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Eggs and Issues Features Life Sciences
The life sciences have
long been a foundation of the region’s economy. The St. Joseph Area
Chamber of Commerce reports more than 6,800 people are directly employed
in businesses like health care, animal health, agriculture chemicals and
seed production. And that sector is expected to grow. Economic development
officials are working with life science industry experts to develop an
expansion and recruitment strategy.
Dr. Gary Clapp,
president and CEO of the Institute for Industrial and Applied Life
Sciences (IIALS), will speak about the role the industry plays in St.
Joseph’s present and its future at Missouri Western State University’s
first Eggs and Issues of the academic year. Dr. Clapp will speak at
7 a.m.
Nov. 13 in the
Fulkerson Center on Western’s campus. The breakfast is free and open to
the public. For reservations, call 816-271-5646 by Nov. 9.
The IIALS is a
partnership between Western, area businesses, organizations and
individuals to promote workforce development. It is currently housed in
the Hearnes
Center on Western’s campus, but will move to the Christopher S. (Kit) Bond
Science and Technology Incubator west of Interstate 29 once it’s
completed.
Dr.
Clapp has been the Institute’s president and CEO since it was formed in
2006. Prior to that, he was director of analytical development for Aptuit,
Inc. of Kansas City, Mo., and vice president and senior director of
operations for AAI Development Services in Shawnee, Kan.
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Athletic Director Search Continues
Western
will again advertise its search for a new athletics director.
A screening committee
began evaluating applicants in early September. They assessed the
candidates’ credentials, contacted both listed and off-list references and
vetted them for NCAA compliance history.
“This has been the most
thorough search process with which I’ve been associated,” said vice
president for university development Dan Nicoson, chair of the screening
committee. “The students, coaches, staff, and faculty on the committee
have taken their responsibilities very seriously and I appreciate their
hard work.”
The committee applied
several criteria in screening the applicants, Nicoson said. Among those
criteria were collegiate athletics administrative experience, management
style and philosophy, NCAA compliance history, character, community
involvement, demonstrable fundraising success and a record of developing
competitive athletic programs with strong academic achievement for
student-athletes.
The committee knew that the beginning of the academic year
was not the optimum time to conduct a search, Nicoson said, and the pool
of 23 men and two women was relatively modest in size. But there were a
number of candidates with exceptional credentials, he said.
“There were several well
qualified candidates,” said Nicoson. “It came down to whether those people
were not only qualified, but were the right fit for Western. We didn’t
find that right fit.”
“This is a very
important position. Western’s athletics department has matured to the
point that the demands on the athletics director are greater than ever,”
said President Jim Scanlon. “It is essential we find the person with the
right blend of integrity, experience, and skills to lead the department
into the future.”
Nicoson anticipates
that the position will be advertised again before the end of the calendar
year, with a goal of filling the position before the end of the current
academic year.
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School Supply Drive The
Staff Association is sponsoring the annual School Supply drive until Nov.
9 with all donations benefiting Crayons to Computers, a nonprofit
organization which allows teachers a place to gather school supplies they
can't afford on their limited budgets. For more information contact Barb
Davis, Roe Gnuschke, Ruby Mayes, Sherri Cooper or Tyson Schank. Here are
some examples of what they're looking for:
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Spiral-bound notebooks
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Three-ring binders, labels,
pens, pencils, poster board
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art supplies, plastic
containers, children's books, magazines
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wood, yarn, thread, fabric,
ribbon, sequins, glue, glitter
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construction paper, graph or
roll paper, index cards, tissue paper, litmus, flip charts
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all types of envelopes,
hanging file folders, napkins, cups, plates
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and of course cash to buy
necessary supplies
Drop-offs are at the following
locations:
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Admissions (Eder)
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Athletics (Looney)
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Liberal Arts and Sciences
(Popplewell)
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Library (Hearnes)
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Accounting Services
(Popplewell)
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Campus Printing (Wilson)
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Biology (Agenstein)
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Art (Potter)
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Psychology (Murphy)
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Western Institute (Spratt)
Change for Students
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. 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. 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.
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October 2007 Points of Pride
Excellence in Our Faculty
and Staff
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Dr. David Bennett,
assistant professor of music, is currently serving as president of the
Missouri Music Teachers Association, state affiliate of the Music
Teachers National Association (MTNA). The organization of 600 members
holds three board meetings throughout the year and sponsors a four-day
conference every fall. Dr. Bennett also attended the Leadership Summit
for MTNA officers held in
Cincinnati.
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Dr. James Puckett,
instructor of chemistry, was selected as a member of the Missouri
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s MAP End-of-Course
Assessment writing team to develop questions for the revised MAP science
assessments that will be used starting in 2008.
