Ethical Leadership Archives - Reynolds College Blog

Percussion Studio hosts first Discovery Day event

July 27, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

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.”

Paws to the Polls wins MSEED grant

July 20, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Paws to the Polls (PAWS) student organization has been awarded an Experiential Education for Student Development (MSEED) grant from the university’s strategic planning funding.

PAWS will use the MSEED grant during the Fall 2026 semester to conduct research on civic engagement and community involvement at Missouri State. Although the project will occur mostly on the university’s Springfield campus, other off-campus sites include the Greene County Election Center and area high schools. The group also plans to work with Leadership Springfield and the Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC). NAC oversees all neighborhood associations in Springfield.

With the grant, PAWS will coordinate focus groups, surveys, workshops, a voting fair, voter education materials distribution and voter registration events. Later this fall, the students will compile and analyze the data they collect from these efforts.

Between 15-25 PAWS members and other students will participate in the program, according to Dr. Suzanne Walker-Pacheco, faculty advisor to the group. Additionally, another 120-150 student volunteers will eventually participate in the broader program. In all, Walker-Pacheco estimates, the project will reach anywhere from 3,000-6,000 students.

Paws to the Polls supports Informed Voter Coalition’s “Meet the Electeds” event

July 10, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Continuing its efforts to encourage local civic education and engagement, the Informed Voter Coalition (IVC) hosted a “Meet the Electeds” event on the Missouri State campus April 11. Missouri State’s Paws to the Polls students assisted with the event and visited with the officials.

Springfield and Greene County officials attending the event were County Clerk Shane Shoeller, County Assessor Brent Johnson, Presiding County Commissioner Bob Dixon, County Commissioner Rusty MacLachlan and Springfield Public School Systems Board Member Shurita Thomas-Tate.

Anthropology program sees high success rates with experiential education

June 23, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Dr. Scott Worman presented the anthropology program’s High Impact Educational Experience (HIEE) success rates at the Society for American Archaeology annual conference. The conference was held April 29-May 3 in San Francisco, California.

Worman is an associate professor of anthropology in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology (SAG). He also serves as the department’s anthropology program coordinator.

In “Dig Up Opportunity in Your Backyard: Accessible Field Training for Undergraduates,” Worman discussed how adopting commuter field schools has allowed Missouri State students to engage with multiple HIEEs. This solution provides hands-on training in archaeology as well as how the university makes that training accessible to students.

Commuter field schools offer numerous benefits, Worman said. Students enjoy a range of scheduling options that accommodate their busy lives. As “work-integrated learning experiences,” field schools also encourage sustained engagement with surrounding communities and create “school-to-career pipelines” for graduates.

“Completing an archaeological field school is required for someone to be able to begin working as a professional archaeologist,” Worman said. “So these field schools open the door to careers.”

Worman collaborated with Dr. Elizabeth Sobel, professor of anthropology, and Kevin Cupka Head, director of the Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) for the research and presentation.

Tent Theatre 2026 season opens June 18 with “Around the World in 80 Days”

June 8, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Tent Theatre opens the 2026 season with the zany classic, “Around the World in 80 Days.”

Assistant Professor Karen Sabo of the Department of Theatre and Dance makes her Tent Theatre directorial debut with Mark Brown’s adaptation of the beloved Jules Verne novel.

Performances are June 18-20 and 22-26 at the John Goodman Amphitheatre (JGA).

All show times are 8 p.m.

Ticket information

Individual, group, and season tickets are now on sale. Patrons can purchase by mail, calling the box office at 417-836-7678 or 1-888-476-7849, or buying online.

On show days, Tent Theatre patrons can pick up their tickets at the will-call kiosk. It is located next to the Amphitheatre and opens at 6:30 p.m.

Visit TentTheatre.MissouriState.edu for further event information.

Get tickets