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Highlights from Fiscal Year 2005

July 1 – November 1, 2005

Higher Learning Commission Site Team Visits Campus

The Higher Learning Commission Site Team visited the Missiouri State campus in early November for an on-campus assessment as part of our request for continuing accreditation for the next 10 years. At the exit interview, the Team presented a very positive report and indicated it would recommend full 10-year accreditation for Missouri State without any stipulations or follow-up visits. The final report and recommendation is expected in January 2006. Although the site team's report does not represent a final verdict on any accreditation matter, it is one important component that will be considered by the Commission as it formulates its final decision. 

Missouri State Sponsors Groundbreaking International Symposium in St. Louis

Specialists from around the globe gathered in downtown St. Louis for the world's first-ever International Grape Genomics Symposium. Missouri State University was the primary sponsor of the three-day event, which brought together members of the grapevine genomics research community to share their latest research results and chart future directions. Other sponsors included Monsanto Company, Sigma Aldrich Corp., The Nidus Center for Scientific Enterprise, The Missouri Grape and Wine Program, The Missouri Botanical Gardens and E&J Gallo Winery. The International Grape Genome Program helped organize the symposium.

Missouri State University establishes Community and Social Issues Institute

The Missouri State University Board of Governors took another step toward advancing the institution's statewide public affairs mission by approving the establishment of the Community and Social Issues Institute (CSII). The mission of the CSII is to serve as a catalyst to organize and apply the research and service capacity of the university to assist public and private institutions as they address significant social issues facing the community. The CSII will position itself as a partner in the broad network of organizations that promote collaboration and social entrepreneurship as strategic tools for sustainable community development.

Defense and Strategic Studies Department Relocates to Nation's Capital

Missouri State University's department of defense and strategic studies relocated to Fairfax, Va. in a move intended to strengthen the department and increase opportunities for students in the Washington, D.C., area. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Sept. 22 in the new office, located at 9302 Lee Highway, Ste. 760, Fairfax, Va.  The department provides professional, graduate-level academic training for students planning careers in U.S. national security policy, defense analysis and related fields. It offers a Master of Science degree in defense and strategic studies which, as a general rule, takes two academic years to complete. Administration of the department will remain under Missouri State's College of Humanities and Public Affairs in Springfield.

Professors Use Grant to Encourage Young Ladies in Science, Math

To complement a nationwide push to encourage young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), three professors at Missouri State University are working toward a goal that will impact the lives of young ladies from southwest Missouri and the surrounding regions. Dr. Paula Kemp, distinguished professor of mathematics; along with colleagues Dr. Kishor Shah, professor of mathematics; and Dr. Larry Campbell, professor of mathematics, received a grant from the National Science Foundation titled "Midwestern Rural-Urban Collaborative Project," which will be used to motivate girls to pursue careers in STEM.

Missouri State Receives Series of Gifts Totaling $4.65 Million

The endowment of the Missouri State University Foundation increased by more than 10 percent, thanks to a series of gifts announced today by university officials.  In all, $4.65 million in gifts were announced, with $4.4 million directed to boost the Missouri State Foundation's current $40 million endowment. Through the new endowments, Missouri State added two endowed chairs ($1 million each) and four endowed professorships ($250,000 each), more than doubling the university's current number of endowed faculty positions.  Also added were eight endowed scholarship funds totaling $1.4 million. 

Missouri State University Freshman Class Hets High Standards

One of the freshmen attending Missouri State University this fall is Derby, Kan., native Kacie Showalter. A Kansas State DECA officer for two years, Showalter was the first person from Derby to get first place at the DECA International Career Development Conference. Showalter, who considered Oklahoma State and Kansas State before choosing Missouri State, was listed in Who's Who Among America's High School Students all four years for academics and athletics.  Showalter's freshman class has the highest average ACT score ever at Missouri State. The average ACT of the nearly 2,600 new freshmen is 23.8, compared with the average of 21.6 for Missouri high school graduates of 2005. The Missouri State freshman class includes students from 400 high schools, with  850 students from southwest Missouri, 710 from the St. Louis area, 250 from the Kansas City area, 560 from other parts of Missouri, and more than 200 from other states and countries. One hundred and thirty ranked first or second in their high school class, and over 170 are recipients of Missouri Bright Flight Scholarships.  The increase in the academic profile of the freshman class has resulted from the university raising its freshman admission requirements nine of the past 11 years. Showalter is one of the 20,741 students officially enrolled in the Missouri State System this fall.  Missouri State remains the second largest university in the state.

