A Moment with Mike -- Making Higher Ed More Easy and Effective

     In the coming months I will discuss some of the legislation that was passed and signed into law this last session.  I will also be sending you an “End of Session” report that will highlight some of the bills passed with short descriptions and will also give a break-down on the budget showing how your tax money was spent.  In addition to the thirteen budget bills, there were just over one hundred other bills that were passed and they are now being scrutinized by the Governor as he weighs the decision to sign them or not.
     Among the first bills to be signed by the Governor this year was a bill that I sponsored and was drawn up through a collaborative effort of individuals that represented two-  and four- year institutions, the Department of Higher Education and the General Assembly.  The purpose of the bill (HB1042) is to make the path to a two-year or a four-year degree more efficient and effective.
     Higher education institutions across our country are caught in a dilemma in that funding support is diminishing and costs are rising.  This necessitates higher tuition and fees and students are carrying more burden with student debt going up every year.  The student debt in our country is now close to a trillion dollars.  Students often times graduate with a large debt and then have a difficult time finding a job that will allow them to pay back the debt in a timely manner.  This is happening at a time when the need for graduates of post-secondary institutions is increasing and statistics indicate that by the year 2025, over 60% of jobs available in our state will require some kind of certification or a degree.  At this time, less than 40% of those in our workforce under the age of 35 have a degree and in order for us to meet that need for the future we must increase our output of credentialed workers by over 4% per year.  It will be necessary to do everything we can to make it easier for our students to attain some type of higher education training without lowering the standards and keeping up with the ever-changing technology.
     It is this scenario that stimulated the need for HB 1042 which we believe will not only reduce some of the obstacles that students face but also  increase efficiency.  It seems that time is the enemy when we are in school.  The longer we take to get through school, the more it costs, the more debt we accumulate and more time is spent with little or no income.  The bill will require the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to develop a library of core courses that will be transferrable to all public institutions of higher learning in the state.  It also charges the board with developing a system to allow students to reverse transfer college credits from a four-year institution to a two-year institution.  It contains a provision that requires institutions to make remedial study courses more effective so they do not delay students from enrollment in college-level courses and, lastly, it changes the certification of proprietary schools so that they can be more responsive to the needs of those students who are training for specific jobs.
     Some of these things are already being done in our state.  Northwest MO State University works closely with North Central Community College to facilitate some of the things discussed and others may do the same.  However, there needs to be a collaborative effort across the state to become more efficient in our delivery of higher education.  Higher education is  instrumental in supplying the workforce that we need for our future economy.
         

Northwest agricultural sciences department to host cover crop workshops

The Department of Agricultural Sciences at Northwest Missouri State recently received a grant from the Missouri Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to develop and host cover crop workshops focused on educating local producers and gardeners on the virtues of using cover crops in their traditional production systems.

The workshops will be 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 10, beginning in Charles Johnson Theater. Onsite registration begins at 8 a.m., although pre-registration is recommended online at http://www.nwmissouri.edu/ag/ or by calling the department at 660.562.1155.

The one-day workshops are free and open to the public. A free lunch also will be provided.

The workshop will consist of guest speakers, including local producers, university experts and NRCS personnel. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to tour Northwest’s cover crop demonstration plots, which consist of various cover crop species and cover mixtures.

The workshop will be divided into two tracts. The agronomy tract will focus on the use of cover crops in corn, soybean and small grains, and the horticulture tract will focus on the use of cover crops in orchards, vegetables and gardens.

“We have seen a dramatic upswing – some estimate a 400 to 500 percent increase – in the use of cover crops to promote soil quality over the past few years,” said Dr. Jamie Patton, associate professor of agriculture at Northwest. “Cover crops are used to increase soil organic matter contents, porosity and nutrient levels, as well as reduce erosion.”

The use of cover crops is becoming more common, Patton said, after fertilizer and pesticide production steered ag producers away from growing the beneficial crops. Prior to World War II, cover crops were commonly grown during the fall, winter and early spring for use in grazing and to add nitrogen to the soil and help control weed pressures for cash crops.

“Some producers who have regularly used cover crops in their typical crop rotations have experienced the decreased need for commercial fertilizers coupled with increases in corn yield,” Patton said. “To me, that is a win-win situation, particularly as we move toward more sustainable agricultural systems.”

