News Releases

The Missouri Western Alumni Association invites alumni, parents and community members to an informational meeting about a planned trip to Greece next May. The meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27 in the Enright Community Room, Spratt Hall room 214. Dr. Jimmy Albright, who teaches archaeology at Missouri Western, will lead the trip, which will include 11 days visiting ancient sites such as the Parthenon, the Temple of Delphi and the Temple of Apollo along with three days cruising to Mykonos, Ephesus and Santorini. For additional information, please contact Colleen Kowich at ckowich@missouriwestern.edu or 816-271-5650. Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive[Read More]

High school and college students are invited to the first annual Medical Laboratory Science Night from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27 in Agenstein Hall, room 330 on the campus of Missouri Western State University. The event is free and open to the public. Medical laboratory scientists are a critical part of the patient health care team working in hospital and contract laboratories across the nation. Students will have the chance to meet with practicing professionals in the field and participate in interactive exhibits. Missouri Western is partnering with Mosaic Life Care, St. Luke’s Hospital, North Kansas City Hospital and Encompass[Read More]

A political geographer from Virginia will present a talk titled “Boasts of the Confederacy? Race, Memory and the Politics of Monument Landscapes in Southeast Virginia” at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27 in Agenstein Hall, room 224 on the campus of Missouri Western State University. The event is free and open to the public. Dr. Jonathan Leib is professor and chair of the Department of Political Science and Geography at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. His research interest have largely focused on political and cultural change in the American South, with an emphasis on the politics of Civil Rights symbols as[Read More]

Amal Kassir, a young Muslim Syrian-American poet,  storyteller and activist, will speak at Missouri Western State University at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26 in the Kemper Recital Hall, Spratt Hall room 101. The presentation is free and open to the public. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Kassir has performed in 10 countries and more than 45 cities. She has conducted workshops, given lectures and recited her poetry in venues ranging from youth prisons to orphanages to refugee camps to universities to churches to community spaces for the public. She advocates for education and building individual agency in underserved and vulnerable[Read More]

The Center for Student Involvement at Missouri Western State University presents the Standing in Your Truth Lecture Series with Michael Brown Sr. at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27 in the Kemper Recital Hall, Spratt Hall room 101. The presentation is free and open to the public. Michael Brown Jr. was fatally shot by a police officer in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. His death sparked a week of protests. Brown Sr. will share the true story of his experience of his son’s death, and reveal who Michael Brown Jr. was beyond the often demonizing media portrayals. He will speak to his[Read More]

Missouri Western State University will host its 22nd annual Reading of Challenged and Banned Books in recognition of the American Library Association’s National Banned Books Week from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27 in the Hoff Conference Room, Blum Student Union room 218. The reading is free and open to the public. Missouri Western students and faculty will be joined by members of the St. Joseph community to read from books that have been either banned or challenged in U.S. schools in recent years. Refreshments will be served following the reading. The event is sponsored by Missouri Western’s Department of English[Read More]

Faculty members in the Department of Art at Missouri Western State University will display recent work at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, 2818 Frederick Avenue in St. Joseph, Sept. 14-Nov. 4, 2018. The public is invited to meet the artists during an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14. There is no charge to attend the opening. Faculty members exhibiting their art include Peter Britton, Rebecca Foley, David Harris, Teresa Harris, Eric Fuson, Matt Hepworth, Peter Hriso and Kathy Liao. Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree[Read More]

Missouri Western State University student media outlets will host an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14. The open house will showcase award-winning student publications the Griffon Yearbook, Griffon News, Griffon Update, Reach (formerly Canvas) and Mochila Review. Celebrate the accomplishments of dedicated, hard-working talented students with food, drink and Max the Griffon. The open house will be held in the offices of the publications: Eder Hall, room 221, and Murphy Hall, rooms 204, 206 and 208. Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers[Read More]

The Student Employment Program in the Career Development Center at Missouri Western State University will hold its fifth annual Part-Time Job Fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19 in the Fulkerson Center. On-campus and off-campus employers will meet with students to talk about current and future part-time job opportunities. Employers who want to participate can contact the Student Employment Program at 816-271-4292 or email studentemployment@missouriwestern.edu. Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and[Read More]

An attorney from Legal Aid will talk about family law rights at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 20 in Blum Student Union, rooms 222 and 223 on the campus of Missouri Western State University. The presentation is free and open to the public. Divorce, child support and orders of protection against abusive partners are among the topics that will be covered. The program will help anyone with family law problems or who knows someone with these problems. Legal Aid holds office hours on campus every Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. in Blum 213. The presentation and office hours are co-sponsored by the[Read More]

Missouri Western State University will host two former members of the U.S. House of Representatives to celebrate Constitution Day 2018 on Monday, Sept. 17. Dan Maffei, a Democrat from New York, and Steven Kuykendall, a Republican from California, will meet with students and give two public presentations as part of the Congress to Campus program of the Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership. The first presentation, “Congress and the Constitution,” is at 10 a.m. Sept. 17 in the Enright Community Room, Spratt Hall rooms 214-216. The second presentation, “Why Congress?” is at 7 p.m. in the Hoff Conference Room, Blum Student Union[Read More]