Missouri State, New Mexico Tech Sign Teaming Agreement

Missouri State University and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NM Tech) signed a teaming agreement that may lead to establishing a variety of science and technology programs of mutual interest as well as several programs for the training of law enforcement and other first responder personnel.  The agreement is considered a first step in establishing ongoing cooperation between the two institutions of higher learning in developing and expanding their mutual research, education and training interests; marketing each other's programs, facilities and capabilities; and identifying and obtaining funding resources, as appropriate.

According to the agreement, NM Tech and Missouri State have determined they can beneficially pursue several objectives as part of a team effort. These objectives include, but are not limited to the following: developing accredited training programs, national guidelines, and classroom/field curricula for first responders to include, police, firefighters, special weapons and tactics teams and emergency medical personnel; developing first responder training performance metrics; developing the Ozarks Regional Safety Center for classrooms and office space to support first responder training; developing PTC training facilities, including constructing appropriate buildings, structures and ranges and installing instrumentation and field exercise equipment; providing qualified trainers, logistical support and facilities for classroom instruction and field exercises; jointly coordinating with federal, state and local resources; conducting test and evaluation programs and activities relating to microelectronics technologies; investigating engineering solutions for resolving various microelectronics obsolescence and diminishing sources of supply problems; developing and conducting joint activities for high power microwave research and engineering programs; and collaborating on other science, technology and training programs of mutual interest.

Highlights from Fiscal Year 2005
July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2005

"Daring to Excel": The SMS Centennial Celebration

Throughout the year, more than 100 events brought together faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends to celebrate the 100-year history of a university which has always been known for Daring to Excel. During Founder's Day, March 17, 2005, a Centennial-sized birthday card signed by 750 well-wishers was on display; a commemorative granite plaque was placed east of Carrington Hall; approximately 2,650 faculty, staff and students posed for a university-wide photograph, replicating a 1906 class photo; and last but not least, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt signed the bill granting SMS a name change to Missouri State University. Missouri State University-West Plains celebrated the Centennial with the dedication of the Smith-London Centennial Bell Tower, bringing fruition to a long-held dream of former adjunct faculty member and Board of Governor Allison London Smith to bring the students at the West Plains campus a gathering place. The Mountain Grove Campus dedicated a Centennial Garden, a 12-foot-wide mixed border along the south and west foundation of the original faces of Faurot Hall. It includes plants from the period and serves as a historical and public garden.

New Name, New Expectations

At about 4:15 March 17, Gov. Matt Blunt was introduced to a packed theater in the Robert W. Plaster Student Union, where he signed Senate Bill 98 into law. The new era under a new name began with a Midnight Madness celebration Aug. 27 on the North Mall area of campus. Festivities began with the unveiling of "Missouri State University" on the Legacy Wall east of Plaster Student Union and a Presidential Welcome Concert featuring the Pride Band and the Lennon Brothers. The celebration continued outdoors with a night full of games, music, giveaways and other activities. A countdown to the name change will began at 11:55 p.m., culminating with fireworks at midnight Aug. 28, the official date for the new name to take effect. Baker Bookstore opened to sell official Missouri State University Bear Wear for the first time.

University Tops Fundraising Goal

Missouri State University topped its $50 million goal for The Campaign for SMS: Imagine the Possibilities, the university's first comprehensive fundraising campaign. Campaign co-chairs Tom Strong and Bill Darr announced the results at the annual Founders Club dinner on June 17.

Many donors provided support to help Missouri State realize the campaign goal. Gifts designated to assist students remained a priority for donors with more than $17 million committed toward an original goal of $12 million. In more than one instance, donors funded scholarships to assist students majoring in their area of expertise.

Gifts designated for program support exceeded the original goal of $17.5 million, with over $23 million dedicated for this purpose. Gifts for facilities enhancement generated nearly $8.3 million. Finally, more than $1 million has been committed to unrestricted gifts, and support for faculty initiatives reached over $1.5 million.

University Names its Ninth President

Dr. Michael T. Nietzel, former provost at the University of Kentucky, was introduced March 4 as the ninth president of then Southwest Missouri State University.  He is also a tenured professor in the psychology department.  Nietzel, 57, began his duties July 1.  He replaced Dr. John H. Keiser, who had been president since 1993.  Keiser announced two years ago his intent to step down as president on June 30, 2005. Nietzel was one of three finalists selected from a pool of 59 applicants.

