The conference is being held in the Fulkerson Center. It is sponsored by the Regional Law Enforcement Academy, Department of Criminal Justice, Legal Studies, Social Work, Department of Nursing and Northwest Missouri Child Advocacy Center.

Breakout sessions will be held in classrooms both days. Everyone must preregister. The forms are available online at wi.missouriwestern.edu/conference.

Kip Wilson, associate professor of CJLS,  says that this is their first attempt to put together so many organizations into one learning conference.

“Sandy Hook was a terrible shock, but people forget that weekly approximately that many children get killed,” Wilson stated. “Often by parents who are their caretakers.”

Dr. Gretchen Quenstedt-Moe, assistant professor of Nursing, stresses the value of this conference. Other similar ones charge $300.00. The registration fee for this conference is $80.00.  If you are a field instructor or MWSU adjunct instructor, it is $20.00. Students may attend for free. She stresses that everyone must preregister because there is a limit to class size for each session.

“We are thrilled to death to have this opportunity, especially for our pediatric nurses. They will have a better understanding of how the system works,” Quenset-Moe, said. “It’s about taking responsibility in the community.”

It will be particularly interesting to people involved in law enforcement, social services, healthcare and education. Wilson says it is an opportunity for students and professionals to listen to a wide range of speakers who work to prevent child abuse every day and to focus on the tragedy of abuse.

“We have offered a yearly conference to give back or say ‘Thank You’ to the community for everything they do for our students,” Pam Clary, instructor  of PSS,  said. “This is the first time we are joining many disciplines to host a conference.”

Learning the signs of an abuser is one aspect that can be gained from the conference. One of the 10 presentations on Wednesday will be by Catherine Vannier, Family Violence Resource Prosecutor with the Missouri Office of Prosecution Services. It will cover the signs and symptoms of coercive control and present a link between child abuse, domestic violence and animal abuse. Wilson says an informational video showing signs of abuse can also be viewed at http://atsweb.uthscsa.edu/webdev/Mckee/Anderst/MIC.html.

“The conference will raise the level of awareness for everyone so that we can advocate for our children,” Dr. Mary Jo Gay, assistant professor of Nursing, said. “This conference is interdisciplinary and will be informational and educational to all students.”

Of unique interest to participants will be the special guests, Terry Probyn, Dr. Rebecca Bailey and Jane Dickel, LCSW. They will be conducting a workshop presented by The JAYC Foundation. The foundation was formed by former kidnap victim Jaycee Dugard. Their topic will be on reacquainting law enforcement officers and employees with their culture and mission. This workshop will be the last event of the conference from 1-4pm on Thursday.

“I plan to attend and so do many of my fraternity brothers from Phi Sigma Kappa,” senior criminal justice major Matthew Morris said.

Corporal John Christianson, Highway Patrol Troop H officer and Adjunct Criminal Justice Instructor, says that he has assisted other patrolmen in responding to calls that involved abuse. He keeps a watchful eye during all shifts for signs that indicate a hotline call to DFS is needed to investigate the situation.

“If we save one child, then it is worth it,” Christianson said. “This is a good conference because it pulls from many disciplines and provides a voice for victims that don’t have a voice.”

The musicians are fellow Missouri Western students, getting some practice playing to the public. The pretzel and pink lemonade came from a bistro operated by Western students. All of the clothes I am wearing, including the Chucks, were purchased in a neighboring thrift store operated by Western students. This could be our future.

Missouri Western has a total of over 700 acres of land. I think we should be addressing ways to join the St. Joseph community to the University. Every day, over 3500 people enter and exit the campus. These people are students, faculty, campus employees, family, friends, vendors and laborers. They eat and shop in the community. Why not develop the land around the school to cater to these people while offering employment opportunities to students?

Since Missouri Western developed the current campus, it has been a separation of city and school. I often hear that St. Joseph doesn’t feel like a college town should. Let’s change that. There are many opportunities that could be researched for business possibilities.

Small shops featuring students artwork, clothing, music, pottery, and crafts could be scattered among bistros, coffee shops, musical venues, thrift/vintage stores and cozy diners. The possibilities are endless. Many other schools our size offer this adjacent to campus. It would tie the students in with the community, making us more supportive of one another. What better way to create jobs in the community than to create them next to or on campus?

