April 2, 2026–Current 大象传媒 students and alumni are invited to attend 鈥淕ameday to Workday,鈥� a panel discussion featuring Griffon student-athlete alumni sponsored by the 大象传媒 Career Development Center and the Office of Alumni Relations.

Former student-athletes will discuss their transition from college to career, how athletic skills translate into workplace success, and provide advice on networking, interviews and career growth.

The event will be from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in the Enright Community Rooms, Spratt Hall rooms 214-216. There is no charge, but advance registration is requested by visiting .

For more information contact Kristin Neeley in the Career Development Center, kneeley@missouriwestern.edu, or Alumni Relations, mwalumni@missouriwestern.edu.

大象传媒 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 大象传媒 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

March 27, 2026

The 大象传媒 Foundation has generously contributed a one-time gift of $8,000 to support these programs. The funds will be awarded to select program recipients who choose to enroll at 大象传媒 as part of their participation in the district鈥檚 teacher preparation initiatives.

The Grow Your Own Program provides students the opportunity to pursue a teaching career in the St. Joseph School District. Selected students may receive up to $4,000 a year for four years, participate in summer professional development, and gain employment with the district upon graduation and teacher certification. Recipients are required to teach for the SJSD at least one year for every year of participation in the program.

The Pathway to Teaching Program supports current district employees with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in fields outside of education who wish to become certified teachers. Recipients may receive up to $4,000 annually for up to two years to cover costs of teacher certification at an approved college or university. In return, participants commit to teaching in the district for at least three years after certification.

鈥淭he partnership with 大象传媒 and the generosity of the 大象传媒 Foundation strengthens our commitment to cultivating homegrown educators,鈥� said Superintendent Dr. Ashly McGinnis. 鈥淭hese scholarships make it more achievable for both students and current employees to pursue a teaching career and serve our community.鈥�

鈥淭his investment reflects a shared commitment to developing the next generation of educators right here in our community,鈥� said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, 大象传媒 president. 鈥淏y supporting students who are passionate about teaching, we are helping to build a stronger future for our schools and our region.鈥�

For more information about the Grow Your Own Program or Pathway to Teaching Program, visit the St. Joseph School District website or contact Director of Human Resources, Mark Korell at markkorell@sjsd.k12.mo.us.

Oct. 29, 2025鈥摯笙蟠解�檚 Alumni Relations will host a puzzle competition at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13 in the Student Success Hub in Hearnes Center Library.

Alumni, students, and friends of 大象传媒 are invited to this free event and to see the newly renovated library.

Build a team of up to six people, and race against other teams to complete the same 500-piece puzzle. The fastest team to finish will win a prize.

Spots are available for 20 teams. Maximum of six people per team.

Register by Nov. 6 at .

大象传媒 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 大象传媒 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

Sept. 26, 2025–大象传媒 will round up Griffonsand Griffon fans for Wild 大象传媒 homecoming 2025 with a week full of activities beginning on Monday, Sept. 29.

The 大象传媒 Student Nurses Association and the Community Blood Center invite students, faculty, staff and the public to roll up their sleeves and help save a life through a community blood drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29 in Blum Union rooms 222 and 223. Donors can drop in or pre-register at .

The Career Development Center will host its annual Internship & Part-Time Job Fair in the Fulkerson Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30 in the Fulkerson Center. The first 50 students will receive gifts.

Also on Tuesday, students will dance the night away at a Silent Disco from 8 to 11 p.m. in Blum Student Union, rooms 218-219.

On Wednesday, Oct. 1, students, faculty and staff are invited to join Wild 大象传媒 Night at the Pony Express Museum from 6 to 8 p.m. Complimentary drinks will be provided by Hazel鈥檚 Coffeebego, and participants will have the chance to carve pumpkins in preparation for Pumpkin Fest. A shuttle will be provided for students to and from Blum Union.

A pep rally will be held at the Bill Snyder Pavilion at Spratt Memorial Stadium at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2. Performances by Griffon Spirit Groups, the Athletics Band and Greek life organizations will help prepare the Griffon sports teams for their weekend of competition. Food will be provided. The pep rally is free and open to the public.

