Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for Aug. 23, 2022

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Welcome to Missouri State University.

If you are new to campus, I look forward to connecting with you. Feel free to tweet at me (my Twitter handle is @clifsmart) or stop me on the sidewalk and introduce yourself.

I hope you were able to enjoy some of our Welcome Weekend activities as students moved into residence halls and began forming lifelong relationships with one another. We had an excellent New Student Convocation presentation on Sunday by our very own Paige Oxendine — assistant director at the efactory and former MSU student body president.

The next several weeks will provide many opportunities to be engaged on campus:

  • We will dedicate Heitz House — the new residence hall at Holland and Madison — at 2 p.m. today.
  • We will host a Multicultural Networking Reception at 6 p.m. tomorrow in the Davis-Harrington Welcome Center.
  • Next Wednesday, Aug. 31, we will greet our new students with House Calls at 5:15 p.m. You may sign up online.
  • We will dedicate the renovated Kampeter Health Sciences Hall at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 6.
  • We will cheer on our Bears at the first home football game on Sept. 8. Tailgating in Bearfest Village will start around 5 p.m. The game is scheduled for kickoff at 7 p.m.

Other campus events can be found on the calendar of events.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Aug. 20, 2019

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Welcome to Missouri State University. If you are new to campus, I look forward to connecting with you. Feel free to tweet at me (my Twitter handle is @clifsmart) or stop me on the sidewalk and introduce yourself.

I hope you were able to enjoy some of our Welcome Weekend activities as students moved into residence halls and began forming lifelong relationships with one another. I was particularly impressed by this year’s New Student Convocation presentation by the “Fastest Woman Alive,” three-time Olympic medalist and MSU assistant track and field coach Carmelita Jeter (aka “the Jet”).

Get involved

The next several weeks will provide many opportunities to be engaged on campus:

Other campus events can be found on the calendar of events.

New secretary for the Board of Governors

Kristan Gochenauer, the secretary to the Board of Governors, will be relocating out of the state with her family. The board and I are grateful for Kristan’s many years of service to the university.

Following an internal search, the board interviewed candidates and hired Kristan’s replacement at their retreat earlier this month. I am pleased to report that the board selected Rowena Stone to serve as the new board secretary.

Rowena earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Missouri State. She has held a variety of administrative roles in the Springfield community, including her most recent job as the executive assistant in my office.

The board and I are excited for Rowena to join the university’s leadership team as we work to move Missouri State forward.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Aug. 14, 2018

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I hope you are as excited as I am for the fall semester to start next week. We have a week full of activities before classes start on Monday.

Frank Einhellig and I will share some thoughts for the year at the All Faculty Lunch at 11:30 a.m. on Aug.16 in the PSU Ballroom. Plan to attend this event to meet new faculty members, reconnect with colleagues and participate in the conversation about the strategic plans for our university.

New students will be coming to campus this week and through the weekend. Please help us welcome them to Missouri State. Opportunities to do this include:

  • The annual “See You Later” Brunch (where we say “hello” to new students and “goodbye” to their families and friends who have moved them to campus) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 18 in Blair Shannon and Garst Dining Centers.
  • The transfer student ice cream social from 1-3 p.m. on Aug. 18 in the PSU Food Court.
  • The Belong-B-Q at 5 p.m. on Aug. 19 in the Freudenberger Courtyard.

Throughout the weekend you can also help students move in to their residence halls as part of Bear Crew.

We will officially kickoff the new year with New Student Convocation Aug. 19 at 2 p.m. in JQH Arena. This year’s featured speaker is our very own Cameron LaBarr, a student-focused educator who led the Missouri State Chorale to a presidential inauguration and trips around the world. You don’t want to miss Cameron’s presentation.

My future is here

I couldn’t be more excited for this year and for the future of Missouri State. Last week, the Board of Governors graciously offered me a four-year extension on my contract, and I readily accepted. As I have always said, I plan to spend the rest of my career working with all of you to move Missouri State University forward. Together we can make Missouri State’s future bright.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!