Professors Chosen as Fulbright Scholars

The Fulbright Program awards approximately 4,500 new grants annually and currently operates in 140 countries, including 51 countries with binational Fulbright Commissions and Foundations. Over the last five years, nine faculty members from the Missouri State system have been selected for the program.

Most recently, Stephen Berkwitz, associate professor of religious studies, was selected to receive a 2005-06 Fulbright U.S. Senior Scholar Award. The grant will allow Berkwitz to travel to Sri Lanka for seven months to conduct research on early colonial-era Buddhist poetry – particularly literature written in the Sinhala language – and to lecture at the University of Colombo regarding the status of Buddhism in the United States.

Others chosen for the program include James Parsons, music; Carol Ann Costabile-Heming, modern and classical languages; Jamaine Abidogun, history; Brian Ellison, political science; John Llewellyn, religious studies; Ken Rutherford, political science; Edward Proctor, library services; and Dale Law, academic affairs, Missouri State-West Plains.

Commitment to Citizenship, Service Honored by Princeton Review

For 100 years, faculty and staff at Missouri State University have encouraged tens of thousands of students hailing from locations throughout the United States and the world to become positive, active citizens in their communities. Those efforts and the university's steadfast commitment to its statewide public affairs mission paved the way for the university to be chosen as one of the nation's best colleges fostering social responsibility and public service, according to The Princeton Review and Campus Compact. Missouri State is one of only 81 institutions in 33 states that The Princeton Review commends and features in its forthcoming book, Colleges with a Conscience: 81 Great Schools with Outstanding Community Involvement. Missouri State is the only Missouri university to earn a profile in the book.

College of Business Administration Recognized as One of Nation's Best

The College of Business Administration (COBA) at Missouri State was selected for inclusion in the 2006 edition of The Best Business Schools, to be published by The Princeton Review and Random House. The publication offers readers narrative profiles and rankings of the best business schools based on student opinions on a variety of topics, from academic offerings and quality of professors, to recruiting and job placement. The book serves as a resource to thousands of prospective business students in helping them find the schools most suited to their educational and personal needs.

COBA, along with the Missouri State School of Accountancy, holds full accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business – International at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Only 10 percent of business schools in the nation have attained this level of accreditation; only 162 universities worldwide have attained the distinction for both the business and accounting programs.

Missouri State University Joins Research Alliance

Discovering new composite materials for the aerospace industry, developing disease resistant crops and creating new sensors to detect bioterrorism are some of the types of research that scientists from universities across the state hope will be increased through an agreement announced by the Research Alliance of Missouri (RAM), a statewide coalition of universities, including Missouri State University, and other higher education institutions conducting research in Missouri. 

The new RAM collaborative research agreement establishes a standard legal document that one or more RAM member universities can use when working with Missouri companies to perform research. The agreement provides an easier method for universities to combine their research expertise through joint research projects performed on behalf of companies and to obtain research funding for those projects.

Nursing Programs Accredited 

The nursing department at Missouri State University received full accreditation for all its programs from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Missouri State received accreditation for five years, which is the maximum for new programs seeking accreditation with CCNE.

Ground Broken on Parking Facility

U.S. Congressman Roy Blunt helped turn the first shovelful of dirt during the groundbreaking ceremony for Missouri State University's $15.4 million Intermodal Transfer Facility (ITF). When completed, the facility will provide parking for 1,240 vehicles, along with a dedicated transitway linking the new facility with the current transitways, an enclosed waiting area and an outdoor shuttle loading area. The four-story parking facility will assist the university in further satisfying an increased demand for parking.

Arts Students from Across the State Attend Academy

For the ninth year, Missouri State University hosted the Missouri Fine Arts Academy (MFAA), a three week residential program for approximately 200 of Missouri's artistically talented high school juniors and seniors. The academy is one of only two governor's schools in the state and provides selected students throughout the state an opportunity to enhance their abilities, explore the various roles the arts play in society and encounter the arts in an interdisciplinary forum. MFAA, which began in 1996, is funded by a grant each year appropriated by the Missouri State Legislature and is co-sponsored by the Missouri State College of Arts and Letters and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