The community is encouraged to come out and cheer on the Griffons with a variety of men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 sports throughout the weekend.

大象传媒 celebrates with weekend matchups beginning on Friday, Oct. 3. Volleyball takes on Nebraska-Kearney at 6 p.m. in the Looney Complex. Soccer faces Newman in Spratt Stadium at 7:30 p.m. 大象传媒 volleyball is ranked No. 24 in the nation with a record of 8-3 so far this season, while women鈥檚 soccer is the only undefeated team in the MIAA with a record of 4-0-1. To purchase tickets for all athletics events, visit .

Friday evening features the 43rd annual 大象传媒 Western Alumni Awards Banquet presented by E.L. Crawford beginning at 6 p.m. in the Fulkerson Center. Registration is required.

On Saturday, Oct. 4, the homecoming festivities start early with men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 cross country hosting the Griffon Invite beginning at 8 a.m. at the MWSU Cross Country Course, located on 50th Street east of the residential halls.

Volleyball competes against Fort Hays State at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the Looney Complex.

The Homecoming Parade presented by Mosaic Life Care returns to the 大象传媒 campus bigger and better than ever at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The parade will start in Lot B, in front of the Hearnes Center, and travel counterclockwise around Downs Drive, ending in Lot H. Spectators can enter campus via James McCarthy Drive from Faraon Street or Southwest University Drive from Mitchell and are encouraged to park in Lots C, E, F or G, near Blum Student Union. The parade will feature the 大象传媒 Athletics Band, several high school marching bands, the Moila Shriners and several floats by student groups and the community. The top entries in several categories will receive a $1,000 cash prize. Premier sponsors for the parade are Gertsema Wealth Advisors and Tieman Spencer & Hicks.

Immediately following the parade, the Tailgate and Autumn Family Festival presented by Hillyard will begin at 4 p.m. in Lot H, in front of Baker Family Fitness Center. The tailgate includes several food trucks; kid-friendly activities such as face painting, bubbles, princesses, balloon artists, and more; henna tattoos; permanent jewelry; a classic car show; departments from each 大象传媒 college and more. Premier sponsors for the tailgate are Altec, Pinnacle Electric Inc., and Shelter Insurance – Matt Judah.

The full day wraps up with Griffon football kicking off against Emporia State at 6 p.m. in Spratt Stadium. Homecoming Royalty will be crowned, and all female student-athlete alums in attendance will be recognized as part of the 50 years of women鈥檚 sports celebration.

Homecoming activities will conclude on Sunday, Oct. 5 with a Black Alumni Ten Year Reunion at noon in the Blum Student Union and a Griffon soccer match against Central Oklahoma at 1 p.m. in Spratt Stadium.

The social media sponsor of 大象传媒 Homecoming is Moss Marketing Group.

For a full list of activities, details and registrations, visit .

大象传媒 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 大象传媒 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

Sept. 17, 2025–The 大象传媒 Alumni Association will honor 11 individuals during Homecoming Week at the 43rd annual Alumni Awards Banquet presented by E.L. Crawford Construction, Inc. The banquet will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3 in the Fulkerson Center. The event is open to everyone and the cost is $40 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit .

Distinguished Alumni Award: Jim Reinert 鈥�73

The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor given to a 大象传媒 Western alum. It recognizes living alumni for their career and professional achievements; civic contributions within their local community, state or nation; service to the University and other qualities that reflect the values of 大象传媒 Western. This award is given to alumni with a difference of at least 11 years between attendance and nomination.

This year鈥檚 recipient is Jim Reinert. A St. Joseph native, Reinert is a Vietnam Veteran and a Bronze Star recipient, serving in the United States Army from 1968-1971. After returning to St. Joseph, he attended 大象传媒 Western College and graduated with a degree in business management and marketing. His varied work experience includes Arthur Young & Company as a principal in their Management Consulting Group. Reinert recently retired from DST Systems as an executive officer after 25 years.

