December 4
Music Theory Extravaganza
6:30 p.m.
Potter Hall Theater

December 5
Light Up Western
6-8 p.m.
Fulkerson Center

December 5-8
Short and Sweet
Short Plays and Films
Kemper Recital Hall, Spratt Hall

December 7
"Godzilla: King of the Metaphors"
Popular Culture Talk
11 a.m.
East Hills Library
502 N. Woodbine Road, St. Joseph

December 13
International & Multicultural Graduation Farewell and Sash Ceremony
3 p.m.
Blum 222/223

December 14
Commencement
11 a.m.
MWSU Fieldhouse

December 18
International Cooking Class -- France
4 p.m.
Commons Kitchen (by Residence Halls)

Dec. 23-Jan. 1
Winter Break
No classes, offices closed

Dec. 31, Jan. 4 & 6, 23 & 25
Women’s and Men’s Basketball
Looney Complex

January 13
Spring Semester Begins

January 20
Martin Luther King Day
Campus Closed

January 22
Martin Luther King, Jr. Banquet
6 p.m.
Spratt Hall Enright Rooms 214-216

February 11
Zuzu African Acrobats
7 p.m.
Spratt Hall Kemper Recital Hall

February 6
Jazz Festival
Potter Hall

February 10
Middle School & High School Honor Choir
7 p.m.
Fulkerson Center 

February 17
Presidents Day
Campus Open
Classes Held 

February 22
Griffon Showcase for Prospective Students
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Blum Union
Missouriwestern.edu/admissions/visit

The Career Development Center is hosting an All Majors Career Fair on  Thursday, Dec. 5 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Fulkerson Center.  

If you are seeking employment opportunities or if you are an employer who is seeking talented candidates, please join us!

Seeking employment opportunities:

• Bring your resume and be ready to network with over 50  employers

Participating as an employer:

• There is no cost to register
• You will be provided with 1 5-foot table and 2 chairs
• Guest access to MWSU WiFi Network
• Parking passes will be available at the registration table
• Register on the following link: All Majors Career Fair - Employer Registration 
• Deadline to register is 4:30 p.m. Monday, December 2.

If you need assistance or have any questions, please contact Claudia Baer at cbaer1@missouriwestern.edu.

Alumni are invited to join the Griffon Block Party in downtown St. Joseph on Saturday, Dec. 7.

There will be caroling and Griffon cookies, and specials and promos from downtown businesses
2-6 p.m. - Visit Santa – Concession stand
4 p.m. - Story hour with Will Stuck – Manic Snail
5-8 p.m. - Horse/Carriage Rides – Holiday Alley (Felix Street between 7th and 8th)
5-8 p.m. Free Hot Cocoa – Concession stand

Every evening from Nov. 30 through Dec. 22, downtown will host Merry Memories: A Holiday Window Tour and visitors vote on their favorite merchant window displays.

Visit WWW.DOWNTOWNFIRST.ORG/holidaysdowntown for more information.

Join us at our November luncheon and hear from our scholarship recipients! A few of our nontraditional students will share their stories and challenges Thursday, Nov. 21, with a social at 11:30 a.m. followed by lunch and meeting at noon in the Enright Room, Spratt Hall 216. Register here: griff.vn/luncheon or call 816-271-5646. Cost is $16.

The Ambassadors group is composed of Missouri Western supporters, staff, faculty, volunteers and business people in our area who provide a bridge between the campus and community. Guest speakers increase the community’s awareness of the educational, cultural and financial benefits that Missouri Western brings to the greater St. Joseph area.

Our focus is to raise funds for scholarships for nontraditional students. The Ambassadors host Night at the Ritz, our annual fund-raiser for scholarships. To date, we have distributed nearly a half million dollars to more than 800 students!

Dates to save:
Luncheons: Thursday, Mar 19, 2020
Night at the Ritz, Apr 23, 2020 – details coming soon!

The MWSU Chamber Singers will present their annual concert series with area high schools on Thursday, Dec. 5 and Friday, Dec. 6.

High Schools featured are the Grandview Concert Choir, conducted by Mr. Micah Horton, and the Park Hill South High School Chamber Choir, conducted by Ms. Elizabeth Brockhoff. This series provides the opportunity for high school students and University students to collaborate and share their love for choral music in a professional atmosphere.

The Dec. 5 concert will be held at Wyatt Park Christian Church at 2623 Mitchell Avenue, and the Dec.  6  concert is at First Presbyterian Church at 301 N. 7th Street, both in Saint Joseph. Both concerts will begin at 7 p.m., and admission is free and open to the public.

