Communication

History of the Department of Communication

April 5, 2011 25th anniversary of 88.7KXMS dedication
October 2010 Dr. Carolyn M. Hale participated in an awareness trip to Cambodia for Rapha House
September 2010 KGCS receives a news set from KOAM-TV and begins studio renovations
August 2010 Judy Stiles, KGCS-TV General Manager was recognized as one of the "15 Most Influential Women" by the Joplin Tri-State Business Journal.
July 2010 KGCS hosts a live telecast featuring the 7th District Congressional Candidates, in cooperation with The Joplin Globe
April 5, 2010 88.07KXMS begins a year-long celebration of its 25th year on the air.
April, 2010 The Chart publications manager T.R. Hanrahan is named Missouri College Media Association Adviser of the Year.
April, 2010 The Chart is named a national finalist in the Society of Professional Journalists' Mark of Excellence Awards in editorial writing.
April, 2010 MSSU won the LDOC National Championship in Lincoln Douglas debate.
April, 2010 Dr. C.M. Hale participated in the International Justice Seminar on Human Trafficking
March 2010 KGCS hosts a live telecast featuring candidates for Joplin City Council, in cooperation with The Joplin Globe
March 2010 KGCS hosts live "Candidate Connection" program with Joplin Globe and Empire District Electric, featuring Joplin City Council Candidates.
March 2010 Dr. Carolyn M. Hale has participated for the 14th year in the annual art exhibits sponsored by Ozark Public TV
January 2010 St. Louis Cardinals Caravan visit to MSSU is coordinated by KGCS-TV attracting a large crowd
2010 KGCS's Regional Media Hall of Fame Honorees - Bill Grigsby
Fall, 2009 The Chart reached the 75-year mark in publication
Fall, 2009 KGCS-TV celebrated 25 years of television broadcasting
May, 2009 Dr. Karolyn Yocum retired after 23 years at Missouri Southern.
April, 2009 Dr. Carolyn M. Hale guided Lora Dean to win a Rotary International Ambassador scholarship for $24,000 to the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia
April, 2009 MSSU finished with a 4th place at Nationals.
Spring 2009 Dr. Carolyn M. Hale mentored guest teacher, Mrs. Liuyan Su, from China in Communication Teaching Methodology for Comm 100 and Comm 305
March 2009 MSSU Forensics won LDOC national title.
2009 KGCS's Regional Media Hall of Fame Honorees - Dave Berry, Danny Thomas
October 2008 Dr. Carolyn M. Hale attended the Ghandi Initiative for Non-Violence in Memphis, TN, at Christian Brothers University
September, 2008 KGCS began digital Broadcasting
May, 2008 Dr. Robert Clark retired after 24 years at Missouri Southern.
May, 2008 Dr. Allen Merriam retired after 26 years at Missouri Southern.
April, 2008 MSSU Forensics won the LDOC Inaugural Tournament at Washburn, University.
2008 Studios of KGCS-TV were named in honor of Ruth I. Kolpin of Carthage whose Foundation made a grant to help the station convert to digital broadcasting.
2008 The Missouri Department of Higher Education approved a new Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Communication.
2008 Larry White Memorial Fund established for KGCS honoring well-known broadcast engineer at KOAM-TV
October 12, 2007 The Department hosted debaters from Great Britain who engaged MSSU students in a campus debate.
April, 2007 MSSU finished 5th at debate nationals at Bery College.
April, 2007 Dr. Carolyn M. Hale and Lora Dean won a McCaleb Initiative for Peace Award for Lybia
2007 KGCS's Regional Media Hall of Fame Honorees - Ron Peterson, Wendell Redden
Fall, 2006 Dr. Robert Clark (Ph.D, University of Oregon) served as Interim Department head during the sabbatical leave of Dr. Jay Moorman who was teaching in Taiwan.
April, 2006 MSSU finished 5th at debate nationals at EW-EN Claire.
2006 KGCS first Regional Media Hall of Fame Honorees - Bob Phillips and Bob James
October 1, 2005 About 130 people attended a banquet celebrating the department’s 25th anniversary. Richard Massa was the keynote speaker. A DVD produced by KGCS, giving Mr. Massa’s personal history of the department and listing all graduates through 2005, was released.
April 2005 Dr. Carolyn M. Hale guided Jessica I. Koch to win a $25,000 Rotary International Ambassador Scholarship for an M.A. degree to University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
February 24, 2005 Joan Walker Brough, internationally known television producer and executive who taught as an adjunct instructor in this department, died in Joplin at age 77.
2005 Pioneer Broadcaster Award presented to WMBH Radio
Aug.-Sept., 2004 Drs. Jay Moorman and Chad Stebbins accompanied other MSSU administrators to China to promote educational exchanges.
June, 2004 Foreign Languages separated to form a new department but remained housed in Webster Hall.
May-June, 2004 Dr. Carolyn Hale and Jessica Koch traveled to India to study the educational role of non-violence in the Tibetan refugees on a McCaleb Initiative for Peace grant.
May 8, 2004 Darren Gibbs received the first Ruth I. Kolpin Broadcast Journalism Endowed Scholarship award.
