points of Pride

Excellence in Our Faculty and Staff

• Teresa Harris, assistant professor of art, had a mixed-media artwork, “Congruency,” accepted into the Texas National Art Competition and Exhibition 2007 held on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus in Nacogdoches, Texas. There were 1,230 works submitted to the jury, 114 were accepted, while only four artists from Missouri were included.

• Dr. Christopher Shove, dean and executive director of the Western Institute, received the “Excellence in Higher Education Award” from the Northlands Regional Chamber of Commerce at their annual education banquet.

• Diane Holtz, public relations/marketing and alumni services coordinator, coordinated Western’s float in the Apple Blossom Parade, which was awarded third place in the Best of Parade and first place in Most Creative Use of Theme.

• At the 2007 national student affairs conference held in Orlando, Fla., Michael Speros, director of residential life, received the “Outstanding Contribution to Multicultural Education Award.” This national award recognizes a professional who has demonstrated the ability to educate student affairs professionals about the issues and concerns of people of color in higher education, and who has successfully contributed innovative approaches to support the evolving cultural dynamics within higher education specifically related to race and ethnicity.

• Dr. Kenneth Rosenauer, professor of journalism and English, has been elected to a two-year term as president of College Media Advisers. He will take office during installation ceremonies in October 2007 in Washington, D.C., at the group’s fall national college media convention.

• Dr. John Ellis, assistant professor of education, has been appointed to the editorial board for the middle school journal Current Issues in Middle Level Education. This will be a three-year appointment.

• Gov. Matt Blunt appointed Ron Olinger, vice president for financial planning and administration, to the governor’s Campus Security Task Force. This 29-member committee brings together higher education administrators, faculty, public safety, and students, along with safety officials from both the public and private sectors. The committee will work to identify and implement the best practices to protect students, faculty and staff on Missoui’s higher education campuses.

• Professor of philosophy, Dr. Phil Mullins’ essay, “Comprehension and the ‘Comprehensive Entity’: Polanyi’s Theory of Tacit Knowing and Its Metaphysical Implications,” was recently published in Chinese in New Philosophy (n. 2, 2006) in a topical issue on the thought of Michael Polanyi.

• Bill Wines, associate professor of business, published “Observations on the Folly of Using Student Evaluations of College Teaching for Faculty Evaluation, Pay and Retention Decisions and Its Implications for Academic Freedom” in the William and Mary Journal of Women and the Law, vol. 13, issue 1, in April 2007. His co-author is Terence Lau, University of Dayton.

• Dr. James Puckett, instructor of chemistry, presented “Dual-Credit Chemistry – A Blended Approach” at the 2007 Kansas Association of Teachers of Science Conference in Junction City, Kan.

• Dr. Michael Ottinger, associate professor of physics, gave a presentation at the Missouri Academy of Science entitled “Computer Model of Longitudinal and Transverse Wave Propagation in Metal with Free Surface Reflection.” The co-author was Mark Johnson of Missouri State University.

• Dr. Mike Cadden, professor of English, delivered the annual Lois Lenski Memorial Lecture on children’s literature at Illinois State University. The event was co-sponsored by the ISU library and the department of English. The lecture is addressed annually to members of the local and university communities.

• Dawn Terrick, instructor of English, unveiled the first ENG 100 student publication, “Discovering the Student, Discovering the Self.” Students, family, friends, faculty, and staff were present to honor these students’ accomplishments and hear them read their work.

• Dr. Bob Bergland, associate professor of English, gave three presentations at the Missouri College Media Association meeting at Lake of the Ozarks:   “Investigative Reporting,” “Sports Reporting,” and “Multimedia Journalism.”

• Dr. Kaye Adkins, associate professor of English, conducted a session “Policy and Procedure Writing: The Least You Should Know” at the Workshop for Teachers of Technical Writing, Society for Technical Communication, at Missouri State University in Springfield.

• Joanne Katz, professor of legal studies, presented her paper entitled, “Stakeholder Perspectives on Restorative Justice: How Do We Get Them on Board?” at the Heartland Regional Conference of Mediators in Overland Park, Kan. Her presentation was based on her continuing research, funded by a three-year grant from the Center for Women in Transition.

• Dr. Virendra Varma, professor of engineering, and Dr. Jinwen Zhu, assistant professor of electronics engineering, made presentations to junior and senior science and math students at Wathena High School in Wathena, Kan. Dr. Varma spoke on the subject of the science of engineering and the emerging technologies and Dr. Zhu spoke on nanotechnology. Both also exposed students to opportunities for participation in Western’s Summer Research Institute projects, as well as information regarding the engineering technology programs at Western and careers available in the various areas.

