Friday, July 27, 2012

SBU to Benefit from Wells Fargo Donation


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 donation of $24,000 to the Missouri Colleges Fund (MCF) from the Wells Fargo Advisors, which will underwrite need-based scholarships at each of the 16 MCF member schools including SBU. The scholarships will be awarded by the member schools to students studying toward attaining degrees in business related fields.

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.

SBU Safety and Security Officer HazMat Certified

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

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Southwest Baptist University Office of Safety and Security announced that Officer Brice Flynn recently received a Hazardous Materials/WMD Incident Response Awareness certificate. 

Brice Flynn
Flynn also holds a National Registry EMT-Basic license, and a state of Missouri EMT license. 

In addition, Flynn took an International Trauma Life Support-Basic class and an International Trauma Life Support- Access class, which is for vehicle extrications.

Flynn has served SBU since 2009.

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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, July 25, 2012

SBU to Benefit from Enterprise Holdings 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 of $15,200 to the Missouri Colleges Fund (MCF) from the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, which will underwrite need-based scholarships at each of the 16 MCF member schools including SBU. The scholarships will be awarded by the member schools to students studying toward attaining degrees in a business-related field with special emphasis on minority candidates.

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.

SBU’s Dr. Wooderson Elected President of MACTE


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

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University’s Dean of the College of Education and Social Sciences Linda Wooderson was recently elected as President of the Missouri Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (MACTE).

Dr. Linda Wooderson
Prior to her election as president of MACTE, Dr. Wooderson served for six years as executive board member representing the private educational institutions of Missouri (2004-2010) and two years as president elect (2010-2012).  

MACTE holds two conferences each year in Columbia, Mo., and is an organization represented by all public and private educational institutions in Missouri.  The purpose of MACTE is to stimulate improvement in programs of teacher education through the assembly of representatives from teacher education institutions in the State of Missouri who are interested in working collectively to achieve the following objectives:

  1. To be representative of the education of professional education personnel before all segments of the public, including the state legislature, as a special professional enterprise, carrying with it responsibilities for the development of competent citizens.
  2. To cooperate with organizations and agencies to improve the environment for the preparation and development of professional education personnel in the State of Missouri.
  3. To stimulate and facilitate research, experimentation and evaluation in the development of professional education personnel and in related problems of learning and teaching.

Dr. Wooderson earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar, Mo., a Master of Science degree from Drury College in Springfield, Mo.; an Ed.S. from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri; and an Ed.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia in Columbia, Missouri.

Dr. Wooderson taught for 10 years at Weaubleau Public School in Weaubleau, Mo., before coming to SBU. The classes included elementary physical education, middle school social studies, seventh-grade science, American History, and Health. Dr. Wooderson has been the Bolivar Swim Coordinator for the past 20 years.

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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 DPT Faculty Accepted into APTA CCIP Program


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

BOLIVAR, Mo. – An SBU Department of Physical Therapy faculty member, Kelly Coleman, P.T., D.P.T., OCS, recently was accepted into the American Physical Therapy Association's "Train-the-Trainer" program. This is a program by which the participants must demonstrate a high-level of mastery of both content and performance leading up to training the future generations of clinical education instructors.

Department of Physical Therapy Chair Dr. Steven Lesh said, “We look forward to Dr. Coleman earning the prestigious APTA Credentialed Clinical Trainer status soon.”

Dr. Lesh said, “If he is able to successfully complete this program, Dr. Coleman will join Cathy Beck, Ph.D., P.T., as the second faculty member at SBU with these credentials.”

For more information on the APTA CCIP program, visit http://www.apta.org/CCIP/

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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.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

SBU’s Rob Harris is Promoted to Vice President for Student Development


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

BOLIVAR, Mo. – SBU announced that Dr. Rob Harris has earned a promotion upon successfully defending his dissertation for a Doctor of Education from Northcentral University. Dr. Harris’ study is titled, “The Role of E-Mentoring in Helping College Sophomores Persist and Stay Enrolled.” The study has implications for improving retention at universities like SBU.

Dr. Rob Harris 
President Pat Taylor said in the announcement to the SBU family: “Rob’s title is changing from Dean of Students to Vice President for Student Development. Rob is doing great work with our students, and I appreciate all he does to help our students succeed. He is an asset to our University.” 

Dr. Harris began his employment at SBU in the summer of 1988.  He started as the assistant director of admissions and worked his way through the ranks by becoming the director of admissions in 1996. His time spent recruiting and admitting future SBU students was built upon a personal conviction that Christian higher education provides an extra dimension that enables students to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.  
In 2004, he transitioned to the dean of students’ position where he has served the University, its students, and other institutional constituents in an effort to help fulfill the University’s mission. Overall, he enjoys helping students to think critically, consider new ideas, solve problems, and depend on the Holy Spirit.

Dr. Harris enrolled as a student at SBU in the fall of 1984 and was a member of SBU’s football, baseball and Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) teams.  He graduated in 1988 with his Bachelor of Science in business administration.  He went on to earn his Master of Science in education from SBU in 1996.

Dr. Harris said he and his wife, Lorie, met in their first week of classes of their freshman year, united in matrimony three years later, and just celebrated their 25th anniversary on July 4. Dr. Harris, Lorie, and their three children are active members of First Baptist Church of Bolivar, Mo.

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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 Summer Commencement is July 27: Shane Schoeller to Speak


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

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University’s summer commencement is scheduled for Friday, July 27, 2012, at 7:00 p.m., in Pike Auditorium located in the Mabee Chapel building (next to the bell tower).

The commencement address will be given by guest speaker Shane Schoeller. As the Speaker Pro Tem of the Missouri House of Representatives, Schoeller represents 39,224 citizens of Springfield and nearby Fair Grove, Walnut Grove and Willard. He is serving his third term in the 139th District.

Schoeller graduated from Branson High School in Taney County in 1990.   He earned the degree of Bachelor of Science in political science from SBU in 1994.  After graduation, he entered public and private service, including a leadership role in the Homebuilders Association of Greater Springfield that preceded his election as a legislator in 2006.

As a new graduate, Schoeller, an active Republican, worked as field representative for Senator John Ashcroft and Senator Kit Bond, later becoming a legislative assistant to Congressman Roy Blunt and later chief administrative aide to Secretary of State Matt Blunt.

Prior to his election to the House, Schoeller served as the Director of Government Affairs for the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Springfield. He was a leader in encouraging pro-jobs and pro-growth policies in home construction, helping make homeownership an affordable opportunity for current and new homebuyers.

In the House, he has served on committees that reviewed budget appropriations, utilities, taxation and revenue, and also disaster recovery “after the Joplin tornado of 2011”. He was unanimously chosen by his peers as the House’s second ranking official in 2011.

Prior to his work with the HBA, Schoeller raised funds for Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), a global non-profit organization serving more than 1,500 campuses worldwide, to help teach young people the principles of free enterprise.

Schoeller and wife, Mendie, are the parents of Emma, Dorthy, and Johnny. The Schoeller family makes their home in Willard, Missouri. Mendie is a practicing attorney in estate planning and probate law. Shane is a member of the NRA and Missouri Farm Bureau.  Schoeller, Mendie and their children attend Second Baptist Church of Springfield.

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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.