Most of the Heartland Health, American Family Insurance, and Mitchell Woods employees pass by our gates daily. Altec employees travel by our campus as well. These are St. Joseph’s largest employers, besides the St. Joseph School District. Let’s address how Missouri Western can help students make money, share their talents and engage the community.

I have suggested this idea over the years to many people, hoping that someday the school will take notice and at least look into the possibilities of creating a more pleasant campus experience for everyone.

Vicky Perez illustrates what she is talking about during the Taste of Spain Presentation. Tevin Harris | Photo Editor.

Beginning with the Northwest corner and circling the coastline then traveling through the interior, guests were shown the highlights of many cities and regions.

“There is a wide variety of languages spoken in the country,”  Calzadilla said, “depending on what region you are traveling in.”

Like the language, the landscape varies drastically from Northern to Southern Spain. Northern architecture is dark and grey with thick stone walls to keep out dampness and cold. Southern architecture is white, bright, and much more airy.

“In the South, you will see flat roofs and large windows,” Calzadilla said. “Many old parts of towns are pedestrian only.”

She showed examples of various traditional celebrations including Las Falles, the celebration of Saint Joseph. Large models are made of wax, paper-mache, and wood then burnt at the end of the celebration, she said. It is a smoky, fiery, five day celebration that involves fireworks and many noisemakers. Some models are five stories tall. They depict a wide range of people from Lady Gaga to President Obama. There is no limit to what is created.

A video was also shown of the historic yearly running of the bulls celebration in Pamplona. Calzadilla explained that tourism is a huge market in Spain due to the large amount of usable coastline. Almost all Spanish cities are tourist destinations due to the huge variety of architectural influences.

“It’s a very exploited area because of the tourists,” Calzadilla said.

She displayed pictures of miles of beaches with hotels nearly on the water. She said that heavy beach erosion has occurred in these areas due to overpopulation and exploitation. Spain sets on the Mediterranean Sea coastline, Calzadilla explained that the water there is similar to calm lake water. It is crystal clear, warm and very pleasant to swim in, she told the crowd.

“This is a unique way of seeing what is native to the land,” assistant professor of Spanish Francisco Castilla Ortiz said. “it shows what the natives would show.”

Calzadilla said the city of Bilbao boasts a Guggenheim Museum built by Canadian-American architect  Frank Gehry. The modern art building is highly recognized because it has been featured in movies, music videos and video games. Built in 1997, it invigorated the Bilbao tourist industry with its wavy, reflective outer walls and innovative interior design.

“Overall, I thought the presentation was very exciting, and it convinced me to visit Spain in the future,” junior Kelsey Samenus, president of the Spanish Club, said.

The Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Jeanne Daffon has submitted a plan to achieve two things: splitting the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and renovating Potter Hall.

“Its an area on our campus that is growing. The number of students has probably closed to tripled in the last few years so there’s a lot of energy there, a lot of new things going on, a lot of new students,” Daffron said.

While the original plan included dividing LAS into a College of Fine Arts and Humanities, and a College of Social and Natural Sciences; however, that plan has been reworked to propose a School of Fine Arts instead.

“This is still really in the discussion state so right now it’s looking more like we will end up doing a School of Fine Arts but still could change,” Daffron said.

Daffron went on to explain that although the proposal could change, the proposal would most likely be finalized within a week.

Aside from forming a new school and the renovation of Potter Hall, the administration would also hire a new dean to facilitate the proposed changes. Daffron said the university would like to have the dean position filled by July 1, but realizes this is “an aggressive timeline.”

The new dean would help with fundraising events, writing grants, contacting benefactors, earmarking gifts, and assisting the administration to make the plan happen. The money appropriated will not only compensate for the new position but also fund the Potter renovation.

Potter Hall has needed renovation work for many years. The percussion annex was purchased approximately a decade ago, and was intended to be a temporary fix until funds for renovations were available, but with budget cuts from the state, Potter Hall renovations went unfunded.

Daffron explained that Missouri Western is “lean in administration.” The formation of the School of Fine Arts and reorganization of the LAS school would help even the dean to faculty ratio within the respective schools.

Of the approximately 200 faculty members at Western, LAS has 128 full and half-time faculty members. In comparison, the College of Professional Studies has 64 faculty members and the Craig School of Business currently has 18.

