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Week of June 2-29, 2008
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:
Former
St. Joseph Resident Gives Western Record Gift
Western
Dedicates Bond Incubator
'Living
Computers'
New
Degree Programs Respond to Change
May
2008 Points of Pride
Tower Sports
News
Briefs
Calendar
Ads
Archives
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 Adviser:
Kent Heier
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$5.5 Million Gift
to Western |
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Steven L. Craig has pledged to Western
a $5.5 million gift, the largest individual gift Western has ever
received. Left: Carol Roever,
associate professor of business and department chair, expressed her
appreciation during the announcement ceremony for the gift and what
it would do for the business department, now named the Steven L.
Craig School of Business. Right: Dr. James Scanlon and Craig pose
with a miniature Griffon statue Craig received as a symbol of the
university's appreciation. |
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Former St. Joseph Resident Gives Western Record Gift;
School of Business to Be Named
in Honor of Craig
Shopping center developer Steven L. Craig has pledged a $5.5 million gift
to the Western Foundation, university officials announced today. Craig’s
gift, the largest individual contribution in university history, will
support the creation of a school of business at Western, to be known as
the Steven L. Craig School of Business.
“Steve’s generosity will benefit current and future generations of Western
students, faculty and staff as well as the region they serve,” said Dr.
James Scanlon, Western’s president. “We are delighted by his commitment to
higher education, to Western and to this community. Graduates of the
Steven L. Craig School of Business will benefit the economy of St. Joseph
and our region for years to come.”
Craig was born in St. Joseph and graduated from Savannah High School in
1973. He is founding partner, president and CEO of Craig Realty Group of
Newport Beach, Calif., but got his start in business operating fireworks
stands in the St. Joseph area in his teenage years. Craig left the area to
pursue his education and career, receiving his bachelor of science in
business administration from the University of Southern California in
1978, but he never forgot his home. He has been an active supporter of the
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, the Mount Mora Cemetery Association, the
YWCA and other local charities.
“The St. Joseph area is still near and dear to me, and I feel very
fortunate to have been raised here,” said Craig, who spent hours studying
at the Western library while in high school. “My own business career
started here, and my goal is to create a culture of entrepreneurship at
Western by giving students the tools to set out on their own course to
accomplish their dreams. I see this investment in Western as an
opportunity to make a very meaningful impact on the community.”
“This is a major investment in the future of Missouri Western State
University,” said Dr. Joseph Bragin, provost and vice president for
academic and student affairs. “Providing this level of support to
establish the Craig School of Business expresses confidence in the
university and its business program and will help to attract and retain
outstanding students and faculty.”
Craig founded Craig Realty Group in 1995. The company specializes in the
development of upscale factory outlet centers and currently owns, operates
and manages nearly 3.5 million square feet of existing retail development
in six states, with an additional one million square feet under
construction and development.
Prior to founding Craig Realty Group, Craig was president, chief operating
officer and director of Chelsea Property Group and a principal and
managing partner of Chelsea’s predecessor, Ginsburg Craig Associates.
During his ten years at those two companies, Craig was responsible for the
development of 10 retail centers in five states.
Though Craig spends most of his time in southern California, he has been
involved with the department of business at Western for the last decade,
said Carol Roever, associate professor of business and department chair.
Craig was the keynote speaker at the annual business intern recognition
banquet 10 years ago and was recently an invited guest lecturer for an
entrepreneurship class.
“Some of our students have already benefited from his willingness to share
what he’s learned on the road to success,” Roever said. “Now, with this
gift, Steve will touch many more students’ lives.”
“This is certainly a wonderful opportunity for the Foundation,” said Dan
Nicoson, vice president for university advancement and executive director
of the Foundation. “Private support is so important to Western as we build
on the excellence we’ve already established. We’re grateful for the
generosity of individuals like Steve.”
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Incubator
Dedication |
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Left: Dr. James Scanlon shakes U.S. Sen.
Christopher S. "Kit" Bond's hand after dedicating the Science and
Technology Incubator May 27. Right: Dr. Scanlon and Sen. Bond cut
ribbon in celebration of the dedication and the new usage of the
incubator. The incubator will provide facilities and support for
start-up companies to be able to mature to the point that they can
survive with little assistance. Plans also call for a training
laboratory to give Western students applied learning experiences in
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Western Dedicates Bond Incubator
Western dedicated
the Christopher S. “Kit” Bond Science and Technology Incubator May 27
inside the new building on Mitchell Avenue west of Interstate 29.