Patton said Northwest’s agricultural sciences department has grown various types of cover crops during the last three years. Last fall, within an area of highly compacted soil north of the Valk Center, the department grew tillage radishes and studied the impact of the roots on improving soil tilth. At the Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area, the department has grown various cereal grains, legumes and winter canola to control erosion, improve soil fertility and provide wildlife habitat near Mozingo Lake.

“While the exploration of varied cover crops adds to Northwest students’ knowledge, the students also are gaining valuable skills by helping to plan and organize the upcoming workshop,” Patton said.

“Many of our students are going into careers where they’ll be responsible for hosting field days or educational events. By integrating our students in all aspects of this workshop, from planning to execution, we’re providing our students experience in the challenges of planning and organizing such events, as well all aspects of budgeting and publicity. Students are getting a good feel of the whole process, and they’re really excited that this isn’t just a class project. It is exciting that there is actually going to be real, tangible product in the end, and that the decisions they make will impact the experience of all the workshop attendees.”

NW Scholarship Honors Worth Native

A new scholarship endowed in honor of a 1959 graduate of Northwest Missouri State University will provide assistance to residents of Worth, Gentry, Harrison and Nodaway counties who seek a college education at Northwest.
In creating the Dr. Marvin D. Combs Memorial Scholarship, William L. Combs is honoring his older brother, who dedicated his life to practicing medicine and helping others. Dr. Combs, who died Dec. 5, 2009, at age 76, spent his career as a country doctor in the towns of Willcox, Ariz., and Albany. He was always on call, and residents knew they could reach him at home after office hours in case of emergencies.
“He contributed much to the welfare of the communities in which he lived,” William Combs said. “It seemed that a permanent scholarship in his name at Northwest would be the most suitable memorial to his life and career and, at the same time, would help good students from the counties of Worth, Gentry, Harrison and Nodaway attain a college education and perhaps continue the tradition of contributing to others.”
Born in Worth in 1933 as the second of six sons, Dr. Combs grew up on a farm near Worth during the Great Depression. Life there was not easy, but he realized the importance of an education and graduated from Grant City High School in 1951. He was drafted by the U.S. Army and served in Berlin, Germany, during the height of the Cold War.
Upon returning to the United States in 1955, Dr. Combs enrolled at Northwest and took classes to prepare himself for a career in the medical field.
“Marvin was four years older than me, but because of the time he worked after high school and his two years of military service, when he came back to start school at Northwest we were in the same class,” William Combs said. “During those years we mostly lived in the same rooming house and attended many of the same general studies classes. Our class was the first to have the commencement ceremony in the yet uncompleted new (Lamkin) gymnasium.”
After graduating from Northwest, Dr. Combs attended medical school at the University of Missouri, but withdrew after a year and raised money by working as a representative for pharmaceutical company Park Davis. Later, he enrolled at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Bioscience-College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he completed his doctorate in medicine.
Dr. Combs went on to establish a clinic in Willcox, Ariz., with a classmate and practiced successfully there for two decades while helping to modernize and improve medical care by working closely with a regional hospital. While many doctors were abandoning obstetrics because of rising insurance rates and increasing lawsuits resulting from birth defects, Dr. Combs continued. He also served as a coroner and was active in the Civil Air Patrol.
In 1983, to be closer to his family, Dr. Combs returned to northwest Missouri and started the Combs Clinic in Albany. After retiring in 2000, he and his wife, Vickey Dickerson, returned to Arizona.
To contribute to the Dr. Marvin D. Combs Memorial Scholarship, contact the Northwest Foundation at 660.562.1248, or send contributions, which are tax deductible, to the Office of University Advancement, Northwest Missouri State University, 800 University Drive, Maryville, MO 64468.

6 Local Students Graduate from Northwest

The following local students graduated from Northwest Missouri State:

Redding
Chris King, BS Physical Education; Zachary Lynch, BS Ag Business.

Grant City
Cassie Gilland, BS Mathematics Education.

Ravenwood
Matt Schieber, MBA, International Management Emphasis; Megan Sherry, BS Ag Business.

Sheridan
Kally Jo Wolfe, BS Animal Science.

Scott Bostwick, NWMSU Football Coach, Dies

KMBC TV of Kansas City is reporting that Northwest Missouri State head football coach Scott Bostwick has died of a heart attack today (Sunday). He was the long-time defensive coordinator for the program and was named as head coach to succeed Mel Tjeersma last December after the latter had retired.