“Having a dean that is more focused on a narrower number of disciplines would lead to more interaction with students and faculty,” Daffron said.

Dr. Murray Nabors, dean of LAS agreed with Daffron that a dean focused on just fine arts would be an asset to the University.

Within LAS the Communication Studies, Theatre and Cinema department would tentatively be reorganized and the Theatre and Cinema majors would be moved to the School of Fine Arts.

“I think they recognized all along that LAS was pretty large and so for a workload standpoint as well as a balance standpoint that LAS was just too big,” said Bob Bergland, faculty senate president.

The dividing of LAS would result in approximately 104 faculty members and nine departments.

Director of Financial Aid Marilyn Baker recommends that students familiarize themselves with their unique situation. The MWSU website has helpful information found under the financial aid tab. Students need to be aware of their status in order to retain financial aid.

“We try to inform students of their options,” Baker said.

Every student earns a graduation completion rate. This rate comes from data collected by the Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to provide national educational statistics on the length it takes a student to complete their graduate requirements. The rate is based on the student completing their program within 150 percent of the normal six-year completion time allowed. The better the rate, the more marketable a student is after graduation.

“Many times a student may think of withdrawing as the easiest way to overcome an obstacle,” assistant provost of Academic Affairs Cynthia Heider said.

Heider advises that students should seek the advice of an academic advisor, study group, the Center for Academic Support (CAS), or the Student Success Center (SSC) in order to make an informed decision. She says there are many steps in place to assist students with reaching the best decision for their circumstance.

There are federal guidelines that stipulate what is required of a student to meet satisfactory academic progress. All students should be aware of the fact that withdrawing from a class may have an effect on their permanent record and financial aid eligibility.

A student must maintain a minimum 70 percent completion rate to keep their federal aid. Baker recommends that a student be constantly aware of where their money is going. Many students take out a large amount in student loans.

“Students need to look at how much they have accumulated in student loans and reconsider withdrawing so that they get their money’s worth per credit hour,” Baker said.

The financial aid office counsels students, and when needed, they host a Student Academic Progress (SAP) seminar in order to help them refocus on their GPA to keep federal financial aid. The student is given an assignment to learn how to be aware of debt, salary required to repay their debt, and the different types of re-payment plan programs available.

“It is so individualistic, we must look at every one separately,” Baker said.

At MWSU, the procedure is almost too simple. You must notify the Registrar’s Office (Eder 102) in writing (they have a form) with your name, student ID number, last date of attendance, signature and contact information. The last date to withdraw this semester is March 29. A “W” will appear on your transcript for that class. No tuition or fee refund is available at this point in the semester. Students should seek counseling before making a decision to withdraw.

If a student chooses to completely withdraw from a class, they still must fill out the formal withdrawal forms in the Registrar’s Office. According to the MWSU website, if the student is receiving financial assistance, they may be required to pay back all or a portion of the funds received, according to federal/state regulation(s) or institutional policies. Financial aid exit counseling is required to be completed within 30 days of withdrawal. Failure to complete exit counseling will result in a hold on the student’s academic transcript and will prevent future registration in classes. There is the possibility of using an appeals process after withdrawal to be allowed to return to class.

Student’s are urged to seek academic advisory before withdrawing from any class.

submitted photo of Dr. Laurel Vartabedian

Mr. and Mrs. Vartabedian met while they were graduate students at Wichita State University. He had just moved there from California. They married in 1978 and have two grown children and one grandchild. They have collaborated on several published articles. They agree that the purpose of Missouri Western is to enrich the community.

“The origin was as a community college and the community should continue with that buy in,” Mrs. Vartabedian said.

The Vartabedians have traveled extensively and taught at many universities. Mrs. Vartabedian grew up in a small rural Kansas town.

“A small town gives you a deeper respect for differences,” she said.

Professionally, Mrs. Vartabedian is most proud of her work as a mentor for the Cherokee Nation and the Black Theatre Ensemble while at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina.

“I’m very proud of some of my students,” Mrs. Vartabedian said. “Being an adviser for the Black Theater Ensemble was very gratifying.”

A gifted writer, playwright and educator, Mrs. Vartabedian has been an educator all of her adult life. She has taught 16 different undergraduate courses and four different graduate courses. She currently is teaching a hybrid graduate course at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.

