The Sustainable Environmental Policy Speaker Series is a program coordinated by MU’s School of Natural Resources in cooperation with the Law School, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, the School of Journalism, and the College of Arts and Science.

The speaker series aims to bring to campus leading authorities from the academic, public and private sectors to discuss the latest developments and challenges to environmental policy at the local, national and international level. The speaker series is funded by Mizzou Advantage.

Portney joined the department of economics at the University of Arizona full-time in January of 2011. He was dean of the university’s Eller College of Management from July 2005-December of 2010. From 1972 through June of 2005, Portney was with Resources for the Future (RFF), an independent and non-partisan think-tank in Washington, D.C., that specializes in energy and the environment.

Portney serves as RFF’s CEO from 1995 until 2005. From 1979-1980, Portney served as Chief Economist for the White House Council on Environmental Quality. He has held visiting teaching positions at both the University of California at Berkeley (1977-1979) and Princeton University (1992-1994).

Portney received his B.A. in economics in 1967 from Alma College in Michigan and his Ph.D., in economics from Northwestern University. He is the author or co-author of 10 books, including Public Policies for Environmental Protection, and was named in 2005 as one of the 100 most-cited researchers in economics and business.

Bill Frerking is vice president and chief sustainability officer of Georgia-Pacific, a leading manufacturer and marketer of tissue, packaging, pulp, paper, building products and related chemicals. Frerking became the company’s first CSO in November 2007, responsible for overall sustainability efforts, including working with all businesses and staff groups to implement sustainability strategies, goals, measurement and reporting.

Frerking joined Georgia-Pacific in 2006. Prior to that, he was an attorney with Koch Industries for 10 years in the areas of environmental compliance, general counsel, compliance and ethics, and government and public affairs, and in private practice in Kansas City, Missouri, for 10 years.

A Missouri native, Frerking graduated from UMKC and received his law degree from MU.

“We are excited to take part in this nationwide celebration,” said Amy Lannin, director of MU’s Campus Writing Program. “This is a great way to recognize how significant writing is in our society. It also provides a chance for us to put our program on display and showcase the great writing that we have here at MU.”

The National Day on Writing points to the importance of writing instruction and practice at every grade level, for every student and in every subject area from preschool through university. The day emphasizes the lifelong process of learning to write and composing for different audiences, purpose and occasions, and encourages Americans to write and enjoy and learn from the writing of others.

The National Day on Writing first took place in 2009 and has been officially recognized through Senate resolutions.

The National Council of Teachers of English is devoted to improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education. Since 1911, NCTE has provided a forum for the profession, an array of opportunities for teachers to continue their professional growth throughout their careers, and a framework for cooperation to deal with issues that affect the teaching of English.

Fifteen University of Missouri students recently participated in a public health and education international service project in Cape Coast, Ghana.

“Ghana was the most amazing experience I have had in my life thus far,” says Mizzou sophomore Elissa Curtis, who worked in a special needs school. “As much as those students and teachers looked up to us, it was them that truly inspired me and changed me for the better.”

Anne-Marie Foley, director of the MU Office of Service Learning has traveled to Ghana several times and has had extensive experience in academic service learning.

“Ghana is a remarkable, developing nation with warm and inviting people who welcome us and serve us,” she says. “Participants on this program have an opportunity to be citizens and servants in a global community. The program allows students to better understand global issues and challenges while becoming informed citizens and leaders.”

This year, Anne Case-Halferty, program coordinator for the Office of Service Learning, accompanied the students on the trip.

“Every day when students returned home from their service projects, they had incredible stories to tell,” she says. “They were put in situations that were emotionally, physically and culturally challenging, and every student rose to the challenge set before them.”

While the program is demanding, the rewards of the experience make it all worthwhile.

“No amount of words can describe the intensity of the struggle we experienced, the frustration we felt and the pure exhilaration we shared every day,” Mizzou senior Lily Wehtje says. “It’s quite an accomplishment that we have been able to shed our expectations of making an impact on Ghana and instead let Ghana make an impact on us.”

Curtis agrees.

“Although there were many challenges, I would not give the experience up for anything,” she says. “I learned more about myself in one month in Ghana than in all 19 years of my life.”

In addition to the three credit hours earned through their service in Ghana, students experienced the history, culture and society of the country through a three-credit prerequisite cultural studies course on the MU campus.

