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Week of October 16 - 22, 2009 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: Homecoming Celebration Continues 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
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 207). 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 271-4124. Student Editor:
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Homecoming Celebration Continues One of the highlights of Homecoming Week at Western was the 27th annual Alumni Awards Banquet Oct. 15 in the Fulkerson Center, sponsored by the office of alumni services. Former presidents Dr. M.O. Looney and Dr. James Scanlon helped to honor this year’s award winners. The Distinguished Alumni Award recipients were Richard Durst ’72, Dirck Clark ’85, and Brent Porlier ’82. The Distinguished Faculty Award recipient is Frank Thomas, retired associate professor of music. The recipients of the Herb ’35 and Peggy Iffert Award for Outstanding Service to the University were Charlie ’55 and Patti ’55 (Wilson) Burri. In recognition of the honor to Thomas, music alumni Mary Ann Haenni and Tom Schneider began organizing an alumni choir, which was directed by two-time Grammy Award winner Charles Bruffy, artistic director of the Kansas City Chorale and Phoenix Chorale and chorus director of the Kansas City Symphony. Remaining Homecoming Week activities include: Friday, Oct. 16
Saturday, Oct. 17
Queen candidates are Megan Gawatz, junior nursing major, of St. Joseph, Mo., nominated by Phi Delta Theta; Kayla Kelder, senior psychology and Spanish major, of St. Joseph, Mo., nominated by Psi Chi/Psychology club; Millie Montemurro, senior elementary physical education major, of St. Joseph, Mo., nominated by Phi Epsilon Kappa; Kendra Myers, junior nursing major, of Independence, Mo., nominated by Alpha Phi Alpha; and Helen Rapone, senior nursing major, of Waynesville, Mo., nominated by Phi Sigma Kappa. King candidates are Luke Akers, senior English education major, of Lawson, Mo., nominated by Sigma Sigma Sigma; Brad Landrum, senior psychology major, of St. Joseph, Mo., nominated by Psi Chi/Psychology club; Drew Newhart, junior physical education major, of Cameron, Mo., nominated by Phi Epsilon Kappa; Logan Parker, senior criminal justice and psychology major, of Gower, Mo., nominated by Phi Delta Theta; and Gene Ryals, senior marketing major, of Independence, Mo., nominated by Phi Sigma Kappa. For more information on student events or the parade, call the Center for Student Engagement, 816-271-4159. For more information about the alumni events, call alumni services at 816-271-5646. To register for an event, visit www.griffonalumni.org. |
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A festival to connect students and audiences with the poetry and music of Missouri will be held next week in St. Joseph. The 2009 Missouri Verses and Voices Festival will take place Oct. 19 and 20 at Frederick Boulevard Baptist Church, 5502 Frederick in St. Joseph. An art exhibition will be open to the public from 6-7:30 p.m. both Monday and Tuesday. At 7:30 p.m. on Monday, the festival presents Verses Alive!, a competition of interpretive readings from the works of Missouri’s Poet Laureate, Walter Bargen. The festival concert, featuring performances by the choirs of Savannah, Central, Lafayette and LeBlond High Schools, the Griffon Junior Singers, the St. Joseph Community Chorus Chamber Choir and the Missouri Western Concert Chorale, will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The concert will also feature readings by Bargen, composer and poet Amy Beth Kirsten and the Verses Alive! reward recipients. Tickets for the Tuesday concert are $10; all other events are free and open to the public. Half of the proceeds from ticket sales support the high school choirs and Griffon Junior Singers, an educational choral music program for grades two through eight coordinated by the Western Institute’s Center for Community Arts. “The festival connects the communities of St. Joseph and Savannah in a creative celebration of Missouri’s music, art and poetry,” said Dr. David Benz, assistant professor of music and one of the festival’s founders. “The purpose of Verses and Voices is to develop learning experiences that teach students to see, shape and share the creative meaning of words.” For the past eight weeks, local students have studied music by Missouri composers and poets, worked on visual art projects that interpret selected poetry of Missouri poets and prepared interpretive readings of poetry by Bargen, who founded the festival with Dr. Benz and Mary Ann Haenni, a 1981 graduate of Western and director of vocal music for the Savannah R-III School District in Savannah, Mo. During the two-day festival, Bargen will make appearances at area schools and read in both of the festival events on Monday and Tuesday evenings. He will also be a part of Western’s celebration of the National Day on Writing, “When Writing Teachers Write VIII,” on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. in the Hoff Community Room, Blum Union 219. Missouri Verses and Voices began last year as a local educational program. It is now a state-level initiative chaired by Georganne Nixon, Missouri’s First Lady, and is partially supported by a matching grant from the Missouri Arts Council. Western’s department of music is also a sponsor. Schedule of events: Monday, Oct. 19
Tuesday, Oct. 20
For more information about the festival, please visit www.versesandvoices.org. |
