Wednesday, October 26, 2011

SBU Presents “The Sound of Music”

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – “The Hills Are Alive” this fall as Southwest Baptist University presents “The Sound of Music,” November 10-13 in Pike Auditorium on the Bolivar Campus. The final collaboration between Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, “The Sound of Music” has been a crowd-favorite since it premiered in 1959. 

“To me, ‘The Sound of Music’ is a story of love and faith during a time of evil,says director of the production, Assistant Professor of Communication Arts-Theatre Dr. Elissa Sartwell. “When most people think of the show, they tend to remember the raindrops on roses and the whiskers on kittens. Yet the musical tells a much stronger story than that. The Von Trapp family demonstrates tremendous courage and faith in their opposition to Hitler and the Nazi takeover of Austria.”

The SBU production does not downplay the elements of war. 

SBU’s production features sophomore Leigha Stockton as Maria and senior Scott Davis as Captain Von Trapp. The cast includes more than 25 SBU students as well as several Bolivar community members:  Beth Grabowski, Maggie Hopwood, Anna and Addison Meadows, Joseph Plunkett, Lily Shepard, Makenzie Stepp, and Grace Young. The production presents designs by SBU’s new theatre instructor, Jonathan Wehmeyer. 

Performances run November 10-12 at 7 p.m. and November 13 at 2 p.m. There will be a special sing along performance at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 12. All audience members will be invited to sing their favorite songs along with the performers during the sing along.

Ticket prices range from $3 to $8 and can be purchased at the SBU Theatre box office, located in the Jester Learning and Performance Center. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone at 417-328-1691 or at the SBU Theatre website, located at www.sbuniv.edu/theatre.  


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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

Monday, October 24, 2011

SBU Presents Jazz Concert November 3

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The SBU Jazz Ensemble will be featured in concert under the direction of Professor of Music, Dr. Jeffery Waters on Thursday, November 3. The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Meyer Recital Hall on the SBU campus in Bolivar, admission is free, and the public is invited.

The 18-piece Jazz Ensemble is dedicated to being the voice of American jazz in the campus community, and will once again feature SBU student performers in a program which includes the wide variety of styles associated with today’s big-band jazz ensemble.

For more information contact Dr. Jeffery L. Waters, Department of Music, jwaters@SBUniv.edu , 417-328-1632. 

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

SBU Driskill Gallery Hosts Art Exhibition


Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo.The Driskill Gallery, located in the Jester Learning and Performance Center of Southwest Baptist University, presents an exhibit by retired SBU Professor Carl Huser and SBU graduate Ellen Tappmeyer Reynolds. Work includes turned wooden vessels by Huser and oil and watercolor paintings by Reynolds.

The exhibit will run through November 11, and it is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday thru Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The gallery will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. during homecoming, Saturday, October 29.

For more information contact Gallery Director Dianna Callahan, 417-328-1651.
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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

SBU Homecoming 2011: Cirque Du Southwest Alumni Awards

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University will be celebrating Homecoming 2011 on Friday, October 28, and Saturday, October 29. Students will begin their activities earlier in the week with traditional events such as "Spirit Chapel" and "Bed Races." This year’s theme is “Cirque Du Southwest.”

Alumni will have the opportunity to catch up with classmates on Friday at a pre-dinner social followed by a banquet. On Saturday, everyone is invited to the parade starting at 10:00 a.m., followed by the football game where the SBU Bearcats face the Griffons of Northwest Missouri State University at 2:00 p.m.

Approximately 2,000 SBU alumni and their families are expected to come to Bolivar for the homecoming events. Bolivar businesses are encouraged to decorate their windows using the homecoming theme and the SBU school colors, purple and white.

For more information about parade entries, participating in the car show, or other Homecoming activities, contact the SBU Homecoming hotline at 417-328-1806, or visit the SBU website at: http://www.sbuniv.edu/alumni/homecoming


Alumni Awards Life Service Award
Inspired by the Life Beautiful Award presented each year to one male and one female graduate, President John Dowdy suggested to the Southwest Baptist College Board of Trustees in 1955 that the Life Service Award be given annually to graduates whose lives have exemplified the principles, which are upheld at Southwest. Currently, the SBU National Alumni Association Board nominates a maximum of six names of prospective recipients from business, missions, church-related vocations, education and other fields of service. The recipients are ratified at the May meeting of the SBU Alumni Board. The award, presented during Honors Chapel at Homecoming by the president of the University, is the highest recognition that the University can bestow upon an alumnus or alumna.

