UCM Magazine – Volume 14, No. 2 by University of Central Missouri

From Plein Air to Studio UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI MAGAZINE

Artist Annie Helmericks-Louder creates textiles that awe and make us wonder p.4 Chance Turns Texan into Lifetime Mule p.12

Knowing the Soul of People p.18

FY 2014 UCM Foundation Annual Report p.14

When the Past and Present Create the Future p.24

Vo l . 1 4 , N o. 2

contents Welcome to this inaugural issue of UCM Magazine. We hope it educates and engages you in the life of your university. Please share your ideas for future issues by emailing us at ucmmagazine@ ucmo.edu or call us at 660-543-8000. cove r story

From Plein Air to Studio Artist Annie Helmericks-Louder creates textiles that awe and make us wonder. Her work can astonish visitors expecting traditional quilts made of cloth pieces or patterns that are hundreds of years old. She uses fabrics such as linen and silks to create multi-layered landscape images that truly amaze. Read about this artist whose unconventional parents were famous, in their time, as early-day Arctic explorers and naturalists.

S ect i o ns

Campus Currents

10 central yesterday 22 Philanthropy 28 Class Notes 29 Awards & Honors 30 In Memoriam

fe at ure s

chance turns texan into lifetime mule Former Mule Linebacker Finds Way to Remember Coach, Other Players

UCM foundation annual report

find us online at ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine web

FY 2014 Brings Historic Records that Show Giving Impact 18

knowing the soul of people Sandra Wrightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Success Reflects Hometown Car Dealerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Faith

24 when the past and present create the future

50-Year Old National Education Award Holds Lesson for Today

o n t h e cov e r:

Annie Helmericks-Louder, No Room at the Table, quilted art textile, 80in x 80in. Photo by Gregory Case

p resid ent ’s message

A Distinctive UCM Characteristic

MAGAZINE Vol . 14 , No. 2 executive Editor

Dalene Abner ’09 Assistant Editor

Chelsey Buseck ‘13 Designer

Julie Babcock student designer

Amanda Fuson ‘16 Photographers

Bryan Tebbenkamp ’03 Andrew Mather ‘12

Published by the UCM Alumni Association and UCM Foundation. © 2014 by University of Central Missouri. All rights reserved. Find us online: ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine Contact the editor at ucmmagazine@ucmo.edu or 660-543-4545. Submit your address updates online to ucmo.edu/mynewaddress, by email to alumni@ucmo.edu or telephone, 660-543-8000 or toll-free, 1-866-752-7257. UCM Magazine (USPS 019-888) is published quarterly by the University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO 64093. Printed by Lane Press, 87 Meadowland Drive, South Burlington, VT 05403. Periodicals postage paid at Warrensburg, MO, and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to UCM

Magazine, Smiser Alumni Center, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO 64093. To view the University of Central Missouri’s Nondiscrimination/Equal Opportunity Statement, visit ucmo.edu/nondiscrimination.

common theme for the University of Central Missouri’s 2014 fall semester certainly relates to the role the university plays in instilling in its students the value of service learning. This was especially true during Homecoming week as the university honored four Distinguished Alumni and welcomed back to campus four alumni who obtained the rank of general in the U.S. Army. All of them shared stories about faculty and staff members who made a difference in their lives. They also spoke at length about UCM’s educational foundation that has contributed to their success in professional careers and the mentors who challenged them to reach beyond themselves to engage in service activities that today contribute to a better quality of life for others. This semester truly amplifies how the culture of service really does take learning to a greater degree at UCM. In recent weeks, our students have donated 1,332 hours of community service to benefit 35 different local agencies, collected donations of 8,000 pounds of food for the local food pantry, and helped register 70 bone marrow donors. Additionally, staff members and student volunteers contributed their time and energy, along with local sponsors, to help make the Project Community Connect initiative aimed at aiding families in need to be the largest and most successful in its history. This is just a sample of many opportunities that could be noted. Service learning is a distinctive characteristic of UCM that helps define, not only who we are as a university, but in the eyes and minds of our current students, what we can become in the future. Joining you in service, Chuck Ambrose, P r e side n t

University of Central Missouri Magazine

C am p us C urrents STUDENT FOCUS

2014 Family of the Year

Freshman chemistry student, Kayla Miles, has no problem telling you “Y” her family is important. When Miles won the 2014 Family of the Year Award, she and her family received halftime recognition by Pres. Chuck Ambrose and hundreds of fans. Forgiving. Assuring. Motivating. Insightful. Loyal. This is who they are, but I have not gotten to the “Y” yet. “From my grandmother, I have learned wisdom. From my mom, I have learned motivation and perseverance. My oldest aunt has passed her creativity to me. I have acquired my scientific skills from my second oldest aunt, and learned how to be caring from my youngest aunt. I am who I am today because of all five of these women,” said Miles. “For always being there for me and showing me there was always a light at the end of the tunnel is ‘Y’ my family is important to me.”

What’s Cooking in the Kitchen?

Grinstead’s kitchen lab got a half million dollar makeover this summer, benefiting UCM dietetic students.

ost Americans would never turn down mashed potatoes, a vegetable whose roots can be traced back to the ancient Incans or to a French physician who mashed them as a side dish in 1771. A group of UCM students are finding out that life goes far beyond the humble spud. In a kitchen that underwent a $443,000 renovation this summer, they are testing increasingly popular starch sources in dishes such as Risotto with Parmesan, Rice Pilaf, Millet Tabbouleh, Creamy Baked Polenta with Herbs and Green Onions, Vegetable Barley Risotto, Quinoa Fried Rice, and Couscous with Raisins and Almonds. And, that’s just one of their projects. “One of our objectives is to expand our students’ horizons with foods so we are teaching different flavors from many different countries,” said Chef

from Regina Myers McClain, a 1935 UCM graduate who devoted most of her life to teaching. Her gift also has funded scholarships, a distinguished professorship and renovation of the Morrow-Garrison Gymnasium. “The classroom was originally used for a food demonstration course where each student had to ‘get under the mirror’ and present,” department chair Michael Godard said. The new kitchen is preparing approximately 130 students for a growing career field. “The biggest difference is the feeling of being in this new class environment,” says senior dietetics student Jonna Palmer. “Before, I felt like I was in an apartment kitchen. Now, the equipment is uniform and industrial, similar to what you would find in the workforce.” By adding an additional workstation, classroom space became more efficient, and the extra station allows more students to gain hands-on learning experience at one time rather than observing others. As they work on a variety of starch dishes, students also prepare Pork Chili, the main entrée to pair with them. Here’s the recipe, courtesy of the National Pork Board. It serves two. pork chili

Karen Breshears. Key to the expanded learning opportunities is the remodel of the Grinstead food lab built in 1959 and upgraded in the 1990s. The three-month renovation project included new floors, cabinets, countertops, and more student workspace and new appliances for the UCM dietetics program, which has increased 30 percent in degreeseeking students in the past three years. Funding was provided through an estate gift to the UCM Foundation

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

6 oz. boneless pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 tsp. vegetable oil 2 Tbsp. chopped onion 1/4 clove garlic 1 tsp. all-purpose flour 1 cup V-8 tomato juice 3 1/2 oz. Italian diced tomatoes 4 oz. chili beans, drained 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. black pepper

Heat oil in 1-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add pork, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pork is browned. Stir in flour. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, one hour. Serve, sprinkle with cheddar cheese, if desired.

cam p us currents

“You can write about anything you want, but some subjects come with greater responsibility than you may want to take on. When you accept that not everything you write is special, you will write much more than you ever dreamed you could.” — Kwame Dawes P le ia de s W r iters Seri es

Humani ti es

h i sto ry a n d a n t h ro p o lo gy

International Reggae Author Coming to Campus

Show Me Justice Film Festival Accepting Entries

The Changing Face of Freedom and Equality

Born in Ghana and raised in Jamaica, author and playwright Kwame Dawes is an expert on the music of Bob Marley. His multiple books on reggae and reggae’s impact on Caribbean literature speak to his fascination of the subject. On Jan. 28 he will be on campus discussing his latest book, “Duppy Conqueror: New and Selected Poems,” as the fifth speaker in the 2014-2015 Pleiades Writers Series. “These poems seek a language that invokes and realizes Africa and its wide and varied diaspora. ‘Duppy Conqueror’ is defiant, aware, and bold work,” said poet, Kelly Forsythe. Dawes visit to campus follows Rebecca Skloot, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” selected for the 2014 One Campus One Book discussion. Her work has explored a wide range of topics including goldfish surgery, tissue ownership rights, food politics, and packs of wild dogs in Manhattan.

With the goal to inspire individuals and communities toward collective action against social injustice, the Fifth Annual Show Me Justice Film Festival is encouraging filmmakers around the world to submit short animated, experimental, narrative and documentary films that put a face on the many shades of injustice. Applicants have until Dec. 10 to submit their films to filmfreeway.com/festival/SMJFF. “The SMJFF screens films from all over the world that are powerful enough to make audience members think about how they themselves can create change, inspire others, and enhance the life experiences of members of their community,” said festival associate director Michael Graves. The films selected for screening will compete for prizes based on their artistic competence, creativity and exploration of the festival theme. Find out more at ucmo.edu/filmfest.