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Dr. Jimm MacGregor,
assistant professor of history, chaired and commented on a session
entitled “The Economics of Early Modern Society” at the 53rd annual
meeting of the Midwest Conference on British Studies in Dayton, Ohio.
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Dr. James Bargar,
professor of psychology, attended the third annual Missouri Compact
Conference held at the
Lake of the Ozarks.
He served as a member of the planning committee for this year’s meeting.
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Matthew Edwards,
associate professor of music, will have two new books released by Hal
Leonard Publishers, Inc., the world leader in the print music industry,
“Piano Concerto no. 2, in G major,” an original composition and a CD
recording which is included in the score, was recorded in Nashville,
Tenn; and, a book entitled “Beethoven: Fur Elise and Other Bagatelles.”
The book and concerto will be among several featured new releases by Hal
Leonard at the World Piano Pedagogy Conference in
Las Vegas.
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Dr. Jason Baker,
associate professor of biology, along with Paula Overfelt, had a
peer-reviewed article with the Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
recently published. The article is entitled
Health Professions Advisors and AHECs: A Partnership That Benefits All.
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Dr. Evelyn Brooks,
professor of nursing, with senior nursing students Amanda Miller and
Jennifer Crowley, presented “Measuring Outcomes Based on Service
Learning: University Students Educating Northwest Missouri High School
Students about Preventable Birth Defects,” at the third annual Civic
Engagement and Service-Learning Conference, “Developing Citizen-Scholars
across Missouri,” at Lake Ozark, Mo.
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Eleven representatives
from Western faculty, staff, Board of Governors and administration
attended the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Academic Quality
Improvement Program (AQIP) Strategy Forum in Lisle, Ill. Participation
in this forum fulfills the next step in attaining re-affirmation of
Western’s HLC accreditation. Those representing Western included: Carol
Moya, member of the Board of Governors; Dr. James Scanlon, president;
Dr. Joseph Bragin, provost and vice president of academic and student
affairs; Dan Eckhoff, bursar; Dr. Jeanie Crain, special assistant to the
president; Dr. Judy Grimes, dean of student services; Dr. Jeanne
Daffron, associate vice president of academic and student affairs; Dr.
Brenda Blessing, professor of recreation management and department
chair; Dr. Cindy Heider, interim assistant vice president for academic
and student affairs; Dr. Martin Johnson, dean of liberal arts and
sciences; and Dr. Steve Estes, dean of professional studies.
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Jennie McDonald,
administrative associate for academic and student affairs, hosted and
participated in the regional meeting of the North American Commencement
Officers on campus.
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Dawn Terrick,
instructor of English, presented at the 2007 Midwest Regional
Association for Developmental Education. Her first conference
presentation was “Using the Learning Community to Instruct and Engage
Underprepared Students” and her second was “Using a Student Publication
to Motivate, Challenge and Retain Students in Developmental Writing
Courses.”
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Bob Long, assistant
professor of music, Steve Molloy, instructor of music, and Stan Kessler,
instructor of music, recently participated in rehearsals and two
performances with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra as the organization
kicked off its new season. They all perform as regular members of this
ensemble.
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The St. Joseph Combined
Chamber Choir, directed by Dr. David Benz has been invited to perform at
the 2008 Missouri Music Educators Association conference. They will
present The Nine Muses at the
conference.
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Bob Long, assistant
professor of music, has been invited to present a clinic entitled
“What’s in a Title? Selecting Appropriate Literature for your Jazz
Ensemble,” at the 2008
Missouri
Music Educators Association State Conference. The clinic will deal with
proper literature selection for large jazz groups to optimize
educational results as well as proper selection for contests and
festivals.
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Dr. Zhao Zhang,
associate professor of electronics engineering, represented the
engineering technology department at the Fall 2007 Engineering Explorer
College Night for high school students, held on the premises of Black &
Veatch Consulting Engineers in
Overland Park,
Kan. Fifty high school students and 15 colleges and
universities attended this event.
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Dr. Zhao Zhang,
associate professor of electronics engineering, presented a paper,
“Online Education Software and Programming Tools,” at the 2007
International Conference for Interactive and Blended Learning in
Florianopolis, Brazil.
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Dr. Steve Estes, dean
of professional studies, and Dr. Betty Block, professor of health,
physical education, and recreation; teamed with John Massengale from the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to deliver the keynote paper entitled
“The Name Change Game Revisited” at the Western Society for Kinesiology
and Wellness Annual Conference in Reno, Nev.