“The study abroad program not only offered field experience for me as a future teacher, but it also opened my eyes to a world much larger than my own, offering me a sense of gratitude for my vast opportunities,” says junior Rebecca Bien.

Students also participated in various sightseeing activities, including excursions to Kakum Tropical Forest and the Capital city of Accra. The program also featured African dance and drumming, a batik workshop and sessions on Ghanaian history and an introduction to one of Ghana’s native languages—Fanti.

“The students performed truly incredible work during their time in Ghana,” says Case-Halferty. “They showed leadership, compassion and dedication in everything they did, and even though the program only lasted four weeks, they left as beloved members of the community.”

“There is a very distinguished group of biologists who have received this award in the past years,” Semlitsch said. “I am very proud to be one of them.”

Semlitsch has been with the MU Division of Biological Sciences since 1993. He serves as the Co-Director of Graduate Education for Mizzou’s Division of Biological Sciences. His research focuses on understanding basic ecological and behavioral processes in both natural populations of amphibians and those under varying degrees of disturbance or land use.

In addition to working with graduate students, he has worked extensively with undergraduate researchers at MU.

“My philosophy is to provide undergraduates a glimpse of what it is like to be a graduate student and hopefully spark that flame of curiosity that drives us to learn and do more research,” Semlitsch said. “I believe that undergraduate research is a necessary step in the development of a research biologist. It is something that cannot be taught in a classroom.”

Semlitsch was named an American Association for the Advancement of Science Elected Fellow in 2009. In 2008, he earned the National Wetlands Award, which celebrates excellence in wetlands conservation. He was named a University of Missouri Curators’ Professor in 2004 and was presented the Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Activity in 1999.

Students applying for a Fulbright Scholarship have two paths they can pursue. Three students from Missouri were finalists for full research grants, in which students design their own project and work with professionals in that field within the host country to execute the proposed research.

Andrea Miller, a native of Bonnots Mill, Mo., was selected to receive the grant and will conduct research on brown bears in Norway.

“Winning a Fulbright grant is a great honor and I’m excited to represent the United States in Norway,” says Miller, who earned a bachelor of science in fisheries and wildlife from MU in May 2005 and picked up her doctorate in veterinary medicine in May 2009. “Wildlife veterinary medicine has been a lifelong dream that I look forward to realizing with this research.”

Another option is to apply for an English Teaching Assistantship (ETA), in which students teach English at elementary or secondary schools or universities abroad. Teaching assistants, together with the principal teachers, conduct all or part of a class, typically for conversation practice. The assignment may vary, depending on a school’s needs and the assistant’s abilities.

Ayla Kremen is one of three students MU who will be serving as ETAs in Germany.

“I can’t wait to spend the next year in Germany,” says Kreme, who majored in journalism and German at Mizzou. “It is such an honor and I can’t wait to meet the students and start teaching.”

Calley Bilgram and Alex Stojeba are also heading to Germany, along with Kremen, to work as teaching assistants.

“Fulbright is an amazing honor that will allow me the opportunity to live in a new environment, transfer cultural and linguistic knowledge, and prepare me for a life of learning, leadership and global awareness,” says Bilgram, who is originally from Chesterfield, Mo. and graduated from Mizzou with a degree in German and business management.

Stojeba was also a double major, earning degrees in political science and German from Mizzou.

Carolina Escalera is already familiar with the country to which she will be traveling. Selected for a teaching assistantship in Brazil, Escalera has already spent time studying in that area, but will now take on the role of an ETA. She graduated from Mizzou in 2008 with a degree in journalism and a minor in Latin-American studies.

Applying and interviewing for a Fulbright is a demanding process, as Columbia, Mo., native Noah Myers found out.

“Getting a Fulbright required a lot of reflection and paperwork,” says Myers, who found guidance and advice on the process from the MU Fellowships Office and other faculty mentors. Myers will be headed to the country of Colombia for his teaching assistantship.

“These students are great representatives of the University of Missouri,” MU Fellowships Coordinator Vicky Wilson says. “They have put a lot of time and energy into this process and are very deserving.”

The support from the Fellowships Office, along with faculty mentors across campus, has been vital as Mizzou continues to see significant gains in its Fulbright recipients. In recent years, the number of applicants and award honorees has continued to grow.

