Week of

Week of Oct. 29 - Nov. 4, 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:

'Change for Students' Highlights Philanthropy at Western

First Thursday Noontime Concert Series

Trumpet Artist to Visit Western

Lost & Found: If you have lost any items, please come to SU 228 to claim them. You may be required to describe the item.

Click on Tower Topics to submit any story or photo ideas.

Guidelines for Tower Topics: Tower Topics submissions should state time, date, place, sponsor, title of event, name of speaker's and admission fees. Send complete information to the Public Relations and Marketing office (Leah Spratt Hall, Room 106).

The deadline for all entries is 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, for the next week's issue. Tower Topics will be online weekly during the fall and spring semester. For more information call 271-5651.

Student Editor:
Jennifer Kohler

Staff Advisers:
Kristy Hill and Diane Holtz

14th Annual Convocation on Critical Issues

Sam Donaldson, ABC News Veteran and White House Correspondent, spoke at the 14th annual Convocation on Critical Issues. Donaldson also spoke at the Convocation Dinner the night before, and the morning of the Convocation he ate breakfast with students where he answered questions.

'Change for Students' Highlights Philanthropy at Western

In honor of National Philanthropy Day®, Western will kick off a new philanthropy awareness program, “Change for Students,” on Nov. 1. The program will feature educational displays, a fundraising project and Student Philanthropy Awards.

During the month of November, posters and tabletop displays will be located around campus to highlight the impact philanthropy has on Western students. In addition, change jars will be placed at dining facilities and the bookstore, said Tara Johnson, Western’s development officer. Students will be asked to donate spare change to help out their fellow students. All proceeds will benefit the MWSU Foundation’s Student Excellence Fund, which helps students pay for conferences, seminars, research and other learning activities outside the classroom. Any student can apply for funding through the Student Excellence Fund; details are located on the MWSU Foundation’s website: www.missouriwestern.edu/foundation.

“We want students to understand how private contributions affect their experience at Western,” said Johnson. “In addition, we want to encourage students to help one another. This is a way that they can make a small contribution that will have a big impact on their fellow students.”

The university will also present the MWSU Student Philanthropy Awards on Nov. 30. The awards will be given to individual students or organizations who have made a contribution to their community. Nomination forms are available on the MWSU Development Office website at www.missouriwestern.edu/development. Completed nomination forms should be returned to the Development Office, Spratt Hall 108, no later than Nov. 19. For more information, contact Johnson at 5920.

National Philanthropy Day® is a program of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and acknowledges the entire spectrum of services provided by the nonprofit community and recognizes the profound impact that philanthropy has on the fabric of society.

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St. Francis

Students from a learning community on campus went to St. Francis Xavier for Dawn Terrick's English 100 class to interact with the elementary students. Gathy Gann, reading and study skills coordinator of the center for academic support, also went with the group. The students attend St. Francis three times during the semester.

First Thursday Noontime Concert Series

The Western department of music, in cooperation with the First Presbyterian Church, will hold the monthly First Thursday Downtown Noontime Concert at 12:10 p.m. on Nov. 1 at the First Presbyterian Church, 7^th and Jules. The Western Concert Chorale will perform.

Western’s Concert Chorale, under the direction of associate professor of music Frank D. Thomas, is an auditioned choral ensemble with both music majors and non-music majors. The Chorale performs regularly with the St. Joseph Symphony and has also performed at the state Missouri Music Educators convention. The Concert Chorale tours annually, having traveled to Europe several times. Members are preparing to present two concerts for the community in the fall and another in the spring.

Thomas is well known throughout the area as a soloist, clinician and conductor. He sings in the First Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Choir and serves in a music advisory capacity for the St. Joseph Symphony. Thomas is the director of choral activities at Western, where he also teaches conducting, choral methods and choral music.

The audience is invited to bring lunch to eat while listening to the performance. There will be an opportunity to meet the musicians after the concert. A minimum donation of $3 per person is suggested in order to meet the expenses and provide continuation of the series.

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Trumpet Artist to Visit Western

Trumpet artist Raquel Rodriguez will visit Western on Oct. 30 for a master class in the afternoon and a performance recital in the evening.

Rodriguez will discuss and demonstrate her performance and practice philosophies during the master class with Western’s trumpet students at 2 p.m. in Thompson E. Potter Hall, room to be announced. She will perform a solo recital in the Potter Hall Theater at 7:30 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.