“Having been a faculty member for my professional life, I see myself as seeing how crucial faculty is to the university,” she said.

Mrs. Vartabedian has been very helpful in fundraising for the Missouri Western campus. She is called the visionary ‘Goldcoat’ of Missouri Western Arts by Karen Graves, St. Joseph community organizer. Vartabedian helped restructure fundraising for the Missouri Western arts and theater department by creating the Missouri Western Arts Society.She and Graves worked together during the 100th Anniversary of the Pony Express Celebration as well as several other fundraisers.

“She has great leadership skills so you don’t even realize you’re being led,” Graves said.

“What drives her most is her strong passion for students and the arts,” Western’s director of development Gary Pickman said.

Pickman and Vartabedian have worked together raising funds to offset costs in the art and theater departments. They host the yearly “Lights and Tights” fundraiser that highlights theater department students.

“We are really making a lot of progress and it is attributed to Laurel,” Pickman said.

Her love of the arts is reflected in two plays she has written. Her first, ‘American Story’ is a musical about the conflict between coal miners and the Rockefellers that came to a head in the Ludlow, CO strike and subsequent massacre of 1914. The play won the “Best of Festival” award at the Midtown International Theatre Festival in New York in 2000.

The second play is ‘Mother Divine’ a musical based on the real-life exploits of an African-American Harlem evangelist named Father Divine. Inspired by a story written by one of Dr. Vartabedian’s students, this play debuted in New York at the 2003 Fringe NYC festival. It has been performed by both regional and community theaters.

Vartabedian has collaborated on nearly 20 original written works. Her dissertation received national recognition. Her convention presentations have touched hundreds of people.  She has appeared on numerous radio shows and in countless newspaper and magazine articles. However, Laurel is soft spoken and humble.

“She doesn’t do anything for personal recognition,” Pickman said.

The Vartabedians have no plans to slow down soon. They both plan to continue to be active in education and Mrs. Vartabedian will continue to teach and write.

“It is so fortunate that the university has a first lady who is such a tremendous role model for our students,” special assistant to the president Ann Pearce said.

Elie Moore and Brianna Watkins dance the night away during the the Black Heritage Ball celebration.

Nearly 70 students attended the formal event. Some performed the waltz and the cha cha, some delivered moving speeches, and others gave stirring vocal performances. A scholarship was awarded to the best speechwriter.

A dinner was catered and enjoyed by the students and special guests, Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Dr. Judy Grimes and Manerva Torres.

Hosted by the Black Student Union in celebration of Black Heritage Month, the theme was to carry out Martin Luther King Jr’s vision. Rodney Roberts, MWSU Black Men’s Association founder and co-host, gave a speech encouraging students to lead their peers in exemplary action and language. He asked that they show respect toward each other and all students by helping to set the example.

“Be the example, not the majority,” Roberts said, “Do you want to see change?”

Brianna Watkins was the winner of this year’s scholarship, based on her speech citing the power of education. With several references to King, Watkins encouraged the crowd to continue their education and set the example for their generation.

“Human progress requires education,” Watkins said.

Freshman Jordon Fitzgerald co-hosted the event. With a major in accounting, Fitzgerald is helping to set the example stated by Watkins.  He is involved in many organizations on campus in addition to BSU.

“The Ball is held to acknowledge students and their goals,” Fitzgerald said, “I recommend students get involved in activities early in their college career.”

BSU member Kenya Miller’s speech focused on why she chose to run for the position.

“I saw my generation not doing anything on campus and I thought about transferring schools,” Miller said. “We are a generation of people addicted to Twitter and partying.”

Instead, she got involved with the Black Student Union. Her goal is to empower and guide young women. She helped form the Society of Distinguished Black Women (SDBW). They are dedicated to helping women on campus and doing community volunteer work.

“We are only as strong as our weakest link,” Miller said in her closing remark, citing a popular proverb.

Tobius Pointer, president of BSU, challenged students to do better as a culture. He encouraged them to break down stereotypes.

“We can do better, brothers and sisters, not only as African Americans but as a community,” Pointer said.

He encouraged students to make a change.

“Please remember these four words: transition, involvement, persistence, and success,”  Pointer said.

BSU recognized Manerva Torres and presented her with roses.