Emma Karr Bishop ’47
“Thank you for the Life Service Award from Southwest Baptist University. It is an unbelievable honor for me to receive this award. The two years I spent at Southwest Baptist College were probably the most fun and maturing years of my life. I thank God for those past years. I was a backward country girl from Iberia, but meeting and socializing with other Christian young people was priceless to me and my growth. The educa­tion I received at Southwest Baptist College was more than academic. The classes with special, unique professors were exceptional; but the social life with the students was wonderful and maturing too.

“The various organizations and activities were important to me then, as I know they are to you students today. Working in the kitchen was a special and necessary experience for me. The memo­ries of outstanding fun times with my roommate and other friends have lasted through the years. I thank Jesus for precious memo­ries of all the experiences at Southwest Baptist College. God Bless Southwest Baptist University.”

•A.A. from SWBC in 1947; B.A. from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1950.
Was married to the late Floyd Bishop, a professor of aviation for LeTourneau University.
Retired from Longview Independent Schools (Longview, TX) after 19 years of service.
Has five siblings who also attended SWBC.
Proud member of the Happy Hookers crochet club.
Attends Chambers Road Baptist Church in Aurora, CO, where she volunteers and is involved in the seniors group.


Richard Propes ’51
“I am deeply humbled and honored to be nominated and selected to receive this cherished Life Service Award. While at Southwest, it was never in my wildest dream that I would be standing here today receiv­ing this award.

“After graduating from high school, I had a job but seemed to be search­ing for something more fulfilling. With encouragement from my father to get an education, I found myself enrolled here at Southwest. I will always be grateful to all the professors and staff who created a wonderful Christian atmosphere. Also, my association with prayer mates, room­mates, and other Christian students had a big influence in my life.

“I have always believed that God called me into the teaching profes­sion. God opened doors for me to spend my life in the field of education. I found great satisfaction working with elementary students trying to instill good morals and values in many young lives. My prayer is that I have made a difference for many of my students.

“God has a plan and a purpose for each individual and there is a place for everyone to serve. The really important things we do in life, we do for others. Volunteering can help to change the world. It has always been my motto “to serve God is to serve His people.”

“As I receive this Life Service Award, I want to share this honor with all of those who helped bring me to this point. I thank God for leading me to Southwest.
Thank you and God bless Southwest!”

•A.E. from SWBC in 1951; B.S. in 1955 and M.A. in 1959 from Southern Illinois University.
Married to Marge, a retired music teacher.
Retired elementary school principal , 36 years of service.
Served in the Korean War and earned a service medal.
Has been honored with a Hometown Hero Award, a Lions Club Achievement Award, and Retired Teacher of the Year Award.
Attends Main Street United Methodist Church in Godfrey, IL, where he serves as his Sunday school class president and as an usher.

Alice Garner Davis ’73
“I want to thank you so much for this honor. The award and even the nom­ination came as a complete surprise and caused me to ask, “why me?”. It is awe­some to think of the people I have met through the years who have called Southwest/SBU home at some time or another, many of whom should be receiving this award today.

“As I reflect on my time at Southwest I can see how it was a time that not only changed my life then but formed the years to come. It was a time of a new kind of acceptance, a time of learning and growing, a time of opening my life to the future God had planned for me. Having teachers who cared about me as a person made the lessons I learned even more invaluable. Added to this was the environment Southwest gave me, the people I met and the experiences I had only because I was here.

“The biggest blessing for me was that I met my husband and life partner here, and we started the adventure of our lives together. While we were here we had the privilege to begin a ministry to the hearing impaired at First Baptist. I praise God for Maggie, a deaf lady in Bolivar, who showed us so much patience. We were two young people who had no idea what we were doing, but Maggie taught us and loved us as we grew in our understanding of the language and ministry. This formed a foun­dation for a life of ministry among the deaf and gave us the heart that later helped us start deaf churches.

