Spring 2016 - The Talon

TALON SPRING 2016

Chorale Entertains International Audience . . . p.18

To alumni and friends of Central Methodist University This year’s graduates were sophomores upon my arrival at Central Methodist University. Each year, the bittersweet experience grows stronger in both dualities as I confer degrees to students that I have watched learn and grow in this special place. Born into a family of ten siblings, I watched my mother demonstrate love to separation with her children. It is much the same with our students as we watch them cross the Commencement stage and leave to make their difference in the world.

This year, we will produce nearly one thousand graduates throughout the Central Methodist University system. While I have considerably less opportunity to form personal relationships with the graduates in our College of Graduate and Extended Studies, they too leave this University prepared to make a difference. As Provost Gulstad and I preside at Commencement ceremonies around the state, it is common that graduates will have an entire entourage of friends and family there to celebrate their success.

You may find it odd that - as an accountant by trade and an entrepreneur by nature - I try to avoid business analogies for higher education. If one is looking for a perfect example of why our students are not “customers,” a business would never celebrate the loss of an entire class of “customers” with the enthusiasm with which we celebrate our graduates.

The CMU Chorale recently performed for General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Portland, Ore. This is quite an honor to have been selected from the 119 UM Colleges and all of the large church choirs that competed for the opportunity. In addition to singing at General Conference, Chorale also won the competitive audition to perform at the General Board of Higher Education Ministry’s (GBHEM’s) Higher Education Night. Congratulations to Dr. Claude Westfall, director of choral activities, and a special thank you to Earl and Linda (Sunny) Bates for making the trip possible.

Central’s sports programs had an amazingly successful year. All of our teams are to be commended for their emphasis on academics and for their success with the NAIA Champions of Character initiative. At the risk of omitting amazing accomplishments of our other sports, I do want to mention the incredible success of three programs. Women’s basketball, in Coach Mike Davis’ first year back, won the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Our stay at the national tournament ended earlier than we hoped; however, our record against the two teams in the championship game was 4-1.

Men’s baseball set a new record for the most wins in a single season. Congratulations to Coach Breland and his staff.

Women’s softball won its sixth straight Heart of 2

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America Conference title. This group of young ladies has experienced every possible form of adversity this year.

Team members have simply found a way to win. As we honored three seniors at Senior Day, the number of semesters each senior has appeared on the Dean’s List was as impressive as their softball career stats.

This has been a year of planning and visioning for our campus. Chad Gaines, vice president for technology and planning, along with Provost Rita Gulstad, facilitated a “bottom-up” process resulting in a new strategic plan for CMU “A Difference with Distinction.”

Guided by the vision statement I put forward, this group worked hour upon hour on a plan that will serve as the guideposts on our journey toward even greater success.

The Shared Outcomes for University Learning (SOUL) task force created a framework for assessment that will “wow” our accreditors. In addition to creating a tool for assessment, SOUL also developed a common language through which we can talk about the attributes of the Central Methodist University graduate. SOUL distilled its months of work, research, and interviews into three primary paths for the development of our students—communication, curiosity, and community. For communication, our graduates must say “I am professional, I am articulate, and I am multimodal.” For curiosity, they must state “I can discover, I can analyze, and I can create.” For community, they must declare “I will respect, I will serve, and I will lead.” As my friends in the clergy often say, “that will preach!”

We are finishing another very strong year for CMU in all respects. Our faculty is producing another stellar group of graduates, our fiscal performance is sound, and we have added significantly to our human talent throughout the system. Our students and academic departments win awards with great regularity and our sports programs are exceeding on the court and on the field. Our concert halls are ringing with beautiful music produced by the Swinney Conservatory. Our campus is stunning and will soon be enhanced with a major renovation of Stedman Hall.

Yes, we have much to celebrate. More to the point, we have much for which to be thankful; Central Methodist University is blessed. I hope to see you at Founders’ Weekend, Homecoming, and any other time that you can return to this place that made a difference in your life.

Sincerely,

The Magazine of Central Methodist University

The Talon

TALON - Table of Contents Graduation................................................5 Founders Weekend, Alumni Awards.....12 Chorale in Portland................................18 Strategic Planning..................................20 Bone Diggers..........................................24 Music Ministry.........................................27 Lake Creek UMC....................................28 Campus News.........................................29 OTA and Nursing....................................32 Stephens Museum..................................34 Graduate & Extended Studies...............35 CMU Writing Center..............................39 Children’s Room.....................................40 Eagle Select Awards...............................41 Past Selecman Awards...........................42 Hall of Sponsors......................................46 Vernon Nash, Rhodes Scholar................52 Ashby-Hodge Gallery..............................55 Fine and Performing Arts.......................59 The Hendrix Desk..................................63 Eagle Athletics........................................65 Civility and Diversity...............................71 Alumni Notes..........................................73

Senior Administration Dr. Roger D. Drake, President Dr. Rita Gulstad, Provost Chad Gaines, Vice President for Information Services Dr. Joshua Jacobs, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations Ken Oliver, Vice President for Institutional Growth and Student Engagement Julee Sherman, Vice President for Finance and Administration

Talon Editorial Staff and Contact Information Cathy Thogmorton, Editor 660-248-6391 cthogmor@centralmethodist.edu Kent Propst, Executive Director for Marketing Communications 660-248-6238 kpropst@centralmethodist.edu Jenny Martin Anspach Assistant Director for Marketing Communications 660-248-6629 jmartin@centralmethodist.edu Jessica Travlos Media and Content Coordinator 660-248-6865 jtravlos@centralmethodist.edu David Hutchison Executive Director of Advancement and Alumni Programs 660-248-6260 drhutchi@centralmethodist.edu Deanna Cooper Director of Development and Alumni Activities dcooper@centralmethodist.edu Jackie Jackson Director of Annual Giving and Operations 660-248-6239 jsjackson@centralmethodist.edu

Central Methodist University prepares students to make a difference in the world by emphasizing academic and professional excellence, ethical leadership, and social responsibility.

Cover Photo: CMU’s Chorale singing at the United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Fred Koenig, publications editor, Missouri United Methodist Conference

Corrections We apologize to Dr. Kellie Platz. We called her an M.D. last fall in the Talon. The correct designation is D.O. And as usual, we owe another apology to Dr. Max Nickerson. Last fall we made a couple more errors. Dr. Nickerson is an active professor and curator at the University of Florida at Gainesville. He is not connected to Florida State University, nor is he retired. In fact, he is currently teaming with NASA scientists on two research projects. Fortunately, he is also very forgiving.

We also apologize to Kathy and Ken Wilcox, whose names did not appear on the fall Talon Honor Roll. Their gift was processed and put to work in memory of their son Jeff, but the notification did not reach the correct office. We are sorry for the mistake.

– Mission Statement

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Commencement

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Baccalaureate & Commencement A celebratory end to the 2015-16 academic year at Central Methodist University in Fayette took place Saturday, May 14, with Commencement and Baccalaureate exercises on the CMU campus.

Baccalaureate On Saturday morning, CMU held its annual Baccalaureate ceremony in the Paul H. Linn Memorial United Methodist Church on campus. Rev. Kim Parker of Columbia delivered the Baccalaureate message, entitled “Five Smooth Stones,” an analogy of the Biblical story of David and Goliath to encourage students to do whatever their passion leads them to do after graduation.

Parker, a native of Virginia, has been surrounded by students throughout her life. Both of her parents worked in education, her dad as football coach and her mom as teacher and artist; and they instilled in her a love for teaching that has become an integral part of her life and ministry. As a student at the University of Mississippi, she was a leader in the Wesley Foundation and intramural athletics, and served as a youth director. She later earned her Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary. Rev. Parker served several United Methodist Churches in Mississippi as Associate Pastor and Youth Minister.

She has been involved in program and curriculum design and writing for youth ministries, and spearheaded a team that created a new contemporary worship service where she served as the lead teacher/ pastor. Rev. Parker also leads in various mission opportunities in the U.S. and abroad, and was Ordained a Deacon in the Mississippi Annual Conference.

After serving 25 years in student ministry, and 20 years as an associate on staff at large churches in Mississippi, Rev. Parker moved to Columbia, Mo.,to serve in the office of The Next Generations Ministries for the Missouri Annual Conference. She also serves the Missouri United Methodist Church as Associate Pastor in charge of college age ministries.

During Baccalaureate, the Chorale sang “Hallelujah” by Beethoven, “Even When He is Silent,” by Kim Arnesen, “Beautiful Savior” by 6

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Christiansen, and John Rutter’s version of “The Lord Bless You and Keep You.” The Brass Ensemble played the opening and closing march, “Music for a Ceremony” by Dr. Ron Shroyer, emeritus Dean of the Swinney Conservatory of Music.

Preceeding the march, Dr. Laura Wiebe performed the organ prelude “Thine is the Glory” by Glyncannon; she followed the closing march with “Prelude in a Classical Style” by Gordon Young.

Commencement Nearly 400 students were recognized for completing master, bachelor, and associate degree programs before a capacity crowd in CMU’s E.P. Puckett Field House on Saturday afternoon, according to CMU President Dr. Roger Drake.

The Concert Band led the graduates in and out with the prelude “Fanfare and Processional” by Ployhar. Before degrees were presented, graduating band members joined the band one last time to play “Concert Variations” by Claude T. Smith, Central class of 1954.

Prior to Donn Harrison’s address, the award-winning educator was surprised when President Drake presented him with an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters award.

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Donn Harrison, a 1989 Central Methodist graduate and kindergarten teacher in Cameron, delivered the Commencement address titled “Be the Eagle in the Room.”

In his typical form of presentation, Harrison explained Central Methodist as it was when he was here and why the current graduates must always support Central by vocal, physical, and financial support. He had the students doubled-over laughing throughout his speech, even as they understood his point that they must always make a point of being the Eagle in the room.

He got serious at the end of his speech when he said he had made a $5 gift to the University in each of their names.

He asked them to double that in May of 2017 to $10 that they give to support Central. Graduates were seriously surprised and honored that he would choose to honor them like that were and enthusiastic about following up on the pledge.

Harrison has been teaching kindergarten for the Cameron (Mo.) R-I School System for more than two decades, and earning honors and awards for nearly that long. A graduate of Pattonville (Mo.) High School and native of Bridgeton, he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Education degree in elementary education from thenCentral Methodist College in 1989. He later earned a Master of Education degree from Northwest Missouri State University. Perhaps Harrison’s greatest teaching honor, and certainly the most widely-recognized one, came in 2015 when he was named America’s Top Teacher on the “Live! With Kelly and Michael” national television show. In addition to teaching kindergarten in Cameron, he co-teaches a special education class there, announces sporting events and proms, and even serves as a crossing guard. In the Cameron community, Harrison is an Emergency Medical Technician, a volunteer firefighter, and a church volunteer. He is married to Central Methodist alumna the former Lynette Haenssler (Class of 1988).

After degrees were confirmed, the annual John F. Kincaid Award was presented to Dr. James “Tiger” Gordon, professor of chemistry, and chair of CMU’s Science, Mathematics and Computer Science division.

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Established in 1985 by the late Dr. John F. Kincaid (Central Class of 1934), the award recognizes outstanding achievement in the education and inspiration of CMU students by a department or division.

CMU Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad thanked members of the division “for their dedication to teaching and learning, their devotion and loyalty to Central Methodist University, and their commitment to our students.”

Three graduating seniors received the highest student honors from CMU during Commencement ceremonies.

Levi Gerke (music major from Pilot Grove) received the Selecman Award, Kelly Jo Davis (English major from Slater) the Human Relations Award, and Jessica Wilmes (athletic training major from Foristell) the Victoria Award. (See pages 8-9.)

The last official activities of Commencement were the welcoming to alumni status by John Cheary, president of the Central Methodist University Alumni Association, and the singing of the CMU alma mater, led

by Selecman award winner, musician Levi Gerke.

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Cream of the crop As if graduating from Central Methodist University in May weren’t memorable enough for Kelly Jo Davis, Levi Gerke, and Jessica Wilmes, the trio were surprised to be announced as recipients of the top honors CMU presents annually to graduating seniors.

A capacity crowd in E.P. Puckett Field House witnessed the presentation of the Selecman Award to Gerke, a music major from Pilot Grove. Wilmes, an athletic training major from Foristell, received CMU’s Victoria Award, while Davis, an English education major from Slater, garnered the Human Relations award.

CMU presents its three most prestigious graduating senior awards at every May Commencement in Fayette.

Identities of the recipients, nominated by CMU faculty and staff, remain top secret until announced by the administration during Commencement.

Levi Gerke, Selecman Award The most prestigious award given to a CMU graduating senior is the Selecman Achievement Award. It was established in 1957 by the late United Methodist Church Bishop Charles C. Selecman, a former student at Central Methodist.

He directed that the award go to the student who has displayed the highest levels of the following characteristics: good citizenship on the campus, scholarship, religious leadership, moral and spiritual qualities, and outstanding achievement.

Levi Gerke has been a vocal and piano performance student at CMU, and has placed in regional and statewide vocal competitions including a recent first place in the regional National Association of Teachers of Singing competition. Last summer Gerke attended the American

Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, as a pianist in the Lieder Studio.

An academic honors student, his musical activities at CMU have included opera workshops, Chorale, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Church Street Boys male vocal music group. He also accompanies soloists and groups on piano and often performs with pianist Dr. Melissa Loehnig, assistant professor of music. Gerke is a member of several CMU honor societies.

This summer he will participate in CMU Summer Light Opera Workshop, then leave for a collaborative piano internship at the Franco-American Vocal Academy in Perigeux, France. He will begin graduate classes at Florida State University in the fall.

Kelly Jo Davis, Human Relations Award The CMU Human Relations Award was first given in 1953. It was established by Mrs. Martha Smith Luck to honor the student “showing the most promise in human relations and human adjustment.”

This prize is awarded annually to the student who “attempts to develop the ability to get along with others and work with others -- the ability to understand the other fellow, develop liaison techniques…in the area of human relations and understanding.”

Kelly Jo Davis is an English education major who has been student teaching this past semester at Glasgow High School. For the past three years she was a CMU Student Ambassador for the Admission Department, and was a student assistant in CMU’s Smiley Library the past two Levi Gerke, left, receives the Selecman Award from President Drake; Kelly Jo Davis, above, glows after her Human Relations Award.

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years.

Davis was the 2014-15 co-editor of CMU’s Inscape magazine of the arts, and has been active in Sigma Tau Delta English honor fraternity and Alpha Phi Omega national community service fraternity. Her name appears regularly on the CMU Dean’s List for academic excellence, and she was one of two graduating seniors to complete the CMU Honors Program.

Jessica Wilmes, Victoria Award CMU’s Victoria Award is given annually to a graduating student who, in the opinion of the faculty and students, best exemplifies the ideals and purposes of Central Methodist University. The award is given in memory of Victoria Beecroft Cutter and established in 1979 by her late son Dr. Walter Cutter, Central Class of 1928.

Honors Program Joseph Morris, History, “The American Political Discography: A Socio-Historical Analysis of Popular Protest Music During the Twentieth Century” Thesis adviser: Dr. Richard Bradley Kelly Jo Davis, English, “Communication: First-Year Students, Audience, and Mobile Devices.”

Thesis advisers: Dr. Jeremy Reed and Dr. Ryan Woldruff

Honors Program, from left: Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad, Honors Program Director Dr. Richard Bradley, Kelly Jo Davis, Joseph Morris, and President Dr. Roger Drake

Jessica Wilmes has been an outstanding scholar while majoring in athletic training at CMU. She also has excelled as a student-athlete, earning numerous national and conference awards as a member and team captain of the Eagles’ nationally-ranked softball team, which recently qualified for the NAIA national tournament.

She is a member of CMU chapters of Alpha Chi and Sigma Epsilon Pi honor societies and the CMU Athletic Training Student Organization. When Wilmes isn’t playing softball for CMU, she often umpires intramural softball games on campus.

In addition, Wilmes has volunteered hundreds of hours of her own time on mission trips to Mexico, at St. Theodore Parish in Flint Hill, singing Christmas carols and playing games with residents in nursing homes around Flint Hill, and teaching Vacation Bible School there as well.

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Achievement Awards 2016

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Accounting Club Senior Leadership Award

Nidal Memic Brennen Hurley

Keely Zimmerman-Jacks Accounting Excellence Award

Lauren Kramm ACDA National Student Choral Award

Stephen Meyer Alpha Epsilon Delta Anatomy Award

Crystal Flagg Alpha Epsilon Delta Harold L. Momberg Award for the Outstanding Pre-Med Student Ryan Holem Alpha Epsilon Delta Physiology Award

Rebecca Mackey Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Awards

Makayla Adrian Lucas Johnson

Bayley Bellers Courtney Warford

Levi Gerke Keely Zimmerman-Jacks American Nurses Association Award

Caleb Winter Banking and Finance Excellence Award

Caleb Henke Dr. Robert Barker Award for Excellence in Sociology

Joseph Morris Noble Emmett Baskett Scholarship in Business Administration

Madison Lester William Denny Baskett, Sr., Study Abroad Award

Levi Gerke Beta Beta Beta Outstanding General Biology Students

Brent Dowell Skyler Hime Clyde and Hazel Blattner Mathematics Award

Sam Pollock Dr. Richard T. Bond Mathematics Award

Sam Pollock Mike Cavanah “True Eagle” Award

Matt Harmon CMU Biology Alumni Award

Colby Davis Communication Department Student Media Award

Jordon Ayers Nick Ruffy Criminal Justice Excellence Award

Valerie N. Kimball Alyssa Webb Mark and Kathy Dempsey Athletic Training Student Clinical Excellence Award

Kelsey Vineyard R. Paul Drummond Memorial Award

Kay Wilken ENACTUS Outstanding Senior Award

Keely Zimmerman-Jacks ENACTUS Senior Leadership Award

Shelbi Becker Shelby Joseph

Catryna Craw Madison Lester

Caleb Henke Anthony Miller

Jonathan Landon Ball Entrepreneurship Excellence Award

Keenon Chapman Estes Award for Outstanding Senior Male Athlete

Joba Ferrell Gentry Estill Award for Total Business Excellence

Jeremy Karasewski Susan Estill Award for Total Business Excellence

Shelby Joseph Spring 2016 The Magazine

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Gamma Sigma Epsilon Excellence Award in General Chemistry

Rebecca Mackey Gamma Sigma Epsilon Excellence Award in Organic Chemistry

Crystal Flagg Dr. Joseph E. Geist Prize in Performing Arts

Parker Johnson Lisa Powell Goessling Award

Jarrid Hamilton Chester E. Hanson Outstanding Computer Science Award

Nidal Memic The Keith House Band Fellow-Tour Manager

Lucas Johnson Martin C. Harral Memorial Music Award

Lucas Johnson Hern Award for Excellence in Religious Studies

Abby Peper Katilyn Walker Dr. George W. Heslar Leadership & Service Scholarship

Christina Schatz Hickman Award for Achievement in Music

Zack Fincher Judge Andrew J. Higgins Award in Pre-Law Studies

Valerie N. Kimball John C. Hinkle Scholarship

Kaitlyn Gebhardt Inscape Poetry Award

“Full Circle” by Bailey Brown Inscape Fiction Ward

“He Who Has a Why” by Remy Gagnon Inscape Non-fiction Award

“The Potion of Amber Ninety” by Maggie Moore Inscape Ten-Minute Play Award

“Yuletide Problems” by Nicholas Foland Inscape Photography & Art Award

“Teamwork” by Clinton Campbell Inscape Cover Art Award

“View of T. Berry” by Michaela Pomajzl Nancy Thompson Jones Gem Award

Anna Kay Dr. Glenn R. Joyce Memorial Award

Rachel Howieson Kappa Mu Epsilon Mathematics Award

Jennifer Long Martin E. Kooi Excellence in Communication

Maggie Moore Martin E. Kooi Excellence in Theatre Arts

Lyndsey Phillips James M. Luetjen Scholar Athlete Award

Mackenzie Hustead-Franklin Mike Magyar Fine Arts-Leadership Award

Breilly Roy Management Excellence Award

Emily Van Beek Marketing and Advertising Excellence Award

Lindsay Wallace Glenn McElroy Athletic Training Student Academic Excellence Award

Abigail Moore General Lewis M. Means Award in Political Science

Lauran Kassandra Wille The Missouri Federation of Music Clubs

Levi Gerke The Missouri League for Nursing

AngelaUniversity Ball Central Methodist The Talon

Professor Paul A. Montemurro Award Robert Mobley MTNA Student Achievement Recognition Award Katelyn Hanvey Outstanding Musician Award Samantha Marshall Dane Nelson Memorial Award Susan Henke Dr. Niels C. Nielsen Outstanding Chemistry Student Award Ashley Litton Outstanding Nurse Clinician Award

Monica Miner Outstanding Nursing Scholar Award

Taylor Zey Outstanding Senior in Accounting, Business & Economic Award

Keely Zimmerman-Jacks Outstanding Senior in Sports Management

Jonathan Landon Ball Darla Pannier Award for Outstanding Senior Female Athlete

Lauren Geringer Pannier/Cavanah/Robb Exellence in Education Award

Arielle Gough Ryan Coons Dr. Larry J. Peery Award for Excellence in Physics

Ashley Litton Phi Mu Alpha Honor Award

Robert Mobley Phi Mu Alpha Scholastic Award

Levi Gerke Pi Gamma Mu Scholastic Award

Joseph Morris Poage Award

Alayah Cooper-Johnson Scott Stegeman Excellence in Psychology Award

Emily Clark S. Frederick Rhoads Awards in Theatre Best Female Actor in a Leading Role

Breilly Roy Best Male Actor in a Leading Role

Parker Johnson Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Joshua Schwartz Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Myriah Araiza The Phoenix Award

Addie McGuire Best Assistant Director/Stage Manager

Terri Banderet Most Versatile Player

Breilly Roy Outstanding Newcomer

Karlie Noll Shop Superstar

Abby Wimberley Outstanding Student Director

Katie Roberts 2016 Special Musical Guest Awards

Aiden Smith Malik Hughes Glenn C. Riegel Faculty Award

Dr. Dana Morris Glenn C. Riegel Student Science Award

Jennifer Long Sarah Rutherford Prize

Haley Willis Hannah Willis W. D. Settle Memorial Music Education Award

Ryan Lewis

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Shallenburger Award for Outstanding Performance In Accounting Principles

Justin Baylard Sigma Alpha Iota Collegiate Honor Award

Susan Henke Sigma Alpha Iota Scholastic Award

Susan Henke Sigma Epsilon Pi

Chad Berry Megan Batusic

Levi Gerke Harlan Fletcher

Valerie Kimball Robert Mobley

Melissa Nienhuis Alexandria Salva

Ryan Holem Morgan Vetter

Keely Zimmerman-Jacks Randi Walker

Susan Henke Jordan Retzlaff

Jessica Wilmes Kelsey Beeler

Maggie Moore Shari Botkin

Samuel Pollock Shelbi Becker

Emily Everett Joseph Morris

Allan Anderson Luther T. Spayde Memorial Award

Emily Day Harold W. Sunoo History and Political Science Award

Joseph Morris T. Cecil Swackhamer Award

Andrew Gordon Swinney Conservatory Outstanding Freshman Award

Brendan Wiesehan Swinney Conservatory Super Hero Award

Danielle DeBrodie Theta Alpha Kappa Membership

Andrew Gordon Katilyn Walker

Abigail Peper Helen Puckett Thogmorton Award for Excellence in Music

Kaitlyn Gebhardt Erwin and Hazel Wiedle Outstanding Nursing Graduate

Keri Stathem Jeff Wilcox “Raising the Bar Award�

Alexandria Salva Dr. Farris H. and Leona Woods Memorial Award in Biology

Makayla Adrian

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B

eautiful skies overlooked the historic Fayette campus for Founders Weekend, May 6-8, 2016, as alumni and friends of the University, representing classes from the 1950’s to today, gathered for a series of engaging events and activities! Throughout the weekend, friends old and new connected, generations of alumni mingled and shared memories and, at the marquee event, six outstanding alumni were recognized by Central at the 70th annual Alumni Awards Banquet.