To mark the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the National Endowment for the Humanities has developed a special project, connecting 500 communities across the nation by sparking public conversations about the changing meanings of freedom and equality in U.S. history. Keona Erwin, assistant professor of African-American history at the University of Missouri, brought this project to the UCM campus in early October. Her lecture, “Black Women and the Struggle for Economic Justice from the New Deal to the Great Society,” is the fourth of six local events planned in conjunction with “Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle,” the NEH initiative that examines the power of documentary films to encourage community discussion of America’s civil rights history. After the presentation special remarks were made in honor of the late Guy Griggs, professor emeritus of history. Griggs taught the first AfricanAmerican history course on campus in the late 1960s. He was also one of the first advisers to ABC, the Association of Black Collegiates.

mule makeover

Mo is expanding his wardrobe and wants your help to choose between hipster, classic or Preppy. Vote at www.ucmo.edu/makeover

Mules Basketball on National TV

The Mules basketball team will appear on CBS Sports Network playing Northeastern State as the NCAA Division II National Game of the Week. Tune in Dec. 20 at 10 a.m. (CST) to cheer them on!

Word of mouth advertising may be how we’re attracting so many students from

India This semester they number

1,507

and are a major part of our 1,902 students from 56 countries.

“

The theme,

servant leadership,

is extremely important, and what I’d like for everyone to take away is that everybody plays that role whether you are a colonel or president at the university, a student or airman at the base.

”

Michael Hopkins NASA Astronaut and ike skelton SERIES Guest lecturer

University of Central Missouri Magazine

Artist Annie Helmericks-Louder creates textiles that awe and make us wonder by da l e n e a bn e r

he threads that comprise Annie Helmericks-Louder’s life are as colorful and complex as the art quilts that have made her an internationally renowned artist. That is, if you can even call her huge and intricate works, quilts. She prefers the term, art textiles. “I have always been a maker of things, finding with my hands the spirit of home and my place in the world,” she said. “When I see something that is true, I may not know why it feels this way, but I must reach out and try to grab it. When I feel strongly about what I see, I make work that reflects those feelings.” Annie has been an adjunct professor of art for 16 years at the University of Central Missouri. She and 24 other fiber artists from around the world are part of a juried exhibition, Earth Stories, at the UCM Gallery of Art and Design Jan. 12 –March 6. A UCM Foundation Opportunity Grant is helping to finance the show. Her work can astonish visitors expecting traditional quilts made of cloth pieces or patterns that are hundreds of years old. The materials she uses, including linens and silks, become intrically collaged, multi-layered images, some measuring more than 64 square feet and two inches thick.

“I am a maker of things. Call me anything you want but that gets down to the nuts and bolts of it. My hands are never still. I don’t know how else to live.” 4

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

Outlaw: Jackrabbit, art textile, 77in X 72in X 2in a bov e : Bend, a Triptych, charcoal on paper, 40in x 96in ri g h t:

University of Central Missouri Magazine

“I select each material to conceptually abstract, clarify and communicate what I want to say. For instance, the slick, sagging, sumptuous qualities of luminous natural fiber silk could be used to beautifully describe the physical appearance and movements of a river,” she said. “I’ve been lucky to live a really kind of unusual life and my work reflects that. Still the everyday experiences of normal life, such as being a wife, sister, mother or grandmother, are also rich and profound and touch upon universal themes that most people can respond to.” As uncommon is her work so is Annie’s background, which includes at one point being married to a cattle rancher and operating her own accounting firm. The artist and now vegetarian also reflects the influence of her single mother, Arctic explorer Constance Helmericks, who took her two daughters, Annie, then 12, and her older sister Jean, canoeing thousands of miles across upper Canada traversing wild rivers that only Indians and fur trappers dared. Another adventure was when the three circumnavigated the Australia Outback by dirt track. “My mother believed that we could learn more from the planet and actual experience

than from formal education,” said Annie. “She was a well-known writer and naturalist so I grew up with Green Peace practically in our living room. I spent years of my life not even under a roof, during travels mostly in Australia, northern Canada and Alaska.” Annie noted that her parents – “some of the first Caucasians to live wild with natives and dog sleds in the polar ice packs” – were famous in their time. All her family members still live in Alaska, except for Annie, whose life brought her to Missouri when she decided at age 30 to pursue an art degree at the University of Arizona. It was there she met her husband-to-be, John Louder, a graduate student. “We were in the same department and would run into each other,” she said. Laughingly, she noted that he used the classic pick-up line asking her home to see his drawings. “He really did want to show me his landscape paintings. Although they had been made in remote canyons, I recognized the locations immediately. We have joked that for years we must have been separately painting on different sides of the same rocks.” John eventually graduated and when he applied and got a faculty position at

Common themes in Annie’s work include seeking and finding a place to call home, discovering peace in a moment and remembering it as significant, taking notice of the world surrounding us and ruminating on situations in our everyday lives.

Annie on location, inspired by nature

l e f t to p :

l e f t bot to m:

Annie, using pastels and other media ce n t e r: Hidden Valley, a pastel on sanded paper be low: Annie and husband, John, a UCM art professor, on summer trip

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

r ight:

Outlaw Skunk, a 77in x 72in art textile, is part of a series Annie developed during trips to the American West that accent the plight of what she calls â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;heroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; animals, skunks, jackrabbits, rattlesnakes and others, often considered as varmints without value. Do you see the skunk?

University of Central Missouri Magazine

UCM, the two and their combined four

“I have a personal theory about things that take a long time to make. I think they are a form of meditation. They end up being more than just the image when they are done. In ways they become a type of artifact of touch that embodies the actual presence of the artist.”

children moved to Warrensburg. “When you live or work with someone, they influence your work,” she said. “We seek out our own truths and the things that stimulate us. However, there is no doubt that our unconditional support of each other, as spouses and as artists, has dramatically accelerated our growth. I can’t imagine that either of us would be the artists we are today without our partnership.” The two follow a plan, traveling in the summer, creating plein air or on-location art and returning home for the colder months of fall and winter to refine it. “Working extensively on location is an essential practice. It fills me up,” she said. Their work is spontaneous, influenced by everything they see and hear. “Nature is still the great teacher,” she said. “There’s a lot going on that you never see without being there. What comes out afterward in studio works isn’t predictable; it just happens.” She intends her art to go beyond external experiences, conveying deeper meanings and raising awareness about environmental and political issues. As an example, she talked about her commissioned piece, “No Room at the Table,” viewed by more than three quarters of a million people. Among the animals it features is a polar bear inspired by one that would visit her brother’s place on

the North Slope. They named it Bruno. The piece, she said, is “meant to elicit awareness. We are witnessing the disappearance of ice lands and green mansions. In the course of our consumption, more and more species – essential, living links – are being severed from the chain of land’s diversity. As I look out the window, I see nature fulfill her ancient promise of spring once again. But still, by our disregard, apathy, need or greed, we are dropping the other hands of life.” Several of her textiles carry through her concern for animals. On one summer trip revisiting land from her childhood, she didn’t see any of the wild animals she remembered. “They were just gone,” she said. “When I came back, I wanted to talk about these animals, the skunk, coyote, opossum and others. I called it the Outlaw Animals Series because I wanted to make heroes of these animals who are so disrespected that we don’t even have a bag limit on how many we can slaughter.” For this philosopher, educator and motivator, “art is for me a way to live my life.” It also is her hope to share her love and respect of the planet, carrying on the legacy of her adventurer, naturalist parents who defied conventions to mark their places in the world. n View Annie’s art portfolio at helmericks.com

Land’s Cape: Sowing Field, a quilted art textile, 76in x 12in, along with a detailed photo of it to the left. Adjunct Professor Annie Helmericks-Louder is an autobiographical storyteller, using her art to visually trace and record where she has been and where she wants to go.

above:

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

blood moon, october 2014

photomontage by Andrew Mather â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;12

This blood moon was a rare sight around the world, but photography alumnus Andrew Mather of Kearney, Mo., made it an even rarer one. First he photographed the Maastrict Friendship Tower at sunset, then he waited until 4 a.m. for the eclipse. He continued to photograph the eclipse as it progressed, then layered his individual shots into this final composite image. Now thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a view worthy of visiting campus to see!

University of Central Missouri Magazine

central yesterd ay

1896

ucm’s second football team

The 1896 team decided it was time to exclude all nonstudents as members, creating “ill will in town, where violence-prone roughnecks organized a team of their own to challenge the Normals.” Also, during their early years, the team got a coach, thanks to subscriptions bought by townspeople.

Football Beginnings Timeline

1899

In the beginning, trees obstructed the field until members cleared them, but they cut down too many and got in trouble with then President George Osborne. More progress in 1899 were three showers, although the only water was icy cold from a main installed by then Pertle Springs Water Company. In 1899, the school bought the team uniforms and some even received noseguards and those in the back field shinguards, a real luxury. After the team cut down trees and brickbats to create a real field, they next strung No. 9 wire to keep fans off the field. 1899 saw their first real coach, Arthur St. Leger Mosse, a star guard and captain at Kansas University, paid $150 dollars for three weeks’ coaching.

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

1901

The Mules lost their coach who left to play professional football. Next was Earnest Quigley who coached the Mules to a 9-1 season and the Missouri Kansas InterState Championship. He left after one season to umpire for the National Baseball League.