“Through our years of ministry, starting and pastoring churches, and now as we serve in Associational Missions and my service to Ministry Wives, I have been thankful to Southwest for the foundation and train­ing it gave. Thank you SBU!”

•Graduated from SWBC in 1973 with degrees in sociology and psychology.
Married to Duane, a 1975 SWBC graduate.
Career missionary with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) from 1978-1984 and 1998-present.
Serves as Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) director for the East Central Illinois Baptist Association.
Member of Gibson City First Baptist Church
Enjoys crocheting and crafts.

Mel Skinner ’85
“Thank you for choosing me to receive the Life Service Award. I am humbled to receive it and am grateful to Jesus Christ who changed my life. When I was a young boy, He forgave my sin, called me to be His child, and gave me a relationship with Himself. When I was a young man, in rebellion to His will, He pursued me to the point of repentance and called me to be His servant. When I was a middle-aged man, living under the burden of “secret” sin, He graciously intervened and would not let me be satisfied with living like the world. He is giving me victory daily to live a holy and separated life. If there is any good that comes from my life, it is thanks to the Lord Jesus.

“It is also humbling because of the incredible opportunities God has availed to me. He let me be born at a time and place where I might hear and respond to the gospel. He let me receive an education at an institution like SBU, where He used godly professors to shape my theology, philosophy of ministry, and character. He let me have a wife that loves, supports, encourages, and forgives me and is willing to go wherever the Lord would call us. He’s allowed us the privilege of living, working, and serving at a very exciting time in human history.

“Finally, it is humbling, because serving Him is my privilege and responsibility. As Jesus said, “... when you have done everything you were told to do, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’”(Luke 17:10). When I think about all that Jesus has done for me, I wish that I had been more faithful in my service to Him.

“May God grant each of us grace to live a life that would ‘... show forth the excellencies of Him Who called (us) out of darkness into His marvelous light’ (1 Peter 2:9 ASV).”

•B.A. from SBU in 1985; MDiv. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1988.
Career missionary with the International Mission Board (IMB) for 20 years. (Currently on leave of absence from active service).
Married to Nancy. Two children, Sarah Boecker and Anna Skinner, both college students.
When they return to the field, the Skinners will be moving to the Chuvash Republic to work with the Chuvash people, the largest non-Muslim people group in Russia.

Edwin Lightfoot Distinguished Alumni Award
The Alumni Association presents the Edwin Lightfoot Distinguished Alumni Award annually to an alumnus or alumna who demonstrates the ideals personified by the late Edwin Lightfoot ‘40. The award criteria include alumni leadership in the University, dedication to the education and welfare of youth, and demonstrated support for SBU.

Pat Hoffmeister Baker ’51
“To have my name associated with the Dr. Edwin Lightfoot Award is a distinct honor. I have often heard people talk about his love for SWBC while he was a student and about how he continued that love long after he graduated from the “Campus of Christian Ideals.”

“I have had my own on-going love affair with SWBC/SBU for sixty years. It started on a Sunday afternoon in September 1949 as I moved my life’s belongings into Blue Home. It was there that I would live with thirty other girls for the next two years.

“Upperclassmen created ways to help me become acquainted quickly with other students and with campus life so I wouldn’t have time to get home­sick. I would eventually meet teachers who would encourage me to be more than I ever believed I could be. I was chosen to sing in the girls’ quar­tet and presented concerts in churches across Missouri. Relationships started happening during chapel services and around meals that were served family-style in Muirhead Dining Hall. Basketball games, concerts, drama, and revival services in old Pike Auditorium were highlights of campus life.”

“Ten years after graduating, God provided a way for my family to come back to SWBC where my husband Don, an SWBC alumnus, would work in administra­tion for ten years and later, as a professor in the School of Theology for twenty-five years.

“I fell in love with SWBC in 1949. I am still in love with her. I drive slowly by Blue Home at least once a week and reminisce. I enjoy walking around campus or yelling at basketball games, or attending drama productions or listening to vocal and instrumental concerts. I have had the privilege of seeing one of our daughters and two grandchildren graduate from this school. Their time here helped shape their future just as it has helped shape mine.

“I graduated from SWBC in the spring of 1951. As I packed up my accumulated belongings and headed for my first teaching job, I knew that what I had experienced on the “Campus of Christian Ideals” could never be taken from me. And it hasn’t!”

•A.A. from SWBC in 1951.
• Married to Don Baker, a 1950 SWBC graduate and retired SBU professor.
• Serves on the SBU National Alumni Board.
• Member of First Baptist Church of Bolivar, where she serves on the Worship, Senior Adult and Nominating Committees and also sings in the choir.
• Enjoys landscaping, gardening, cooking, reading, and traveling.

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

SBU to Benefit from Edward D. Jones & Company Foundation Grant

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University will benefit from a recent grant to the Missouri Colleges Fund (MCF). This $19,000 grant underwrites the Edward Jones and Company Foundation at MCF’s 16 member schools including SBU. These scholarships will be awarded by the member schools on the basis of financial need to outstanding qualified students.

MCF member schools are independent baccalaureate degree-granting liberal arts and comprehensive colleges and universities in the state of Missouri. Their income is derived primarily from private sources.

The MCF was incorporated in 1952 as a partnership of private enterprise and the member independent colleges and universities in the Show-Me State. The Fund is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt corporation; therefore, all contributions to the Fund are tax-deductible up to the limits prescribed by the law.

More information about MCF can be found online at www.mocollegesfund.org.


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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Dr. Bob Derryberry Honored by the Speech & Theatre Association of Missouri

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu


The late Dr. Bob R. Derryberry
BOLIVAR, Mo. – The late Dr. Bob R. Derryberry, a former senior professor, chair of the Derryberry School of Communication Arts, and director of forensics at SBU, was posthumously honored by his colleagues in the Speech & Theatre Association of Missouri (STAM) with the organization’s “Emeritus Award” at their annual convention on September 23, 2011, in Lake Ozark, Mo. 

STAM’s Emeritus Award is given to retired members of the organization who have exhibited exemplary service to the organization and excellence in teaching throughout their careers.

The Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri Director of Publications Gina Jensen of Webster University said, “STAM was pleased to honor Dr. Derryberry in this way. The recognition was a reflection of the love, respect, and high regard in which he was held by his colleagues in the organization.”

SBU’s Provost Dr. William Brown accepted the award on behalf of SBU and its forensics team while they were competing in Kansas that weekend. Dr. Brown said, “It was a moving tribute to Dr. Derryberry, and I was honored to see further evidence of his extraordinary influence.”

Dr. Derryberry served at SBU for forty-six years. He passed away in April of 2010.

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PHOTOS:
SBU’s Provost Dr. William Brown and The Speech & Theatre Association of Missouri Director of Publications Gina Jensen of Webster University.

Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

Speaking Bearcats Finish Sixth at Competitive Early Season Tournament

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Speaking Bearcats competed with 24 other schools at the Hutchinson Community College Tournament September 23-25. The team finished in sixth place in overall sweepstakes. Freshman Nik Fischer reached the semifinals of extemporaneous speaking, freshman Shawna Barkley reached the finals of persuasive speaking, and freshman Meg Burns reached the semifinals of prose interpretation. The freshman debate team of Fischer and Barkley posted a winning record in the varsity division of parliamentary debate.

The team’s strong finish was aided by valuable contributions from sophomore Matt Adams, junior Lauren Schriver, freshman Jenna King, and freshman Alicia Briggs.

Reflecting upon the weekend SBU’s Director of Forensics Dr. David Bailey noted that he was encouraged by the team’s finish: “Of the 24 schools present at the tournament, at least four or five of them were national-caliber teams mostly populated by juniors and seniors. Although we expect to see continually improving results throughout the season, we were encouraged that our young team of mostly freshmen were able to ‘hold their own’ against some very tough competition. We are expecting great things from this young team in the future.”
The Speaking Bearcats will travel to Bethel College in Newton, KS for the Sunflower Swing October 14-15.

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PHOTO:
Back row (closest to the rail) from left to right or bottom of the stairs to the top. Shawna Barkley, Lauren Schriver, Matt Adams, Nik Fischer. Second row from the bottom to the top Jenna King, Meg Burns, Alicia Briggs.

Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

SBU Physical Therapy Faculty Published in Journal

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Dr. Terry Cox was published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT).

Dr. Cox co-authored the article “Treatment of Patients With Degenerative Cervical Radiculopathy Using a Multimodal Conservative Approach in a Geriatric Population: A Case Series.” The piece is a retrospective clinical case series. The article has the objective to describe the management of 10 patients with advanced cervical spondyloarthrosis with radiculopathy, using manual therapy, intermittent mechanical cervical traction, and home exercises.


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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. 

For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

Information for SBU's December 2011 Commencement Ceremonies

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University’s winter commencement dates and times are as follows:

Bolivar Campus

The Bolivar campus commencement ceremony will be held Friday, December 16, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. on John Q. Hammons Court (sports arena/gymnasium) in the Jane and Ken Meyer Wellness and Sports Center.

Graduates should report for lineup at 6:00 p.m. in the Glen and Elsie Blair Intramural Center (intramural gym), also located in the Meyer Wellness and Sports Center. The intramural gym (lineup location) is in the NE corner of the wellness center, and the Hammons Court (ceremony location) is centrally located in the complex. There is no rehearsal for the Bolivar campus graduation.

Springfield Campus

The Springfield campus commencement ceremony will be held Thursday, December 15, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of Ridgecrest Baptist Church located at 2210 W. Republic Rd., Springfield.

Graduates need to report for lineup and pictures at 6:15 p.m. in rooms 138 and 140, just outside of the auditorium. Commencement rehearsal will be 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 8, in the sanctuary of Ridgecrest Baptist Church.  For more details, contact the Springfield campus at 417-820-2069.

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

SBU Chamber Orchestra to Present Eclectic Mix

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The public is invited to attend a free concert featuring the Southwest Baptist University Chamber Orchestra with Conductor Dr. Brian K. Hopwood at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1. The concert will be presented in the Meyer Recital Hall, Casebolt Music Center on the SBU Bolivar campus.

An eclectic mix of traditional and modern works is included in the concert program. Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons: “Violin Concerto in F major,” “Op. 8,” “No. 3,” “RV 293,” “L’autunno” (Autumn) will feature junior Molly Morgan (Springfield, Mo.) as violin soloist.

“St. Paul’s Suite” by Gustav Holst was composed in a period that is described as the Renaissance of English music. Holst incorporated the use of folk tunes and modal melodies in this work which he wrote for his students at the St. Paul’s School in London. The movements are dance-like with many contrasts in tempo, dynamics, and meter. A notable aspect of the final movement is a pairing of the “Dargason” melody with “Greensleeves,” which occurs twice in the work.

The Juilliard School Repertory Project commissioned Robert Washburn to write his “Serenade for Strings” in 1967. This neoclassic work utilizes the techniques of variation and canon within a mostly major and minor tonal framework, although there is a flavor of bitonality in one of the movements.

Borrowed from the piano repertoire, the “Hungarian Dance No. 5” by Johannes Brahms stirs up visions of dancing, violin-playing gypsies in a very fitting arrangement for strings. The very lyrical “As Summer Was Just Beginning” (Song for James Dean) by Larry Daehn will round out the program.

For more information, please call Dr. Hopwood at 417-328-1647 or email him at: bhopwood@sbuniv.edu.

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

Free health screenings and science explorations for homeschooled kids

Southwest Baptist University-Springfield News Release Contact: N. Lee Weeks, Director of Marketing 417-880-7958/lweeks@sbuniv.edu

Springfield, Mo. - The 5th Annual Homeschool Health Fair and new Science Exploration Event will be held Friday, October 21, from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., at St. John's College of Nursing and Health Sciences, 4431 S. Fremont in Springfield. The event is sponsored by Southwest Home Education Ministry (SHEM) and St.John's College of Nursing and Health Sciences of Southwest Baptist University. The fair is for all homeschooled kids in Southwest Missouri.

Screenings and services will include; height, weight, body mass index, and blood pressure measurements, hearing and vision testing, and dental screening. Free flu vaccinations will also be offered by the Springfield-Greene County Health Department.

American Red Cross, YMCA, Safe Kids Springfield, and College of Nursing students will be providing educational opportunities including; hand-washing/illness prevention, diabetes and obesity, nutrition and healthy eating, sports and physical activity, and kid safety education.

Exploring the Biomedical Sciences, hosted by SBU's College of Nursing faculty and staff, is also new this year. All age groups will be able to experience interactive learning exercises in anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and chemistry.

Pre-registration is not required. For additional event information contact Dana Hunt (417) 820-5060 or via e-mail dhunt@sbuniv.edu.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

SBU’s President Taylor is Honored for 15 Years of Service

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University President Dr. C. Pat Taylor and First Lady Judy Taylor were surprised during the SBU Board of Trustee’s luncheon on Tuesday, October 11, with a program of celebration for their 15 years of service at the University.

President and Mrs. Taylor have served SBU since October 21, 1996. 

Those honoring the Taylors with commendations, resolutions and letters of congratulations during the luncheon included:

Dan Wadlington who presented a personal letter and U.S. Congressional Record of commendation on behalf of U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (Senator Blunt is an SBU alumnus and a former president of SBU.)

Allen Palmeri who presented a letter from the Missouri Baptist Convention President Jay Hughes (Palmeri is a senior reporter from the MBC newspaper, The Pathway.)

Mike Stephens who presented a resolution on behalf of Missouri Sen. Mike Parson’s Office (Stephens is owner of Stephens Pharmacy in Bolivar, Mo.)

Diana Leslie who presented a letter on behalf of the Bolivar Area Chamber of Commerce (Leslie is executive director for the Chamber)

Rep. Shane Shoeller who presented a resolution on behalf of Rep. Sue Entlicher (Schoeller is also an SBU alumnus. Entlicher represents District 133 which includes Bolivar.)

Jordan Taylor who presented a letter on behalf of the SBU Student Government Association (Jordan Taylor is president of the SGA.)

Dr. William Brown who presented a resolution on behalf of the SBU Faculty Senate (Dr. Brown is SBU’s provost.)

Stella Cunningham who presented a resolution on behalf of the SBU Staff Council (Cunningham is staff council president.)

Trustee Mark Rains who presented a humorous and an “official” resolution on behalf of the Board of Trustees (Rains is Chairman of the Board.)

Trustees Rick Moore and Don Fahrni also presented letters to Dr. Taylor.

Sandra Maupin honored Judy Taylor with a gift on behalf of the SBU Women’s Club (Maupin is club president).

Several additional congratulatory letters, notes, and cards from SBU Trustees, college presidents, and other officials were presented to the Taylors in a purple portfolio.

Biography of President Dr. C. Pat Taylor

Dr. C. Pat Taylor was selected as the 24th president of Southwest Baptist University by the board of trustees on Aug. 20, 1996, after a seven-month nationwide search. He assumed his duties as president on Oct. 21, 1996.

Prior to becoming president of SBU, Dr. Taylor served as chief academic officer at Oklahoma Baptist University for 10 years. As senior vice president and provost, Dr. Taylor was responsible for OBU’s five colleges and schools as well as student development, admissions, religious life, library services and athletics.

Dr. Taylor previously served as associate vice president for academic affairs at Union University in Jackson, Tenn., from 1979-86. From 1975-79, he was an assistant professor of education at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. While at Belmont, he served as head resident of Pembroke Hall, a men’s dormitory housing 150 men. His experiences also have included community college and high school teaching and coaching.

A native of Salem, Kentucky, Dr. Taylor received his doctor of education degree with emphasis in history and philosophy of education from Memphis State University. He received a master’s degree in history from Western Kentucky University and a bachelor’s degree in history and secondary education from the University of Tennessee-Martin.

Dr. Taylor and his wife, Judy, have been married since 1968 and have two children, Marijo and Charla. Marijo is a 1994 OBU graduate and in 2000 received an Executive MBA from the University of Missouri. She is a criminal investigator for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement of Homeland Security. Marijo is married to Tom Gronewold who also is a criminal investigator for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement of Homeland Security.  Charla, also an OBU graduate, completed her master’s degree in physical therapy from SBU in 2001 and her doctorate in physical therapy in 2007.  Her husband, Adam Austermann, is a 1999 SBU graduate.  He earned his master’s degree in physical therapy from SBU in 2001 and his doctorate in physical therapy in 2006. Dr. Taylor and Judy have two grandsons, Drew Charles Austermann and Luke Taylor Austermann.