Rodriguez is instructor of trumpet and coordinator of brass studies at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. She has been a member of many award-winning musical groups, most recently Kansas City’s Fountain City Brass Band. She also has won several individual honors, including first prize as a high brass soloist in the North American Brass Band Association’s yearly competition.

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Tower Sports

Soccer

Loss vs. Truman State, 1-2, Oct. 26
Loss vs. Northwest Missouri State, 0-1, Oct. 27

Volleyball

Loss vs. Central Missouri, 0-3, Oct. 24
Win vs. Southwest Baptist, 3-1, Oct. 27

Oct. 31 at Northwest Missouri State in Maryville, Mo., at 7 p.m.

Football

Win vs. Missouri Southern, 30-14, Oct. 27

Nov. 3 vs. Central Missouri at 1:30 p.m.

Women's Basketball

Nov. 3 at Oral Roberts in Tulsa, Okla., at 2:05 p.m. Exhibition game

National Nontrad Student Week The National Association of Nontraditional Students in Higher Education has declared Nov. 5-9 as "National Nontraditional Student Week." Western will hold a reception from 3-4 p.m. Nov. 7 in the Spratt Hall Atrium. Take a moment to nominate a currently enrolled nontraditional student you believe should be recognized for either academic achievement or outstanding service to the campus. At the reception these students will receive a certificate and a much deserved salute. Families are invited to attend, as well as all campus employees. Refreshment will be served. In your nomination, please include the student's name, address and a paragraph about what that student has done to earn special recognition. You may nominate more than one student. Deadline is Nov. 1.

Important Pre-registration News Advisement for the Spring 2008 semester begins Oct. 31. Please contact your advisor or the department concerning sign-up opportunities for advisement. When you meet with your advisor you will be given an Alternate PIN. You will use this 4-digit number to access registration through My Western self-service page and enroll in classes.
The schedule for advisement is as follows (for degree-seeking students only), beginning at 7 a.m. on each date:
Seniors (90+ hours) - begins 11/05/07
Juniors (60-89 hours) - begins 11/08/07
Sophomores (30-59 hours) - begins 11/12/07
Freshman (0-29 hours) - begins 11/14/07
To calculate your class you may add your cumulative earned hours and the current hours you are attempting this semester. Students who have a registration hold on their records will not be allowed to register. A registration hold can be added to your account at any time. For questions, call the Registrar's Office at 4211.

Study Away Open House Study Away will host an Open House on Oct. 31 in the Popplewell Hall second floor open area. Information will be available on classes (with a travel component) offered in Spring 2008 as well as courses which will run during Intersession and Summer 2008.

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Monday, October 29

Senate meeting at 5 p.m. in Blum 220
Employee Award Reception at 3-5 p.m. in Blum 218-219

Tuesday, October 30

Residence Council meeting at 7 p.m. in Commons Building
Trick-or-Treat off the Street starts at 5 p.m. in the Commons Building

Wednesday, October 31

Happy Halloween!
WAC meeting at 4:30 p.m. in the Junior College Room
Wellness Screening from 6-10:30 a.m. in Enright Room, Spratt 214-216
Advisement begins
Study Away open house from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in second floor of Popplewell Hall

Thursday, November 1

Student Court at 5 p.m. in Blum 222
First Thursday Noontime Concert Series at 12:10 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 7^th and Jules
Wellness Screening from 6-10:30 a.m. in Enright Room, Spratt 214-216

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Now Open: Enchanted Learning Childcare, a state licensed daycare located at 402 S. 8th St., is now open. Hours of operation are 6:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Age range is birth to 5 years of age. Tuition is full-time, part-time and hourly rate. State Pay and WIA are accepted. For more information contact Jennifer Jaques at 816-233-3113 or visit www.enchantedlearningchildcare.com.

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You are welcome to submit ads to the Western ADvantage each week.

To be fair to everyone, please follow these guidelines for submission. Only ads from campus constituents are accepted.

Ads for non-campus organizations or professional businesses will not be printed.
Ads can cover items wanted, items to be sold, garage sales, etc.
Ads may be edited for length, style or content. The staff reserves the right to evaluate the appropriateness of ads for inclusion.
Ads received by 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday will be included in that Monday's publication. Ads received after the deadline will be included in the next edition.
Ads will automatically run for a two-week period. Extensions are granted by resubmitting the ad.
Ads will only be accepted by email, fax and campus mail. Please send submissions by email to publicrelations@missouriwestern.edu ; to fax 4414 or by mail to Tower Topics, University Advancement, Leah Spratt Hall, Room 106.

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