Seafha Blount Update

Seafha Blount, MSSU Honors '05, has just graced us with this detailed update on her activities since graduating MSSU and moving on to graduate work at the Univeristy of Arizona.

I graduated from the Honors Program at Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) in May 2005. I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, emphasizing in natural resources, and a minor in Spanish.

During my time at MSSU, I took several opportunities, with the help of the Honors Program and the Institute of International Studies, to study abroad. I was able to go to Cuba, Europe, and South America. These experiences were enlightening and life-changing in that my world view was broadened a substantial degree and I was able to see other cultures and ways of life. I am so grateful for those journeys. In addition, while attending MSSU, I completed an internship with the Yurok Tribe, of which I am a member. Working for the Tribe’s environmental program was my first “real” job in my field and I absolutely loved it. I collected water quality data along the lower Klamath River, where the Yurok reservation is located. I was delighted to learn about field work, science, and the professional work place, while experiencing my culture. I reported results from this internship in my senior Honors thesis.

In the summer of 2005, I completed an internship through the Environmental Careers Organization and US Fish and Wildlife Service. I assisted a graduate student and another recent BS graduate in a remote field camp at Ugashik Lakes, Alaska. Using sonar and gillnetting, we collected data on resident fish species diversity and abundance. Our camp was so remote there was only one other person for miles around us. The only ways to get to our field site were by float plane or a very, very long boat ride. This was an amazing field experience. I learned about scientific research and the work involved in both study design and data collection.

In January 2006, I began working on a Master of Science degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Resources at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ. My research topic is long-term response of the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel (MGRS), Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis, to post-fire conditions. The MGRS is a subspecies that is isolated in the high elevation forests of the Pinaleño Mountains in southeastern Arizona. I am comparing midden occupancy (a midden is a pile of cone scales resulting from concentrated feeding in one area), home range size, and vegetation characteristics within home ranges, among areas of various burn severities. Methods include mountain-wide midden censuses, radio-telemetry, and vegetation analyses. Upon completion of my Master’s, I intend to pursue either a PhD or an Environmental Law degree then work with Native American communities.

MSSU was and continues to be an amazing resource for support in both my personal and professional life. Through the smaller class sizes and dedicated faculty and staff, my experience was the best I could have hoped for. Although I am completely enjoying my time at a much larger University, I am glad to have the strong foundation I received at MSSU.

Links:

University of Arizona main webpage: http://www.arizona.edu/

University of Arizona School of Natural Resources: http://www.ag.arizona.edu/srnr/index.php

The environmental Careers Organization: http://www.eco.org/site/c.dnJLKPNnFkG/b.795025/k.AA86/The_Environmental_Careers_Organization.htm

Yurok Tribe home page: http://www.yuroktribe.org/

Note: You can view the video of Seafha's superb Honors senior thesis presentation by clicking here.

Tim Shelhamer -- Foreign Study and the Difficulties of Assimilation

Sophomore Tim Shelhamer has another long and thoughtful post to share with us regarding his international study experience in Hong Kong. Tim has specifically asked for students to comment on the issue of international students and assimilation:

Before I came to Hong Kong I noticed that they are very much a clique in Missouri Southern. I talk to several of them, and they are generally friendly, but why is it that people from Denmark (or any other country) hang out with people from Africa, Chile, France, China, etc. (you get my point) instead of being absorbed into other social circles? I thought the purpose of studying abroad was to gain an understanding of a different place with different customs by putting yourself in a new and sometimes uncomfortable situation. In part, I attribute the lack of assimilation to the idea that most people take the path of least resistance. After all, we exchange students, while we may have very little in common with each other before meeting in our respective schools, now are in the same situation. We are in a new place and don’t know anyone. We band together. Would the same people be friends if you removed the common factor of both being study abroad students?

Tim wants your feedback. Read the whole post and comment here for all to see.

Joshua's Going to Hopkins!

Junior Honors Biology major Joshua Onuiri pinches himself to make sure he's not dreaming. He just received an e-mail from John's Hopkins University informing him that he's been accepted for a summer internship in the Basic Science Institute.