November 4-29
Juried Art Student Exhibition
Potter Hall Gallery

November 20
International Fair
3-6 p.m.
Fulkerson Center
Free

November 20
Choral Winter Concert & Student Conductor Showcase
7:30 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church, 201 N. 7th St.

November 21
48 Hour Film Festival Screening
7 p.m.
Potter Hall Theater
Free

Nov. 24-Dec. 1
Fall Break
Campus Closed

December 4
Music Theory Extravaganza
6:30 p.m.
Potter Hall Theater

December 5
Light Up Western
6-8 p.m.
Fulkerson Center

December 5-8
Short and Sweet
Short Plays and Films
Kemper Recital Hall, Spratt Hall

December 7
"Godzilla: King of the Metaphors"
Popular Culture Talk
11 a.m.
East Hills Library
502 N. Woodbine Road, St. Joseph

December 14
Commencement
11 a.m.
MWSU Fieldhouse

December 18
International Cooking Class -- France
4 p.m.
Commons Kitchen (by Residence Halls)

Dec. 23-Jan. 1
Winter Break
Campus Closed

January 13
Spring Semester Begins

Missouri Western added women's lacrosse as the 17^th NCAA Division II varsity sport at the University. The team will become active in the 2020-21 academic year and begin competition in the spring of 2021.

Missouri Western will become the fourth NCAA Division II member in the state of Missouri to add the sport and the first from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). Missouri Western will be the only public DII member in the state of Missouri sponsoring women's lacrosse.

A national search for the program's head coach is underway. The sport will be played on Craig Field in Spratt Memorial Stadium.

Women's lacrosse is the fastest growing NCAA sport, with a 58.3% increase in sport sponsorship over the past 10 years. It is also the fastest growing DII sport with a 129.7% increase in the last 10 years. Currently, 109 NCAA DII members sponsor women's lacrosse.

Football
The Griffons lost to University of Nebraska-Kearney 49-21 on Senior Day at home Nov. 9, but won on the road Nov. 16 at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, 71-8. That win gave them their eighth win of the season for the first time in six years.

Their 8-3 regular-season record earned them an invite to the Agent Barry Live United Bowl in Texarkana, Arkansas for the second consecutive year. The Griffons will play Henderson State at noon on Dec. 7.

Volleyball
The volleyball team played their final regular-season match on Nov. 16, taking down Central Oklahoma in straight sets to secure fifth place in the conference standings and the fifth seed in the MIAA postseason tournament.

They will face Northwest Missouri at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21 at Hy-Vee Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.

Men's and Women's Basketball
Both men's and women's basketball have been busy on the court since their seasons opened at the Civic Arena Nov. 8. After wins over University of Minnesota-Duluth, Southwest Baptist and College of Saint Mary (Nebraska), the women stand at 3-1. They don't play again until the Fairfield Inn Classic at home Nov. 29 and 30.

The men's record is 2-3 after an overtime win over Missouri S & T at home Nov. 17, 66-64.  Tyler Carroll sunk a jumper with one second remaining to give the Griffons the win. Next up, the men play Nebraska Christian College at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20 at home. They will play in the Thanksgiving Classic Nov. 29 and 30 in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Boys and girls in grades 2 through 8 can join the Griffon basketball teams Tuesday, Nov. 5 for a free youth basketball clinic presented by Hillyard Inc.

The clinic, hosted in conjunction with the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic, will be held in the MWSU Fieldhouse from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Each participant will receive a free t-shirt and two tickets to the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic, Nov. 8 and 9 at Civic Arena in downtown St. Joseph.

Sign up now by calling 816-271-4481; spots are limited.

Football Thumps Pittsburg State
Griffon Football (7-2) picked up its first win over Pittsburg State (5-4) since 2012, 35-21, Saturday, Nov. 2 at Carnie Smith Stadium in Pittsburg, Kansas. An impressive defensive performance pushed the Griffons' win streak to six games this season and gave MWSU its ninth straight win in an away stadium.

Pittsburg State scored 14 of its points and gained 212 of its 471 yards in the fourth quarter against mostly reserve defensive players for the Griffons. Missouri Western led 21-0 at the half to give the defense six straight shutout quarters. The Gorillas scored their first touchdown on their opening drive of the second half, but Missouri Western answered on its next drive. Anthony Vespo finished the Griffons' fourth scoring drive after Wyatt Steigerwald exited with a shoulder injury. Vespo went on to lead another scoring drive, the second capped by his first career touchdown, a 5-yard run with 27 seconds left in the third quarter.