1906

A $1 incidental fee enabled every student to attend all games. It also paid to level the field, build bleachers and put up a woven wire fence.

central yesterd ay

ucm’s early

football teams

he early years of Mules Football tell more a story of have-nots than haves: no ball, no field, no uniforms, no coach, no showers, no referees, no team doctor, no fan area and actually not even all players who were university students. Yet, when a group of men from then Normal School #2 and from the Warrensburg community chose football over gymnastics, the game was on! Only dated footballs in team photos, as well as the writings of player J.L. Ferguson, Class of 1896, and campus historian Les Anders, give some details. Ferguson’s article in the 1937 “Daily Star Journal” notes a “real Normal team” happened in 1895. “It practiced on the campus among the trees. It had no goal posts but matched games were played on the same ridge of the circus shows near TipTop Station.” That 1895 team had no matching uniforms. “The only thing uniform seen is the long hair,” wrote Ferguson. “Players bought their own suits, most of them did, but some used everyday togs. One player wore shoes with canvas tops and rubber soles and how he could run! The ball was bought by chipping in, and it could be called team property.” Next came getting a worthy field, one without trees. Given permission to remove a few marked trees, the boys removed all of them, getting into

1912

The Mules became a charter member of the MIAA.

1928

The original main grandstand was erected under the leadership of Coach Tad Reid, who engineered the stadium’s construction.

trouble with then President George Osborne. With one tree left, a massive cottonwood, he made the boys remove it despite aching backs and raw hands. In 1899, the team gained some equipment and showers. “The school began to buy suits and if there were enough funds, noseguards. A few players in the backfield were given shinguards, considered quite a luxury,” according to Ferguson. When Pertle Springs Water Company also came along in 1899, team members no longer had to suit up at home. Instead they had three showers with water direct from the mains. The temperature was like ice but that didn’t bother the players “thankful for the privilege of having a bath of any kind.” In the next few years, the team was able to get lockers (each player was charged 50 cents for a key), hot water in the showers and a wire barricade to keep fans from charging the field. Bleachers were yet to come as well as a proper field. The latter happened in 1928 when the university purchased the property where the current stadium is located. It is remarkable how much these pioneer teams accomplished in the face of adversity. The story shows what hard work, sacrifice and love for the game can achieve. It would have been simple for everyone involved to give up when the breaks were just not going their way. Yet Mules football survives and grows stronger every year. n

1899 This was a big year for Normal football, including equipment (noseguards and shinguards were luxuries) and three showers, although the water direct from the mains was icy cold. They got 24 wooden lockers although each player had to pay 50 cents for a key. Finally with a No. 9 wire stretched around the field, they were able to keep the crowd, what there was, off the field.

1929

1995

Large flood lights made it possible for the Mules to host the first night football game even though it was a 27-0 loss to Missouri Valley.

Walton Stadium is dedicated as the new home of the Mules, thanks to a generous gift from Mrs. Audrey J. Walton.

1954

West Campus Field is renamed Vernon Kennedy Field in honor of the man considered to be the university’s finest all-around athlete.

University of Central Missouri Magazine

feature

chance turns texan into lifetime mule W

In addition to a new locker room (pictured below), the $6-million expansion of Walton Stadium includes a new lobby, game-day room, sports medicine center, and strength and conditioning area.

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

and David “The Hammer” hen McCabe Talik, both now deceased. Turner was “I had the chance to get growing up in to know and play with both Texas, he had never heard of them,” Turner said. about Central Missouri State “David was a linebacker, University in Warrensburg, Mo. the same position I played. He was a student at Perryton He showed up every day High School, where he played and busted his butt. Milk football and wrestled. He played defensive back. What played football for one year at Terry Noland coached Mules I remember about Milk was West Texas State University Football from 1983-1996 and that he seemed to always when his life hit a snag. holds the records for most be laughing and cutting up. The university dropped its wins and conference titles. They were a part of that football program. total experience of being a Mule Football There he was, spending the summer player. We didn’t all hang out together but at his parents’ place at the Lake of the there was a camaraderie from the time we Ozarks when he met Coach Bob Shore of spent together. It was important to all of us Camdenton, Mo. “I was working out at the that they are remembered.” high school when I met Coach Shore,” said Talik, who earned a degree in fire Turner. “I told him my story and that I was safety, died in 2013 from aplastic anemia. looking for a place to go. He started calling Drummond – who also earned a spot around to see if someone was willing to give as a walk-on, proved himself, earned me a chance. The only team that would visit a scholarship and became a starter – with me was Central.” died while playing for the Mules when A meeting with Coach Terry Noland led he returned home to St. Louis for a to Turner becoming a walk-on that fall.“He doctor’s visit and was shot. The news was told me if I made the team and proved devastating to the team and to Coach myself, we could talk scholarships.” Noland, whom Turner also is honoring with Turner got that scholarship. Wearing a locker room plaque. Noland coached the jersey #39, Turner earned a spot as linebacker. He became a starter in the fourth Mules from 1983-1996. He owns the UCM record for wins, seasons as head coach and game of the 1991 season and finished third conference titles. on the team with 64 tackles. Before he graduated, he also was a first-team All-MIAA “My UCM degree helped provide a foundation for moving forward,” Turner selection. said. “Having to put the time in for your When Turner heard about the Mules for studies and the work into play helped me Life campaign, “I thought it was a good cultivate a work ethic needed to succeed in time to thank Coach Noland for giving life. It felt great to be able to give back to me the opportunity to come to Central.” the program. It brings a smile to my face When he talked to other teammates, they thinking about those guys and those crazy also suggested two players to honor. Those days back in the ‘Burg!” two players were Wes “Milk” Drummond

feature

m cca b e tu r n er

w e s l e y d ru mmo n d

dav i d ta l i k

As they appear in the 1993 Rhetor are three former Mules Football players. The Mules for Life Project provided a way to make sure all three, and their coach, Terry Noland, are always remembered.

a bov e :

“ We didn’t all hang out together but there was a camaraderie from the time we all spent together playing football.”

University of Central Missouri Magazine

FY 2014 UCM FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

m e ssage fro m the di recto r

From Good to Great

ll year members of the Foundation Board of Directors and our staff have been reading and applying a book by former Stanford business professor Jim Collins. In “From Good to Great,” he provides a framework for building a great organization around four stages: people, thinking, action and progress. We have adopted this book as our standard for moving forward to make the UCM Foundation a leader among its national peers. You might ask, why is that important? Becoming a great organization that can generate a growing source of support for the university is embedded in our mission. Thanks to your generosity, we finished fiscal year 2014 with one of the strongest performances in our 35-year history, raising more than $5.3 million for students and programs. We were able to award more than $1.2 million in scholarship support to 977 students throughout our four academic colleges. The Foundation’s total assets also set a record, growing to slightly more than $50 million in FY2014. We’re excited that more of our donors are exploring other ways that they can make a difference. Stock gifts are becoming increasingly

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

popular and last year accounted for 30 percent of our total gifts. We also continue to see stronger interest from donors to support UCM through their estate plans. In today’s economy, a college degree has become a necessity. “The New York Times” recently reported that a four-year degree has never been more valuable, noting that Americans with four-year degrees made 98% more per hour in 2012 than those without. The Foundation is a relatively young organization, and we are making changes to make it even better. Famous American educator, W. Edwards Deming, said, “The result of long-term relationships is better and better quality and lower and lower costs.” With your generous commitment to create greater learning opportunities for our students, we believe that will happen. Warmest Regards,

Jason Drummond, Ed.D. Executive Director of the UCM F ou ndation

Vice President of Alumni Relations and Development

endowment impact

why your gift

matters

92% Eight percent. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how many students are impacted by current scholarship giving, leaving 92 percent we are unable to help. Did you know that most students leave college because of money? Imagine the impact of your giving if we could help all 100 percent. Now thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world-changing!

University of Central Missouri Magazine

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

FY14 $50,072,155

$42,941,248

$38,863,336

FY12 FY13

$38,187,005

$34,258,903

FY11

FY10

Tota l Ass e ts *

95% Students with ucm Foundation Schol arships gr aduate

75%

Students without ucm Foundation Schol arships gr aduate

74% restric ted by donor

FY10

unrestric ted

bequests

capital proj ec ts

endowments

FY11

15%

$3,484,829

FY12

endowment impact

$5,212,219

FY13

Scholarships are the area most donors restrict their gifts to support, for good reason. Our research shows that students with Foundation scholarships make better grades in class and are more likely to stay at UCM and complete their degrees.

$4,101,105

FY14

Types of Gifts

$3,794,809

Undergraduate Retention

*Numbers are as of June 30 each year

In FY2014, the Foundation finished one of the strongest fundraising years in its history, surpassing its giving goal by more than $1 million. Total gifts increased by 40% over FY13. Among the areas of support, 70% went to scholarships and awards, 15% to academic rograms, 6% to chairs/professorships, 2% to athletics, and 7% to other areas.

$5,324,379

Total Gifts

Financial Highlights

$50,072,155

The UCM Foundation achieved national recognition for its investment performance in managing 1,388 funds and reaching a record $50 million in assets for FY 2014. Comparing 831 institutions, the National Association of College and University Business Officers Commonfund Study of Endowments indicated our fiveyear annualized rate of return ranked in the top 25% nationally.

