dearfriends The Missouri Academy – a ‘gem in the backyard’ ’m not quite sure if the Maryville community What is most interesting is that more Iand the state of Missouri fully appreciate what than 92 percent of the Missouri Acad- a “gem in the backyard” we have in the Missouri emy graduates say that the quality of Academy of Science, Mathematics and Comput- undergraduate instruction at Northwest ing. For those who are not familiar with this is as good as or better than that at the unique and innovative program, let me begin schools to which they transfer. Since this way: The Missouri Academy is one of only many of our graduates have indeed gone six early-entrance-to-college residential schools in on to some of the well-known schools in the United States. High-achieving and talented the country, this consistent result from Dr. Cleo Samudzi, dean of the students who have completed 10th grade at their the past three graduating classes clearly speaks Missouri Academy and director traditional high schools are selected to live and to the high quality undergraduate education at of Northwest’s Honors Program, study at Northwest with their peers. Their curricu- Northwest. has built a first-class program that lum is rigorous and consists of college coursework Missouri Academy students are not just consists of more than “geeks and bookworms.” taught by professors at Northwest. Missouri “geeks” and “bookworms.” Many are not only Academy students sit in the same classrooms with talented in science, mathematics and computing, traditional college students, and professors have but also in music, arts, the humanities, athletics the same high expectations for these students as and community service. They have performed they do for traditional college students. extremely well at local, statewide and multi-state By most measures, this program has been a suc- appearances for Model United Nations, Boys cess since its inception in August 2000. A few key State and Girls State, community service projects successes include: in Maryville and the hurricane-ravaged Gulf • More than 80 percent of Missouri Academy Coast, Northwest musical ensembles and theatre. students maintain a Grade Point Average of 3.0 or I invite you all to visit this gem in our higher, with about 40 percent of them consistently backyard, this special school, this amazing place on the Northwest Honor Roll every trimester. we call the Missouri Academy. • Approximately 99 percent of Missouri Sincerely, Academy graduates go on to four-year baccalaure- ate degree programs throughout the country, where more than 75 percent pursue degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics Dr. Cleopas T. Samudzi programs. They maintain an average GPA of 3.6 Dean of the Missouri Academy at their new schools. Director of the Honors Program The mission of the Northwest Northwest Foundation Inc. John Grispon ’87, St. Louis Ex-Officio Directors Polly Parsons Howard ’00, Lynn Ruhl, Alumni Magazine is to foster ’07-’08 Board of Directors Ray Hischke ’66, Robert P. Foster Development Officer/Booth Executive Assistant College of Business and [email protected] connections between alumni, President The Woodlands, Texas President Emeritus, Professional Studies friends and Northwest Jim Blackford ’72, Maryville Jim Joy ’57, Rogers, Ark. Kansas City Lori McLemore Steiner ’85, Joyce Kerber ’60, [email protected] Finance Officer Missouri State University. B.D. Owens ’59 Vice President Lee’s Summit Laurie Drummond Long ’92, [email protected] The offices of University President Emeritus, Mike Faust ’74, Omaha, Neb. Jodie Mackintosh ’77, Development Officer/Donor Anna Bradshaw Summa ’01, Advancement and University Clearwater, Fla. Relations strive to inform Immediate Past President Omaha, Neb. Relations Database Specialist Dean L. Hubbard [email protected] readers of the accom- Chuck Place ’72, Albany Jerry Moyer ’76, ’78, [email protected] University President Mitzi Craft Lutz ’91, plishments of Northwest’s Jim Ballinger ’67, Weatherby Titusville, Fla. Steve Sutton ’71, Orrie Covert Advancement alumni, friends, faculty, Lake Helen Mutz ’50, Maryville Director of Alumni Relations William C. Price ’60, Executive Director Communications Specialist [email protected] students and administration Holly Murphy-Barstow ’81, [email protected] and to positively position the Omaha, Neb. Cincinnati, Ohio Advancement Staff Brenda Untiedt ’00, Teresa Macias ’97, ’05, University in the hearts of its Shoba Brown ’71, Maryville Jim Redd ’66, Leawood, Kan. Orrie Covert, Alumni Relations Specialist Development Officer/College [email protected] Mark Burnsides ’79, Maryville Dan Runde ’81, Platte City Vice President many constituents to increase of Arts and Sciences Tom Carneal, Maryville Ron Taylor ’79, Waukee, Iowa [email protected] Andrea Kearns Wagner ’00, public and private