Events encouraging meaningful interaction between students, faculty, staff and alumni took place on campus and downtown from Friday May 6th through Sunday, May 8th.

Some of the highlights included an Alumni and Student forum on campus life, Floats and ‘Wiches – a social featuring root beer floats and ice cream sandwiches at the C-Bench; a community BBQ picnic downtown on the Historic Courthouse lawn; a Decade Trivia Challenge at Main Street Bar & Grill; and a swanky banquet after-party at the future home of the Hotel Alexander.

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Alumni Awards 70th Annual

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Erin Valentine Youngs Class of 2007

Dr. Bruce Maier Class of 1965

Erin Valentine Youngs is CMU’s 2016 Young Alumni Award recipient. The award was established in 1988 to honor alumni of high personal achievements within 15 years of their CMU graduation or attendance, and who have strong commitments to community and university service.

A 2007 graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Youngs already has built an enviable career in the genetic counseling field. At present she is clinical assistant professor of pediatrics, and assistant director in the Master of Science in Genetic Counseling program, both at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City.

The Olathe, Kan., native was previously a genetic counselor at the Hereditary Cancer Program of Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute in Kansas City, Mo., and before that she held a similar position in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. Youngs has a Master of Science degree in Genetic Counseling from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center. She is married to Central Methodist alum Kyle Youngs (Class of 2006).

What began as a flourishing career as an educator transitioned into a noteworthy career as an inventor and entrepreneur for 1965 Central Methodist alumnus Dr. Bruce Maier of Columbia, a 2016 CMU Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.

A pre-med student and Biology major from the St. Louis area who was active in vocal and instrumental music at Central Methodist, Maier earned a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas and his doctorate from the University of Missouri Medical Center, where he taught and lectured to medical professionals and medical school students.

He was a lead investigator on a National Cancer Institute Study while at MU, but in 1973 Maier chose to leave the academic world.

A devout audiophile, he developed a revolutionary cleaning product for vinyl records called Discwasher, which he owned and developed into the largest audio accessories firm in the world at the time.

Maier later worked with Philips DuPont Optical, originators of the compact disc, and provided technical consulting services for Union Carbide on a marble and stone treatment project. In 1993 he established ATG Labs Inc., manufacturing high quality sealers and colorants for industrial, commercial, and military use.

Maier has 16 patents in the areas of audio equipment, transformer oils, recoil protection, and industrial coatings. He and his wife, Kathleen, donated equipment to establish CMU’s state-of-theart Maier Listening Room in Classic Hall. Their hope with the gift is to create a cutting-edge listening studio for both CMU students and faculty as well as the greater community, and also represent the beginnings of a professional-level recording studio on campus.

A prolific and award-winning author, writer, and educator, Dr. Keith Polette of San Antonio, Texas, is a 2016 recipient of Central Methodist University’s Distinguished Alumni Award. A native of O’Fallon, Mo., Polette graduated with honors from CMU in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

He earned two Master of Arts degrees from Idaho State University and his doctorate from Saint Louis University. Polette has been on the faculty at the University of Texas at El Paso since 1995. Earlier teaching positions included Saint Louis University, Lindenwood University, Fort Zumwalt High School (O’Fallon, Mo.), and Pattonville High School (St. Louis, Mo.).

Polette’s writings have been published widely. His most recent book is Who’s Telling the Truth, published in 2013. He has published four children’s books, the most recent being Moon Over the Mountain in 2009. The Winter Duckling, published in 1990, was the 1991 recipient of the International Reading Association’s Children’s Choice Award.

Articles authored by Polette have populated books and periodicals for years, and he has been the recipient of numerous grants including several from the National Writing Project and one from the National Endowment for the Humanities. He has been a frequent presenter at national conferences, where he is a nationally-recognized advocate for children’s literacy.

Tim Jackman has dedicated his professional career to the insurance field. But the 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award winner has dedicated his life to his native Fayette, including CMU. Jackman is senior vice president of operations and chief operations officer for Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance in Columbia, a position to which he was promoted in February. He has worked for the Columbia-based MEM in multiple capacities since 1995. Jackman worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance from 19811995, in Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri.

A 1981 Central Methodist graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in accounting, Jackman is well known and respected for his dedication to community service in and around Fayette.

He is a member of, and current vice president for, the Fayette R-III school board. Jackman also recently served on the Central Methodist University Board of Trustees, and is on the leadership board for his church, St. Paul United Methodist Church in Fayette.

He coordinates the community’s Juneteenth Annual Celebration, and is secretary for the Lincoln Public School Memorial Committee.

Dr. Keith Polette Class of 1977

Timothy Jackman Class of 1981

Donn Harrison Class of 1989

James Steele Class of 1964

Donald F. “Donn” Harrison IV has dedicated his adult life to the service of others, and that tireless effort is being honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award.

Harrison has been teaching kindergarten for the Cameron (Mo.) R-I School System for more than two decades, and earning honors and awards – both for his teaching and for community service – for nearly that long. The Bridgeton, Mo., native is a graduate of Pattonville High School. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Education degree in elementary education from then-Central Methodist College in 1989. He later earned a Master of Education degree from Northwest Missouri State University.

Perhaps Harrison’s greatest teaching honor, and certainly the most widely recognized, came in 2015 when he was named America’s Top Teacher on the “Live! With Kelly and Michael” national television show.

In addition to teaching kindergarten in Cameron, he co-teaches a special education class there, announces sporting events and proms, and even serves as a school crossing guard. In the Cameron community Harrison is an Emergency Medical Technician, a volunteer firefighter, and a church volunteer. He is married to Central Methodist alumna the former Lynette Haenssler, (Class of 1988).

James “Jim” Steele of Fayette will become only the 28th recipient of the University Service Award on May 7. Established in 1988 to recognize exceptional service to Central Methodist, the award is conveyed occasionally and only to those whose service is extensive and extraordinary.

A native of Ferguson, Mo., Steele earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from Central Methodist in 1964; two years later he obtained a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and began his career primarily in news media.

Steele spent six years in radio broadcasting in Columbia and Jefferson City, taught school, and then joined then-Central Methodist College in 1970 as public relations director. After five years at his alma mater, he moved on to communications positions, including 25 years with the United Methodist Church in Missouri, Indiana, and Alabama-Florida.

In 2000 Steele returned to Fayette as owner, editor, and publisher of the community’s twice-weekly newspaper and continued in that role until retiring in 2011. He has been on CMU’s Alumni Board for a decade, including a two-year term as its President, contributes regularly to its alumni magazine the Talon, and is deeply involved in other areas in support of Central.

Steele was in 1991 a recipient of the Central Methodist Distinguished Alumni Award.

Campus News

Lyndsey Phillips named Newman Civic Fellow

by Don Cullimore

CMU student Lyndsey Phillips has "always been the girl who loves helping others,” a personal quality that resulted in her selection this spring as one of only 218 students from among 1,100 schools nationwide to be honored as Newman Civic Fellows.

The prestigious recognition honors college student leaders “who have demonstrated their investment in finding solutions to the challenges that face our communities throughout the country.” It is bestowed by Campus Compact, a non-profit organization created in 1985 by Frank Newman, then president of Brown University, along with the presidents of Stanford and Georgetown universities. The purpose was to “foster students’ involvement in public service and as democratic change-agents.”

The comment that Lyndsey “loves helping others” was included in her formal nomination for the honor by CMU President Dr. Roger Drake, as required of the president of each college or university nominating students for recognition.

Additionally Drake noted that “Lyndsey has devoted herself to service and leadership” on the campus and “has donated her time to a long list of causes” off campus, such as library book drives, the local food pantry, fundraising for American Heart Association and the Children’s Miracle Network.

Lyndsey’s faculty advisor, Dr. Jeremy Reed, associate professor of English, initially proposed her nomination as a Newman Civic Fellow and assisted in documenting her qualifications.

President Drake formally presented Lyndsey with the Newman Civic Fellows Award certificate in a special ceremony on campus May 13, with staff and faculty present and students who had been attending a special lunch for this year’s graduating class.

The daughter of Todd and Danielle Phillips, Lyndsey grew up in the small (population 419), close-knit Mississippi River community of Bloomsdale just north of historic Ste. Genevieve.

“My dad inspired me to help the community,” Lyndsey said. “Growing up, we were always helping others.

“One of my favorite things, that we still do as a family, is get together a Christmas dinner and presents for a family with children who are in need … My dad, mom and aunt all help others and give unselfishly of their time,” she said.

That sense of community social conscience and con-

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cern for the welfare of others carried over when Lyndsey entered Central Methodist University as a freshman and set a goal of earning a double major in English and theatre arts. “I want to be a middle school English teacher,” she explained and added, “I want to teach kids that they can make a difference. By inspiring others to help, I believe I can make an impact on the world through the volunteer work of others.

“Sometimes kids, even adults, think they are just one person and can't do much, but if every person who felt passionate about a social concern talked to others and got them to help, we could change the world,” she said.

In her freshman year, Lyndsey was a founding member of a campus group called The Interactors, which was inspired by a class called Interactive Theatre that encouraged students to use their personal abilities to assist in resolving social issues such as physical and emotional abuse. “It’s a very important topic especially for teenagers and young adults to be aware of,” she noted.

In her three years at Central, Lindsey has also been active in a number of campus organizations, holding various offices in Alpha Psi Omega, Sigma Tau Delta, CMU Young Americans for Liberty and Omicron Delta Kappa.

She will graduate in May 2017, after which she plans to seek a teaching position. She hopes eventually to teach English abroad. “Maybe I'll do that right after graduation,” she added. “I'll figure out where I'm being called and do that.”

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Campus News

CMU’s Chorale sings at UMC International Conference The 2016 United Methodist General Conference asked audiences in its history.

Central Methodist University’s mixed-voice Chorale to The Chorale is conducted by perform several times during the Conference’s recent This was amazing! Watching people in line turn meeting in Portland, Ore. their faces in awe was incredible. People stopped While there, the and listened no matter where they were from; it was 32-member Chorale performed multiple times at great to see that music unites no matter where you the conference, beginning are from!

Dr. Claude Westfall, CMU with a performance for -DaSean Stokes professor of music and the Committee on Higher director of choral activiEducation on Monday, ties (see photo below). The May 16. They also sang for a church service and over a Chorale was scheduled to take some time to explore the lunch break.

Portland area; however, Westfall also kept them busy with More than 6,000 visitors are expected to attend part additional performances set up around the Portland and or all of the Conference. The experience of singing at the Salem, Ore., areas, including singing on a Friday evening Conference will likely expose the Chorale to the largest dinner cruise on the river in Portland.

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Campus News The General Conference is the United Methodist Church’s top legislative body and meets every four years in varying locations. Portland It was so amazing watching was chosen in people stop what they were part because doing because they heard of its commitsomething cool. ment to using green energy -Tony Mintert and recycling, according to Dr. Randall Miller, chair of the Commission on the General Conference. In fact, Portland was named the “Greenest City in America” by Popular Science in 2008.

“In many ways, Portland conforms with the values we have in The United Methodist Church about being wise stewards of God’s resources,” Miller says.

Some 864 delegates worldwide were expected to gather at the Conference to set policy and direction for the church. The General Conference is the only entity that speaks for the 12.3 million-member denomination. Its work

includes revising the Book of Discipline and the Book of Resolutions, as well as budgets and plans for churchwide programs.

It was a great honor to represent Central Methodist University at General Conference. It was amazing to sing for so many people. Thanks to the Bates for this opportunity -Kay Wilken

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Photos courtesy of Fred Koenig, publications editor, Missouri United Methodist Conference.

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Higher education is increasingly competitive.

Central is actively finding ways to differentiate from other schools while distinctively adding value to our students, alumni and community.

CMU Strategic Planning PROCESS OVERVIEW Dr. Drake charged a working group of faculty and staff to establish an inclusive and transparent process to generate an executable plan for our near future. The teams, utilizing internal institutional data, external data about the marketplace of higher education and results generated by interviewing and surveying students (CLAS/CGES), faculty, and staff, evaluated CMU’s past and present. The plan was approved in February 2016.

Mar 2015

Apr 2015

Feb 2015

7 b, Analysis of internal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

Surveys and Interviews: Inclusive of CLAS and CGES student, faculty and staff

“I am extremely proud of the process that produced the strategic plan. Every CMU constituency group was involved in the focus groups & surveys that produced the plan.”

- Cindy Dudenhoffer

Director of Information Resources, Associate Professor Chair, Strategic Planning Assessment Sub-committee

A difference with distinction Our plan charts a course toward our future.

“Central will be recognized and valued as an institution delivering distinctive academic programs of excellence, nested within a robust and supportive campus environment, preparing students for making a living and living a life.”

Feb 2016

Faculty and staff teams build drafts of executable plans

Dec 2015

External environment assessment

Aug 2015

May 2015

rN!5 Review of drafts, discussion of content, and re-formatting

Board of Trustees APPROVED the plan as presented

CMU Strategic Planning A difference with distinction Through appropriate investments, more efficient administrative procedures, and professional development of faculty and staff, CMU will be positioned to redefine what service means to our students, alumni, friends, and community.

To support this vision, 3 goals were established along with a picture of how graduates will be equipped:

GOAL 1:

Students will engage in meaningful, distinctive experiences.

- Vibrant academic and co-curricular programs - Relevant, robust content and learning environments - Consistent evaluation of people, processes and outcomes

GOAL 2:

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In serving students, CMU will demonstrate a willingness for change, a quest for innovation, and an awareness of our role in an ever-changing society.

- Greater alignment of recruiting and academic programs - Build and strengthen external partnerships - Tell our CMU story with pride

GOAL 3:

Students will experience quality services provided in an environment that values people.

- Leverage the latest technology to bridge distance - Develop and retain the best faculty and staff - Foster a culture of innovation

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They will be equipped to enter the world and make a difference:

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Our strategic plan outlines a path for CMU graduates to be distinctive while demonstrating competency and confidence.

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While we will face challenges, we are excited for our future.

Thank you for your support.

Take pride in this process and be ready to partner with us to support our shared goal of preparing students to make a difference in the world.

EAGLE PRIDE

The bone diggers

by Cathy Thogmorton, editor, and Deanna Cooper, director of development and alumni activities “I think this was an absolutely amazing experience,” says Jessica Alberts, a junior chemistry major. “It was a fun, hands-on learning experience. Although it was slightly gross in some aspects, I would definitely do it again.”

Jessica reflects the reaction of most of the 24 CMU students in class CJ390 Intro to Forensic Science, in the Criminal Justice Department, who had the benefit of participating in their first real forensic “dig” this spring at the Besgrove-Hodge Nature Sanctuary.

The process took countless hours and the dig itself took several months to get into shape for the students. The dig itself was a full day’s activity, preceded by an evening

who helped dig the original crime scenes several months previously, comprised of four shallow graves with placement of crime scene evidence, including bodies (mostly roadkill animals) into the graves.

That gave the scenes time to mature before students dug.

The experiment got rave reviews from the students.

“This was a great experience and I’m honored to say I got to be a part of the ‘test run’ of this course,” observes sophomore CJ major Katelyn Nickles. “I hardly knew anything about how to conduct a correct anthropological dig until we had the guidance and corrections of Professors Abernathy and Lough and Dr. Finnegan.”

Sophomore nursing student Veronica Hancock agrees.

“I learned how to measure off our specific area of the crime scene to dig up evidence, how to dig the evidence carefully to not destroy it, and how to measure reference points for the evidence. I learned everyone has his own job and helps the dig be more organized and efficient.”

“The day was an absolute success,” declares Abernathy.

“The students were more than enthusiastic. Each crime Dr. Michael Finnegan gestures to one of the groups about the marking of their dig site. scene had indicators and evidence His expertise allowed this dig to happen. of crimes committed. Students lecture by Dr. Michael Finnegan, renowned forensic arche- worked on using the evidence found at each scene to ologist and professor emeritus at Kansas State University, ‘solve’ the crimes. Then they had to do research and and followed by days of discussion afterward. present the correct criminal charges to the prosecutors/ “The idea originated when Dr. Finnegan previinstructors.” ously spoke here at CMU [spring 2014],” explains Keith Dr. Lough agrees. “I loved watching them practice Abernathy, CMU assistant professor of criminal justice. critical thinking skills as the students slowly realized that “We thought how wonderful it would be to get our crimisome of the crime scenes were connected, or realized that nal justice students some ‘hands on’ experience in the field although their evidence seemed to indicate one simple with a nationally recognized professional.” crime, there were actually multiple crimes involved.

The idea was hatched by Abernathy, Finnegan, and Dr. “Of course, that would not have been possible if Keith Ashley Lough, assistant professor of biology, and led by had not carefully planned out the crime scenes and sceAbernathy. He had the assistance of two criminal justice narios ahead of time.”

(CJ) students, freshmen Andrew Ide and Tyler Taylor, Dr. Finnegan complimented CMU students on their fo24

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cus and determination, and the faculty’s choice of location for the site, which was a rather complex site in respects to grade and location. He says of the dig, “while it’s nice to have a site on level ground, that isn’t necessarily reality.”

According to Teri Haack, assistant professor of criminal justice, “Dr. Finnegan stated that he was so impressed with the CMU students and their preparedness for the experience which, in many cases, exceeded the skills that his graduate students exhibited on their first forensic archeological dig.”

The location created extra challenge and experience due to its features. All four burial sites were located down a steep slope in a field, backed up to part of the forest. To locate their sites, the students began the dig by linking arms and going slowly down the hill, inspecting every foot for evidence, until they found the locations.

To a student, the most common observation was how patient they had to be, which was one of the points Dr. Finnegan had emphasized the night before. Their reactions were mixed.

Shelby Mechlin, a junior chemistry major observes, “I learned how exact you have to be when setting the diagram of your dig in order to keep from losing evidence, how much patience you must have in order to complete a dig.”

She adds,” It enhanced my desire to work in crime scene investigation, but I want to analyze the evidence rather than digging it up.”

On the other hand, John Hall, a senior CJ major admits, “I learned how time consuming it is and how focused you have to be.” But he raves, “I love to discover things. It made me want to keep digging.”

All the students made a point of noting how long, arduous, and tedious the work was. “I thought it would be easy to participate in a dig,” says sophomore CJ major Brittany Winkler. “There were a lot of different aspects to it that aren’t shown in crime shows.”

Katelyn Nickles agrees, “The criminal justice system is

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a lot more complex than what the public thinks from the drama CSI television shows.”

With the kinds of knowledge and insight the day provided for students who want to be police officers, criminal justice professionals, lawyers, criminal psychologists, and other connected professionals, all agree on the need to have a chance to do “hands on” projects like this.

“We are considering making it a part of the regular class rotation for both criminal justice majors and science majors,” says Abernathy. The dig was supported by cross-

Top: all four sites are protected by yellow crime tape, seen from the top of the hill; the students linked arms going down the hill to look for evidence.

Above: each person had a specific assignment although they all worked together. Here one student takes notes while another skims off a layer of dirt, looking for evidence.

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Campus News

divisional effort and personnel. In addition to the original builders of the dig, other folks came out to help. Howard County Sheriff Mike Neal showed up, was offered control of the dig (as he would “outrank” everyone else), politely declined, and went on his way. Dr. Robert Wiegers, CMU professor of history, supported the students’ activities in the dig, as his background includes multiple archeological digs.

Everyone left with a broader understanding of what a dig involves, gratitude to those who set up the dig, and the hope to see it repeated. “It was an amazing opportunity that I would do again and again,” says sophomore Brittany

Winkler whose major is criminal justice and psychology. “I will remember this for the rest of my life.”

That’s what Central Methodist University loves to hear.

It’s all about the students.

Above: Dr. Robert Wiegers helps advise students as they find a fragment of bone and begin the process of specifying location and clearing away the dirt to free it from its grave.

A short video with photos from the day is available on CMU’s Facebook page under videos. www.facebook.com/centralmethodist

Worship band to WOW On January 24, the CMU Worship Band had the opportunity to lead worship for approximately 2,500 United Methodist high school students, pastors, and parents. Invited by the Rev. Kim Parker of the Missouri Conference’s Next Generation Ministries, the Eagles Worship Band was more than excited to participate in the UMC WOW Conference in Springfield, Mo. It was a weekend long event that featured many nationally recognized performers and speakers.

Kay Wilken of the CMU Worship Band says, “I have never performed in front of that many people in my life. That was awesome!” Many Central students had similar comments and hope to participate again next year.

As part of a partnership between the Swinney Conservatory and the new Center for Faith and Service, the Worship Band has had an exciting year. The ensemble leads worship each week at student chapel services, participates in church services once a month with UMC congregations across the state, and performs for youth rallies and other events.

The Worship Band boasts a membership of 15 students and is growing. It is directed by Ryan McLouth, assistant director of the Center for Faith and Service and adjunct professor of music. He comments that the ensemble has seen regular interest from current students, and has had success in recruiting new students for fall 2016.

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Campus News

Music Ministry Program added for fall 2016 The newest academic major at Central is a natural: a major in Music Ministry.

CMU already has its acclaimed Swinney Conservatory of Music, numerous music degree options, and many vocal and instrumental performance opportunities. As a church-affiliated college with rich musical traditions, the Music Ministry program makes sense, according to CMU President Roger Drake.

“This new program leverages the abilities of our Swinney Conservatory faculty, our talented religion and philosophy faculty, and the technical expertise and generosity of one of our distinguished alumni,” Drake said.

“This program is made possible only by and through the gifts of superb recording and sound equipment provided by Dr. Bruce (CMU Class of 1965) and Kathleen Maier,” Drake added. “Thanks to Bruce and Kathleen, CMU now has capabilities in recording and sound engineering like no other college or university.”

Music Ministry majors will earn the Bachelor of Music degree from CMU, as do many music majors at Central. While most music majors at CMU are pursuing careers in performance or as music teachers, Music Ministry graduates will have a different emphasis, according to CMU Fine and Performing Arts Division Chair Dr. Dori Waggoner.

Students in the program will focus on musical and technical aspects or worship leadership, Waggoner noted.

New coursework in music business, music technology, commercial music theory, and commercial arranging will provide students with the education needed to begin their careers.

Directors of music in medium- to large-sized churches, worship leaders, youth program leaders, creative arts directors, and church musicians are examples of the types of positions Music Ministry grads will fill. Music Ministry is a relatively new field, and research conducted by CMU staff indicates there are more jobs than trained people to fill them.

Existing coursework within CMU’s music and religious studies curricula will round out their preparation, according to Ryan McLouth, CMU assistant director for its Center for Faith and Service. McLouth worked with Waggoner to develop the new program.

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And while Music Ministry takes a different approach than other CMU music programs, instrumental and vocal performance opportunities will be very much a part of the lives of its students, McLouth said.

The popularity of CMU’s Worship Team – a group of students under McLouth’s direction who rehearse and perform music with a religious theme, and under the auspices of the Center for Faith and Service – is a clear indication of interest. The Worship Team has already represented the University in churches and other assemblies, and that outreach will only grow.

Drake’s expectation is that United Methodist Churches around the state of Missouri will be seeing and hearing CMU Music Ministry majors and other musicians. The idea is to send groups of students out to perform during worship services, youth meetings, and other church-related activities.

Above, both photos: The CMU Worship Band is a good match for students choosing to pursue the new Music Ministry Program.

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A little church makes a big difference

by David Hutchison ’07, executive director of advancement and alumni programs

Take a pleasant summer drive on a Sunday morning a few miles down a dusty gravel road, just outside of Smithton, Mo., and you find yourself in the presence of small, beautiful white chapel, straight out of a storybook and a familiar site in the rural reaches of the state.

The Lake Creek United Methodist Church, with 173 years in its rearview mirror and a congregation of perhaps 35 on a strong Sunday morning, is one of hundreds of similar country churches that dot the landscape of the Midwest. Like their counterparts in a thousand remote villages, they sing hymns and host frequent potlucks; and there is ample space on the grounds for children to run and play and learn the lessons of the faith. One thing, however, that does set them apart, is a desire to make a difference in the lives of children who have traded in their Sunday school rooms for college classrooms, one that goes beyond mere words and takes bold action.