This is a sad day for the Northwest Missouri State community as well as the entire area and region. Bostwick approached each game with passion, always listened to his players even in the heat of battle, and always gave them a hug afterwards after a big win. He always treated everyone with respect and got it in respect.

We have one story we have to share about Bostwick. It was election day in 2004; we supported John Kerry and some of the football guys supported George Bush. We were roasting each other right after one of our classes and just before football was about to go through one of their films and it was all in good fun. But Bostwick walked in and said, "Nope -- guys, it's a free country," and then he shut the door and proceeded to give a civics lecture to them. He always expected his players to conduct themselves with class both on and off the football field.

Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family and our prayers are also with the Northwest football program as they search for someone to replace Bostwick. He was well-respected to the point where many other people stepped aside last December so that he could take over after Mel had retired. It will be very difficult to fill the shoes of Mel Tjeerjsma and Scott Bostwick and we wish all the best for whoever becomes the next football coach.

Area Students NWMSU Honor Rolls

The following area students made the NWMSU honor rolls:

Redding:

Christopher King (President)

Zachary Lynch (Academic)

Denver:

Kim Harding (President)

Allison Hunt (Academic)

Larry Long (President)

Grant City:

Austin Hann (Academic)

Jordan Hiatt (Academic)

Alex Mullock (Academic)

Ashley Reynolds (Academic)

Elizabeth Runde (Academic)

Ravenwood:

Matt Seipel (Academic)

Sheridan:

Kally Wolfe (President)

Lifelong servant’s will endows ag scholarship

Dean Gingrich lived his life to serve, and, despite his death, his legacy continues to serve others.

Gingrich left a provision in his will to establish a scholarship at Northwest Missouri State University in his and his wife’s names upon their death that benefits agriculture students, primarily in northwest Missouri.

“Dean was all about duty – duty to God, duty to family, duty to country and duty to the community in which he lived,” said Bob Gingrich, his nephew.

Gingrich lived his entire life in northwest Missouri’s Nodaway County along with his wife, Jean, and his daughter, Barbara. He was a lifelong farmer, except for four years when he served in the U.S. Army. In fact, he was among the first group drafted into the Army from Nodaway County following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. Although he never attended college, it was well known that he cherished education, hard work and family.

“Some may have faulted him for working too hard, but that is what he was taught by his family with their Pennsylvania Dutch and Puritan roots,” his nephew said.

The Dean E. Gingrich and Jean D. Gingrich Scholarship provides an endowment of nearly $435,000 to provide scholarships for agriculture students with financial need who attended high school in Nodaway, Gentry, Worth, Andrew, Holt or Atchison counties in Missouri. If no such student from the geographic area qualifies, then eligibility may be expanded to include students from other locations who are majoring in agriculture.

For more information about this scholarship or other giving opportunities, contact Polly Howard at pollyh@nwmissouri.edu or 660.562.1248.

Austin Thummel Gets Corn Scholarship

The Missouri Corn Scholarship Committee is pleased to award Austin Thummel a 2011 Missouri Corn Scholarship. Austin will receive a $750scholarship from the Missouri Corn Growers Association and the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council
to help pay for his continuing education. Austin is the son of Jeff and Deb Thummel of Sheridan, Mo. He is a senior at Worth County High School and plans to attend Northwest Missouri State University where he will study agronomy.

This is the fifteenth year Missouri Corn Scholarships have been available for high
school and college students. High school applicants must be in their senior year
and Missouri residents from a Missouri farm or rural area. They must also plan
to attend a two-year or four-year Missouri college or university and major in agronomy or related subject. College applicants must also be Missouri residents from a Missouri farm or rural area and be a junior enrolled in a Missouri four-year college or university majoring in the field of agronomy or related subject.

Applications for the 2012 Missouri Corn Scholarship program will be available online
after Dec. 15, 2011.

Northwest offering Scratch workshops for K-12 teachers

Teachers are invited to attend “Scratch 101: The Basics” and “Scratch 202: Beyond the Basics,” free, one-day workshops geared toward teaching K-12 teachers about the computer program that helps students create stories, animation, games, music and art.

The Scratch 101 workshop will be June 24, and Scratch 202 will be July 8. Both will be at the Northwest Kansas City Center in Liberty. Software, lesson plans and lunch will be provided. The workshop also offers an optional one-hour graduate credit.

