January 2007 Marketing Highlights

How can anything this beautiful wreak such devastation and havoc?  Governor Matt Blunt called the ice storm that pummeled Springfield and much of the Midwest mid January, the weekend prior to the scheduled opening of Missouri State’s spring semester, “the largest mass emergency care natural disaster Missouri has had to deal with.”

In Springfield and surrounding areas, thousands of people were without electricity and in some cases, water, for days.  Four hundred members of the Missouri National Guard were called in to help remove debris.  Classes at Missouri State were postponed for a week as crews went in to clear downed trees and repair power lines.  While the University maintained power throughout the storm and served as a warming center and shelter for those without heat, many of the apartments surrounding campus lost power.  Students were encouraged to stay home rather than come back and face the miserable conditions.  In Glass Hall, some faculty brought tents and supplies and set up temporary housing for themselves and their families.  An English faculty member, in London, emailed that even the BBC’s website reported the event, showing ice on the street signs at Pickwick and Bennett, close to campus.

Despite the trying conditions, faculty, staff and students pulled together to help those in need.  It also makes booking that Spring Break trip to a nice sunny locale seem all the more appealing!