At just over 60 miles from the Fayette campus, Smithton can only generously be labeled as being within the immediate footprint of CMU, and yet, members of this vibrant little community of faith has taken it upon themselves to do what they can to support what they think of as their University, by collecting and sending what donations they can to help fund student scholarships.

Dan ’74 and Linda Frazee ’72 Page, long-time members of Lake Creek, are both proud graduates of Central Methodist, and delighted supporters of their little church’s commitment to their beloved alma mater.

In the late 1980s, Missouri Bishop W.T. Handy called on Missouri churches to raise $25,000 each for Central.

“We decided that $25,000 was a little more than we could come up with at one time, but we wanted to par-

ticipate in some way,” says Linda Page. “We decided we would provide donuts and juice every fifth Sunday after church for a free-will donation to [CMU].” They have never stopped the tradition.

Indeed, it was Charles Wesley who penned, some 200 years ago, that the Methodist tradition seeks to, “unite those two so long disjoined: knowledge and vital piety.”

For the people of the Lake Creek UMC, that union runs deeply, and they aim to keep that tradition alive.

To date, their contributions have totaled more than $4,000 dollars to the Central Annual Scholarship Fund for student scholarships. Though they are one of the smaller congregations in the Missouri Conference, their gifts make them one of the most supportive churches of the CMU— UMC connection.

They don’t do it for the notoriety; in fact, it was only by chance the University even discovered their bold little program. A speaker from Central for the CMU Sunday program happened to be at Lake Creek on one of their collection Sundays, a happy coincidence that brought to light a wonderful story of a mustard-seed-sized congregation, making an outsized difference for the future students at their United Methodist University.

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If your congregation is interested in a similar program, please contact David Hutchison, Executive Director of Advancement and Alumni Programs for sample material and guidance 660-2486260 or drhutchi@centralmethodist.edu

Join us at the ballpark August 9 Cardinals vs. The Reds at Busch Stadium Host a Central Athletic Team coming to your area

Get Involved Looking for an opportunity to serve CMU?

Contact Meagan Davis at mndavis@centralmethodist.edu or 660-248-6278 to learn more about how you can help!

Come back to campus for Homecoming 2016, October 28-30 Send your gently used or new professional attire to CMU for students to wear at interviews

Campus News

Faculty, staff, and student accomplishments Dr. John Carter, professor of political science and director of pre-law, announces the acceptance of Valerie Kimball to the University of Missouri Law School for fall.

Kelley Hill, financial aid assistant, graduated from Central in May with her Bachelor of Science in business administration.

Dr. Kevin Carnahan, associate professor of philosophy and religion, relates that he has been selected as one of the next co-editors of the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics. He has also had an article published “Reading Reinhold Niebuhr Against Himself Again” in the International Journal of Systematic Theology.

Dr. Kavita Hatwalkar presented at a conference in Warrensburg at the University of Central Missouri on Creative Writing and Innovative Pedagogies. She says she also learned some things that may find their way into Central’s Young Writer’s Day. Dr. Jeremy Reed, associate professor of English and director of the Writing Center, says he and Dr. Travis Johnson, assistant professor of English, attended the Campus Compact Heartland Conference. They presented on their “Life Story Project,” a service-learning project in which students collect and preserve the life stories of members of the community. He appreciates the sponsorship of the Center for Faith and Service, which enabled them to

invite students Mackenzie Hustead and Rachel Howieson to present with them. The audience appreciated hearing how the project worked from the students’ point of view, and the students gained valuable experience presenting to an academic audience.

Dr. Travis Johnson also recently took a couple of students to the Sigma Tau Delta annual conference where Lyndsey Phillips presented a play she had written.

Dr. John Perkins relates that he and two students, Lucas Johnson and Wayne Brown, assisted with the “TryMe-Out” nights for the Columbia Public Schools. They worked with fifth-graders in getting them to buzz on mouthpieces, followed by making their first sounds on the trumpet, a great experience for all involved.

In December, the Big Bang Brass Quintet, including Dr. Perkins, played for patients at the Rusk Rehabilitation Center in Columbia.

This summer he will play lead trumpet at the Arrow Rock Lyceum for the two shows 1776 and Oliver!

Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad was appointed to the Secretary’s Council on Library Development for the state of Missouri.

Larry Bennett ’69 was inducted into the Missouri Music Educators Association Hall of Fame at the MMEA annual conference.

Sorry if we missed you!

This spring, our phonathon callers loved updating alumni about Central Methodist University and the Central Annual Scholarship Fund.

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We hope to talk with you in the fall!

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Campus News

Advancement welcomes two new staff members Mueller returns to Central Methodist Matt Mueller’s resume’ includes positions in the travel and the security industries. Now the Central Methodist University alumnus will spend a good deal of time travelling in an effort to secure a stronger future for CMU. Mueller has been appointed assistant director of development for the Advancement and Alumni Relations Department at Central Methodist University in Fayette. A native and current resident of Florissant, a suburb of St. Louis, he will primarily work out of CMU’s offices in Maryland Heights when he’s not on the road.

“We are excited to have Matt on the team. He has a passion for Central that is unbounded, and can’t wait to connect with alumni and friends of the institution to listen to their experiences as well as share the exciting progress Central is making,” notes Dr. Joshua Jacobs, CMU vice president of advancement and alumni relations.

Mueller’s experiences in the private sector, plus a stint as a certified substitute teacher for the Hazelwood (Mo.) School District, make him uniquely prepared as he sets out to cultivate relationships and encourage engagement with

Central Methodist.

Mueller is certain his love for and familiarity with Central Methodist – known as Central Methodist College when he graduated with a business administration degree in 1989 will help.

“The opportunity to come back to Central after nearly 30 years was one that I could not pass up,” Mueller says. “I am excited about the chance to make a significant difference in the lives of current and future students.”

Jacobs notes that Mueller’s responsibilities center around developing and cultivating relationships with the hope that those relationships mature into financial support for the University.

Davis joins CMU Advancement team New initiatives in the Advancement and Alumni Relations Department at Central Methodist are a primary focus of Meagan Davis, the new assistant director of special projects.

Davis joined CMU recently and is working to develop and strengthen the department’s engagement with students, parents, alumni, and volunteers, according to Dr. Josh Jacobs, vice

Seth Bauman ’09 Bachelor of Arts, Religious Studies, Psychology Minor Director of Community Engagement at Missourians for Jason Kander Jefferson City, Mo. I’ve always had a desire to impact the lives of those around me, but it was Central Methodist that helped develop my purpose and striving to change the world. Dr. Daryl Jefferies, Dr. Ron Nutter, Dr. Jack Healy, Maryann Rustemeyer, Coach Jeff Sherman, and others whose character and compassion for not just teaching students but inspiring us to be learners and thinkers for purposes much greater than ourselves, greatly impacted my vision for the future. In short, CMU gave me much more than a degree…I gained a vision and the necessary tools to achieve my dreams. Since graduating from CMU in 2009, I have held multiple positions working to address racial and ethnic fairness in how our system handles youth misbehavior. I now work on our Missouri Secretary of State’s U.S. Senate Campaign as his Director of Community Engagement. In 2015, I continued my education by graduating with a Master of Public Administration from the University of Missouri, Harry S. Truman School of Public Affairs.

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president for advancement and alumni relations.

A resident of Columbia and a University of Missouri alumna, Davis spent two-and-a-half years in Columbia’s Aetna Insurance office, first as a community relations and event coordinator, then as a member engagement analyst.

She also spent more than three years in the non-profit field.

Those diverse experiences will help her help CMU reach out in new and different ways to important constituencies. Current students are a prime example.

After all, students are the primary beneficiaries of charitable giving from alumni and friends of Central, and this year’s students will be tomorrow’s alumni. Through the efforts of Davis and her colleagues, the plan is to develop deeper understanding of and appreciation for philanthropic activities among current students.

“I am very excited to develop a student organization and engage students in various projects through Advancement and Alumni Relations,” Davis says. “Their value to Central is unmeasurable, and investing in them will produce nothing but positive outcomes for this University.”

Davis plans to initiate programming and events to achieve that goal. She also wants to better communicate with and engage parents of current students. They have almost as great a stake in the well-being of the University as do their children, Davis notes.

“In the brief time I have been at Central,” Davis says, “I have already come to understand why so many are so passionate about this institution. I look forward to contributing to that passion by cultivating new ideas and projects.”

T. Berry Smith legacy On a stormy day in April, third floor Brannock had its day brightened considerably. Surprise company popped in, seeking information on a certain icon of Central’s history, T. Berry Smith.

The couple on the doorstep were William Clifton Ivy, the great grandson of T. Berry Smith, and his wife, Linda Kay Long Ivy. Their primary purpose was to relocate the home where Smith was born in Fayette. The architecture on their photo was unmistakable and the house was identified as 703 N. Church Street.

From there, they were corralled into having photos taken with available staff and with the photo of T. Berry Smith that hangs in the Brannock Board room, where all the past presidents of Central reside. Smith was acting president at Central in the early years of the 20th Century. They also got to see a letter signed by him and a copy of one of his books. Then they had photos taken in front of T. Berry Smith Building by the placard identifying Smith.

They left to go to the Lewis Library in Glasgow where more memories of Clif’s great grandfather can be found.

They left a lot of smiles behind them and a feeling that Central Royalty had dropped by for tea.

Hayley (Chapman) Powell ’13 Bachelor of Science, Business Operations Manager, National Accounts

Yoh, A Day & Zimmermann Company, Saint Louis, Mo.

My education from the business department at CMU assists me daily, and I owe all of my professional achievements directly back to this incredible group of educators.

I graduated from Central Methodist in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in business. I work in St. Louis as an Operations Manager at a staffing agency leading teams that reside in St. Louis, Philadelphia, and the Philippines. I travel to Philadelphia monthly to facilitate training and to meet with our business partners and am pleased to say that I absolutely love my career.

Campus News

New Occupational Therapy Program moves ahead CMU’s Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program can begin in August now that CMU has been granted “Candidacy Status” by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).

ACOTE, the accrediting branch of the of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), voted to approve the action for the CMU program at its April meeting, according to Dr. Rita Gulstad, provost at Central Methodist. It is a major step forward in the University’s goal to obtain full ACOTE accreditation from the group based in Bethesda, Md. "CMU is pleased that ACOTE has granted us candidacy status,” Gulstad says. “Students who are interested in occupational therapy assistant careers will be able to enroll in a program that provides interdisciplinary health care educational opportunities."

CMU’s OTA program will prepare students for a career as an educated and licensed clinician working under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist (OTR). It is a two-year (associate’s degree) program designed so anyone who completes it can pursue the CMU Bachelor of Health Sciences degree.

OTAs work in hospitals, schools, nursing homes, psychiatric programs, rehabilitation centers, outpatient clinics, and in the community. Their goal is to improve the lives of children, young people, and adults in need of OT services.

As is the case with most health professions-related fields, the job market for OTA is robust, Gulstad noted.

OTAs have been trained to use "occupations" or "activities of daily living" (ADLs) to help clients of all ages participate in their activities of choice to their fullest potential; disability does not mean someone is destined for dysfunction.

Graduates of an accredited OTA program are eligible to sit for a national licensure exam to become licensed in the state in which they practice, according to Rebbecca Fenton, program director for CMU’s Occupational Therapy Assistant program.

“As an institution we can be proud of our well established reputation and respect,” Fenton says. “We have strong institutional support and commitment to the development of the OTA program. These are the strengths that have gotten us this far and they will see us through the rest of the process.”

Rohrbach joins CMU Occupational Therapy Program The chance to more fully utilize her years of clinical experience as an occupational therapist and to teach more people about this increasingly important discipline led Kelly Rohrbach to apply for a newly created health-care position at Central Methodist University.

Central Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad recently announced Rohrbach’s appointment as academic fieldwork coordinator for CMU’s Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program.

“Kelly is an asset to CMU’s faculty; her clinical experience is invaluable to the institution as it begins its new program,” Gulstad says.

Rohrbach is responsible for working with OTA Program Director Rebbecca Fenton to develop clinical standards and coursework for the OTA program and ensure that it meets accreditation standards. She will also serve as coordinator of the clinical aspects of the OTA educational program and work with faculty to maintain high-quality program standards.

“I love working with people and I really do love occupational therapy,” Rohrbach says. “It was a difficult choice to leave my patients, but I feet this position can give me an opportunity to pass on my love and knowledge of therapy to those wanting to go into this profession and still feel like I am helping the patient.”

Rohrbach comes to CMU after nearly 12 years as a licensed, registered occupational therapist, working with 32

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several health-care facilities, including Health South-Rusk Rehabilitation and University of Missouri Hospitals and Clinics, both in Columbia, Health Facilities Rehab Services in Sikeston and Cooper County Memorial Hospital in Boonville.

She has been involved in the treatment of patients with a wide range of physical ailments, including spinal cord and traumatic head injuries. She also has worked with patients in acute-care facilities, including burn, trauma and cardiac units, and in long-term care facilities.

“I am excited to welcome Kelly to the OTA team,” Fenton says. “Her vibrant and outgoing personality, coupled with her experience as an OTR from the local area, adds an extra layer of depth to our program. As a team we will fashion an OTA Program that is dynamic in nature, growing to meet the ever-changing needs of our students.”

The Magazine of Central Methodist University

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State board OKs CMU nursing expansion State officials have approved a CMU request to help address a looming nursing shortage by increasing capacity in CMU’s Fayette and Columbia programs from 65 to 100 students. The changes will be effective for the upcoming 2016-17 academic year, according to CMU Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad. Approval was given by the Missouri State Board of Nursing at its March meeting in Jefferson City.

“CMU is very appreciative to the Missouri State Board of Nursing for this opportunity to increase our cohort size in order to meet the need for BSN prepared nurses in Missouri,” Gulstad says.

It’s an especially exciting time in the allied health fields at CMU, Gulstad notes. The University opened its new $6.5 million, 25,000-square-foot Thogmorton Allied Health Center last fall, and is preparing to launch new programs in both the occupational and the physical therapy assistant disciplines next fall.

Yet the boost in nursing capacity is an especially positive development and CMU officials are already hard at work seeking students for the new openings, according to Dr. Megan Hess, chair of CMU’s Health Professions division.

The increase has numerous up-sides, including more efficient use of facilities and faculty on the CMU campus, Hess notes. In the past, CMU brought in a 50-student cohort each fall, and those students essentially followed the same academic path to completion.

It also helps CMU and its partner health care providers schedule student clinical experiences. Instead of trying to find 50 clinical opportunities one time each year, CMU will be able to place 40 students in the fall and another 40 each spring.

“Not only does the more frequent course rotation offer students more flexibility, it also means that CMU is in

Spring 2016

a better position to consistently partner with area health providers for each clinical course each semester,” Hess says.

CMU also offers an accelerated bachelor’s degree program in nursing at its Forum Shopping Center location in Columbia. Capacity in that program will grow from 15 to 20.

The accelerated program differs from the more traditional on-campus one, Hess explains. It is designed for people who already have a bachelor’s degree but in a nonnursing field, and who want to become a nurse. Because participants have already completed their general education requirements and oftentimes some of the prerequisites for nursing, they can obtain their nursing degree in a shorter time period.

Some on-campus students may find another benefit from the second class schedule that will begin next January. Any who may have to step out for a semester, will now not have to wait until the next fall semester to resume their education.

CMU’s rigorous nursing program requires students to obtain a grade of no less than a B in its nursing core.

Above: On hand for the award presentation were (from left) Board of Nursing board members Alyson Speed (Columbia), Mariea Snell (St. Louis), and Anne Heyen (Ashland); CMU Division of Health Professions chair Dr. Megan Hess, CMU Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad, and CMU Assistant Professor of Nursing Kim Oeth; SBON board President Rhonda Shimmens of Jefferson City; CMU Assistant Professor of Nursing Heather Dougherty; and SBON board members Lisa Green and Adrienne Anderson Fly, both of St. Louis. (Photo courtesy Yaryna Klimchak) The Missouri State Board of Nursing recently developed a video about state nursing licensure requirements and benefits, and chose to film the video at CMU. The video, which featured CMU nursing student Taylor Zey, can be viewed at www.bit.ly/1pcQudA

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Campus News

CMU Stephens History Museum getting facelift

by Dr. Robert Wiegers, professor of history

Since January 2015, the CMU Stephens History Museum has been undergoing extensive changes. Items that have been on display for a long period have been removed for storage and numerous cases, some in poor condition, have been retired to the T. Berry attic. The cataloguing system has been upgraded with museum quality curation software. In February of 2015, the director and staff of the Missouri State Museum paid a visit to offer advice on display space, artifact curation, display lighting, and floor plans. Many of their suggestions have been incorporated into our plans for the future museum.

During the summer of 2016 we plan to do a full-scale remodeling of the museum, including new lighting and paint. Furthermore, we plan to start assembling a new display system (a used system but new for us) known as Abstracta. It will allow us to create a vertical display surface adjustable to various heights and dimensions to fit select artifacts and interpretive signage. The semi-permanent displays for Fall of 2016 will focus on three general themes for the new museum: the history of Fayette, the history of Missouri Methodism, and Central history.

Our display of Fayette history will cover the founding of the town and important personages with artifacts and interpretation. Through the medium of artifacts and early photos we will tell the story of Methodism in the local area with emphasis on the founding of the original Central College.

For the history of Central, we plan on creating displays focusing on the history of our athletic teams and student activities such as the music department, marching band, the theater program, the Collegian and Eagle Radio as well as the scholastic and social life of Greek organizations on campus.

Events of great impact on the town and college will also be dis34

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Rick Fort, left, working on the tool section of Stephens Museum, contemplates the wisdom of trying to pick up an antique kettle.

Below, Joe Morris holds the Lauck rifle preparatory to setting it in place in the gun rack at Stephens.

Both young men are students of Dr. Robert Wiegers, CMU professor of history.

played and interpreted. This will include Missouri’s involvement in the Civil War using the museum’s Civil War collection. Other events of note to the history of Central and Fayette are the two World Wars. The little known presence of the U.S. Navy V-12 program in 1942 and the college’s namesake, the S.S. Central Victory, will receive special treatment for their importance both locally and nationally. Traveling exhibits will be featured as available and student- created displays are encouraged as part of a potential museology program.

Artifact interpretation and education is part of the museum mission at Central. For adults the museum will be set up for self-education. For elementary and secondary scholars the museum will offer combinations of hands-on programs and activities. A large open space is reserved for a special academic area for school groups to sit on the floor for a lecture or story time. The Fayette community will be encouraged to utilize the space for programs of local interest. When completed the museum hopes to have something for everyone.

The Lauck rifle This rifle, found in rural Missouri and anonymously donated, has been in the museum collection since before 1940, predating our catalog system.

This rifle dates from the turn of the 19th Century. The patch box (the most common identifier of maker on a flintlock rifle) is located in the stock, and indicates that it was made by Northern Virginia gunsmith Simon Lauck, who made guns in that region from around 1790-1812. The stock is split approximately halfway up the barrel, and is heavily engraved for its style. The current barrel is .45 caliber, 40 inches long, and is an early replacement. It is marked “Tryon, Philad.” (Philadelphia). It has been converted to percussion cap; the origi-

nal lock piece is missing. The original brass trigger guard has been replaced with an iron one that has a rounded end piece characteristic of a Tennessee maker, which it may have acquired during its migration to the Midwest during the early 19th Century.

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Extended Studies

New CMU agreement adds Arkansas partner A new partnership between Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) and Central Methodist University gives NWACC students new opportunities for online bachelor’s degrees.

Officials from both institutions met recently on the NWACC campus in Bentonville, Ark., to sign a formal articulation agreement, according to CMU Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad.

It marks the first CMU partnership in Arkansas, joining CMU’s roster of community college partners in Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois.

NWACC students and graduates now have seamless transfer opportunities into CMU programs in Business, Nursing (Registered Nurse-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing), and Health Sciences, Gulstad says.

NWACC Vice President of Learning and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Ricky Tompkins represented the host college at the signing event.

Gulstad and Samuel Mason, assistant dean for CMU’s regional division of its College of Graduate and Extended Studies, represented Central Methodist.

“This will provide new pathways for NWACC students to advance in

Signing the articulation agreement are, from left: Sam Mason, assistant dean of out-of-state partnerships at CMU; Dr. Rita Gulstad, CMU provost; and Dr. Ricky Thompkins, vice president of learning and chief academic officer at NWACC.

their careers,” Gulstad says. “Students are able to graduate with their bachelor’s degree in four years.”

If NWACC officials see the need to expand the partnership into other degree programs, CMU will be ready to respond, she adds.

“We are constantly exploring new articulation opportunities to continue

to serve the needs of students in Northwest Arkansas,” she notes.

NWACC is a public two-year institution established 25 years ago dedicated to serving communities in Benton and Washington Counties in Arkansas.

Prof. Ryan McLouth ’06 Bachelor of Music Education Asst. Director, Center for Faith and Service, Adjunct Professor of Music Central Methodist University, Fayette, Mo.

The very foundation of my skills and character were formed in my four years as an undergraduate here. I couldn’t be more proud to be an Eagle.

Since graduating from Central Methodist in 2006, I have gone on to complete a Master of Music in guitar performance, and am near completion of a Ph.D. in music education. I have been teaching music for more than 10 years, and have performed on the large and small stage with some world-class musicians and nationally recognized names. I currently work full-time for CMU as assistant director of the Center for Faith and Service, and teach music as an adjunct for Swinney Conservatory. Central has had a tremendous impact on my life and career as a musician and teacher.

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Extended Studies

Strengthening clinical professionalism through community service

by Angela Schubert, CMU clinical counseling coordinator at Sedalia This past academic year, the students and faculty of the Clinical Counseling graduate program in Sedalia determined to actualize specific parts of the missions of two institutions that guide the program: CMU’s mission to make a difference in the world through social responsibility, and the American Counseling Association’s mission to promote respect for human dignity and diversity through the practice of counseling.

Practicum students at CMU’s Clinical Counseling Center (CCC) on the State Fair Community College (SFCC) campus led the quest to provide socially responsible and respectful services to the student community of State Fair Community College and the community of Sedalia.

The Life Stories Project was their first community service. The original intent was to teach practicum students how to listen attentively to the stories of older adults who are often faced with social isolation and loneliness. (See related story, p. 36.)

The outcome was incredible.

Students came to realize this service project was a gift – a gift of wisdom, connection, and affection. Elderly adults from the Sedalia Senior Citizen’s Center shared stories of triumph, sadness, and lifetimes of adventure with the students.

The second service project was the CCC Career Workshop. This project focused on the other end of the lifespan spectrum – adolescence. CMU practicum students provided career counseling services to junior and senior students at the Applewood Christian School (ACS) in Sedalia.

The practicum students administered an assessment to the ACS students to help them identify career paths that matched their interests. Each ACS student built a resume and participated in a mock job interview.

The ASC students were prepared and excited; they even dressed professionally for the interviews. The participating CMU students learned a great deal, and some have decided to focus on becoming career counselors.

A final project this academic year was to bring awareness on the State Fair Community College campus to the mental health needs of people with eating disorders. Clinical Counseling students participated in the Proud2BMe on Campus Campaign, “a national initiative to bring students, faculty, and campus services together in the fight against eating disorders” (neda.org/proud2bme).

Each day of Eating Disorder Awareness week, our practicum students challenged CMU and SFCC students and staff to celebrate themselves and their bodies. On “Mirrorless Monday,” mirrors were covered and markers were left for students to write positive messages.

On “Digital Footprint Thursday,” a booth set up in Parkhurst Commons was the center of a discussion about how social media influences people’s perceptions of body image.

Each of these projects strengthened CMU’s relationship with the community of Sedalia and State Fair Community College. In addition, the CMU students learned a great deal about what it means to be a socially competent counselor and how to promote respect for human dignity and diversity.