Total Assets

w h en a pp li c a b le , C h ar ts r e f l e c t au di te d fi g u r e s for t h e 2 01 4 F is c al Y e ar.

FY 2014 UCM FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

16 $5,324,379

6,327 donors

University of Central Missouri Magazine

16¢

Academics Athletics

18¢

incre ase over fy2013

$477,250

FY12

FY14

FY13

$498,244

$573,699

FY11

FY10

Endowment Payout

Scholarships

44¢

Where Every Dollar Goes

Bricks & Mortar

$835,027

$805,707

kmos

13¢ 9¢

Endowments are at the heart of our mission because they provide a source of permanent funding to benefit our students. In FY14, they reached a market value of $34,326,479, an increase of 7.6%.

into the endowment during FY2014

$797,572

donors invested

alu m ni $2, 938 , 266

55%

Total gifts: $5,324,379

frie n ds $1 ,10 0,117

21%

corpor ations $8 60, 9 85

16%

fou n dations $243 ,4 4 8

estates & trusts $1 81 , 563

14.3

Sources of Gifts

rate of return

Endowment Investment

Knowing the Soul of People I f S a n d r a W r i g h t h a d n ’ t ta k e n a r is k a n d m a d e a d e a l wi t h a c a r d e a l e r f r o m h e r h o m e t o w n o f N e va d a , M o. , s h e w o u l d n ’ t h av e g o t t e n t h e c h a n c e to l e a r n a b o u t h e r t r u e pa ssi o n a n d s u p p o r t o t h e r s t u d e n t s i n f i n d i n g t h e i r s. by chelsey bu s eck

he middle child of three girls, Wright said, “My mother always emphasized how important it was for us to make good grades.” An excellent student, Wright enjoyed both academic and extracurricular activities. “I remember school was somewhat complex. All three of us were busy learning Latin and I spent most of my time as editor of the school paper.” Wright excelled in all aspects of school, especially art. “There was an art teacher, Mrs. Myrle Fraser, who was very important to me. She knew that I had ability.” As it so happened, Myrle (Rich) Fraser was a 1947 graduate of the University of Central Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. A proud alumnae,

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

she encouraged Wright also to attend UCM. Given Wright’s family circumstances, though, the chances were slim. “When I graduated from high school, I had no money, and my parents didn’t know how to send me to college. It was a different time.” Little did Wright know an unexpected opportunity was in her future. “There was this businessman in town. His name was L.F Richardson, and he owned a Dodge dealership,” she said. “He was very wealthy.” Every year Richardson would pick a few students from the local high school graduating class and make a deal with them so they could attend college. “Send her to me,” said Wright, recalling when she was chosen by Richardson. “She needs to go to college.”

After meeting Richardson, Wright was given an “interest-free” loan to pay for classes at UCM. She became the first person in her family to attend college. With a bright future ahead, Wright took full advantage of her opportunity. A good student, she enjoyed printmaking classes

Many people don’t realize this, but having a degree opens doors for you. and was the art editor of the 1962 UCM “Rhetor” yearbook. Defined as a teacher of rhetoric, a rhetor studies effective or persuasive speaking and writing. Wright used that definition for her inspiration in drawing 200 hand-sketched layouts throughout the 1962 edition.

Swimming in colors of deep green and blue, Wright’s work can be seen on the cover and on the sections. “In the 60s, we were infatuated with cubism and breaking the human face into geometric shapes,” she said. “The cover is a collection of people making speeches with their mouths open and arms moving.” She still remembers the tremendous amount of work that went into creating the yearbook. “I was so deadline driven. There is no tomorrow, today is the day,” she said. A full-time student, Wright found time to work on the side as a babysitter, waitress and house cleaner. Proudly, she was able to pay Richardson back for his loan within a year after graduating in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science in Art. Degree in hand, Wright moved to Miami where she lived for several years working as a graphic artist and public relations advertising director. “Many people don’t realize this, but having a degree opens doors for you,” she said. “I would not have had the same opportunities I did without mine.” In 1975 Wright moved back to Missouri and worked for Southwestern Bell, selling ad space for the Yellow Pages. There she met her true love, Stanley.

Images from the 1962 “Rhetor” include students performing in a band, Sandra’s senior photo and when sketching images, and the UCM bowling alley. BELOW: This illustration by Sandra decorates the cover of the 1962 “Rhetor.” from t he top:

University of Central Missouri Magazine

“Art is the soul of people. You may make a living doing something else, but you always have art.”

A native to St. Louis, Stanley was an avid golfer and loved to read. “He was a people person and could sell anything to anybody,” said Wright. The Wrights enjoyed doing many things together, especially “The New York Times” crossword puzzles. “He taught me many things. But, he always said one of the greatest things in his life was finding his name on my paintings,” said Wright. “And I continue to sign my art with his last name.” In 1981, the Wrights retired and began buying, remodeling and selling homes; they averaged two remodels a year. Enjoying the booming business and owning 12 homes, they became mortgage lenders. Fifteen years later, they sold everything, determined to fully enjoy retirement. The couple bought a 160-acre farm in Jackson County, Mo., and directed their efforts to remodeling the farmhouse and barn in period style. The Wrights were married for 30 years before Stanley passed away in 2003. “Stanley and I always talked about what we would do with our money, and we always talked about creating a scholarship,” said

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

Wright. “L. F. Richardson did a wonderful thing for me, and I wanted to do the same.” Fifty-five years after receiving a loan from Richardson, Wright is paying it forward by gifting a charitable gift annuity to the UCM Foundation. When her estate gift is realized, it will fund an endowed scholarship for art students who are Missouri residents and carry a minimum 3.0 grade point average. “I don’t think enough scholarships are given to art students. We are so centered on athletics, business, medicine…everything but art,” she said. “This scholarship is meant to motivate these students to stay in school and to help them not to have to work so hard outside of the classroom like I did.” Wright continues to create art. One of her favorite things is to sketch the landscape surrounding the farmhouse she built with Stanley. “Art,” she says, “is the soul of people. You may make a living doing something else but you always have art. As long as I can hold a paintbrush, I’ll still be painting,” said Wright with a smile. n a b ov e:

Angel Skin Peonies. l ef t:

Sandra Wright’s portrait of her late husband, Stanley, entitled Driving South

mark fa r r is

Apart from cycling, printmaking is a passion in Mark Farris’ life. The UCM assistant professor received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts from the University of North Carolina and a certificate in printmaking from Wroclaw Academy of Fine Arts in Poland. He noted, “Art has always been something I can enjoy and identify with.”

Mark Farris, Knockoffs, intaglio and six-color screen print. ri g h t: Mark Farris, After the Fall, intaglio

above:

P r i n t mak i n g T o d ay p r i n t mak i n g i s a n a r t f o r m c o n s i s t i n g o f t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f i ma g e s, u s u a l ly o n pap e r b u t o c c as i o n a l ly o n fa b r i c, pa r c h m e n t, p l as t i c o r o t h e r s u pp o r t b y va r i o u s t e c h n i q u e s o f m u lt i p l i c at i o n, u n d e r t h e d i r e c t s u p e r v i s i o n o f o r b y t h e h a n d o f t h e a r t i s t.

current student work

Mark Farris teaches three levels of printmaking classes ranging from introductory courses that cover four primary areas of print media, to more advanced courses that are self-directed and allow for a more in-depth exploration of various print media. UCM’s program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, the only state-supported school in Missouri to have that accreditation continuously since 1986. In 2013, Farris formed the UCM Print Club, a student organization that discusses topics relevant to printmaking and the arts. The club sells student work and self-promotional projects to help fund trips for students to visit regional galleries and print shops.

Bramble Briar by junior Sierra Stanton, The Jabberwocky by junior Crystal Burgess, Love of the Mother by senior Alex Long, Native by junior Sydney Maret and How to Train a Bug to Be Your Friend by senior Kelly Brake.

l e ft to right:

University of Central Missouri Magazine

philant h ropy

About Character and Leadership

STUDENT FOCUS

Jessika Otto knows that doing the right thing isn’t always easy. She’s learning to become a better person, though, worthy of receiving the Beulah Gutridge Winfrey Scholarship. Winfrey, ’48, ’61, was a high school teacher and college professor. She intended the scholarship be awarded to a “worthy, deserving student with good moral character, who shows promise of leadership and academic ability.” “I’ve learned that being the bigger person is one of the hardest

Can This Job Be Real? Getting Paid to Talk

hree hours a day, five days a week, 30 students at the University of Central Missouri are being paid to talk on the phone. “Be yourself,” said Matt Faupel, who supervises the students he hired for the Red Call Center on the third floor of the Humphreys Building. “It’s okay to enjoy the conversation; in fact, I encourage it.” Red Call has been contacting alumni since 1986 to connect with them, thank them for their annual support and to ask they continue to make gifts to the university. In doing so, students update contact information, answer questions and let alumni know what’s happening on campus. Red Call is an important part of the UCM Foundation’s annual giving program, Fund for Excellence. The fund directly impacts students’ lives and educational experience by applying gifts from donors toward campus facilities and

tHings to do.” Otto is a good example of those qualities. Originally from Festus, Mo., Otto is involved in her community and Phi Sigma Pi. She was her high school salutatorian, and she’s proud of the 3.9 GPA she is maintaining in college. Otto doesn’t shy from hard work. “In a world that can be so judgmental and harsh, I try my best to always do the right thing, even in tough situations,” she said. “It’s important to give everybody a chance no matter their circumstances.”

activities, providing the tools necessary for students to keep pace with changing academic needs and learning opportunities. “Many of the amazing things happening on campus are because of donor gifts. To me, Red Call is much more than updating information. It is about connecting students with alumni,” he said. Faupel is in his first semester supervising Red

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

Graduate student matt faupel manages the student-staffed red call center targeting alumni for support.

