Reynolds College Blog

Missouri Fine Arts Academy accepting applications for 2027

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The next session of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy (MFAA) is scheduled for May 30-June 12, 2027, on the Springfield campus of Missouri State University.

Missouri high school students interested in attending can apply online starting Oct. 12, 2026. The application portal will be available through Jan. 25, 2027.

In addition, the Academy is accepting resident assistant and faculty applications.

Colorful graphic with hummingbird and text "Let's Connect"

Let’s “Connect” with the 2027 Academy theme

MFAA’s 2027 theme is “Connect,” according to MFAA Director Dr. Fatih Benzer. He is an associate professor in Missouri State’s Department of Art and Design.

Through a variety of interdisciplinary, discipline-specific and elective courses, MFAA 2027 offers students a chance to improve as emerging artists, Benzer said. “MFAA provides crucial abilities that promote a meaningful learning environment for self-expression, effective communication and multidisciplinary teamwork.”

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Percussion Studio hosts first Discovery Day event

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Missouri State University’s Percussion Studio recently held its first Discovery Day learning clinic for area middle and high school students.

Thirteen area students participated in the event, held in April this year on the Springfield campus. Participating students came from Springfield’s Cherokee Middle School, Central High School and Parkview High School as well as Neosho, Nixa and Ozark schools.

Students did not need to audition to attend, according to Dr. Yun Ju Pan, assistant professor in the Department of Music. “Anyone with an interest in learning percussion is warmly welcome,” she said.

The Percussion Studio consists of all music major and minor students who take private percussion lessons. The result is a sense of community and collaboration, Pan said. “For us, the Percussion Studio is like a family—a place where students learn, hang out, practice and rehearse together. They are constantly learning from and supporting one another.”

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Now taking applications for CSI Camp 2026

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Missouri State University’s Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) camp celebrates its fourth year with two full sessions during Summer 2026.

Incoming high school students — freshmen through seniors —  are eligible to attend. The program is sponsored by the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

  • Camp 1: June 8-11, 2026
  • Camp 2: July 27-30, 2026

How to apply

Applications are being accepted online.

CSI Camp tuition is $275 per camper. Tuition fees include a camp t-shirt and daily lunch.

Sessions run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.

This is a day camp that does not include breakfast, dinner, nightly lodging or transportation to and from the camp each day.

Each camp can accept up to 40 students.

Learn more

Emphasis on immersive learning

CSI Camp remains a popular option to introduce high school students to the world of criminology and criminal justice.

Campers participate in immersive learning activities such as collecting and reading fingerprints, analyzing blood spatter and ballistic analysis. They will even work a mock crime scene during their session.

Contact information

Registration, payment and administrative assistance: Christy Titus.

Camp curriculum: Dr. Michael Kyle.

General questions: School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at 417-836-3799 or criminology@missouristate.edu.

Check out CSI Camp

 

Day of the Dead festivities set for Nov. 5

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The Department of Languages, Cultures and Religions (LCR) will once again host Día de Muertos festivities from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 5 in the Plaster Student Union Ballroom.

The biennial event is free and open to the public.

“Día de Muertos — or Day of the Dead — is a joyful and meaningful celebration that honors and remembers loved ones who have passed away,” said Dr. Vanessa Rodríguez de la Vega, professor of Spanish in LCR.

The festival symbolizes the return of souls to the world of the living, according to de la Vega. “The event encourages reflection on life, memory, and community, reminding everyone that death is not an end but a continuation through remembrance.”

Día de Muertos emphasizes remembrance rather than mourning by combining pre-Columbian Indigenous traditions with Catholic All Saints’ Day customs, de la Vega said. And while the festival is associated primarily with Mexico, it is also celebrated in several Latin American countries, including Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador and Peru.

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Missouri Fine Arts Academy accepting applications for 2026

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The next session of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy (MFAA) is scheduled for May 31 – June 13, 2026, on the Springfield campus of Missouri State University.

Missouri high school students interested in attending can apply online starting Oct. 14, 2025. The application portal will be available through Jan. 30, 2026.

In addition, the Academy is accepting resident assistant and faculty applications.

Colorful graphic that spells out "Expressions"

2026 Academy theme is about “Expressions”

MFAA encourages young artists to express their ideas through a variety of artistic disciplines, including visual arts, music, theatre, creative writing and dance, said MFAA Director Dr. Fatih Benzer. He is an associate professor in Missouri State’s Department of Art and Design.

In addition to enhancing their artistic skills through discipline-specific and interdisciplinary courses, Academy students are encouraged to attend performances by acclaimed artists, writers, performers and musicians to enrich their experience.

“It is no secret that many great artists take cues from their own lives, experiences and inner thoughts to reach out to a world-wide audience,” Benzer said. “So, express yourself. And always remember: You are the inspiration.”

About the MFAA application process

Current Missouri high school freshman, sophomores, juniors or seniors may apply to attend MFAA in the following areas of study:

  • Visual Arts/Mixed Media (painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, photography and digital art)
  • Theatre (acting)
  • Dance (modern, ballet, jazz, tap and hip hop)
  • Creative Writing (fiction, short story, poetry, playwriting and spoken word)
  • Music (vocal or instrumental performance, songwriting, composition and electronic music)

There is no application fee.

Application packets must include a 500-word personal essay describing how involvement in the arts impacts the applicant’s life, a student evaluation from school personnel and a digital portfolio or video performance. More information about specific application criteria and guidelines on how to prepare applications can be found on the MFAA website. [Read more…] about Missouri Fine Arts Academy accepting applications for 2026