In the future, the MSCC faculty and students aim to extend these opportunities for all MSCC students at the other three clinical counseling sites in Columbia, Maryland Heights, and Park Hills.

Representing CMU at the Missouri Community College Association Conference are (left to right) Dr. Deborah DeGan-Dixon, associate dean; Felicia Linear, recreuitment and retention coordinator for CMU’s St. Louis area program; Aimee Sage, director of admission for CMU’s College of Graduate and Extended Studies; Maria Bingaman, adamissions representative for CMU’s St. Louis area program; and CMU Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad.

CMU is a gold-level sponsor for the annual meeting, which brings together community college officials from across Missouri together for meetings and presentations.

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The Magazine of Central Methodist University

The Talon

A bond of friendship across the generations

Extended Studies

by Hope Lecchi, Sedalia Democrat

One learns history from stories of the past. Two area residents and those stories of years gone by have developed into a friendship for the future.

For 76-year-old Stanley Potts, a retired carpenter, and Sarah Rowland, a Central Methodist University student counselor intern, a class assignment has turned into something that has changed both their lives forever.

“There is something very meaningful about her and what we have shared,” Potts says. “I could have said no and missed this opportunity, and I would have never known all that we have shared.

“Sarah, very quietly asks a few questions and then she allows me to say what I want to say,” Potts adds. “What she has done is let me be the star, which isn’t one of my goals; I’d rather be the black paint on a black top road where no one notices me.”

The assignment that brought the two together is a part of the four-year degree completion program at CMU. The Master of Science in Clinical Counseling at CMU provides a counseling service to State Fair students.

Earlier this year the program began a partnership with the Sedalia Senior Center to create a “Life Stories Project.”

As part of the assignment, students were paired with senior citizens and were asked to interview the seniors and write their stories.

Potts and Rowland were two of the first to volunteer for the project, according to Angela Schubert, Ph.D., LPC, director of CMU Clinical Counseling enter at the SFCC site.

“Sarah always expressed a desire to work with older individuals,” Schubert says. “And Stanley was the first to volunteer here at the Senior Center.

“The work that the two of them have done together just confirms that everyone has a story and that those stories have value,” Schubert adds. “I think people are very interested in hearing the stories of people who have lived long and diverse lives; we simply need to let them tell them.”

Rowland said that for her part, she was more than grateful to hear Potts tell his story. The two were scheduled to meet four times for 45 minutes to an hour but have found they wanted to meet more frequently.

Potts says he initially thought the process would not take that much time because he had nothing to share.

For Rowland, nothing could be further from the truth.

“I really enjoy coming here and listening to Stanley,” Rowland says. “I am so very grateful for the experience I have been given and for Stanley.”

As part of her paper written for the project, Rowland asked Standley to reflect upon the state of the world and its culture.

“The world has changed and there is a different moral climate from when Potts was young,” Rowland writes. “He has seen the decay… the acceptance of things that are immoral to him, and he hopes his grandchildren and greatgrandchildren will be successful in spite of the changes

Spring 2016

and challenges in our culture.

“I [Potts] have a goal, a mission, and a responsibility to pass on my knowledge to others,” Rowland continues in her narrative.

At the end of her story, Rowland adds the following statement: “I hope I am not the only candidate worthy Sarah Rowland, counselor intern at CMU - SFCC in Sedalia of hearing his story, his hopes, and his beliefs.”

Both begin to cry softly when Potts reads those words.

“I have a fear that I will lose contact with Sarah, someone so dear to me, when she graduates,” Potts says. “I sense that it won’t be convenient for us to meet any longer and that our relationship will be all too short.

“That’s the way life treats us, you know,” he adds quietly.

Rowland assures her friend that nothing could be further from the truth.

“I truly enjoy coming here and I want to volunteer at a later time,” Roland says. “After about five minutes, I felt we weren’t strangers, but we were becoming friends.

“This is your life story; I tried my best to put down what you had told me,” Rowland adds. “I am the fortunate one for having the chance to tell your story.”

Each was asked to describe the other in three words, something they both found rather difficult to do.

“Stanley is just so incredibly creative and jovial and he continually gives so much of himself to me and everyone he comes in contact with,” Rowland says.

Potts also struggled with his assessment of his new friend.

“I can’t think of a word that describes the depth of her commitment,” Potts says. “For her to learn to do what she is doing, and doing so well, is simply remarkable.

“She is so dedicated and compassionate, and more than that, she is so contented with very little,” he adds. “She is simply a remarkable individual and friend.”

Editor’s Note: Reprinted by permission of the Sedalia Democrat and Hope Lecchi. Originally printed December 4, 2015.

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Extended Studies

Crowder College, CMU ink agreement Crowder College and Central Methodist University signed an agreement on April 8 that will provide opportunities for Crowder Associate of Applied Science graduates.

“This is a very good opportunity for our AAS graduates, because it utilizes the courses from Crowder to the fullest,” states Dr. Glenn Coltharp, Crowder Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Crowder and CMU have partnered since 2014 to bring other programs to the college via online and on-campus classes to aid students in completing their bachelor degrees while still living in the southwestern Missouri area, notes CMU Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad.

“CMU is honored to partner with Crowder College to provide new pathways for those students who have earned an associate of applied science,” Gulstad says. “Students can now seamlessly transition and

complete a bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in management.”

Those programs include: Applied Behavioral Analysis, Applied Science in Management, Accounting, Business, Child Development, Criminal Justice, Interdisciplinary Studies, Nursing (RN-to-BSN), Psychology, and Sociology. Most of these programs are completely online, which makes it

appealing to students not wanting to relocate.

Crowder offers AAS degrees in a variety of fields. A complete listing of the AAS degrees can be found in the current catalog at www.crowder. edu/academics/course-catalogs/. For information about CMU programs in the Crowder College area, visit www. centralmethodist.edu/cges/neosho.php.

Dr. Glenn Coltharp, vice president of academic affairs at Crowder College (left) and CMU Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad sign the partnership agreement for the Crowder Associate of Applied Science.

Photo courtesy of Crowder College

Diu Kiet Ha ’14 Bachelor of Science, Early Childhood Education Early Head Start Teacher, Graduate Student Central Missouri Community Action, Jefferson City, Mo.

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My name is Diu Kiet Ha, but I go by Kiko since it is easier to pronounce.

I am an international student from Viet Nam, and I am proud to be a CMU alum. CMU and all the staff have made a tremendous impact in my life that words cannot describe, and I am forever thankful for all the support that was given to me by the staff and faculty. I came to the U.S. when I was 16 years old as a foreign exchange student. I was hosted by an American family, and they have become my second mom and dad. Currently, I am a graduate student at Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., majoring in professional counseling, marriage and family therapy; I will graduate with my Master’s in May of 2017. My plan after graduation is to apply for a Ph.D. in Medical Family Therapy.

The Magazine of Central Methodist University The Talon

Better writers, not better writing

by Cathy Thogmorton, editor New this year from the to establish a long-term relationship pattern,” he says. “We encourage multiple appointments to establish a long-term English department comes Central’s first official Writing relationship. They can take advice, apply it, and then learn Center. Founded by the departsomething new the next time. ment, led by Dr. Jeremy Reed, Reed credits much of the center’s success to the associassociate professor of English, ates who work there. “They are really good,” he says, “reand guided by a board, its purally excited. They really want to do this. They are enthusipose is to help poor writers to astic about the process. become good writers and good “A lot of kids hang out up there to write. We imagine writers to become even better ones. it as a space where people come to hang out and get help if To get the center off the ground, the staff offered a they get stuck, a space for people to work on writing and number of mini-workshops for students to introduce them get help if they need it.” to the concept and the staff and associates who work there.

The center has come a long way already. Everyone Reed will offer these each year to encourage students to helped with the project. The space was donated from the make use of the help they can get there. library, the plant ops team took everything old out, put up The center also provided a workshop for teachers to new walls and painted it. The IT department wired it for explain how they can help their students do better on the computers, the Provost provided start up money and writing assignments and to ask faculty how they can help t-shirts for the staff. They were all in it together. the teachers as well. Creating appropriate assignments and Next year Reed hopes to pilot a program where they managing writing loads in a timely manner both came to can embed writing associates into specific classes. Then the top of the wish list. they would hold specific hours for members of those Reed hired student associates based on faculty recomclasses to get writing help. mendations. That helped him get a variety of students And when they can find the money, Reed says they from different disciplines. They have weekly meetings to would like to get more advanced composing programs for discuss feedback on teaching writing techniques. Their their computers. mantra, he says, is “better writers, not better writing.”

“We want to be helpful to the entire campus,” he “Anyone can come in during open hours,” says Reed. says. “The conventions from discipline to discipline vary “Students can also sign up for a scheduled time. They get greatly. When we are not aware of all the conventions of a spot and a reminder.” He is often in the center to help special areas, like nursing, we need to get folks who do. or trouble-shoot. He usually assigns two associates at a “We’re all in this together. I’m so grateful for all of time, including hours in the evening. Most students stay them. More than our job, it’s that we want to do this toabout 30 minutes, although they can stay longer. “We try gether because we want the students to succeed.”

Christina (Burke) Nall ’13 Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice & Psychology Child Welfare Protective Investigator, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office New Port Richey, Florida While at Central I took many hands-on criminal justice classes and had an amazing set of professors who prepared me for what to expect in this field. Motivation and dedication on behalf of the staff at CMU is what kept me going when I missed my family and felt I could not bear to stay away.

My adviser, Terri Haack, was always there for me and became more than an adviser or a professor; she was a friend. A high-quality education and access to extra-curricular activities got me in the door of high paying jobs.

This position as a Child Welfare Protective Investigator was something I always wanted to do, because working with children was my goal. I go into homes and investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect. If I am able to verify that a child is unsafe, I remove the children from that home and find placement. I have had many types of cases ranging from physical abuse and substance abuse, to bizarre punishment, human trafficking, and medical neglect.

Campus News

The Children’s Room

by Cathy Thogmorton, editor

Students expect many things when they walk into a university library—tables and chairs, computers, and stacks and stacks and stacks of books. One thing, though, they don’t necessarily expect but will see immediately on the main floor of Central’s Smiley Library in Cupples Hall, is a mini-library room for children. The room has bright colors, 3-D puzzles, a paper tree growing up in a corner, and, yes, stacks of books.

Welcome to Central’s Children’s Room at the library, which officially opened this school year. It serves multiple purposes.

It can also provide a place for kids whose CMU parents are studying at the library, meeting others for a tutorial, or using computer resources.

For education majors, it can be a place to meet and interact with students of their age or of the age they want to teach. What a great way to see what kids like to do and what they like to read.

The layout of the room is practical and fun-sized and can be replicated in a teacher’s classroom or school. Smallsized stacks hold books for little hands. Stuffed animals quietly observe the activity from the top of the stacks. In one corner stands a rack of hand puppets near a small puppet theatre.

Everything in this room welcomes people, small and large. The chairs are comfortable, even for students and adults who need a quick break. They can pick out a book, smile, and kick back in a comfy chair for a few minutes to relive the joy they felt when they first met books.

The early childhood education department can use it as a resource for students to choose appropriate reading (and pre-reading) books for the students they will soon be teaching.

Your legacy is important.

If you’ve included Central in your will, trust or other planned gift, please let us know. We want to honor you with membership in our Founders Circle, and more importantly, we want to make sure you are thanked today and your legacy is honored tomorrow.

Contact Josh Jacobs, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations, at 660-248-6214 or jejacobs@centralmethodist.edu.

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The Magazine of Central Methodist University

The Talon

Campus News

Eagle Select Scholarship winners photo, left, Natalie Van Horn and below, For two CMU students-to-be, a recent trip to (right) Reagan Peeples with admissions Central Methodist University proved to be time counselor Jennifer Sheperd (left) won exceptionally well spent. They both won the coveted the two Eagle Select Scholarships from Eagle Select Scholarship, which goes to two high CMU, which will conditionally pay for school seniors who are planning to attend Central. four years in attendance at Central Methodist University.

Both Reagan Peeples from Slater and Natalie Van Horn from Raymore outpaced several dozen other gifted competitors from Missouri and other states to earn four-year full-tuition scholarships to Central Methodist. The total value of each scholarship is in excess of $89,000, according to Ken Oliver, CMU vice president for institutional growth and student engagement.

The Eagle Select Scholarship competition is a semi-annual event for students in their senior year of high school who meet strict standards and who apply for, and are invited to participate in, the competition. Competitors must have a grade point average of 3.5 and a minimum of a 26 ACT score to be eligible for the event. The Eagle Select participants competed by writing an essay, conducting an interview with CMU faculty and staff, and completing a math component.

“This competition brought the best and brightest students to our campus and among these [Natalie and Reagan] really made an impression,” Andy Jenkins, director of Admissions notes. “Through their thoughtful and engaging essays, remarkable interviews, and strong showing on the math components, they surfaced to the top of a very competitive scholarship event.

“We are excited to have [them] bring their skill sets to Central Methodist University and believe they will do great things as they pursue their degrees,” Jenkins adds.

Van Horn is the daughter of Michael and Michelle Van Horn of Raymore. Peeples is the daughter of Shae and Sam Peeples of Slater.

In April six members of CMU became the first members on campus of the sorority Delta Xi Nu, a national, multicultural sorority whose hallmark is service. This brings Central’s Greek membership to just over 23 percent of full-time campus students. In just over three years, the number has grown from 7 to 11 groups and from 12 percent of student involvement to 23 percent. New Delta Xi Nu members are: back row (l-r) Rachel Howieson, Stefaney Williams, Diamond ZoeyMagazine Glasgow; front row Alexis Methodist Eckhoff, president, and Nikki Warren.

The sponsor is Greg Ray. This Spring 2016Wiley,The of Central University The Talon is CMU’s second national sorority.

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Where are they now?

Past Selecman Award winners

It’s an odd sensation to sit in a room full of several thousand people, and have your life’s story thus far read to the crowd, before you know it’s you they are talking about. It’s a mixture of interest and confusion as what must be a fantastic expression of awareness slowly dawns on your face.

This is the state of mind that every recipient of Central’s highest student honor, the Bishop Charles Claude Selecman Award, has experienced, and it is one they never forget.

Next Spring’s Commencement will be the sixtieth anniversary of this award, when another in a long line of graduating seniors will have his or her name placed among those whom the faculty have held up as exemplars of the highest ideals we look for in a Central graduate. Selecman, who graduated from Central College in 1898, established the award in 1957 as a way to ensure that at Central, special praise would be given to those whose The Selecman Watch qualities reach extraordinary heights.

And so as we approach that milestone, we thought we would take a look back at some of those young men and women who have stood on the stage, received the gold watch – the gift that accompanies the award – and have been recognized for their drive, commitment and character, to answer a few questions about where their lives have led since the old college days.

As a former recipient myself, for the Class of 2007, I can tell you that the route taken – even at my young age – is not one easily anticipated or expected. My own journey has taken me through a Master of Divinity, closing in on a decade of local church ministry in the United Methodist Church, and now back to Central, serving my alma mater’s mission through the Advancement and Alumni Office, and through the campus church, Linn Memorial UMC. I contacted a representative group of Selecman Award winners to see where their outstanding finish at Central Methodist College/University has led them.

- David Hutchison, executive director, advancement and alumni programs

George Adams ’59 Where did life take you after Central?

After Central, I went to Columbia University where I received a Master’s of Science in Journalism, and then was hired by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, where I spent my entire professional life, something very unusual for people in the news and journalism profession. I worked my way, over the years, from reporter to city editor, to eventually a staff newsroom job.

What are you most proud of in your career?

I lobbied for open records and open meeting laws in

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the interest of public disclosure, but my greatest accomplishment, other than my family and my four grandchildren, was the system I developed to manage production of news pages for big city daily papers. We sold that system to a number of them around the country before the advent of the web.

What did you take away from Central that helped shape your life and career?

The most important thing for me is an appreciation for facts. The importance of facts isn’t that you know particular ones, so much as you understand that there are facts.

This changes how you approach life. You have to have an appreciation for the reality of truth. My experience has

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been you can’t have a good dialogue without understanding the facts.

Do not accept limitations. Seek more, push for more, demand more, create more.

A final word of advice to aspiring students at CMU?

Max Marble ’71

I pushed myself hard to do well, but hopefully I did that in order to accomplish things rather than to just have kudos on the wall.

Frank Wallis ’66 Frank Wallis is a profile in leadership. The 1966 graduate of Central has called Saint Louis “home” for his entire professional career as an estate planning attorney, most recently at the Muhm & Reilly firm in downtown Clayton, Mo. He has made a name for himself in the Gateway city’s sizable law community, having been listed in the Best Lawyers in America publication since 1987. A founding member of the landmark Forest Park Forever organization, as well as a host of other area arts, culture, and civic organizations, Frank Wallis is a name known for philanthropy, vision, and dedication throughout the metro. But before he was that Frank Wallis, he was a young man arriving at Central, fresh from tiny Bloomfield and not altogether sure where life would lead. Like so many others, Mr. Wallis can trace the change to his experience at Central Methodist.

Tell us about your life since Central.

Central was a great growing up time for me. The great advantage to going to a place like Central is that broad liberal arts style education. It provided me with what I needed to get into one of the top law schools in the country (Duke University), and eventually study at the London School of Economics.

How has Central shaped your career?

My career has really been a follow up to my college experience, of the personalization that CMU created in my education. There I learned to appreciate relationships, and so personal relationships with my clients has become a cornerstone of my practice.

What did it mean for you to receive the Selecman award?

It was a surprise to me then, and an even greater surprise to me today. I wore the watch I received until just last year. It was by a German maker, and I replaced parts for it over the years until they were no longer available and I had to retire it.

What wisdom do you have for current students and young alumni?

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While it has not always a part of the school’s name, the connection between the Methodist tradition and CMU has been a part of the fabric and the very character of the institution since its inception. Hundreds of churches of various stripes throughout the Midwest are served by pastors who began their religious education at Central, and the University’s mission and purpose bear significant witness to the way that our Christian foundation informs our holistic approach to the student experience.

Max Marble, a 1971 graduate and lifelong United Methodist pastor, missionary, and advocate for education in developing countries, is the personification of the strength and importance of that connection.

Were you surprised to receive the Selecman?

I was taken completely by surprise. It was a busy time and I was not planning on attending the honors assembly, but my fiancée managed to get me there. To be recognized meant a great deal to me and, wow, the watch was gold. I felt rich!

How did Central prepare you for the life you’ve led?

I did not know I had leadership skills. Central not only gave me the confidence to step out and lead, but gave me the skills that I needed to do so. Dr. Sunoo urged me to take leadership positions that I had no idea I was capable of taking; without his confidence in me, college would have been very different.

What have you been up to since College?

After college I went to seminary, served as pastor of the congregations and campus minister for two colleges and, for the last 17 years, served as Director of the Office of Creative Ministries for the Missouri Conference (UMC). I now am the Executive Director of

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Janice Morand receives her Selecman Award in 1980. the Ludhiana Christian Medical College Board, and travel to Ludhiana, in the Punjab area of India, twice a year and spend several months there. It feels good to be back in the country where I was born and raised and where my parents, who themselves both graduated from CMC, were missionaries for 36 years.

Any advice for students at Central?

I majored in Political Science, but I always said that I really majored in extra-curricular activities. My advice is to hit the books but also to get involved in as many different campus organizations and activities as you can. I really enjoyed my years at Central.

Janice Morand ’80 When we say goodbye to students on the day of Commencement, there are many things we hope they will take with them, beyond their diploma. Reading and writing skills, an ability to do their own research, and a bevy of learned social skills and ethical standards are among the many tangible – and occasionally intangible benefits that we associate with the college experience at a place like Central. We also hope that the culture of learning we provide for them while they are here, will foster in them a lifelong love of learning and growing on their own.

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When one listens to Janice Morand speak about her life of service to academia, how she translates her own love for education to generation after generation of new, curious minds, one recognizes being in a dialogue with the living soul of what we sometimes refer to as the Spirit of Central. If we hope to deliver a piece of Central to the world through our graduates, Morand may very well have taken the largest piece available.

Tell us about life after Central.

I have a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Purdue, but I have spent my entire career at University of California–Davis, first as a researcher, and then to a role where I work directly with students in our Internship and Career Center, where I have been for the last 18 years.

What do you love about what you do?

What I like most is that I am working on behalf of students. I go home at the end of the day and know I have helped students. I get to educate and encourage them. It’s a pretty cool position to have. People share their hopes and fears for their futures, and those are pretty special conversations.

What role did Central play in your career path?

It is so clear in my mind now that my model for my work has been based on how I was treated at Central. The

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faculty and staff were the role models for how to treat my students. Dr. Peery was so inspirational. He would say, “Come on guys, you can do this!”

I am curious at the molecular level – how does life happen? I still remember Dr. Elliott, in an ecology course, and we collected data to date a pond. He didn’t tell us how to do it, just told us what we were going to do. That experiential, hands-on approach is exactly how I like to teach science. I want students to do their own discovery because I know they will remember that.

Parting words

Get up every day and give it your best. The things that change the world, people’s lives, we do it one day at a time, one hour at a time. Be patient and persistent about your goals, but know that it won’t always happen overnight.

Susan Hart ‘86 Some people simply embody confidence; Susan Hart is one of those people. A 1986 CMU graduate in accounting, she has spent her life making waves as a woman leader in business and in her community, where she has literally done it all. From serving as an officer for an entire Region of Rotary International and her extensive work with the PTA, to being named the 2014 Outstanding Business Woman of the Year for Columbia, Mo, she has more than lived up to the ideals that Bishop Selecman sought to highlight in the best of Central’s students. She will be the first to say that it all began in Fayette, where she learned all of the intangibles that gave her the ability to compete, and to succeed.

What are some keys to your success?

If I join an organization I am going to work; I’m not going to be someone who just shows up. That’s what Central

CMU ‘Giving Tuesday’ nets $68,000 The growing movement for Giving Tuesday meant great things for Central Methodist University students, as CMU supporters raised more than $68,000 in December.

Giving Tuesday is a sort of charitable offset to the holiday season’s “Black Friday,” “Small Business Saturday,” and “Cyber Monday” shopping events. Non-profit groups have been embracing it as a way for people to celebrate generosity during the holiday season, according to Jaqlyne Jackson, CMU director of annual giving and operations.

CMU used a variety of online appeals and a mini-phonathon as its principal strategies for Giving Tuesday, and the pot was sweetened by an anonymous donor’s pledge to

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taught me, and to be fair in business.

I also think every human being should be required to take a world religions class.

Tell us about how you got to where you are today.

I started out at an accounting firm, and Huebert Builders was one of my clients. They were small, just starting back then, but they really seemed like someone I would enjoy working for, so I presented him [the owner] with the idea of working for them, and that’s how I ended up working for them.

I became a partner 15 years ago and I am now the Vice President of Huebert Builders, which is a commercial general contractor that specializes in historic renovation. I feel that my work is a continuation of my time at Central, and its emphasis on character and service to others.

What’s something that sticks out for you from your time at Central?

President Howell would pair some of us with Curators to spend time with them as a sort of internship, and I still remember sitting in the lobby of Holt with Glenn and Veronica Cox, and him describing his anxiety over a hostile takeover attempt by T. Boone Pickens, of Phillips Petroleum, of which he was President at the time, and being struck by how powerful, but also very human he was.

match all funds raised up to $25,000.

By the time the day ended, 96 donors had pledged $43,220 to the cause. With the $25,000 match, Giving Tuesday yielded $68,220. Online gifts comprised 59 percent of the total, while the phonathon garnered another 29 percent.

Central alumni contributed 56 percent of the funds (not including the match), while CMU faculty and staff generated another 27 percent. Donors had the option of contributing to whatever CMU program or department they wished, while undesignated gifts and the $25,000 all went to the Central Annual Scholarship Fund.

Look for a call next December from CMU on Giving Tuesday.