“Success is contagious,” Wilson says. “As we see an increasing number of our students receive these honors, our applicant pool continues to grow.”

Of the five ETA winners, three were German majors while at the University of Missouri.

“The German faculty is very proud of how our majors did in the ETA competition and other fellowship competitions,” says Stefani Engelstein, associate professor of German at MU. “We have great students and we do a lot of individual mentoring. Kristin Kopp in particular worked hard to match students with prestigious fellowships that reflected their interests.”

With the application and interview process behind them, the Fulbright grantees can look forward to the experiences ahead.

“I am heading to Germany with an open mind and an open heart,” Bilgram says. “I look forward to the challenges and experiences that await me.”

Those experiences include the opportunity to work and live in different cultures. In the end, the ETAs hope to make it a positive experience for themselves and the students they will be teaching.

“Earning a Fulbright will require me to do real work alongside Colombians to make positive change,” Myers says.

It’s just another example of Mizzou students making a difference.

The award enables students with exceptional artistic or creative promise to pursue up to three years of study at an accredited graduate institution in the United States or abroad. Awards can be as much as $50,000 annually.

Langston is a native of State College, Penn., and will attend Vermont College of Fine Arts to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing.

“Nothing honored me more than just being nominated for this award by my professors,” Langston said. “Not only has their encouragement and mentoring allowed me to find the right focus for my undergraduate work, but now I have this opportunity to continue on with writing by working towards an MFA.”

Olsen graduated with a degree in English and film studies, with a minor in religious studies. He will work towards his Master of Fine Arts degree starting in Fall 2012. Olsen is from St. Louis, Mo., where he graduated from Francis Howell Central High School in 2007.

“I could not have come this far without the excellent faculty at Mizzou, or the help of Vicky Wilson in the MU Fellowships Office,” Olsen said.

Institutions which qualify can nominate a maximum of two students, making the applicant pool very selective. At MU, departments in the visual and performing arts and creative writing were each asked to nominate top students. Langston and Olsen were first selected by their department before being chosen for official nomination to represent MU.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is a private, independent foundation established by Jack Kent Cooke to help exceptionally promising students reach their full potential through education.

“Ben and Chris are both terrific students who have excelled not only in their creative writing classes, but also throughout their undergraduate careers,” Patricia Okker, MU’s English department chair, said.

Once nominated, a review panel of distinguished artists, arts faculty and university administrators select Scholars using criteria that include artistic or creative merit, academic achievement, financial need, will to succeed and a breadth of interest and activities.

“To have even one student in the department selected for this award would have been a wonderful recognition,” Okker said. “But to have two students recognized is nothing short of spectacular. Their accomplishments attest to the extraordinary abilities of our students and of the English faculty who have mentored these fine writers.”

The 2011 Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Arts Award recipients are: Sheyenne Brown (Middlebury College), Don Elder (Florida), Brian Ezell (Delaware), David Hawkins (Brigham Young), Joanna Hyde (Colorado College), Ben Langston (Missouri), Chris Olsen (Missouri), Ingrid Pfau (Alabama-Birmingham), Courtney Prokopas (Chicago) and Rachel Semigran (Drexel).

The attendees will learn and practice leadership skills, discuss important public policy issues, connect with women leaders from public and private sectors and explore the meaning and practice of leadership in a diverse society.

“This is a huge opportunity,” Thompson, who is a senior biochemistry major from High Point, Mo., says. “It’s a chance to meet other women with high aspirations in the political and public spheres. I am very excited to gain knowledge on how to become more involved and to try to target my exact goals after graduating.”

Thompson spent last winter’s interim studying in Thailand.

The Academy will include interactive panel discussions, small-group exercises, skill-building workshops and opportunities to network with women leaders.

“Being selected for the 21st Century Leadership Academy is an opportunity for me to network and gather knowledge about issues I care about most,” Schoor says. “I am very grateful for this and look forward to meeting other women who share my interest in women’s public sector leadership and shaping public policy.”

Schoor, who is pursuing her doctoral degree in public affairs at MU, is originally from Poplar Bluff, Mo. She is a student ambassador for the Truman School of Public Affairs and is part of the Association of Missouri Public Affairs Students. She will be joined in St. Louis by another Poplar Bluff, Mo., native, as Haq graduated from Poplar Bluff three years after Schoor.