“Local business,
civic and academic leaders at Missouri Western are playing a vital role in
strengthening the economic vitality of St. Joseph and the region,” said
U.S. Sen. Christopher S. “Kit” Bond, for whom the building is named.
“As a developing
prototype of the new American regional university, Western is an active
partner in the economic growth of the region,” said Dr. James Scanlon,
Western’s president. “And this incubator will spur economic development.”
The incubator will
provide facilities and assistance for start-up companies, said Dr. Gary
Clapp, president and CEO of the Institute of Industrial and Applied Life
Sciences (IIALS), the incubator’s first tenant. “It’s a place where
companies can concentrate on their ideas and not have to worry about
administrative duties, conference rooms and mailings,” Dr. Clapp said.
“The purpose is to give businesses a place to mature to the point that
they can survive with minimal assistance.”
The incubator will
include a laboratory, conference room, operation offices and tenant
spaces. Because the life sciences are such an important part of the
region’s economy, it’s expected that most of the tenants will come from
that industry, Dr. Clapp said, but all types of businesses will be
considered for the incubator. Its flexible floor plan could accommodate
12-15 firms of a few persons each, or a few large firms requiring larger
spaces. Only about 6,000 square feet on the building’s first floor will be
finished initially. The remaining space, approximately 18,500 square feet,
will be finished as tenants are added.
The IIALS space
will include classrooms and a wet laboratory, which will be a working lab
for tenants while serving as a training lab for Western students as well
as workers in area industries.
“This wonderful new
facility will be good for St. Joseph’s vibrant life sciences industry, as
well as the industry in the Kansas City region and statewide,” said Dr.
William P. Duncan, president of the Kansas City Area Life Sciences
Institute. “We’re pleased to add the incubator to Missouri’s life sciences
assets.”
“The Christopher S.
‘Kit’ Bond Science and Technology Incubator is not just a building,” said
Ted Allison, president and CEO of the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s a tool for turning ideas into dreams, and ultimately into
entrepreneurial success.”
Sen. Bond was
elected to the United States Senate in 1986 and won re-election in 1992,
1998 and 2004. Previously, he served two terms as Missouri governor. Sen.
Bond was instrumental in helping Western secure a $2.5 million grant from
the Economic Development Administration for construction of the incubator.
Other construction funding came from IIALS and from Western.
The incubator was
recently named an “innovation center” by the Missouri Technology
Corporation, and is in line to receive $100,000 from the state in fiscal
year 2009 for operating costs.
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Davidson College
Visits |
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For the third summer, Western has joined with Davidson College of
North Carolina to form a team for iGEM, the international
Genetically Engineered Machine competition. A group of six
undergraduate research students and two faculty members from
Davidson came to Western last week to plan this year's project. The
trip was paid for by a grant received by Davidson from the National
Science Foundation. An identical grant awarded to Western will pay
for their half of the team to visit Davidson College at the end of
June. Dr. Jeff Poet, professor of mathematics, and Dr. Todd Eckdahl,
professor of biology, will be taking seven students to Davidson.
Left: Davidson team member James Barron, Western student Andrew
Gordon and Dr. Eckdahl are pictured. Right: Western students Alicia
Allen and Robert Cool work on a project for the iGEM team. |
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'Living Computers'
Student/Faculty Research
Reported Worldwide
Student
and faculty
researchers at Western and Davidson College in North Carolina have created
‘living computers’ by genetically altering bacteria. The findings of the
research, published in the “Journal of Biological Engineering,”
demonstrate that computing in living cells is feasible, opening the door
to a number of applications including data storage and as a tool for
manipulating genes for genetic engineering.
A research team from the biology and the mathematics departments of
Western and Davidson added genes to E. coli bacteria, creating
bacterial computers able to solve a classic mathematical puzzle known as
the burnt pancake problem.
Publication of the research
has drawn media coverage nationally and internationally. The paper has
been the subject of articles in the London Telegraph, Scientific American,
Science News, Gizmag of Australia and numerous other websites and
publications around the globe.
The research was part of Western and Davidson’s entry in the 2006
international Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition, where the
combined teams won five awards, including Best Presentation by the Western
students. The Western team included students Marian Broderick of Wichita,
Kan.; Adam Brown of St. Joseph; Trevor Butner of Savannah, Mo.; Eric
Jessen and Kelly Malloy of Brookfield, Mo.; Brad Ogden of Missouri Valley,
Iowa; and Lane Heard, who was a senior at Central High School in St.