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CMU Hall of Sponsor Scholarships Sitting across the table from Deloris Bryant is a little like having coffee with the soul of education, a life lived in dedication to helping foster a love of knowledge and learning in others. Enjoying the comforts of retirement now, after a lifelong career teaching in public schools in Missouri and Kansas, Deloris is taking stock of what made that life possible for her. This past December, she took what seemed to her to be the logical next step in her life’s mission.

She smiles as she thinks about the decision to make a surprise, generous gift to CMU, to create a Hall of Sponsors Scholarship in memory of her late husband, Dr. Nelson Bryant ‘53.

“Nelson attended Central in the ’50s, the only one of seven children to attend college, the first in his entire family,” she says. Nelson came to Fayette on a scholarship and, for the rest of his life, he would remember that without the critical help that financial aid provided, he never would have gone to college, and never would have had the opportunities to make a difference in so many children’s lives, first as a teacher and then for decades as a public school administrator.

The Hall of Sponsors Those who have spent much time walking the hallways of Brannock Hall, the main administration building on the Fayette Campus, have spent time peering at the faces of the more than 200 others whose passion for making the Central experience affordable led them to create permanent scholarships for students. This is a veritable pantheon of who’s who from Central’s past and present, who have joined the ranks of the Hall of Sponsors. These alumni, parents and friends, former faculty and staff, even churches and whole class years are a significant part of CMU’s strong tradition of one generation investing in the success and excellence of the next generation.

And a substantial investment it is.

First established in the fall of 1977, Hall of Sponsors Scholarships, Central’s most prestigious endowed scholarships, now begin with a funding level of $30,000, and benefit students in perpetuity. Once one is established, 46

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a place is made for a new portrait to hang in the Hall of Sponsors Gallery, accompanied by a picture of the student receiving the scholarship. Over time, with generations of students benefitting from these generous endowments, the total aid awarded to students will come to eclipse the initial gift.

These perpetual gifts have made it possible for CMU to attract and keep talented students, and foster connections between Central’s alumni and friends of the University, and the students who receive their scholarships. It’s here that many of Central’s students first begin to understand the powerful nature of philanthropy, the idea of giving of themselves to support others.

This venerable scholarship program also provides an opportunity to connect the passions of our Alumni and friends with the mission and vision of Central Methodist, from scholarships like Nelson Bryant’s, which provide aid to first generation students, to those that provide a path to success in a particular discipline or career path.

A Clear Path for Future Nurses Bruce ’66 and Jan (Gift) ’67 Addison are the epitome of an alumni couple. Bruce, a Fayette business owner and member of CMU’s Board of Trustees, and his wife Jan, a community leader and first woman to serve as Fayette’s mayor, put their roots down at Central when they met here, and have been committed to supporting the University’s mission ever since. This last fall, they turned their attention to creating a legacy. Not one for themselves, however, but for Bruce’s late and beloved sister, Linda (Addison) Palmer, who passed away in September of 1987 (photo above).

Linda was a nurse and, as Bruce and Jan watched the walls go up on the new Thogmorton Center for Allied Health, seeing the growing potential for nursing education at CMU, they knew how they could provide a way to honor Linda forever, a living legacy for a life well lived.

The Linda (Addison) Palmer Hall of Sponsors Scholarship will help support a student scholar in nursing.

The timing couldn’t be more fortuitous, just as CMU expands its Nursing division with an additional cohort

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of 35 students at the Fayette site this fall, creating both the capacity and the need for more scholarships for this marquee program.

An Honor 20 Years in the Making In the late winter of 1996 Cheryl Bartholomew, a longtime nurse in the Fayette area, lost her brief fight with brain cancer. When her family came together to decide how to honor her life, there was really no question about the right way forward.

Though she never attended class at Central Methodist, Cheryl spent the majority of her nursing career working alongside CMU nursing students and graduates, as a part of the Fayette Medical Clinic, gaining firsthand knowledge and respect for the role they play in rural healthcare. This, coupled with her family’s legacy of commitment to the healthcare field, is how the Cheryl Bartholomew Hall of Sponsors Scholarship began twenty years ago.

“The family wanted to do something to honor her commitment to nursing in rural America, and they felt like a scholarship fund would be an appropriate thing to do in honoring her, and in order to educate more first generation nursing students,” says Dr. Hope Tinker, who worked side by side with Cheryl in her Fayette and Keytesville practices, in what Dr. Tinker described as a model of how a physician and a nurse could work together as a team.

Now as then, a significant portion of CMU’s students are first generation, their parents having no college education. That those students continue to see Central as the right place for them to take hold of the promise of a greater future is a palpable expression of the personalized education Central provides, and for nurses in particular, the way Central personalizes patient care. As Dr. Tinker puts it, “Cheryl was…a compassionate person, who really honored people for who they were and met them where they were.”

The scholarship fund slowly but steadily grew over the last two decades, but had still not reached the Hall of Sponsors level when the family called the Advancement and Alumni Relations Office this past year, and made the commitment to bridge the gap and bring to full fruition a memorial honor 20 years in the making. In October of 2015, in the stairwell just outside the President’s Office, the long awaited portrait took its place among the others; and now a long line of future, first-generation nurses will be

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able to see the woman, and know the story that made their future possible.

The Class of Central Many people make the kinds of friendships in college that last a lifetime. Often, we come away with a core group of friends, the kind that stick with us forever.

Occasionally, however, people capture lightning in a bottle, and leave with something more along the lines of an extended family. That would be one way of describing the Class of 1959, a tightknit group of alumni who share not only a class year, but a collective commitment to Central that would be a challenge to surpass.

Surveying this incredible group, one also cannot help but note their success – and their shared commitment to helping others succeed. Many of them credit that success to their time here at Central, their experience and education while undergraduates. Over the years, as they came into their own in life, reaching the far corners of America and achieving in fields as diverse as economics, medicine, education, and law, one by one they came to look back at their time in Fayette not just with the fondness of memories, but with a conviction that they owed something to Central, and to the future.

The Class of 1959 Hall of Sponsors Series now numbers 16, and counting. Members of the Class contribute regularly to the Class of ’59 Scholarship Fund and, when it reaches the fully funded scholarship level, a name is selected from among them, a new Scholarship is established in his or her name, and the whole process starts over. Earlier this Spring, they named their newest scholarship after the late William Dean Whitworth ’59 and his wife, Jacquelyn

FYI...

The Class

of 1959 has fully funded 16 Hall of Sponsors Scholarships and are working on #17.

If you and your friends are interested in starting one (or 17) contact Josh Jacobs, VP Advancement & Alumni Relations at 660-2486214 or jejacobs@centralmethodist.edu.

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Campus News Hawker Whitworth ’61.

A veteran of the U.S. Army, Dean was a dedicated public educator, retiring from Pattonville (Mo.) High School, where he spent all but one of his 30 years of teaching. He was a tireless volunteer throughout the St. Louis area.

The Class of ’59 and their unique, rolling scholarship fund stands out as a singular example of a diverse group of people who, through their mutual experience and love of Central, were transformed from strangers to family, and a testament to Central’s mission to prepare students to make a difference through social responsibility.

The Dean of Admissions When I think of Central and its beautiful, historic Fayette campus, I think of a place rich with tradition.

From our rigorous academics and professors who seem to make a personal investment in their students, to hanging out at the C-Bench and the familiar strains of “Beautiful Savior” flowing from the Con, CMU is space made sacred with beloved traditions.

Sometimes those traditions are the people themselves.

That would certainly be the case with Braxton Rethwisch ’64, whose genuine smile and insatiable passion for all things Central Methodist has been a mainstay both in Fayette and on the recruiting trail in St. Louis for more than a half century. For 52 years now, Braxton, whose wife, Judy (Engel) Rethwisch ’65, recently served as the President of the CMU Alumni Association’s Board of Directors, has been not only an icon among Central’s alumni, but a powerful advocate for CMU throughout the state, from prospective students and their parents to the halls of the State House in Jefferson City. It was Braxton who, in a strike of inspiration with then-President Joe Howell, first envisioned and sketched out the bones of what became a model network of partnerships with community colleges throughout the state and region. That’s the measure of the impact that this Fayette native and caretaker of students’ dreams has had, and continues to have, on Central.

In the Spring of 2015, a group of his Moker (Alpha

HALL OF SPONSORS SCHOLARSHIPS

BY THE NUMBERS...

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Phi Gamma) brothers from the ’60s created, in secret, a new Hall of Sponsors fund in Braxton’s name. What better way to honor a man who has spent more than half of his life sharing with hopeful students the promise of a life-changing education at CMU, than to help make that education more affordable for future students?

What began as a small group effort soon grew to include the entire Moker brotherhood, including some of the founding members going back to 1945. The moment they unveiled the scholarship, much to Braxton’s surprise, at the 70th Anniversary Celebration of Alpha Phi Gamma at this past Homecoming, there landed an awareness of the significance of Braxton’s too-many-to-list contributions to Central’s success over the years.

As one academic year ends and another begins, a whole new generation of incoming students will be looking to make their mark and punch their ticket for a bright future through an education at CMU. Many of them, from diverse backgrounds and with a universe of dreams, will find that their way was paved by someone who came before them. They will learn the names, the stories and the traditions, the ties that bind the old and the new; and they will themselves become a part of that tradition.

Central students will soon receive Hall of Sponsors Scholarships in honor of these five individuals. Along with the nearly 200 Hall of Sponsors Scholarships, these endowed awards represent a lasting legacy. Each of us is reminded daily by the photos hanging in the halls, of the impact these individuals have had independently and collectively, on perpetuating Central’s mission.

252 active endowment accounts largest account $896,000+ $500,000+awarded annually min. student scholarship $1,200 5 new accounts added this year

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Spring (un)break for CMU marine biologists Spring break, two of the most promising words to a college student. Two words that mean no homework, no lectures, home-cooked meals, and lazy days.

But 17 Central Methodist University students and two of their professors gave up all that was promised by that sacred collegiate term to travel to Dauphin Island, Ala., to conduct academic research.

For the second year in a row CMU faculty Assistant Professor Greg Thurmon and Dr. Jerry Priddy led a caravan of students to the Caribbean island to conduct research on how the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, caused by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, is still affecting the marine life in its waters today.

Students spent their days seining and sieving for bean clams and ghost crabs, or fishing on the boats of Priddy and Thurmon while collecting sediment samples from the ocean floor.

During the evenings students hovered above microscopes, examining the specimens collected from the day by identifying invertebrates and plankton, as well as analyzing sediment samples for left-over petroleum from the spill.

The participants on this trip were junior Jessica Alberts from Hannibal, senior Bayley Bellers from Eureka, sophomore Carmelo Calandro from Imperial, senior Audrey Davidson from Moberly, senior Curtis Everding from St. Louis, sophomore Austin Grieshober from Enid, Okla., Sophomore Alexis Hagemeyer from Saint Peters, junior Meagan Hare from Cole Camp, senior Austin Jones from Peculiar, freshman Isaac Lippert from Washington, sophomore Jessica Marcuson from Nixa, junior Addie McGuire from Higbee, Sophomore Lincoln Pinson from De Soto, junior Breilly Roy from Trenton, junior Brenna Russ from Rapid City, S.D., sophomore Chris Walker from Berkeley, and senior Toby Yorks from Rolla.

Many of the students participating in the research will receive academic credit, and others simply went to be actively involved in scientific study. This trip was open to all students of the Fayette campus regardless of their major.

Plans are underway for the 2017 study. Whether or not students will be traveling back to Dauphin Island, they are all readily looking forward to next year’s spring (un)break.

Upper right, one of the daily activities involved pulling in the plankton net to check it. Photo left, few rested at night. In a very small space, the researchers analyzed the specimen and data they had collected in the daytime.

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CMU mission trip to Haiti Before beginning of second semester, nine hardy collegiate coeds and sponsors of the Center for Faith and Service went on a mission trip to Haiti. They joined with a larger group from the Missouri United Methodist Church, left their late mornings sleeping under the down covers, and went to the warmth of Haiti to work to help people find clean drinking water.

They stayed at an orphanage in the mountains outside of Port au Prince, near the village of Fond Blanc, according to Molly Moore, director of The Center for Faith and Service. She says, “Each morning with help from coordinators in Haiti, we assembled water filters and then held a presentation on the need for clean water, the dangers of non-clean water, and the details about the water filters.�

They repeated this presentation in different parts of the village. Members of the village would sign up if they wanted to receive a filter. The group went to each house, assembled the filter and showed the family members how to do so.

They installed 200 water filters for families.

They filled out a questionnaire on each family in order to follow up and see what impact the filters are having. They also offered blessings over the filters and the households.

Their day did not end there, however. In the evenings, the students and staff participated in Vacation Bible School at the orphanage.

CMU students who joined the mission trip were Alexandria Martin, Kelsey Stuenkel, Hannah Elliott, Danielle Sears, Meagan Thompson, Kiersten Acox, Mariah Johes, Brooke Johnson, and Allie Lemmons. (Photo below with village children)

Intrepid wildfire camp The United Methodist Church’s Camping and Retreat Ministries has announced the programming lineup for a brand new camp for Summer 2016: Intrepid Wildfire Camp at Central Methodist University.

Intrepid is one of 12 core camps being planned for the summer. Core camps are designed to provide a safe space for self-exploration and deepening friendships through an immersion relationship with Christ.

Intrepid is for high school students, July 18-23, and will be at CMU. Space is available for 400+ campers and there will be five regional camper drop-off/pick-up sites.

Students will stay in the residence halls and participate in a variety of camp activities, including workshops, small group reflection times, and half a day of service. There will be daily worship in Linn Memorial United Methodist Church led by the Christian band Consumed by Fire.

Intrepid programming lineup includes faith-building speakers Jeff Yalden and Rev. Kim Parker, comedian Michael Jr., and musician Cutter Gage.

For more information on Intrepid Wildfire Camp, contact the Missouri Annual Conference in Columbia, website www.moumethodist.org.

Photo right, another spring break mission trip was taken by three students and a member of the Center for Faith and Service to Kingdom House in St. Louis, March 21-24.

The team stayed in an apartment owned by Kingdom House. In the mornings they participated in the Urban Forum Service Learning. In the afternoons they assisted in working with children and youth, tutoring, mentoring, playing games, and doing service work.

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Service Day brings out best in CMU From sororities and fraternities to sports teams and service clubs, some 700 volunteers from Central Methodist University did their part on April 7 to—in the words of the CMU mission statement—“make a difference in the world.”

The University cancels classes for its annual Service Day, when students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to engage in volunteer activities to support a variety of causes. Event coordinators, CMU’s Center for Faith and Service, estimated CMU dedicated more than 1,700 hours this year.

Projects included a Fayette citywide cleanup, yard

work at various homes around Fayette, painting of the Glasgow community swimming pool, and work at the food bank in Columbia and at Hannah Cole Elementary in Boonville.

Several CMU Greek groups worked at the Howard County fairgrounds and did highway cleanup, while others volunteered for Ryan’s Case for Smiles, a charity which sews colorful pillow cases for children who are battling cancer. Two groups drove to the Missouri River at Franklin Island to do clean-up work with Missouri River Relief.

Another group built shipping boxes for sewing machines bound for Guatemala; others volunteered at Fayette Head Start and at Fayette public schools.

Several groups went to Endless Options while others did a Katy Trail cleanup at Rocheport, and much more.

“As President (Roger) Drake likes to say, we’re helping to prepare students for ‘advanced citizenship’ in the world around them,” Molly Moore, director of the Center for Faith and Service, says. “Even though classes were cancelled for Service Day, the learning continued.”

Above: washing down the fences at the cemetery on the outskirts of Fayette; Left: creating sewing machine crates out of used flats from past shows in the Little Theatre (naturally with a scene stealer on the sets).

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Vernon Nash, Central’s hidden Rhodes Scholar

by Cathy Thogmorton, editor

Of all the prestigious scholarships for which college students or graduates are eligible to apply, the top of the line has always been the Rhodes Scholarship. At a meeting this winter, President Drake discovered, much to the surprise of everyone, that Central Methodist University is on the list of having had a Rhodes Scholar. The scholar was E. Vernon Nash, who graduated from Central College in 1913. He applied and was selected in 1916.

The Rhodes Scholarship

University in England, plus a stipend to cover necessary expenses while in residence in Oxford, as well as during vacations and transportation to and from England. The total value per scholar averages US$50,000 per year and up to US$200,000 for scholars who remain at Oxford for four years, in certain departments.

As of the announcement of the latest scholars in November 2015, 3,388 Americans have won Rhodes Scholarships, representing a total of 318 colleges and universities.

Virtually everyone has heard glowing comments about the Rhodes E. Vernon Nash Scholarship; however, very few peoAfter Vernon Nash graduated ple know what it means to win one. from Central College, he entered the The Rhodes Scholarships were School of Journalism at the University created in 1902 from the will of Cecil of Missouri – Columbia and received Rhodes, a British philanthropist and his bachelor’s degree in 1914. After African colonial pioneer. The first his Rhodes Scholarship had ended, he class was invited in 1904. In the interreturned to Columbia and got his masvening years, additional philanthroter’s degree in journalism, followed by pists who believed as Cecil Rhodes a Doctorate in Education at Columbia did, added to the initial endowment, University. and the scholarships go unerringly Nash spent a decade in China forward. between 1924 and 1936 as professor of E. Vernon Nash, Central College The American people who apply journalism in Yenching University in Rhodes Scholar for this international scholarship are Peking. During that time, he helped in good company. This year approxiestablish the first school of journalism on the continent of mately 2,000 students applied for a scholarship. Step one is Asia. to be endorsed by their college or university. Of this year’s During his years of education, Nash developed a heart2,000 applicants, 869 current or past students were enfelt conviction about the need for the world to establish a dorsed. Step two is to be chosen by one of the 16 districts world government. His first public statement of this belief in the United States for an interview. Step three entails was shared in 1927 at a District Convention of the Lions each district choosing two people from their district, based Club in Glenwood Springs, Colo. It was his life’s passion on the interviews and background information. from that time forward.

Finally, a total of 32 Rhodes Scholars are chosen from In his lifetime, he presented the case for a federal world the United States. They join an international group of government nearly 3,000 times in more than 750 locations. scholars chosen from 16 other jurisdictions around the Further, he wrote a number of books, primarily on world. the same theme, including The World Must Be Governed; All of these people have been rigorously screened by Yes, But...; It Must Be Done Again: In the 1780s American the members of the Rhodes Scholarship Trust. The Trust Federal Union, in the 1950s Federal World Government; and looks first for academic excellence, but that’s just the bea journalism book called Educating for Journalism. He also ginning. The candidates should also be committed to mak- wrote numerous articles in publications. ing a strong difference for good in the world, reminiscent Central Methodist College honored Nash with a of CMU’s mission statement. They should be concerned Distinguished Alumni Award in 1963. His father was a for the welfare of others and be conscious of inequities.

Methodist minister and his mother lived into her 90s.

Finally, they must show great promise of leadership. Cecil Vernon had three siblings—Eska Smith ’14 (married Rhodes wanted Rhodes Scholars to make important and Walton Smith Sr.), Louise ’21 (married Virgil Rathbun), positive contributions throughout the world. and Willard ’19. All graduated from Central. Nash married For those who receive Rhodes Scholarships, the Trust twice. His first wife was Mary Rooker ’13. They had gone funds all their college and university fees at Oxford through Centenary Academy at Palmyra together. She died 52

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Campus News in 1957. In 1958, he married Mary Cookingham.

Two of Nash’s grandchildren, Walton Jr. and Kathryn Smith also attended Central, as did a great grandchild, Shirley Smith. The Smiths become very hard to research and identify from that point forward, given how common a surname it is.

Nash continued speaking throughout his life. He also gave an “immense amount of time” to the division of the

National University Extension Association, which at the time prepared and circulated high school debate materials.

He also considered himself a California rancher with his one acre of ground.

Nash died in 1970, but clearly his Rhodes Scholarship expanded his passion in at least two areas, journalism and the establishment of a world federation government, and he spent his life defending the importance of both.

2016 Fleer Lecture Central Methodist University hosted its annual Gilbert and Ruth Fleer Lecture on Values-based Education on April 12. Prof. John Wigger (fourth from left), professor and chair of the Department of History at the University of Missouri, presented the talk entitled “Religious Innovation in American Culture: The Case of Jim and Tammy Baker and the PTL Television Empire.” Pictured with Prof. Wigger after the lecture were (from left) David Hutchison, CMU executive director of advancement and alumni programs; Abby Peper, a CMU senior religion and church leadership major; Dr. Kevin Carnahan, CMU assistant professor of philosophy and religion; Prof. Wigger; Dr. Daryl Jefferies, CMU professor of religion; and CMU President Roger Drake. The founders of the Fleer Lecture Series at CMU, Gilbert and Ruth Fleer, live in Bentonville, Ark. Both are alumni of Central Methodist, and Gilbert (Gil) was assistant professor of religion at Central from 1959 to 1965.

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Campus News

CMU holds 6th annual Humanities Conference Central Methodist University hosted its sixth annual Humanities Conference April 20 on the Fayette campus.

The event is an opportunity for students to present their research and creative efforts in a professional setting.

Students presented humanities-related work they completed during the 2015-16 academic year. The conference was coordinated by CMU’s Division of English, Foreign Languages, Philosophy and Religion. Students from William Woods University and Columbia College also participated in the conference.

Humanities Conference The Humanities Conference presenters were divided among five sessions, based on the topics of the material they presented.

The first session, titled “Philosophy of Religion” was moderated by Dr. Kevin Carnahan. A paper titled “Divine Creation and Moral Limits” was presented by Justin Hereth, sophomore mathematics major from Columbia, and Dillon Drew, a sophomore religion and church leadership major from Clifton Hill.

Abby Addleman, a junior religion and church leader-

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ship major from Cape Girardeau, presented a paper titled “God’s Knowledge and Power.” A paper titled “Free will and Divine Impassibility,” was presented by Emily Day, a junior music major from Wellsville, Katilyn Walker, a junior religion and church leadership major from Marionville, and Casey Baker, a senior business major from Boonville.

The second session, “Popular Culture and Art,” was moderated by Dr. Annette Van. Courtney Warford, a senior English major from Pattonsburg, presented a paper titled “Here, There, Up, and Down: The Perks of Being a Wallflower as a Trauma Narrative.”

Danielle Franklin, a senior English major from Oak Grove, presented a paper titled “Ethical Culture and Professionalism Within ‘One Tree Hill.’” William Woods University student Isabella Long also presented a paper in this session.

The third session, “Women’s Voices,” was moderated

by Dr. Travis Johnson. Robyn Maag, a senior English major from Moberly, presented a paper titled “The Queen, a King, and a Prince.” Kelsey Swearngin, a senior psychology major from Oak Grove, presented a paper titled “Empowered or Objectified?: An Analysis of Female Characters in HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones.’” Danielle Franklin presented a paper titled “The Powerful Character in ‘Wakefield.’” Columbia College student Anna Ralls also presented a paper in this session.

The fourth session, “Creative Writing,” was moderated

by Dr. Kavita Hatwalkar. Abby Ruessler, a junior English major from Perryville, presented a 10-minute play titled “Road Trip.” Two students from Columbia College, Anna Ralls and Courtney Gillis, also presented papers in this session, as did William Woods University student Mya Moyer.

The final session, “Nonfiction Film,” was moderated

by Dr. Jeremy Reed. Ryley Lyons and Miranda Dahman presented a paper titled “The Consumption and Promotion of Street Art in ‘Exit Through the Gift Shop.’” Lyons is a sophomore English major from New Franklin, and Dahman is a junior English major from Harrisonville.

Mackenzie Hustead and Courtney Warford presented a paper titled “’Blackfish’: Ethics and Representation in Documentary Film.” Hustead is a senior English major from Edina.

The final category of presentations included special exhibits by 29 CMU students dealing with the subjects “Myths and Saga,” under the direction of Dr. Travis Johnson, and “Genetics,” under the direction of Dr. Ashley Lough.