Teachers who participated the Scratch 101 workshop are encouraged to sign up for Scratch 202, which includes a review of Scratch basics and covers advance topics.

The registration deadline for both events is June 15. To register, go tohttp://bit.ly/scratchworkshop, e-mail greeley@nwmissouri.edu or call 660.562.1600. Limited seating is available.

Scratch is a free computer program from MIT Media Labs for kids ages 8 and up that helps them create stories, animation, games, music and art. It reinforces key mathematics and computer science concepts that all students should know, and it helps them think creatively, reason systematically and work collaboratively.

Scratch uses a metaphor of puzzle pieces to control images on the screen. Each piece performs on task, but they snap together, like puzzle pieces, to make more complex actions. In seconds, students can have animals, or any of the images they choose, scurrying around the screen and making sounds.

Presenters will consist of faculty in Northwest’s computer science and information systems department including Judy Clark, Carol Spradling and Michael Rogers. All have worked with Scratch for several years and are passionate about helping teachers master new techniques and incorporate them into the classroom.

Northwest hosted its first Scratch workshop last year, drawing nearly 50 teachers representing elementary, middle and high schools throughout the region.

For more information, contact Michael Rogers at michael@nwmissouri.edu or 660.562.1551.

Gov. Nixon announces $250,000 national grant to Missouri’s 13 public four-year universities for collaborative course redesign

Gov. Jay Nixon today announced that Missouri’s 13 public four-year universities will receive a $250,000 education grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The Next Generation Learning Challenges funds will be used to redesign courses using technology to improve student learning, and promote unprecedented collaboration among Missouri’s universities. Missouri’s public higher education institutions filed a joint application for the grant. In a nationwide, competitive grant process, the Missouri application was one of only 29 selected from a pool of 600.

“Missouri continues to lead the way in education reform that will boost achievement, preparing our students to compete for the best jobs in the global economy,” Gov. Nixon said. “Working in close collaboration to redesign courses and make the best use of innovative technology, our public four-year schools can serve tens of thousands of students more efficiently and effectively, reduce costs, and meet higher academic goals, including college completion.”

The course redesign initiative is a direct outgrowth of Gov. Nixon’s public agenda for higher education, announced in August 2010. The grant will enable the redesign of 13 high-enrollment undergraduate courses using innovative and technology-based learning tools to improve student learning, persistence and program completion, as well as reduce instructional costs. Each university will redesign one course that is common to all institutions and will be guided by the principles and practices of the National Center for Academic Transformation, a well-known national leader in course redesign.

Next Generation Learning Challenges is a collaborative, multi-year initiative created by the Gates and Hewlett foundations and others to address the barriers to educational innovation and tap the potential of technology to dramatically improve college readiness and completion in the United States.

"This grant recognizes that Missouri is making steady progress toward greater efficiency in higher education,” said Missouri Commissioner of Higher Education David Russell. “Course redesign, a priority of Governor Nixon, will result in improved remediation rates, better learning outcomes for students and higher completion rates for the state."

Gov. Nixon said the grant money will be supplemented by an additional $240,000 from Missouri’s public universities, $100,000 from the state, and $15,000 from the Missouri Department of Higher Education.

In addition to benefiting university students with redesigned courses, the public four-year universities also eventually will share their redesigned course materials with the 21 public two-year colleges in Missouri, which currently enroll more than 100,000 students.

“This funding will provide all of us with an opportunity to pursue an unprecedented level of collaboration on a broad academic agenda, with a laser focus on providing a quality education experience for students,” saidChrista Weisbrook, the faculty fellow at the University of Missouri System who is coordinating the initiative among Missouri’s higher education institutions.

The 13 public four-year institutions are: Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis; Lincoln University in Jefferson City; Missouri Southern State University in Joplin; Missouri State University in Springfield; the four campuses of the University of Missouri System; Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph; Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville; Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau; Truman State University in Kirksville; and University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.

The University of Missouri System is providing administrative grant support for the group’s work over the next 15 months.

SBTDC offering course to help businesses broaden their markets

Northwest Missouri State University’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, in conjunction with Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Centers and the University of Missouri Extension, is offering a three-hour course aimed at helping businesses broaden their markets.

“Winning Government Contracts: The First Steps” covers basic information every business owner should know before attempting to bid on government contracts at any level.