• Dr. Bill Russell, assistant professor of physical education, attended the 2007 Central District American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance meeting in Overland Park, Kan., and presented “Physical Educator’s Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Interactive Video Game Technology within the Physical Education Curriculum” and “Believe You Can Achieve in the Classroom: Applied Motivation Principles for the Physical Educator.”

• Mike Ritter, disability services coordinator, made a keynote presentation on leadership for the St. Joseph School District Youth Leadership Program. At the Partners in Education luncheon, he was recognized as a community partner by the St. Joseph School District for having Western students participate in the Healthy Buddies program.

• Mike Ritter, disability services coordinator, along with Michelle Ritter, webmaster, made a presentation on “Drinking and Driving/Making Healthy Choices” at LeBlond High School in St. Joseph.

• Dr. Jane Frick, professor of  English, and Valorie Stokes, Platte Country R-III High School media coordinator, represented Prairie Lands Writing Project at the “Planning Your Site’s Web Presence: a Working Retreat,” held at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. They were one of 12 Writing Project site teams selected from throughout the country to participate in the Web presence protocol-development meeting.

• Dr. Jon Euchner, assistant professor of government, organized the Midwest Undergraduate Political Science Research Conference on campus.

• Dr. David Steiniche, professor of government, presented a paper on political partisanship and the impeachment and trial of U.S. President Bill Clinton at the National Social Science Association conference in Las Vegas. He also chaired a panel.

• Dr. James Okapal, assistant professor of philosophy, was a panel member for the Galileo’s Legacy conference on Global Warming and Climate Change at Western. He also delivered a paper “Comparative Choice without Comprehensive Factors” at the American Philosophical Association, Central Division, in Chicago.

• Dr. Susie Hennessy, associate professor of French, was a panelist at the Academy for Future French Teachers, held at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo. Dr. Hennessy highlighted professional development opportunities at this event, which was sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French.

• Dr. Joachim Kibirige, associate professor of sociology, was a panel discussant at the annual Midwest Sociological Society meeting in Chicago.

• Dr. Ali Kamali, associate professor of sociology, organized and chaired a session at the annual Midwest Sociological Society meeting held in Chicago.

• Dr. David Benz, assistant professor of music, and Sharon Gray, associate professor of music, co-directed the Chamber Opera Workshop 2007, held at Albrecht-Kemper Art Museum with alumnus Jeremy Gregoire, pianist.

• Dr. Doug Eicher, associate professor of teacher education, participated in the National Council for Exceptional Children conference in Louisville, Ky. This conference covered various topics related to the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education accreditation and dispositions relating to special education.

• Dr. Vincenza Marash, counselor, was one of two clinical case presenters at a recent conference in Kansas City, Mo., sponsored by the Greater Kansas City and Topeka Psychoanalytic Center. 

• Peggy Ellis, director of noncredit programs and business/industry training for the Western Institute, presented, “Problem Solving Tools and Techniques,” a professional development seminar for members of the Leadership St. Joseph Class of 2007.

• Carol Roever, associate professor of business and department chair, is part of a team that has received $2,000 from the Missouri Campus Compact to work with women at the YWCA Shelter in St. Joseph during 2007 and 2008 to provide coaching on job hunting/interviewing techniques.

• During the 2006-07 academic year, Josie Snelling, the Ready•Set•Go admissions counselor, visited schools in the following counties: Andrew, Buchanan, Caldwell, Clay, Daviess, DeKalb, Clinton, Jackson, Platte and Ray. During those visits, she spoke to 3,000 eighth-grade students on the importance of the Missouri core curriculum and post-secondary education opportunities. The admissions department also brought 450 eighth-graders on Western’s campus for a visit. With great cooperation from faculty and staff, the visit was a huge success.  Next year admissions would like to visit with 4,000 students and bring 1,000 on campus.

• The Ambassadors’ Night at the Ritz XIII event at the Country Club raised more than $15,000 for nontraditional student scholarships. Sine 1989, they have raised more than $200,000.

• Dave Brown, counseling center director, was interviewed live on KQTV-News regarding campus violence and also provided an in-depth interview regarding graduation transitions for KTAJ-TV. Brown also attended a daylong workshop on gambling issues among college students at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

• H.K. Meyers, director of education outreach, visited 20 regional high schools to promote and coordinate dual-credit classes. Currently 31 high schools participate in Western’s dual-credit classes and 849 students are enrolled in 20 different courses.

• Venny Pruitt, northland education coordinator, gave an extensive interview to KMBC Channel 9 news regarding the MWSU Northlands classroom and its role in the ABC “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” show. The one-hour special aired on channel 9 just before the national broadcast of “Extreme Makeover” on May 13.

• Peggy Ellis, director for noncredit programs and training for business/industry; Linda Garlinger, director of career development; Tammy Gay, adjunct instructor; and David Nelson, adjunct instructor, taught a nine-session college/career preparation program to 10 youthful offenders from the Chillicothe Correctional Center. This program includes preparation for and completion of an official ACT test, and a Myers-Briggs assessment.