2004 Pioneer Broadcaster Award presented to Leo Stafford
August l, 2003 Missouri Southern received a Charter for a chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.
July 12, 2003 Governor Robert Holden signed a bill giving university status to Missouri Southern.
April 7, 2003 Missouri Southern finished as National Champion runners-up in LD.
April 7, 2003 Jeremy Hollingshead won the LD Individual national title in Lincoln-Douglas Debate.
March, 2003 Wes Carillo was IFA runner-up at International Debate Tournament held in Vancouver, Canada
2003 Pioneer Broadcaster Award presented to Carol Parker
2003 A Public Relations option for majors was added to the curriculum under the guidance of Brenda Kilby.
July-August, 2002 Dr. Carolyn Hale and Karena Wells traveled to Northern Ireland on a McCaleb Initiative for Peace grant.
July 23, 2002 “Fine Arts Radio International” became the officially recognized trademark of KXMS.
June, 2002 Department hosted the annual meeting of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors, coordinated by Dr. Chad Stebbins.
Summer, 2002 Dr. Carolyn Hale studied post-war Japan at Tokai University in Honolulu, Hawaii on a Level II Sasakawa Fellowship.
March 12-14, 2002 The Forensics team, coached by Kelly Larson, won the International Forensic Association tournament held in Rome, Italy.
2002 Pioneer Broadcaster Award presented to Lou Martin
November 2001 Dr. Carolyn M. Hale attended the Conference of Peace and Non- Violence in Independence, MO
May 2001 Dr. Carolyn M. Hale won the McCaleb Initiative Peace award with an Indian student. Satyagraha (Gandhi's Truth)
April 14, 2001 The Forensics team, coached by Kelly Larson, won the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, defeating Ohio State University by one point.
March 28, 2001 Charter signed granting Missouri Southern a chapter in the national forensics honorary fraternity, Pi Kappa Delta.
March, 2001 The Forensics team, coached by Kelly Larson, won first place at the International Forensic Association (IFA) tournament held in Prague, The Czech Republic.
2001 Pioneer Broadcaster Award presented to Richard Massa
December 17, 2000 College alumnus Clark Swanson (’81) of Columbus, Ohio completed his donation of $5,000 for scholarships in the Department.
Summer, 2000 University on a Sasakawa Fellowship.
April 28, 2000 The first annual McCaleb Initiative for Peace awards were announced. Kelly Dengel received a grant to travel to South Africa to study the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
2000 Pioneer Broadcaster Award presented to William B. Neal
2000 Dr. Allen Merriam’s book, People of the Millennium; a Selection of Persons-of-the-Year from A.D. 1000 through 1999, was published in New York.
2000 KGCS first Visions Unlimited "Wayne Kester Volunteer Award" presented to Pat Fenix. The annual award recognizes a member of the senior citizen television production group that has contributed to the program and the station.
2000 The first annual Fine Arts Radio International Award, presented by KXMS, went to Edward Tarte of Texas for his “Mr. Music” series.
2000 KXMS presented its first annual Lifetime Achievement Award to classical music host Karl Haas. Subsequent recipients included Peter Schickele, Martin Bookspan, Leonard Slatkin, and Bill McLaughlin.
December 1, 1999 Pi Kappa Delta Chapter (Forensics) was established at MSSU by Steve Doubledee (student) and Assistant Professor K. Larson.
November 12, 1999 Missouri Southern hosted the British national championship debaters.
October, 1999 Dr. Chad Stebbins was named the National Newspaper Adviser of the Year by College Media Advisers.
Fall, 1999 The department offered its first Internet class, “Oral Communication,” taught by Holley Goodnight.
August 1999 Dr. Carolyn M. Hale presented a paper at the AILA Conference in Tokyo, Japan
July 1, 1999 Dr. Jay R. Moorman (Ph.D., Southern Illinois University) became the department’s second Head. Dr. Chad Stebbins became Director of the Institute of International Studies.  
June 1999 Dr. Carolyn M. Hale participated in the Study Abroad program in Puebla, Mexico, spending five weeks with the host family of Dr. Maria Paz and Dr. Bruno Rivera
May 8, 1999 Retirement dinner for Richard Massa, who guided the department during its first two decades.
March, 1999 Dr. Chad Stebbins took 18 students on the first annual International Media Seminar in Paris, France.
1999 Pioneer Broadcaster Award presented to Don Gross
1998 Pioneer Broadcaster Award presented to Austin Harrison
1998 Dr. Chad Stebbins’ book, All the News is Fit to Print: Profile of a Country Editor, was published by the U. of Missouri Press.
December 5, 1997 Ruth Irene Kolpin of Carthage received the first annual Pioneer Broadcaster Award at the first annual Media Showcase.
October 1, 1997 Bob Losure, former anchor at Cable News Network (CNN), spoke in Webster Hall.
Fall, 1997 MSSC’s first annual internationally themed semester focused on Hong Kong. The Chart sent two students, Rick Rogers and Jake Griffin, to Hong Kong to report on the colony’s transition from Great Britain to China.
1997 First KGCS Pioneer Broadcaster Award presented to Ruth I. Kolpin.
1996-97 Dr. Carolyn Hale chaired the Visual Communication Commission of the Speech Communication Association.
