Current Issue: Volume 22 - Number 7 - September 15, 2006
Pine Leaf Boys to play Cajun, Creole, Zydeco and more
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The Pine Leaf Boys, a five-man band from Lafayette, La., will appear in concert at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 19 at Webster Hall Auditorium.
The performance is free and open to the public.
The Pine Leaf Boys have been making a name for themselves for presenting their own inimitable brand of traditional Cajun and Creole music with youthful exuberance. In addition to the dance hall standards, they have made a point of bringing many of the more obscure songs of past masters into their repertoire and playing them with gusto. Skillful multi-instrumentalists, its not uncommon to see members switch or trade instruments during their raucous shows.
All five members --Wilson Savoy, Cedric Watson, Jon Bertrand, Drew Simon, and Blake Miller --all in their 20s, live together in the same shotgun house near downtown Lafayette, La.
Steeped in music since children and hailing from farms and villages in Cajun country the Pine Leaf Boys have been making a name for themselves as being not only a young group of musicians, but preserving the traditional Cajun sound, while allowing it to breathe and stretch with those who play it. They present their music in multiple configurations such a twin fiddle, duo accordion/fiddle, bass, drum, and even stomping jurés.
The Pine Leaf Boys are a new generation of Cajun musicians from Louisiana who not only grew up with the music but live and breathe it. The young PLBs play authentic, traditional Cajun, Creole and zydeco music while adding some updates of their own.
This concert replaces a scheduled appearance by the band NoJazz which recently canceled due to scheduling conflicts.
Strait wins MACADA Award
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Dr. Tia Strait, Dean of the School of Technology at Missouri Southern State University, is the recipient of the Outstanding Academic Advising Administrator Award from the Missouri Academic Advising Association (MACADA).
The award was presented Sept. 14, at MACADA’s 14th-Annual Conference at Tan-Tar-A at the Lake of the Ozarks. In recognition of her achievement, Dr. Strait will receive $100, a plaque and a one year-membership to the Missouri Academic Advising Association.
The MACADA awards are open to anyone who serves as an academic advisor, faculty academic advisor or advising administrator and is employed by a regionally accredited post-secondary institution in Missouri. Only one nominee in each of three categories from each institution is considered.
The Outstanding Academic Advising Administrator Award which Dr. Strait won is open to an educator who provides direct academic advising services but whose primary responsibility is as an administrator or director of an academic advising program.
The Missouri Association is affiliate member of the National Academic Advising Association. More information on the national group is available at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/.
Music from Zimbabwe featured next week
Musekiwa Chingodza, a musician and virtuoso performer on the mbira, an indigenous instrument of the Shona people of Zimbabwe, will perform at a number of concerts and classes this weekend and next week.
Chingodza will perform with another mbira player, Bud Cohen, who lives in Eugene, Oregon. Cohen has been involved with the Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center in Eugene for years; this non-profit organization is dedicated to sharing the music of Zimbabwe.
In his activities with the Arts Center, Bud has traveled with, played with, and recorded music with many Zimbabwean musicians during their visits to the U.S.
* Musekiwa Chingodza and Bud Cohen and the local group “Kufara” will appear at the “Festival of Friends” at Central Park in Carthage, Mo at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16.
* The Institute of International Studies will sponsor a free concert at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 18 at Webster Hall Auditorium.
Musekiwa Chingodza was born into a family of great mbira players in Mwangara village, Murewa, Zimbabwe, in 1970. He began playing mbira at the age of five and is self-taught. He says, “Our music is both medicine and food, as mbira has the power to heal and to provide for people."
For a complete look at the schedule for Chingodza and Cohen, including a performance in Pittsburg, Kan. and lessons in Joplin, visit http://www.mssu.edu/news/zimbabwe_music.htm.
Wake up to Career Services!
On Sept. 18 and Sept. 20, the Career Services staff will be appearing on campus with their Coffee, Cookies & Careers outreach program. Students and faculty are encouraged to stop by for a free cup of coffee and morning snack while learning about Fall 2006 Career Services events.
Participants are encouraged to talk with a career counselor about career interests and pick up free, helpful materials about career choices, resumes and cover letters, interviewing, and more.