• Dennis Johnson, public safety officer, attended the 2007 annual SEMA/MEPA conference, which provides exposure to many topics on emergency management. As Johnson is the Region H board member for the Missouri Emergency Preparedness Association, he was also involved in the planning and management of the conference. Johnson also attended a planning session for Emergency Response Information Plan (ERIP) in Maryville, Mo., to provide useful information in the development of the ERIP program.

• Dennis Johnson, public safety officer, attended St. Joseph/Buchanan County Health Department exercise on campus. The exercise was designed to test Joint Information Systems and Joint Information Command during a pandemic outbreak.

• Venny Pruitt, northland education coordinator, was part of a panel that presented, “Redy, Set, Go: Helping First Generation Students Take the Next Step,” at the spring Missouri ACT state conference in Columbia, Mo.

Excellence in Our Students

• Sixteen Griffon News students placed at the Missouri College media Association meeting at Lake of the Ozarks: Kathy Crawford – second place Editorial Writing, third place Feature Writing, and honorable mention Feature Page Design; Paul McEnaney – third place In-Depth Reporting and third place Entertainment Review; Brad Redmond – honorable mention Investigative Reporting and third place Editorial Cartoon; Brad Jones – honorable mention Feature Writing; Lisa Crawford – second place In-Depth Reporting; Emily Kirkendoll – third place Investigative Reporting; Sarah Taylor – first place Column Writing; Dan Donan – second place Sports Column; Ashley Izer – first place Sports Column; Marty Ayers – honorable mention Sports Photo; Stacey Shores – first place Editorial Cartoon; Elizabeth McGuire – honorable mention Entertainment Cartoon; Phil Saunders – third place Story Illustration; Tracie Rouse – second place Advertising;  and Amber Hawkins and Dorothy Charles – honorable mention Website.

• Two Griffon Yearbook staffers received national recognition by winning Gold Circle Awards at the Columbia Scholastic Press Association awards ceremony in New York City. The winners were Amy Chastain who received fourth place in Academic Writing for her story, “Risk Takers,” and Julie Summa who received fourth place in Personality Profiles for her story, “Candice Schrader.”

• Five Griffon Yearbook staffers received individual awards at the Missouri College Media Association meeting. Winners include: Jeremy Weikel – third place in Sports Photography and honorable mention in Feature Photography; Jenny Olson – second place Student Life and honorable mention in Feature Writing; Amy Chastain – second place in Personality Sketch; Julie Summa – honorable mention in Personality Sketch; and Melissa Scearce – first and third place in Portrait Design and honorable mention in Student Life.

• Kady Rahne Mabury, graphic art major, designed the prize-winning flyer for the 2007 St. Joseph International Guitar Festival and Competition. The guitar festival held its annual contest among graphic design students for a flyer to be used in regional publicity for the festival. Mabury won a $100 award and two complimentary Auditor’s tickets to the festival.

• At the 17th Multidisciplinary Research Day event, more than 65 student research presentations were made representing the departments of biology; chemistry; computer science, math, and physics; criminal justice and legal studies; English, foreign languages, and journalism; government, social work, and sociology; nursing; and psychology. Hundreds of Western students attended the event.

• At the Midwest Undergraduate Political Science Research Conference, students from several states and a number of colleges and universities presented papers. Included were two students from Western, Bruce Goll, history major, and Mason Smith, government and public affairs major, who were both sponsored by Dr. David Steiniche, professor of government. The papers presented by these students were on topics in political theory.

• Senior nursing students Kara Caldwell and Callie Sitner, along with faculty sponsors Dr. Mary Jo Gay, associate professor of nursing, and Dr. Evelyn Brooks, professor of nursing, presented “The Lived Experience of Mentoring for At-Risk Children, Parents, Teachers and Nurses” at the 2007 Scholarship Day at Research College of Nursing in Kansas City, Mo.

• Senior nursing students Brooke Pasley, Sarah Terry and Xandria Wiltshire, along with faculty sponsor Dr. Evelyn Brooks, professor of nursing, presented a poster entitled, “Making Differences in Future Generations Through Education on Preventable Birth Defects,” at the 2007 Scholarship Day at Research College of Nursing in Kansas City, Mo.

• Senior nursing students Brittney Kelley, Kelly Eischens, and Lindsey Rizutti and faculty sponsor Dr. Stephanie Corder, assistant professor of nursing, presented, “Providing an Evidence-Base for Nursing Practice: Point of Care Technologies in the Acute Care Setting” at the 2007 Scholarship Day at Research College of Nursing in Kansas City, Mo.