Learn more by contacting Jackie Jackson at 660-248-6239 or at 1854society@centralmethodist.edu

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Ashby-Hodge Gallery presents painter Neva Wood Following the far-ranging recent art shows at the Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art—from Northeast Brazil art to Salvador Dali—the focus has returned to the art for which the Gallery is most broadly known, regional North American artists and their works.

During the new summer show, regional artist Neva Wood will be featured. Wood, who paints primarily in watercolor and oil, is known for exploration of color as design, whether painting realistic or abstract pieces.

Wood is professor emerita of art and former chair of the Department of Art and Design at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) in Warrensburg. From 1991 to 2007, she taught painting, drawing, and design there. One highlight of her tenure was her nomination for the William H. Bylor Distinguished Faculty Award.

Wood has had numerous shows in Missouri and also South Dakota, both solo and with others. Her work has found its way into national and international juried competitions, including in Nebraska, California, and Indiana, as well as Missouri. She has been part of “The Missouri Top Fifty” at the Missouri State Fair, “Artists Along the Katy Trail,” and “Women in the Arts,” among other displays.

Before receiving her MFA in painting and watercolor in 1990 from the University of Missouri – Columbia, Wood had received an M.A. in Studio Art in 1985 and a Bachelor of Science in 1977 from UCM (then Central Missouri State University). She received the painting award/scholarship for two consecutive years for her MFA thesis work.

Professionally, Wood has served as president of The Missouri Art Education Association and as representative to the National School of Art and Design for seven years. She has presented numerous lectures and workshops in art and design.

Her works can be found in myriad private collections and at UCM, UM-C, and Boone County National Bank.

She lives in Jefferson City where she admits she is inspired by the view of the Missouri River valley.

In addition to Woods’ work, the Gallery will extend its current showing of George Caleb Bingham

and Thomas Hart Benton paintings on display. The show will also feature works from the permanent collection, focusing on artists and subject matter that exemplify the history of Howard County.

The show will run until July 21. Hours for The AshbyHodge Gallery are Sunday,Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.

For more information on the Gallery, contact the curator, Denise Gebhardt at dgebhard@centralmethodist.edu or at 660-248-6304; or Dr. Joe Geist, registrar, at jegeist@ centralmethodist.edu.

The upcoming calendar for the Ashby-Hodge Gallery will encompass a display of adult competitive works of art during the annual Fayette Festival of the Arts Exhibit on August 6.

The fall show will follow from Sept. 4 – Nov. 17 and will include woodcuts by Jerry Walters; a tribute to the extensive collection given to the Ashby-Hodge by Dr. John Hutcherson, Central graduate of 1956, retired surgeon and recurring member of the CMU Board of Trustees; and a tribute to the collection of the late Virginia “Ginny” Monroe, Central graduate of 1970, who was active in all arts and director of the docents at Ashby-Hodge.

December will bring a display of student artist work from art class and the annual Christmas sale at the Gallery.

Below: “Me, Myself, and I” by Neva Wood

Campus News

CMU Enactus team advances to national competition For the fourth consecutive year, the Central Methodist University Enactus team comprised of students enrolled in CMU business courses has qualified to participate in the Enactus National Exposition, set for May 15-17 in St. Louis.

Enactus is an international community of students, academic leaders, and business leaders committed to using entrepreneurial action to enable human progress. CMU’s team is one of more than 500 undergraduate Enactus groups in the United States.

The CMU Enactus team earned the right to participate at Nationals by winning “League Champion Honors” for its presentation at Enactus Regional competition at Rogers, Ark., in April. CMU was judged as a top team in its fivecollege league at the regional event. Fifteen teams in the Midwest Region out of 25 advanced from regional competition to nationals.

“It is both an honor and a privilege to be able to work with the CMU Enactus team,” stated Julie Duerst Bennett, associate professor and chair, Division of Accounting, Business and Economics. Bennett is also an ENACTUS Sam Walton Fellow.

“They are talented, hardworking students that blend a competitive spirit with the desire to succeed,” Bennett added. “They have a strong sense of integrity and desire to bring about positive change, both locally and globally. I am very proud of the projects that they have accomplished.”

The Arkansas event was one of six Enactus regional competitions across the country. At regionals, teams are rated on their presentation of projects they executed that

year. CMU Enactus projects undertaken this year included: • Build-Your-Business: a project aimed at assisting the community by helping numerous local businesses (three specific businesses were noted in the competition) gain the skills they needed to start and/or expand their businesses.

• Pink Week: a project uniting 26 organizations, it helped to educate more than 1,000 individuals about breast cancer, and raise more than $1,300 for the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks.

• Financing Your Future: a “Money for Middles” project teaching 50 area middle school students the money concepts of earning, saving and spending.

• Safe Water Saves Lives: a project enabling Enactus to assist in sending one CMU student to Haiti to help with the University’s Center for Faith and Services’ clean water initiative.

CMU Enactus team members who participated in regionals were Shelby Joseph, a senior business major from Cairo; Caleb Henke, a senior business major from Salisbury; Matt Harmon, a senior history major from St. Joseph; Catryna Craw, a senior business major from Fulton; Jordan Cassmeyer, a sophomore mathematics major from Jefferson City; Madison Lester, a junior business major from Boonville; and Anthony Miller, a senior management major from Fair Grove.

CMU Enactus members who will be presenting at nationals include the above students, except for Caleb Henke, who is unable to attend the event and will be replaced by Dillon Britt, a junior business major from Kearney.

Other members attending regionals were Keely Zimmerman Jacks, a senior accounting major from Fayette; Keenon Chapman, a business major from Fayette; Abby Cross, a freshman business major from Osborn; Landon Ball, a senior sports management major from Fayette; Tyler Musick, a senior business manor from Purdy; and Dillon Britt.

During regionals Keenon Chapman and Shelby Joseph were offered full-time positions after graduation as manager trainees at Sam’s Club.

Enactus is an international non-profit organization.

More than 1,700 college and university campuses in 36 countries (approximately 70,000 students) participate in the Enactus program.

Central Methodist University business students whose presentation team qualified for the 2016 Enactus national contest include (back row from left) Caleb Henke (Salisbury), Catryna Craw (Fulton), Shelby Joseph (Cairo), Madison Lester (Boonville), Jordan Cassmeyer (Jefferson City), and Matt Harmon (St. Joseph), and kneeling, Anthony Miller (Fair Grove). The team recently advanced from a regional event to the national Enactus conference held in St. Louis.

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Campus News

SGA Repeat Leaders

2016 Lecture Series 33rd annual

Gaddis Lecture

October 13 • Speaker: Seth Baumann ‘09

Director of Community Engagement at Missourians for Jason Kander

2nd annual Jamie Gisburne, left, and Kayla Herndon have been re-elected as CMU’s Student Government Association president and vice-president, respectively. They hope in their second year to get students more involved in organizations and sponsor more academic and sporting events to gain student support.

Sunoo Lecture

Fall 2016 • Speaker: Dr. Bruce Cummings

Swift Distinguished Professor, History Department, University of Chicago

Inscape, editors, (left), Courtney Warford and Danielle Mae Franklin, led their staff to a fine edition of the English Department’s yearly CMU literary book, full of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, plays, and photography, art and drawing.

Right, Inscape was a hit at the release party as people sat and read the book.

CMU Students Win MBEA Awards Statewide college and university broadcasting honors have been awarded to eight Central Methodist University students by the Missouri Broadcast Educators Association (MBEA).

The students are staff members of KCMU Eagle Radio, the Central Methodist University online radio station. The MBEA is an affiliate of the Missouri Broadcast Association.

CMU claimed top honors in two categories: News Show, and Sports Show, according to Dr. Kristin Cherry, associate professor of communication and faculty sponsor of Eagle Radio.

In the News Show category, CMU students Alyssa

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Campanero, Hannah Clark, Chris Eubanks, and Kristen Just were honored for their broadcast entitled “School Shootings Uncovered.”

The first place Sports Show team, called “The Dinner Table,” includes Edward Bernard, Steven Jackson, and Brett Knese.

Knese received a second MBEA award with an Honorable Mention in the sports Play-by-Play category. Also receiving Honorable Mention, in the Public Service Award category, was Thomas Waggoner for his PSA entitled “Get More Sleep.”

Students from a dozen different colleges and universities in Missouri received 2016 MBEA awards, scattered across 30 different categories of competition.

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Campus News Criminal Justice Students At National Three criminal justice students from Central Methodist University proved they are among the best in the country by placing in competition at the 79th National Conference of the American Criminal Justice Association– Lambda Alpha Epsilon in Sacramento.

Alyssa Webb, Destiny Stallo, and Andrew Ide (see photo), all brought home trophies from the event held March 20-25 in Sacramento, Calif.

Four others from CMU who qualified last fall for national competition attended the event, including Kamryn Johnson, Valerie Kimball, Tyler Taylor, and Brittany Winkler.

Webb brought home the first place trophy in the academic field of Lambda Alpha Epsilon knowledge. Even

more impressively, because she is currently employed as a jailer for Howard County, Webb competed in the Professional division rather than in the student competition. It was the third time she had competed in the national criminal justice event.

Stallo placed third in the academic field of Criminal Law, in the lower division (students with less than 60 college credit hours). Ide claimed third place in Physical Agility for men under 25. Both were making their first appearance at nationals.

The theme of this year’s conference was Understanding and Investigating Sexual Predators. Joy Flanders, CMU director of student success, attended the conference with the students.

Central Annual Scholarship Fund You can help make a CMU education attainable to more students, like Kurstin, by supporting the Central Annual Scholarship Fund.

Make a difference today by making your gift at: GivetoCentral.org

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Campus News

As You Like It really comes to Central One of William Shakespeare’s best-known comedies, As You Like It, was performed at CMU at the end of April, with a twist. With a cast of 15, the play divested itself of the Shakespearean effects and presented itself in the modern format of a twenty-first century reality TV show.Dr. Mark Kelty, director and CMU professor of theatre, led this unexplored adventure.

On this “episode” of As You Like It, the audience follows the comedic drama of Rosalind as she copes with a banished father and hangs out with her best friend in the woods. Naturally, she falls for the hero; unfortunately, while he’s a great wrestler, he’s too shy around her to speak a single word. Her solution is to experiment with cross-dressing and meet him instead as a guy.

Taking to the woods with her best bud and—somewhere—her banished father, Rosalind pursues an adventure and becomes a good friend to her sweetheart Orlando.

Embellished with televisions, cell phones, and other common technology, this comedy is “as you like it” for today’s viewers, complete with a television staff running the show, adding commercials and minstrels, according to the emcee “Touchstone’s” wishes.

Of course, as Shakespeare might have said, “All’s well that ends well,” which it does.

In photo, Touchstone attempts to interview Orlando after he has won his wrestling challenge. Proud as he is about his win, being face to face with Rosalind and her best friend renders him completely speechless.

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Campus News

The “retired major” and the suspicious wife of the manor restrain “Christopher Wren” whose worst crime seems to be singing children’s rhymes, on the direction of the “policeman” who made it through the snowstorm on skiis.

They lead him off to be a prisoner until the case is resolved.

The Mousetrap The famous mystery writer Agatha Christie was known for unexpected twists and turns in her plotlines, making it very difficult for the reader or play-goer to outguess the end results.

One of Christie’s most twisted and magical plays, The Mousetrap, has been in continual performance in London since it opened in 1952, the longest running play in history.

The Mousetrap finally came to Central, performed by the thespians of the Little Theatre; and while it didn’t play for decades, everyone was thrilled with the four-day run.

The plotline of The Mousetrap centers around a group of people who have become stranded in a snowstorm at a boarding house. When people begin disappearing and dying, those left alive become terrified and quite suspicious of each other.

The pool of suspects and victims includes the newly married couple who run the boarding house and whose marriage may not be as perfect as it appears; a spinster with a curious background; an architect who makes a better chef than designer; a retired Army major; a strange man Photo right: one of the “guests” tries to convince her brother, “the cop” to give up the charade and make his peace with the past.

who shows up claiming his car has overturned in a drift; a truly obnoxious juror whom everyone intensely dislikes; and a policeman who has managed to make it to the house on skis.

The cop rattles a lot of skeletons in everyone’s closets while trying to identify the killer before more people fall prey to the murderer. And, as usual, nothing is as it seems in this Christie masterpiece.

Campus News

A Valentine Toast In February the opera students of Swinney Conservatory of Music presented “A Valentine Toast to Opera and music.”

The production opened with romantic and celebratory scenes from Viennese operettas Die Fledermaus and The Merry Widow, followed by scenes from Italian operas The Elixir of Love and La Cenerentola and French duets and arias, including “Carmen,” “Lakmé” and “The Pearlfishers.”

The evening of music concluded with selections from American musicals such as The Most Happy Fella, Fiddler of the Roof, Guys and Dolls, Hello Dolly, The Music Man and a salute to George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.

The ensemble cast was talented and versatile from freshmen through graduating seniors. Special alumna guest vocalist Lacey Eaton Gladden (CMU class of 2011) joined senior Levi Gerke for the final duet, the iconic “Bess, You is my Woman Now.” The production was directed by Dr. Susan QuigleyDuggan, associate professor of music and head of the opera program. Accompanists on flute were Dr. Dori Waggoner, dean of Swinney Conservatory and sophomore music student Mikaela Lewis, and staff accompanist Mary Jane Nance on piano. Costuming was by Terri Rohlfing.

Above, the full cast welcomed the patrons to the Valentine celebration in song.

Rev. Adam Mustoe ’06 Bachelor of Arts, General Studies Campus Pastor, Good Shepherd UMC Kansas City, Mo. Central Methodist gave me the opportunity to stay connected to ministry and to the Church, forge life-long relationships with future colleagues, and equip me theologically and practically for my next steps in ministry.

I currently serve as a pastor in the Kansas City area at Good Shepherd UMC’s Platte County Campus. I will complete my Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary in May 2017 and am pursuing ordination as an Elder in the United Methodist Church. In addition to enjoying spending time with my wife, Sarah, and my two-year-old son, Aaron, I also own my fantasy football league’s only undefeated season.

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Five vocal music honors

Concert Band tour

Vocal music aficionados in the Kansas City area had a chance to hear some of Central Methodist University’s finest singers recently. They obviously liked what they heard.

Five CMU students received awards at a Kansas City area competition sponsored by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (KC NATS), held on the campus of Mid-America Nazarene University in Olathe, Kan. Vocal music students from colleges and universities in central and western Missouri and from eastern Kansas participated, according to Dr. Susan Quigley-Duggan, associate professor of voice and opera.

Competition was divided into women’s and men’s Upper Division for college juniors and seniors, and Lower Division for sophomores and freshmen.

In the men’s Upper Division it was a clean sweep for CMU, with all three top places going to Central singers.

Levi Gerke, senior music performance major from Pilot Grove, took home top honors. Daniel Terry, a senior music education major from St. Charles, placed second; Dan Jones, a senior music major from St. Ann, placed third.

In the women’s Lower Division, Kay Wilken placed second. She is a sophomore music education major from Cole Camp. Malik Hughes, a freshman music major from St. Joseph, placed third in the men’s Lower Division.

Veteran conductor Roy “Skip” Vandelicht, CMU associate professor of music and director of bands guided his 48-member Concert Band through up to three concerts a day for a week this spring, including school appearances and evening performances in churches. He joined Central’s Swinney Conservatory of Music fulltime in 2008 after a career teaching music at Fayette High School and an extended period also directing the CMU marching band.

As usual, the band’s repertoire was extensive and varied. Works included “American Faces” by David Holsinger (CMU ’67); “Andalusia” by Hugh Stuart; “Black Granite”

by James Hosay; “Bugler’s Holiday” by Leroy Anderson; “Concert Variations” by Claude T. Smith (CMU ’54); “Fantasia and Rondo” by C.M. von Weber and arranged by Ron Shroyer, CMU professor emeritus of music; “First Suite in B-flat,” including Chaconne, Intermezzo, and March by Gustav Holst; “Gallant Zouaves” by Karl King and arranged by Andrew Glover (CMU ’83); “Hunter’s Moon” by Gilbert Vinter; “Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna” by Franz von Suppé and Henry Fillmore; “Mountain Thyme” by Samuel Hazo; “Night on Fire” by John Mackey; “Oliver’s Birthday” by Bruce Broughton; “See Rock City” by Brant Karrick; “Slava!” by Leonard Bernstein and Clare Grumdman; “Solid Men to the Front” by John Philip Sousa and Frank Byrne; “Solo de Concours” by Henri Rabaud and Harry Gee; and the CMU Band’s flag-songs “Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite” by Karl King and “The Stars and Stripes Forever”

by John Philip Sousa.

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Bishop Hendrix Desk

Campus News

by John Finley, CMU reference librarian and archivist

Eugene Russell Hendrix had a close relationship with Central College throughout his life.

When he was a boy, sometime in the 1850s, his family moved into what is now Givens Hall on the Central Methodist campus. His father, Adam, served as a curator of the college from 1858 to 1876, and treasurer much of that time.

Eugene attended college at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., 1864-67, and then studied at Union Theological Seminary for two years. In 1869 he returned to Missouri to begin his career as a Methodist pastor.

After serving churches in Leavenworth, Kan., and in Macon, St. Joseph, and Glasgow, Mo., he accompanied Bishop Marvin on his trip around the world doing missionary work. Rev. Hendrix was called back to Fayette in 1878 to serve as Central’s eighth president. In the words of Bishop Holt, “President Hendrix saved the institution at a critical time.” He built the endowment to secure the college financially and established a firm culture of learning and scholarship. He left Central when he was elected Bishop in 1886.

When Bishop Hendrix left Fayette, he moved his family to Kansas City, where they had close ties. In 1872, Eugene had married Ann Scarritt Hendrix, the daughter of Nathan Scarritt, the first president of Central College and a prominent land owner in Kansas City. In 1886 or 1887 the family moved into a new house built on Scarritt land on Norledge Drive. It became not only the family home, but a bishop’s base of operations, as well. Over the next 40 years, Bishop Hendrix became one of the strongest leaders of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. One of his greatest concerns throughout his career was the objective of church unity.

The Desk It is unclear exactly when Bishop Hendrix acquired this desk, but it is known that he used it for years in his home in Kansas City. The bishop’s family may have had his legacy as a promoter of church union in mind when they donated the desk to the Uniting Conference of the

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Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Methodist Protestant Church at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.

On April 27, 1939, the Journal of Proceedings of the Uniting Conference records: “Before presenting the report, Judge Lyons stated that the family of Bishop Eugene R. Hendrix had presented for the use of the Conference the desk at which the secretary sits, the desk having been used by the Bishop during his lifetime in the preparation of many of his articles advocating Unification, and that the flowers in front of the desk were a gift of the family.”

Following the Uniting Conference, the desk may have found its way to the Methodist National Training School for Christian Workers on Truman Road. In 1965, this campus became the home of the St. Paul School of Theology. When St. Paul closed this campus and moved to the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan., the desk was left behind. Rev. Ron Brooks, pastor of the Grand Avenue Temple UMC moved the desk to his church for safekeeping.

Rev. Brooks and Dan Cambridge contacted CMU Archivist John Finley about the possibility of donating the desk to CMU. In the fall of 2015, it was transported to Fayette and placed in Givens Hall. In a manner of speaking, the desk of Bishop Hendrix is returning home, to the original home of its owner.

John Finley (top) sits at the Hendrix desk in Givens Hall on the CMU campus. Lower photo shows a cubbyhole section behind the right door. Each green drawer slides out to hold important or personal papers.

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Campus News

New Central Methodist Members of the Board The governing Board of Trustees of CMU has been enriched by the addition of seven new members in recent months, according to CMU President Roger Drake.

The 36-member Board meets quarterly to set policy and provide oversight and direction to the CMU administration. Members typically serve four-year terms. Eleven states from coast to coast are represented on the Central governing body.

Robert “Bob” Barnes of Chesterfield, Mo., is currently Corporate Development Officer with Fresh Ideas Food Service Management, based out of Columbia, Mo., and owner and President of BCN Management Consulting of St. Louis, Mo. Previous management and executive positions include International Paper Co., Weyerhauser, and Boise Cascade Corp. He is a graduate of DePauw University (economics) and completed graduate studies at Northwestern University and the Harvard Business School.

He is active in a variety of community and public service activities.

Oluwemimo “Wemi” Daramola is a 2001 graduate of Central with a double major in Economics and Computer Science. A resident of Ballwin, Mo., he is senior project manager and scrum master at the brokerage firm Scottrade Inc. He has held similar positions at Wells Fargo Advisors, Advanced Technology Group, and Savvis (a subsidiary of CenturyLink). He has a Master of Science degree in economics and finance from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. While at Central he was active in Student Government Association, cross country, Alpha Phi Omega national service organization, Sigma Alpha Chi now Phi Delta Theta) fraternity, Jazz Band, International Students Organization, and more.

James “Jim” Kimbell of Sugar Land, Texas, is returning to Central’s governing board. He was a Curator from 2001-05 and a Trustee from 2005-2009. A 1980 Central alumnus with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Kimbell also served on the Central Methodist Alumni Association Board of Directors from 1980-84. He earned his law degree from the South Texas College of Law in Houston. Kimbell is a partner and trial attorney for the Houston legal firm Strasburger & Price. At Central, Kimbell was active in soccer, tennis, band, and in the Alpha Phi Gamma (Mokers) fraternity.

Michael “Mike” Miserocchi earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from then-Central Methodist College in 1981. He is vice president for clinical services for Community Health Systems in Franklin, Tenn., where he oversees clinical and operational specialists in pharmacy, project management/special projects, ambulatory surgery centers, and therapy services. He resides in Brentwood, Tenn. At Central Miserocchi was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society, 64

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participated in theatre, and was a member of Alpha Phi Gamma (Mokers) social fraternity.

Dr. Kellie (Piesbergen) Platz earned her Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Central in 2002, and lives in Manhattan, Kan., with her husband, Dr. Kyle Platz, CMU class of 2001. She is an anesthesiologist for the Irwin Army Community Hospital at Fort Riley, Kan. Platz earned her doctorate from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Bioscience. Among her many activities while at Central, she was involved in music, theatre, softball, Sigma Pi Alpha sorority, Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity, and Alpha Epsilon Delta national health pre-professional honor society.

Nichole “Niki” (Parrish) Scott graduated from Central with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1994, and lives in Kansas City, Mo., with her husband Lathem Scott, CMU class of 1998. She later earned a Master of Science in education degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is a Gifted Education teacher for the Park Hills School District in the suburban Kansas City area, where she resides. Prior to joining the Board of Trustees, Scott served on the Central Methodist Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Laurence Tucker is a partner and managing attorney for the firm Armstrong, Teasdale LLP in Kansas City, Mo. A 1969 Central graduate, he resides in Liberty, Mo. Tucker earned his law degree from Duke University. He is returning to the Central governing board, having served from 1984-88; he also served on the Central Methodist Alumni Association Board of Directors from 1982-85. A 1996 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, Tucker delivered the Gaddis Lecture at CMU in 2005. While attending Central he was involved in theatre, music, basketball, and track, Sigma Alpha Chi (now Phi Delta Theta) fraternity, Collegian staff, and several honor societies.

Members of the CMU Board of Trustees work on generating ideas on flow charts during one session of the recent Board meeting.

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Men’s Basketball The Eagles men’s basketball team got off to a great start in 2015-16. CMU began the year 9-4 and earned the 22nd ranking in the Nation in the second NAIA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll of the season. After receiving the ranking, the Eagles would hit tough times, as the team had injuries pile up and went on a season worst eight-game losing streak. Central would rebound to win four straight, but it wasn’t enough. The Eagles closed out the season losing four of their last five; including a Heart of America Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament first round match-up at home to Grand View.

Women’s Basketball This season, CMU’s women’s basketball team had been ranked in the Top 25 for the majority of the season and finished the season ranked 19th in the nation. CMU finished the season with a 26-5 record and finished 20-2 in conference play. The Lady Eagles clinched their first regular season conference title since 1997, when head coach Mike Davis was in his first go-round with the Lady Eagles program.