Coffee, Cookies & Careers at the following locations from 8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 18 on the Oval and again at the same time Wednesday, Sept. 20 at the east entrance to Matthews Hall.
Campus Recreation's outdoor activities schedule
Campus Recreation has released its list of educational and fun activites for the season.
Discover Scuba will be held at 5:30 p.m.,Wednesday Sept. 20, in the MSSU pool. This class is free to MSSU students and faculty/staff. The class is an introduction to scuba diving, with video-lecture and some hands on practice with scuba gear. Please bring a swim suit.
CPR/First Aid Class, at 3 p.m. Tuesday Oct.3, in the Mayes Student Life Center TV Lounge. This is a free class to MSSU students and faculty/staff. After completion of the class and test you will receive your certification in both CPR and First Aid.
A Missouri Hunter's Education Course will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21 and from 1 - 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22. The class will be taught by the Missouri Department of Conservation. This class is free to everyone. If you are not certified and plan to hunt this season you must take this course.
A Paintball class will begin at 4 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 26 at Paintball Ridge south on Schifferdecker (Coyote) almost to I-44 (behind Love's Country Store. The cost is $10 to MSSU students and faculty/staff. That amount provides 200 rounds of paint and equipment. The $10 must be paid at time of registration.
For more information regarding any of these activities or to register please feel free to contact Eric Norris at 659-5427 or come by the Student Services Office in the Billingsly Student Center Room 211.
Newsmakers to Feature Dr. León
MSSU President Dr. Julio León will discuss the start of the new academic year in an upcoming Newsmakers program airing on KGCS-TV. Topics covered include the funding possibilities for the Health Sciences building on campus, task force work on the stadium renovations and funding to help with the development of the Student Recreation Center.
Dr. León also will discuss increased enrollment at Southern and continued development of other areas at the University, including graduate programs. Judy Stiles, KGCS, hosts the program.
Newsmakers will air at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 18 and Wednesday, Sept. 20 on KGCS (UHF channel 57, Cable One channel 7, and Mediacom channel 77). It will air again at 5:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 on KOAM-TV, and at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24 on KOZJ-TV.
Alumni Band to organize, play on Homecoming Day
All alumni of Missouri Southern's Band program should mark their calendars for a very special Homecoming reunion, scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 13 and 14, 2006.
Band alumni and loved ones are invited to visit with old friends and their alma mater during Homecoming weekend.
Alumni Band Director Rusty Raymond and Assistant Band Director Cheryl Cifelli will coordinate the band's practice and performance.
"We want to hear from all former Missouri Southern Band members and we want you to play in the first-ever Alumni Band performance," says Lee Elliff Pound, Missouri Southern Alumni Director.
Members will meet in Phinney Hall at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14 for a practice performance. Parking will be available for participants in the Webster Hall parking lot. The Alumni Band will perform at Pre-Game Ceremonies.
Group seating will be available during the football game and a special reunion reception for Alumni Band members will be held on campus immediately following the football game in Phinney Hall.
The Homecoming weekend begins with a Friday night Awards Dinner at the Ramada Inn of Joplin. Those who are traveling in for the weekend may reserve a block of rooms at the Ramada Inn. Be sure to ask for the MSSU Room Rate of $55.
In order to take part, one must contact the Alumni Association office by Monday, Sept. 25 in order for shirts to be ordered and make sure music and/or instruments are needed. For more information, or to find a form to fill out, visit the following web address: http://www.mssu.edu/news/alumniband_06.htm.
Chili Cook-Off planned for October in BSC
The First Annual Homecoming Chili Cook-Off is scheduled for the noon hour on Monday Oct. 9 on the first floor of the Billingsly Student Center. Here is a list of guidelines that will need to be followed in order to participate:
• Cooking areas must be completely set up by 12 noon the day of the event.
• Chili must be prepared in advance.
• Chili is to consist of any kind of meat, beans, vegetables or combinations thereof, cooked with chili peppers, spices and other ingredients.
•Chili may be made with or without meat or beans.
• Contestants should bring a minimum of 5 quarts of chili.