Joseph at the time of the competition. Faculty members of the team were
Dr. Todd Eckdahl, professor of biology, and Dr. Jeff Poet, associate
professor of mathematics.
The burnt pancake problem involves a stack of pancakes of different sizes,
each of which has a golden side and a burnt side. The aim is to sort the
stack so the largest pancake is on the bottom and all pancakes are golden
side up. Each flip reverses the order and the orientation (i.e. which side
of the pancake is facing up) of one or several consecutive pancakes. The
aim is to stack them properly in the fewest number of flips.
In this experiment, the researchers used fragments of DNA as the pancakes.
They added genes from a different type of bacterium to enable the E.
coli to flip the DNA ‘pancakes.’ They also included a gene that made
the bacteria resistant to an antibiotic, but only when the DNA fragments
had been flipped into the correct order. The time required to reach the
mathematical solution reflects the minimum number of flips needed to solve
the burnt pancake problem.
“Our
project illustrates the concept of using bacterial cells as
parallel processors to solve mathematical problems that are difficult for
conventional computers to manage,” said Dr. Eckdahl.
“The project is an important contribution to the emerging field of
synthetic biology, which uses engineering principles and the tools of
molecular biology to design and build biological machines with
applications in medicine, energy and technology.”
“It is very exciting that our undergraduate students have opportunities to
work at the cutting edge of applied research and to learn that the quality
of their work is as high as anywhere in the world,” said Dr. Poet.
The research is available online at
www.jbioleng.org.
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Taste at the Top |
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Several alumni and friends gathered at
Fountains at Corby Place in May for "Taste at the Top." Left: Jim
Hausman; Linda Perry; George Richmond;, Larry Andrews, professor of
criminal justice; and Kathleen Andrews, associate professor of
nursing, stand outside to enjoy the event. Karen Keller, graduate
records coordinator; Tracy Sharp, assistant registrar; and Denece
Huffman, assistant bursar, enjoy the light refreshments that were
served. |
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New Degree Programs Respond to Change
The skills needed for
today’s journalists are rapidly changing, thanks to the Internet, and
Western is responding to those changes by offering two new degree
programs: a bachelor of science in convergent media and a master of
applied arts in integrated media. Courses for both begin this fall.
“Technology has made the mass media reconsider how it needs to reach its
audience,” said Dr. Ken Rosenauer, professor of journalism. “Particularly
among young people, traditional newspaper, radio and TV news, are not as
important. Younger people get so much of what they need online.”
And today’s journalism
programs need to respond to those changes, Dr. Rosenauer says. The new
bachelor degree program is a refocus of the traditional journalism program
“to prepare our students for the way that media today needs to get the
information out.”
Dr. Rosenauer calls 21st
century reporters “backpack journalists.” They still carry their pen and
notebook, he says, but they better have a backpack that contains a laptop,
digital camera, digital camcorder and cell phone along with them, too.
“The expectations for journalists’ skills are different now. Student
journalists need to rethink how they will report the news.”
The new bachelor degree program, Dr. Rosenauer says, bridges right into
the new master’s program, the master of arts in integrated media. That
program offers interdisciplinary courses in journalism, art, video and
music, and courses will be team taught by faculty members across those
departments.
One option, convergent
media, will train students to work in the field of online multimedia
products. The second option, integrated media, goes beyond the field of
media, and is for those who seek roles in corporate, commercial and
industrial settings.
“I’m excited about these programs. We are on the cutting edge,” he said.
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Forensics Course |
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Students from the forensic science
class,
“Human Skeletal Remains: Search, Recovery and Identification for Law
Enforcement and Death Investigators,” watch a car burn with a pig
carcass inside. The exercise demonstrated the effects of a vehicle
fire on remains. Firefighters also used the demonstration as a
training exercise. The forensic science class was offered through
Western, along with the Southern Institute of Forensic Science. |
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Tower Sports
Congratulations!
Western senior offensive lineman Roger Allen has been named to the
2008 Consensus Draft Services first team preseason All-America football
team. Senior punter Jamie Hanson was named to the second team.
Soccer Camp
Western’s Little
Griffon and Young Player soccer camps have been cancelled. Western soccer
coach Jeff Hansen will conduct a camp starting Sept. 9. The camp will run
every Tuesday evening for five weeks in a row from 6:30-8 p.m. until Oct.