Missouri Western matched its win total from last year with two games to go. It's the first seven-win regular season for the Griffons since 2014 (7-4). The Griffons play at home this Saturday, Nov. 9 against University of Nebraska-Kearney. It is Senior Day.

Men's Basketball
Men's basketball kicked off its season at the Small College Basketball National Hall of Fame Classic presented by Hillyard Inc. It was held at the St. Joseph Civic Arena. The Griffons lost their opener to Southern Nazarene University (Bethany, Oklahoma) and the second game to  Daemen College (Amherst, New York).

The Daemen game was close one, 68-64. Missouri Western led for more than 33 minutes, including a 62-61 lead with 1:41 left, but a Daemen layup gave the Wildcats a 63-62 lead they never relinquished.

The team will host the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic Nov. 8 and 9 at the Civic Arena. They will play their first game at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8.

Soccer Ends Season with a Narrow Loss to UCM
The 2019 Griffon Soccer (4-11-3, 1-8-2 MIAA) season ended with a 3-2 loss to No. 4 Central Missouri (15-1-1, 9-0-1) on Nov. 3 at Spratt Memorial Stadium.

Missouri Western got goals from Taylor Schwartzkopf and MaKenzie Billings in the game. Schwartzkopf's goal came in the 41^st minute with assists from Billings and Kylie Mathis and made the score 2-1 UCM. After the Jennies took a 3-1 lead on Macy Ruffalo's second goal of the game in the 56^th, Billings again got MWSU within a goal off an assist from Claire Meyers in the 81^st.

The Griffons out-shot UCM in the second period 10-9 after just two shots in the first half to the Jennies' 17. Anna Mayer saved 11 shots. The sophomore ended the year with 122 saves, third most ever in a season by a Griffon. UCM managed 14 corner kicks in the game to just three by MWSU.

MWSU missed the postseason for the first time since 2013 and finished with its fewest wins and most losses since that 2013 season.

Volleyball Clinches a Postseason Berth
Griffon Volleyball (14-10, 8-8 MIAA) clinched a spot in the MIAA Championships with a dramatic 3-1 win at Pittsburg State (12-13, 7-9), Saturday night.

Down 24-21 in the fourth, the Griffons ended the set on a 7-3 run to win the set, the match and clinch a postseason berth. MWSU scored four straight to stay alive and take a 25-24 lead in the fourth. The Griffs scored the first two off blocks Danielle Moje and Ali Tauchen. Tauchen then had four straight kills and a Sam Duncan kill ended it.

The Griffons held on to take a 1-0 lead (25-23) in the first then controlled the second 25-20. MWSU was in position for the sweep, leading 17-11 in the third before the Gorillas went on a 9-3 run to take a 20-19 lead then forcing the fourth, 25-22.

Not only did the Griffons clinch their spot in the MIAA Championships, but they claimed sole possession of sixth place in the MIAA standings and moved a half game behind Central Oklahoma for fifth.

They also beat Missouri Southern on Nov. 1.

The team will play their fourth straight road game with a nonconference match with William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri Nov. 5.

Women's Basketball in Hillyard Classic  
Women's basketball lost an exhibition game at Iowa State University (Ames) on Oct. 30 and will play in the St. Joseph Civic Arena this coming weekend at the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic. Their first game is at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8 against Concordia University-St. Paul.

This past summer, Assistant Professor of Art Kathy Liao, four students and two alumni, painted a 80' x 20' mural on the side of a building in Southside St. Joseph. Now, this semester, they are painting panels for the facade of the Livestock Exchange Building, around the corner from their original project.

The Livestock Exchange Building is historic building at 4603 Packers Avenue that used to be major cultural and business hub for the livestock industry earlier in the century. The building, vacant for many years, has been picked up by the Friends of St Joseph Society with hopes to repair and return it to its original glory and bring arts, entertainment, and business back into that area.

Through class projects this semester, students are working on site-specific design to showcase the rich history of the building. They are creating painted panels to go over the first floor windows, and making art to beautify the fence lines, front entrances columns and walls. The artwork should be completed and installed by the beginning of November. The goal is to bring attention to the building and generate interest and renewed excitement towards the renovation of the building.

The Center for Franchise Development in the Craig School of Business has a unique opportunity for alumni with an entrepreneurial spirit! The Applied Business Ownership class will be offered in the Spring semester, beginning Jan. 13, 2020.

Participants in the class will develop a business plan and compete for the chance to own and operate their own franchise. Since the class was first offered in the Spring of 2009, graduates of the course have opened more than 30 stores across the country.

