Safe Halloween 2007

McCormick Hall, on the campus of Missouri Southern, will open its doors once again for Safe Halloween. Bring the family and experience a safe trick-or-treating experience indoors!

The fun starts on Wednesday, Oct. 31 and lasts from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. All area youth (6th grade and under) are invited to come and join in the fun!

For questions, contact McCormick Hall Office at 659-4190.

Safe Halloween is sponsored by the Residence Hall Association, Student Activities, and Sodexho Food Management.

Enrollment deadline is today!

This message is for all full-time employees.

Today, Friday, Oct. 26 is the deadline for all open enrollment forms to be in to theHuman Resources office in Hearnes Hall, Room 217.

If you are making no changes, Human Resources needs the goldenrod colored form previously sent in campus mail.

If you are making other changes (such as adding or dropping a dependent, changing plans, etc.) specific forms required will be available in H.R.

Remember, this is the only chance you have to make changes for 2008 unless you experience a qualifying event during the year (such as a change in marital status, change in spouse employment, etc). And you cannot change from a specific insurance Plan A to Plan B or vice versa during the year - even if you have a qualifying event. This is because of different plans having different deductibles and coverage rules.

So don't delay: Verify or update your information today!

Today's Brown Bag

Betsy Griffin, Academic Affairs, reminds faculty/staff about the Brown Bag lunch for today, Friday, Oct. 26. Christie Cathey, Psychology, will speak on "Power and Perspective-Taking in China."

The Brown Bag will be held from 12:10 - 12:50 p.m. in the Keystone Room on the 3rd floor of the BSC. Lunch is provided courtesy of Academic Affairs and Sodexho.

Just pick up your lunch at the buffet and prepare for an interesting presentation. All faculty/staff are welcome to attend.

Social Worker to speak

Christine Jorgensen

Christine Jorgensen, a licensed clinical social worker, teacher and expert on Chinese society, will speak at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday, Oct. 29 in Webster Hall Auditorium at Missouri Southern State University.

Her presentations, all free and open to the public, will include:

9 a.m. - “One Life to Live: Born in China . . . . What is Your Future?”
11 a.m. - “The Young and the Restless: Dating, Marriage and Career Mobility in China.”
1 p.m. - “The Golden Years and Grave Justice: The Social Safety Net -Whole or Full of Holes?”

Christine Jorgensen and her husband, Professor James Jorgensen, have taught in China on four separate occasions. She lived in the work unit for the China Youth College of Political Science and taught various aspects of social work.

Her travels in China include Harbin, Tibet, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Guilin, Xian, Chengdu, the Panda Research Center, Chengde, Tianjin, Chongqing, Yangtze River, Three Gorges, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau.

Ms. Jorgensen’s background includes casework experience in the Cook County (Ill.) Department of Welfare, Denver County Social Services and at The Children’s Hospital, Denver, as coordinator and co-director of the Child Advocacy Team as well as assistant director of clinical social work and adjunct professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work.

The presentations are part of “China Semester” activities at Missouri Southern. Throughout the semester, a wide variety of lectures, presentations, programs and cultural events will focus on China.

For more information, contact Chad Stebbins, Director of the Institute of International Studies at MSSU, at (417) 625-9736.

Wu Man and Friends to perform Nov. 1

Wu Man

Music from divergent cultures will combine to produce an evening of fantastic music when Wu Man and Friends perform at 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 1 in Taylor Performing Arts Center at Missouri Southern State University.

The concert is sponsored by the Missouri Southern Institute of International Studies and the Campus Activities Board as part of “China Semester” activities. The concert is free and open to the public.

In a meeting of East and West, Chinese pipa virtuoso Wu Man joins forces with Appalachian folk guitarist Lee Knight and Ugandan musician James Makubuya to create a fascinating blend of two musical cultures and to revisit the music from her album, “Wu Man and Friends.”

Wu Man is an internationally renowned pipa virtuoso, cited by the Los Angeles Times as “the artist most responsible for bringing the pipa to the Western World.”

Wu Man has performed her music with some of the world’s greatest orchestras in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, London and Hong Kong and several other major cities. In many cases, the ticket price to see Wu Man and Friends can cost more than $40 for a single admission.

Born in Hangzhou, China, Wu Man studied at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing where she became the first recipient of a master’s degree in pipa. Wu Man was selected by Yo-Yo Ma as the winner of the City of Toronto Glenn Gould Protégé Prize in music and communication.

She is also the first artist from China to have performed at the White House with the noted cellist with whom she now performs as part of the Silk Road Project. Her touring has taken her to the major music halls of the world including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.

James Makubuya: Uganda native Dr. Makubuya and associate professor of music at Wabash College in Indiana. With the endongo (8-string bowl lyre) as his main instrument, he is a proficient performer of several instruments, including the akogo (thumb piano), adungu (9-string bow harp), endingidi (1-string tube fiddle), amadinda (12-slab log xylophone), and engoma (drums).

He is also an accomplished dancer and choreographer, having studied with several master musicians and dancers from various East African musical traditions.

Lee Knight: U.S. musician Lee Knight currently works as a folk singer, story teller and outdoor leader, performing at concerts, workshops, elderhostels, festivals, camps and schools. He leads hikes, canoe trips and guides whitewater rafts. He plays various instruments, including the five-string banjo, various guitars, the Appalachian dulcimer, the mouth bow, the Cherokee flute and the Cherokee rattle, as well as the Native American drum.

For more information, contact Chad Stebbins, International Studies, at ext. 9376.

The Dragon Awake

The School of Business is pleased to announce that it will hold the business and academic conference “The Dragon Awake: China and its Emergence as a Global Business Leader,” Nov. 1 – 2 at MSSU.

Most of the sessions will be held in Cornell Auditorium, and admission to individual events is complimentary for Missouri Southern students, faculty, and staff.

Meals are available at additional cost for those interested. Lunches are $15 each, and the Chinese Dinner and Silent Auction in Spiva Gallery preceding the Wu Man Concert is $30.00. Conference tote bags will also be available for $10 at the door, while supplies last.

Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling 625-9703, or in front of Cornell Auditorium on Nov. 1–2.

Students to gather for Media Showcase Day

More than 400 area high school and middle school students are expected on campus on Thursday, November 1 for the 11th Annual Southern Media Showcase Day, sponsored by the Department of Communication. The day's activities include various speakers and presentations, as well as award presentations for the print and video competition.

The two opening speakers this year are Christopher Clark, news editor for the Kansas City Bureau of the Associated Press and Donald Hicks, president and CEO of the Missouri Broadcasters Association.

Clark will present a program "Write it, Shoot it, Record it: Covering the News for Digital Readers." Hicks will discuss "The Digital Television Transition: What Everyone Will Need to Know Before February 2009."

Media Showcase Day will also feature the presentation of this year's honorees into the Regional Media Hall of Fame. This year's recipients are Ron Petersen, long-time radio station owner and broadcaster, and Wendell Redden, long-time Joplin Globe sports editor. The Hall of Fame awards were presented for the first time last year, as an extension of the Pioneer Broadcaster Award, established in 1997.

Student awards will also be presented during an awards luncheon, to winning entries in the annual media competition. Students submit newspaper and video entries in a variety of categories.

Media Showcase Day is coordinated by the faculty, staff and students of KGCS-TV and The Chart, services of the Department of Communication. The day's activities are funded by contributions from regional foundations, media organizations and supporters.

KOZJ Wine Feast slated

The KOZJ (Ozarks Public Television) Wine Feast 2007 will be held on Sunday, Nov. 4 at Hammons Convention Center in Joplin. Advance purchase Wine Feast tickets are $25 ($35 at the door).

This event will be held from 2:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Over 60 different wines can be sampled along with food from some of Joplin's finest restaurants.

The "Spotlight on Reserve Wine" tickets are $60. This includes a sit down presentation with reserved wine served along with foods prepared by the Holiday Inn's executive chef. This event starts at 12:15 p.m. and includes early entrance to the Wine Feast.

Anyone interested in purchasing tickets can contact Brad Kleindl, School of Business, at 625-3120 or e-mail kleindl-b@mssu.edu.

National Friends of the Library Week

Oct. 21-27 is National Friends of the Library week. That makes it a good time to thank the Friends of George A. Spiva Library who contribute so much of their time and expertise to significantly enhance the MSSU library's resources and services.

"I know that Spiva Library and the friends group are sources of pride in our community," says Amber Carr, Library. "I hope this week everyone will call the library to find out how they can join and support this outstanding group," she adds.

To find out more visit http://www.mssu.edu/spivalib/Friends.shtml.

Southern Symphony Orchestra to Perform November 9

The Southern Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Kexi Liu, Music, will perform the first concert of its season, "Sound of China," at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 9 at Taylor Performing Arts Center.

The concert is free and open to the public. It will be followed by a reception.

Presenting traditional and modern Chinese pieces, the program features the world premiere of West Rhapsody, a piece especially commissioned for Southern Symphony Orchestra from Grammy-winning composer Zhou Long.

The program also includes the popular Yellow River Piano Concerto, and prize-winning pianist Langning Liu will perform the concerto with the orchestra.

Zhou is a Visiting Professor of Composition at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. His works have been recorded on BIS, EMI, CRI, Teldec, Cala, Delos, Avant, and China Record Corporation. Among his numerous honors are a Grammy award (1999) and the Academy Award in Music for lifetime achievement from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (2003).

A native of China and a resident of Toronto, Canada, Ms. Liu is a prize-winning artist who has performed with numerous symphony orchestras including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Beijing Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra, and Mississauga Youth Orchestra.

Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times remarked that her performances have “miraculous strength and confident breadth,” and “elegant pianism, warmth and artistic maturity.”

For further information, please contact Kexi Liu at (417) 625-9681, or e-mail liu-k@mssu.edu.

Debate Team Participates in Creighton Tournament

The Missouri Southern State University Speech and Debate Squad competed at the Creighton University Invitation Debate Tournament Oct. 12 - 14 in Omaha, Neb. A total of 86 tournament debaters from 24 colleges and universities representing 13 states took part.

In parliamentary debate, Whitney Hart, junior political science major from Lamar, and Cody Snyder, senior business/economics major from Neosho, qualified for octo-final elimination rounds. Hart and Snyder went to the quarterfinals before dropping a decision to Southern Illinois University.

In JV Lincoln-Douglas (LD) debate, Kyle Buzzard, freshman political science major from Lamar, qualified for elimination rounds at his second tournament. After going 4-1 in preliminary rounds, Buzzard went to the semifinal before dropping a decision. Buzzard joins teammates Snyder, Hart, and Dylan Slagel, senior political science major from Aurora, in qualifying for the NFA National LD debate tournament to be held in April at Middle Tennessee State University.

The team will travel to the Fall Ichabod Classic at Washburn University Nov. 10-11, according to Kelly B. Larson, Forensics Director at Missouri Southern.

FACULTY/STAFF

Cheryl Cifelli, Music, will perform a faculty recital on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. in Webster Auditorium. She will be assisted by Debra Snodgrass, Brian Fronzaglia, Music, and Donna Kushner Donaldson. They will be performing a Halloween program featuring works by Debussy, Israel, Burge, and Tansman. Admission is free.

Carolyn Hale, Communication, took three Oral Communication classes to the Spiva Center for the Arts (downtown Joplin) to see the exhibit on Western Art featuring works by Joe Beeler, Karl Bodmer, and George Caitlin. Only five students of 66 had ever been there before and many had never been to any museum. Each student wrote and presented a speech as a critic.

Spiva Library Archivist Charles Nodler has been selected for inclusion in the 2008 edition of Who's Who in America.

Frank A. Pishkur, Art, and Jed Schlegel, Lifelong Learning, along with a dozen MSSU ceramics students attended an all-day workshop with ceramic artist Russell Wrankle at the College of the Ozarks Tuesday, Oct. 23. Wrankle runs Toquerville Pottery (http://www.toquervilleclay.com) near Zion National Park in southern Utah. He demonstrated his techniques and explained his philosophy about the three major bodies of artwork he produces. Those include hand-made ceramic tile with painterly surfaces and colors similar to those of the desert environment, soda-fired functional stoneware pottery and his sometimes disquieting sculptures based off of either historical Persian Rhytons or featuring the dog as a silent, unwilling, and disposable witness to the disturbing moments of our lives.

Sculptural works by June Roys, Art, were exhibited in the 18th annual national women’s juried art show, “From Our Perspective,” Sept. 20 - Oct. 12 in the Smith Theatre Gallery at Oakland Community College’s Orchard Ridge Campus in Farmington Hills, Mich. The accepted piece, titled “Visceral Series #02/Thrust," which depicts seven abstract male forms, is one of a series of recent works involving mixed media sculptures. Thirty-nine artworks were chosen from over 140 artists from the United States and Canada, with almost 400 works exhibited in the show.

CLASSIFIED

Lost: Olympic Digital Camera in purple case, had 2 memory cards and extra batteries. Please call ext. 4128 if found.

Sale: Faculty member and wife are attempting to reduce stock and other items from a former gift store. Garage sale/inventory sale scheduled for 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. (?), Saturday, Oct. 27 at 404 Joy Street in Neosho. Call for directions, if needed, at (417) 451-4622 or (417) 529-1263 or Terry Marion at ext. 9507.

For Sale: Some Anheuser-Busch steins and glasses for sale. Also some other steins and mugs. Some are collectibles, reasonably priced. Call Dale Simpson at ext. 9640 for more information.

For Sale: 2006 Chevrolet Equinox LT 10,500 Miles; All Wheel Drive. Like new. Must sell. $16,600 or best offer. Sunroof, CD player, AC in back, factory warranty, Black with Silver-grey cloth interior; automatic. 25 mpg. on the highway, 20-22 in town. Call Becky Gallemore at 659-5425, ( 417) 540-3423, cell or 782-9643, home.