Topics of discussion will include background on government contracting, U.S. Small Business Administration size standards, marketing to the government, vendor registrations, government certifications, purchasing methods and Procurement Technical Assistance Center services.

The course will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at the Northwest Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Room 1323, located at 1402 North College Drive in Maryville.

The fee for the course is $50 per person, payable in cash or check to MO PTAC.

For more information, contact Dr. Frank Veeman, senior regional director of the Small Business & Technology Development Center, at 660.562.1701 or fveeman@nwmissouri.edu.

The 46,679-square-foot Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a mixed-use business incubator and academic research facility, featuring state-of-the-art research labs and office space. Along with programming specializing in nanotechnology, the CIE provides entrepreneurial support to students, faculty and area industries.

The Northwest SBTDC assists clients in 17 counties spanning from Atchison County, southward to Platte County and eastward to Livingston County. In addition to the regional office located on the Northwest Missouri State University campus, a Chillicothe office serves the eastern portion of the region, and a St. Joseph office serves the southern section.

Playwright to perform award-winning solo show, develop new play with students at Northwest

The award-winning prison drama “Killadelphia” will be performed at Northwest Missouri State University at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, in the Charles Johnson Theater and include a post-show discussion with the show’s playwright and actor Sean Christopher Lewis.

The production is free and open to the public.

“Killadelphia” incorporates hip hop and documentary theatre techniques to weave together the story of murdered teaching fellow Beau Zabel with interviews from “Lifers at Graterford Prison,” a group of men employed in prison to paint some 2,000 murals seen throughout the city of Philadelphia. Lauded as “epic … must see theater” by NYTheatre.com, the solo piece is based on playwright and actor Sean Christopher Lewis’ time working with inmates at Graterford Prison.

The play explores violence, penance and second chances in a no-holds-barred look at the Urban American Dream. The inmates’ stories are bolstered by lyrics, speeches and thoughts of local rap artists, city officials, emergency room technicians and everyday citizens.

Touring for two years, the play has garnered praise including the 2010 National New Play Network Smith Prize for Drama, the Central Ohio Theatre Circle citation for Best Touring Production and a Barrymore Nomination for Best Collaboration for the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia.

As a guest artist in residence at Northwest, Lewis is spending three weeks on campus teaching students about playwriting and play development. During his residency, Lewis is developing a new play with Northwest students, speaking in classes and leading workshops. His performance and residency at Northwest is funded in part through the Northwest Academic Initiatives Project.

“Having Lewis present for the performance will allow students to hear and encounter the issues and challenges raised within this play,” said Amanda Petefish-Schrag, assistant professor in the Department of Communication, Theatre and Languages. “Lewis not only provides insight into a specific culture, but explores issues that impact all of us.”

For more information contact Amanda Petefish-Schrag at 660.562.1045 or aschrag@nwmissouri.edu.

Education Funding for Worth County Could Stay Unchanged

The Missouri House gave 1st round approval to a budget that would leave funding for Worth County and other schools the same as it was last year. The vote was taken last Tuesday. However, it would be $200 million less than what the State Funding Formula calls for. Assuming that it passes the Senate and gets signed by the governor, that would depend on whether the governor orders cuts in the budget in order comply with Constitutional mandates requiring a balanced budget. The House came up with the money by cutting budgets for public colleges and universities by 7%, causing Northwest and other universities to raise tuition rates.

African Art & Lectures at Northwest

A collection of African art from 20 different countries will fill the African Art Exhibit April 4 through April 22 at Northwest Missouri State University’s Olive DeLuce Art Gallery.

The exhibit showcases the African art collection of Dr. Ray Lake of Kansas City, Mo. Gallery hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Dr. Maude Wahlman, professor of art and art history at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, will speak prior to the exhibit’s opening at 7 p.m. Monday, April 4, in Fine Arts Room 244. Wahlman will lecture on objects from Lake’s collection including masks, ritual objects, a carved wooden bed, figurines and fabric robes. A reception after the lecture will include refreshments from the Blue Nile, an Ethiopian restaurant in Kansas City.

Wahlman and Malian art dealer Diaby Diarri also will meet with students outside the gallery in the Fine Arts Building at noon, Tuesday, April 12, for a brownbag discussion about Africa and their experiences.

