Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for Oct. 13, 2020

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This week we will celebrate Homecoming. Due to the pandemic, this year’s festivities will be different than prior years. However, we have modified our array of Homecoming activities to allow our university community to interact with health and safety precautions in place.

Homecoming activities in which you may be interested in participating include:

  • Rockstar, a student musical talent competition, is tonight at 7 p.m. The event will be livestreamed.
  • MoState Live, a student skit competition, is Thursday at 7 p.m. The event will be livestreamed.
  • The coronation of this year’s Homecoming king and queen is 1 p.m. Saturday at Plaster Stadium rather than during the football game to reduce the size of the crowd.
  • Bears and Lady Bears basketball scrimmages will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at Hammons Student Center. The number of attendees will be limited.
  • The Bears football game against the University of Central Arkansas is Saturday at 7 p.m. at Plaster Stadium. You can purchase tickets online. If you would like to attend the game, you should plan to purchase tickets as soon as possible because the number of attendees will be limited to facilitate social distancing.
  • On Sunday we will host two commencement ceremonies for spring and summer 2020 graduates. The number of graduates and guests will be limited.

We canceled several of our traditional Homecoming events to protect our community against COVID-19. We will not have a parade this year. We will also not have Bearfest Village on campus. Any pre-game gatherings in campus parking lots will be limited to 20 people or fewer.

Unfortunately, we will also not have a Wall of Fame induction ceremony. We have tentatively postponed that ceremony to Homecoming 2021.

We were able to continue other traditions with modifications. For example, the Class of 1970 reunion celebration will be virtual, and The Golden Bears annual gathering will be a webinar.

Masks and social distancing will be required at all Homecoming events.

You can find information about Homecoming activities organized by Student Activities Council and activities organized by the Alumni Association online.

Big news for MCHHS

Earlier this month the Missouri State University Foundation announced that it received a seven-figure gift from Ann Kampeter. In honor of that gift, this week I will recommend that the Board of Governors rename the Professional Building the Ann Kampeter Health Sciences Hall.

Ann is an alumnus who spent many hours in the Professional Building when she was a student. Thanks to her gift, the building will undergo extensive renovations, including:

  • A state-of-the-art student access and advisement center.
  • Updates to the Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic.
  • Additional meeting and study spaces.

I am excited about this gift and the future of the McQueary College of Health and Human Services. The work we do changes student lives. It is inspiring when those students become alumni who give back to their alma mater.

End the semester strong

I hope each of you took advantage of the break last Thursday and Friday to get some well-deserved rest and relaxation.

Please join me in giving a special thanks to our custodians and other workers that cleaned the campus and performed essential services on those days. We couldn’t provide a safe learning environment for our students without your hard work.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

 

Clif’s Notes for Oct. 22, 2019

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Homecoming is one of my favorite times on campus. Alumni return and students cheer at pep rallies and competitions, build parade floats and participate in a variety of activities to create their own memories of Missouri State.

I encourage all members of the campus community to participate in Homecoming activities this week. Highlights include:

Join us for It’s On!

After the football game, join us at Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts for an epic surprise event—It’s On! Doors open at 5:30 p.m. There will be a HUGE announcement from actor and Missouri State alumnus, John Goodman. After the big reveal, the party moves to the heart of campus for a food truck fair, fireworks, entertainment and more.

All attendees will receive $8 in Bear Bucks to cash in at an array of food truck vendors parked on campus. The first 500 people will receive free t-shirts and all attendees will receive swag bags.

You can find more information on the website.

Board of Governors meets Friday

Before we cheer on the Bears and celebrate It’s On!, the Board of Governors will meet on Friday. Highlights for their meeting include:

  • Receiving presentations about the online speech therapy program operated by an alum, Greenwood Laboratory School and this year’s What’s New at MSU video
  • Authorizing bond refinancing terms that will result in a net savings to the university of more than $1 million
  • Voting on changes to the university Housing Policy
  • Electing 2020 board officers

The main discussion topic at the board meeting will be results from the climate survey we administered in spring 2019. I will update you on those results and the board’s discussion next week.