Call. He graduated from UCM in 2013 with a bachelor of science in graphic arts technology management and is currently working toward a master’s in college student personnel administration. “I was definitely nervous at first,” he said. “Getting students comfortable talking with alumni is tricky.” Faupel works daily with students to enhance their communication skills in hopes of making them feel at home when talking with alumni. “We create ice breaker activities and team building exercises to make the students feel more relaxed,” said Gretchen Freund, a student manager. A child and family development major, Freund is most excited to work with a large variety of student callers and three student managers: Courtney Schultz, marketing; Kaylah McCellan, nursing; and Shauna Schultz, child and family development. “For many student callers, this is their first job,” said Faupel. “My goal is to help them gain work experience that they can apply to their future career.” Last summer Faupel interned at Boise State University where he worked in conference operations. “I directly supervised a staff of 20 student employees and assisted with supervising a staff of another 12 students,” said Faupel. At Boise, his internship focused on preparing and operating conferences hosted by the university, which included nearly 8,000 guests during the summer. “You know, it’s kind of funny. My internship helped prepare me to lead Red Call, and hopefully the students here are gaining experience that they can utilize in the future.” Gaining leadership experience by supervising Red Call, Faupel feels confident he will land a job in higher education after he graduates in spring 2015.

p hilanthro p y

“The reason for establishing this scholarship for a student with a disability is because my daughter was a spina bifida kid who beat the odds and was a gifted student. Both my aunt, at age 94, and my daughter, at age 22, have passed away. This scholarship is a tribute to them both.” — K aren B rokken aca de mic s

beyo nd the cl assro o m

A Ph i l a n t h ro p i c H o l i day

Gift Helps Students THRIVE in Special Program

Tech Students Network with Industry Leaders Opportunity

Perfect Timing Can Benefit You and UCM Students

The Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority presented a $35,000 gift to THRIVE, a postsecondary program serving students with developmental and intellectual disabilities at the University of Central Missouri. The gift will be used by the program’s Student Success Fund, an account that funds THRIVE student scholarships. THRIVE (Transformation, Healthy, Responsibility, Independence, Vocation, Education) is a two-year program that provides certificates for participants who attend seminars and classes and who are active socially and in campus residential life. “Our goal is to provide THRIVE students with an opportunity to succeed beyond high school graduation,” said Joyce Downing, associate dean and professor of special education. “The certificate of completion THRIVE students receive at the end of their two years on campus is an indication of their ability to adapt to new learning and living situations while expanding their academic successes.”

Twenty-six industry professionals and 92 UCM students, faculty and staff attended the Sixth Annual UCM Quality Management Conference in September. Funded by a UCM Foundation Opportunity Grant, the conference focused on the theme, “Lean Tools and 5S in Waste Reduction,” a system that reduces waste and optimizes productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace and consistent operational results. “The conference was a great success, creating opportunities for students to discuss, learn and meet industry leaders,” said Suhansa Rodchua, industrial management associate professor and grant recipient. “Students attending the event had a chance to network and learn about real-world situations they will soon face when entering the workforce.”

$100 or less

13,859 gifts were made in fy14, of which 80 percent were $100 or less.

Have You Made Plans for Your Future?

As the year comes to a close and we enter into the season for giving, remember that making year-end charitable gifts can be beneficial in many ways. They provide much-needed support for the UCM Foundation, are personally heartwarming and may produce significant tax savings for you. By timing your charitable gifts before Dec. 31, you may see a tax break for the year when you itemize deductions on your tax return. There are several strategies for resourceful yearend giving, including writing a personal check, charging your credit card or contributing appreciated securities. Giving is such a part of this university’s heritage. Our campus would look dramatically different without the gifts alumni and friends have made through the decades. So as the holidays approach, think about your options. And call us at 660-543-8000 if you would like more information about what your gift could do. Go online to ucmo.edu/giveonline or call us at 660-543-8000.

If you are thinking about creating or updating a will or trust, we can help. If you are considering ways to save on taxes, we can help. If you are interested in a charitable bequest, we can help. There are many ways you can make a gift to further our important work and benefit UCM students.

Are You Looking for Secure, Future Income? When you make a gift of cash or appreciated property for a charitable gift annuity, we will pay you fixed payments for life (with rates based on your age). You will receive a charitable deduction for making the gift and a portion of your payments could be tax-free!

Thinking about Selling Your Business? Do you know you can minimize taxes, maximize a gift to UCM and take home more money from the sale of your business?

Contact Joy Mistele, UCM Foundation, about any of these giving opportunities at 660-543-8000.

It’s easy to give; just go to ucmo.edu/giveonline

University of Central Missouri Magazine

When the

Past & present create the future by ch e l s e y bu s eck

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

ICTEP

award

1966 With its origins as a normal school, the University of Central Missouri has a history in teacher education, utilizing many of the same principles for more than 100 years.

left:

UCM students gained experience in Kansas City schools in the 1960s through a program started by emeritus professor Fred Rietbrock. a b ove fr om left:

The program became so popular with UCM students that enrollment had to be capped.

However, for a brief moment in the 1960s, two UCM professors questioned these practices and created an award-winning teacher preparation program. What started as a rough sketch drawn on napkins turned into a national award in 1966. It also led to a recent conversation between those professors, Fred Rietbrock and James Hudson, now retired, and College of Education Dean Michael Wright about a piece of history lost and found. In 1963 Rietbrock was instructing a night class when he was asked a question he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to answer: What was the university doing to prepare teachers to work with students from different cultures, especially in the inner city? Rietbrock and the student met for coffee after class and sketched out a plan on napkins, and soon a small group of students

and educators were formed on the issue. For more than a century, UCM had instructed its student teachers like many other universities in Missouri. The Inner City Teacher Education Program featured several major advances in teacher preparation, including a focus on in-depth field experiences prior to student teaching, supervision by faculty well-known to students, and student involvement in the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design and delivery. Rietbrock and Robert B. Marshall, late professor emeritus of secondary education, headed the program focused on preparing teachers for working in an urban environment and finding ways to ease racial tension in the classroom. Gaining popularity on campus, ICTEP engaged student groups full time in two professional blocks. The first block involved teacher preparation courses focused on urban environments integrated with extensive inner city field experiences. The second block was student teaching in the inner city under the supervision of ICTEP professors such as Rietbrock, Marshall and Hudson.

University of Central Missouri Magazine

What began as a night class turned into a program that earned the highest award for teacher education available in the nation at the time. The year was 1964.

This is valuable to remember for professional educators who believe their work can be strengthened by understanding their predecessors’ efforts.

Fred Rietbrock

Jim Hudson

Ted Garten

Professor emeritus

Professor Emeritus

“We don’t try and train people; we got rid of that notion early. Attitudes and understanding is the core of this thing. Formula teaching is a faulty notion,” said Marshall. On a weekly basis Rietbrock, Marshall, Hudson and groups of 12-15 student teachers took a bus from Warrensburg to Kansas City, Mo. The students spent time in the district schools observing and teaching classes, while working with UCM faculty

“Attitudes and understanding are at the core of this thing.” — Robert B. Marshall

What I took away was the importance of creating a culture that makes students comfortable, to make the abstract concrete, so the student has a lightbulb “ah-hah” moment.

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

and the Kansas City cooperating teacher. Often, the students networked with area professionals and visited their students’ homes with home-school coordinators. The faculty team that supervised the field experience worked closely with the school district teachers, principals and counselors. The popularity of ICTEP was astounding. It gained a reputation of being positive, successful and meaningful to students. Eventually the program had to cap enrollment. In 1965, Rietbrock noticed “The Chronicle of Higher Education” soliciting proposals for an American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education award. Rietbrock discussed it with faculty in the program and decided to “go for it” and submit an application. In competition with 41 universities and colleges, ICTEP was selected in 1966 for the nation’s highest award in teacher education, the AACTE Distinguished Achievement Award for “its development and implementation of an education program for prospective teachers of the culturally different child.” The project attracted national attention, including organizations like the Ford Foundation. Although the program grew in

The late Robert B. Marshall, professor emeritus

popularity, it faced obstacles involving class scheduling, lack of support and a shortage of institutional resources. By 1970 the program was eliminated,

yet its legacy continues. “You know it’s kind of funny, almost 50 years later our college is still facing the same challenges,” said Wright. “Trying to change higher education is like moving a mountain, it takes time and effort, and there are a lot of moving pieces.” For the past 10 years, the notion of teacher preparation has been questioned across the nation. “Seven years ago we put the responsibility on the student to contact a teacher and arrange a time to observe, but what if you don’t have a car, what if you don’t know anybody?” said Wright “The logistics of our students getting the proper field experience needed was totally up to them.”