“I am very honored and excited,” Haq says. “I am looking forward to an opportunity that will help my community. I hope to learn more about where my interests lie so I can focus on those areas and become a more effective leader and a better activist.”

Haq is a biological science major, with minors in chemistry, human development and family studies, leadership and public service and Psychology. Along with the many leadership activities Haq is part of at MU, she has also spent time as an intern for Missouri State Representative Jeanne Kirkton.

The week-long program includes a day-trip to Jefferson City, where participants will take part in a mock legislative session at the State Capitol and lunch with women leaders in state government and the judiciary.

Mohammad attended Rock Bridge High School in Columbia and is a biochemistry major. She is the president of the Muslim Student Organization, along with serving as the Student Health Advisory Council vice president and an Honors College ambassador.

“I’m honored to be selected for this Academy,” Mohammad said. “Being selected reminds me that I have to give back to my community and continue my work as a community leader.”

The Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life exists to make government accessible to all Missouri citizens by encouraging women’s participation in the policy process. It was founded in 1996 and named after Shear in conjunction with her retirement in 1998.

“The Shear Fellows are selected on the basis of leadership, demonstrated interest in public policy or public service and the contributions they can make to MU as a result of their experience at the Academy,” says MU Fellowships Coordinator Vicky Riback Wilson, who also served in the Missouri House of Representatives and was a colleague of Shear.

This year’s Academy will be held on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. In addition to students from the four universities within the UM System, there will be representatives from Truman State, Lincoln University, Missouri State, Southeast Missouri State University and the University of Central Missouri.

Book and Elliott-Litchfield will address how creativity and innovation can revitalize the classroom. They will share stories and facilitate approaches on creativity’s potential to kick-start learning for both instructors and students.

“If one accepts the idea that creativity itself is boundless, the fluidity of operating from this changing, and often times contested space allows for an embedded criticality and sense of invention that can open up students to becoming creative agents in their learning,” said Book, who hopes to engage participants on why it is necessary to become a disciplinary immigrant, to a certain degree, when teaching creativity in the classroom.

MU theatre professor Suzanne Burgoyne has studied with Book and Elliott-Litchfield in preparation for the implementation of a new minor in entrepreneurship at MU.

“It’s wonderful that Lynn and Bruce, people from very different disciplines, are doing this work in teaching creativity and think that it is important,” said Burgoyne, who will moderate the workshop.

The preconference workshop is schedule for 9 a.m.-Noon on May 17 in the Reynolds Alumni Center. Space is limited for the preconference workshop, so early registration is encouraged.

Elliott-Litchfield will also lead a discussion session titled Enhancing Creativity: Assisting Students Whether You Have 15 Minutes or 15 Weeks. That session is scheduled for 9-10:15 a.m. on May 18. Book will guide a session on Cross Boundary Creative Engagement in the 21st Century Classroom at 10:30-11:45 a.m. on May 18.

“Everyone has some creative potential, but we are discouraged in our society and our culture and our schools to take risk and be creative,” Burgoyne said. “We need to develop it and practice it and not be afraid of it.”

That workshop will be followed by a keynote address from Cole Camplese, the senior director of teaching and learning with technology at Penn State University. Camplese’s address will expose the tensions between new forms of conversations that can be uncomfortable through the lens of traditional education perspectives. His keynote is titled If That is Scholarship, We Area All Doomed.

“New forms of conversations are emerging across the Web that are shaping the nature of our institutional responsibilities,” Camplese said. “It is our responsibility not to dismiss these discussion forms and forums as passing fads, but to realize the embedded pedagogies that exist within these emergent spaces — pedagogies we must understand to fully imagine what the future of digital media means to scholarship.”

The keynote address from Camplese is set for 1:30 p.m. on May 17 at Bush Auditorium in Cornell Hall.

Day two is packed with discussion sessions that will start at 9 a.m. and continue through 4:15 p.m. For a complete schedule of the sessions, visit the Celebration of Teaching website. The event is aimed at Mizzou instructors and advisors.

“This is an opportunity to put the spotlight on teaching and learning, which gets to the core of what we do at Mizzou,” said Dr. Jim Spain, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies. “This celebration is an opportunity to have open discussions with others on campus as we work toward our mission.”

For more information on Celebration of Teaching, including a complete schedule and registration information, visit tlc.missouri.edu.