The Legal Studies Association, a student organization at Missouri Western State University, will host a program on assisting transgender clients with gender marker changes at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, in Agenstein Hall, room 324. The presentation is free and open to the public. The presentation will focus on how attorneys can help transgender clients with ID document changes. The program includes cultural competency training on transgender issues as well as instruction in pursuing name change and gender marker change petitions. Presenters will be Johnda Boyce, a Kansas City based attorney, and Jay-Marie Hill, statewide coordinator of the ACLU-Missouri Transgender Education and[Read More]

The Board of Governors at Missouri Western State University met in special session to discuss the process for selecting the next president of Missouri Western. The Board voted to appoint a search committee of up to 24 people, chaired by David Liechti, chairman of the Board of Governors. Three other governors will join Liechti on the committee: voting members Al Purcell and Debbie Smith and student representative Paul Granberry III. The remainder of the committee will be comprised of faculty, staff, administrators and members of the community. The search committee will evaluate presidential applicants and help identify finalists to bring to campus[Read More]

A St. Joseph native and veteran police officer has been named chief of the Missouri Western State University Police Department. Jill Voltmer has worked for the Missouri Western police since June, 2017. Before that, she spent 24 years in the Patrol and Detective Divisions of the St. Joseph Police Department, including more than 15 years as a sergeant. “I am excited to have someone with Jill’s level of expertise fill this position,” said Dr. Cale Fessler, vice president for financial planning and administration. “Her knowledge and experience will serve the University well.” “I am honored to be chosen for this position and[Read More]

The Western Activities Council at Missouri Western State University presents comedian Samuel J. Comroe live in concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6 in the Kemper Recital Hall, Spratt Hall room 101. Comroe’s performance, part of his “I Got 99 Problems But a Twitch Ain’t One” tour, is free and open to the public. Comroe was a contestant on America’s Got Talent and has been featured on TBS’s “Conan,” BET’s “Real Husbands of Hollywood with Kevin Hart,” and was recently feature on All Def Digital’s Comedy Originals. He performs at more than 100 clubs and colleges annually and has more than[Read More]

As the fall 2018 semester starts at Missouri Western State University, preliminary enrollment data indicates more than 1,050 incoming freshmen are beginning their college career, an increase of approximately 7 percent over last year and more than 22 percent higher than it was in fall 2016. "To see this kind of growth in freshman enrollment in back-to-back years is remarkable," said Dr. Paul Orscheln, associate vice president for enrollment management and student retention. "Following up a double-digit percentage increase last year with a 7 percent increase this year should lead to a more stable enrollment picture in years to come." "In my[Read More]

Dr. Robert A. Vartabedian, president of Missouri Western State University, has announced his plans to retire effective July 1, 2019. David Liechti, chairman of Missouri Western’s Board of Governors, said that Dr. Vartabedian informed the Board of his plans during a closed session yesterday, and he announced his intentions to campus in an e-mail this morning. “I have been truly honored to serve as Missouri Western’s president for over a decade,” Dr. Vartabedian said. “These have been by far the most gratifying years of my long career in higher education. For a first-generation college student like myself to have this kind[Read More]

Faculty and staff from Missouri Western State University’s various STEM programs will be on site at the Sound of Speed Airshow Aug. 25 and 26 with experiments and hands-on activities related to science, technology, engineering and math. Exhibits that connect flight and aviation to nature and biology include "The Nature of Flight," which demonstrates wing structure-function, airflow dynamics and flight mechanics in nature. Guests can examine wing structures under microscopes or observe airflow around various types of stationary and mobile wing structure models. Other displays illustrate the environmental and conservation aspects of airstrips and how structures in the plant world spread seeds[Read More]

Missouri Western has announced the schedule and activities for its annual Family Weekend events, which will be held Sept 21 and 22, 2018. Events kick off at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21, with Midwest Dueling Pianos, an audience-participating experience featuring a mix of classics and new music. The performance will be in the Kemper Recital Hall, Spratt Hall room 101. Admission is free and open to the public. Family Day festivities resume Saturday, Sept. 22, with the President’s Pasta Extravaganza from noon to 1 p.m. in the Remington Atrium on campus. Students, staff and the St. Joseph community are invited to join[Read More]

The Board of Governors at Missouri Western State University renewed employee health insurance coverage with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City. The renewal includes no cost increase for the University, and no plan design changes. “We began working on this renewal shortly after the first of the year, when our utilization trends indicated our premium costs were likely to go up,” said Dr. Cale Fessler, vice president for financial planning and administration. “Working with our insurance advisor, Truss, we explored several new plan designs and options, and thanks at least in part to those efforts Blue Cross came back[Read More]