Academics

  • Missouri State University continued its proactive efforts to promote personal honesty and academic integrity with its third annual forum. The event follows the university's implementation of a modified honor code in the fall of 2000 and is intended to raise awareness regarding academic integrity. While aimed at students, faculty, administrators and staff, the events were all free and open to the public.
  • The Theatre and Dance department received full accreditation status from the National Association of Schools of Theatre.
  • The industrial management department, led by department head Dr. Shawn Strong, placed third at the National Association of Industrial Technology Robotic Manipulator competition. The annual competion invites college students from around the country to test their homemade robots against each other. Typically, 600 compete in the student division.
  • Nursing alumni, faculty and friends gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first graduating class from Missouri State University-West Plains' Associate of Science in nursing program. Since 1985, Missouri State-WP has graduated and sent out 513 registered nurses into the health care workforce.
  • The Associate of Applied Science in Respiratory Therapy degree program at Missouri State-West Plains received approval from the Missouri State Board of Governors and the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. Final approval came in late June when Missouri State-West Plains officials received a letter of review from the Committee on Accreditation of Respiratory Care (CoARC), the official accrediting body for respiratory therapy programs, stating the program had preliminary accreditation and is eligible to admit its first class.  Associate of applied science degrees and certificate programs in entrepreneurship, enology and viticulture at Missouri State University-West Plains were approved by the Missouri State Board of Governors and the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education.

Faculty and Staff

  • During the year, several faculty members received national recognition or participated in activities on a national/international level. Dr. Martha Finch, assistant professor of religious studies, received a Research Fellowship in Christian Thought and Practice grant from the Center for the Study of Religion at Princeton University for her project "Research Fellowship: Corporality and Orthodoxy: Religion and the Body in Early New England," a religio-cultural history of the human body in seventeenth-century New England. Dr. Carol Anne Costabile-Heming, associate professor of modern and classical languages, published "Berlin, The Symphony Continues: Orchestrating Architectural, Social, and Artistic Changes in Germany's New Capital." Dr. Randy K. Dillon, professor of communications, participated in the National Communication Association Hope Institute for Faculty Development on the campus of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Dr. James Miller had a 500-million-year-old fossil named after him in the Journal of Paleontology, a newly discovered genus and species of chiton Eukteanochiton milleri. Dr. Dennis Hickey, professor of political science, was commissioned by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars to prepare and present a report on China's relations with Japan, Taiwan and the Koreas. Hickey also delivered a briefing to Congressional staff and a lecture at the Woodrow Wilson Center on China's relations with its northeast Asian neighbors. Dr. Eric Bosch, associate professor of chemistry, published a paper that was featured on the front cover of the European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry. Dr. William J. Burling, professor of English, is the author of four entries in the new major revision of The New Dictionary of National Biography recently published by Oxford University Press. Music professor John Prescott received an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Standard Award, which he has won for the past five years. Katheryne Staeger-Wilson, director of disability services at Missouri State University, was one of 12 members selected to participate in the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) Leadership Institute on Universal Design in August in Milwaukee.
  • Three Missouri State University advisers were selected as National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) award recipients for 2004. This marked the eighth consecutive year that Missouri State received national recognition from NACADA. Kathy Davis, director of the University College Academic Advisement Center, received an award for Academic Advising Administrator; Harry Cook received an award for Academic Advisor – Full-time; Dr. Michael Carlie, professor of sociology and anthropology, received an award for Faculty Academic Advisor.
  • Dr. Duane Addleman, professor of health, physical education and recreation, was recognized as the Conservationist of the Year for 2004. He was one of eight Missourians who received the award at the 69th annual Conservation Federation of Missouri meeting.
    • Dr. Michael K. Carlie, professor of sociology and anthropology at Missouri State University, was honored with the 2004 Governor's Award for Excellence in Teaching.
    • Again in 200-05, two faculty members and two staff members were presented with Excellence in Community Service awards. The two faculty members honored were Abbe Ehlers, applied consumer sciences; and Rita Fugate, Arts and Sciences, Missouri State University-West Plains. The two staff members were Jean Thomas, receptionist in the history department; and Stephanie Grevillius, coordinator of student judicial programs.