7. Each practice will be held at Spratt Stadium. The camp is for grades
K-8 and cost is $40 per child for the five night session. There will be 45
minutes of technical drills and 45 minutes of games with players being
divided into appropriate age groups. To sign your child up for the camp
please contact Head Women’s Soccer Coach Jeff Hansen at 816-271-5902 or by
email a jhansen1@missouriwestern.edu. |
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Lifetime Sports Academy
The
Health, Physical Education and Recreation department will hold its annual
Children's Lifetime Sports Academy June 9-13 for children eight to 12
years of age. The academy will be held from 1:30-5:15 p.m. each day on
campus. Activities will be held outdoors and in the Looney Complex. The
camp offers 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 HPER department will
coordinate the activities. All equipment is furnished by Western. However,
participants must furnish their own tennis shoes, swimming suits and
towels. To register, access a registration form at
www.missouriwestern.edu/hper
or call 4491. The discounted cost for Western employees is $60 for the
first child in the family and $50 for each additional child. Enrollment is
limited to the first 150 who register.
Considering College
Western is
hosting, “How to Be a Successful Nontraditional Student at Missouri
Western State University,” from 2-4 p.m. June 18 in Eder Hall, room 208.
There will be discussions about enrolling, getting financial aid, finding
resources on campus, finding a major and more. Also, there will be a short
tour of the campus. For more information or to sign up for the program,
call Ellen Kisker, director of nontraditional student services, at 4280.
Book Signing
Western will host a book signing for Ronald S. Reed Jr. at 10:30 a.m. June
10 in the Spratt Hall Atrium. Reed will speak briefly and sign copies of
his book, “Reflections on the Founding of Missouri Western State
University.” There will also be a reception. The Western Board of
Governors voted last month to honor Reed for his pivotal role in the
creation of Western by naming the central campus entry from Mitchell
Avenue to Downs Drive as “Ronald S. Reed Jr. Way.” For more information
about the ceremony, call 5646.
Retirement Tribute Dinner
The Board of
Governors is hosting a retirement tribute dinner to honor President
Scanlon on June 9 in the Fulkerson Center. The social will begin at 5:30
p.m. and the dinner is at 6:30 p.m. The admission price is $30. Everyone
is invited to make a contribution to Second Harvest Food Bank in honor of
Jim and Lauren Scanlon. These contributions need to be made with a
separate check payable to Second Harvest Food Bank and turned in at
Western's University Advancement Office. Call 5646 for more information.
Swim Lessons Western's
Children's Swim Program beings June 16. The first session is from June
16-19 and June 23-26. Levels one and two are from 5:15-5:55 p.m. Levels
three and four are from 6-6:40 p.m. The second session runs July 7-10 and
July 14-17. Cost is $50 per two week session. Parents are welcome to stay
during the lessons. Payment must be received prior to the start of class.
For questions call 4247.
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Monday, June 2
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Classes begin for 8-week and
first 4-week session
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Quiznos reopens through July
24. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Monday-Thursday
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Deli opens through July 24
from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Monday-Thursday
Tuesday, June 3
Thursday, June 5
Monday, June 9
Tuesday, June 10
Wednesday, June 11
Thursday, June 12
Friday, June 13
Saturday, June 14
Monday, June 16
Tuesday, June 17
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New student registration from
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. in Potter Hall Theatre
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Swim Lessons for levels one
and two from 5:15-5:55 p.m.
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Swim Lessons for levels three
and four from 6-6:40 p.m.
Wednesday, June 18
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"How to Be a Successful
Nontraditional Student at MWSU" from 2-4 p.m. in Eder 208
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Swim Lessons for levels one
and two from 5:15-5:55 p.m.
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Swim Lessons for levels three
and four from 6-6:40 p.m.
Thursday, June 19
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New student registration
from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. in Potter Hall Theatre
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Swim Lessons for levels one
and two from 5:15-5:55 p.m.
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Swim Lessons for levels three
and four from 6-6:40 p.m.
Monday, June 23
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New student registration
from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. in Potter Hall Theatre
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Swim Lessons for levels one
and two from 5:15-5:55 p.m.
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Swim Lessons for levels three
and four from 6-6:40 p.m.
Tuesday, June 24
Wednesday, June 25
Thursday, June 26
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Final exam for first 4-week
session
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Late registration for second
4-week session
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New student registration
from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. in Potter Hall Theatre
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Swim Lessons for levels one
and two from 5:15-5:55 p.m.
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Swim Lessons for levels three
and four from 6-6:40 p.m.