The awards, which are given by the MU Advisors Forum and the Office of the Provost, recognize individuals who have faculty advising award, while Klusmeier earned the professional advising award.

“The genuine impact an advisor can have on a student is profound, yet often goes unrecognized,” said Jennifer Bloss, Chair of MU’s Advisors Forum Awards Committee. “The Excellence in Advising awards give the MU community an opportunity to recognize the exceptional dedication shown by undergraduate advisors across campus.”

Dr. Strauch is an assistant adjunct professor of animal science in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. In addition to advising, she is the coordinator of the Captive Wild Animal Management minor and teaches courses for the minor in zoology.

“This recognition is wonderful,” Dr. Strauch said. “I am very honored to have received the award, however, the true reward was in the students’ letters that were written in support of my nomination. Those were shared with me, and after reading them, I felt I had already won the highest honor. As a former Mizzou student who had fantastic experiences, I am grateful that I am able to give back a little to the current students.”

Klusmeier is the coordinator of diversity programs for the Trulaske College of Business, where she serves as an academic advisor for the Diverse Student Association. She also works with the Vasey Academy, runs the Trulaske Business Academy and coordinates additional diversity initiatives.

“This recognition is especially important to me because of the time and energy put into the nomination by my students,” Klusmeier said. “Their kind words and support mean the world to me. I enjoy getting to know each of my students and watching them mature over their time at Mizzou. I have particularly enjoyed working with the college’s Diverse Student Association.”

There were seven nominees in each of the two categories. Other nominees for the Excellence in Advising award for faculty advising were Lori Eggert (Biological Science), John Flanagan (Religious Studies), Sharyn Freyermuth (Biochemistry), Mark Swanson (Strategic Communication), Martha Townsend (English) and Sharon Wood-Turley (Agriculture Journalism).

Others nominated for the Excellence in Advising for professional advisors were Laura Anderson (Sinclair School of Nursing), Shannon Breske (Trulaske College of Business), Jill Diener (Health Professions), Jamie Mestres (Textile & Apparel Management), Angela Rataj (Trulaske College of Business) and Justin Shepherd (Academic Exploration and Advising Services).

The Advisors Forum, with the support of the Provost Office, established the Excellence in Advising Awards in 1995 to promote and encourage recognition of outstanding advising service to the students of the University of Missouri.

Last year’s winners were Dr. George Jesse (Animal Science) and Aaron Cook (Trulaske College of Business). Dr. Jesse earned the faculty advising Award last year. He also claimed the Missouri Academic Advising Association outstanding Advisor Award for Faculty Academic Advising and received a Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Faculty Advising at the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Region VII Conference. Cook claimed last year’s winner in a professional advisor role. He also won the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Region VII Outstanding Advising in a Primary Role and will be a NACADA Outstanding Advising Certificate of Merit recipient in the Primary Advising category.

Sherwood is one of more than two dozen Mizzou graduates to win the Pulitzer. The School of Journalism currently employs five Pulitzer winners: Jacqui Banaszynski, Pam Johnson, Rhonda Prast, Steve Rice and Randy Smith.

Prasuhn, a native of Kirkwood, Mo., is the 22nd Goldwater Scholar at MU since 1995. She is a biological science major and intends to work towards her Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology. Prasuhn would like to pursue a career in conservation and hopes to make an impact in the conservation of endangered species.

Prasuhn is currently conducting research in Dr. Lori Eggert’s lab focusing on the evolutionary history of African elephants.

“Being involved in undergraduate research has been the single most important aspect of my undergraduate career,” Prasuhn said. “Besides the obvious benefits, like researching novel and interesting research questions, researching has led me to strong relationships with faculty and staff members who act as mentors, friendships, scholarships, publicity, opportunities to present my research at different venues and more.” Missouri has had at least one recipient in 15 of the last 17 years. “MU’s accomplishments with the Goldwater competition is very impressive, especially among public universities,” said Dr. Theodore Tarkow, associate dean of arts and science and MU’s campus coordinator for the Goldwater Scholarship. “Our success with the Goldwater Scholarships is indicative of the high-quality of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) students MU trains and of the national recognition our STEM students regularly earn.”

The Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,095 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. One hundred seventy of the Scholars are men, 105 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their degree objective.

The one and two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

The conference will share comprehensive, up-to-date coverage of assessment and intervention strategies supported by research. It includes vendor and agency booths, a Thompson Center meet-and-greet and sessions presented by recognized researchers and practitioners in the field of autism.