Students

  • Greene County residents who showed up at the wrong polling place on Election Day found a Missouri State University student there ready to help. Missouri State University sent more than 90 students to work the Greene County polls as deputy registrars on Nov. 2, 2005. In addition to providing poll workers, Missouri State and various campus organizations offered a wide range of events and opportunities that encouraged students and residents in the community to register to vote.
  • The American Cancer Society Missouri State University Relay for Life hosted its 4th annual event. During the event, teams of 8-15 people gather and take turns walking or running laps, keeping at least one team member on the track at all times. Last year, $145,000 was raised for the fight against cancer.
  • Ten weeks of dumpster-diving and digging through trash paid off for Missouri State University. The university garnered the "Most Improved School Award" in the 2004 Recycle Mania competition after increasing its amount of materials recycled per student from approximately 2.5 lbs. per week to 3.5 lbs. per week. Missouri State also received national recognition for its recycling efforts when the Recycle Mania competition was awarded the title of "Outstanding Recycling Innovation of 2004" at the National Recycling Coalition's annual conference in San Francisco.
  • Missouri State University's former student governor, Kelli A. Wolf, was named one of Glamour Magazine's Top Ten College Women. In addition, Wolf received honorable mention status on the All-USA College Academic Team.
  • Missouri State University's media, journalism and film department brought home 16 awards from the 2005 Broadcast Education Association Festival. Seven presentations received first place honors and nine presentations received honorable mentions, taking home more awards than any other school in Missouri. In addition, "The Dogwood Tree," a short narrative film produced in the advanced filmmaking class last year, was screened at the Tivoli Theatre in Kansas City as part of the KC Filmmaker's Jubilee Film Festival.
  • Missouri State University's Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) Team was awarded a Regional Championship at the SIFE Regional Competition and Career Opportunity Fair in Memphis, Tenn.
  • Nathan Shelton, theatre major, had two of his plays performed at the Samuel French Short Play Festival in New York. Nathan's play Tinker Toys was selected among the top 20, and is still in the running to be published by Samuel French. A number of students won awards at the Broadcast Educators Association Festival of Media Arts, including First Place Video and First Place Commercial/PSA/Promo.
  • Linsdey Harness, communication major, was awarded the Cavett Roberts Public Speaking Scholarship by the National Speakers Association. She will receive $4,000 for the 2005-06 school year and was featured in the Professional Speakers Magazine.
  • Missouri State University student Tim Wootton was chosen to compete at the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) conference in Bangkok, Thailand.  Wootton, a senior trumpet performance major, was chosen from 40-50 worldwide applicants and competed against three finalists in the solo competition.
  • The Missouri State University collegiate chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma was recognized as a Premier Chapter for its superior level of membership acceptance and promotional activities during the 2003-04 academic year. Of the 162 Beta Gamma Sigma chapters currently established on college and university campuses, only 62 were recognized as Premier Chapters in 2004.
  • Two students at Missouri State University-West Plains were selected for the 2005 All-Missouri Two-Year College Academic Team. Rachel Leanne Turner, Thayer, was named to the second team, and Heather Mullanack, Drury, was named to the third team.  They were honored for their achievement during an award ceremony at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City.

