Week of September 6 - 12, 2004 

Welcome to the Tower Topics E-newsletter for faculty, staff and students at Western. 

Missouri Western State College, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, 816-271- 4200

Click any link for these stories:

"Discover Gold Through Service" A Success

Former Western Professor Well Known in Field

Western Featured in New York Times Ad

News Briefs

Calendar

Ads

Archives

Student Editor:
Paula White

Staff Advisers:
Kristy Hill and Diane Holtz

Service Day
Left: At the Western "Discover Gold Through Service" day, students Kelley Jackson of Cameron, Mo.; Cole Shrouf of Kirksville, Mo.; and Sean Liddell of St. Louis, Mo., washed cars to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. Right photo:  Shana Standiford of St. Joseph, Mo.; Kendall Shade of Kansas City, Mo.; Nicole Grant of St. Joseph, Mo.; Judy Abongo and Kristen Neeley of Brookfield, Mo.; and Leslie Thompson of Cosby, Mo., made housing components to be used on Habitat Houses.

"Discover Gold Through Service" A Success

Missouri Western State College’s Griffon Edge orientation program for new students added a service component to the program this year, benefiting the community and Habitat for Humanity.

After spending three days getting to know the campus and learning about college life, approximately 800 new Western students, faculty and staff spread throughout the community Aug. 28 for “Discover Gold Through Service,” where they volunteered and raised money for Habitat for Humanity. Students held car washes, made housing components, distributed Habitat literature, worked on a Habitat house, and performed yard work at Habitat houses. They raised approximately $500 for the nonprofit organization.

Kelley Jackson, a junior from Cameron, Mo., was helping out at a car wash at Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Cafe as a student leader. “I think it’s very beneficial to get students started in community service,” she said “There are a lot of opportunities for community service throughout their college careers, and it’s important to give back to the community.”

“We at Western should be proud of these young women and men.  They worked with good spirit and represented Western very, very well,” said Dr. James Scanlon, Western’s president.  

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Former Western Professor Well Known in Field

When Dr. Leo Galloway began teaching at Missouri Western State College in 1972, there were a few plants in a display in a little cabinet in the biology department, and he decided the college needed a better collection of plants of northwest Missouri.

So Dr. Galloway, now professor emeritus of biology, created the college’s internationally registered herbarium that today bears his name. “The herbarium was important. It was nice to have a collection site for plants so a person could document plants in a given area.”

Dr. John Rushin, chair of the biology department, said the herbarium is still widely used in botany classes, and he is glad the collection bears Dr. Galloway’s name.

Dr. Galloway, who retired in 1980, is also well known in the botany field for his research. An 11-page work of his was published last year in “Flora of North America,” a 12-volume reference book for botanists.

“Contributions (to the book) were by invitation only,” said Dr. Galloway. “They chose people who had done their research and were considered experts.” His section in the book covers 19 species of the flower Abronia, which he has researched for over 30 years.

In fact, in 1972, he named and described one species of Abronia found in an area of south Texas that is on the rare and endangered list.

But despite his research success and renown in the botany field, Dr. Galloway fondly remembers his work in the classroom. “I miss the classroom. I had good rapport with the students, and I enjoyed that so much. I feel like I’ve inspired several students. Those are my greatest accomplishments.”

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Western Featured in New York Times Ad

Western has been featured several times in full-page ads in the New York Times because of their participation in the American Democracy Project. The ad has run four times in the past year and lists the names of the 191colleges throughout the nation involved in the Project.

The American Democracy Project is a national initiative to increase the number of students who will be engaged in meaningful civic actions. As a participant in the project, Western is initiating new projects, teaching strategies and extracurricular programs to help students recognize their role as citizens and community leaders, according to Bob Klostermeyer, acting dean of student development.

Klostermeyer said the process begins at Griffon Edge, the orientation program for new students. The administration shares Western’s values with the students, and students pledge to uphold those values throughout their college career. This year, a community service day was added to the orientation program and new students volunteered for Habitat for Humanity.

Also as part of the American Democracy Project, the college held two Big Event days of service, where students volunteered at nonprofit organizations throughout the community.  A leadership retreat is also held in the fall to help develop students’ leadership potential, said Klostermeyer.

Students were encouraged to register to vote at a “Rock the Vote” event on campus that was sponsored by MTV, and Klostermeyer said student organizations continue to offer opportunities to register to vote. He said student groups also plan to host “debate watches,” where campus and community members will be invited to gather to watch the upcoming presidential debates, and participate in discussions following the broadcasts. 

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• Due to the outstanding response for our September 13 Convocation Dinner featuring Bob Woodward, we have moved the location:  It will be at 7 p.m. at the Stoney Creek Inn, 1201 N. Woodbine Road.  To make reservations call 5646 by Sept. 7.  The convocation topic will be "Plan of Attack: President Bush and the War on Terrorism," and will be at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 14 in the Western Fieldhouse.

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Tuesday, September 7

• Printmaking/Mixed Media Gallery Exhibit and Talk, Michael Kruger from University of Kansas, 1 p.m., Gallery 206

Friday, September 10

• West Florida Volleyball Invitational in Pensacola, Fla.

Saturday, September 11

• Football at Southwest Baptist, Bolivar, Mo., 6 p.m.

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• For Sale: Printer and monitor.  Lexmark Printer and NEC monitor, both great condition. If you are interested, please contact Eric 6829.

• Two 250 MB Zip Disks for sale.  Never used, just bought wrong ones.  If interested, call 383-6907.

• For Sale:  Cherry Dining Room Set, excellent condition.  Includes table, 6 chairs, lighted hutch and table protectors.  $800 or best offer.  Call 3924.

• For Sale:  Light Colored Tweed Couches.  Excellent condition.  $100 each.  Call 3924.

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