support. [email protected] Mark Doll ’80, Jason White ’91, Maryville Neil Elliott, Development Officer/College Council Bluffs, Iowa Richard “Dick” Wiles ’71, Development Officer/Athletics Peggy Purdy, of Education and Human Accounting Specialist Services/Corporate and Jason Garst ’93, Watson Jefferson City [email protected] [email protected] William Gram ’52, Rancho Ron Woolsey ’74, ’78, Foundation Relations [email protected] Palos Verdes, Calif. Grain Valley NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE WINTER 2007 bearcatroar I remember when ... s I read the article about KXCV celebrat- Pete Younger gave me a dare I could not resist A ing 35 years, it brought back thoughts of one Friday night after a visit to the Palms. my time on campus in the late ’40s. My way of He dared me to drive my Overland down the playing records was to use a device called a phono campus sidewalk and honk my “burp-burp” oscillator to get the signal from the turntable to a horn as I went by President (J.W.) Jones’ nearby radio. A phono oscillator was actu- residence. I could not let a dare like this pass me ally a weak AM radio transmitter. After a by. Needless to say, a little yellow note was in my while it became known that others in the box the next Monday morning to see Dr. Jones. men’s quadrangle rooms could also hear As I walked into his office, he looked at me quite the records that I would play. Before long, sternly and said, “Mr. Malson, you know why when I would return from class I would you are here don’t you?” He knew I did, and he often find that other residents would then said, “Don’t let it happen again!” I thought put records on and then go back to their I saw a twinkle in his eyes as I did an about face rooms and listen. I guess this was the first and scooted from his office. The girls liked my “radio station” on campus. In the very late old Overland also. One Saturday morning we days of my stay on campus, a microphone counted 22 of us on board as we went up Fourth The phono oscillator used by Roy was added to occasionally give an unsuspecting Street and around the courthouse square. Lilley in the 1940s is on display in Northwest’s Warren Stucki new resident a special welcome. Jim Malson ’50 Museum of Broadcasting. Roy E. Lilley ’49 t was a warm spring morning, and my walk remember working with Steve Chor in the Ifrom Phillips Hall toward class seemed routine I telecom office one summer. We did a lot of enough – until I heard a cry for help. There, work during that summer wiring all the dorm standing under a tree, was a girl I knew (who will rooms for Ethernet and installing new computers. remain nameless for the obvious reason). She was I enjoyed my time at Northwest, and I gained a frozen in place and yelled, “Mark, I’m stuck.” lot of experience for the real world. Her hair was in a bun. Sticking through the bun Richard Coathup ’98 was a low tree branch. It had gone through just like a fish hook. I set my books down, broke the he remembrance submitted by Bill Elam branch end off the tree and got the “hook” out of Tin a recent issue of this magazine caught her hair. Amazingly, we made it to class on time. my attention because I had a similar experience That was part of the fun of going to Northwest, during my years at Northwest. Shortly after I even a walk to class could be an adventure. purchased an old 1926 Overland, my roommate Mark Hereford ’81 Do you remember these events? 1957 197 1977 1987 1997 The Northwest Missourian Donna Merritt is crowned By the end of the fall Northwest students flock Comedian David Spade, receives its seventh Homecoming queen, and semester, all but two to the corner of Fourth a former member of TV’s consecutive first-place Carolyn Kading is crowned residence halls adopt a and Buchanan streets “Saturday Night Live” cast, certificate from the Tower queen. Martha new but controversial for the world’s shortest performs his stand-up Columbia Scholastic Press Geyer is selected by her policy. The policy allows St. Patrick’s Day Parade. routine in a packed Mary Association. Towers in the peers to reign over the men to walk unescorted in Transitions: A Hundred Linn Performing Arts Cen- Northwest annual “Hanging of the the residence halls during Years of Northwest ter. Transitions: A Hundred Greens” Christmas festivi- open hours. Many female Years of Northwest Northwest begins its ties in Residence Hall, later residents are unhappy Rob DeBolt imitates wrestling program. called Roberta Hall. Towers with the new policy. Tower Johnny Carson’s “Carnac Colden Hall is temporarily Transitions: A Hundred in the Northwest yearbook the Magnificent” at the closed for renovations. Years of Northwest Homecoming Variety Show. Tower yearbook Tower yearbook WINTER 2007 NORTHWEST ALUMNI MAGAZINE northwestnews Blunt signs landmark higher education bill issouri Gov.