Zo毛 Jones was named the 2020 大象传媒 Western Student Employee of the Year and Student Employee of the Year for the State of 大象传媒. She served as editor-in-chief of the Griffon News student newspaper.
The National Student Employment Association, in conjunction with the Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators, coordinates a National Student Employee of the year to recognize the outstanding achievements of students who work while attending college.
Four elementary education majors traveled to Interface A, the 大象传媒 State Science, and Math Conference with Dr. Ollie Bogdon, assistant professor of education: Melissa Berger, Katherine Yeacker, Makayla Hedge, and Shelby Pettigrew. With Dr. Bogdon, they presented a three-hour workshop, The Story Behind 3 Dimensions and Phenomena Based Units.
Hannah Berry and Josiah Schmedding were nominated to represent 大象传媒 Western at the 33rd annual 大象传媒 Governor鈥檚 Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values held last spring in Jefferson City, 大象传媒.
The forum challenges students鈥� character development by encouraging them to reflect on their own decision-making skills, values, and belief systems. The forum鈥檚 guiding principle is teaching students to embrace altruism rather than egotism.
大象传媒 Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft welcomed students to the annual forum that was created by his father, former 大象传媒 Governor and 79th U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. Students began the day having breakfast with Governor Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson at the 大象传媒 Governor鈥檚 Mansion.
Dr. Jordan Atkinson, assistant professor of communication, had an article published with his co-author, Dr. Nicholas Tatum (Abilene Christian University), in the Basic Communication Course Annual, 鈥淏est Practices for Recruiting Students from the Basic Course.鈥� The Basic Communication Course Annual publishes the best scholarship available on topics related to the basic communication course and is distributed nationally to scholars and educators interested in the course.
大象传媒 Western鈥檚 student chapter of the Wildlife Society participated in the 大象传媒 Department of Conservation鈥檚 statewide Share the Harvest Program, which provides healthy animal protein through venison donated by sport hunters each year. Students picked up loads of readied venison from the meat processors and delivered it to Second Harvest Community Food Bank. In 2019, The student chapter distributed 3,366 lbs. of venison, enabling the delivery of a record 26,928 meals to the needy in the St. Joseph and surrounding area.
Dr. Marianne Kunkel, assistant professor of English, was one of five poets invited by Kansas City鈥檚 Mid-Continent Public Library to write an original poem for National Poetry Month in April 2020. Her poem, 鈥淲onder,鈥� was posted on The Story Center鈥檚 Facebook page.
At a virtual ceremony in the spring, Student Affairs awarded its annual Student Organization Awards:
- Outstanding Student Organization Member Award: 3rd – Caitlin Dillon, 2nd – Mackenzie O鈥橬eill, 1st – Alyssa Bonnett
- Outstanding Student Organization Advisor Award: Dr. Pam Clary, advisor for the Organization of Student Social Workers and Renewal, and Dr. James Carviou, advisor for the MWSU Chapter of Society for Collegiate Journalists
- Dean Hoff Outstanding Achievement Award: Sophomore – Zo毛 Jones, Junior – Mackenzie O鈥橬eill, Senior – Cecilia Tackett
- Dr. Robert A Vartabedian President鈥檚 Outstanding Leader Award: Jocelyn Sands
- New Program of the Year: Residential Life Northside RAs for 鈥淓scape Room鈥�
- Program of the Year: Geography Club
- Community Service Program of the Year: Organization of Student Social Workers
- Glenn Marion Community Service Award: Geography Club
- The Spirit of the Griffon Award: Phi Delta Theta
- Fraternity and Sorority of the Year: Fraternity – Alpha Sigma Phi, Sorority – Delta Sigma Theta
- Outstanding Faith Based Organizations: Renewal
- Best New Student Organization: American Institute of Graphic Artists
- Student Organization of the Year: Student Athlete Advisory Committee
Although the Alpha Chi National Conference did not take place face-to-face in Albuquerque, New Mexico, students in 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 Lambda Chapter, Breanna Hancock, Devin Mattoon, Rebecca Prest, Becca Smith-Grantham and Dr. Angela Haas, assistant professor of history, uploaded their collaborative research project, Culturally Transmitted: Controversies and Conspiracies Plaguing the Modern Vaccine, and won the grand prize of $5,000. The collaborative research projects include extensive investigation of a topic by a team of students from different majors, culminating in a paper and conference presentation. Smith-Grantham submitted the paper, The Reciprocity Equation: Engagement and Expectation in the Social Media Exchange, and won a $3,000 Benedict Fellowship to pursue graduate studies. The sponsor of Alpha Chi Lambda, Dr. Teddi Deka, professor of psychology, received the Distinguished Service Award for service to Region IV.
Griffon Media students received the following Collegiate Media Association awards for the fall 2019 semester:
Best TV Special Event Coverage 鈥� third place, Griffon Update
Best Newspaper Feature Page/Spread 鈥� second place, Griffon News
Best Yearbook Division Page/Spread 鈥� honorable mention, The Griffon Yearbook
Best Podcast 鈥� honorable mention, Griffon News Four-Year Yearbook Adviser of the Year 鈥� Dr. James Carviou
Griffon Media students received the following 大象传媒 Collegiate Media Awards at a virtual ceremony in the spring of 2020:
Advisor of the Year 鈥� Dr. James Carviou
Griffon News Awards
Journalist of the Year 鈥� Zo毛 Jones
In-Depth News Reporting 鈥� third place, Christian Sarna, 鈥淲ho is the 鈥榗ampus cult?’鈥�
Investigative Reporting 鈥� second place, Christian Sarna, 鈥淲ho is the 鈥榗ampus cult?鈥欌��
Website 鈥� third place, Griffon News
Griffon Yearbook Awards
Overall Theme Development 鈥� first place, Griffon Yearbook staff
Feature Photography 鈥� first place, Wil Abeling
Feature Writing 鈥� first place, Christian Sarna
Student Life Design 鈥� first place, Bethany VonSeggern 鈥�18
Feature Photography 鈥� second place, Alicia Otto 鈥�20
Feature Writing 鈥� second place, Alicia Otto 鈥�20
Personality Sketch 鈥� second place, Alicia Otto 鈥�20
Student Life Design 鈥� second place, Alicia Otto 鈥�20
Personality Sketch 鈥� honorable mention, Alicia Otto 鈥�20
Student Life Design 鈥� honorable mention, Bethany VonSeggern 鈥�18
Student Life Design 鈥� honorable mention, Bethany VonSeggern 鈥�18
Personality Sketch 鈥� honorable mention, Bethany VonSeggern 鈥�18
Sports Design 鈥� honorable mention, Bethany VonSeggern 鈥�18
The 2019 Griffon Yearbook also received two awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association:
Gold Circle Award, second place, Table of Contents 鈥� Bethany VonSeggern 鈥�18
Certificate of Merit, photography 鈥� Wil Abeling