“Wahlman is extremely knowledgeable, both in African art and artifacts in general, and specifically regarding Lake’s collection,” said Martha Breckenridge, assistant professor in the Department of Art. “This is a rare opportunity to see and learn about African art, artifacts, African way of life, African mythology and more.”

Dr. I. Murphy Lewis, founder and executive director of the Global Voice Foundation, will also present a lecture on at 7 p.m. Monday, April 11, in Fine Arts Room 244. Lewis will promote cross-cultural understanding by sharing rich cultural wisdom, traditions and ancient stories of endangered indigenous communities. Global Voice’s mission is to help unite the world’s diverse communities with greater respect and inclusion.

For more information about the exhibit contact the Department of Art at 660.562.1326 or go tohttp://www.nwmissouri.edu/dept/art/deluce/2010/african.htm.

TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie to lecture at Northwest April 18

Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes will give a lecture at Northwest Missouri State University at 7 p.m., Monday April 18, in the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts.

The lecture is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Student tickets will be available at the Student Services Center beginning Tuesday, March 29. Tickets will be available for the public Monday, April 11.

The lecture is sponsored by Northwest’s Student Activities Council. Mycoskie was scheduled to speak at Northwest in December, but the lecture was postponed due to scheduling conflicts.

At the lecture, 10 lucky Northwest students will have a chance to walk away with a free pair of TOMS shoes. Additionally, SAC has enlisted the support of Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski and first lady Denise Jasinski, who will send tweets when they are wearing their TOMS shoes. Students who capture photos with the Jasinskis wearing their shoes and upload the photos to Facebook or Twitter may also be eligible to win a free pair of TOMS shoes.

Known as “the Founder and Chief Shoe Giver of TOMS Shoes,” Mycoskie, 34, speaks at college campuses and conferences across the country in an effort to motivate young people to make a difference.

Mycoskie founded TOMS shoes in 2006 after he witnessed the hardships facing children growing up barefoot in Argentina. The company’s philosophy – “For every pair of shoes that we sell, we give a pair away to a child in need” – has enabled TOMS Shoes to give away more than 1 million pairs of shoes to children in need as of April 2010.

TOMS Shoes was awarded with the Prestigious People’s Design award in 2007 from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution. In 2009, it earned the Secretary of State’s award for Corporate Excellence, which celebrates companies’ commitment to corporate social responsibility, innovation, exemplary practices and democratic values worldwide.

“We are really excited to bring Blake to campus,” SAC President Rob O’Doherty said. “We think this event will be appreciated by both familiar and non-familiar audiences of TOMS Shoes.”

For more information on TOMS Shoes visit www.toms.com or Mycoskie’s blog at www.startsomethingthatmatters.com.

Hot 8 Brass Band slated for season’s final Encore production April 6

New Orleans’ own Hot 8 Brass Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts as part of Northwest Missouri State University’s Encore series.

Orchestra tickets cost $25, and balcony tickets are $23. Children's tickets are $15 and $13. Northwest employees may purchase discounted orchestra tickets for $23. Admission is free for Northwest students with a Bearcat Card. Tickets may be purchased at the Student Services Center on the first floor of the Administration Building, by calling 660.562.1212 or online at http://www.nwmissouri.edu/campusactivities/tickets.htm.

The Hot 8 Brass Band has been entertaining audiences with funk and energy on the streets of New Orleans for more than a decade. All members of the band were born and raised in New Orleans, and many began playing together in high school. The Hot 8 is known for their boundless energy and the special sounds they coax from their well-loved, well-worn horns.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the death of several band members due to violence, the Hot 8 Brass Band has committed itself to bringing people together through their unique brand of music to celebrate, to heal and to learn.

“The Hot 8 Brass Band offers a high energy show and is a great way to end the Encore season,” Director of Campus Activities Angel McAdams Prescott said. “This performance will not only be a cultural learning experience, but also a way to introduce a new and upbeat form of music.”

For more information about the Hot 8 Brass Band and to watch some of their performances go to http://www.hot8brassband.com/Site/Home.html.