Registration for alumni is now open. For more details about this exciting opportunity, contact:
Pam Klaus
Director, Center for Franchise Development
Steven L. Craig School of Business
Missouri Western State University
pklaus@missouriwestern.edu
816-262-9769

November 4-29
Juried Art Student Exhibition
Potter Hall Gallery

November 8
Walk for the Homeless
4 p.m.
6th and Messanie

November 11
Percussion Extravaganza
7:30 p.m.
Potter Hall Theater

November 12
Purple Heart University Designation
3 p.m.
Fulkerson Center

November 11-14
Tunnel of Oppression
10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Blum 223

November 20
International Fair
3-6 p.m.
Fulkerson Center
Free

November 20
Choral Winter Concert & Student Conductor Showcase
7:30 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church, 201 N. 7th St.

November 21
48 Hour Film Festival Screening
7 p.m.
Potter Hall Theater

Nov. 24-Dec. 1
Fall Break
Campus Closed

December 4
Music Theory Extravaganza
6:30 p.m.
Potter Hall Theater

December 5
Light Up Western
6-8 p.m.
Fulkerson Center

December 5-8
Short and Sweet
Short Plays and Films
Kemper Recital Hall, Spratt Hall

December 14
Commencement
11 a.m.
MWSU Fieldhouse

Dec. 23-Jan. 1
Winter Break
Campus Closed

January 13
Spring Semester Begins

Please join the Alumni Association and Dr. Jimmy Albright for an unforgettable tour of Egypt.

On May 20-31, 2020, we will spend 12 days touring “Ancient Egypt and the Nile River” from Cairo to Aswan.

The cost of the trip is $4,299 per person. Included in the cost is: air ticket, touring, 4-star hotels, breakfast and dinner daily and five lunches. Not included: tips, carrier surcharges, Egypt entrance Visa, three lunches, drinks, optional travel insurance and items of a personal nature.

Call Alicia Otto at (816) 271-5670 for deadlines and questions.

Seven former student athletes and one team will be honored at the Rogers Pharmacy Hall of Fame Weekend October 26. Congratulations!

Reggie Alexander
Men’s Basketball 1999-2001
Reggie Alexander was a dominant inside presence on teams that won 38 combined games. His 50 blocked shots in the 1999-2000 season still rank as the most ever by a Griffon. He also scored 458 points that season, breaking a Missouri Western single-season record at the time, currently ranking 11^th. Alexander also broke the University’s single-season rebounds record with 200 and currently ranks eighth. His 184 field goals in 1999-2000 rank as the fifth most in a season at Missouri Western; his 6.9 rebounds per game rank ninth and his 138 defensive rebounds also rank ninth. Alexander was named second-team All-MIAA in 2000 and was a first- team selection in 2001. He was also named first- team Daktronics All-South Central Region and second-team NABC All-South Central Region in 2001.

Jarrett Brooks ’09
Football 2003-06
An all-purpose threat on Griffon teams that combined to win 32 games, Jarrett Brooks finished his career with 27 touchdowns and 4,408 all-purpose yards. He ranks 10^th all-time at Missouri Western in total touchdowns and eighth in receiving touchdowns (21). His 133 receptions are fourth most in Griffon history and his 2,099 receiving yards rank seventh. The all-purpose total is fourth best in program history while his 162 points are ninth most. Brooks’ 1,675 kick return yards are the second-most ever by a Griffon and his 541 punt-return yards are third most. He returned two punts and two kicks for touchdowns in his career. Brooks was a first team All-MIAA selection in 2006 as a wide receiver and as a returner. He also received honorable mention D2Football.com All-American as a returner in 2006.

Tracy Jones ’01
Women's Tennis 1996-99
Tracy Jones was a three-time top-three finisher in the MIAA Championships at No. 1 singles and led the team to its only appearance in the NCAA postseason in 1998. Jones was a second- team All-MIAA selection in 1997, finishing second at No. 1 singles and third at No. 1 doubles. The next year, she again finished second at No. 1 singles and second as part of the Griffons’ No. 1 doubles team at the MIAA Championships. She helped the team to an appearance in the NCAA regional tournament that season. In 1999, Jones finished third at the top singles spot and second at No. 1 doubles in the MIAA Championships for a third-team All-MIAA honor. Jones went on to serve as both an assistant and head women’s tennis coach at Missouri Western and is currently a physical therapist assistant.

Jessica (Koch) Williams ’12
Women's Basketball 2007-12
The all-time leading scorer in the program’s history, Jessica Williams scored 1,776 career points. She is also the program’s all-time leader in made free throws (394); ranks second all-time in made field goals (615); ranks third in assists (387) and ranks fifth in made 3-pt field goals (152). Her 595 points during the 2011-12 season are the most in program history along with her
22-point average that season. Her 16.6 points-per-game average the previous season ranks 10^th best in program history.