Special Activities

  • Missouri State University granted its third honorary doctorate to David Harrison. The Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.) was presented to Harrison during spring commencement ceremonies. Harrison, who has authored more than 30 children's books, is a well-known advocate for children's literacy. He developed and initiated several programs in the area, most notably Reading Roundup, Sky High on Reading and KIDS-U-CATION. His efforts to raise literary awareness have also carried into many public service activities, including assisting foster children through Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
  • Missouri State University's history department hosted the 26th annual Mid-America Conference on History. More than 175 historians participated in the conference program, including some of the leading historians and scholars from throughout the country.
  • Two Bronze Bears, an honor bestowed upon those who have exhibited "extraordinary achievement and/or outstanding support," were awarded during the year. In December 2004, Springfieldian Kenneth E. Meyer, founder and owner of Meyer Communications, and his late wife, Jane, were named recipients of the Bronze Bear Award. Ken Meyer, a 1950 alumnus of Missouri State, received the Outstanding Alumni Award in 1985. He served on the Missouri State Foundation Board of Directors for 10 years, including four years as president, and also worked on the university's first capital campaign in the 1980s.  In June 2005, Missouri State University awarded the Bronze Bear to Dr. John H. Keiser, eighth president of the university. Keiser retired June 30, 2005, after serving 12 years as president.
  • Local public radio station KSMU-FM, an affiliate of National Public Radio licensed to Missouri State University was named a recipient of the 2004 Missouri Community Service Commission Media Award for radio for its commitment to communicating the importance of community involvement and productive participation. "Making a Difference Where You Live" and "A Sense of Community" focus on important community issues and the role of volunteerism and philanthropy in the betterment of community life. KSMU was also recognized for utilizing its Website in innovative ways to provide information which complements the station's on-air product.
  • Missouri State University held the second annual student-led Public Affairs Week (PAW) with activities designed to demonstrate service, community involvement and citizenship as a part of the university's public affairs mission. Events included a canned food drive and raffle, and a service fair, featuring many volunteer and service organizations available on campus and throughout the community. Chief Moose, named Person of the Week by Time magazine and the winner of several national service awards, was the keynote speaker.
  • For the 11th year, Missouri State University and Drury University hosted the Expanding Your Horizons conference. The event featured keynote speaker Lynn Craig, whose work in aerospace engineering has helped make Mars exploration possible. Expanding Your Horizons is designed to encourage sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade girls to get involved in science, mathematics and technology.
  • The Missouri State University School of Accountancy again partnered with representatives from a dozen federal, state, local, private and not-for-profit agencies throughout the region to offer free tax preparation, e-filing and tax controversy assistance as part of the Across the Life Span (ATLS) and Volunteer Individual Tax Assistance (VITA) programs. The walk-in clinics are being offered free to those with low incomes, older adults and citizens who speak English as a second language.
  • The College of Humanities and Public Affairs at Missouri State University sponsored an ethics symposium as part of the university's Centennial Celebration. The symposium analyzed advances in biomedical technology that have radically accelerated in the last half of the 20th century. Experts discussed the issues in four areas: the environment, focusing on genetically enhanced crops and animals; human enhancement, focusing on bionic medial implants and the use of steroids in sports; the beginning of life, focusing on stem cell research and genetic engineering; and the end of life; focusing on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.
  • The inaugural Public Affairs Conference, hosted by Missouri State University along with presenting sponsor the Springfield News-Leader, took place April 13-15 on the Springfield campus. Themed "Celebrating the Intellect," the three-day event featured several engaging panel discussion and included keynote speakers Jacob Needleman, "The American Soul"; Jim Wilson, "The Future of Work: A Global Sweatshop?"; Gerald Bracey, "International Comparisons of Test Scores: Where Does the U.S. Stand? What are the Implications for Educational Reform?"; Heather Woodbury, performance excerpts from "Tales of 2Cities" and "What Ever,"; and Frances Hesselbein, "Leaders of the Future: Ethics in Action."
  • Missouri State University received two awards for design work related to the renovation of Blair-Shannon residence hall. The awards were presented by the American Institute of Architecture-Springfield in the professional and public jury categories. In the professional category, Blair-Shannon Residence Hall received the Merit Award; in the public category, it received the Public Recognition Award for Interiors. In addition, the Blair-Shannon project was awarded a citation in the 2005 American School and University Educational Interiors Showcase, a competition honoring educational interior design excellence.
  • Missouri State University celebrated four special months: National Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, African American Heritage Month and Women's History Month.
  • During the year, a wide variety of speakers visited campus including Bob Beckel, one of Washington's leading political analysts; former ambassador to Afghanistan Theodore Eliot; Dr. Andy David, deputy consul general of Israel to the Midwest; and Samantha Rollinger, director of academic affairs at the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest; and Dr. David Kirp author and professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley; James Lilley, former ambassador to the People's Republic of China; Constantine Curris, president of the American Association of  State Colleges and Universities; Bernard Franklin, director of the Kauffman Foundation's Kauffman Scholars program, an initiative aimed at improving the lives of urban youth; SuEllen Fried, author and international speaker on the topic of child abuse and neglect; and Samuel C. Jones, region VII administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Intercollegiate Athletics

  • The 2004-05 year was another successful one for Missouri State intercollegiate athletics. Teams from the 19 sports which compete in the Missouri Valley Conference were in a position to challenge for the league's all-sports championship for the fourth time in six years. The 2004-05 women's basketball team claimed the first postseason national championship for any Lady Bears team by going 5-0 in the WNIT to cap a 25-8 season that included a second consecutive Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship. Winter activities also produced two championship seasons in swimming. The women's team won the MVC meet for the third year in a row, while the men won the MVC Invitational. Other conference championships in the MVC came from the women's cross country team in the fall and the men's tennis team in the spring. The basketball Bears just missed a 20-win season and NCAA tournament bid for the second year in a row but achieved a return to postseason play for the first time in five years with a 19-13 season.
  • The women's basketball team ranked sixth nationally among NCAA Division I programs with a 3.425 team grade-point average for the 2004-05 school year. Senior Nicole Lehman became the first Lady Bear to be named a CoSIDA Academic All-American since Jackie Stiles earned the honor in 2001. Lehman was only the sixth Lady Bear in school history to earn the honor. She was joined on the CoSIDA Academic All-District VII team by junior Sarah Klaassen.
  • Missouri State University-West Plains Lady Grizzly Maggie Thompson was named a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Distinguished Academic All-American, the highest academic honor bestowed by the NJCAA.

