John Rushin Teaching and Research Prairie Dedication

On Oct. 31, Missouri Western unveiled a project the department of biology has been working on for the last six years.

The John Rushin Teaching and Research Prairie will provide opportunities for Missouri Western faculty and students to have real world applied learning labs. The prairie also includes a cross country trail and will be open to the public.

The prairie is in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation and is named after John Rushin, a retired professor of biology and wildlife conservation for 33 years.

Dr. Mark Mills, chair of the department of biology, said this project will never be finished and it will provide a great opportunity for applied learning.

“We can actually have outdoor labs here,” Mills said. “We are the applied learning university in the state of Missouri, so we want students to get hands-on experience doing things here on the campus which includes this prairie.”