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Dr. Steve Estes, dean
of professional studies, delivered the second annual Elwood Craig Davis
Lecture at the Western Society for Kinesiology and Wellness (WSKW)
annual conference in
Reno,
Nev. The paper was entitled “Kinesiology in the Postmodern
World” and will be published in the 2008 proceedings of WSKW.
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Dr. Virendra Varma,
professor of construction engineering and chair of the engineering
technology department, attended the Annual Manufacturing Summit in
Kansas City, Mo. Issues of immediate concern to the manufacturing
industry were addressed at the conference.
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Marsha Dolan, associate
professor of health information technology (HIT) and coordinator of the
HIT program, was an invited lecturer at the 15th Congress of the
International Federation of Health Record Organizations in Seoul, South
Korea. She was invited to speak to the group of international attendees
about “myPHR.com,” a free public service web site promoting the use of
Personal Health Records. She was also an invited speaker at the American
Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) Assembly on
Education summer symposium on the engagement of health information
management students both in the United States and in the international
community through the use of web-based conversation which has been
developed as part of the IFHRO website. In addition, Dolan was asked to
continue as co-chair of the national Personal Health Record Practice
Council for AHIMA. The term will be from January-December 2008.
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Lou Fowler, associate
professor of accounting, presented a paper entitled “Using Segmented
Financial Statements to Evaluate Product Lines and Organizational
Structure: A Case Study for Tico Manufacturing” at the Business and
Leadership Conference at
Fort
Hays
State
University.
The paper was also published in the conference proceedings. Fowler also
attended and hosted a vendor table for Western at the “Women and Money”
conference hosted by the YWCA and the business department.
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Larry Andrews,
professor of criminal justice, arranged for the Missouri Court of
Appeals, Western District, to come to campus. A panel of three judges
heard oral arguments in three different cases, which were appeals from
previously held trials in area circuit courts. During a break from
court, the judges held a discussion on the
Missouri
judicial system, with a special focus on the appellate judiciary.
Western students, faculty and staff along with community members
attended this annual event.
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Lisa Siudym, director
of financial aid, presented two workshops for parents and students on
the new changes for the Federal Financial Aid application. Siudym also
covered all scholarships that are available as well as information about
part-time jobs.
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Staff from Career
Development/Student Employment conducted a Behavioral Interview Seminar
for 20 students and hosted an employer panel of three employers from
Enterprise Rent a Car, Chrysler Financial and JS Logistics to talk about
“What Employers are Looking For in Candidates” for more than 40
students.
- Altec
Industries, Inc. contracted with the Center for Professional Development
to provide four additional sections of Leadership Training for 60
managers and supervisors. The instructor was Peggy Ellis, director of
business and industry training.
Excellence in Our
Students
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Homecoming coronation
was held at half time of the football game. The 2007 Homecoming king was
Anthony Anderson, junior recreation sports management major, and the
queen was Chemia Woods, senior speech communication major.
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Sarah Cool, senior
instrumental and vocal music education major, has been employed
part-time by the
St. Joseph
School District
to help raise student interest in the orchestra program. She has been
helping teach fourth- through ninth-grade students in a beginning
strings class at Central High School; teaching sixth-graders beginning
violin, viola and cello students at Skaith Accelerated School; and,
teaching an after-school class for students from Lindbergh, Noyes,
Pershing, and Humboldt elementary schools.
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Senior nursing students
Amanda Miller and Jennifer Crowley, with Dr. Evelyn Brooks, professor of
nursing, presented “Measuring Outcomes Based on Service Learning:
University Students Educating Northwest Missouri High School Students
about Preventable Birth Defects,” at the third annual Civic Engagement
and Service-Learning Conference “Developing Citizen-Scholars across
Missouri” at Lake Ozark, Mo.
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Art students Suzan
McCarthy, Charles Mullican, Phillip Sanders, Chelsie Todd, Greg Carbin,
Nathan Martinez, Cherish Nigh, and Jenny Jones recently had their
self-portrait paintings purchased for permanent display at the emPower U
Plant in St. Joseph.
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Approximately 40 Suzuki
violin students of the Center for Community Arts performed in the St.
Joseph Symphonic Orchestra Concert.
Excellence in Our Programs
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Pass the Power received
a $1,027.76 contribution from Hastings Entertainment. The money was
collected over the past year from donations at the local bookstore’s
coffee bar and cash register canisters. Pass the Power also received
$3,000 from the
St. Joseph
School District
for providing basic literacy services during fiscal year 2006.
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Pass the Power received
confirmation that a proposed Conversation Partners Project for St.
Joseph has received full funding from the Library Services division of the
Missouri Secretary of State’s office. Pass the Power will receive
$15,355 of the award to recruit and train volunteers for the project.
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Pass the Power hosted
the monthly meeting of the St. Joseph Area Literacy Coalition at the
Blum Student Union. The group discussed the upcoming children’s author
visit. Mike Thaler, author of the Black Lagoon series, has been
selected as this year’s author.
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Dr. Virendra Varma,
professor of construction engineering and chair of the engineering
technology department, and Dr. Chris Shove, dean and executive director
of the Western Institute, met with the Kansas City Metropolitan
Community College representatives on the campus of Business Technology
College to re-invigorate past collaborations and establish new
articulations with their two-year programs in engineering technology.
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Prairie Lands Writing
Project celebrated its 20th anniversary as northern Missouri’s only
National Writing Project site as a part of its annual literacy
conference held at Western. Dr. James Scanlon, president, and Dr. Joe
Bragin, provost and vice president of academic and student affairs,
welcomed participants and recognized the importance of the site’s
collaboration with area teachers in improving literacy instruction.
Diane Watson, St Joseph School Board president, and Dr. Melody Smith, St
Joseph School District superintendent, accepted a certificate in
recognition of the district’s being a founding partner and continued
funding supporter for Prairie Lands. Over 100 educators attended the
event.
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The Barbara Sprong
Leadership Challenge was completed in the last month. Students attended
a retreat, participated in community service projects during the Big
Event and heard from guest speakers like Tanza Triggs, director for the
center for multicultural education; Peggy Ellis, director of business
and industry training; Karen Woodbury,
instructor; and Major Brian Stackhouse, assistant professor of military
science. Students earned one credit hour for the course by completing
the above requirements in addition to a required reading and a
reflection paper.
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Family Day was held
Sept. 29. Many student organizations and campus departments provided
activities and services for students and their families prior to the
Griffon football game in the afternoon.
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The week of September
9-15 was observed as Fate of Hate Awareness Week by the center for
multicultural education. Programs included “Stop the Hate Day” and
“Information Equals Power,” both informational displays held in the Blum
Union lobby. “Lest We Forget,” a nightfall vigil, was held Sept. 11.
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The center for
multicultural education hosted “Fiesta!” a celebration of National
Hispanic Heritage Month. The program featured Brazilian dance troupe
Brasil Cultura, performing the samba and the capoelra and other dances
native to Brazil. “Fiesta!” included printed information about Hispanic
cultures, pan tasting, Zumba demonstrations, and piñata breaking. The
program, held in the Blum Union lounge, was attended by over 100
students, staff and faculty.
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The Big Event was held
on Oct. 6 with 92 volunteers in attendance. A “Fall Carnival” was
provided at Pleasant Heights Apartment Complex for children residing in
the complex. A number of games and contests were held and educational
materials on health and oral hygiene were presented. Small gift bags
containing oral hygiene and other products were presented to the
children. Balloons and other special treats were also given. Other
volunteers were sent to Midcity Excellence where they helped prepare
merchandise for a garage sale and planted a number of small bushes. A
number of volunteers worked on two Habitat for Humanity houses under
construction. The students assisted with cutting and applying siding to
one house and helped build the frames for the side walls of another
house. A food drive and book collection was held at Wal-Mart south where
volunteers collected approximately 25 books for America Reads and 437
pounds of food for Second Harvest.
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Bobbie Delaney, new
student program director, and Jen Kacere, residence hall director –
Living Learning
Center, attended the Missouri College Personnel Association Conference
at the Lake of the Ozarks.
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Residence Hall
Programs:
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Battle of the Sexes Program, Sept. 6 – Resident
Assistant (RA) Amber Adams and RA Brent Lockmiller hosted a
Battle of the Sexes
Program for residents. They created the game based on the residents and
the community.
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Tuesday Night Gatherings on first Floor – RA Mo Meyer
and RA Jessica Treece host a Tuesday Night Gathering for their
residents.
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Amazing RA Race, Sept. 16 – The RAs in the LLC hosted
the Amazing RA Race for residents to participate in. It was a way for
the residents to learn about all of the RAs and get to know each other
better!
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Homecoming Decorating, October 7 – The LLC began
Homecoming Week by decorating the lobby. The lobby became the LLC Brady
Bunch.
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Residence Council Programs:
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Residence Council sponsored the annual BINGO game in
which students were able to socialize and win prizes. There were over 75
students who attended and the big prize was a Wii.
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Residence Council hosted the Pre-MACURH Retreat for
students in the
Missouri
region. They had around 30 students from schools all over
Missouri.
The students were preparing for the upcoming conference in October.
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Kayla Wymore, National Communication Chair for
Western, submitted a case study for the month of September. It was
judged nationally and she won.
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Charles Howell, Vice
President of Residence Council, was nominated for the Executive Board
Member of the Month Award for June and won regionally.
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