Missouri Western State University Missouri Winterwestern 2013
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
The magazine of Missouri Western State University Missouri WinterWestern 2013 9 Sto more to come! An epic res, 7 S es, many tat football season page 12 Michael Hill, No. 22, was part of the 2012 record-breaking football team. AROUND CAMPUS 2012 President’s Family Picnic The annual picnic for employees and their families kicked } off the new academic year in the fall. PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE The Missouri Western Magazine is a publication of the University Advancement Office for alumni and friends of Missouri Western State University and its predecessor institutions. WINTER 2013 VOLUME 11 NUMBER 1 EDITOR Diane Holtz Dr. Vartababedian is pictured with Brian Shewell, student governor, Kylee Strough ’03, DESIGN EDITOR chair of the Board of Governors, Dr. Robert Sigrist ’95, Alumni Association president, and Kendy Jones ’94 featured speaker T. Boone Pickens at the Convocation on Critical Issues (see p. 8). DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS Colleen Kowich Dear Alumni and Friends, Each new academic year brings with it a renewed sense of optimism BOARD OF GOVERNORS Kylee Strough ’03, Chair and hope. This year, along with that optimism and hope came a different Dirck Clark ’85, Vice Chair type of energy – one that surrounded the most successful football season in school history. Leo Blakley ’62, Dan Danford ’78, Lesley Graves, Tommye Quilty ’96, Deborah Smith ’79, Brian Shewell, Student Governor. Every game I attended – both home and away – the crowd was filled with Griffon spirit. From the moment we beat the University of Central ALUMNI BOARD Missouri at home to the moment we beat Northwest Missouri State Robert Sigrist ’95, President University in Maryville to clinch the MIAA Championship, it was as if Shelby Coxon ’99, First Vice President David Slater ’82, Second Vice President our fans knew instinctively that this was going to be a magical season. Randy Klein ’78, Immediate Past President The Griffons broke more than 40 individual and team records, including a record 12 wins in a season against one of the toughest Bryan Alford ’12, Sheryl Bremer ’81, Carole Dunn ’91, John Fabsits ’04, Gini Fite ’01, Bill Gondring ’56, Luke Gorham ’06, schedules in the country. Of the Griffons’ 12 wins, six came against teams Diane Hook ’90, Claudia James ’85, Brian Jardes ’05, James ranked in the national Top 25, and four were against teams in the Top Jeffers ’73, Linda Kerner ’73, Bruce Kneib ’84, Brandy Meeks ’07, Kendell Misemer ’82, Arthur Montgomery ’89, Molly Pierce ’77, 10. The 22 seniors are the most successful class in Missouri Western history, Zachary Ramsay ’02, Melissa Taylor ’93, Ralph Schank ’82, with 38 wins over the last four years. Tom Schneider ’64, Katy Schwartz ’08, Angie Springs ’02, The season ended Saturday, Dec. 1 with a hard-fought loss on the Jennifer Stanek ’99, Mary Vaughan ’79, Nichi Yeager ’99. road to Minnesota State University in the third round of playoff action. Griffon fans were well-represented in Mankato, with at least 500 FOUNDATION BOARD Corky Marquart ’84, Chair making the trip, including four fan buses. It was exciting to watch the Jason Horn ’95, Vice Chair interest and enthusiasm for this team build over throughout the season. I Pete Gray, Secretary John Wilson, Treasurer hope that same support carries over in all that we do at Missouri Western. Congratulations to Coach Jerry Partridge ’85, MIAA Coach Kit (Bradley) Bowlin, Drew Brown, Eric Bruder ‘93 , Jim Carolus, Michelle Cebulko ’93, Stephen Cotter ’78, Pat Dillon, Ed Haffey ’62, of the Year, his staff and the student athletes for their remarkable Stephen Hamilton, Cindy Hausman, Judith Hausman, Diane Hook accomplishments. We are extremely proud of them and proud to be ’90, Jennifer Kneib ’89, Chris Looney, Al Purcell, Tom Richmond, Griffons! David Roberts, J.L. Robertson, Dennis Rosonke, LaVell Rucker ’03, Lee Sawyer, Dave Shinneman, Melody Smith ’87, Sarah Summers Stein, Kylee Strough ’03, Jon Styslinger, Robert Vartabedian, Julie Woods ’96, Zack Workman ’74, Seth Wright, Chuck Zimmerman, and Jonathan Yordy, executive director. Robert A. Vartabedian President MISSOURI WESTERN MAGAZINE 4525 Downs Drive, Spratt Hall 106 St. Joseph, MO 64507 816- 271-5651 www.missouriwestern.edu/magazine [email protected] Missouri Western State University is an equal opportunity institution. IN THIS ISSUE } Griffons Michael Hill, No. 22, ON THE COVER and No. 81 Brandon Wright. Photo by student Jason Brown. SECTIONS FEATURES 3 Campus News 6 Biology Students Centered on Disease Control Biology students and Professor David Ashley appreciate the opportunity they had to conduct field research with personnel from the Center for 11 Sports Disease Control and Prevention. 20 Alumni News 12 Griffon Football: An Epic Season The 2012 season broke many records and made history. Read all about the 25 Alumnotes great games and players. 