Saturday, June 28
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Alumni Day at "The K." Join
the St. Louis and Kansas City Alumni Chapters at Kauffman Stadium for a
tailgate party before the Royals take on the Cardinals. For more
information call Colleen Kowich, director of alumni services, at 5650.
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May 2008 Points of Pride
Excellence in Our Faculty
and Staff
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Dr. Nannette
Wolford, professor of physical education, was awarded the Honor Award
for Central District American Alliance for Health, Physical Education,
Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) in Omaha, Neb. She also attended the
National AAHPERD convention in Fort Worth, Texas, participating in the
Physical Best Instructors meeting and other Physical Best/Fitnessgram
sessions.
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Dr. Betty Block,
professor of physical education, was recognized with an award for her
significant contributions to National Dance Association at the NDA
Plenary Session and Assembly in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Kathy Kelly,
administrative coordinator for student development, received an award
presented to her by Student Government Association for Student
Organization Advisor of the Year 2007-2008. She co-advises Alpha Sigma
Alpha Sorority and is the chapter advisor to Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,
Inc.
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Martha Greer,
director of the Community Arts, wrote and researched a grant in the
amount of $4,819 to provide funds for a new sound system at the Downtown
University Center. The Missouri Arts Council awarded Western the grant.
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Dr. Evelyn
Brooks, professor of nursing, has been nominated and selected to serve
as a prospective on-site evaluator for Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education’s (CCNE) peer review accreditation process. CCNE is the
accrediting agency for baccalaureate and graduate degree programs in
nursing and is nationally recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education
and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
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Linda Garlinger,
director of career development, chaired the Career Offices of Small
Metropolitan Colleges meeting to review evaluations from this year’s
Interview Day and plan for 2009.
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Martha Greer,
director of the Community Arts, joined the YWCA Board of Directors, will
serve as the fine arts chair for the Trails West! Festival and has been
asked to serve as chair for the Performing Arts Association Education
Committee.
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Jeannie Harmon-Miller,
associate professor of art, recently had the photograph entitled,
“Silent Archway,” juried into Photo Spiva 2008. This national exhibition
and competition is the nation’s oldest continuous photographic
competition in the United States. Harmon-Miller’s photograph was one of
only 13 percent accepted into this exhibition and is part of a new
series entitled, “Motionless.”
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Dr. Susan
Hennessy, associate professor of French, had her paper, “(Re)producing
Death in Emile Zola’s Rougon-Macquart,” accepted for publication by
Cambridge Scholars Publishing. It will be part of a collection of
studies entitled, “Love, Death and Women’s Lives.”
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Dave Tushaus, associate professor of legal
studies and department chair; Dr. Kelly Henry, associate professor of
psychology; and Dr. Evelyn Brooks, professor of nursing; attended as
invited participants at the Greater Kansas City Symposium on Teaching
and Learning held at Park University. Dr. Brooks (coauthored with
Cosette Hardwick, assistant professor of biology) presented the poster
for Scholarship of Teaching with the Missouri Area Health Education
Center Student Research Project.
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Dr. Ben Caldwell,
associate professor of chemistry, attended the annual meeting of the
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in conjunction
with the Experimental Biology 2008 conference in San Diego. He acted as
a judge for the undergraduate poster competition and attended planning
meetings as the South Central Regional Director of the Undergraduate
Affiliate Network of the ASBMB. In addition, he made a presentation
entitled “Investigation of GST Fusion Proteins for Screening Protein
Interactions.”
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Dr. Jonathan Rhoad,
assistant professor of chemistry, presented, “Scanning the Potential
Energy Surface of Furanosyl Oxocarbenium Ions: Models for Reactive
Intermediates in Carbohydrate Reactions,” at the American Chemical
Society national meeting in New Orleans.
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Dr. Mike Ducey,
associate professor of chemistry, presented chemical demonstrations for
the Kansas City Society for Coatings Technology at their annual Family
Science Night. He also served as a lead judge at the Greater Kansas City
Science Fair where nearly 1,200 students presented 860 projects.
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Dr. Diane Gorcya,
professor of speech communication; Dr. Marilyn Hunt, associate professor
of speech communication; and Adam Jones, instructor of speech
communication, attended the 2008 Central States Communication
Association annual conference in Madison, Wis. They presented on a
competitively selected panel, “Active and Engaged: Applied Learning in
the Communication Classroom.” Jones served as chair for the
Communication Education Interest Group at the annual conference. In
addition, he chaired the “Top Papers in Communication Education”
competitively selected panel at the conference.
