RCASH Highlights Archives - Page 4 of 79

Women’s Chorus selected as performing choir for 2027 National ACDA Conference

August 19, 2026 by Lynn Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Women’s Chorus has been invited for a second consecutive time to perform at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) national conference.

The ensemble will perform two featured concerts at the conference, scheduled for March 7-10, 2027, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They will also participate in collaborative concerts and exchanges with collegiate and community ensembles from across the Twin Cities.

The Women’s Chorus was one of only 16 choirs nationally to receive an invitation this year, said women’s chorus director, Dr. Erin Plisco. Every two years, hundreds of collegiate, professional, school, community and church choirs submit recordings for consideration, but only a small number are selected, she explained. From there, the selected ensembles will perform for thousands of music professionals and educators from across the country.

The invitation is the highest honor a choir can achieve in the United States, Plisco added.

Yet the invitation also marks a historic milestone for Missouri State. The Women’s Chorus wasn’t just invited to perform at the ACDA for a second time. This is the first time in university history that one of its choral ensembles received two consecutive national invitations as a performing choir, Plisco said.

Over the past few years, the Women’s Chorus has earned an extraordinary reputation, she said. Since 2022, the ensemble received performance invitations for six state, regional and national conferences. In addition, the group completed its first international concert tour through Germany and the Czech Republic in 2025.

“[The invitation] represents recognition from colleagues we deeply respect,” Plisco said. “But what makes me most proud isn’t simply that our students sing at a high level. It’s that they have built a community where every singer feels valued, challenged and empowered to become the best version of themselves.”

Department of Art and Design announces exhibitions at Carolla and Brick City galleries

August 10, 2026 by Reynolds College

From Aug.3-Sept. 18, Missouri State’s Department of Art and Design will host two new exhibitions highlighting Indigenous contemporary art.

“Linear Irregularities” is currently on view in the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center. “Crossroads” is housed in the Brick City Gallery. Both exhibits will also be on view during the First Friday Artwalk Sept. 4.

“These two shows are the start of a great year of programming for the art and design department,” said Dr. Mitzi Kirkland-Ives, department head. In addition to a robust exhibition schedule for the 2026-27 year, the department will also continue its Visiting Artists, Designers and Scholars series, she added.

Missouri State archaeologists attend crime scene investigation training

August 3, 2026 by Lynn Lansdown

Two research archaeologists from Missouri State’s Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) attended an archaeological crime scene investigation workshop June 15-18 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

CAR director Kevin Cupka Head and research archaeologist Jennifer Rideout were invited by Stephanie Nutt, Fort Leonard Wood’s Cultural Resource manager, to attend the Archeological Resources Protection Training workshop. Upon completing the training, Cupka Head and Rideout will partner with Texas State University’s Center for Archaeological Studies to support archaeological investigations at Fort Leonard Wood.

According to Cupka Head, the workshop taught archaeologists how to apply their expertise to support criminal investigations. They learned how to collaborate with federal law enforcement in cases of unauthorized digging for artifacts, vandalism of sacred sites and similar acts prohibited on public lands.

Percussion Studio hosts first Discovery Day event

July 27, 2026 by Lynn 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 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.

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