Preceding the conference, on April 14 the center will present a workshop and a 6:30 p.m. free showing of “Fly Away.” The film, about growing up with autism, is free and open to the public.

You can even read more about how research and treatment of autism are coming together at the Thompson Center.

The application process is arduous and only the most accomplished students are eligible to apply. These students bring national attention to MU simply by being in the applicant pool.

More than 60 honorees were nominated for 13 different fellowships and scholarships. Included in that number were 24 applicants for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, which is the largest group from MU in more than five years.

Visiting associate professor of law Ben Trachtenberg addressed those in attendance at MU Excels. Professor Trachtenberg shared his successes and failures in applying for fellowships, noting that the most valuable aspect may be the process itself, not the award.

Dr. Jim Spain, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies, and Dr. George Justice, Graduate School Dean, handed out the awards. In addition to recognizing the students, they thanked faculty, staff, family and friends for their support and encouragement of the student applicants.

While the event is hosted by the Fellowships Office, many faculty members across campus play a vital role in the application process, as students often begin preparing years in advance.

Mizzou Reads provides incoming freshmen at MU with a common experience as they begin their educational journey. All first-year students are asked to read the same book before they arrive on campus for the fall semester.

Once on campus, students use the book to initiate conversations and build community with their new classmates, roommates and teachers. Faculty members, staff members, student leaders and administrators lead book discussions on campus during MU’s Fall Welcome Week, engaging students in an exploration of the book’s style, plot, themes, concerns, and implications. Later, participants will summarize their discussions in larger events that will take place during the year.

“Mizzou Reads offers first-year students a risk-free opportunity to engage in a college-level academic discussion with their peers, as well as with university faculty and staff,” Jordan Parshall, a graduate assistant for MU’s New Student Programs, said. “There is no grade attached, just the benefit of the experience.”

This year’s selection, three years in the making, examines Zeitoun’s roots in Syria, his marriage to Kathy—an American who converted to Islam—and their children, and the surreal atmosphere (in New Orleans and the United States generally) in which what happened to Zeitoun became possible. Once the storm made landfall, Zeitoun began to explore the city, distributing what supplies he had, ferrying neighbors to higher ground, checking on his tenants and caring for abandoned dogs.

Zeitoun and three companions were later arrested at one of Zeitoun’s rental houses by a mixed group of National Guardsmen and local police. Although the men were not immediately charged with any crimes, they were detained in a makeshift jail in a Greyhound bus station for three days before being transferred to Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in nearby St. Gabriel, La. Zeitoun was held at Hunt for 20 more days without having stood trial. During that time he was refused medical attention and the use of a phone to alert his family of his predicament.

“It is a beautiful, inspiring, and sometimes shocking story,” Parshall said. “Every year the book selection committee chooses a book it believes is intellectually stimulating, will promote interesting discussion, addresses relevant social issues and is overall engaging. Zeitoun meets all of those criteria and was very well-received by committee members.”

Students can purchase the book at the University Bookstore during Summer Welcome.

This is the eighth year of Mizzou Reads. Previous books that were selected include: Generation Me by Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D. (2010), A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (2009), Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson (2008), An Ordinary Man by Paul Ruseasabagina (2007), The Tortilla Curtain by T. Coraghessan Boyle (2006), Enough: Staying Human in an Engineered Age by Bill McKibben (2005) and Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Enrenreich (2004).

Things kick off April 7 at the Student Center on Mizzou’s campus. Those who sign the One Mizzou banner will receive T-shirts and free food from Campus Dining Services. Additionally, the campaign will cover efforts such as diversity events, online diversity training and a Summer Welcome program.

Several organizations, such as the Missouri Students Association, the Asian American Association, the Legion of Black Collegians and the Graduate Professional Council, have all pledged their support. Some faculty members have already met to discuss how to become involved, and Chancellor Brady Deaton will speak at the opening event.

The research conducted by Amitin and Repking, with help from their faculty mentor Dr. Erica Lembke from the MU Department of Special Education, seeks to identify whether there is a relationship between the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) Communication Arts score and Curriculum-Based Measures (CBMs) in reading. The CBM test in their study was the Dynamic Indicators for Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS).