Congratulations!

Tall Matt's Travels

MSSU Honors alumnus Matt Olson (AKA "Tall Matt") has a wonderful travel blog dedicated to sharing pictures and descriptions of his international adventures, including his MSSU trip to Europe in 1998.

Matt Olson is a 1999 graduate of the Honors Program with a degree in Marketing. He earned plaudits at Missouri Southern not only in the Honors Program but also with the Basketball Lions where he played center for three years. He was employed in Kansas City for over eight years with Cerner Corporation, a company which designs clinical information systems and financial applications to improve health care delivery. While in Japan doing business for the company he came upon a quotation from Mark Twain which reshaped his path. He is now spending a year "seeing the world."

Learn what motivated Matt to change his life, his comfortable life style, and enter the world of education in the world as you read his blog and look at his photos. Regard carefully the itinerary he set for himself for the following year. For those of you that have not completed the Honors International Study, you may really find meaning and interest in his posts.

Tim Shelhamer Reports from Hong Kong

Our good friend Tim Shelhamer has a long post with some very nice pictures on his blog. Here's a sample of what Tim has to tell us:

I'm taking classes all across disciplines; anthropology, government and public administration, puthongua (chinese language), environmental science, economics, too much. The work is heavy, or maybe it just seems so because I can hardly squeeze the time for schoolwork/readings/studying into the schedule packed with extracurriculars on weekdays and exloring on the weekends. I just now made the time to blog because I had a 45 minute presentation about asian international relations I've been reading for when I had spare time. My Chinese teacher is good and I'm learing, but progress is slow in chinese language. I must also mention my anthropology class called "Globalization and Culture," because it is, so far, the best class I've ever had. The professor is great and the topic is of such interest to me.

For the entire post, and the rest of Tim's photos, click here. Don't forget to say Hello in the comments section!

Sneak Preview of Jim Spena's Film "An Honors Story"

Click here to view part one of Jim Spena's film about the MSSU Honors Program, starring our own Will Lynch. Everyone involved did an amazing job, especially the maestro himself. Stay tuned for more info about the completed film when it becomes available.

Please note the star's comments about his own sexiness. I'd like to meet the guy, but I'm not sure I'd want to shake his hand.

Jake Forste----Alive and Blogging From Sweden

Freshman Jake Forste checks in from Sweden on his blog with a new post.

Says Jake:

I would encourage anyone who has yet to study abroad to come here to Jonkoping. The city is illustrious, right on a lake here in Sweden that is more like a sea. There is something like a 500 person international student body, many of us staying in a part of town known as 'Raslaat' in an apartment complex that is really nice. There's always something to do and the people are really great. Some of my new friends include 2 guys and 3 girls from The Netherlands, a French guy named Nicholas, a Colombian, my roomate from Gothemburg Sweden, my other roomate from Canada, a Polish girl, a guy from Serbia...the list goes on. The people are so diverse that there is never a dull moment, especially when the Dutch and French bicker back and forth like school girls... hilarious.

We look forward to more from Jake, including pictures of the campus and town, as well as the characters he's running with. In the meantime, drop Jake an e-mail to let him know you miss him.

A Very Important Announcement From Dr. Kluthe

My dear honors students,

I have decided to retire at the end of this contract year. I leave with over 34 years of teaching at Missouri Southern, and if you count the years I was here as an undergrad, I have spent my lifetime here. My leaving is bittersweet for me. I LOVE my job. Working with all of you is the sustaining joy of my days. All people should hope for a career this fulfilling.
Please understand that I am a raving sentimentalist, so you must help me deal stoically with this move.
After all, we have an entire semester to finish with a "bang, not a whimper!"

My very best to you,
PK

[Please leave your comments for Dr. Kluthe on this post -- JM]

Heather Visits "Band Nerd" Nirvana

Please visit "Heather's World" for this delightful and detailed post on Heather Freelend's summer trip to Madison Wisconsin for the Drum Corps International championship.