• A complete list of ingredients must be available for each entry.
• Contestants must be willing to eat their own chili.
• All contestants must provide their own heating apparatus- crock pots, or slow cooker, extension cords, and cooking utensils, and ingredients.
• Each entrant will be provided with two 8’ tables and one chair.
• Participants must make sure all garbage is picked up from their area.
Awards will be given to participants for: Best Overall Taste, Best Name of Chili and Best Presentation of Chili. A panel of judges will make the decision on the winner. Faculty/staff students and others on hand will sample the individual chili selections. Awards will be given at 1 p.m. in Billingsly Student Center, bottom floor.
Forms must be returned to the Alumni Office no later than Thursday, Oct. 5. For more information contact Elisa Bryant, Alumni Association, at ext. 3068 at bryant-e@mssu.edu for registration information.
Curtains Up!
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The Joplin Concert Series (Joplin Community Concert Association) will present Joyce Yang, the12th Van Cliburn silver medal winner, with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra at Taylor Performing Arts Center on Friday, Sept. 22.
Jeff Skibbe, KXMS, will talk with Springfield Symphony conductor Ron Spigelman during the Friday edition of "Southern Serenade" today, Friday, September 15 at 5 p.m.
Maestro Spigelman, relatively new to Springfield, talks at some length about the conductor's relationship with his orchestra and the larger community. He also talks about auditioning for the position of conductor and the competitive nature of classical music in the 21st Century. The hour also will include new recordings and Garrison Keillor's "The Writer's Almanac."
Need a coffee break?
If so, you're in luck! The University Java coffee shop in Spiva Library is now open from 4-8 p.m. on Sundays. The Library will give out goodie bags to the first five University Java customers every hour Sept. 17 and Sept. 24.
Environmental Tip: Lower the water temperature
While it's common to set the temperature on water heaters to 160 degrees, that's too hot. Dropping the temperature to 140 degrees will save you about 18 percent of your water heating bill. Dropping it to 120 degrees can save you 36 percent. The 120 degree temperature will make water hot enough for every household use except, perhaps, the dishwasher which requires a 140 degrees. Most newer dishwashers will heat water to this temperature. So check it out and, if possible, save money and energy.
Contemporary Series to open with French thriller Caché
The first Contemporary Foreign Film series selection of the semester is the French thriller, Caché (2005; 118 min.), directed by Michael Haneke and starring Juliette Binoche and Daniel Auteuil. Steven Rea of the Philadelphia Inquirer called the film “like Hitchcock, only creepier.”The film will begin just after 7 p.m. tonight, Friday, Sept. 15 in Cornell Auditorium in the Plaster Hall (formerly Matthews Hall).
This year, the Friday night film series must be offered as a Continuing Education class due to copyright restrictions. Otherwise prohibitive performance fees must be paid. Therefore, those coming to the first showing will be invited to enroll in the class and pay tuition of $10 per person. That will entitle viewers to attend six films this semester. Tuition payments will go toward purchase of videos for our film series. A list of offerings for the semester will be available soon.
For further information on this series, please contact Bill Kumbier, English, at kumbier-w@mssu.edu or Nick Kyle, Art, at kyle-n@mssu.edu.
Conrad Gubera, Social Sciences, Linda Hand, Mathematics, and Sam Claussen, Theatre, will present "Sun--Stones-Shadows and Serpents: Summer Study in the Ancient Mayan City Cichen, Itza," at the noon-hour Brown Bag Lunch for faculty and staff on Friday, Sept. 22. The free lunch is a courtesy of Academic Affairs and Sedexho Food Management Services.
For Sale: A 48" round oak table with 16" leaf, 6 chairs. Great condition, must see to appreciate. $575. Contact 659-5425 or 782-9643.
For Sale: Magnavox 25" oak cabinet television. Nice condition. Nice picture. $75. Call ext. 9573 if interested.
Bookstore Stop in and purchase this week's special at the MSSU Bookstore! Football Jersey
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Note: Requests for an accommodation relating to a disability need to be made to the department sponsoring an individual event at least 72 hours before the program or event.