Of the many legislators who visited with the students in the Rotunda, one was Rep. Cole McNary from the 86th District, which happens to be Amitin’s home district. While discussing the research, Rep. McNary, who is a member of the State House Education Committee, asked about the possibility of their research affecting the discussion of a bill in the next committee hearing.

“As we were discussing our research, Rep. McNary informed us of a bill currently being discussed within his committee about social promotion in the elementary sector and was interested in our thoughts on the matter,” Repking said.

The Education Committee had been discussing a bill which emphasized the importance of the development of essential literacy skills before a student should be passed to the next grade.

“Rep. McNary told us that he liked how our study showed that teachers don’t always have to ‘teach to the test’ but can use measures like DIBELS to see how a student is progressing and then work from there,” Amitin said.

Rep. McNary was interested in having the committee understand how measures, like DIBELS from their study, could help teachers of struggling students mark progress during their instruction.

“I think what caught Rep. McNary’s eye,” Repking said, “was that a measure existed that could provide a reliable and valid snapshot of a student’s academic proficiency in a very quick and easy way. The simplicity of the measure and the ease at which it can be administered was a large plus for him during our conversation.”

So, Rep. McNary immediately extended the invitation for the two students to return to the Capitol, along with Dr. Lembke.

“I was excited to know that a legislator who has so many things going on every day took the time to talk to us and was interested in our opinions and what we had to say,” Amitin said.

On March 8, Amitin, Repking and Lembke headed to the Capitol to take part in a hearing held by the Education Committee.

“We told them a little about the background of our research, the results, and Dr. Lembke spoke about DIBELS,” Amitin said. “They proceeded to ask us questions in regards to other research and especially about DIBELS testing. When the hearing was over, almost all of the other representatives came up to thank us for being there and told us how much they appreciated hearing from us.”

Judging by the feedback they received following the hearing, the MU researchers felt their message was well-received.

“I believe that the legislators understood our message and may rely on the MU College of Education for more research information in the future,” Repking said.

Amitin is a junior and is majoring in middle school math education, while Repking is a junior majoring in secondary language arts education and English at Mizzou.

The average salary for undergraduates with Mizzou degrees is $40,100, and those with graduate degrees come in at $48,600. This is an increase of 6 percent from last year. The national university average declined by 2 percent in the same period.

Of the former students reporting employment, 92 percent said are employed in fields related to their majors. The overall placement rate, which looks at total employment of students, is 71 percent within that 60-day window.

Don’t miss these events:

Tuesday, Oct. 12
Homophobia in Women’s Sports
6-7 p.m.
Center for Social Justice Lounge, N215 Memorial Union
Struby Struble hosts an interactive program about queer women in sports. Sponsored by the Women’s Center.

Wednesday, Oct. 13
Coming Out in the Workplace
12-1 p.m.
Center for Social Justice Lounge, N215 Memorial Union
Hear personal stories from local LGBTQ professionals and get tips on how to be the best person you can be while in the workforce. Sponsored by the MU Career Center.

Thursday, Oct. 14
Coming Out Trans
6-7 p.m.
Center for Social Justice Lounge, N215 Memorial Union
Fluidity members watch a film and discuss coming out as transgender/genderfluid. Open to everyone.

Friday, Oct. 15
Queer Happy Hour
5-7 p.m.
The Heidelberg, 410 S. 9th St.
Relax with friends after a fun-filled Coming Out Week! Free appetizers provided. Sponsored by the Triangle Coalition.

More information.

Twenty years ago, on Oct. 6, 1990, Mizzou and Colorado played one of the most infamous games in college football. The game is referred to as the Fifth Down because of an officiating error that caused Mizzou to lose the game and enabled Colorado to win the national championship that season.

At 6 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 9, Mizzou and Colorado meet again on Faurot Field for the final time in the foreseeable future.

Driving the field down 31-27, No. 12 Colorado managed to get first and goal from the Mizzou three yard line with 31 seconds left. The downs played out like this:

1. The Buffs spiked the ball to stop the clock.
2. Colorado ran for a gain of two and burned its final timeout. Later replays would show the officials failed to change the down marker after the dive.
3. Mizzou stopped a run for no gain.
4. To stop the clock again, Colorado spiked the ball with two seconds left.
5. The Buffs’ quarterback made it across the goal line as time expired, giving Colorado the 33-31 victory.