Note: Heather is now in Ireland and promises lots of exciting blogging about her experiences in the Emerald Isle in the near future. Stay tuned!

Iashia Castle Update

Iashia Castle, class of '05 Accounting major and co-winner of the Outstanding Honors Student award has contacted us with the good news---she's now a CPA. Here's her note to us:

To All,

Well the subject line is self-explanatory. I passed all four parts of the CPA exam on the first go around so I'm FINALLY done. I've been released from the grips of the CPA King/Queen. :-) i guess hard work really pays off.

Everthing at work is going fine, I'm about to start with our busy season so I'll know in the spring if I really want to stay in the public field or not after I go through the turmoil. Iashia

Congratulations Iashia!

The 2006 Honors Program Christmas Party

Dr. Kluthe meets Santa Claus and tells him "Oh, BALDERDASH!"

















Tyler and Jennifer -- Second Cutest Couple


















Mr. and Mrs. Honors Program! --- J.J. and Bryan















The Heathers share a Christmas moment. Get a room you two!

















Shannan, Ciara, and Gloria smile real purdy!

Jim Spena Needs Actors For His Honors Program Movie

We asked our own budding cinematic genius, Jim Spena, to create an Honors Program film that we can post on our website to promote the program. He now has a script and is looking for Honors students to participate in this exciting project. Here's Jim's pitch:


Dear Honors Students,

For any of you who don't know me, I'm Jim Spena, junior, economics/finance major, I'm from Peculiar MO, and my favorite movie is Indiana Jones (just thought you'd like to meet me in typical orientation fashion). However, to the purpose of this email! I (along with the help of many of you) am producing an honors program movie that will not only hopefully serve as a promotional video that can be shown to incoming freshmen, but as something really fun and wildly entertaining for us students. The plan is to make a humorous short that tells the story of a day in the life of an honors student. We've got ideas to include everything from the excitement of exams, to the perils of assassins, to intramural dodgeball, to planning foriegn study, to Dr. Ackiss' english class, to the joys of service learning, to nertz at the Honor's Christmas party. BUT, we're looking for more possibilities and would love to hear your ideas. Anything that you feel is distinctly part of the MSSU honors program experience, whether it be a class or activity, or even something to do with interactions or personality quirks, whatever. Send in the ideas!

Also, we're looking for people to play various roles in the film. I've spoken to a couple of people, but we'd like to include as many as we can, so please make suggestions or volunteer. Several people in particular that I'd like to hear back from are Adam Stratton, Abbie Cooper, and Shelley Wolf, as primary roles in our nertz scene. Also Robbie Smith, I'll be calling on you for some film crew assistance. Some other roles that we'll need filled:

A cunning Assassin
7 to 8 members for an intermural dodgeball game
A student that eats breakfast with our hero (Mr. Will Lynch)
A librarian
3 students that pass Will on the way to class
Various extras at the Christmas Party, British Lit class, Test class, and in Will's dream.
Dr. Kluthe - yes, we want you to play yourself
Dr. Martinek - ditto

Of course, any great ideas that involve additional characters we will happily add.

Thanks everyone!

Contact: Jim Spena

Honors British Literature For Spring of '07

Honors British Literature

Let The Adventure Begin!

Spring ‘07

From the heroic deeds of Beowulf, to the forbidden love of Lancelot and Guenivere, to the bawdy humor of The Wife of Bath, British Lit 271 has it all.

Learn to read, speak, and understand the greatest works of the greatest writers in the English tongue---Chaucer, Shakespeare, Spencer, Milton, and many more.

Enjoy access to one of the most extensive multimedia support websites available at MSSU.

Hear Dr. Martinek read dirty jokes in Middle English!

Sign up today---In the Honors Office or write the professor

Deadline For Bordertown Submissions

Honors Senior Adam Stratton has an important message for all MSSU students:

I used to be a salesman of sorts, so here’s a try for old time sake to see if I’ve still got it:

Have you ever wanted to make a name for yourself? Have you been looking for a way to express yourself? Would you like to start something that could build into a career? Would you like to show your fellow students what you can do?