Wall of Fame inductees

Following the board meeting, we will welcome new inductees to the university’s Wall of Fame at 4 p.m. in the PSU Ballroom. The Wall of Fame honors former faculty and staff members who significantly contributed to the success and positive experience of students.

This year’s inductees are:

  • Earle Doman
  • Neosha Mackey
  • Virginia Mee
  • Linda Pettijohn
  • Denny Pilant
  • Burnie Snodgrass

You can find more information about these individuals in the university’s press release.

I hope you will join me in congratulating these six inductees.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Oct. 16, 2018

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Homecoming is one of my favorite times on campus. Alumni return and students cheer at pep rallies and competitions, build parade floats and participate in a variety of activities to create their own memories of Missouri State.

I encourage all members of the campus community to support our alumni and students by participating in Homecoming activities this week. Highlights include:

Saturday begins with the Homecoming Parade at 9 a.m. on John Q. Hammons Parkway, followed by Breakfast with Boomer at 10 a.m. in Meyer Library. Men’s and women’s basketball scrimmages will also begin at 10 a.m. in JQH Arena.

Pregame festivities in Bearfest Village will start shortly after the parade. Kickoff for the Bears football game against Western Illinois State University is at 2 p.m. I hope you will attend the game and cheer on the Bears to victory.

The full list of alumni and student Homecoming activities can be found online.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Oct. 24, 2017

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Homecoming is one of my favorite times on campus. Alumni return to remember. Students cheer at pep rallies and competitions, build parade floats and participate in a vast array of activities to create their own memories of Missouri State.

I encourage all members of the campus community to support our alumni and students by participating in Homecoming activities this week. Highlights include:

Saturday begins with the Homecoming Parade at 9 a.m. on John Q. Hammons Parkway. Pre-game festivities in Bearfest Village start after the parade. The men’s and women’s basketball teams will scrimmage at 10 a.m. in JQH Arena. Kickoff for the Bears football game against Indiana State is at 2 p.m. I hope you will attend the game and cheer on the Bears to victory.

The full list of alumni and student Homecoming activities can be found online.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Oct. 17, 2017

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We recently announced that the touring production of “The Lion King” will come to Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts in February 2019. You don’t have to wait until next year to see outstanding productions on campus.

The touring production of “Rent” will be at Hammons Hall on Oct. 27-28. “Rent: chronicles an unforgettable year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online.

Meanwhile, the Missouri State theatre and dance department will produce “Pippin,” a story of a young prince who longs to find passion and adventure in his life, Oct. 26-29 in the Craig Hall Coger Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online ().

The Hammons Hall Broadway Series will kickoff in December. Productions include:

  • “Chicago” (Dec. 5–7)
  • “The Sound of Music“ (Jan. 9–11)
  • “Kinky Boots” (March 20–22)
  • “The Phantom of the Opera” (May 23–June 3)

If you haven’t subscribed to the Broadway Series in recent years, this lineup presents a good opportunity to consider resubscribing. You can purchase your Broadway Series subscription online.

Show your pride during Homecoming

Next week is Homecoming. As the campus buzzes with student and alumni activities, please take a moment to consider participating in several other events.

On Monday, Oct. 23, the annual office decorating contest will go from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. The deadline to sign up is tomorrow, Oct. 18.  You can sign up online.

On Friday, Oct. 27, following the Board of Governors meeting, we will have our annual Wall of Fame induction ceremony at 4 p.m. in the Plaster Student Union Ballroom. This year’s inductees are:

  • John Bowdidge
  • John Catau
  • Marilyn Chana
  • Bruce Johnson
  • Mike McElhaney
  • Sally Rowe

You can find more information about the Wall of Fame and this year’s inductees in the university’s Wall of Fame news release.

On Oct. 28, before the Bears Homecoming football game against Indiana State, the men’s and women’s basketball teams will scrimmage at 10 a.m. in JQH Arena.  Come out and see our new and returning student athletes.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!