Central Methodist finished just four wins shy from tying the overall wins mark at CMU, set by the 1998-99 team that won 30 games during Coach Davis’ previous time at CMU. The fewest losses in a season was set back in 1979-80, when the Lady Eagles finished 15-5. CMU tied that record this year.

“It’s been a terrific season, and Coach Davis and his staff have done a remarkable job,” says CMU Athletics Director Brian Spielbauer. “The excitement the

CMU Women’s Basketball Team and fans celebrate after the team wins the Heart Championship program has generated is tremendous, and sets the program up for continued success in the future.”

Men’s and Women’s Golf It was a rough semester for the CMU golf teams.

The men’s best finish was sixth place at the Evangel Spring Invitational, and the women finished out the regular season strong with a second place finish in the 2016 CMU Eagle Open. There are signs of a bright future though.

The men’s team finishes the year with just three seniors and have a solid core coming back to the team for 2016-17. On the women’s side, the Eagles were a very young team with just one senior and two juniors.

Both teams finished their season during day two of the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championships, the men finishing tenth and the women finishing ninth.

Men’s and Women’s Track & Field

Doug Hutcherson competes as a racewalker during a home meet.

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The 2015-16 Track & Field season has been a success to this point for the Central Methodist Eagles.

In the Indoor Season, Doug Hutcherson was named a 2016 NAIA Men’s Indoor Track & Field AllAmerican, following his second place finish in the Men’s 3,000 meter Race Walk. Hutcherson finished with a time of 14:08.30. With the finish he was also named an All-American by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

As a team, the women won their first meet of the indoor season at the Dutch Holiday Open. They also won their first outdoor meet of the season, when they hosted the CMU Open.

As a team, the men also won the CMU Open; their best finish of the season.

The Eagles competed in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships in early

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May, with the men finishing seventh and the women fifth.

Leading the way for the Eagle men were conference champions Nick Homan, whose winning vault of 5.20 meters was a new school and conference meet record, Keenan Honore in the 100 meters, and Doug Hutcherson in the 5000 meter race walk. Honore becomes the fourth straight CMU Eagle to win the Heart 100 meter championship, and Hutcherson won his third straight championship in the race walk. Homan’s vault currently ranks him second nationally.

Leading the women were conference champions Christina Schatz in the pole vault, clearing a personal best and Kaitlyn Emig in the 400 meter hurdles, running a season best and national qualifying “B” standard.

As of press team the Eagles had yet to compete in the NAIA National Outdoor Championships.

Softball The Central Methodist softball team had high aspirations heading into the 2016 season, following a 2015 campaign that saw the team finish top-5 in the country at the NAIA Softball World Series.

Central Methodist opened the 2016 season ranked th 5 in the country, but they featured a brand new team that included seven freshman. CMU got off to a rocky start and opened up conference play in mid-March with an overall record of 12-10. Following the so-so start to the season, Central Methodist was dropped from the rankings.

That served as a wake-up call to the young Eagles, and Central would close out the season with a 26-4 record. CMU finished conference play with a 19-3 re-

Brad Dixon ‘07, Melo Calandro, and Ken Oliver ‘93 at a baseball game this season 66

Spring 2016

Tyler Hull, a sophomore from New Franklin, Mo., pitches during a game at CMU cord and won their sixth straight Heart of America Athletic Conference regular season title.

The Eagles assured themselves of a spot to Nationals with their regular season title, but fell in the opening round, finishing their season with an overall record of 43-18.

As a team, the Eagles finished the regular season ranked Top-20 in the Nation in Total Batters Struckout, Total Hits, Total Runs Scored, Total RBI’s, and Total Innings Pitched.

Individually, senior Lauren Geringer ranks second in NAIA Division 1 in homeruns this season with 20. Geringer also moved into third place all-time in the NAIA with over 59 career homeruns and counting.

Baseball In head coach Nate Breland’s third season at Central Methodist, the Eagles are soaring higher than ever. Breland played for the Eagles from 2002-06, including the year CMU set the previous all-time wins mark at 33-15 back in 2004. Breland’s squad in 2016 blew past that mark and continued to soar.

Central Methodist finished the season with an overall record of 44-17 and finished conference play at 23-9. That finish earned the Eagles the second seed heading into the Heart of America Athletic Conference baseball postseason tournament, where they took home the championship. They earned a spot in the National tournament, but lost in the opening round.

The Eagles are a veteran ball club, which includes 17 seniors. Offensively, the Eagles rank Top-20 in Slugging Percentage and Homeruns per Game, along with ranking Top-30 in Total RBI’s, Total Doubles, Total Runs Scored, Fielding Percentage, Batting Average and Hits.

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Spirit Squad The spirit squad took part in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Spirit Championships inside of Puckett Field House on Saturday, February 6. In the overall scores Central Methodist took first place.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the CMU cheer and dance competition teams,” says CMU spirit squad head coach Terin Fuemmeler. “Both cheer and dance performed and executed their routines to near perfection. The atmosphere inside of Puckett was incredible and I am certain it added the extra drive and determination that both cheer and dance needed that day.”

Following their performance at the Heart Championships, the Central Methodist University spirit squad took part in the 2016 NAIA Midwest Cheer/ Dance Regional at Lindenwood University in Belleville, Ill. on Saturday, February 20. The Eagles finished in third place out of seven total schools.

“Exactly two points separated first place from our third place finish,” added Fuemmeler. “It was close and the competition was intense.”

Awards & Recognitions The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced their 2015 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes. In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status.

Football: Remington Slama, junior from Springfield, Mo.; Volleyball: Katie Dozier, senior from St. Charles, Mo., Melody Hanson, junior from Spring Hill, Kan., and Lindsay Smith, senior from Gainesville, Fla.; Women’s Basketball: MaKayla Adrian, senior from Henley, Mo., Sammie Jo Copeland, junior from Polo Mo., and Bethany Freel, senior from Sedalia, Mo.; Men’s Basketball: John Hall, senior from Eldon, Mo., and Mitchell Wendling, senior from Athens, Ill. The Heart of America Athletic Conference announced postseason awards for various teams. CMU students who earned honors are: Football: Jamall Williams, a senior from Kansas City, Mo. and Remington Slama, a junior from Springfield, Mo., earned spots on the first team offense, while Damien Stevens, a senior from Piscataway, N.J. and Brandon Justin, a senior from Fairfield, Calif., earned spots on the first team defense.

Spring 2016

Members of the CMU Spirit Squad at the Baker Cheer Invitational

Keenan Honore, a senior from Anchorage, Alaska and Caleb Bedford, a sophomore from Houston, Texas, earned spots on the honorable mention offense list, and Christopher Collins, a senior from Bakersfield, Calif., earned a spot on the honorable mention defense list.

Volleyball: Darcy Latham, a senior from Bismarck, Mo., was named second team all-conference, while both Madison Bond, a sophomore from Jefferson City, Mo. and Erin Dodd, a junior from Pittsburg, Ill., were named to the honorable mention list.

Women’s Basketball: DaJonee Hale, sophomore from Anchorage, Alaska, was named Player of the Year and to the first team all-conference, Alissa Campanero, senior from San Diego, Calif., was named Newcomer of the Year and first team all-conference, Lexie Moe, freshman from Dardenne Prairie, Mo., was named Freshman of the Year and second team all-conference, Alayah Cooper-Johnson, junior from Cape Girardeau, Mo., was named second team all-conference, Taylor McDowell, senior from Overland Park, Kan., earned honorable mention. Head coach Mike Davis was named Coach of the Year.

Men’s Basketball: Ron Lee, junior from Oak Park, Calif., was named first team all-conference, Jay Jones from Hannibal, Mo. selected second team allconference.

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced their selections for 2015-16 All-American list for various teams. CMU students who earned honors are: Women’s Basketball: DaJonee Hale, redshirt

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sophomore guard from Anchorage, Alaska earned a spot on the first team, while Alissa Campanero, senior guard from San Diego, Calif. earned a spot on the third team.

Men’s Basketball: Ron Lee, junior guard from Oak Park, Calif. was named to the honorable mention list.

New Faces Central announced the hiring of David S. Calloway on November 24. “We are very excited about

the future of the Central Methodist football program,” said Oliver. “Our goal is to be competitive in all areas of intercollegiate athletics and more specifically to have a consistent winning football program.”

Prior to his arrival at CMU this past season, Calloway was head coach (two seasons) and defensive coordinator (eight seasons) at Texas A&M UniversityKingsville, an NCAA Division II program in southern Texas. His professional resume’ includes stops at Lane College in Tennessee and Southeastern Oklahoma State University, among others before he joined the A&M-Kingsville staff as defensive coordinator in 2007. Calloway has been a part of seven conference champions, with five coming as a coach and two as a player at both the NAIA and NCAA Division II levels.

“I am very honored and humble that I was chosen for this opportunity to lead the Central Methodist program forward,” says Calloway. “I am excited and can’t wait to get started!”

Following his appointment as head coach, Calloway announced the hirings of Dan Scheible as the offensive coordinator and Marty Steward as the defensive coordinator for the Eagles football team.

Scheible previously served as the head football coach at Seneca High School in Seneca, Mo., while Steward previously served in the same capacity at conference

Coach David Calloway talks to a player during a football game last season foe, Avila University for the past six seasons.

The CMU family welcomed one of their own back to campus during the 2015-16 athletic season, 1997 CMU graduate Quintin Norris. Norris can be heard on the live athletic game broadcasts for CMU volleyball, women’s basketball and now baseball.

“Broadcasting games at Central Methodist has been an honor,” says Norris. “Every day that I get to broadcast a game is a great day. It truly is an honor and a privilege.”

Quintin has been broadcasting games since he was a freshman in college, which makes this his 23rd year broadcasting games at the collegiate level. Some of his broadcasting role models include: Vin Scully and Al Michaels.

“One of my favorite things in life is to see someone performing a job they truly love to do,” says CMU President Roger D. Drake. “When you th hear Quintin Norris broadcast an Eagle’s ballgame, you are listening to The 26th Annual Luetjen someone experience Tournament will be held July 22, pure joy while they 2016 at Rolling Hills Country work. I’m extremeClub in Versailles, Mo. ly proud of Quintin; only he could Register today! add enthusiasm to the already exciting Lady Eagles.”

Contact Sherry Wells at In the words 660-248-6346 or email of Quintin Norris swells@centralmethodist.edu and the late great

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Jack Buck, “That’s a winner, folks!”

“Quintin is great to work with,” says CMU Athletics Director Brian Spielbauer. “You can tell how invested he is with the school, the student-athletes and the teams themselves. Quintin makes Central an even better environment for coaches, players, and fans alike through his great broadcasts.”

Eagle Athletics Announce Mission Statement and Four Pillars

choices.”

The new mission statement and four pillars will go into effect this semester with coaches and athletes on campus. CMU will honor four monthly pillar award winners from each of the in-season programs.

There will also be four pillar award yearly winners for students and staff. Throughout each semester, several events will be held for the students that reinforces the four pillars and there will be some re-tooling of the NAIA Champions of Character program, to include discussions on topics pertaining to the four pillars. Player representatives will then take what they hear back to their respective teams and have those same discussions with their teammates.

“We firmly believe CMU is a special place; and that we provide a unique, dynamic, and exceptional college experience,” says Spielbauer. “The ‘4 Pillars’ program is meant to define and reinforce that experience from the CMU Athletics perspective.”

CMU athletics director Brian Spielbauer announced a new mission statement for Eagle athletics that incorporates four pillars.

“I felt it is important to define what we hope a CMU Student Athlete looks like when they cross the stage at graduation,” says Spielbauer. “The coaches spent a great deal of time helping me define these ‘4 Pillars’, and an implementation strategy for them.

They provide a direction for our athletic teams, and will help guide us as we look at programs, speakers, and events that will add to our students’ academic Davis Field to get a Face-lift and athletics experience.”

The CMU athletics department announced on The Athletics Department will have a new misMonday May 2, that Davis Field will receive a new sion statement, which states: The Central Methodist University (CMU) Athlet- artificial surface. The process is estimated to take about four weeks to complete. ics Family seeks to advance the college’s mission by “We are pleased to announce that we will be empowering student-athletes toward the following replacing the original turf with one of the best endeavors, the 4 Pillars of the CMU Athletic Experiproducts on the market,” says CMU’s Vice President ence: of Institution Growth and Student Engagement Ken 1. The Passionate Pursuit of Oliver. “The FieldTurf Revolution 360 product will Excellence meet the needs of our student athletes for many 2. Ownership of Responsibility years to come. This project would not be possible and Accountability without the original donations to the Campaign for 3. Development of Leader Eagle Athletics from a few years ago.”

Communication Skills The first teams to play on the new surface will be 4. Pride and Loyalty in CMU, the Eagle soccer teams, when they host Harris-Stowe Team, and Self “These are not new goals for the athletic depart- State University on August 23. The Eagle football ment, in many cases the athletic programs have been team will have its first chance on the new surface on Saturday August 27 against Peru State College. working towards these goals for many years,” says Spielbauer. “It is us taking ownership of them, and pushing them to the forefront of what we do on a daily basis. They are an extension of the CMU’s Mission Statement.”

Spielbauer continues, “we also looked for things that separate us from other colleges, and give current and prospective students something specific about CMU that can attract and retain A rendering of what the new surface of Davis Field them over their many college will look like when complete.

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CMU admissions adds a new counselor The Admission Office of Central Methodist University has welcomed a new member, Demirese “Demi” D. Hurst.

She will serve as an admissions representative.

At CMU her primary student recruitment area will involve the St. Louis metropolitan area. The Fayette resident began work March 7, according to CMU Admission Director Adam Jenkins.

Hurst comes to Central with a strong background in higher education. She attended Northern Arizona University, where she earned her Master of Education in Human Relations and her Bachelor of Science in Biology; and Arizona Western College, both in Yuma, Ariz., where she grew up.

Her resumé includes being a residence hall director, a residential life housing assistant, assistant in the International Students Program, and a resident assistant. Hurst most recently worked at Stephen College in Columbia, Mo., as a counselor in its admissions department.

ΧΔ

Chi Delta 85th Anniversary Celebration

“I’ve built my career mostly in Student Services,” Hurst says, “where I have been in close contact with students who require not only academic advice, but also personal direction. My passion for working with students has grown over the years.”

She adds, “I am very excited for this new opportunity at Central Methodist University. I have been living in Fayette for about nine months now and have loved every second of it.

“During that period, I have spent some time on campus and have been blown away by all of the facilities and staff.

It is my hope that I can share my love and passion for CMU and the city of Fayette with potential students and their families.”

“Demi displayed an intuitive and caring demeanor paired with an excitement for the work of admissions that separated her from other candidates,” Adam Jenkins says about her interview. “The experience Demi brings from working with students in both residence life and admissions is going to be a real asset to the admissions team.

“By utilizing her background and natural ability to connect with people,” he continues, “I believe she will be a strong addition to the team and help us in building meaningful relationships with prospective students and families. We are excited to have her begin and know she is going to do great things for admissions.”

MUMF supports CMU

Reminisce with brothers old and new and celebrate the 85th Anniversary of our founding at this year’s Homecoming, October 28-30!

Have questions? Want to RSVP? Contact Parker Johnson at 816-835-6491 or email pjohnson@centralmethodist.edu

President Drake (left) accepts a gift from the Missouri United Methodist Foundation, delivered by David Atkins, executive director and also a CMU Trustee, for continued support of scholarships at Central Methodist. Making the announcement, in the middle, is Board of Trustees President Dr. Tad Perry.

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Campus News

Students experience a semester of focus on civility and diversity The campus has spent considerable effort to emphasize the goals of the current strategic plan, one of which is “Students will engage in meaningful, distinctive experiences.” Central students have had numerous chances to see the world from varied perspectives this semester while focusing on the areas of diversity and civility.

In January, a cross-section of religious perspectives was featured at a panel discussion entitled Religious Diversity and Higher Education. The forum was sponsored

by CMU’s Center for Faith and Service.

The panel discussion was designed to aid learning and understanding of various religious perspectives, according to the Rev. Molly Moore, director of the Center for Faith and Service.

Panel members represented a variety of religious perspectives, including Atheism, Buddhism, Conservative Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Progressive Christianity.

Participating panelists included Danielle Muscato, a nationally recognized Civil Rights activist from Columbia; the Rev. Jim Bryan, retired United Methodist Church clergy and social justice activist from Columbia; Clayton Kreisel, director of a Fayette group called Navigators; Terry Furstenau, a teacher at the ShowMe Dharma Center in Columbia; Nathan Hofer, assistant professor of Islam and Judaism at the University of Missouri-Columbia; and Rabbi Yossi Feintuch of the Beth Shalom congregation in Columbia.

A special Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at Central Methodist University was also held in January.

Although the gathering was free, donations were collected for the Fayette Food Pantry, a project of Fayette’s Ministerial Alliance.

The Rev. Ivan James III of St. Louis was the guest speaker. The Rev. Charlie Wright of the Second Baptist Church in Fayette gave closing remarks, and Fontella Jackman of Fayette read a poem and gave remarks.

Special guests included a busload of youth from the City of St. Louis and surrounding communities, including The women below—students, faculty, and staff—presented The Vagina Monologues, then gathered on the stage to have a discussion with those patrons who wanted to stay and talk about issues of selfesteem, relationships, sexuality, and especially sexual abuse.

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Rev. Ivan James keeps his audience riveted to his remarks.

Ferguson, whose visit to the CMU campus was coordinated

by Rev. James.

James is a St. Louis native who worked for AT&T before starting his own businesses. He is a member of the CMU Board of Trustees. He also serves as Lay Pastor for the Asbury and Samaritan United Methodist Churches in the St. Louis area.

He is active in the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church and has held leadership positions at the local, district, and state levels with the UMC. He currently chairs its Trustees Board.

The event also was sponsored by Central Methodist University and by the CMU Center for Faith and Service.

In February, Central students, staff, and faculty tackled their second year of presenting The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler, which received rave reviews again and instigated a great deal of discussion.

Again, the performance was free but accepted donations to benefit the True North Shelter in Columbia, a group that offers services to victims of domestic and sexual violence. The play was directed by Dr. Annette Van, associate professor of English.

Ensler’s play is based on a compilation of true stories told by women about vaginas. According to V-Day organizers, the play “dives into the mystery, humor, pain, power, wisdom, outrage, and excitement buried in women’s experiences.” Although not mandatory, CMU encouraged guests to research the play prior to attending the production due

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to the mature topics and language.

This marked the second consecutive year that CMU joined V-Day’s global campaign, One Billion Rising for Justice. V-Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women. Statistic show that more than one billion women and girls worldwide will be beaten or raped during their lifetime. V-Day raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of The Vagina Monologues and other artistic works. Last year alone more than 5,800 V-Day benefits were held around the world for the One Billion Rising for Justice campaign, raising over $5 million.

The V-Day movement has raised over $100 million; educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it; crafted international educational media and PSA campaigns; reopened shelters; and funded over 13,000 community-based anti-violence programs and safe houses in the U.S., Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Kenya, Egypt, and Iraq.

To learn more about V-Day and its campaigns visit www.vday.org.

When May arrived, all of Central was invited to participate in a nationwide Day of Remembrance, honoring all those people, past and present, whose lives were forever altered by the systematic Nazi persecution and genocide during the 1930s and 1940s.

The Day of Remembrance was held at Linn Memorial United Methodist Church on the CMU campus.

The event on May 5 coincided with the nation’s annual commemoration of the Holocaust, established by Congress and led by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Once again, this activity was sponsored by CMU’s Center for Faith and Service. It featured candle lightings, offering of prayers, films, books and information, and a celebration of survivor stories. A time of group prayer and commemoration were also held.

THE IRA CHARITABLE ROLLOVER IS PERMANENT! HOW YOU CAN BENEFIT

“We believe that in remembering the past we can positively affect the future,” CMU President Roger Drake says. “This event helps our students, faculty, staff, and community to be connected with historical events that not only had devastating consequences for mankind 70 years ago, but have had lasting effects that are felt in our world today, and will Rabbi Shmuel Wolkenfeld wrapped himbe felt into the future.” self in a tallit, a prayer shawl, and shared a The Holocaust blessing with those gathered for the Day was a state-sponsored, of Remembrance. systematic persecution and annihilation of “imperfect persons” by Nazi Germany and its collaborators between 1933 and 1945. Jews were the primary victims—six million were murdered; Gypsies, Poles, people with mental and physical disabilities, and others were also targeted for destruction or decimation for racial, ethnic, or national reasons.

“We must know what can happen if we are not diligent to watch for signs of human oppression and speak out against them, whether they are signs of anti-semitism or the degrading of any group of people,” Drake says. “We must not only speak out, we must act. We must educate ourselves so that we can educate others.”

Through the Day of Remembrance event, CMU commemorated this tragic history and reflected on the vital lessons it holds for today.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AN EASY WAY TO SUPPORT CENTRAL? Congress has extended the IRA charitable rollover and made it permanent. If you are 70 ½ or older, you can make a gift directly from your IRA account to help support Central’s mission. Gifts made from your IRA (up to $100,000 per calendar year) qualify for your required minimum distribution (RMD) and are not reportable as taxable income.

To learn more about the benefits of making an IRA charitable rollover gift, or the simple steps to execute a transfer please contact Josh Jacobs, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations at 660-248-6214 or jejacobs@centralmethodist.edu.

Campus News Greetings from the CMU Alumni Board of Directors Founders Weekend has nestled itself into the hearts of the attendees. What a wonderful weekend of remembrances; so many grads from so many decades overjoyed to see friends. Many consider it a second Homecoming celebration with all the events taking place conveniently on campus. The 70th Annual Alumni Awards Banquet was the high point of the wide array of activities.

A record crowd was on hand celebrating the immense accomplishments of five of Central’s finest: Distinguished Alumni Dr. Bruce Maier ’65, Dr. Keith Polette ’77, Timothy Jackman ’81, and Donn Harrison ’89; Young Alumna Awardee Erin Valentine Youngs ’07; and University Service Awardee James Steele ’64. Master of Ceremonies Steve Jones ’94 artfully introduced each honoree and kept all entertained.

Please put the dates for Homecoming, October 2830, on your calendar, as well as the dates for next year’s Founders Weekend, May 5-7, 2017.

One of the duties of being president of the Alumni Board of Directors is attending Board of Trustee meetings.

Have you ever wondered about this group? Before I had this opportunity I was mystified. I knew that they oversaw the business aspects of the University, but exactly how did that happen? I have now attended several meetings, so I have a better understanding of what takes place. I would like to demystify The Board of Trustees for those of you who were wondering as I once did.

There are 37 trustees. They come at their own expense to attend at least four meetings a year from as far away as Delaware, California, and Florida. Of course, many live in the Midwest and a few reside in Fayette. Some are retired professionals. Others are medical doctors, business owners, teachers, Methodist ministers, or in high level positions in major corporations.

Like most governing boards, this group is divided into committees. The CMU Board of Trustees encompasses the following committees: Advancement and Alumni Relations; Building and Grounds; College of Graduate and Extended Studies (CGES); Finance; Learning and Teaching; Strategic Planning; Student Life; and Trusteeship and Governance, Every meeting has a slightly different agenda.

However, each meeting follows this general format: one or more large general information sessions referred to as plenaries, followed by separate committee meetings that may be followed by another plenary that includes reports

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given by the chairperson of each committee. Meetings are held all day Friday and a half day on Saturday when the business meeting is held and decisions are often made. There are often special presentations mixed into the Board meeting. For example, in May (2015) we enjoyed hearing from professors and their students on unique and special programs. It was inspirational to witness the quality of the students and their expertise in their fields of study.

The CMU Board of Trustees is not a “country club” with glad handing, pats on the back, and late night parties.

Everyone comes to work and to consider seriously the challenges faced by our beloved University. Most committees have heavy workloads and may meet throughout the year. The members bond quickly because each shares an overwhelming love of Central Methodist University.

So what is the exact role of your alumni president as an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees? First and foremost, I report on the Alumni Board’s activities. During any juncture in the meeting, I may speak up on what I believe to be the alumni perspective.