Well have we got a deal for you!

bordertown is a literary journal written by Southern students and alumni for Southern students and alumni. bordertown is the new name for the old Winged Lion, and we think that it is a better way to showcase our literary talent. bordertown is looking for your work. We are accepting submissions of poetry, prose, and creative non-fiction for our next issue. Each author can submit up to 5 poems and 3 prose pieces. Each prose piece is limited to 7,000 words. The due date is November 13.

With its inaugural issue bordertown tried to capture the history and feel of this area, and we plan to carry on that theme while adding some exciting things with this issue that will make it something our university can be proud to publish and you would be proud to have your work in. bordertown is a free publication and copies are scattered around campus. There are no fees to submit.

All Southern students and alumni are encouraged to submit their work. Submissions must be typed, and can be dropped off in Hearnes Hall room 300, or emailed as a Microsoft Word attachment to brown-j(at)mssu.edu

If you have any questions, please ask me or Dr. Brown, or look for the fliers posted all over campus, especially in Hearnes Hall.

Thank you
Adam Stratton
bordertown Production Manager

Do Imaginary Numbers Exist?

Freshman Brennan Robinson has decided to use his most recent blog post to prove that imaginary numbers exist. Please visit and leave your comments, especially those of you who get hot and bothered by stuff like this:

So, in relation, the multiplication of a complex number by i­­­­­­­­­­² results in a 180 degree rotation about the origin. Why? Because i­­­­­­­­­­²=-1, and when you multiply anything by -1 you get the opposite. So if you have 5, and you multiple it by -1, you get -5, which is a 180 degree rotation from 5. In the same way, the multiplication of a complex number by i⁴ results in a 360 degree rotation about the origin, because i⁴=1, and anything multiplied by 1 is itself. Since we’ve deduced this much, we can also say that i corresponds a 90 degree positive rotation (or counter-clockwise) and i³ corresponds a 270 positive rotation. If you still understand what I’m talking about, then this last part should be simple to understand. [! -- ed.]

Oh, and while we're on the subject, check out John Carr's post on "nerd humor" cartoons.

Tyler Brown on "The God of Technology: Destroyer of civility, morals, and personal relationships"

This year's Honors Forum classes are generating some of the most exciting and provocative blogging we've ever read from MSSU Honors students. Please take a moment to visit freshman Tyler Brown's wonderfully creative and thought-provoking entry on "The God of Technology," inspired by Neil Postman's book The End of Education.

Help Design the New EMS T-Shirt!

EMS President Conrad Kelly has supplied T-shirt design template sheets for any member of the MSSU Honors Program who wishes to help design this year's EMS T-shirt. Please ask at the main desk for a copy that you can use to submit your design.

Capitalism --- Pro and Con

Honors Sophomore Patrick Beckett has a post on his blog announcing a new meeting of the MSSU Philosophy club that may interest many of our Honors students. The topic will be Capitalism and the session will consider arguments for and against it, as supplied by Honors Junior Kristiyan Hristov. Please see Patrick's post, or contact him to get a copy of the handouts so you can participate in this vital discussion.

The 2:00 Honors Forum Meta-Blog

As part of our efforts to incorporate blogging into all Honors Program activities, I have set up a separate "meta-blog" for the 2:00 pm Wednesday Honors Forum Class. This blog has a "front page" which I use and links to the blogs for all students in the class. There has been an explosion of passionate, thoughtful writing in this class and I want to share it with the rest of the students in the program, so please take a look at our main class blog and follow the links to the student blogs in the class. This is exciting stuff and we'd love to read your comments.

Beautiful Science

Junior Honors student Joshua Onuiri has finally written a blog post! Joshua just had to share an amazing online video called "The Inner Life of the Cell" produced by Harvard University. Visit Joshua's blog here, to get more information and the link to the video. Good work, Josh!