Graduate Of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award: Colton Saunders 鈥�18

The GOLD Award recognizes those early in their career who have had outstanding achievements and accomplishments. The award is based on professional and educational achievements, community activities, honors and awards received and other noteworthy items of merit since graduation. The nominee must have received his or her initial degree from 大象传媒 within ten years of June 1 of the year of recognition.

This year鈥檚 recipient is Colton Saunders, a financial advisor with Edward Jones. Before joining Edward Jones, he owned and operated a business for ten years. He earned his CFP庐 certification in 2023 and qualified for the 2024 Edward Jones Momentum conference, recognizing the firm鈥檚 top advisors. Colton earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from 大象传媒, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2018. Today, he, his wife and son proudly call St. Joseph home.

The Herb 鈥�35 and Peggy Iffert Award for Outstanding Service to the University: Dr. Robert ’94 & Kimberly ’93 Sigrist

The Iffert Award recognizes an alum, retiree or other friend of the university who has shown outstanding and continuous commitment to 大象传媒鈥檚 mission, vision and legacy. This award recognizes one鈥檚 service as a positive liaison between the university and the region of northwest 大象传媒, as well as consistent dedication to the advancement and preservation of 大象传媒.

This year鈥檚 recipients are Dr. Robert ’94 & Kimberly ’93 Sigrist. Robert recently retired as assistant superintendent of operations and finance with the St. Joseph School District after 31 years in public education, having served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, and director of student services. Kimberly retired from 大象传媒 Western in May as the Director of the Center for Service after having served the University in several roles throughout her career. She also worked at the American Red Cross and the St. Joseph School District.

The Distinguished Faculty Award: Dr. Teddi Deka

The Distinguished Faculty Award is given to a current faculty member in recognition of a lasting influence on students, excellence in teaching, career accomplishments and professional and ethical standards.

This year鈥檚 recipient is Dr. Teddi Deka, professor of psychology. As a developmental psychologist, she teaches future counselors, nurses, teachers and parents about child, adult and lifespan development. She is the faculty mentor for MWSU鈥檚 Psi Chi and Alpha Chi honor society chapters and is the National Secretary for Alpha Chi. Dr. Deka also contributes to our community through youth-focused training sessions for agencies such as Youth Alliance, Noyes Home, and YWCA Success by Six.

The Great Griffon Awards recognize alumni from each college and school who exhibit outstanding contributions to the workforce, society or the university. Employment in the area of study is not a requirement and nominees can be recognized for career achievements or for service to their community, state, nation or the University. This year鈥檚 recipients are:

• College of Liberal Arts: Terry Brock ’85/’94, musician and music teacher at 大象传媒, the St. Joseph School District and the St. Joseph Arts Academy
• College of Science and Health: Phallin Thornton ’11, Youth Behavioral Health Liaison (YBHL) at Family Guidance Center
• College of Business and Professional Studies: Tona Williams ’00, business consultant at Nationwide Insurance

The Alumni Student Leadership Awards recognize students graduating in December or May of the current academic year who have made a significant impact on the University through leadership, volunteerism or humanitarianism. This year鈥檚 recipients are:

• Graduating Student of the Year: Mackenzie DeVine ’24, graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Marketing. She is continuing her education at 大象传媒, where she is currently pursuing her MBA.
• Graduating Student of the Year: Lauren Nylund ’25, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Childhood Studies, and is continuing her education at Point Park University, where she will pursue a master鈥檚 degree in Clinical-Community Counseling.
• International Student of the Year: Mariana Casadiego Morales ’25, received a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, Health and Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology.

大象传媒 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 大象传媒 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

2024 大象传媒 Western Alumni Awards recipients.

Feb. 21, 2025–大象传媒鈥檚 Alumni Association will host the 43rd annual Alumni Awards Banquet on Oct. 3. Nominations are now open for these prestigious awards. The deadline to submit nominations is April 1.