Sponsored Research Programs

  • In Fiscal Year 2005, Missouri State University was awarded $16,615,908 to support projects in research, education, and service.  The funding represents an 8 percent increase over FY 2004, and is the largest amount ever received in one year by the university.  This funding came from federal agencies ($11,880,213), state agencies ($2,833,906), non-profit organizations ($1,314,243), county/city agencies ($489,495), businesses ($88,051), and international agencies ($10,000).  Following are examples of funded projects.
  • Professor of biology John Havel is collaborating with the University of Illinois on a project entitled Analyses of Zooplankton Samples from the Missouri River and Its Main-stem Reservoirs.  The project entails analyses of zooplankton samples collected from the Missouri River and its mainstream reservoirs.  Funding is from the U.S. Geological Service's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) for Great River Ecosystems  funding in the amount of $170,000.
  • Director of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy Julie Bloodworth was awarded $334,505 from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and $35,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts to support the Missouri Fine Arts Academy.  NEA funding is new for the program and will be awarded again in 2006.  The Academy is a three-week residential program held on Missouri State's campus for rising high school juniors and seniors talented in music, visual arts, theatre, or dance.
  • Assistant Research Professor of fruit science and molecular virologist Wenping Qiu received a grant in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Missouri – Columbia and the Danforth Plant Science Center to identify defense genes that enable wild grapevines to resist various diseases.  The Vitis Gene Discovery Program will study key grape genes that are crucial for defending against diseases that can improve fruit quality.  The research seeks to develop an environment-friendly disease management process and create new grape cultivars through a precision breeding scheme.  Funding for this research is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the amount of $201,097.
  • Associate Professor Rebecca Woodard and Assistant Professors Tim Passmore and Hugh Gibson of the health, physical education, and recreation department have developed The Bear Play Wheelchair Sport and Recreation Program to provide opportunities for Greene County adults with physical disabilities to participate in sports and recreation activities.  The Bear Play project will accommodate individuals with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and spina bifida.  Funding for the project is from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks in the amount of $9,700.
  • Assistant Professor of chemistry Gary Meints received a grant to study enzymes that repair damaged DNA.  This project—entitled Investigating Local Dynamics in Damaged DNA via Solid-state Deuterium NMR—will lead to a greater understanding of the cellular mechanism that repairs cancerous and lesion damage to DNA and maintains the integrity of the genetic code.  Funding for the research is from the Research Corporation's Cottrell College Science Award in the amount of $35,684.
  • Professor and Director of early childhood and development Susanne George is collaborating with Burrell Behavioral Health to provide training that will enable child care providers to obtain the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.  The CDA training program is closely patterned after the Council for Early Childhood Education Professional Recognition model and will expand the services of the University's existing Learning Connection program.   The award of $125,625 comes to the University from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services through Burrell Behavioral Health.
  • Professors of mathematics Kurt Killion and Lynda Plymate are working on a project entitled Enhancing Mathematics and Science Achievement in Rural, High-need Districts. The training project targets 4th through 8th grade math and science teachers and will increase their content knowledge and skills in these disciplines.  Participants will design new curriculum for their classrooms that incorporate authentic uses of math and writing that includes an evaluation plan based on performance.  Funding for the project was received from the Missouri Department of Higher Education in the amount of $174,098.
  • Executive Director Dr. Ryan Giedd and Research Specialist Rishi Patel, Center for Applied Science & Engineering (CASE); and Fred Marty, associate vice president for administrative services, received a $7,640,000 grant from the U.S. Army Defense Contracting Command Agency that will enable the renovation of a building in downtown Springfield. The building will be converted into an academic research and product development facility called the Jordan Valley Innovation Center (JVIC), which will incorporate CASE and small technology-companies that conduct defense related R&D and manufacturing in Missouri and the nation. The research emphasis includes sensors for biological and chemical airborne or waterborne agent detection, new carbon-based materials for hard coat and shelter applications, and new devices for use in environmentally challenging environments.

