Archives for April 2024

MSU Anthropology students dominate Santa Fe conference

April 30, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Five anthropology students from Missouri State University gave impressive performances at the Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA) conference March 26-30.

Two of those students, senior anthropology major Jacob Rosecrans and senior anthropology major McKennzee Newton, won first and second place honors, respectively, for their research poster presentations.

Senior anthropology major Brianna Rodgers and junior anthropology and agriculture double major Kyra Uphoff presented their research on the benefits of student-led college clubs, fielding questions from both faculty and students throughout the entire conference.

Junior sociology major Isabella Rossi gave an oral presentation of her research on public housing in St. Louis.

“All presented as undergraduates,” said Dr. Mary Willis, head of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology (SAG). “That’s a huge accomplishment given that undergraduates are less likely to do their own research compared to graduates and less likely to have the chance to present.”

“Every single one of them was poised, confident, and able to talk about their research in clear, straightforward and engaging ways,” said associate professor Dr. Marnie Watson. “Their work was at the level of the graduate students and faculty who presented at the conference.”

“In fact, several people expressed amazement that our undergraduate students were able to engage so professionally with others at the conference,” she added.

The students were accompanied to the conference by Willis, Watson and instructor Jason Shepard.

During their stay, the students visited Pecos National Historical Park and several museums in Sante Fe’s Museum Hill. After the conference, the group enjoyed a celebratory dinner at Jambo Café, a Sante Fe restaurant that was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

“We didn’t realize that we would have so much to celebrate,” Willis said. “When I was looking at the posters before the award ceremony, another conference attendee said to me, ‘Wow, Missouri State really dominated the awards this year’.”

MSU professors Putzu and Schmalzbauer lend expertise to “Kehila Kedosha.”

April 29, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Ozarks Public Television (OPT) will broadcast the premiere of “Kehila Kedosha: Jewish Heritage in the Missouri Ozarks,” May 9 at 8 p.m., with an encore presentation scheduled for May 13 at 8 p.m.

The documentary, produced by Dax Bedell, assistant manager of TV Production at OPT, highlights the history of Jewish migration, assimilation and heritage in the Missouri Ozarks.

“The story of the Jewish experience in the Missouri Ozarks is one that has been largely untold,” Bedell said. “‘Kehila Kedosha’ aims to shed light on some of this rich history and the indelible impact the Jewish community has had in shaping our collective culture.”

“It is a narrative that resonates far beyond the Ozarks, reminding us of the profound contributions immigrants have made to the fabric of our nation,” he added.

The documentary is built around the research of MSU faculty emeritus Dr. Mara Cohen Ioannides. Cohen Ioannides has written multiple books and articles about Jewish life and identity, including “Creating Community: The Jews of Springfield, Missouri” and her most recent work, “Jews of Missouri: An Ornament to Israel.”

Dr. Michelle Morgan honored with Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education

April 29, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Associate professor of history Dr. Michelle Morgan was recently honored with the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education.

She was nominated for the award by Dr. Kathleen Kennedy, head of the Department of History.

Morgan first learned she had been selected for the Governor’s Award during the Faculty Awards reception, when she was also being recognized for her Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching.

“The committee selects the Governor’s Award from among the winners of the Foundation Award but does not tell the individual until the reception,” Morgan explained. “It was quite a surprise!”

The award does not have a monetary component, but Morgan received a plaque and attended a luncheon in Jefferson City, Missouri, that honored other Governor’s Award recipients.

Creating citizens and scholars through critical thinking

Morgan, who teaches American history with an emphasis on the American West and American empire, said her coursework spans both historical content and social studies education methodology.

“All of these courses engage my students with learning and teaching about both the laudable and the difficult moments of our country’s past,” Morgan explained. “Grounded in the scholarship of historical thinking and inclusive classroom practices, my teaching fosters students’ ability to ask rigorous historical questions, analyze sources and draw informed conclusions.”

Morgan believes her teaching, which she described as involving “an extensive amount of time digging into primary source materials,” cultivates important critical thinking skills that serve to help students develop as both citizens and scholars.

“[These skills] play a crucial role in preparing our pre-service social studies teachers for the challenges of teaching authentic history in our current environment,” she said.

Morgan cites her American West class as an example of her teaching method and strategy.

In this course, she requires her students to research a historical memorial or monument related to the American West.

Students analyze the commemorated event or person. They then analyze the creators of the memorial to identify and explore the meaning those creators wanted to convey.

From there, students write a proposal to add context, modify content or craft an addition to the memorial to provide a more nuanced interpretation of the past.

Classroom photo of teacher facing students — Dr. Michelle Morgan teaches a seminar class. Photo credit: Jesse Scheve/Missouri State University.

ROTC more than just “playing Army”

April 26, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Tucked away in the basement of Freudenberger residence hall, the Department of Military Science often goes unnoticed by passersby.

The concrete-grey steps leading down to the department draw little attention.

Just inside, the mood changes. Visitors encounter a bold welcome message on the department’s front doors:

“What’s your warrior? Join our TEAM.”

This is the home of the MSU Bear Battalion.

The Bear Battalion

Military personnel in gear — Maybe not your typical college classroom. ROTC students at lab. Photo credit: Department of Military Science.

MSU’s Bear Battalion was established in 1952. During the 1970s, the program branched out to include other area schools. At this time, Evangel, Drury and Southwest Baptist University also participate in the Bear Battalion.

According to the Army ROTC website, ROTC was officially created in 1916 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Defense Act.

Its roots can be traced back to 1819 when the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy was formed in Norwich, Vermont, to develop “citizen-soldiers” while providing them with an education.

The concept continued to expand, culminating in the official creation of ROTC in 1916.

Since then, Army ROTC has become the “largest officer-producing organization with the American military.” The organization has produced over 600,000 men and women commissioned officers.

At Missouri State, the Bear Battalion is just part of that 600,000 ROTC-strong.

These young men and women stand out on campus when they wear their military gear, especially on Thursdays, when they have ROTC lab.

Otherwise, they blend in with other MSU students, milling about campus in their jeans and khakis and “BearWear.”

They act like other MSU students, too. They goof off and kid around, they go on spring break trips, they play video games. They are into art and music and movies. They are active in campus organizations and church.

They truly do look and act like “regular” college students. And they want people to know that they are regular college students.

Yet their experience as Bear Battalion cadets does make them a little different.

They admit it themselves when they talk about how ROTC has changed their lives for the better.

MSU alumna Sarah Russell navigates new technology in her marketing role

April 25, 2024 by Damilola R. Oyedeji

For alumna Sarah Russell, a communication studies degree from Missouri State University opened doors to a variety of career opportunities.

Russell, who graduated in 2008, has found a niche in digital media and marketing.

She currently serves as vice president of marketing at Education Dynamics, an educational marketing firm.

As a college student, Russell was interested in marketing and public relations, but she chose to pursue a broader communication major. She believes this choice gave her a solid foundation in corporate communications, marketing, media and her most recent focus area, artificial intelligence (AI).

“When I began my career in the late 2000s, AI wasn’t even a blip on my radar, but I already had an interest in the technical aspects of marketing and advertising,” Russell said.

“After establishing my career at an advertising agency that specialized in performance marketing, I became drawn to the emphasis on analysis, optimization and direct results, which are the foundations of AI and marketing.”

In her role, Russell will continue to explore ways to leverage AI for predictive analytics, data segmentation and analysis, as well as forecast trends and behaviors. [Read more…] about MSU alumna Sarah Russell navigates new technology in her marketing role