Almost 50 years later, our college is still facing the same challenges. Trying to change higher education is like moving a mountain. It takes time and effort, and there are a lot of moving pieces.

a catalyst for

change

Mike Wright Dean

Although this was normal across the state, the UCM College of Education was well ahead of the game. In 2008 they created the Clinical Model for Teacher Preparation. Inspired by a report from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, the new structure creates knowledge and awareness of choices and better prepares candidates for the classroom. Ironically, methods involved in the Clinical Model for Teacher Preparation are similar to those of ICTEP. “Our current program, which we believe to be the best practice, really mirrors what they did in the ’60s,” said Wright. “The many lessons the ICTEP program taught us were never built on and were eventually lost. In a way, the College of Education is honoring our past in building our future with this model.” n The ICTEP Award, photos and program documents were presented to the McClure Archives and University Museum in the Kirkpatrick Library where they are available for alumni to view. If you participated in ICTEP and would like to share your story, email us at ucmmagazine@ucmo.edu.

Lessons from the past are shaping teacher education today. UCM’s College of Education recently became the first in the state to offer co-teaching as a model for student teaching. The Clinical Model for Teacher Preparation enhances the studentteaching experience by treating cooperating teachers, student teachers and university supervisors as partners in the classroom. “All three work together to plan, teach and evaluate. The new model is more of a mentoring process then an apprenticeship,” said Mike Wright, dean. Similar to the award-winning ICTEP, every week students take a bus to one of 13 school districts that are equally located in rural, suburban and urban environments. Upon graduation, teacher candidates will have experienced at least three different school settings, nearly every grade level within a certification range, and will have had two years of significant practicum. “Co-teaching helped me start the school year familiar with routines and different teaching styles,” said UCM senior, Zoey Picker. “It took away a lot of anxiety and made the start of the year go by smoothly.” Picker is from St. Charles, Mo., majoring in elementary education with a concentration in special education. The College of Education also is preparing teachers to work in urban education. A new graduate program, Urban Leadership Preparation, identifies current educators in its charter school program and prepares them to become leaders in the classroom. “If you look at urban education, diversity in the ‘60s was focused on African-Americans. Now diversity has changed and become a much broader concept involving an array of races and religions,” said Wright.

Fifty years ago, UCM developed a teacher education program in Kansas City’s urban core that was short-lived yet lasting.

University of Central Missouri Magazine

class notes

1940-1949

1990-1999

Robert L. McCan ’45 celebrated his 90th birthday by publishing “Citizens Guide to Heatlh Care Reform,” 2nd ed., available from Amazon. He was a Navy V-12 student accepted for chaplain training. He has lived in the Washington, D.C. area since 1965.

Teresa Herbic ’90 likes to teach children about compassion, love, peace and kindness through her writing. Her Children’s Compassion Series launched its second book, “Dog Tales,” earlier this year and features the unique adventures of eight adopted dogs. As director of families for adoption for Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, she leads the organization when it comes to adoptions for pets, along with the domestic and international adoption of orphan children. Herbic lives in Missouri with her husband, Galen, and their two adopted children, Meyana and Braxten.

1960-1969 David Campbell ’61 is enjoying retirement after a career in the Air Force and Department of Defense. After serving on active duty, he specialized in software design and development, managing contractual efforts for software development and hardware procurement, and developing a web site to support the procurement effort. David enjoys woodworking as a hobby. Charlie H. Auer ’65, ’71, ’78, and wife, Joyce (Rainsburg) Auer will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Dec. 19, 2014. They reside in Sun City West, Ariz.

1970-1979 Ron Wilken ’76 is an assistant professor of graduate education at Southwest Baptist University.

1980-1989 Steven Popejoy ’82 is serving as professor of business law and head of the accountancy program at UCM. Christopher Budke ’83 accepted a position with Husch Blackwell as special investigator in criminal and civil matters on the firm’s Government Compliance, Investigations & Litigations team. He and his wife, Deborah Denise (Gish) ’83, reside in Overland Park, Kan.

Jeff McLanahan ’90 received an unexpected 10 minutes of fame after he responded to a post on LinkedIn about the negative qualities of an ex-boss. On Aug. 22, 2014, he was quoted in the “Forbes” article, Buckets of Bad Advice: How Not To Manage People. “One of the many things I learned from my worst boss is NOT to neglect the development of my team. My boss was not a developer of people. His direct reports wrote their own semiannual performance appraisals, his feedback was delivered only once per year and came in the form of reading our year-end performance appraisal back to us. From this, I incorporated a monthly meeting with my direct reports to review what they had accomplished the previous month as well as their plans for the upcoming month.” McLanahan was chosen by “Forbes” because he flipped the negative qualities of a previous boss into positive practices. Now, he is vice president of training for Success Academy, a subsidiary of Direct Energy Home Services. Success Academy provides sales, customer service

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

and communication training to all employees as well as management training and leadership development for the leaders of the branded businesses. The article was re-published by “Deseret News” in Salt Lake City. To read the full article in Forbes, visit http://onforb.es/1zkyNqz. Everett “Ev” Thomas, ’90, retired major general and former UCM Distinguished Alumnus, is familiar with the Warrensburg area, having once been in charge of 400 employees who support the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program. He served in the Air Force for more than 30 years and was responsible for overseeing ICBM development activities, operations and sustainment. “Ev brings a strong passion and commitment to this critical mission area and will build on our work to strengthen and expand our partnership with the U.S. Air Force strategic missile customer,” said Douglas R. Graham, vice president of advanced programs for Strategic & Missile Defense Systems, Lockheed Martin Space Systems. Thomas has master’s degrees in national security strategy from the U.S. Naval War College and in industrial safety and business management from the University of Central Missouri. He will be working with the ICBM program and conventional prompt strike initiatives as Director of Air Force Strategic Programs for Lockheed Martin Space Systems. Steven Davis ’91 is employed at Halliburton Energy Services in Hobbs, NM. Sean Murphy ’95 is director of security for Nomura Holdings America in the Worldwide Plaza in New York City. He is a major in the 42nd Infantry Division for the New York Army National Guard. Scott Gordon ’98 was promoted to general counsel for the Kansas State Department of

Education. He previously worked for the office as an Attorney IV. Durand McNutt ’99 was promoted to lead production operation manager at the Boeing Company in January after five years with the company. Previously, he worked at Chrysler as an area production and maintenance manager for eight years. Durand enjoys attending alumni reunions and homecomings and is proud to have been a player for the Mules football team from 1998-1999.

2000-2009 Rachel Fritz ’00 accepted a position as chief operations officer for the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee in September. Courtney Pellegrino ’00, ’04, ’10 earned a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership and Administration from Northeastern University in Boston in September. Courtney is an early childhood special education teacher, working with children with autism. She resides in Virginia with her husband and two young sons. Lisa (Przychodzki) Miller ’01 and her husband, Nathan, welcomed their third child, Lucas Robert, Aug. 14, 2014. Lucas joins brother Levi, 3 and sister Norah, 5. The family resides in the San Francisco Bay area where Nathan is an information technology operations manager. Jamie (Fischer) Patterson ’05 is the digital marketing manager at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo. Amanda Roberts ’07, ’09 is copy editor of the “Shenzhen Daily”, one of only four English daily newspapers in China. She resides in Oviedo, Fla. Brandon Badgley ’09 has accepted a position with DuPont Pioneer as account manager for

class notes

Two mulekickers compare memories

the counties of Henry, Johnson, Cass, Pettis, Lafayette and Benton in Missouri. He resides in Lee’s Summit, Mo. Keith Stiffler ’09 married Stacy Brown ’08, on June 21, 2014, in Grain Valley. The newlyweds met at UCM in the fall of 2008 and attended every football game to support Stacy’s younger brother, Cody, the baritone section leader of the Marching Mules.

2010-2019 Gary Blagg ’10 is working for the Bureau of Land Management in Oregon, conducting habitat assessments and a variety of wildlife surveys.

THIS MOTHER AND DAUGHTER have special memories of Central Missouri’s two national basketball championships. Kim Knoche Smith and her daughter, McKenna, were Mulekickers for their winning teams in 1984 and 2014, respectively. Being a Mulekicker in 1984, Kim recalls the “very long bus” trip to Springfield, Mass. Like 2014, the game was tight, and Kim said she held her breath in the final moments as the teams traded free throws. For daughter, McKenna, a child and family development major, “my best memory of the championship game was the final buzzer. The entire game was a backand-forth battle, and we had no clue who would come out on top. At the last minute, Daylen Robinson stole the ball and ran down the court to make the winning shot. We went insane! “We started doing the fight song and were screaming the words, and it was probably the most enthusiastic fight song cheer the crowd had ever seen. Then the confetti exploded, and people started rushing the court. It was like a scene from a movie, and I will never forget the feeling of being on that court with our winning team. I even saved some of the confetti.” Something McKenna also remembers is how loud the game was. “Sometimes I couldn’t even hear myself cheer.” Fashion and technology also have changed in those 30 years. Kim remembers compared to

today that “our pom poms were huge.” McKenna adds, “Our outfits are completely different, even though we are trying to bring back some pieces from then. But we dance on the same sidelines and at halftime. We got to travel with the team to the championship, and not all teams get to do that.” Kim pointed out, “Texting and live streaming weren’t around in 1984 that’s for sure!” Kim danced with the Mulekickers for two years. “I became a Mulekicker because I loved to dance. [She started at age 3.] I was a cheerleader through high school and fell in love cheering for my school’s teams.” She earned a degree in secondary education from UCM, married Bill Smith, and had three children. Kim remembers her parents coming to every game to watch her dance, and she and Bill have been able to do the same with their daughter with one exception, the championship. Following in her mother’s steps, McKenna also loves dance, first in the studio, then her high school. After taking two years off from dance, she tried out for the Mulekickers. She was on the 2013-14 team and is on the current 2014-15 team. “McKenna and I definitely agree we were both so very thankful and proud to be a part of such amazing and exciting championships. We have memories we will never forget,” said Kim.

Awards & Honors Ron Clemons ’61 was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of Kansas City by “KC Magazine”, because of his inspirational instruction to journalism students at Truman High School in Independence, Mo. Ron was an educator for 50 years, directing the Blair Summer School for Journalism in New York, and the Summer Media Workshop at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. He retired three years ago as director of the George Caleb Bingham Academy of the Arts in Independence.

Outstanding Teaching Award from Purdue University Calumet for preparing his students’ workplace challenges by integrating curriculum with job-related assignments and collaborations with industry. He has taught occupational safety and health related courses at the university since 2007. He credits UCM for providing him with solid foundations to become successful. “Faculty members had a passion to be in this field of study, and I believe I inherited that passion in my career today.”

Shoji Nakayama ’98, ’01, was awarded the 2013-2014

Cory Bittner ’11 was named one of Ingram’s 20 in their 20’s

winners recognizing Kansas City’s outstanding young entrepreneurs. He works for UBS Financial Services in Overland Park. Kan. Derek J. Wiseman ‘11 joined the Husch Blackwell firms’ business litigation group in St. Louis, Mo. He received his doctorate in juris from Washington University School of Law where he was a member of the ABA National Moot Court team and the notes editor for the “Washington University Law Review.” Derek graduated Order of the Coif and received the Judge Amandus Brackmun Moot Court Award.

University of Central Missouri Magazine

I n M emoriam

1940-1949

1970-1979

2010-2019

Jack T. Hall ’41 Merle E. Repper ’44

Harold W. Branton ’70 J. Kaye Fairweather ’70 Fritz Hirter III ’70 Monica L. Murray ’70 Dennis Libbert ’72 Juanita Springer ’73 Loren Daetwiler ’74 Owen Sully ’74 Mauro Gonzalez ’76 Christian Ricks ’76

Rae Irwin ’14

Robert Stafford Donna Straub Jennifer Thompson

College High

Friends

James Kilmer ’64 Christiane Elwell ’73 Jerry Stockton ’73

Norbert Balkenbusch Christopher Chilcutt Angela Lange Rick McClellan Dorothy McMeekin Kenneth McMurtrey Nancy Mock Beryl Ortwerth Randy Pike Marjorie Ridenhour Betty Semkin Moira Short Kim Vandiver

1950-1959 Jay E. Cornell ’54 John R. Hays Jr. ’57, ’60 Delores “Dee” Welch ’35 CH, ’59 M. Dee Halley ’52, ’60

1960-1969 Martha A. Cohick ’61 Larry J. Graham ’62 Patricia A. Wells ’62 Ruth Starkey ’63 Gladys Parks ’65, ’70 Sandra Howard ’67 Lynda McCray ’67

a rare story of four sisters

1980-1989 Donald Kruger ’81

2000-2009 Benjamin Shively ’00

Current Students Billy Carey Kelsey Toebben Kelly Vernon

Former Students Fall Charles Mac Shirley Marlowe Annie Sims

stories such as the Buckstead sisters are rare. When all four — Elaine, Jean, Doris and Annabelle — were students in 1939, they made the “Daily Star Journal.” Now, we say goodbye to the last sister, Jean Griffith Buckstead Platt, 96, who died June 24, 2014. Thanks to her son, Don, we can enjoy their story a final time. James and Olive Buckstead were farmers in Irene, S.D. They married in 1917 and had seven children. Times were desperate in the early 1930s with a grasshopper plague, a drought and the Depression. They lost their farm in 1933 and migrated to a farm belonging to Olive’s sister and brother-in-law seven miles south of Holden, Mo. Don’s mother, Jean Griffith Buckstead Platt, was the oldest of the girls. She was born April 10, 1918. She was followed by three sisters (Elaine, Doris and Annabelle), two brothers (Donald and Wayne) and another sister (Janice), all of whom preceded her in death. Jean died at age 96 on Tuesday, June 24, 2014. Jean was the first to graduate from Holden High School followed by Elaine, Doris and Annabelle. Each in turn attended State Teachers College in Warrensburg (now UCM). The Buckstead family had nothing but still found a way to educate their children. The sisters found boarding rooms, one at the William Rudy home, another at the Osborn Greer home and two at 204 W. South St. They were long-time 4-H winners in cooking and sewing, which helped with their expenses. They were in the Drum and Marching Corps and were involved in many activities. Following her graduation from then Normal School #2, Jean taught a year in Kansas City, then took a train to New Mexico where she taught on

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

an Indian reservation. It was here she met Ruel E. Platt on this train ride to New Mexico. He was an enlistee in World War II and was transferring to Camp Luna. They married Nov. 21, 1942, and she had her first son, Don, in Las Vegas, New Mexico. They came back to Missouri and their second son, Johnny Wayne, was born in 1946 in Warrensburg. Their third son, Jimmy Gene, was born in 1948. Jean returned to UCM during the 1950s and earned the first of several master’s degrees. She was a lifelong educator, receiving master’s degrees in education, elementary administration and library science. She taught elementary grades at Winnwood and Munger schools. She taught fourth grade, first grade and health and physical education at North Kansas City school system. She was a principal and teacher in the Blue Springs School District and spent her last 18 years as the head librarian in the Park Hill School District. She retired in 1983. She then cared for her mother, husband and son until their passing. She wrote letters, read, studied harmonica under the Chinese master Chamber Huang, played accordion, piano, banjo, gardened and exercised. She was buried in the Medford Cemetery just two miles from the Buckstead farm.

in memoriam

Patricia Castle Patricia Helen Roop Castle, 85, of Warrensburg, the wife of professor emeritus of music Conan Castle, died Sept. 1, 2014, at her home from cancer. She was born March 4, 1929, in Bartlesville, Okla., the daughter of Charles William and Harriet Enid Penney Roop. After Harriet’s death she was loved by her second mother, Madge “Maggie” Bitler Roop. On March 17, 1951, she married Conan Jennings Castle, who survives. Following graduation from Wichita High School East in 1947, she attended Doane College for two years, Wichita State University for one summer and received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Northwestern University in 1951. In 1969 she completed a master’s degree in library science from the University of Central Missouri. Her teaching career included 1 1/2 years at the elementary school at Anshe Emit Synagogue in Chicago, one year at Ridge View Elementary School in Warrensburg and 19 years as librarian at Whiteman Elementary School on Whiteman AFB. In addition to her husband, survivors include three children, Randall, Carolyn and Bruce; sisters Martha and Suzanne; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Memorials are suggested to the Conan and Patricia Castle Vocal Music Scholarship, UCM Foundation, Smiser Alumni Center, Warrensburg MO, 64093 or by going online to ucmo.edu/giveonline.

Margaret Harmon Margaret Katherine Harmon, one of the university’s most generous donors, died Oct. 4, 2014, in Largo, Fla. She and her husband of 73 years, Adrian Harmon, were long-time residents of Warrensburg before they retired to Florida. She was born in Johnson County, Mo., Feb. 4, 1923, to her parents, Edward H Handly, Jr. and Kate Young Handly. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by sister, Ann Handly Bechold Marr, and brother, Lynn Y. Handly, of Warrensburg.

Harmon was an active supporter of the university’s sports teams and academic programs. Prior to retirement, she and Adrian would frequently be seen at Mules’ and Jennies’ games. Their support of the university’s business school, named in their honor as the Adrian and Margaret Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies, continues today with scholarship opportunities for graduate students. Margaret loved to go to Powell Gardens and supported the building of Heartland Harvest garden, dedicating the Silo to the Farmers of Missouri. She continued her support in a wide range of activities, including nursing scholarships through the Research Foundation in Kansas City, math scholarships for students from Stover (Mo.), Missouri Girls Town, the American Legion, Missouri Boys State and the United Methodist Church Foundation. She is survived by her husband, sons Lynn A. Harmon (Jackie), Tommy D. Harmon (Muffet), and daughter Deborah Harmon Rankin, eight grandchildren, Monte Harmon (Tammy), Shanna Harmon O’Donnall (Francis), Meridith Harmon Sauer (Aaron), Muffet Harmon Eskra (Todd), Thomas B Harmon (Vicki), Heather R. Rankin, Ashley Rankin Whobrey (Tim), Dr. Summer Rankin (Ajay), 15 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Memorials are suggested to the UCM Foundation, Smiser Alumni Center, Warrensburg, MO 64093.

Bob Hatcher Bob Hatcher, 76, died July 22, 2014, in Brentwood, Tenn. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Katie Cotton Hatcher, and a brother, Ted. Bob was born March 22, 1938, in Davidson County, Tenn. He graduated from Eagleville High School in 1956 as senior class president, received a bachelor’s in biology from Middle Tennessee State University and a master’s in fishery biology from Auburn University. He worked for 38 years for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency in several positions, including non-game and endangered species coordinator. In this position, he initiated the restoration of the bald eagle in Tennessee resulting in the release of 284 eagles over 22 years. He also was responsible for reintroducing osprey, river otters, endangered mussels and other species throughout Tennessee.

He was a former national president of The Carnegians and was instrumental in starting a scholarship in their honor at the University of Central Missouri. He received numerous professional honors including the Tennessee Wildlife Professional of the Year, the National Bald Eagle Person of the Year, the Jane Whitson Conservation Award, the Nature Conservancy, Distinguished Service Award, Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2001, he discovered a fish species found only in the Caney Fork River named “Etheostoma hatcheri.” A resident of Brentwood, Tenn., he is survived by his wife of 52 years, Betty (Holton) Hatcher; children, Jerry (Colleen) Hatcher, Terri (Brian) Goodwin; grandchildren, Brad, Jeffrey, Zach, Autumn, Emma, Lauren; great-grandchild, Anna; brothers, Alex (Jean) Hatcher, Harold (Dot) Hatcher, Howard (Dot) Hatcher, Tom (Nancy) Hatcher. After retiring from TWRA, Bob served as a part-time consultant with the American Eagle Foundation. In his spare time, he enjoyed traveling with Betty, spending time with family and friends, researching and recording Hatcher genealogy. Memorials are suggested to the Carnegian Scholarship, UCM Foundation, Smiser Alumni Center, Warrensburg, MO 64093.

Deloris Johnson Deloris Irene Johnson, 76, of Warrensburg, died Aug. 16, 2014, at North Kansas City Hospital. She was born Aug. 30, 1937, in Olathe, the daughter of Clyde Herbert Eisele and Irene (Siler) Eisele. She was united in marriage to Larry Kay Johnson in 1957 in Olathe. She graduated from Emporia State University, and shortly after, moved with her family to Athens, Ga. In 1964, they moved to Warrensburg where Deloris taught at Sacred Heart Grade School for a time. She eventually took leave of absence from teaching to concentrate on raising her family. More recently, she taught math and science at Leeton Middle School until retiring in 2000. She received her master’s degree from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg. Survivors include five children: Larry Johnson, II and wife, Marcie of Blue Springs; Gregory Johnson of Greenville, Texas; Clayton Johnson and wife, Tammy of Warrensburg, Mo.; Deborah Frazier and husband, Leonard

University of Central Missouri Magazine

in memoriam

of Kansas City, Mo. and Veronica Schrand and husband, James of O’Fallon, Mo.; two brothers: Robert Eisele and wife, Diane of Olathe, Kan. and Michael Eisele Olathe, Kan.; 17 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Larry; both parents; brother: Clyde Eisele and sister-in-law: Betty Eisele. Memorials are suggested to the Dr. Larry and Deloris Johnson Scholarship, UCM Foundation, Smiser Alumni Center, Warrensburg, MO 64093.

He is survived by two sons, James E. Kilmer and wife, Denice, of Chilhowee, Mo., and Robert M. Kilmer and wife, Hong, of Hannibal, Mo.; six grandchildren, Andrew Kilmer, Jamiie Kilmer, Cindy Harris, John M. Kilmer, Myra Craig, and Jason Du; and 10 great-grandchildren. He was also preceded in death by his parents; one brother, John B. Kilmer; one sister, Mary Lou Kilmer; and one great-grandson, Will Cole. Memorial contributions are suggested to the James M. Kilmer Scholarship Endowment at the UCM Foundation or Sigma Tau Fraternity.

James Kilmer

Ronnie See, Jr.

James Milton Kilmer, 95, formerly of Chilhowee, died Sept. 5, 2014, in Hannibal, Mo. He was born Oct. 10, 1918, the son of Harry Edmund and Ethlyn C. (Baskett) Kilmer. On August 10, 1941, he married Pearl Louise (Piepmier) Kilmer. She preceded him in death on Oct. 4, 2002. James was a graduate of Chilhowee High School Class of 1936. He then attended Central Missouri State Teachers College for three years. He was a farmer for many years in Chilhowee before he retired. He served as president of the Farmer’s Exchange Board for 25 years and was an original board member of the Johnson County Memorial Hospital, where he served for 18 years.

Ronnie Virgil See, Jr., 51 of Warrensburg, formerly of Odessa, Mo., died Aug. 19, 2014, at home. Ronnie, Jr. was born March 31, 1963, in Homestead, Fla., to Ronnie Virgil See, Sr. and Andrea L. (Gould) See. He graduated from Warrensburg High School in 1981. Ronnie was a pipefitter and belonged to the Local 533 Pipefitters in Kansas City, Mo. for 33 years. Most recently, he was an apprenticeship instructor for the Local 533 Pipefitters. He married Julie Kaye (Shukers) See in 2003 in Las Vegas. Suvivors include his wife, mother Andrea L. See of Mountain View, Mo.; four children, Tara Leigh See of Los Angeles; Spencer William See of Yangzhou, China; Jessica

Ring and husband Brian of Holden, Mo.; and Karen Coffland and fiancé Tony Vick of Warrensburg, Mo.; a brother Scott and wife Kim of Webb City, MO.; and four nephews. Memorials are suggested to the Virgil See Scholarship Fund, UCM Foundation, Smiser Alumni Center, Warrensburg, MO 64093.

Elizabeth Weekley Sutton Elizabeth “Liz” Weekley Sutton, 84, Independence, Mo., died Oct. 11, 2014. She was born Elizabeth Ann Collings Nov. 16, 1929, in Independence. After graduating in 1947 from William Chrisman High School, she completed a degree in home economics in 1951 from Central Missouri State College. She started teaching high school home economics in Adrian, Mo., before she moved to the North Kansas City School District where she taught and worked during the summers on a master’s degree. She completed her master’s degree in home economics at Colorado State University. She married Donald Weekley in 1968. After retiring from teaching in 1983, she focused her attention on Shaklee product sales and attained supervisor level. After Don died in 1990, she married Jerry Sutton in 1999. He survives as well as four stepchildren and two step-grandchildren. In addition to UCM, Liz was a generous donor to many good causes, including Powell Gardens, Salvation Army, Boy Scouts and Children’s Mercy Hospital. Memorials are suggested to the Elizabeth Collings Weekley Scholarship, UCM Foundation, Smiser Alumni Center, Warrensburg, MO 64093.

Virginia Yinger Virginia Yinger, 98, a former member of the Faculty Wives at CMSU, died Aug. 30, 2014, at the Warrensburg Manor Care Center. She was born Sept. 7, 1915, in Terre Haute, Ind., the daughter of Howard and Leota (Utterbach) Long. She married Harold Yinger on April 10, 1942, in Dayton, Ohio. He preceded her in death in 2000. After graduating from Terre Haute High School, she worked as a a long distance operator at Indiana Bell Company and as a clerk typist for the U.S. Army Air Corps at Kearns Army Air Base in Utah. Survivors include a son, Andrew, Warrensburg; and a sister, Kathleen Robertson, Dana Point, Calif.

Vol. 14, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine

Your UC M

how will you choose to engage? O

ur UCM alumni are 87,000 strong throughout the world. Empowered, inspired and wired, they have the potential to be a powerful force. Our goal is to make the world “red all over” from the amazing impact our alumni can make when they engage through any of these ways:

A lumn i T ravel Pr ogram

e v e n ts i n 201 5

R e d connec t

We are busy planning events for 2015. We’ll be visiting Houston in February, Florida and India in March and Arizona in April...and that’s only a small part of the excitement we plan to bring to you this coming year. Get the latest at facebook.com/UCMAlumniAssociation.

If you want to travel the world, how about the Caribbean, the Mediterranean or the Baltics? Mark your dream destinations off your bucket list by signing up for one of our luxury cruises. Red Connect is a vehicle for you to engage with students through career conversations, résume critiques, mock interviews, internship opportunities, job shadowing, speaker and panelist series, and more.

illustrations by david babcock

a lumn i a dvi s0r n e t wor k

m ul e n at i on

Engage, develop and assist in alumni activities near your home and on campus through our Mule Nation network. To date we have launched clubs in Kansas City, St. Louis, Dallas and Houston. Watch for Mule Nation Mid-Mo in 2015.

Your news, thoughts and questions are important to us. Please write, telephone or send us an email. News of jobs, births, marriages, honors and more are always welcome. UCM Magazine Smiser Alumni Center Warrensburg, MO 64093 660-543-8000 or 1-866-752-7257

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ucmmagazine@ucmo.edu 660-543-4545 Address update:

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Following in the steps of world renowned institutions, we are making it easy for you to make a difference. In a few easy steps, you can create an online profile, set up your availabilities and connect with students. Be sure also to check out Mules4Hire, an account to post internships and job offers while having online access to students’ résumes. be i n t he k now

Keep up with recent news and upcoming events, as well as find all of our social media handles, by visiting the ucmo.edu/alumni “Stay Connected” section. l e a r n mor e abou t g e t t i n g i nvolved

For links to all programs and benefits listed, go to ucmo.edu/alumni/benefits.

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