1996-97 Kezhen Liu, Director of Technical Services for the Administrative Bureau of Radio Stations, Beijing, China, was a visiting scholar in the department for the academic year under the Fulbright program.  
August 23-24, 1996 Third faculty Retreat, at Thousand Hills Golf Resort, Branson, MO
July, 1996 The International Language Resource Center was established with Dr. Tatiana Karmanova as its first Director.
May 9, 1996 Retirement dinner held for Dr. Harold Bodon, Professor of German and French completing 25 years at MSSC, and Dr. Vernon Peterson, Professor of Spanish completing 17 years at MSSC.
March 1996 Judy Stiles receives the National Advisor of the Year Award
1996 The Chart was again named the Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper in the nation by the Society of Professional Journalists.
Fall, 1995 31 students took Dr. Allen Merriam’s interdisciplinary Honors course on war, marking the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan.
May 22-23, 1995 Second faculty Retreat, at Shangri-La Resort, Afton, OK.
1995 K57DR converted to KGCS-LP.
1993-1994 Dr. Robert Clark chaired the Student Media Advisors Division of the Broadcast Education Association in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Fall, 1993 The first Crossroads Magazine was published, supplanting the traditional yearbook. Jean Campbell was the adviser.  
1993 Judy Stiles became General Manager of K57DR.
September 24, 1992 Webster Hall was dedicated. The $7.5 million, 65,000 sq. ft. building housed 32 classrooms, 25 offices, a telecommunications complex, print media labs, recital hall, and a state-of-the-art language lab. For the first time all departmental activities were under one roof.
1992-1993 First academic year awards presented by KGCS to Eric Smith - Student of the Year, Brian Hirsch - Volunteer of the Year, Live on Tape - Program of the Year.
April 1991 Judy Stiles receives the National Advisor of the Year Award
June 15, 1990 The Board of Regents adopted an international mission for MSSC.
April 1990 Three student members of the new chapter of Alpha Epsilon Rho attend national convention in Orlando, FL
April 1990 Scott Lane receives a national scholarship from AERho which later became NBS.
January, 1990 Jeffrey D. Skibbe became the second General Manager of KXMS.
1990 Marie Capps launched a Public Speaking Apprehension Assessment of our Oral Communication classes. The longitudinal study eventually included nearly 4,000 students over seven years, and showed a significant decrease in fear by the end of the course.
May 15-16, 1989 11 faculty attended the first departmental Retreat at Western Hills Guest Ranch, Wagoner, OK. Activities were led by the Assessment Committee, chaired by Dr. Karolyn Yocum.
November, 1988 Missouri Southern establishes a chapter of Alpha Epsilon Rho, the national student broadcasting society.
November, 1988 Charter received for a chapter of the National Broadcasting Society and Alpha Epsilon Rho, the national honor society for students majoring in electronic media. Dr. Karolyn Yocum was the organizing sponsor.
Fall, 1988 KXMS began carrying the Beethoven Network overnight service.
January, 1988 Obtaining a broadcast license from the Federal Communications Commission, MSTV began over-the-air television as K57DR-LP.
1988 Dr. Vernon L. (“Ben”) Peterson’s book, Idea y representación literaria en la Narrativa de René Marqués, was published in Madrid, Spain.
November 10, 1987 About 500 people attended a performance of Gordon Myers’ musical drama, “They Made a Constitution!” Dr. Allen Merriam organized the event in which 31 area leaders had speaking roles, augmenting the 76-voice Choral Society directed by Dr. Al Carnine. The performance celebrated both the bicentennial of the U. S. Constitution and the 50th anniversary of Missouri Southern.
May, 1987 Bobbie Short retired, having taught English and speech communication at Missouri Southern since 1965.
November 21, 1986 The MSTV Administrative Board met for the first time. Dr. Karolyn Yocum was elected chair.
August, 1986 Robert Harris became the music director of KXMS.
April 5, 1986 Radio Station KXMS began broadcasting with classical music programming at 88.7 FM. Dr. Robert Clark was the first manager. All programming was local with student announcers from 6:00 am to midnight, seven days a week.
April, 1986 Judy Stiles began hosting the “Newsmakers” program on MSTV.
July 31-Aug 17 1985 Dr. Harold (“Hal”) Bodon, soccer coach, led the MSSC soccer team on a tour to Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Dr. Allen Merriam participated in the trip.
May 3, 1985 Jean Campbell received the first annual “Excellence in Communications” Scholarship.
September, 1984 Missouri Southern Television (MSTV), a cable-only station, began broadcasting under the direction of Dr. Robert Clark. It launched coverage of Joplin City Council meetings this same year. Students produced the programs. Tim Dry was host of "News Makers."
May 13, 1983 The first majors in the department graduated. They included Greg Fisher, Greg Holmes, Brenda Michael, Kelly Phillips, and Jill Stephens.
May 2, 1980 The Department was officially established. It included Foreign Languages. There were seven full time faculty: three in speech, three in language, and one in journalism. The Head was Richard W. Massa (M.A., University of Missouri – Columbia).
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