Cultural Competence Archives - Reynolds College Blog

MSU students experience Ecuador through Education Abroad

September 17, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Five Missouri State University students, including three from the Reynolds College, traveled to Ecuador July 3-6 as part of an Education Abroad program.

The students were graduate student Kinli Miller and undergraduate students Bailey Meesey, Kai Schiller, Ryan Ziegler and Brynn Kayhill.

They were accompanied by Jason Shepard, senior instructor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology.

Multi-faceted curriculum emphasized experiential learning

During the three-hour credit course, “Andes to the Amazon,” the students learned about Ecuador’s cultures and societies through experiential learning, according to Shepard. The curriculum included community tourism development, traditional medicine and agriculture.

Six individuals sitting outside in front of Andes mountains — Enjoying the beautiful outdoors near the lake town of San Pablo de la Laguna. L-R: Ryan Ziegler, Brynn Kayhill, Kinli Miller, Jason Shepard, Kai Schiller and Bailey Meesey. Photo credit: Juan Miguel Espinoza.

As part of the course, students conducted interviews, participated in field trips and kept daily field journals. They will use these field notes, Shepard said, along with lectures, interviews and additional research to construct presentations and posters. The students will then present their findings at an approved conference or public forum.

US Air Force’s Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble to perform in John Goodman Amphitheatre Sept. 17

September 12, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University and the Department of Music invite the public to hear the US Air Force’s Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17 in the John Goodman Amphitheatre.

The event is coordinated by MSU’s Dr. Jason Hausback, director of jazz studies.

Tickets are free. Registration is required.

Reserve your tickets

According to its website, the Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble is a group of 18 professional enlisted musicians. Their repertoire includes traditional big band jazz, bebop, swing and modern jazz. Several of the band’s members compose and arrange their own works and include them in their performances.

“The USAF Band in St. Louis has brought various groups to our campus several times in the last 10 years, but this is the largest event they have planned thus far,” Hausback said. “There are terrific military band ensembles stationed throughout the country, and we are lucky to have one of the US Air Force units just down the road in St. Louis.”

Noting the group’s mission of outreach, Hausback said having the group perform at MSU serves both students and the community.

“I’m personally excited for this performance because it also gives our students an opportunity to learn about other career paths open to them,” he said. “In addition, it’s an opportunity to recognize and honor our veteran population on campus and in the greater Springfield area.”

“I’m thrilled that the Reynolds College is a willing participant and promoter of events like this,” he added.

History professor Dr. Chelsea Davis wins prestigious journal prize

September 12, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Dr. Chelsea Davis, assistant professor in the Department of History, has been awarded the 2024 CHA Journal Prize from The Journal of the Canadian Historical Association (JCHA).

In “All that Glitters Is Wine? Viticultural Capitalists and the Creation of Britain’s Colonial Wine Industry,” Davis examines how extractive mining industries in colonial South Africa and Australia also boosted the British empire’s wine industry.

The journal announced in February 2024 that Davis had won its best paper prize, which included a certificate of recognition and a monetary award of $250.

“I was very surprised,” Davis said, “but excited at the news.”

“By winning its best article prize, Dr. Davis has demonstrated the significance of her research and its respect by her peers,” said Dr. Kathleen Kennedy, head of the history department. “This award is further confirmation of the skill and dedication that she brings to her craft.”

Davis specializes in the history of the modern British Empire, especially the nineteenth century. Her research interests include British environmental and labor histories but also Britain’s colonial wine industries in South Africa and Australia.

Theatre and Dance opens 2024-25 season with “Eurydice”

September 6, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Celebrating “Connection,” Missouri State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance opens its 2024-25 season Sept. 19 with a modern take on the classic Greek myth, “Eurydice.”

“Theatre and Dance connect us with a world of ideas and emotions,” said Mark Templeton, Managing Director. “They broaden our perspective and deepen our understanding of ourselves and others.”

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19-21 and 23 and 2:30 p.m. Sept. 22.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students/seniors. Special advance rates are available for students with an MSU ID.

All performances are in the Craig Hall Balcony Theatre.

Purchase tickets for “Eurydice”

Visiting artist Stacey Holloway to speak Sept. 16

September 3, 2024 by Reynolds College

Missouri State University’s Department of Art and Design invites students and the public to attend a free lecture given by visiting artist Stacey Holloway The event is scheduled from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at the Fox Theatre on the Square, located at 157 Park Central Square, Springfield, Missouri.

Holloway is an accomplished artist and associate professor of sculpture at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Her work is currently featured in a two-person exhibition titled “This Land” at the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center. The exhibition, which also includes work by artist Steve Snell, examines the dynamic between the natural world and its inhabitants, exploring the narratives they convey about human history and identity.

“This Land” is available for viewing Aug. 19-Sept. 13 and during the First Friday Art Walk Sept. 6.