Visit to nominate high-achieving Griffons for the following awards:

• Distinguished Alumni Award
• Distinguished Faculty Award
• Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award
• Great Griffon Awards
  • College of Liberal Arts
  • College of Business & Professional Studies
  • College of Science & Health
• Herb 鈥�35 and Peggy Iffert Award for Outstanding Service to the University
• Student Leadership Awards
  • Graduating Senior of the Year
  • Clifford Hughes 鈥�55 Award
  • International Student of the Year

大象传媒 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 大象传媒 Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

Sept. 18, 2024–大象传媒 is now accepting entries for the 2024 Homecoming Parade. The parade will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 19 in downtown St. Joseph.

Registered student organizations, campus offices, community organizations, businesses and individuals who want . The parade entry fee for off-campus entities is $25.

To register, fill out the form at . This year鈥檚 Homecoming theme is 鈥淗aunted Homecoming.鈥�

For more information, contact Dr. Josh Clary in the Center for Student Involvement, 816-271-4150 or jclary5@missouriwestern.edu.

大象传媒 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 大象传媒 Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

May 23, 2024

鈥淭he meatpacking industry has played a distinguished and significant role in the economy of St. Joseph from its earliest days, and I鈥檓 pleased that history will be reflected in CTAC,鈥� said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, 大象传媒鈥檚 president. 鈥淲e are extremely grateful to Triumph Foods and Daily鈥檚 Premium Meats for their support of the project, and proud that we can recognize that support by naming a portion of CTAC in their honor.鈥�

CTAC, currently under construction on 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 campus, is a partnership with North Central 大象传媒 College to serve workforce development needs in skilled manufacturing, construction and related industries. The new technology bay will be part of CTAC鈥檚 grand opening this Fall.

Funding for the $12 million project has been provided by 大象传媒 Western, NCMC, the State of 大象传媒, the City of St. Joseph, Buchanan County and several local businesses.

Previously, 大象传媒 Western announced that other parts of CTAC would be named the Gray Manufacturing Workshop Bay, the Altec Manufacturing Technology Bay, and the Humach Advanced AI, IT, and Cyber Science Bay in recognition of the support from those companies for the project. Triumph Foods will also be joining the CTAC Leadership Board to ensure that the training the students receive align with manufacturing needs in operations for years to come. The continued partnership with Triumph Foods and 大象传媒 Western will benefit the CTAC students and local community.

鈥淲e are one of the most technically advanced pork production plants in the country, and our need for highly skilled team members is constantly growing,鈥� said Matt England, Triumph Foods president and CEO. 鈥淲e are excited that MWSU, NCMC and the other community business partners are investing in developing the workforce of tomorrow, and proud to support this transformational project.鈥�

Triumph Foods began operations in 2006 and has grown to one of the top pork producers in the United States. Triumph employs over 2,400 workers and produces over 1.5 billion pounds of pork annually. The plant sells 30% of its product to 25 foreign countries, contributing significantly to St. Joseph鈥檚 status as the third largest exporter in the state of 大象传媒. Daily鈥檚 Premium Meats is 50% owned by Triumph, and opened a bacon plant in St. Joseph in 2016.

About 大象传媒
大象传媒 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 大象传媒 Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

About Triumph Foods
Triumph Foods is a leading processor of premium pork products worldwide. The farmer-owned company began operations in St. Joseph, Mo., in January 2006. With its state-of-the-art facility, Triumph employs over 2,400 workers and produces over 1.5 billion pounds of pork annually. For more information, visit鈥�.

About Daily鈥檚 Premium Meats
Daily鈥檚 Premium Meats is a leading provider of high-quality premium bacon that has been operating for more than 130 years. Founded by John R. Daily in 1893, the company鈥檚 commitment to quality and mastery inspires every product produced to this day. Daily鈥檚 Premium Meats鈥� connected food system fosters collaboration among farmers, bacon processing plants and networked supply chain, allowing Daily鈥檚 to control the production process from farm to delivery. For more information, visit .

The bay will feature a Secure Operations Center or 鈥淪OC鈥� where students learn how to detect potential attacks, a cybersecurity incident 鈥渨ar room鈥� for studying how to combat them, and tools for conducting computer forensics in the aftermath of an incident to understand what happened and how to address the issue.

