Weeks of  July 28 - August 24, 2008

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 Presents Research Symposium

Western Hosts Life Sciences Leaders

Western Receives Arts Grant

Two New Scholarships Established at Western

News Briefs

Calendar

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

Western Presents Research Symposium

Teams of Western students and faculty and area high school students presented the results of research projects at the seventh annual Summer Research Institute Symposium July 25.

Students from 10 area high schools worked in small teams with Western students and professors during the eight-week Summer Research Institute (SRI), conducting research projects in biology, chemistry, construction engineering, forensic taphonomy, multimedia journalism, psychology, synthetic biology and theatre.

“Western is committed to providing our undergraduate students with opportunities to work with faculty on original research, opportunities that are reserved for graduate students at most universities,” said Dr. Keith Roberts, Western’s director of grants and sponsored programs and SRI director. “The Institute extends those opportunities to area high school students.”

This year’s Institute drew participants from Benton, Bishop LeBlond, Central and Christian High Schools in St. Joseph; East Buchanan High School in Gower, Mo.; Mid-Buchanan High School in Faucett, Mo.; Cameron (Mo.) High School; Wathena (Kan.) High School; Platte County High School in Platte City, Mo.; and Johnston (Iowa) High School.

Dr. Keith Gary, director of program development for the Kansas City Life Area Sciences Institute, spoke. Presentations followed from two of the teams: a journalism team that studied multimedia and interactivity on newspaper websites; and a theatre team that presented scenes from an original stage play, “Marlowe.”

Each team also created a poster documenting their research that can be presented at local, state and regional conferences, Roberts said. Those posters were on display at a reception following the presentations.

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Western Hosts Life Sciences Leaders

Leaders from the life sciences industry in the St. Joseph and Kansas City area learned about Western’s ongoing science and mathematics initiatives during a luncheon July 9.

“The life sciences industry, especially in the area of animal health, is a major force in the region’s economy,” said Dan Nicoson, Western’s vice president for university advancement. Kansas City area companies, including many in St. Joseph, account for about a third of total sales in the nearly $17 billion global animal health market, Nicoson said. “Western’s mission is to provide quality higher education while advancing the region’s development, and a number of recent initiatives help fulfill that mission by better equipping us to prepare tomorrow’s workforce for life sciences companies and assisting the development of those companies.”

Two construction projects were among the initiatives described by Nicoson. Western recently dedicated the Christopher S. “Kit” Bond Science and Technology Incubator, the first building in a planned research park on university-owned land west of Interstate 29. The incubator, funded in large part by a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, will provide affordable facilities and assistance to new businesses while giving Western students and faculty the opportunity for applied learning and research. The incubator’s first tenant is the Institute for Industrial and Applied Life Sciences, a collaboration between Western and several public and private entities to enhance life sciences training in the region and foster the development of new companies and products while attracting companies new to the region.

The other construction project that will help Western develop the life sciences workforce of the future is the expansion and renovation of science and mathematics instruction and research facilities, Nicoson said. Work will begin soon on a $37.5 million project to renovate the existing Agenstein Hall and build a new facility called Remington Hall, named for animal health industry pioneer Wes Remington and his wife, Patsy, who contributed a major gift toward the project. The renovation and new construction will result in approximately 120,000 square feet of state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories, nearly doubling the space devoted to science and math.

“Western already recruits and retains top-notch faculty and students in the science and math disciplines,” Nicoson said. “These new facilities will make Western even more attractive to these outstanding scholars.”

Other initiatives described by Nicoson include cooperative efforts to improve science and math instruction in public schools, increased opportunities for faculty-student research and internships in life sciences companies, and the Master of Applied Science degree specifically designed to meet the needs of industry that Western began offering last fall.

About 40 people attended the luncheon, including Dr. William Duncan, president of the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute; Benjamin Richey, executive director of the United States Animal Health Association; and leaders from regional life sciences companies. Chris Feiden, plant manager of Becker Underwood in St. Joseph, said his company appreciates Western’s focus on science and math as he described an internship program at his company.

“We have really enjoyed the quality of students and graduates coming out of Western,” Feiden said. “We have hired two microbiologists in the last two years and plan on bringing on another one or two in the next six months as part of an expansion project. The expansion is only possible because of our ability to get quality students from Western’s microbiology program.”

Another attendee expressed appreciation for the comprehensiveness of Western’s strategic vision. “I can’t think of one thing you missed,” said Lowell Kruse, president and CEO of Heartland Health. “Western is doing exactly what a university ought to be doing for its community and region.”

The incubator and Agenstein/Remington project are part of a $53 million investment in Western’s continued excellence in the future called the Beyond Excellence Initiative. Money from the state and federal governments, a bond issue and $15 million in private contributions will fund the initiative.

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Western Receives Arts Grant

The Western Institute will expand its community arts offerings in downtown St. Joseph, thanks to a recent grant from the Missouri Arts Council.

The grant for $4,819.50 helped Western pay for a new sound system in the 300-seat theater in the Downtown University Center, at 6^th and Robidoux Streets. Western matched the grant.

“The new sound system makes the theater more useful, giving local and regional arts organizations and artists a downtown venue for smaller performances and events,” said Martha Greer, director of Western’s Center for Community Arts. “The arts are an important part of the community’s effort to develop and revitalize downtown St. Joseph, and we’re grateful to the Missouri Arts Council for supporting that effort.”

The theater is part of the 15,000 square-foot space that Western is leasing from the Scottish Rite Temple. Currently, the Downtown University Center houses the MWSU Regional Law Enforcement Academy, the Pass the Power Adult Literacy program and numerous community arts classes.

 The Missouri Arts Council, a division of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, provides grants to nonprofit organizations to encourage and stimulate the growth, development and appreciation of the arts in the state.

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Two New Scholarships Established at Western

Friends and family of Jim McCarthy, ’77 alumnus and former instructor at Western, and longtime school teacher Frances V. Burton have established two different scholarships at Western in their honor.

The James E. McCarthy Memorial Accounting Scholarship is awarded to a junior or senior accounting major at Western who maintains a 3.0 GPA and demonstrates financial need.

McCarthy’s wife Jackie and other family and friends created the ongoing scholarship in honor of McCarthy, who attended Western and received a degree in accounting after serving his country during the Vietnam War. Upon graduation he worked for the Missouri State Auditor’s office. Shortly after, he became a certified public accountant and began teaching at Western while earning a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. In 1988 he established a private accounting practice in Gower, Mo., providing tax and accounting services to individuals and small businesses.

McCarthy passed away April 16, 2008, after a courageous battle with cancer.

The Frances V. Burton Education Scholarship is given to an education major at Western.

Burton started her 38-year career in teaching in 1936, with 14 students in a one-room schoolhouse. During her career she kept records of every year she taught including her contract amount, the names of each of her 2,024 students and the names of the other teachers with whom she taught. After teaching at schools in Carroll, Ray and Nodaway Counties in Missouri and in Bedford, Iowa, she spent the final 27 years of her career at McKinley School in St. Joseph.

Burton retired in 1974 and stayed active during her retirement. She served 18 years as the Prairie Township Assessor/Collector and volunteered at the Carroll County Health Department’s Well Baby Clinic, the American Cancer Society and with her church. She read more than 300 books after retirement and enjoyed making crocheted afghans for family and friends. She kept in touch with many former students, who considered her an important influence on their lives.

Burton passed away March 17, 2008.

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Considering College Program If interested in becoming a nontraditional student, consider attending, “How to Be a Successful Nontraditional Student at Western,” from 2-4 p.m. Aug. 6 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.

G.A.M.E On Griffs! Faculty members from the HPER department and Nursing department are collaborating this fall to offer a 12-week program designed to improve the health, nutrition and wellness of youths (ages 8-13) and teach them how to tailor physical activity into their lives. They are currently seeking 30 parent/child teams to participate in a free 12-week program. The G.A.M.E. (Goal Achievement through Mentoring and Exercise) On Griffs! program features a kickoff event Sept. 13 and runs through Dec. 6. Each week the teams will meet at Western to participate in fun, physical fitness activities. Activities include:

• Videogame Bicycles

• Dance Dance Revolution

• Frisbee Golf

• Scavenger Hunt

• Hiking/Walking Trails

• Swimming

• Cup stacking

• and more!

All teams that complete the 12-week program will be eligible for a prize-drawing that includes a Nintendo® Wii™ and more. For an application or more information, contact Bill Russell at 4492, wrussell or Stephanie Corder at 4407, corder.

Mailroom Job Openings Positions are open in the mailroom for students that have mornings free from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. and/or afternoons free from 1-4:30 p.m. Students must have a valid drivers license and be able to lift heavy packages. The job is posted online at www.missouriwester.edu/studentemployment. Use NACElink to fill out the job application. Work Study students are preferred.

Director of Public Relations and Marketing Western has appointed Roger Swafford as its director of public relations and marketing. Swafford, a native of St. Joseph, has more than 20 years’ experience in communications management for businesses and nonprofit organizations. Most recently, he worked for American Water Company. He was communications manager for the Northwest Missouri operations in St. Joseph, Brunswick, Warrensburg and Platte County from 2002-2004, and then was regional communications and corporate responsibility manager for the company’s operations in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. Swafford’s responsibilities include internal communications, branding, advertising, special events and media relations. Swafford earned an associate of science degree from Western, a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in education from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. Swafford began his duties July 1.

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Wednesday, July 30

• Final grades due for 8-week and second 4-week session

Wednesday, August 6

• Considering College from 2-4 p.m. in Eder 208

Monday, August 18

• Western Family Picnic from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the picnic grounds located in the wooded area near Spratt Stadium

• New Student Registration

Tuesday, August 19

• Walk-in Registration

Wednesday, August 20

• Griffon Edge

Thursday, August 21

• Griffon Edge

Friday, August 22

• Griffon Edge

Saturday, August 23

• Griffon Edge

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For Sale or Lease: Ranch house with walkout basement 10 minutes from campus. Two-car garage, central air, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, 1,400 sq ft. Comes with washer, dryer and refrigerator. Built in 1995 and recently renovated. Near Bode and Central Schools. Address is 3908 Mallard Ct. St. Joseph, Mo., 64506. Special discounted price for Western employees. For more information, call Dr. Najafi directly at 294-6767.

Wanted: Babysitter needed three mornings a week (MWF) for 8-month-old. Please submit resume and/or references to LWINALL@missouriwestern.edu. Wages are negotiable.

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