CNN reported about the fallout from the game. On ESPN, Colorado coach and Mizzou alumnus Bill McCartney apologized for the way he handled things. The final series has been uploaded in its entirety on YouTube.

This final showdown between longtime rivals can be seen at 6 p.m. on Fox Sports Net. Check to see where you can watch or listen to the game.

*Coach Bob Stull argues with officials after the game but to no avail. Colorado’s 33-31 victory was upheld. Photo by Denny Simmons, 1991 Savitar, page 191. *

The project springs from an effort to generate public awareness about the Crosby MBA Program’s quality. The new marketing tagline, “Choose to thrive,” is incorporated into the students’ videos. The students whose video gets the most views on YouTube by Oct. 7 will win iPads. Not a bad motivator.

Check out the seven submissions below!

Photo by Shane Epping

College sports across the country have been hit hard by the economic recession, leaving many programs in difficult financial situations. In fiscal year 2009 only 14 of the 120 schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly known as Division 1) turned profits from college athletics, down from 25 in the previous year, according to a new study.

The good news is that Mizzou is among the select few.

“These are tough financial times for all of us and particularly in higher education,” Athletic Director Mike Alden says. “We hope to be able to continue to do our part for all of us at Mizzou.”

The athletic department has made a concerted effort in recent years to curtail spending where possible and has planned to transition from receiving money from the university to becoming a fully self-sustaining unit.

The study, done by Dan Fulks at Transylvania University, suggests that next year’s numbers could be even worse. The athletic department at Mizzou is cognizant of the economic conditions but wants to continue forging ahead with universities such as Texas, Florida and Ohio State.

“We must remember this is a one-year result, and it will be tough to continue on this path,” Alden says. “But that’s our hope and what we’ll all continue to work hard to achieve.”

The Missouri Department of Conservation recognized six trees at MU as the largest specimens in the state on Wednesday, June 23, in Peace Park. They included a sugarberry, a black maple, a fringetree, a dogwood, a buttonbush and a black haw.

Ryan Russell, an arborist with MU Campus Facilities, arranges one of several state champion tree awards. Russell was one of three nominators, and his name appears on the plaques.

The black maple (Acer nigrum), just south of Lee Hills Hall on Elm Street, grows rapidly and develops orange, red and yellow fall colors. It measures 87 inches in circumference, 77 feet in height and 56 feet in spread.

The University of Missouri campus is a recognized botanic garden, with 11 thematic gardens, three tree trails and seven special plant collections.

Learn more:
Planting a seed: Mizzou Botanic Garden lays groundwork for the future of horticulture
Mizzou Botanic Garden

Mizzou hosted its first softball Super Regional against Oregon from May 29-30. The Tigers beat the Ducks 1-0 on Saturday and 7-2 on Sunday to advance to the Women’s College Word Series for the second consecutive year. Both games were played at University Field in Columbia, Missouri.

Mizzou first baseman Aaron Senne is the Big 12 Co-Player of the Year, and he was named to the All-Big 12 first team for the third time.

The senior slugger is hitting .410, second best in the Big 12, and has 16 home runs and 56 RBI. Senne is Mizzou’s all-time leader in career hits and doubles, and he is in the top five in career home runs and RBI. He shares the award with Kansas State’s Nick Martini.

Junior Brett Nicholas also was named to the first team, and senior Michael Liberto was an honorable mention.

The full Mizzou team takes the field Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. against No. 1 seed Texas in the Big 12 Tournament. For a full schedule of games, visit the Big 12 website.

After winning the Columbia Regional for the second consecutive year, the Tigers will play host to the NCAA Super Regional for the first time in Mizzou softball history. The Oregon Ducks come to town for a best-of-three series starting Saturday.

Mizzou and Oregon first play at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, and game No. 2 starts at noon Sunday. If necessary, a deciding game will take place at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. All games will be held at University Field and will be televised on ESPN networks, with specific channels to be determined.

The Tigers, 46-11, are back in the Super Regional round for the third consecutive year. They came from behind to beat Creighton 3-2 on Friday and then won back-to-back games against Illinois on Saturday (3-1) and Sunday (4-2).

Oregon, 33-19, comes to Columbia ranked No. 20 in the nation. The Ducks beat Auburn 1-0, No. 8 Georgia Tech 11-2 in five innings and 4-3 in eight innings to win the Atlanta Regional.