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Dr. Christopher
Godfrey, professor of physics, presented a paper entitled, “Quantum
Effects in Astrophysical Plasmas,” at the meeting of the American
Physical Society in St. Louis. The meeting was held in conjunction with
a conference sponsored by High Energy Density Physics and High Energy
Density Laboratory Astrophysics. This work attempts to highlight the
observational consequences of new results in the quantum mechanics of
plasmas.
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David McWilliams,
developmental math specialist, presented, “Teaching Developmental
Mathematics Using ALEKS,” at the 2008 conference of the College Reading
and Learning Association Heartland Chapter at Cloud County Community
College in Concordia, Kan.
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Dr. Michael
Ottinger, associate professor of physics, gave a physics demonstration
and Jerry Wilkerson, professor emeritus of mathematics, presented the
planetarium show, “More Than Meets The Eye,” to fifth-graders from John
Glenn Elementary School.
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Dr. Ken Lee,
professor of mathematics, was the invited banquet speaker at the
Mathematics Association of America Conference, and presented, “A Few of
My Favorite Things.” He also conducted a session of the Missouri Section
of Project NEXT (New Experiences in Teaching) for new collegiate
mathematics faculty entitled, “Institutional Issues Impacting
Instruction.”
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Dr. Tim Miller,
assistant professor of mathematics; Dr. Steve Klassen, associate
professor of mathematics; Dr. Kevin Anderson, associate professor of
mathematics; Dr. Gavin Waters, assistant professor of mathematics; and
Dr. Jeff Poet, associate professor of mathematics, made presentations at
the Mathematics Association of America Conference in Springfield, Mo.
Dr. Miller presented, “Using TI-89 to Find Both Series Solutions to a
Second-Order Differential Equation at a Regular Singular Point.” Dr.
Klassen presented, “A Student Investigation of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov
Test Statistic.” Dr. Anderson presented, “Why I Hate Tick-Tack-Toe.” Dr.
Waters presented, “Dr. Loves’ Mathematical Dating Advice.” Dr. Poet
presented, “Bacterial Computing: Solving a Hamiltonian Path Problem
in Vivo,” and “Proofs That Really Count: Some of My Favorites.”
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Dr. Bill Church,
instructor of English, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation
in English at the University of Kansas.
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Dr. Kaye Adkins,
associate professor of English, presented, “An Introduction to Poster
Sessions,” at the Society for Technical Communication Regional
Conference for Teachers at Missouri State University.
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Dr. Elizabeth
Latosi-Sawin, professor of English, presented, “Space to Grow: Traveling
in the Outdoor Semester,” at the national conference of the College
English Association in St. Louis. Dr. Latosi-Sawin explored connections
among the cooperating disciplines of literature, geography and outdoor
education and the effect of travel on students in this unique applied
learning experience at Western.
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Dr. Jason
Youngkeit, assistant professor of Spanish, presented a paper dealing
with the victims of Argentina’s dictatorship years (1976-1983) as seen
through testimonial and fictional narrative at the VII International
Conference of Hispanic Literature in Cusco, Peru.
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Greg Kriewitz,
instructor of physical education, invited 20 soldiers from Ft.
Leavenworth to participate in hydrostatic weighing. This allowed
students in PED 401 (Graded Exercise Testing), the opportunity to obtain
hands-on experience with body composition assessment.
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Dr. Nannette
Wolford, professor of physical education, coordinated the Jump Rope for
Heart event where 471 jumpers represented 13 elementary schools. The
event brought in a little over $21,000 for the American Heart
Association.
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Dr. Nannette
Wolford, professor of physical education, and Freda Allen, instructor of
physical education, were instructors for the Region V Professional
Development Center in Maryville, Mo. Dr. Wolford was on the writing and
training session in Columbia, Mo., for this workshop on grade level
expectations, assessment and strategies to teach by.
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Linda Garlinger,
director of career development, provided a Job Search Seminar for
Technical Writing seniors and a Business Etiquette Workshop for
administrative assistants at Heartland Hospital. She also presented at
the Women in Higher Education Conference held at the University of
Kansas-Edwards campus and completed the certificate program at the UMKC
Bloch School of Business for The Empowered Leader, a semester-long
series, and facilitated mock interviews for health, physical education
and recreation students in April and physical therapist assistant
students in May.
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Peggy Ellis,
director of noncredit programs and business and industry training,
presented, “Leading the Generation Mix,” a professional development
seminar for members of the Leadership St. Joseph Class of 2008.