• Senior nursing students Natasha Stonerock, Kelly Kline, and Megan Bromley and faculty sponsor Dr. Stephanie Corder, assistant professor of nursing, presented, “Providing an Evidence-Base for Nursing Practice: Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine and the Prevention of Cervical Cancer – What Nurses Need to Know,” at the 2007 Scholarship Day at Research College of Nursing in Kansas City, Mo.

• Patricia Callaway, senior nursing student, presented, “Education Vacation: A Student’s Journey in Primary Prevention of Birth Defects,” at the Spring 2007 meeting of the Missouri Folic Acid Advisory Committee at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Division of Genetics and Healthy Childhood in Jefferson City, Mo.

• The resident assistants of Vaselakos Hall held different programs at 6 p.m. on Mondays in April called the Vaselakos 6 Spot. The programs included Latino Night, “Memoirs of a Geisha” Night, Volleyball and Cake, and Celebration Night. Many residents attended. RAs involved were Ashleigh Hampton, Adrianna Trice, Johnisha Williams, Jimmy Daugherty and Harvey Jackson.

• The Vaselakos Hall staff volunteered at the Noyes Home on April 10. The staff played with young children and the RAs had a chance to serve as mentors to the children for the day. Staff that attended was Jen Kacere, Ashleigh Hampton, Adrianna Trice, Johnisha Williams and Harvey Jackson.

Excellence in Our Programs

• The Griffon News won 22 awards at the Missouri College Media Association meeting: The newspaper staff received Honorable Mention General Excellence and Honorable Mention Sweepstakes based on the number of overall awards.

• The Griffon Yearbook received 10 awards in eight categories at the Missouri College Media Association meeting. The yearbook placed third overall.

• Public safety officer Dennis Johnson accepted an award from Dr. Robert Permut of Heartland Health on behalf of Western. The university was one of several entities recognized for their purchase of automated external defibrillators (AED). Western has owned four AEDs since 2001, and several employees are trained in their use. The AED is used as a first response when someone suffers cardiac arrest.

• Prairie Lands Writing Project (PLWP) site has received a matching grant of $45,000 in federal funds from the National Writing Project (NWP) to support its Invitational Institute and core program for teachers, for the year beginning June 1, 2007. In addition to the NWP base grant, Prairie Lands will also receive an additional $7,000 continuation grant to sustain its technology projects; PLWP is one of eight NWP seed sites selected nationwide in 2005 to work with area teachers in developing successful digital lesson formats. The PLWP conducted 65 teacher institutes and literacy programs, which included over 1,000 teachers and pre-service teachers and over 500 students, for a total of 19,285 program contact hours. Dr. Jane Frick, professor of English, is the Prairie Lands’ site director.

• The department of music and the St. Joseph Community Chorus sponsored the St. Joseph Regional Pre-Contest Concert 2007 at the Central High School auditorium. Participating high schools included Benton, Lafayette, Central and Savannah.

• The engineering technology department hosted the annual Industrial Technology Day at Western. Dr. George Yang, associate professor of manufacturing technology, served as coordinator for the event. Over 300 high school students from the surrounding area participated in the event. In addition to the laboratory tours, faculty and engineering technology students provided lab demonstrations to the visiting students.

• Eleven students participated in “Introduction to Global Positioning Systems for Mapping and Navigation.” This three-day course, taught by Dr. Cary Chevalier, associate professor of biology, drew Western students and professionals from New Mexico, Kansas, Illinois, Nebraska, and Missouri.

• Residence Council sponsored Bingo April 18 to all students on campus. Around 150 students attended. The large prize was an I-pod and MP3 player.

• Residence Council sponsored the annual Midnight Breakfast May 1. Students ate breakfast, socialized, danced and enjoyed themselves before the week of finals started. More than 300 students attended.

• Residence Council sponsored clothing and food drives as residents moved out of the residence halls. Twenty-five bags of clothing were collected and donated to Goodwill, and two boxes of food were collected and donated to Second Harvest Food Bank of St. Joseph.

• The Student Government Association sponsored a ping pong tournament April 28. Sweet 16 winners are Craig Wolf, 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. Schoonover won fourth place and $25 to Barnes and Noble; Strickler won third place and $50 to Barnes and Noble; Newhart won second place and $100 to Barnes and Noble; and Munson won first place and a Nintendo Wii. The winner of the X-Box drawing was Elaisha Mattie.

• The Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity held its annual TEKE-in-a-Box at the Hy-Vee grocery store where the men raised money and food for St. Joseph’s homeless, hungry and working poor. The event raised $3,322.23 and exactly 1,000 pounds of non-perishable food to donate directly to America’s Second Harvest of St. Joseph. According to the food bank, the dollar amount raised translates to 26,658 pounds of potential food that can fight hunger.

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For Sale: Roll-top desk with a dark wood finish; $75 or best offer. Call 244-9095.

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