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Students in the Steven L. Craig School of Business at Western now have a place to learn firsthand how a trading room works, as the Koenig Simmons Trading Room came online this fall. The former conference room on the third floor of Popplewell Hall includes 14 computers loaded with financial trading software and a large television continuously running a ticker of trading information. The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce cut the ribbon on the trading center on Oct. 16. The software, Financial Trading System, offers a real-time environment where students trade with each other. Students manage portfolios using live data from financial markets and learn how to operate in a trading room environment. Western is the first university in Missouri to use the software. Donations from Steven Koenig, who played football for Western in the 1980s, and Jeremy Simmons, a 2006 graduate, made the Koenig Simmons Trading Center possible. Koenig is managing director and co-head of Latin America Sales and Training for JP Morgan in New York. Simmons is a managing director for Allied Business Group in Leawood, Kan. “It’s a great opportunity for students,” Koenig said. “Some bigger universities don’t even have this. This will set Missouri Western apart.” Simmons wanted to support the trading room in memory of his brother, Jamie, who died in a car accident when he was a freshman at Western in 2006. “The trading room could help hundreds of students each semester,” Simmons said. Five finance students attended a national conference for business students with Dr. Sangkyoo Kang, assistant professor of finance, two years ago and returned with a vision of establishing a trading room where students would have access . The students created a presentation for potential donors and began writing letters. Larry Motley Jr. graduated in the spring, before the trading center was completed, but he and his classmates were excited to be a part of the project. “It’s awesome to think we made it happen,” Motley said. “We made the university better for future students. For me it was the most exciting experience in my college career.” The room gives students access to the same tools and real-time information available to Wall Street professionals, Motley said. |
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“Art Beat,” a program to showcase the arts at Western and in the St. Joseph community, will premiere at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 on MWtv, channel 39 on St. Joseph Cablevision and Channel 97 on Allegiance Communications, in Atchison, Kan. “Art Beat” is produced by Western’s Instructional Media Center, and will feature theatre, music, fine arts, cultural activities and more. “This program reflects Western’s commitment to the cultural development of our region,” said Tara Stoll, video communications producer. “Our goal is to help residents learn about the opportunities that exist to enjoy the arts at Western and in the St. Joseph area.” Stacey Park will host Art Beat. Show times include 1 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. More airtimes could be added later. The show can also be viewed at www.missouriwestern.edu/artbeat. The first three shows will feature Artscape, Trails West! and the photography of Amy Holmes-George. Artscape is a week long summer creative arts camp for children grades three through 10, offering classes in a variety of art forms; it is sponsored by the Allied Arts Council and Western’s departments of art and music. Trails West! is northwest Missouri’s largest family arts festival, offering entertainment, great food, arts and crafts, special kids and young adult activities and more. Amy Holmes-George, a fine art photographer and educator from Dallas, recently had her photography exhibit, “Double Vision: A View of Florence Past and Present” on display in the Potter Hall Gallery. |
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Griffon Football Western went on the road and spoiled Truman State’s homecoming with a 38-14 victory over the Bulldogs on Oct. 10. The Griffon defense limited Truman State to 199 yards of total offense in the victory. Cedric Houston returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown and compiled 166 return yards to earn MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Western is now 6-1 on the season, 4-1 in the MIAA. Their homecoming matchup against the Mules of Central Missouri pits them against a team with identical overall and conference records, and very similar rankings. UCM is No. 14 and Western is No. 15 in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll. The Griffons are No. 13 in the D2football.com media poll and the Mules are No. 16. In the Super Region 4 rankings, Western is ranked 4th and Central is 7th. The top six teams advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs. Kickoff Saturday, Oct. 17 is at 1:30 p.m. at Spratt Stadium. Griffon Volleyball Western got their first conference win of the season on the road over rival Northwest Missouri State in five games (25-22, 23-25, 22-25, 25-15 and 15-12) on Wednesday, Oct. 14. The victory snaps an 11-game losing streak and moves the Griffons’ record to 8-14 overall and 1-8 in the MIAA. The Griffons have two more road matches coming up, traveling to Truman State Saturday Oct. 17 and Fort Hays State Wednesday, Oct. 21. Both matches start at 7 p.m. The Griffons return home for matches against Emporia State Friday, Oct. 23 and Washburn Saturday, Oct. 24. Griffon Soccer Western fought Nebraska-Omaha to a 1-1 tie on Thursday, Oct. 15. The Griffons scored their goal less than seven minutes into the contest, as Audrey Henderson scored her fourth goal of the season. The Mavericks tied it up a few minutes later, and the two teams battled to a draw through the end of regulation and two overtime periods. Previously, the Griffons had lost a hard-fought battle to Central Missouri, losing 1-0 on Oct. 10. Western is now 5-9-1 overall and 3-7-1 in conference play. They travel to Truman State on Saturday, Oct. 17 (the match had been scheduled at home, but Truman was forced to play a match at Western on Oct. 1 because of wet fields in Kirksville, Mo.) The game kicks off at noon. The Griffons return home for their final home match of the 2009 season when they host Missouri Southern at Spratt Stadium at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Griffon Women’s Golf The women’s golf team is wrapping up the fall portion of the schedule at the Avila University Fall Invitational Oct. 15 and 15 at St. Andrews Golf Course in Overland Park, Kan. Griffon Athletics Supports Second Harvest Western athletics is asking Griffon fans to bring non-perishable food items for the Second Harvest of Greater St. Joseph to Saturday’s homecoming football game against the Mules. Look for the American Family Insurance collection barrels. The Griffon women’s golf team will also be collecting cash donations in the stands during the game. |