“You help us get through problems,” Pointer said, “when sometimes it seems no one else cares.”

Senior Leah Hayes was also recognized by Pointer and Roberts for her unending dedication to BSU.

“Without you, we wouldn’t be here. You are an unparalleled asset to this campus,” Pointer said. “You have touched everyone in this room for the betterment of all students.”

Approximately 7,400 of  cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea have been reported in the Kansas City Region which includes Missouri Western State University. In 2011 Missouri reported 35,689 cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Nineteen million new sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States in 2011.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that nearly half of them were among people between the ages of 15-24. Mitzi Teliczan, community health service health educator at the St. Joseph Health Department, said,  ‘Statewide 1 in 6 will be infected with an STD before the age of 25.”

On campus the statistics are worse.  Beth Roderick, advanced practice nurse at Esry Health Center, says that 1 out of 4 patients test positive for an STD.

“We don’t see as much gonorrhea as we do chlamydia, HPV is the most common now though,” Roderick said.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States.

Almost every sexually active person will acquire HPV at some point in their lives according to the CDC.  All cases of genital warts are caused by HPV.  HPV can be passed on between heterosexual and homosexual partners—even when the infected partner has no signs or symptoms. Most infected persons do not realize they are infected or that they are passing the virus on to a sex partner. It is also possible to get more than one type of HPV.

“Social networking has helped make this a subject we can talk about openly,” Teliczan said.

Open communication can lead to better prevention of the infections. Mass e-mails, Facebook and tweets make it easier to promote upcoming events that focus on preventing sexually transmitted infections.  Organizations, such as MWSU Pride, recently turned the spotlight on this cause.

Free HIV tests were offered to students celebrating Valentine’s Day by visiting the Heart Your Union event at Blum.  The event was sponsored by Pride and the campus and city health departments. The HIV test results are strictly confidential.

Condoms and STD testing are available free of charge by appointment at the Esry Health Center located in Blum 203.

“We are available to help students that are away from home,” Marti Burri, registered nurse said.

The Center sets up an informational table about their services to help students during fall registration.  They participate in Griffon Edge and are at the fall Health Fair.  Burri does presentations about preventing STD’s at many events during the school year.

The MWSU campus health center has been certified as an ‘STD’ site in Northwest Missouri for a couple years according to Roderick. This certification allows the clinic to offer many free and low cost services to men and women including STD testing and contraceptive treatment. The clinic says many of their patients are referrals.  They were notified by the health center that they were in possible contact with someone who was diagnosed with an STD and reported their name.  The student then comes in for a test.

While anyone can become infected, most at risk are gay and bisexual men and women and young people.  In 2011 there was an increase of syphilis cases in the St Louis Region of Eastern Missouri from 35 in 2011 to 41 in 2012.   The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Bureau of HIV, STD, and Hepatitis (MDHSS) June 2012 report states that statewide there has been a decline in the last 5 years from 239 in 2007 to 136 total syphilis cases in 2011.

Syphilis infection can cause visual impairment, stroke, death and an increased risk for HIV infection.  Men who have sex with men (MSM) account for 72 percent of all primary and secondary syphilis cases according to the CDC.  They say that homophobia and stigma often make it difficult for gay and bisexual men to seek appropriate care and treatment.  Without proper diagnosis the damage can be worse both physically and financially.

STD’s cause a serious drain on the U.S. health care system, costing the nation about $17 billion in health care costs every year.  The CDC recommends an annual chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for all sexually active women.  Gay and bisexual men, and other MSM should have annual syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV testing.

STD’s can lead to severe reproductive health complications, such as infertility.  It is estimated that undiagnosed STD’s cause 24,000 women to become infertile each year.

Teliczan is available to do presentations on the topic for campus groups.  She can be reached at the St Joseph Health Department, Patee Market Health Center 816-271-4659.

Burri is available to speak to organizations, also.  She can be reached at the Esry Student Health Center, Blum 203 816-271-4495

This process will culminate in a recommendation of hire for the dean position that was recently vacated. Ann Pearce, special assistant to President Vartabedian, is conducting the search.

“The search is progressing well,” Pearce said.