Cynthia Fisher Lawhorn, Other Local Talent Highlight NWMEF Fundraiser

Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation hosted a fundraising event “Bringing Home the Talent”, Sunday afternoon, March 13 at Mary Linn Auditorium on NWMSU campus with around 400 in attendance. Talent was in abundance with the performers that were absolute crowd pleasers. Pre-show artists featured represented the six counties in NWMEF service area were from: Atchison County, Jason Riley of St. Joseph; Adam Showalter, Springfield, MO, originally from Holt County; Tammy and Andy Heath, Overland Park, KS who originally made their homes in Stanberry and Mound City (Gentry and Holt Counties); Jeff Anslinger of Savannah; and Cynthia Fisher Lawhorn, Osage Beach, MO, calling Worth County her homeland. The pleasure of Fred Mares, National Hy-Vee Greeter from Maryville, MO provided excellent entertainment while guests were seated and featured a concert in itself.

Following an intermission during which time all the performers had the advantage to sell their recorded CDs, featured artists, Todd Bradshaw of Grand Jubilee, Branson, MO and his comedian friend, Terry Sanders of Silver Dollar City then took the stage. They kept the crowd awed with a variety of numbers. Bradshaw portrayed several different well known artists, and Sanders’ hilarious comedy acts as Homer Lee, Grandma Bradshaw and Joan Rivers made for a grand ending to an afternoon of great entertainment.

Sharing Emcee duties were Doug Schmitz, Bethany /Cameron - General Manager of KAAN AM/FM, WKFM & KMRN Radio Station and Marilyn Alldredge of Fairfax, NWMEF Fundraising Coordinator for the event. Both Schmitz and Alldredge were originally from Stanberry. During the course of the afternoon performance, Annette Weeks, NWMEF Facilitator spoke of the Free confidential services provided to businesses and entrepreneurs in the six county area. Alldredge and Weeks also presented MO Rep Mike Thomson and MO Senator Brad Lager with plaques of appreciation for their assistance to this group.

All the entertainers were brought back to the stage for one last round of applause and were presented with plaques of appreciation and an apple pie for “coming home” to share their time, talents, professionalism and willingness to assist in the continuation of the works of NWMEF. “Alldredge stated,” We could not ask for better entertainers, or for a smoother program process than what we experienced. The proceeds we gained will assist in keeping NWMEF important economic services ongoing. We are so grateful for all the support gained thru this event”.

Much appreciation went to the Sponsors for the event: $500 - Northwest Missouri Cellular, Maryville – Rock Port; Kincaid Gardens, Gary & Gayle Kincaid, Savannah; Maryville Daily Forum, Maryville. $250:Fairfax Agency, Inc., Bob & Marilyn Alldredge,Fairfax; Catholic Charities, Kansas City- St. Joseph; Laukemper Motors, Joe & Susan Laukemper, Mound City; Lower Marketing & Advertising, LLC; Jim Lower, St. Joseph; Colflesh Financial Services, Tarkio, David Colflesh, CLU, ChFC. $100: Hy-Vee – Maryville; Bank Midwest, Maryville; Oswald Brothers, Richard & Marion, Fairfax; Drs. Robert & Betty Bush, Maryville; Aunt Martha’s House Bed & Breakfast, Fairfax -Martha Shaffer – Owner; Sisters of St. Francis - Savannah.

NWMSU Spring Honor Rolls

The following area students have made either the President’s (4.00 GPA) or Academic (3.50 - 3.99 GPA) Honor Roll for the Spring Trimester:
Gentry: Lauren Baker, Jennifer Findley (Academic).
Grant City: Megan Gilland, Jana Harding, Lynsie Jackson, Charlea Lewis, Tara Phipps (President’s); Tierney Eaton, Kathleen Patrick (Academic).
Parnell: Fallon Cordell, Jeremiah Mullock, Josh Wray (President’s), Aaron Luckert, Jessica Mullock, Heather Runde, Susan Sybert (Academic).
Ravenwood: Cassie Farnan, Matthew Schieber (President’s); Bridget Wilmes (Academic).
Sheridan: Chelsea Dille (Academic).

Lager meets with NWMSU Students

Student government leaders from Northwest Missouri State University spent the afternoon in Jefferson City with State Senator Brad Lager this past Tuesday. The students discussed current issues in government and the complex workings of the legislative process. The Senator also gave them an in-depth lesson on the history of the capitol and the daily life of a legislator.


“As a Northwest Alumni, I always appreciate the opportunity to visit with students from the university,” said the Senator. “Visiting the Capitol and seeing government in action is a very important step in becoming educated about the role of government. I hope they continue being active in government and get further involved in the legislative process.”