Also in 2011-12, she made 139 free throws, also a single-season record. Williams made 204 field goals that season, second most ever by a Griffon. A versatile guard, William’s 7.2 rebound per game averaged in 2009-10 is tied for the ninth best in program history. Her 107 assists in the 2010-11 season ranks 10^th most in Griffon history. She also blocked 25 shots and recorded 76 steals (T-4^th) in the 2011-12 season.

Williams also holds single-game records for field goals made (17) and free throws made (14). Williams scored 38 points at Southwest Baptist in 2012, tied for third-most ever by a Griffon. Her six made threes against Washburn in 2012 are tied for the second most in program history. Following her final season, she was an honorable mention WBCA All-American, second-team Daktronics All-South Central Region and first-team All-MIAA. Williams was a second-team All-MIAA selection in 2011; honorable mention in 2010; and was named MIAA Freshman of the Year in 2009.

Taira Roth ’04
Women’s Golf 2002-04
A two-sport athlete, Taira Roth also participated as a member of the women’s basketball team, but she becomes the women’s golf program’s first-ever Athletics Hall of Fame inductee. She reached as high as No. 36 in the nation, the third highest ever by a Griffon women’s golfer. Her 8.17 versus par score in 2003-04 ranks 11^th best in program history. She won seven tournaments total, second most all-time at Missouri Western, and four in the 2003-04 season, which also ranks second-most in University history.

Michael Schulze ’13
Baseball 2012-13
In two short years, Michael Schulze left Missouri Western as the most decorated baseball student athlete in program history. He was named the 2013 National Player of the Year by Daktronics and the National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association. Schulze was also a finalist for the inaugural Josh Willingham Award. In 2013, Schulze’s honors also included MIAA Player of the Year, first-team All-MIAA, Daktronics Central Region Player of the Year, first-team Daktronics All-Region, ABCA Central Region Player of the Year, first-team ABCA All-Region, first-team Daktronics All-American, first-team ABCA/Rawlings All-American, NCBWA Central Region Player of the Year, first-team NCBWA All-Region, first-team NCBWA All-American and MIAA Honor Roll. His .400 career batting average ranks first all-time at Missouri Western and his .439 average in the 2013 season is also the best in Griffon baseball history. Schulze helped lead the Griffons to their first MIAA Championship in 2013. He received honorable mention All-MIAA at shortstop in 2012. Following his two-year Griffon career, Schulze was drafted in the 19^th round by the St. Louis Cardinals and played in their minor league system for four years.

Kara (Unger) Rosonke ’06
Softball 2005-06
Kara Rosonke was a two-time first-team All-MIAA selection, helping the Griffons at the plate, in the field and in the circle. She helped lead the program to its first-ever NCAA postseason appearance. She was named first-team All-MIAA and NFCA All-Region as a utility player in 2005. In 2006, Rosonke was a first-team All-MIAA and second-team NFCA ALL-Region outfielder. She was also named first-team ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2006. Her .609 slugging percentage ranks third all-time at Missouri Western and her .406 career on base percentage ranks 10^th best. Her 23 home runs are ninth most in program history. She was also a key piece of the Griffon pitching staff, going 14-7 with a 2.64 career ERA. She had seven complete games and four career shutouts. Rosonke struck out 110 batters to just 39 walks.

1994-95 Men’s Basketball Team
The team became Head Coach Tom Smith’s first to sweep the MIAA regular season and postseason championships. The Griffons won their first 12 games before a five-point overtime loss at Missouri Southern. Its final victory, 66-58 over Washburn in the MIAA Championship final, gave the team a Missouri Western record 26^th win. Reaching as high as No. 4 in the NCAA DII rankings, the team went 26-5 overall, 13-3 in conference play, and hosted the NCAA South Central Region Championships.

Now on SALE!
The MWSU Organization of Student Social Workers is selling “I MY Griffon” blankets!

Price: 1/$25 OR 2/$40 Size: 55" x 65"
We have a limited availability, and these will be sold on a first come, first serve basis.

A raffle will be held for the 1 remaining yellow blanket in stock. Tickets for this blanket are $1 each and can be purchased in Wilson 204.

No limit to how many raffle entries you may purchase!

These make great gifts for family and friends!

To purchase a blanket please visit Wilson 204 or contact:
Roxanne Bade – rbade@missouriwestern.edu OR Tori Bond – vbond@missouriwestern.edu