The committee will review the application packets and narrow the field down to the top candidates.  After the initial review, telephone interviews will be administered, followed by another elimination process.  Reference checks will be conducted on the remaining candidates.  The committee will then choose which candidates to bring to the MWSU campus for on-site interviews and public presentations. Following the on-site interviews, the committee will present Provost Jeanne Daffron with their recommendations.  Dr. Daffron and President Robert Vartabedian will consult with each other to make the final decision.

Daffron expects 30 to 40 people to apply for the recently vacated position.  This will be the CSB’s second Dean since its inception.  Carol Roever, former associate professor in the business department, has filled the role of interim dean since the departure of Dr. Philip Nitse at the end of 2012.  Dr. Nitse, who was hired in 2010, wished to return to the classroom as a teacher.

“Carol led the accreditation process before her retirement and we are very appreciative to have her during the interim,” Daffron said.

Pearce said the dean of the CSB is a member of the Dean’s Council and reports directly to the provost and the vice president for academic affairs.  The dean serves as the academic and administrative officer of the CSB.  They manage the school and staff as well as overseeing recruiting, scheduling, and staffing.  The Dean works to create and maintain partnerships with individuals and businesses to fulfill the CSB mission of entrepreneurship.  They work together with the higher education community as well as collaborating with the MWSU Advancement team to increase donor support for the CSB.

According to Pearce, some of the attributes of a potential applicant would be an earned doctorate in one of the academic disciplines represented in the CSB or comparable combination of education and extensive business experience.  They must have experience with demonstrated budgetary and leadership skills as well as be able to promote MWSU’s mission.  Experience and commitment to fundraising is a must as well.

The CSB is the largest academic unit at MWSU.  It has 17 full-time faculty members and approximately 800 students seeking BSBA degrees with majors in finance, accounting, management and marketing.   Steven L. Craig, Missouri Western’s largest contributor, developed the entrepreneurship program that offers franchise ownership opportunities with the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Inc.

The projected start date for the successful candidate is July 1.

Jess Zielinski (MWSU hoodie) and Kalli Dishon assessing a patient.

With a large nurse shortage around the corner, Missouri Western’s nursing program is looking to make changes over the next several years.

In a 2012 report that appeared in the American Journal of Medical Quality it was predicted that there will be a shortage of nearly 2,000 nurses by 2030 in Missouri.  The state of Kansas will fall short by nearly 4,000.

“Due to the new healthcare plan, many will seek shorter hospital stays and community based nursing,” Chair of the Nursing Department Dr. Kathleen O’Connor said.

O’Connor said that the average age of working registered nurses is 47. The average age of a RN is 44.5 according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. As they reach retirement age there aren’t enough workers to replace them so many of them are choosing to work past their retirement date.

O’Connor said that Western is addressing the potential nursing shortage by preparing for re-accreditation of their Bachelor of Science in nursing program and an initial accreditation of the Master of Science in nursing program.  Students, alumni and administration will take part in the evaluation and audit for three days the first week of March.   The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education is a nursing education accrediting agency dedicated exclusively to the accreditation of bachelor’s and graduate degree nursing education programs.

“There is so much potential in the profession,” O’Connor said.  “The best thing about this field is the diverse job opportunities, from public health and hospice to community settings.”

O’Connor said that Western will be focusing on expansion of the RN to BSN program and the newer MSN program. These are the two areas that she sees the most potential for growth given the resources available at Western.  She says there is no room for growth in the current RN program due to limited resources including space and faculty.  O’Connor is unaware of any plans by the university to expand the departments resources in the future.

Opportunities for RNs with bachelor’s degrees are growing.

“Employment is available in hospitals, schools, public health departments and outpatient clinics,” O’Connor said.

Many students choose to continue their education to become nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, nurse educators, executives and researchers. The Nurse Practitioner role will continue to dramatically increase.   Western has averaged 89 BSN graduates in the last three years since it was created.

Western has a criteria set by the Missouri State Board of Nursing. One hundred qualified students are admitted to the RN program yearly.  The program is structured to have a 10 students to for every faculty member.  Yearly, approximately 15 percent of applying students are turned away.

“10 years ago we were admitting 80,” Dr. O’Connor said.