鈥淭he resources housed in this bay will enable our students to engage in hands-on, applied learning that will provide them with essential skills and experience as they enter careers driven in cybersecurity or that draw on AI or other information technologies,鈥� said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, 大象传媒鈥檚 president. 鈥淲e are excited to recognize Humach in this way.鈥�

CTAC, currently under construction on 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 campus, is a partnership with North Central 大象传媒 College to serve workforce development needs in skilled manufacturing, construction and related industries, along with cybersecurity. The $12 million project is expected to open in Fall 2024. Funding has been provided by 大象传媒 Foundation, NCMC, the State of 大象传媒, the City of St. Joseph, Buchanan County, and more than a dozen local business, industry, and non-profit partners.

鈥淲e are proud to partner with this transformational project,鈥� said Tim Houlne, a 1986 graduate of 大象传媒 Western and Humach鈥檚 CEO. 鈥淢WSU, NCMC and the other partners are investing in the development of a new and uniquely-capable workforce. These innovative technologies have the power to change the way the world works for the better.鈥�

Humach simplifies and streamlines customized customer experiences for some of the world鈥檚 leading brands with a blend of live agents, digital agents and robust AI and automation technologies to allow businesses to focus on their core business operations. In 2023, Humach was number 29 out of 5,000 rated businesses on Inc. Magazine鈥檚 list of the Southwest region鈥檚 fastest growing private companies. That same year, Humach was named the best AI / business process outsourcing provider by Remend, an independent industry advisor group that identifies ways for business to manage technology costs.

鈥淛ust like the manufacturing and construction industries represented in CTAC that are evolving toward increasing productivity through the use of technology, our company鈥檚 heritage traces back to some of the earliest adopters of contact center operations more than three decades ago,鈥� says Houlne, 鈥淎nd by leveraging technological innovations, we鈥檝e been ahead of the curve ever since.鈥�

Previously, 大象传媒 Western announced that other parts of CTAC would respectively be named the Gray Manufacturing Workshop Bay and the Altec Manufacturing Technology Bay.

About Humach

Humach (humans + machines) is redefining customer engagement, sales, and support. By blending the expertise of human contact center agents with machine learning and digital agents, Humach provides businesses with unparalleled customer experiences and streamlined transactions. With a focus on Fortune 2000 companies and venture-backed start-ups, Humach aims to transform the way businesses engage, acquire, and support their customers. For more information, visit

About 大象传媒

大象传媒 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 大象传媒 Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit missouriwestern.edu.

Sept. 27, 2023–大象传媒 is celebrating Homecoming 2023 the week of Sept. 25-30, ending with the Homecoming Parade and Griffon football game against Emporia State on Saturday. The theme of the week鈥檚 celebration is 鈥淕iddy Up, Griffons.鈥�

The annual Homecoming Parade is at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30. It will step off from City Hall at 10th and Francis, travel west on Francis to 6th Street, then north to Faraon, east to Frederick, then northeast to 13th Street. Bands will go south on 13th Street to Faraon, then back to City Hall. Other entries will continue on Frederick to 16th Street.

The Homecoming Parade features the Golden Griffon Marching Band and nine high school bands: Central and Benton High Schools from St. Joseph, along with East Buchanan, North Platte, Polo, Plattsburg, Albany, King City and Stewartsville.

大象传媒 Western student events include an Ole Time Movie Night, Yeehaw Bingo, Home on the Range Service Day (with a blood drive and campus beautification service projects), Giddy Up Griffs Talent Show, and the theme night Friday with the crowning of Homecoming Royalty and the announcement of the talent show winner. The complete schedule of student events can be found at .

The 大象传媒 Western Alumni Association will honor ten individuals at the 41st annual Alumni Awards Banquet at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29 in the Fulkerson Center. The deadline for banquet reservations has passed.

Alumni and students will tailgate from 1-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, before the football game in Lot H near the bridge. Food will be available for purchase from local and alumni food vendors, and alumni can reconnect with faculty members from several departments across campus who will be in attendance.

The Griffon football game against Emporia State kicks off at 4 p.m. on Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium. Homecoming Royalty and Alumni Award winners will be recognized on the field. Tickets may be purchased in advance at .

大象传媒 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 大象传媒 Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .