Current Issue: Volume 26 - Number 30 - December 5, 2008
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Michael Tilson Thomas wins Haas Award
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The 2008 Karl Haas Prize for Music Education has been awarded to Michael Tilson Thomas, Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony and host of the 8-part radio series, The MTT Files.
The radio series is just one component of "Keeping Score," the ambitious cross-media undertaking by the San Francisco Symphony. Michael Tilson Thomas is the linchpin that makes the project so successful in communicating with its intended audiences.
This award's namesake, the late Karl Haas, received the first Fine Arts Radio International Awards Lifetime Achievement honor in 2000.
In informing Thomas of the award, 88.7KXMS General Manager Jeffrey Skibbe wrote:
"Past honorees distinguish themselves as music educators through the medium of radio, and you have continued to do such so very admirably with the recent radio series The MTT Files, exploring classical music and its influence on our lives-in unexpected ways."
"In the eight 60-minute programs, you reminisce about-and in conversation with-legendary artists with whom you have worked, a platform that is both intimate as well as uniquely effective in the first person," Skibbe continued.
The MTT Files are part of the San Francisco Symphony's acclaimed cross-media Keeping Score project, which includes a national PBS television series, public radio series, interactive websites, and K-12 Education and Community programs, all designed to make classical music more accessible to people of all ages and musical backgrounds. The component parts of this comprehensively integrated educational project and the success of the Keeping Score project is in no small way due to Michael Tilson Thomas' leadership and communication skills.
The Karl Haas Prize for Music Education is presented annually by The Klassix Society/Friends of 88.7KXMS in the name of the man whose pioneering radio series, Adventures in Good Music, remains an inspirational beacon to radio producers and music educators alike.
For more information, contact Jeffrey Skibbe at (417) 625-9356. More information on The MTT Files is available by visiting http://www.mssu.edu/kxms/home.htm#karlhaasprize2008 on the worldwide web.
Wyman to speak at Commencement
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Joplin attorney Jane Wyman will be the speaker at Missouri Southern's 51st commencement ceremony scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 13 in Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on the MSSU campus.
Wyman has a long history of leadership and service to Missouri Southern State University. She is an attorney in Joplin and served as a member of the Board of Regents from 1996 to 2001. In 2001 she was appointed to a new judgeship in Jasper County by Gov. Bob Holden, which required her to step down from her position on the Board.
However,
after leaving her judgeship, Gov. Holden reappointed Ms.Wyman to the University's Board of Governors in 2003. She completed her second term in August of this year.
She is a former assistant prosecuting attorney for Jasper County. She earned an undergraduate degree from Missouri Southern and received her law degree from the University of Tulsa.
She is a member of the Jasper County Bar Association, the Missouri Bar Association, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Jasper County Association for Social Services, Inc.
Laser technology used for new gym floor
Approximately 20,000 square feet of freshly poured concrete were smoothed with a laser screed Tuesday, Dec. 2, according to Rodney Longenecker, RE Smith Construction Company Project Manager for the MSSU Beimdiek Student Recreation Center Building.
“The gym floor must be exceptionally flat,” Longenecker said. “Manual screeds and manpower are adequate for most subfloors, but gym floors demand the most fail-safe method available to insure an absolute flat surface.”
A laser screed machine makes for laser-precise flatness and levelness. Floors are routinely flatter and more level than floors produced with any other conventional method. Laser receivers mounted at each end of the screed head receive a signal from a transmitter multiple times per second providing totally automatic control to finished floor level.
Hot water [was] used to help offset the December chill, Longenecker said. “Cold temperatures present a challenge for the chemistry in concrete. We mix the concrete with hot water to put heat in the slab. Even then, temperatures of 30 degrees can slow our ability to get a good finishing chemistry.”
Crews began the pour around 7:30 a.m. and worked the concrete until sunset in order to get the finish desired.
“December is a critical month for closing in the structure so we can get the heat turned on and begin interior finish work,” Longenecker said. “As soon as we get the windows set in the exterior walls, the interior focus will be on hot water piping and necessary electrical work.
“If good weather holds, we will backfill the current structure, lay out the parking lot, and perhaps even parking lot curb and gutter,” Longenecker said. “That would be a good December.”
Hessner exhibit
Drawings and watercolors by Richard Hessner, Sr. and Richard Hessner, Jr. are now on exhibit in the Spiva Art Gallery at Missouri Southern. Val Christensen, Art, says the special exhibit related to the Germany Semester will continue through Dec. 5.
The art works are from the early part of the 20th century. The earliest work is dated 1906 and the latest work is from the 1930's. Both Hessners worked in an academic style and the work is highly detailed. The majority of the subjects are scenes of Germany both landscapes and cityscapes. There also are several portraits, including a psychologically revealing self-portrait by Richard Hessner, Jr.
The work is from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Burkholder of Joplin. Inga Burkholder is the grand-niece of Richard Hessner's wife, Frederica.
Faculty and staff are invited to join us for a closing reception and to meet the owners of the work on anytime between 10 a.m. and 12 noon on Friday, Dec. 5. Coffee and hot cider will be served.
Elves and the Shoemaker this weekend
Southern Theatre and the Show-Me Celebration Company will present the children's play, The Elves and the Shoemaker, adapted by Karen Boettcher-Tate, based on the story by the Brothers Grimm, at 2:30 p.m., Dec. 6 - 7 in Taylor Performing Arts Center.
Lyndall Burrow,Theatre Department, directs this original adaptation of the classic story.
Lockhart Cobblestone, the shoemaker, has a kind heart but little money in his pocket. Moved by the plight of an old beggar woman, he gives her his last pair of shoes.
Poor Lockhart has leather enough to make only one more pair of shoes and sets it out to work on the next morning. Then, the fun begins! Out pop five weird, endearing little elves who whip up the most fantastic and magical shoes the town of Clankbottom has ever seen. This is a whimsical romp of a fantasy that also holds a gentle message about the nature of kindness.
For theatre production information, please call (417) 625-9393. For a cast list, visit http://www.mssu.edu/news/2008/elves_08.html.
Admission for the children's play is $1 for adults and $0.50 for children 12 and under. No free passes can be accepted. For reservations call (417) 625-3190.
Focus on Honors Program
The Missouri Southern State University Honors Program will hold its Biannual All-Honors Seminar and Honors Showcase Event beginning at 2 p.m. today, Friday, Dec. 5, in Anderson Auditorium.
The afternoon will begin with a social gathering, featuring artwork by Honors Students. The seminar, which kicks off at 2 p.m., will include opening remarks, a report from the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference, descriptions on enhancements of the Biology 210 and Nursing 400 classes at MSSU, and reports on “Living with the Amish” and the McCaleb Peace Initiative.
The Showcase, which will begin after a 10-minute intermission at 3:10 p.m., will include a vocal ensemble, vocal solo and interpretive dance and a skit featuring Honors Students and faculty members.
Michael Garoutte, Honors, says the Honors Program at Missouri Southern State University encourages academic excellence by providing special opportunities and challenges for exceptional students.
Beginning with the first semester of their freshman year, Honors students participate in specially-designated Honors classes. Because admission is selective and competitive, these classes are smaller and often more discussion-oriented than regular classes, permitting Honors students greater and more intensive interaction with their instructors and other outstanding students.
Honors students also enjoy intensive guidance and personal attention from the Honors directors and from distinguished faculty in their area of study. Independent studies and the Senior Thesis project provide students and faculty with the flexibility they need to pursue scholarly interests and to design and implement innovative, creative approaches to learning.
Outstanding high school seniors and college students with fewer than 30 credits are welcome to apply. Application details are at the program's website: http://www.mssu.edu/honors.
MSSU Choral Society to Present Holiday Concert
The MSSU Choral Society Annual Christmas Concert to be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, in the First Community Church, 15th and Connecticut, Joplin.
The Choral Society, under the direction of Al Carnine, Music, is accompanied by Eleanor McLemore.
Comprised of 45 singers from the four-state area, the mixed choir will feature Christmas Is Coming by the composer team of Siegmeister and Wheeler. Complete with narration, the composition takes the listener on a journey through the customs, traditions, and story of the Christmas celebration season.
Narrators include Gayle O'Hare, Joplin, and Beryl and Esther Kingsbury, Carthage. Joplin soloists Karen Derrick and Annette Nethery will also be featured.
The poignant Why Can't It Be Christmas Every Day of the Year? is probably a wish in everyone's mind. Composer George F. Handel's "Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord" is the choral ensemble's contribution to the German Semester at MSSU.
The Nutcracker Jingles is sure to bring a smile to everyone's face as the traditional Jingle Bells is interwoven with the well-known melodies from the "Nutcracker Suite."
Closing the concert will be Bob Krogstad's exciting How Great Our Joy! Divided into three sections, the true meaning of Christmas is revealed in Ring, Christmas Bells, Hallelujah, Amen! and Glory to the Newborn King!
The concert is sponsored by the Missouri Southern Department of Music in cooperation with the MSSU Division of Lifelong Learning. For more information, contact Al Carnine at (417) 625-9633.
Final semester film in Contemporary Series
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The final feature film for the fall 2008 season will be shown this Friday, Dec. 5. at approximately 7 p.m. The film will be The Way I Spent the End of the World (Romania, 2006; 106 minutes).
The acclaimed feature from Romania’s resurgent new cinema explores what happens when two young people, Eva and her boyfriend, accidentally break a bust of Ceausescu in 1989, the last year of the dictator’s reign, are placed in a reformatory and Eva’s seven-year-old brother decides to take revenge!
The movie was directed by Catalin Mitulescu. End of the World won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival and the Sundance International Filmmakers Award.
For more information on the film, please contact Bill Kumbier, English at kumbier-w@mssu.edu.
Pottery sale continues
The MSSU Ceramics Program's 2008 pottery that began yesterday continues from 1 - 7 p.m. today, Friday, Dec. 5. Located in the campus Spiva Art Gallery in the first floor of the Fine Arts Building.
Unique, handcrafted gifts at reasonable prices just in time for the holidays. Microwavable oven and dishwasher food-safe pottery as well as sculptural objects will be available. "Exciting work is being created at Missouri Southern and this is an opportunity to see and collect some of it," says Frank A. Pishkur, Art.
A portion of the proceeds will be used for purchasing tools and equipment for the MSSU Ceramics Program. For further information, contact Frank at 417-625-9735.
Job search workshop
With the current economic downturn, MSSU students might need all the help they can get finding a job once they graduate. Career Services is planning a Job Search Workshop for Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009 for MSSU December and May graduates.
Lora Burch, Career Services, says the workshop will run from 1 - 3:30 p.m. in Spiva Library, Room 420 and will cover job search topics like resume review, Southern Job Network, interview skills and practice, how to learn of current job openings, salary negotiation, etc.
Space is limited, so please encourage soon-to-be graduates to call 625-9343 to reserve a seat for this event.
Keeping communities warm one coat at a time
Winter is approaching, and no one should have to go without such a basic necessity as a coat!
MSSU’S National Leadership Honor Society, Omicron Delta Kappa (OKD), is collecting clean, reusable coats, jackets to assist the One Warm Coat community service effort. Coats of all shapes sizes are welcome and children's sizes are most needed.
Bring your clean, reusable coats and jackets to any of the designated ODK Big Blue Boxes on campus (Hearnes Hall, Reynolds Hall, Spiva Library, Webster Hall, Taylor Hall, Music Hall, Kuhn Hall, Plaster Hall, SLC Cafeteria and McCormick Hall). The drive has been extended through Friday, Dec. 5.
All donated coats will be given to Watered Gardens and City of Refuge for free distribution to the community in need.
For information contact Elaine Freeman, Teacher Education, at 625-9759 or Sara Jones at (816) 752-5888.
Warm Hands, Warm Hearts
Children's Haven will be the recipient of the hats, scarves, gloves and mittens contributed to the boxes located in each of the buildings on campus.
Vicki Spencer, Teacher Education, says that due to the slow response, Alpha Chi will extend collections through the first week of classes in January.
May your warm hearts this holiday season help warm the hands and hearts of the children at Children's Haven.
Concerts on KGCS-TV
KGCS-TV will air a recording of the Nov. 25 Missouri Southern Jazz Orchestra Concert, "Swingin' Holiday Show." The program will air throughout December, including the following dates: Mon. Dec. 8 - 7 p.m.; Wed. Dec. 17 - 8 p.m.; Mon. Dec. 22 - 9 p.m.; and Tue. Dec. 23 - 7 p.m.
KGCS-TV plans to air a recording of the recent Voice Majors & Minors performance at Missouri Southern State University. The performance, "Onstage," was presented on Nov. 20. Judy Stiles, KGCS, says air times include: Tues. Dec. 9 - 8 p.m.; Sun. Dec. 14 - 8 p.m.; Mon. Dec. 29 - 6 p.m.; and Tues. Dec. 30 - 6 p.m.
KGCS-TV operates as a service of the Department of Communication at Missouri Southern State University. Programming may be seen in digital UHF channel 22, Cable One Channel 7 and Mediacom Channel 77.
New homes for Foundation, TRIO
The Missouri Southern Foundation and the three arms of the TRIO program are settling into new homes on campus.
The Missouri Southern Foundation has moved from the "Foundation House" to Room 211 in Hearnes Hall. Curt Betebenner, Foundation Director, says all contact information for the Foundation will remain the same. Only the offices have moved.
Meanwhile, Project Stay has found a great new home in the Foundation's former offices, a ranch-style structure located on the west side of campus.
Upward Bound, another part of the TRIO program, has moved to the Mansion Annex. UB's new main telephone number is 625-9880. The FAX is now 659-5438. Staff members' extensions remain the same.
The third arm of TRIO, Educational Talent Search, moved several months ago into the Joplin Regional Center on the north side of Newman Road, east of the Anderson Criminal Justice Center.
Auditorium to receive new moniker in January
One of Missouri Southern’s busiest auditoriums will have a new moniker officially bestowed on it in early January.
John Tiede, Missouri Southern Foundation, says the auditorium in Webster Hall will officially be named William Robert Corley Auditorium, in recognition of a major gift to MSSU made by Corley, a longtime Joplin resident.
The ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. on January 6 in Corley Auditorium.
The Missouri Southern Board of Governors announced the acceptance of a major gift to the University at its meeting in August. The auditorium’s new name has been used on an unofficial basis since that time.
William Robert Corley, a longtime Joplin resident, provided what MSSU Board of Governors Chair H. Dwight Douglas described as a “seven figure” amount for endowment of unrestricted scholarships for students.
For more information, contact the Missouri Southern Foundation at (417) 625-9396.
Newsmakers programs reflect on 2008, look ahead
Newsmakers programs in the month of December will take a look back at the past year and a look ahead at 2009 for Missouri Southern, the City of Joplin, and the State of Missouri. Interviews airing the next three weeks feature the following guests:
Bruce Speck - President of Missouri Southern State University
KGCS air dates: Sun. Dec. 7 - 6:30 p.m., Mon. Dec. 8 - 5:30 p.m., Wed. Dec. 10 - 5:30 p.m.
KOAM air date: Sat. Dec. 6 - 5:30 a.m.
Gary Shaw, Joplin Mayor and Mark Rohr, Joplin City Manager
KGCS air dates: Sun. Dec. 14 - 6:30 p.m., Mon. Dec. 15 - 5:30 p.m., Wed. Dec. 17 - 5:30 p.m.
KOAM air date: Sat. Dec. 13 - 5:30 a.m.
MO State Representative Ron Richard (incoming Speaker of the House)
KGCS air dates: Tues. Dec. 9 - 6 p.m., Wed. Dec. 10 - 9:30 p.m., Sun. Dec. 21 - 6:30 p.m., Mon. Dec. 22 - 5:30 p.m.
KOAM air date: Sat. Dec. 20 - 5:30 a.m.
“Our Gift to You”
ATTENTION ALL DECEMBER GRADUATES Thursday, December 11 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Call 417.659.LION (5466) to reserve your spot today! |
Sweatshirt, other items on sale
Greg Needham, Bookstore, says several shirts and pullovers are on sale including a MySport Crew Sweatshirt for only $9.99. Quantities are limited. To see photos of the merchandise paste this link into your bowser (or simply click on the net address): http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4Rbk1FhpW5P8HYyiYhmHaQ .
Model U.N. visits Chicago
Missouri Southern’s Model United Nations Club successfully represented the nation of New Zealand at the American Model United Nations conference in Chicago, Nov. 21-25. The conference is a faithful, if compressed, simulation of the real United Nations, in which over 1,000college and university students confront and attempt to resolve serious and complex global issues.
The MSSU delegation consisted of six students—Caitlin Bermel, Jill Harris, Devon Nixon, Vanessa Quiroga, Taylor Schmidt and Megan Davis (Head Delegate)—and faculty advisor Bill Kumbier, English, who normally serves as co-advisor to the Club along with Paul Teverow, History. The delegation received a certificate of participation and recognition for its timely, early submission of a complete position paper, outlining New Zealand’s stance on the issues before the conference.
William Huffman, Accounting, presented a 2-hour CPE seminar on Ethics for the Institute of Management Accountants. Included in the presentation was an original poem on ethics.
Tran van Thuong, Mathematics, has articles posted online which he invites faculty/staff and others to read. " Vietnam War Under the U.S. Foreign Policy Perspective and Vietnam Perspective" is available at http://www.nsvietnam.com/online/binhluan/113008-vnwar.html . The article "Why Do I Need To Respond?" is available at http://vietnamsolutions.blogspot.com/. (Click on the links to be transferred to the articles.)
CLASSIFIED
Raffle: Joplin High School Project Graduation 2009 is holding a raffle for a China Off Road 50cc Scooter. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. The Scooter is generously donated by Roper Honda. Tickets available in Brad Kleindl’s office, Room. 302, Plaster Hall. Drawing to be held Feb. 6, 2009. Need not to be present to win.
For Sale: Pine day bed with heart cutouts plus mattress, $75. Will send a picture upon request. Call Ellen at 850-2235.
For Sale: Two Kansas City Chiefs tickets, field level, row 5, seats 3 & 4 for the San Diego Chargers game (Dec.14) and the Miami Dolphins game (Dec. 21); $89 per ticket (face value). Call ext. 9800 or 291-0628.
For Rent or Sale: Three-bedroom and 2-bath house in Carthage, newly remodeled, fenced back yard, close to shopping center, easy access to Highway 71, only 15 minutes from MSSU, quiet neighborhood. For rent, $595 per month, no pets. For sale information, please call. 385-8588.