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Deborah Ellsworth,
Pass the Power program director, attended the Education Focus Group for
the Missouri Re-Entry Program. This group is working to insure
probationers and parolees receive the appropriate referrals to
educational services available in the St. Joseph community.
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Teresa Harris, assistant professor of art, held a solo
exhibition at the Yost Art Gallery at Highland Community College from
March 11 through April 10. She exhibited 32 relief and sculptural
mixed-media constructions. Her exhibition was entitled, “Current Work.”
She was also the featured Artist of the Week in the March 21 edition of
the St. Joseph News-Press Off Hours.
Excellence in Our Students
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Ella Howser-Steiner of Dixon, Mo., 2007 editor-in-chief of the Griffon
Yearbook, won two National Gold Circle Awards at the National College
Media Convention in New York. She won second place for Advertising
Spread and third place for Endsheet Design.
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Many Western students came away from the Missouri College Media
Association Conference in Joplin, Mo., with awards in April. The
Griffon Yearbook came in second for Theme Development. Ella Howser-Steiner
of Dixon, Mo., won first place in both Portrait Design and Sports Design
and an honorable mention in Student Life Design. Adrian Akasaki of
Easton, Kan., received honorable mention in Feature Photography. Linda
Shireman of Maysville, Mo., won third place in Feature Photography; Amy
Chastain of Cowgill, Mo., won first place in Feature Writing; Kailey
Alexander of Independence, Mo., won second place in Sports Photography;
and Sarah Derr of St. Joseph, Mo., won third place in Personality
Sketch.
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The Griffon News won 16 total awards at the Missouri College Media Association
Conference in Joplin, Mo., including second in Sweepstakes and honorable
mention in Best Overall Newspaper. Addison Ford of Osborn, Mo., won
first and third place in Feature Writing. Matthew Fowler of Kansas City,
Mo., won first place in Editorial Cartoon. Mandie Nocita of Omaha, Neb.,
received honorable mention in Editorial Cartoon. Charlene Divino of St.
Joseph, Mo., and Sarah Taylor of St. Joseph, Mo., won third place and
honorable mention, respectively, for Column Writing. Jared Herrin of
Trenton, Mo., came in third place in In-Depth News Reporting. Rikki
Cason of Lockport, N.Y., and Marty Ayers of Kirksville, Mo., shared
second place for Photo Page; Ayers also won second place for Sports
Photo; Ryan Bradley of St. Joseph, Mo., won second place and Jill Muir
of Milwaukee and Ford shared honorable mention for Entertainment Review.
Cason won third place in Advertising; Brian Linebaugh of Brookfield,
Mo., won second place for Entertainment Cartoon. Gregor Avery of
Atchison, Kan.; Cason; Brad Griffin of Stewartsville, Mo.; Fowler and
Brandon Spencer of Brookfield, Mo., shared honorable mention for Special
Section.
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Delta Phi Upsilon, the student chapter of the American Criminal Justice
Association – Lamda Alpha Epsilon, attended the national conference in
Kansas City, Mo. They competed in five written tests and crime scene,
physical agility and firearms competitions. They also participated in
regional and national meetings and attended the seminars on death
investigations. In the crime scene in lower division, Leona Long of St.
Joseph, Mo.; Lolita Murphy of Plattsburg, Mo.; and Clint Payne of
Bucklin, Mo.; placed first. In the upper division Frances Olson of St.
Joseph, Mo.; Whitney Wagner of Nortonville, Kan.; and Dustin Wheeler of
Agency, Mo.; placed second. Long also placed third in the physical
agility competitions for women over the age of 26. At the closing
banquet, the students recognized their advisor Jill Miller, professor of
criminal justice, for starting the chapter 28 years ago at Western and
her retirement from Western.
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Dawn
Stark of Cameron, Mo.; Jennifer Sharp of Wathena, Kan.; Kelly Furtado of
Savannah, Mo.; and Stacie Beck and Nathan Volkel of St. Joseph, Mo.;
were invited to present their research, “Evaluating Adolescent
Perceptions About Healthcare Following an Educational Intervention” at
the Northwest Missouri Area Health Education Center Board meeting
luncheon.
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Jason Barnett, biochemistry and molecular biology major of Peculiar,
Mo., attended the Experimental Biology 2008 conference in San Diego and
made a poster presentation entitled “Investigation of GST Fusion
Proteins for Screening Protein Interactions.”