Biography of First Lady Judy Taylor
Judy (Couch) Taylor received master’s degree in counselor education from Western Kentucky University and a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from the University of Tennessee-Martin. Mrs. Taylor taught in elementary school from 1968 to 1976 before becoming the dean of woman at Belmont College. She began her university teaching carrier in 1980 as an instructor of education at Oklahoma Baptist University and served as an assistant professor of education from 1986 to1996.

Through her career Mrs. Taylor has taught English as a second language in China, Hungary, Russia, and Brazil. From 1997-2006, Mrs. Taylor served as an assistant professor of education at Southwest Baptist University. She is faithful and dedicated to SBU and continues to serve the university in numerous ways, including overseeing landscaping across campus.

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PHOTOS:
SBU Trustee Mark Rains (right) congratulates Dr. Taylor on his achievements at the Trustee luncheon surprise program.

SBU Trustees Jim Evans (left) and Mark Rains presented President Taylor with an extra large, bright red St. Louis Cardinals' jacket with a "history."

SBU First Lady Judy Taylor (left) with Sandra Maupin who presented her with a gift.


Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

Monday, October 10, 2011

SBU Faculty Piano Recital Celebrates Franz Liszt

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Dr. Robert Carney, Assistant Professor of Music, will present a faculty piano recital on Tuesday, October 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Meyer Recital Hall on the Bolivar campus of SBU. This event celebrates the bicentennial of Franz Liszt’s birth and features an entire program of his music. 

An exploration into Liszt's work in larger forms, the recital will feature “Vallée d'Obermann” (Obermann’s Valley) from the first book of the “Années de Pèlerinage” (The Years of Pilgrimage), the “Second Ballade in B Minor,” and the monumental “B Minor Sonata.”

This event is free and open to the public.  

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

SBU Student receives LEAP’s student of the month award

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Kristen Eagon was nominated as the Lead and Enhance the Accounting Professional (LEAP) student of the month for July. Eagon was nominated by her professors at Southwest Baptist University for her academic achievements and outstanding leadership qualities.

Eagon is part of SBU’s honors program, graduating in four years with the required 150 hours to sit for the Certified Public Accountant exam. Eagon is involved in SBU’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE); she has served as president, secretary, and Dollar & Sense project leader. She was also an Ambassador for the SBU president’s office.

Eagon has been awarded two prestigious scholarships including one from the American Society of Women Accountant’s, Springfield, Mo., chapter, and the second from the National Society of Women Accountants. Only ten scholarships were awarded on the national level.

Eagon was an accountant intern at Cerner Corporation in Kansas City, Mo., this summer.  She was also invited to participate in the summer 2011 Pathway Program, which is sponsored by McGladery and Pullen. She will begin the CPA exam in April 2012 before graduating in May 2012.

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

SBU Science Department to Feature Dr. Wenping Qiu

Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University’s Darrell R. Strait Center for the Integration of Science and Christian Faith will feature Dr. Wenping Qiu, professor and director of the Center for Grapevine Biotechnology at Missouri State University, as part of the Strait Center’s biannual formal lecture series, “Topics on Science and Christian Faith.”

The public is invited to attend Dr. Qiu’s presentation entitled “Grapes, Viruses, Science and Faith” at 4 p.m. on October 31, 2011, in the Wheeler Science Facility Room W101 on SBU’s Bolivar campus.  A question and answer session will be provided at the end of the presentation as time permits.

Dr. Qiu completed his Ph.D. at North Carolina State University in the areas of plant pathology and biotechnology.  Dr. Qiu’s research works to develop disease-resistant, virus-free grapes, specifically focusing on the Norton grape.  In addition to his position at Missouri State University, Dr. Qiu also serves as an adjunct professor at the China Agricultural University and as a chief scientist in the State Key Laboratory of Seedling Bioengineering at the Ningxia Forestry Institute. 

Dr. Qui’s talk will include research on grape genes and viruses in the Center for Grapevine Biotechnology, previous research on viruses, satellite viruses and viroids, as well as discussions on science and faith. 

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.