14 Confection Perfection at the Craig School of Business The partnership between Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, the Craig School of Business and Steve Craig has steadily expanded over the past four years. Read about a new development that will greatly increase alumni ownership of RMCFs, and about the current owners. } 12 } 6 } 29 2 CAMPUS NEWS Degree-seekers, take notes! MWSU offers new general studies degree Did you take a lot of college classes person is and how their coursework can adults and high school students in in several areas, but never complete take them where they want to go.” relevant educational tracks, with financial enough credits in one academic area to When the degree was in the planning aid of up to $7,500 to pursue college graduate? If so, now is your chance to stages, the University met with many degrees. Partners include Missouri return to college and earn that degree. employers in the community who were Western, the St. Joseph Metro Chamber, This fall, Missouri Western began offering very interested so their employees could the Community Alliance of St. Joseph, a Bachelor of General Studies degree, advance in their careers. Metropolitan Community College, the intended for students who have earned The new degree was a large part of St. Joseph School District, the Northwest credit hours in the proposal for the Workforce Investment Board and eight several academic “We’ll look at where this $1 million campus business partners: Heartland Health, areas. innovation grant that Hillyard Industries, Boehringer Ingelheim Dr. Jeanne individual person is and how Missouri Western Vetmedica, Gray Manufacturing, Lifeline Daffron, provost their coursework can take received from the Foods, Altec Industries, Blue Sun and vice president state last summer. Biodiesel and Albaugh. of academic affairs, them where they want to go.” The grant establishes The partnering businesses will provide said the degree an Innovation substantial and targeted on-site training is individualized Dr. Jeanne Daffron, provost and Campus, which will and mentoring for participants beyond for each student. vice president of academic affairs help employees and what would otherwise occur within the Students must potential employees in company. Participants may also receive complete all general education courses, high-demand businesses and industries college credit for these applied learning and then pick two concentration areas, complete post-secondary degrees. experiences. one of which must be an existing minor. Missouri Western will work closely Although Missouri Western has The second concentration area will be with community business partners offered the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary customized according to the credits the included in the grant to align degrees Studies for several years, the Bachelor of student has already earned. with workforce needs. General Studies is a little different. The “I’m really excited about it,” Jeanne Beginning this fall, the MWSU BGS, Jeanne said, is more flexible than said. “We’ll look at where this individual Innovation Campus program will enroll the BIS, and is really geared for those who are working full-time and had previously earned a lot of credit hours. “The degree makes sense for individuals, families, the community, and for the overall economic development of the state,” Jeanne said. Griffons who serve At the Griffon Edge orientation for new students, more than 950 participated in community service. One of the volunteer } sites was the day care center on campus. THE MAGAZINE OF MISSOURI WESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY Winter 2013 3 CAMPUS NEWS Those who attended the Mid-Autumn Chinese festival sampled Chinese food, and married couples “tied the knot,” a Chinese custom. Students get a taste of China at Mid-Autumn Festival Approximately 150 people gathered Xidian University in China, is teaching This is the second year a professor to hear poetry recitations and singing, Mandarin Chinese at Missouri Western from Xidian University taught at enjoy games and sample traditional for the 2012-13 academic year, and Missouri Western, and an exchange festival tea and foods at the campus’ she planned the festival. Students who agreement with Xidian was signed last Mid-Autumn Festival to celebrate a were in her Chinese classes in the fall summer. traditional Chinese holiday. semester presented information about the Missouri Western also has an Juan Wang, an associate professor of history of the festival and provided the exchange agreement with Guizhou foreign linguistics and applied linguistics entertainment. University in the Guizhou Province in in the foreign languages department at China. Campus Kudos: Awards and accomplishments • Three members of the student chapter • Missouri Western received the “Evaluating the Impact of Professional of The Wildlife Society, under the Craig Watkins Friend of Northwest Development to Meet Challenging direction of Dr. Cary Chevalier, Missouri Press Award by the Writing Standards in High-need professor of biology, prepared Northwest Missouri Press Association Elementary Schools” research project. material for interpretative sign in 2012. The award was in recognition • The Fountain City Brass Band, a panels at the Missouri Department of the university’s support of publishers volunteer musical ensemble founded by of Transportation’s new Rock Port and editors in the region, and its Dr.