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Banner Upgrade The Banner system and Luminis portal will be unavailable from 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 through 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, so that both can be updated to the latest versions. The update is required by the vendor SungardHE. All other systems, including Groupwise and WebCT, will remain available. If you have any questions about the conversion, contact Mark Mabe, director of Information Technology Services. "The Art of Fantasy" Dr. Nathanael May, assistant professor, will present an evening of piano music titled “The Art of Fantasy” at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 in the Potter Hall Theater. Dr. May will present fantasies written for piano by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Havhaness and Brahms. American Mensa American Mensa will conduct an admission test at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 17 in Murphy Hall, room 113. American Mensa is an organization for anyone who scores in the top two percent of the general population on an accepted, standardized intelligence test. The testing session at Western is held in conjunction with Mensa’s National Testing Day on Oct. 17. The test is open to the general public. Anyone over 14 may take the test, although parental permission is required for ages 14-17. The fee is $40. The test will take about two hours to complete, and test takers will be required to show photo identification. For more information, visit www.usmensa.org. You may also contact Dr. Richard Porr, associate professor of education and proctor of the testing session, at 816-271-4332, or porr@missouriwestern.edu. Photography Exhibit Rebecca Foley, assistant professor of art, will exhibit “There Goes the Neighborhood: Photographs of Foreclosures and Other Homes Lost,” beginning Monday, Oct. 19, in the Potter Hall Gallery. There will be an opening reception at 1 p.m. Oct. 19 in the gallery. The exhibit will be on display 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday through Nov. 11. There is no admission charge. Student Excellence Fund Student Excellence funding requests must be submitted to the Foundation Office, Spratt 111, no later than 4:30 p.m. Oct. 19. The Student Excellence Fund is a source of financial assistance provided to Western students through the MWSU Foundation. This fund reimburses students for expenses incurred while presenting papers, participating in competitions, seminars, etc. For detailed information go to: http://www.missouriwestern.edu/foundation/excellence.asp If questions, please contact Kim Weddle at extension 5647.National Writing Day The Prairie
Lands Writing at Western will celebrate the National Day on Writing with a
program titled "When Writing Teachers Write VIII," featuring readings by
Missouri Poet Laureate Walter Bargen and area teachers, from 6 - 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 20 in the Hoff Community Room, Blum 219. The event is free
and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
Students and
the public are also encouraged to join the celebration by submitting a
piece of writing to the online Northwest Missouri Gallery of Writing. For
submission guidelines, visit PLWP’s web site at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/plwp/ndw/.
Foreign Film Series The department of English, foreign languages, and journalism will be hosting two foreign films "Seducing Dr. Lewis" on Oct. 19 and "El Norte" on Oct. 21, both films will air at 6:30 p.m. in Hearnes 102. Toys for Tots Faculty, Students, and Staff it is time for “Toys 4 Tots” new and unwrapped toys and canned goods collection. Cash will be accepted as well for donation at Dr. DJ Champagne’s office in Popplewell 212L. Last year you all assisted me in collecting over 300 pounds of new toys, several boxes of canned goods, and $17 cash donations. I hope you all will help me gather even more this season from now until Friday, December 4. I will deliver all donations to the American Legion Post #359 on December 5 for the annual Community Dart Tournament with our local Marine’s in attendance. I will appreciate all of your help. For Employees Employee Wellness The 2009 MWSU Annual Wellness Screening and Benefits Fair will be held on Oct. 20th and 21st, from 6-10 a.m. in the Fulkerson Center and Spratt 214-216. This screening is available to all Western employees, employee spouses, and retirees. Electronic registration is available by clicking on the wellness registration link at the bottom of the Western Home Page. The wellness screen is a FREE benefit for all employees and spouses covered under Western's medical plan. There is a $30 fee for those not covered by the University's insurance. Brown Bag Lunch The Special Events Committee of the Staff Association is excited to announce it's first brown bag lunch topic of the year at 12 p.m. Oct. 22 in Blum 218. Please bring your own lunch and join us for a great presentation and discussion. Dan Danford will be presenting "Money Made Easy: Simple Steps to Financial Success." Danford is founder, principal and CEO of Family Investment Center, he is a nationally recognized expert on all areas of personal finance. Danford also serves on Western's Board of Governors. For Students Midterm Grades Midterm grades for the Fall 2009 semester are posted on banner. |
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Friday, October 16
Saturday, October 17
Monday, October 19
Tuesday, October 20
Wednesday, October 21
Thursday, October 22
Friday, October 23
Saturday, October 24
Sunday, October 25
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Oak entertainment center for sale. Holds 32 inch TV. Has 3 component shelves with an etched glass door. TV opening has doors that slide back into cabinet. Unit is 26 inches deep, 51 inches tall and 65 inches long at the bottom. In near-perfect shape. Any offer considered. Call Sandy at 271-4151. |
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are welcome to submit ads to the Western ADvantage each week.
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