Message from Chancellor Shirley Lawler to Faculty and Staff
Greetings from Kellett Hall,
I hope your November is off to a good start. It is hard to believe we are getting close to the holiday season, which means the end of the fall semester is just a few weeks away. I hope each of you has had a smooth semester. I have heard very positive comments from faculty and staff regarding our students this semester—and the students are very positive about their classes and professors.
We are all proud of our Grizzly volleyball team for winning the Region 16 championship last Saturday. They will play at Lake Land College in Illinois on Saturday for an opportunity to advance to the national competition. Our Grizzly basketball team won its home opener Tuesday night against Southeastern Illinois College. We are so proud of our outstanding athletes. Go Grizzlies!
I hope you were able to make it to the university’s Fall Festival at the amphitheater. This was our kickoff event to promote the new venue, and we feel that it was successful thanks to much assistance from MSU-WP employees. We had a great turnout of students, faculty, staff, and community members. Remember, if your civic organization or community group would like to use the facility, please check with Scott Schneider for availability. We hope to see many community events hosted at the amphitheater in the months to come.
We hosted a breakfast for area superintendents in October, and the meeting was very well attended. Dr. Dennis Lancaster updated the group on our new academic programs, Dr. Michael Orf provided each superintendent with data specific to their school district regarding number of students enrolled at MSU-WP and student outcomes, and Dr. Angela Totty presented information on admissions, the A+ program, and Grizzly Lofts. In addition, the new pilot program to offer free dual credit courses to qualified students was discussed, and the superintendents were very supportive of this initiative.
I had the privilege of meeting recently with the four MSU-WP students chosen to represent our campus in China next semester at the Dalian campus. They are all so excited about the trip, and they are looking forward to the experience. Having just returned from our Dalian campus in late September, I assured them they would not be disappointed. It is a very nice campus and a beautiful city. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students, so please encourage your future students to consider this opportunity to travel and experience a different culture.
It’s the time of year for our campus-wide Heart of the Ozarks United Way campaign. For the past 23 years, MSU-WP faculty and staff have given generously and raised more than $125,000. These funds go to local organizations to help make a difference in our community. Please consider giving to this campaign and be a part of something that helps so many.
As we head into the last few weeks of the fall semester, there are several activities on campus during the coming weeks…
Items of Note
- Nov. 8: Friends of the Garnett Library Fashion Show, 11:30 a.m., West Plains Country Club
- Nov. 11: 21st annual Musical Salute to Veterans , 1:30 p.m., West Plains Civic Center
- Nov. 18: Next Grizzly Basketball home game, 7 p.m. West Plains Civic Center
- Nov. 22: Putnam’s annual Thanksgiving meal, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Putnam Student Center
- Check out the Web Master Calendar for a full listing of upcoming events.
Always remember, what you do each day for students does make a difference.
Shirley Lawler