Posted on
Nov. 6, 2009 by Karen Pojmann
Air Force ROTC Cadet Megan Grooms holds the Mizzou squadron flag before marching with her platoon from the Columns to the Boone County Courthouse Nov. 11, 2008. Grooms has since been commissioned and now is a 2nd lieutenant in the Air Force. Photo by Shane Epping.
Veterans Week 2009, Nov. 9-13
The community honors MIzzou veterans all week with ceremonies, lectures and arts events.
NOV. 9
Call of Duty Tournament
8-11:30 p.m. at Tiger Tech (MU Student Center)
Teams of four compete for the Call of Duty champion title. Winners receive a copy of the game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
NOV. 10-11
The Vigil
10:45 a.m. Tuesday - 11:11 a.m. Wednesday at Boone County Courthouse
Volunteer cadets and midshipmen from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force ROTC programs at Mizzou form two-person details to perform a vigil of honor in front of the Boone County war memorials.
NOV. 10
HUD-VASH Household Goods Drive
2-8 p.m. at Wal-Mart, 3001 W. Broadway
The Mizzou Student Veterans Association collects donated appliances, furniture, clothing, toiletries and other items in support of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH), which provides services for homeless veterans. Contact Billy Froeschner at billy.froeschner@mizzouveterans.org for details.
Movie: Taking Chance
7 p.m. in Wrench Auditorium, Memorial Union
Kevin Bacon stars as Lt. Col. Michael Strobl in this HBO Films drama that looks at the military rituals for honoring its war dead. The film pays tribute to the men and women who have given their lives in military service as well as their families. Admission is free.
NOV. 11
Mizzou Joint ROT C Annual Veterans Day Vigil, Parade and Ceremony
Veterans Day Complimentary Shuttle Service
Departs from in front of the Missouri Student Union 10-10:30 a.m.
Vans take passengers to the Veterans Day vigil, parade and ceremony in downtown Columbia and return to the Missouri Student Union immediately after the ceremony.
Parade
10:40 a.m. on 8th Street
Starts at the Mizzou Columns traveling along 8th Street to the Boone County Courthouse. Highlights include the Railsplitters, World War II vehicles and the Boone County Fire District Pipe and Drum Band.
Ceremony
11 a.m. at Boone County Courthouse
A short ceremony honoring veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States features Lt. Col. Ronald L. Tucker, the Mizzou Men’s Choir and a 21-gun salute provided by the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Post 280. Taps will be played at the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year, symbolic of the Armistice ending World War I.
Veterans Day Celebration
Noon at Memorial Tower, Memorial Union
MU’s traditional wreath-laying ceremony takes place under the Memorial Tower, which was erected in 1922 to honor Missouri veterans who lost their lives in World War I.
Free Crafternoon: Thank You Cards for Veterans
12-4 p.m. at N12 Memorial Student Union, Craft Studio
The craft studio provides supplies. Make a card to be delivered to the VA hospital near campus.
Tigers 4 Troops
Through Nov. 20 in Memorial Union
Help support the 1140th Military Police Company of Fulton, Mo., currently serving in Afghanistan by donating supplies. Check the wish list, and drop off donations at the Memorial Student Union Guest Services desk. They’ll be delivered to the troops before the holidays.
NOV. 12
Guest Lecture by Admiral William J. Fallon, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Commander, U.S. Central Command
7:30 p.m. in Conservation Auditorium
In 2008, William J. Fallon retired as an Admiral after a 40-year career of military and strategic leadership. He led U.S. and allied forces in eight separate commands and played a leadership role in military and diplomatic matters at the highest levels of the U.S. government. As head of the U.S. Central Command, Admiral Fallon directed all U.S. military operations in the Middle East, Central Asia and Horn of Africa, focusing on combat efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
NOV. 13
Third Annual Mizzou Student Veterans Association Banquet
7 p.m. in Eckles Hall
To attend, e-mail nmkc73@mail.mizzou.edu. Space is limited.
Visit the MU Veterans Center.
Posted on
Nov. 3, 2009 by Ryan Gavin
Senior midfielder Bree Thornton and freshman midfielder Haley Krentz clash in midair during practice. Photo by Shane Epping.
After winning the 2008 Big 12 tournament title, the Mizzou women’s soccer team didn’t expect to sneak up on anybody this year. They didn’t have to. The Tigers have earned the regular-season championship — the university’s first in any sport since softball in 1997 — and the top seed in this week’s tournament.
Mizzou (12-5-3, 7-1-2) takes the field at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday against Kansas. The tournament, held in San Antonio, features the top eight finishers in the conference. All games can be seen on Big12sports.com, and the final will air on Fox Sports Net.
The Tigers use a high-risk, high-reward style of play, constantly attacking with three forwards. Not coincidentally, Mizzou leads the Big 12 in goals, assists and points. And with seven seniors who play important roles on the team, they don’t want the ride to end just yet.
“(These seniors) have a little more experience than some of the other senior classes with playing and consistently winning, but due to all my former classes, we’re here,” coach Bryan Blitz told the Missourian. “I think that’s what sets us apart, that they were so persistent and they never give up.”
Posted on
Oct. 28, 2009 by Karen Pojmann
Photo by Shane Epping
Tibetan monks Tezin Tashi and Lobsang Paljor work on a mandala sand painting, an art form dating back to sixth century, as Cody Mangogna and Sierra Gastler take pictures in Ellis Library.
The monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery have been working on the mandala all week. The millions of grains of sand used to create it are made from rock and marble and dyed with water color at a monastery in India. A chakpur is used to hold the sand, and a thurma is used to release it. Eight monks will have contributed to the mandala by the time it’s finished at noon Thursday.
The mandala represents the universe in divine form.
Thursday evening the Tibetan monks perform “Sacred Music and Sacred Dance” at 7 p.m. in Jesse Auditorium.
Posted on
Oct. 26, 2009 by Karen Pojmann
Image of 1978 Halloween Homecoming program cover, featuring a ferocious costumed tiger, courtesy of MU Archives.
We know what scares you this time of year. Midterms. Flu. Longhorns.
Fortunately, Mizzou takes the fear factor down a notch this week for Columbians, providing a monstrously large number of strictly fun frights for trick-or-treaters and their cohorts.
HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS
Trick or Treat through Missouri History
6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27
State Historical Society of Missouri
Learn about bats, bones, ghosts and the spookier side of history at the State Historical Society, located in the Ellis Library building. Bonuses: Face painting, crafts, treats and education. 573-882-7083
Tiger Night of Fun
5-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31
Hearnes Center Field House
Trick-or-treat at the Hearnes Center. Come in for a big bash complete with ghouls, ghosts and games. Bonuses: Lots of treats without weather worries. 573-874-7460
Haunted Museum Tour
6-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31
MU Museum of Art and Archaeology
The museum’s eeriest attractions come to life on Halloween night. Meet in the lobby of Pickard Hall for a guided tour of the building’s dark nooks and creepy crannies. Bonuses: movies and treats. 573-882-3591
Spirits of Mizzou
Columbia Cemetery
We can neither confirm nor deny that various buildings on the MU campus are haunted. But we do know where the bodies are buried.
The MU Archives “Spirits of Mizzou” feature provides a map to the grave sites of prominent Tigers whose names should ring a few bells: Jesse, Lathrop, Defoe, Lowry, Rollins, etc. Learn a bit about the lives and accomplishments of the great scholars and university leaders, and/or visit their graves in nearby Columbia Cemetery.
Posted on
Oct. 22, 2009 by Karen Pojmann
Mizzou students now can flip through a high-circulation national newspaper without getting ink on their fingers—or even making a trip to the news stand.
USA Today has launched an online edition of its publication that college and university students can read for free. If you’re a Mizzou student, you can access the e-edition from the campus server or sign up with your MU e-mail address to have it delivered to your inbox. Read it online, or download it.
Along with the full text from the print newspaper, the online edition offers digital multimedia features such as embedded videos, interactive games, an audio function (to have the newspaper read to you) and feedback options.
Check it out.
Posted on
Oct. 19, 2009 by Karen Pojmann
Human-Animal Interaction Conference explores the healing powers of furry companions
Tuffy the miniature horse is cute, right? A pet, a mascot, a conversation piece?
Don’t let his stature deceive you. Tuffy is a workhorse. He’s a vital team member in the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction (ReCHAI) at Mizzou.
Tuffy (right), his colleague Cookie (below) and scores of other animals help researchers investigate the benefits of humans’ relationships with pets. Their participation in HAI studies expands health-care professionals’ knowledge of how animals can help their human companions stay fit, lose weight, recover from illnesses, learn to read, adapt to the aging process, reduce depression and anxiety, and improve their overall well-being. Animals help perform day-to-day tasks for people with disabilities and, in some cases, may even be able to detect cancer in its early stages.
This week ReCHAI hosts the International Society for Anthrozoology Human-Animal Interaction Conference at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo. From Oct. 20 through Oct. 25, scientists discuss the roles of human-animal bonds in fields such as in nursing, veterinary medicine, psychology and weight management.
Students in Professor Rebecca A. Johnson’s human-companion animal interaction course circle Cookie the therapy horse. Johnson is the director of the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction and this week leads a conference about the health benefits human-animal bonds. Photos by Shane Epping.
Marty Becker, a veterinary contributor to ABC’s Good Morning America, gives a special presentation at the conference called “The Power of Love: The science and the soul behind that affection-connection we call The Bond.” Conference-goers also can expect appearances by four-legged experts.
Learn more.
Posted on
Sept. 29, 2009 by Karen Pojmann
Chancellor earns honorary degree from Thai university
Chancellor Brady Deaton receives his honorary degree from Prince of Songkla University.
If you haven’t seen MU’s chancellor on campus this week, there’s a good reason. Brady Deaton is in Hat Yai, Thailand, where Prince of Songkla University has given him an honorary degree.
Deaton has close ties to the Land of Smiles. He taught vocational agriculture there as a Peace Corps volunteer in the 1960s and has visited the country repeatedly since. He also speaks the language fluently, wowing Thai students last spring when he addressed the crowd at the annual Songkran Festival.
Deaton has made international engagement a priority for Mizzou. He hosts the Chancellor’s Global Issues Forum and last year established, by chancellorial proclamation, the first MU International Day. Currently more than 1,800 international students are enrolled at Mizzou, and the university offers more than 400 study-abroad programs in 60 countries.
Read more about Deaton’s honorary degree.
Posted on
Sept. 17, 2009 by Karen Pojmann
After speaking to a group of 12 MU students in Memorial Union regarding the Truman Scholarship application process, Harry S Truman Foundation Executive Secretary Fred Slabach continues the conversation with sophomore biology major Angelina Taylor. Photo by Shane Epping.
A representative from the Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation visited Mizzou this week to honor the university for its promotion of public service. Mizzou is one of two universities to be designated a 2009 Truman Foundation Honor Institution.
During the visit, Executive Secretary Fred Slabach talked with students about what it takes to be a Truman Scholar. Each year the foundation awards 60-65 of the $30,000 graduate-school scholarships to exceptional college juniors nationwide on the basis of four criteria:
- service on campus and in the community;
- commitment to a career in public service ;
- communication skills and aptitude for being an agent of change; and
- academic talent that ensures acceptance into a first-rate graduate school.
Tigers have been well represented among Truman Scholars. So far 14 Mizzou students have been awarded the scholarships; political science major Rick Puig is the most recent. In 2008, an unprecedented two Mizzou students, Laura Merritt and Jennifer Kimball, earned the honor, and Merritt was later named one of Glamour magazine’s Top 10 College Women.
For more information about applying for a Truman Scholarship, visit www.truman.gov.
Posted on
Aug. 25, 2009 by Karen Pojmann
MU celebrates Fred Hawthorne and Presidential Award recipients
Photos by Shane Epping
Jill Lange, an MU senior and banquet server at the Reynolds Alumni Center, delivers a vanilla birthday cake to Fred Hawthorne on his 81st birthday. Hawthorne, director of the International Institute of Nano and Molecular Medicine, received the 2009 Priestley Medal.
If M. Frederick Hawthorne was attempting to deflect attention during the small ceremony held largely in his honor on the first day of school, he was less than successful.
The National Academy of Sciences member, former Inorganic Chemistry editor and current director of Mizzou’s International Institute of Nano and Molecular Medicine was being recognized for yet another achievement. He is the 2009 recipient of the Priestley Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the world’s largest scientific society, the American Chemical Society.
It’s a big deal.
But instead of talking about himself or his work when Chancellor Brady Deaton called him to the podium, Hawthorne briefly educated the crowd about the scientist for whom the award was named, Joseph Priestley (1733-1804), discoverer of oxygen and inventor of soda water.
When state Sen. Kurt Schaefer presented him with a framed senate resolution, Hawthorne responded quietly: “I’ve never seen one of these before. It’s very, very attractive. I will take time to read it.”
Before Hawthorne could get started on that task, though, Deaton detained him for another announcement; it was the world-renowned chemist’s 81st birthday. University Club staff produced a cake, and the roomful of university administrators, accomplished scientists and government leaders burst into song. After blowing out the candle, Hawthorne noted, “Longevity is a great thing.”
Presidential awards
The occasion also was used to recognize recipients of the UM System Presidential Awards. President Gary Forsee acknowledged four faculty members and one student with the system-wide honor. Like Hawthorne, the winners had received their accolades at official functions outside Columbia during the summer; Monday afternoon’s event gave the Mizzou community the chance to kick off the fall semester on a celebratory note.
Tom Quirk, a professor of English and leading Mark Twain scholar who joined MU in 1979, earned the Curators’ Award for Scholarly Excellence.
John Adams, a professor of chemistry beloved by students, earned the Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching.
Curator’s Professor of Psychology David Geary received the Thomas Jefferson Award for embodying Jefferson’s principles and ideals.
Ron Turner, formerly vice president for University Outreach and Director of Cooperative Extension at Mizzou and executive vice president of the University of Missouri System, is the recipient of the C. Brice Ratchford Memorial Fellowship Award for advancing the university’s land-grant mission.
Corey Rimmel, Student Entrepreneur of the Year
Corey Rimmel, a graduate student in the Trulaske College of Business and co-founder of Hot Box Cookies, received the Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
For anyone who prefers enjoying desserts with minimal fanfare, it should be noted that Rimmel’s business provides late-night delivery of freshly baked cookies to Columbia homes.
Posted on
Aug. 12, 2009 by Karen Pojmann
Technologically progressive MU students and faculty from different departments have been playing nicely together. And for that they’ve been rewarded — or, rather, awarded — with a 2009 Campus Technology Innovators Award in information-technology funding from the national magazine Campus Technology.
The program getting recognition: MU’s Interdisciplinary Innovations Fund. Fueled by a combination of corporate sponsorships, student fees and department budgets, the fund provides startup money for collaborative, student-driven information-technology projects.
Journalism student Tony Brown and computer-science student Peng Zhuang present NearBuy, their iPhone application that won MU’s iPhone Developer Competition. The contest was supported by the Interdisciplinary Innovations Fund. Photo by Karen Stockman.
Since its creation in 2008 by the Reynolds Journalism Institute’s Mike McKean and the MU Information Technology Committee, the fund has supported half a dozen interdisciplinary undertakings in software development, sustainability and filmmaking. Projects unite diverse academic disciplines (engineering, journalism, film, plant sciences, architecture, computer science, business) as well as non-academic units (residential life, student life, campus facilities, student organizations).
Creative participants break down boundaries of traditional educational models, with students both taking the lead and venturing outside the classroom. During MU’s iPhone Developer Competition, for example, students created iPhone applications that have been downloaded by countless users worldwide; the winning team attended the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco.
Multiple projects use technology for environmentally friendly innovations. On the Show Me Solar team, Mizzou architecture students and Missouri S&T engineering students have designed and built an energy-efficient house as part of the international Solar Decathlon competition to be held in Washington, D.C., in October.
Here on campus, Sustain Mizzou students helped create the Mizzou Dashboard to monitor energy use in MU residence halls. Several MU groups came together to boost Columbia community-garden production using dining hall compost and high-tech data logging.
Want in on the action? Grants are awarded annually following a process of project proposals, presentations and review by the IT Committee. Start working on your proposal for spring 2010.
MU student Ben Datema presents the Mizzou Dashboard project during the Missouri Energy Summit. Attention-grabbing flyers announced a student competition. Photo by Shane Epping.
Read more about the award.