To put it concisely, The Board of Trustees is a group of men and women who love CMU. They work hard, sacrifice personal time and money, and always dig deeply to find ways to meet the many critical challenges of the day. It’s not easy and it’s not glamorous. But their dedicated work is vital to the future of Central Methodist University.

I am proud to be part of the governance structure at Central. If you are interested in serving Central in some volunteer capacity, please reach out to me and I will help plug you in.

Thanks again!

Sincerely, John

John Cheary ’70, President, CMU Alumni Board of Directors Email: chearyjr@gmail.com Phone: 417-339-7869

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Class Notes ’40s

’80s

Gerald Huffman ´44 was a World War II Veteran Grand Marshall in the Phoenix Veterans Day Parade. After serving in the Navy for 25 years, he retired as a Commander and currently resides in Arizona.

Joe Bex ´82 is a licensed realtor operating from the office of Coldwell Banker Vanguard located in Springfield, Mo. Joe is an active member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Springfield, where he is a Deacon, sings in the choir, and facilitates the “Grief Share” program.

’50s John Charles Erber ´56 is the Gideon’s camp President for the third time.

’60s James (J.Y.) Miller Jr. ´66 was selected as the Missouri State Society Daughters of the American Revolution’s Patriot of the Month for March 2016.

Roland Ashby ´67 currently lives in New Braunfels, Texas, where he and wife Carolyn founded Strategic Alliance, of which Roland is CEO. They began their missionary work in 1988 in Mexico, including founding an orphanage in 1991 in Zacatecas.

’70s Dennis Humphrey ´71 was introduced as the Legend’s Award recipient at the 42nd Annual KRES All Star Banquet on March 30 in Fayette.

The Rev. Sara Chaney ´76 is the minister at the First United Methodist Church in Lebanon.

Norris Smith ´58 celebrated his 80th birthday on March 15 in Naples, Fla. Many Central alumni were in attendance. Pictured left to Right: Larry Drebes ´58, John Drakesmith ´58, Norris Smith ´58, Nancy (Woodward) Drebes ´63, Margaret (Woodward) Drakesmith ´59, and Gail Smith.

Megan Kramer-Hicks ´08 had the opportunity to visit with former President Bill Clinton about the campaign, general political issues and the work done by the Clinton Foundation - specifically clean accessible water, which was her senior thesis topic.

Mike Davis ´83 was named the Heart of America Athletic Conference Head Coach of the Year.

Kathy Reller ´86 was named the November employee of the Month at Boone Hospital Center in Columbia.

Eugene Peebles ´87 participated in the Akademia Red Carpet Gala Event at the The Rose Bowl Stadium on April 21, 2016.

Royce Boehm ´88 retired from the Lee’s Summit West Football program after coaching the team for 12 seasons.

Kellie (Weilbrenner) Lusson ´89 and Duane Lusson were married Oct. 24, 2015. She is the Director of Regulatory Affairs for Diamond V in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

’90s James Arnold ´90 is the 2016 national chair of the Public Relations Society of America’s Independent Practitioners Alliance (IPA). He was a featured speaker at the society’s international convention last year and will be presenting at regional meetings across the country and at the international conference in Indianapolis. For the past 17 years, Arnold has run an award-winning public relations agency with clients in Washington D.C. and South Florida, where he currently resides.

Angela (Nelson) Farmer ´92 successfully defended her dissertation titled “Altruism and Job Satisfaction: A Correlational Study,” earning her Doctorate of Education from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan. She currently teaches Senior English and an ACT Preparatory class at Fort Osage High School in Independence. The non-profit she co-founded,

Baby Grace, is also celebrating 10 years of ministry this November. There are now 18 Baby Grace chapters serving mothers and children in Missouri.

Tim Edwards ´92 was chosen by his peers as the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals, Central District Principal of the Year.

Michael (Joe) Haffner ´94 is the quality auditor for the bacon and ham departments at the Kraft-Heinz plant in Kirksville.

Michael Smith ´96 was named the Macon Boys Head Basketball coach.

Ken Hansen ´97 and the Blue Springs South Wind Symphony were awarded Grand Champion of the Dallas Windband Festival in Dallas, Texas. This was the first time a Missouri band was invited to the festival and the first band outside of Texas to win the event.

Marteen (Ryan) Kibbe ´97 and Chad Kibbe were married December 11, 2015.

Paul Baum ´98 and the southern gospel group 4Calvary performed at the Neosho United Methodist Church on April 3.

’00s Amy (Sneed) Hodge ´00 and husband Jeromy ´98 announce the birth of son Cole Andrew on March 24, 2016.

Dr. Sonya (Nemyer) Addison ´02 was featured in the Columbia Business Times article “2016’s 20 Under 40.”

Wendi (King) DeLaney ´03 and husband Jared ´03 announce the birth of daughter Bethany Evelynn on March 15, 2016.

Julie (Parrish) McAnelly ´05 was selected by Baptist University. He is the Sales and Finance management and colleagues as the Commercial Manager at Sam Scism Ford Lincoln.

Trust Company 2015 Employee of the Year.

Mickey Pitman ´09´09 and wife Mackenzie Under 40.”

Wendy Dickey and Robert Cole areanenGreg Hough ’06 is the new Activities Director nounce of son Shepherd West born gagedthe to birth be married.

(King) coach DeLaney ´03 and husband andWendi head football at Marceline.

March 22, 2016.

Jared ´03 announce the birth of daughter Christopher Gates ´09 completed his MasAngel (Spooner) Linscott ´07 15, and2016. husband Tara West ´09 donated the funds tofrom purchase Bethany Evelynn on March ters of Business Administration Missouri Josh announce the birth of daughter Charista andBaptist installUniversity. new playground equipment He is the Sales andatFinance Julie McAnelly ´05 was selected by Parkview Elementary in Sedalia where she is a Grace on (Parrish) Nov. 22, 2015.

Manager at Sam Scism Ford Lincoln. management and colleagues as the Commercial Kindergarten teacher.

Rigoberto “Rigo”2015 Bravo ´08 and of Leah Trust Company Employee theRichYear.

Mickey Pitman ´09 and wife Mackenzie anardson were married Oct. 10, 2015. nounce the birth of son Shepherd West born Angel (Spooner) Linscott ´07 and husband March 22, 2016.

Summer (Rohe) Dorcik ´08ofand husband Nicole (Sanders) Sherman ´13 and husJosh announce the birth daughter Charista Bryan announce band Ryan ´13 announce of son Grace on Nov.the 22,birth 2015.of daughter Isabella Tara West ´09Claunch donated ´10 the was funds to purchase Hillary (Jones) awarded the Nicole (Sanders) Shermanthe ´13birth and husElizabeth on Jan. 8, 2015.

Nash Ryan Matthew on Nov. 4,the 2015.

Nash is andCrim install new playgroup equipment at the Betty Faculty Enhancement Award at band ´13 announce birth of son Rigoberto “Rigo” Bravo ´08 and Leah Richseen here with his grandparents, Jeff Parkview Elementary in Sedalia where she is University of Missouri Sinclair School of NursNash Matthew on Nov. 4, 2015. Nash is& Veronica McKinney ´08 and ardson (Herman) were married Oct. 10, 2015.

Juleehere Sherman. aon Kindergarten teacher. ing April 8. seen with his grandparents, Jeff & husband Dustin ´08 announce the birth of Summer (Rohe) Dorcik ´08 and husband Julee Sherman. daughter Kaylin Elizabeth on Nov. 4, 2015.

Lyndsey Talbot ´11 was named the head coach Bryan announce the birth of daughter Isabella for the new softball program at State Fair ComRyan Farrell ´15 is a QC Technician with AdSara (Malan)onSummers ´08 and husband Elizabeth Jan. 8, 2015.

Marty O’Conner Shaw ´14 is an owner of munity College in Sedalia. She is currently an dison Labs in Fayette.

Jordan announce the birth of daughter Valerie Hillary (Jones) Claunch ´10 was awarded the M.O.S. Investments in Columbia. His company assistant coach for the CMU softball team.

Veronica (Herman) McKinney ´08 and born Oct. 5, 2015.

Betty Crim Faculty Enhancement Award at the Portia is constructing theisEagle Landing Apartments Kuzanga ´15 the Connectional husband Dustin ´08 announce the birth of Travis Brobstof ´12Missouri receivedSinclair his Education SpeUniversity School of Nurs- Ministry in Fayette.

Assistant for the Missouri Annual Julie (Shahan) Atchley ´09 and husband daughter Kaylin Elizabeth on Nov. 4, 2015. cialist in8.Administration from William ing Degree on April Conference.

Cody ´10 announce the birth of son Bennett Ryan Farrell ´15 is a QC Technician with AdWoods.

(Malan) ´08 and husband LeeSara on March 24, Summers 2016.

Lyndsey Talbot ´11 was named the head coach dison Labs in´15 Fayette.

Morgan Vetter is the New Franklin Girls Jordan announce the birth of daughter Valerie Andrea (Davis) Campbell ´12 and husband for the new softball program at State Fair ComHead Basketball Coach.

Todd Borgmann ´09 received the Missouri born Oct. 5, 2015.

Portia Kuzanga ´15 is the Connectional Brandon birth of son munityannounce College inthe Sedalia.

She is Jonathan currently an Music Educators Association “Outstanding Ministry Assistant forJordan the Missouri Annual Hilary Wilson ´15 and Haag ´16 are Rayassistant on Aug.coach 9, 2015.

Julie (Shahan) Atchley ´09 at and for the CMU softball team.

Young Music Educator” Award thehusband MMEA Conference. engaged to be married.

Codyconference. ´10 announce the birth of son Bennett annual Justin Gerald’12 is filling the his position of head Travis Brobst ´12 received Education SpeLee on March 24, 2016.

Morgan Vetter ´15 isCMU the New Franklin Joseph Gulino, former director of Girls coach of the girls basketball team at Hillcrest cialist Degree in Administration from William Wendy Dickey ´09 and Robert Cole are enHead Basketball Coach. education clinical experiences and director of High School in the fall of 2016.

Todd Borgmann ´09 received the Missouri Woods. gaged to be married. the graduate program between 1995-1999, is Music Educators Association “Outstanding Hilary Wilson ´15 and Jordan Haag ´16 are Addie Layne ´13 is Campbell the Step-Up Marketing Andrea (Davis) ´12 and husband currently the principal of the Gulinogroup & Christopher Gates ´09 completed histhe Masters Young Music Educator” Award at MMEA engaged to be married.

Chair for The Junior League of Kansas City’s Brandon announce the birth of son Jonathan Fearless Leadership Consulting. of Business Administration from Missouri annual conference. largest Holiday Mart.

Ray fund-raiser on Aug. 9, 2015.

’10s

’10s

Allison Brosch ‘11, Annemarie Garrison Allison Brosch ‘11, Annemarie Garrison ‘12, and Lauren Strand ‘12 were inducted ‘12, and Lauren Strand ‘12 were inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International into Sigma Theta Tau International NursNursing Honor Society, Alpha Iota ing Honor Society, Alpha Iota Chapter Chapter this spring. this spring.

Kelsey Rork ´13 ´13 andisEvan Emmerich were Addie Layne the Step-Up Marketing married 19, Junior 2015. League of Kansas City’s Chair Dec. for The largest fund-raiser Holiday Mart.

Marty O’Conner Shaw ´14 is an owner of M.O.S. Investments Columbia.

His company Kelsey Rork ´13 in and Evan Emmerich were is constructing married Dec.the 19,Eagle 2015.Landing Apartments in Fayette.

Friends

Joseph Gulino, former director of education clinical experiences and director of the graduate program between 1995-1999, is currently the principal of the Gulinogroup & Fearless Leadership Consulting.

Join us for a

SCARY good time.

Homecoming 2016 Spring 2016

The Magazine of Central Methodist University

October 28-30 The Talon

75

In Memoriam ’30s

Ruth Briggs Brateck Davis ’37 of Fort Belvoir, Va., died May 1, 2016.

Elisabeth Beattie ´39 of Louisville, Ky., died Nov. 30, 2015.

’40s Doris (Pinney) Allen ´41 of Columbia, Mo., died April 17, 2016.

John Fetzer ´42 of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., died Dec. 9, 2015.

Jack Fitch ´43 of Ballwin, Mo., died Nov. 2, 2015.

Oliver Rice ´43 of Naples, Fla., died Feb. 16, 2016.

Richard Symmonds ´43 of Salt Lake City, Utah, died Feb. 7, 2016.

William Ball ´44 of Evansville, Ind., died Jan. 14, 2016.

Betty June Ackerman Murphy ’44 of Decatur, Ill., died Jan. 17, 2016.

Vera (Carpenter) Caldwell ´45 of Palestine, Texas, died Jan. 6, 2016.

Anna (Jones) Haines ´45 of Washington, D.C., died Dec. 14, 2015.

Jean Snook Penick ’45 of Sherman, Ill., died Nov. 3, 2015.

Mary Wise ´45 of Springfield, Mo., died Feb. 6, 2016.

Jan. 16, 2016.

Edwin Young ´52 of Westlake, Ohio, died Dec. 23, 2015.

C. Ehlers ´53 of Harrisonburg, Va., died Feb. 20, 2016.

Lois Wehrman Karibian ’53 of Belleville, Ill., died Feb. 1, 2016.

Fredrick Kreisler ´53 of Independence, Mo., died Nov. 8, 2015.

Peggy (Tuley) Dryden ´54 of Belton, Mo., died Dec. 5, 2015.

Harriet Waldo ´54 of Camarillo, Calif., died Jan. 10, 2016.

Norma (Neal) Anderson ´55 of Fayette, Mo., died Feb. 11, 2016.

Dr. Richard Symmonds ´43 died at age 93 in Rochester, Minn. on Feb. 7, 2016. He was an international authority on gynecologic malignancy and surgery. He graduated from Duke University Medical School in 1946. He spent most of his life affiliated with the Mayo Clinic where he became a professor of Clinical OB/GYN in 1970 and chair of the Division from 1974-1983, when he retired. CMU awarded him as a Distinguished Alumnus in 1978.

He loved the outdoors and spent most of his retirement in it. His family says his last words were “Isn’t it a beautiful day today,” which encapsulated his entire outlook on life.

He is survived by his wife, Dege Wall Symmonds’43; three children and eight grandchildren.

Ronald Lepere ´55 of Naples, Fla., died Nov. 20, 2015.

Aubrey Schlotzhauer ´56 of Boonville, Mo., died Dec. 23, 2015.

Carol (Lowe) Burgess ´57 of O’Fallon, Mo., died Jan. 26, 2016.

Donald Michie ´57 of Kenosha, Wis., died Feb. 1, 2016.

Barbara (Barney) Chase ´58 of Kansas City, Mo., died Dec. 15, 2015.

Shirley (Swisher) Meyer ´58 of Hot Springs, Ark., died April 17, 2016.

Wanda Beamon ´47 of Littleton, Colo., died Jan. 10, 2016.

Donald Williams ´58 of Paris, Mo., died April 13, 2016.

Bonnie (Herrick) McClain ´47 of Homosassa, Fla., died Nov. 23, 2015.

Donald R. Gibson ´59 of Phoenix, Ariz., died April 20, 2016.

Harriet Ruble ´49 of Kansas City, Kan., died March 6, 2016.

Anita (Gossom) McFarland ´59 of Ballwin, Mo., died April 5, 2016.

’50s Russell Arnett ´50 of Anchorage, Alaska, died Jan. 18, 2016.

Samuel Snoddy ´50 of Midland, Texas, died Jan. 15, 2016.

Charles Wright ´59 of Chillicothe, Mo., died April 18, 2016.

’60s Jerry Wendt ´61 of Gladstone, Mo., died March 11, 2016.

James Patterson ´63 of Dallas, Texas, died Nov. 22, 2015.

Stephen Bergmann ´64 of Webster Groves, Mo., died Nov. 7, 2015.

William Koenig ´64 of Granite City, Ill., died Feb. 22, 2016.

Walter Walton ´64 of Saint Louis, Mo., died March 5, 2016.

Henry Schneider ´66 of Rolla, Mo., died Nov. 12, 2015.

R. Brown ´67 of Springfield, Mo., died April 17, 2016.

Robert Vandecnocke ´67 of Washington, Mo., died Jan. 22, 2016.

’70s Lionel Turner, Jr. ´73 of Leawood, Kan., died Jan. 3, 2016.

’80s Kevin Lentz ´81 of Tampa, Fla., died March 4, 2016.

Beatrice (Wolfe) Hargrove ´84 of Monroe, La., died Feb. 28, 2016.

Wesley Finke ´51 of Saint Louis, Mo., died Marilyn (Gaddis) Rose ´52 of Binghamton, N.Y., died Nov. 15, 2015 at the age of 85. She studied at the Universite de Lyon in France on a Fulbright Scholarship, received a doctorate in French from the University of Missouri, and was the founding director of the nationally recognized Translation Research and Instruction Program at Binghamton University. Among her many honors, she also received the Alexander Gode medal, the most prestigious award of the American Translator’s Association.

Marcia (Peery) Wilson ´73 of Brunswick, Mo., died April 15, 2016. She was extremely proud to have been the first woman to receive a Tuba Scholarship from CMC. She taught for 39 years in the Brunswick, Bosworth, Stet, and Breckenridge Schools.

Friends Richard “R.C.” Gaines of Fayette died April 9, 2016. Generations of Centralites will remember him from his work on the campus at Central, always with a smile on his face, which he did from the mid-1950s through the late 1970s. He was in the armed forces during the time of the Korean War. He lived at the Lodge in Fayette at the time of his death.

Raymond A. Cornett of Harrison, Ark., died April 3, 2016. He was assistant professor of mathematics at Central Methodist College from 1963-1983. He was married to Anita Hoge Cornett ’71.

Herbert “Coach” Johnson of Pilot Grove, Mo. ,died on Feb. 16, 2016. He was a defensive football coach for Central Methodist College from 1972 to 1976. At that time he was also involved with the nationally ranked CMC Rugby Team. He was recognized for his athletic achievements and his association with former players, students, and coaches.

He is survived by his wife Norma, his daughter Kathy, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Virginia (Lloyd) Monroe ´70, better known by her many friends at CMU as Ginny, died Feb. 1, 2016, at her home in Fayette at the age of 85.

Born in 1930 in Shawnee, Okla., Ginny graduated from Fayette High School in 1947, and attended Monticello School for Girls in Alton, Ill. (now Lewis and Clark Community College).

She married John Monroe in 1948 and he preceded her in death in 1983.

Ginny went back to college and graduated from Central Methodist University in 1970. She taught art and English in Glasgow, Mo., retiring in 1977.

That art was her first love was proven through her extensive connection with The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art. She was on the executive board of the Gallery from 1995 until her passing. During that time, she initiated the docent program, which incorporates a group of 30 volunteers, and served as its director.

Her generosity continues to impact Central even following her death, as she left a large collection of artwork to the Ashby-Hodge Gallery. Many of these will be shown as part of this fall’s show from September through November 2016.

Opera experience proves memorable to CMU students For the second year in a row, Central Methodist University music students were given a special gift to help them in their chosen fields. Students who are enrolled or have participated in music were treated to a night at the opera.

Last year, CMU alumnus Earl Bates ‘61 and his wife Sunny sent students to St. Louis to dinner and an opera, all expenses paid. The experiment was so successful, they decided to do the same thing this year.

On March 12, two mini-buses and a van, transported 43 CMU students plus nine faculty and staff to Kansas City to see the opera The Elixir of Love by Gaetano Donizetti.

Spring 2016

Prior to that, the entourage had dinner at Lidia’s, one of the nicest restaurants in the art district.

Prior to the beginning of the opera, the entire CMU crew was welcomed backstage and onstage to get a sense of the size and bearing of a professional opera performance (see photo). They got to see the lighting and set design as well as some of the dressing rooms.

“This was a wonderful experience for our students,” says Dr. Dori Waggoner, dean of CMU’s Swinney Conservatory of Music. “After a delicious meal, we took a backstage tour and got to stand on the stage just minutes before the production began.

“We had excellent seats for the production and thoroughly enjoyed the excellent singing and playing of the cast and pit musicians.

“Perhaps the best part for me was discussing the production with the students, what they observed, learned, and enjoyed,” Waggoner adds. “This excursion met both aesthetic and educational outcomes for our students.”

In a thank-you note to the Bateses, freshman Tanneal Cheshire, a music major from Boonville, wrote, “Because of your generosity, I got my very first glimpse into what the rest of my life will be like in my dream career.”

The experience was one of a kind, provided from the kindness of friends, and one that the students are likely to remember and relish long after they have graduated.

The Magazine of Central Methodist University

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Campus News

CMU taps Morse as assistant director of Plant Operations Wayne L. Morse has been chosen by Central Methodist University to fill the position on the Fayette campus of Assistant Director of Plant Operations/Safety Coordinator, according to Derry Wiswall, director of plant operations.

Morse has 27 years of experience in related management work in both the military and civilian venues. He has a Bachelor of General Studies from Columbia College and graduated high school in Rapid City, S.D. Morse graduated from Sergeant’s Major Academy at Ft. Bliss, Texas. He has worked for the Department of the Navy; Columbia College; and Able Forces, teaching military science for the University of Missouri ROTC and at various other locations.

He served as a member of the U. S. Army in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Mazar Sharif, Afghanistan, and as First Sergeant in Taji, Iraq, as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Central Methodist University hired him to assist Wiswall in the management of personnel, equipment, and the implementation of programs and policies related to the maintenance of campus building and grounds. He will be expected to promote a safe, clean, and healthy environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

“I’m very excited to bring Wayne on board, says Wiswall.

“Wayne has extensive leadership experience from his military service and excellent backgrounds in safety and training. His high energy and ability to adapt quickly will bring a lot of value to Plant Operations.”

Morse will be in charge of comprehensive training programs and emergency drills, as well as providing supervisory authority over on-campus and extended sites’ security and facility inspections. In addition, he will provide a leadership role in the Crisis and Safety Committee.

In recent years, Morse has been responsible for the health, welfare, discipline, administration, training and quality of life for 10 managers and 140 soldiers in a combat zone in Iraq; and training 420 soldiers and deploying 220 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Morse has won multiple awards in school and in the military.

Focusing on safety In addition to the job of safety, which is a large element for Wayne Morse (see story above), the CMU campus has made a concerted effort this last year to improve the element of safety for students, faculty, staff, and guests. Part of that process involved knowledge-based seminars and lectures; part was more “handson” and physical.

Some of the process involved bringing in outside experts to talk and/or work with students on common issues of society today, especially on college campuses. Recent changes on the CMU campus include better lighting, the implementation of a camera system, updated panic stations, and repeated armed intruder drills added to the decades-old severe weather and fire drills. The campus also hires a security team to keep an eye on the campus activities, especially at night.

Another area of safety dealt with is sexual situations. Central has sponsored sexual assault seminars, self-defense for both men and women, safety for members of the LBGTQ community, and how to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancies.

Alongside this category, students were taught about cyber bullying and the old-fashioned face-to-face bullying and how to deal with both.

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Spring 2016

A category which has been of concern for a very long time now, drugs and alcohol use, continues to be hit hard by the University. There have been seminars on alcohol awareness, drunk driver simulations, and the effect of drugs, including alcohol, on the body.

All of the seminars involve discussion and question-andanswer periods. Some involve surveys that then become the basis of the discussion.

Ken Oliver, CMU’s vice president for institutional growth and student engagement, has one hand on the heart of the campus and the other on the outside world. He meets regularly with local law enforcement officials--Fayette Police, Howard County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri Highway Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Agency--to keep abreast of what is happening in Central Missouri, including on other campuses, to give Central students the best possible chance to keep themselves safe and knowledgeable as they traverse their collegiate years.

The Magazine of Central Methodist University

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Central is able to provide our students an education that prepares them to make a difference in the world because of your investment in our mission.

Thank you for your continued generosity!

Spring 2016

The Magazine of Central Methodist University

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Springtime on the south end of campus. Photo courtesy of Jim Steele