Federal Funding

Congressman Roy Blunt Secures $36.9 Million for Southwest Missouri Defense Spending Priorities

The United States House of Representatives approved the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2006 which includes six projects sought by Seventh District Congressman Roy Blunt. The projects include five research programs and completion of the first phase of converting the old MFA mill into a high-tech research and development facility in center city Springfield. The total appropriation for southwest Missouri projects approved by the House is $36.9 million.

The 2006 appropriations continue several research projects begun last year. In addition, the defense spending bill includes $4.4 million to complete the first phase of construction, slated to begin this fall, to convert the MFA mill into the new home for Missouri State University's Center for Applied Science and Engineering (CASE). The Jordan Valley Innovation Center will house state-of-the-art clean rooms, sophisticated laboratories and offices for CASE and its private-sector research partners. Blunt secured $8 million for the renovation project in 2005 appropriations.

Federal funds were provided for Missouri State's CASE to partner with area firms on a numbers of projects including: working with researchers from Nantero Incorporated to develop and demonstrate a new, fast radiation-hardened random access memory chip to be used in space applications; working with Brewer Science to identify new materials and packaging technologies to further advance the use of micro electro mechanical systems technologies; and working with Crosslink to produce self-decontaminating fabric materials that resist exposure to chemical and biological warfare agents.

In addition, Missouri State University's department of agriculture received a $577,494 two-year grant to give students in rural community colleges the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in agriculture. Through the Missouri Pathways Partnership, Missouri State has established relationships with its campus in West Plains and Crowder College in Neosho to provide the telecourses necessary to earn a Bachelor's of Applied Science in Agriculture.

Private Fund-Raising

Thanks to a successful comprehensive fund-raising campaign, the Missouri State University Foundation experienced another record-breaking year. Following are a few of the highlights:

  • Students from Marshfield High School who attend Missouri State University will benefit from a new scholarship fund established by alumnus Robert M. Garst and his wife Edith I. Garst. Mr. Garst is a 1941 graduate of Missouri State and both he and Mrs. Garst are natives of Marshfield. The Garst Endowed Fund will provide scholarships to outstanding students from Marshfield High School. In recognition of the Garsts' six-figure gift, the dining hall between Hammons House and Hutchens House will be named the "Garst Dining Hall."
  • The arena at the William H. Darr Agricultural Center was named Pinegar Arena in honor of Carol and T. Edward Pinegar Jr. and their family, who made a major gift to renovate the facility. The renovation of Pinegar Arena will highlight Phase II, which also includes the addition of a stalling barn/large animal laboratory, parking, restrooms, and other infrastructure needs such as water, sewer, and roads. Phase II will be completed with a combination of private gifts and approximately $2 million in bonds funded by state appropriations. Phase III includes a building that will house classrooms, laboratories, and a small animal clinic, all of which will be funded primarily through private gifts.
  • The Hutchens/SGA Centennial Leaders Scholarship Program, which, in the fall of 2005, will benefit approximately 20 incoming first-time freshmen with awards of $1,250 or $2,500, is made possible through a major gift from the Hutchens family of Springfield and a new fee – $3 per student per semester – approved by the Student Government Association.
  • The Citizen-Scholar statue, representing Missouri State University's statewide mission in public affairs, was dedicated today April 13, 2005, in honor of former Missouri State President John H. Keiser. The Campaign for SMS: Imagine the Possibilities. Campaign co-chairs Bill Darr and Tom Strong made private gifts to fund the statue. The statue shows a young woman dressed in cap and gown standing on the steps of a pedestal, gazing at a globe she holds over her head. The dedication plaque reads, "The woman in this statue represents every student enrolled in the university. She is dressed in the ordinary clothes of a student, which she wore as she began her education. Upon completion of her degree, she dons the regalia of a graduate and now moves forward from graduation to support the global community, thus fulfilling the university's mission:  to develop educated citizens of the world."
  • Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided a $10,000 grant to Missouri State University's Meyer Library. The grant will bolster book holdings related to Taiwan. Director-General Joan Wang of the Taiwan consulate in Kansas City presented a check to the university in a brief ceremony attended by university officials and U.S Congressman Roy Blunt.