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The Missouri Collegiate Mathematics Competition of the Mathematics
Association of America was held in Springfield, Mo. Twelve Western
students competed in the competition, with paper presentations by three
students who were mentored by Dr. Gavin Waters, associate professor of
math. Julie Allen, mathematics major from Des Moines, Iowa, presented
“Using Geometer’s Sketchpad and Poincare Model to Illustrate the
Parallel Postulate;” Aaron Lewis, mathematics education major from
Jamesport, Mo., presented “Using Geomview to Illustrate 3-Dimensional
Animation;” and Chad Klein, mathematics major from Gower, Mo., presented
“Encryption of Messages Using Chaotic Sets of Differential Equations.”
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Four students from the English technical communication program presented
at a poster session at the Society for Technical Communication Regional
Student Conference at Missouri State University. Teresa Bozarth of St.
Joseph, Mo., presented, “Single Sourcing – What is it? And What Does It
Mean for Technical Communicators?” Ashley Rainsbarger of St. Joseph,
Mo., presented, “The Personality of Font.” Kathryn Strasser, of St.
Joseph, Mo., presented, “Five Characteristics for Usable Design: User’s
Guides for the Novice Software User,” and Jennifer Thompson of St.
Joseph, Mo., presented, “The Difference in the Creation of Print and
Online Documentation.”
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Four graphic design students and Teresa Harris, assistant professor
of art, attended the fourth annual Dallas Society of Visual
Communication’s National Student Design Conference and Exhibition in
Dallas. The conference featured nationally known designers, art
directors and creative directors. The students attended a Dallas studio
tour that allowed them to see the behind-the-scenes working environments
of small design firms and large advertising agencies. The conference
also held roundtable discussions, breakaway lecture sessions and
portfolio reviews.
Excellence in Our Programs
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Prairie Lands Writing Project (PLWP) site has received a matching grant
of $43,000 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, 2008. Dr. Jane Frick, professor of English,
is the PLWP site director. In addition to the NWP base grant, PLWP will
also receive an additional $4,000 Teacher Inquiry Communities Network
grant and a $2,000 National Evaluation Study grant.
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The Night at the Ritz XIV raised more than $16,000 for
nontraditional student scholarships and was very well attended. Dr.
James Scanlon, retiring university president, and his wife, Lauren, were
presented with a check from the Ambassadors for the Second Harvest Food
Bank and were recognized for all of their support for nontraditional
students while at Western. Also, the Western Women officially disbanded
and gave $1,800 to the Ambassadors for nontraditional scholarships. This
was in honor of Dorsey Looney, who was instrumental in getting the group
organized. She is the wife of M.O. Looney, Western’s former president.
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The chemistry
department hosted the 31st annual Chemathon competition. It brought 527
students from 27 regional high schools to campus to participate in a day
filled with chemistry and physics competitions and activities. The
chemathon is the nation’s longest running continuous high school
competition in chemistry and physics structured under the science
Olympiad format.
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Thirty-four students participated in the sixth annual Calculus Bee, a
contest for Western and local high school students to match mathematical
skills and compete for prizes. Dr. Kevin Anderson, associate professor
of math, coordinated the contest.
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Western Activities Council (WAC) sponsored the annual “Springfest”
celebration with a week of activities and a major concert. The WAC
Fashion Show started the week and was met with an overflowing boisterous
crowd that witnessed an excellent show of both male and female students
modeling the latest in clothing designs. Later in the week, the annual
Spring Concert at the St. Joseph Civic Arena featured Yung Joc and Rick
Ross in an exciting atmosphere. About 1,650 student tickets were
distributed prior to the concert and another approximately 500 were sold
to off-campus attendees. The concert gave the university exposure to
communities outside of the St. Joseph area with tickets sold in Kansas
City, Mo., and Omaha, Neb. WAC Union Street activities included Wii
Guitar Hero, Oxygen Bar and many other activities. The week ended with
WAC’s Enchanted Evening in the Fulkerson Center. Students came dressed
in formal attire to enjoy the evening of dancing and refreshments.
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The center for professional development provided, “Spanish for
Collecting Data and Personal Information,” for 10 staff members of the
Missouri Department of Vocational Rehabilitation in St. Louis. The
instructor was Martha Wakely.
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Pass the Power hosted the 19th annual Literacy Luncheon at Western. This
year’s speaker and Roy Blunt Citation honoree was Alfred
Williams. Williams told his inspiring story of learning to read with the
help of a first-grade teacher and her class at a St. Joseph Elementary
School. His story has been featured on Oprah, on CNN and in the St.
Joseph News-Press.
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