The 100 RN students are divided into half for the fall and spring semesters.  Criteria for acceptance is as follows:

•   Admission to Missouri Western State University

• Completed application submitted to Nursing CAS www.nursingcas.org (students apply at the end of their third semester at Western and receive word of acceptance or denial during the fourth semester)
• ACT composite score of 20 (if student has a minimum of 30 college credits and meets other admission criteria, the ACT requirement may be waived)
• Completed or be currently enrolled in all general studies and nursing support courses (support courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better)
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7

Dr. O’Connor said that maintaining the highest GPA possible can increase your chance of admission to this program.  Early acceptance to high school seniors and first time freshman at Western is offered if eligible.  Megan Hunt applied to the RN program twice and was denied each time.  Her anatomy grade was one point below the requirement.  She is currently in UMKC’s nursing program.

“If I hadn’t transferred to UMKC I would still be waiting to be accepted,” Hunt said. “If Missouri Western was really concerned about the nursing shortage they should open up the enrollment considering over 300 apply to the RN program.”

She said the class sizes were too large and there wasn’t enough one on one time with professors.

Megan Langdon was accepted into the RN program on her first try.  Since then she has changed her major to Health Information Technology.  She said the six hours or more of lecture were difficult to manage and suggests they be split up into shorter class periods.

Northwest Missouri State University doesn’t offer a BSN degree.  Northwest recently entered into an agreement with North Central Missouri College in Trenton, Mo to offer pre-nursing students the opportunity to study for RN certification.  Northwest pre-nursing students can take classes with NCMC faculty at the Northwest Technical School campus in Maryville.

Highland Community College accepts 40 students in its licensed practical nurse  program.  Their LPN to RN program accommodates 20 students.  They report they get 2 to 3 times that many applicants for their programs.

There are many Associate Degree Nursing programs in the area.  Dr. O’Connor said that MWSU receives several transfer students each semester that pass the criteria required for the RN program.

”The (Western) classes were beneficial when it came to clinical work,” Langdon said. ”The clinical course has a ratio of no more than 10 students per clinical instructor.  There are practical training opportunities available in the St Joseph and greater Kansas City region.”

O’Connor said that she has been constantly receiving emails from December graduates telling her where they have gotten hired.

Zumba in the Roomba was held on Saturday, Jan. 26 in the Griffon Indoor Sports Complex.
Gilbert Imbiri | Asst. Photo Editor

Many local vendors were set up around the sidelines of the field, offering their goods and services while the crowd shimmied and shook around the GISC. The vendors set up elaborate booths, ranging from Scentsy scented warmers to fitness packages. Brightly-colored t-shirts featuring the Zumba in the Roomba logo were selling quickly to participants and bystanders.

The event organizers asked for donations to raise money to support the YWCA’s Choices program. For every $5 that was donated, participants received a raffle ticket in hopes of winning a variety of donated prizes. The proceeds went to benefit the program and MWSU women’s athletics.

“We’re the only benefactor for the YWCA Choices program,” head softball coach Jennifer Trouter said.

According to its website, “the YWCA USA is one of the oldest and largest women’s organization in the nation, serving over 2 million women, girls and their families.” Their logo states that they are “eliminating racism, empowering women.” This event did nothing but prove that to be true.

“We established the record the first year,” Trouter said, referring to the Guinness World Record that the Zumba participants set. “Now, we average around 500 people,” she said.

The women’s softball team serve as mentors for St. Joseph’s 7th grade girls who were selected to participate in the Choices program. Ellen Kisker is the director of the YWCA program and developed it with Trouter’s help. The softball team wanted to help give back to the community in a way that would benefit young girls’ lives.

“We wouldn’t have the Choice’s program without Jennifer’s help,” Kisker said. Choices works with middle school-aged girls to openly discuss life choices and developmental issues while building their self-esteem.

At the close of the event, participants appeared sweaty but energized as Trouter drew names for the winners of the many donated items, ranging from house cleaning to gift baskets from a variety of businesses. Shrieks went up from the audience, as they gathered in swarms in front of the stage. As people heard their names being called, they rushed to the front of the room to collect their prizes.

Both Trouter and Kisker said they felt the event was a huge success and they plan to host it again next year. The YWCA website states that the YWCA has “over 1,300 sites across the United States.” Globally, the YWCA reaches 25 million women and girls in 125 countries. With sweat-covered faces, this organization definitely extended its hand to Saint Joseph’s young women.