For immediate release
Sept. 17, 2012
Sept. 17, 2012
Contact:
Missouri State University President Clif Smart, (417) 836-8500
Drury University President Todd Parnell, (417) 873-7201
Evangel University President Robert Spence, (417) 865-2811
Ozarks Technical Community College Chancellor Hal Higdon, (417) 447-2601
Southwest Baptist University President Pat Taylor, (417) 328-1500
Missouri State University President Clif Smart, (417) 836-8500
Drury University President Todd Parnell, (417) 873-7201
Evangel University President Robert Spence, (417) 865-2811
Ozarks Technical Community College Chancellor Hal Higdon, (417) 447-2601
Southwest Baptist University President Pat Taylor, (417) 328-1500
Area
universities, colleges collaborate on academic, service projects
Drury, Evangel, Missouri State, OTC and SBU join forces to benefit students, community
Drury, Evangel, Missouri State, OTC and SBU join forces to benefit students, community
SPRINGFIELD, MO – The five
Springfield-area universities will collaborate on two projects, one academic
and one service-oriented. The leaders of Drury University, Evangel University,
Missouri State University, Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) and
Southwest Baptist University announced two joint initiatives today (Sept. 17)
at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.
 |
| President C. Pat Taylor speaking about the FLI |
Foreign Languages Institute
meets regional demand
Missouri State University will
establish the Foreign Languages Institute (FLI) at the Jim D. Morris Center and
will allow students from Evangel, Drury, Southwest Baptist and OTC to enroll in
classes offered through the FLI.
By consolidating some of the language
resources into one location, the institute will be able to offer more language
options than any school would be able to offer individually. The first two new
languages that institute staff leadership hope to be able to offer are
Portuguese and Italian. The institute will also offer additional sections of
Chinese and Arabic for the universities who presently cannot offer those
subjects.
“Southwest Missouri continues to undergo
dramatic change,” said Smart. “Its population is growing, its economy expanding.
The region is moving beyond the relative isolation of the past in order to
engage more fully not only the national but also the global society. Language
education and training are crucial elements in MSU’s focus on public affairs
and its efforts to increase cultural competence.”
During the announcement, the
presidents recognized the need for the teaching of foreign languages. They also
recognized that as individual universities, it is hard to get classes of
sufficient size, particularly in the less commonly taught languages, to be
economical.
“We appreciate the opportunity
for collaboration and are very pleased that our students will be able to engage
in language studies beyond those which we are able to offer,” said Spence. “The
Foreign Languages Institute will benefit Evangel students in their business and
church-related careers.”
The anticipated market for the
Foreign Languages Institute will include traditional Missouri State students,
other higher education institutions, regional and state businesses, government
agencies, school districts, and non-profit organizations.
“The creation of the Foreign Languages Institute will meet
an increasing need in our area,” said Higdon. “As we continue to grow,
education in foreign languages and cultures will become crucial to doing
business, engaging our community, and supporting southwest Missouri’s position
in the state and national economy.”
The FLI is a partnership between
MSU’s international programs and the modern and classical
languages department and will collaborate with other university units,
including Missouri State Outreach, the Management Development Institute, the
Small Business and Technology Development Center, Ozarks Public Television and
KSMU Radio, to develop innovative and targeted language training programs.
Schools to pool volunteer resources for Meals a Million
The university presidents/chancellors also announced that they are joining together on a fall service project, which they plan to do annually.
The university presidents/chancellors also announced that they are joining together on a fall service project, which they plan to do annually.
This year’s project is to provide
more than 1,000 volunteers for Meals a Million, a three-day event to package
1,111,111 meals for impoverished people from Nov. 9-11 at the Springfield Expo
Center. (College of the Ozarks is also participating in the Meals a Million
project.)
According to Friends Against Hunger, which
sponsors Meals a Million, each meal is a vegetarian recipe that provides a rich
source of easily digestible proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins with nine
essential amino acids. The combination was developed by food scientists to help the
undernourished recover from malnutrition. The meals are intentionally easy
to prepare, requiring only the ability to boil water. The meals are distributed
both domestically and internationally through non-governmental organizations.
“I’m encouraged and optimistic
about the future when I see all of our institutions coming together for the
benefit of our students and the community,” said Parnell. “Meals a Million and
the Foreign Languages Institute are just the latest examples of how the Ozarks’
robust and diverse higher education community is an asset to our region.”
“SBU is extremely pleased to
participate in the Foreign Languages Institute with our colleagues from other
area universities,” said Taylor. “I appreciate Missouri State University’s
leadership for providing this opportunity for our students to study languages
that we could not offer on our campus. And SBU students are excited to be
involved with Meals a Million. This type of project teaches students that they
can make a difference and meet needs in our community.”
About Drury University
Drury University is an independent
university, church related, grounded in the liberal arts tradition and
committed to personalized education in a community of scholars who value the
arts of teaching and learning. Education at Drury seeks to cultivate spiritual
sensibilities and imaginative faculties as well as ethical insight and critical
thought; to foster the integration of theoretical and practical knowledge; and
to liberate persons to participate responsibly in and contribute to a global
community.
About Evangel University
Evangel University is a private, Christian university of arts, sciences and professions, attracting more than 2,000 students from all 50 states and abroad. Evangel has a strong reputation for academic excellence, offering more than 100 undergraduate programs and nine master’s degree programs. Since its founding in 1955, Evangel has focused on the integration of spiritual, intellectual, social and physical aspects of students’ lives.
Evangel University is a private, Christian university of arts, sciences and professions, attracting more than 2,000 students from all 50 states and abroad. Evangel has a strong reputation for academic excellence, offering more than 100 undergraduate programs and nine master’s degree programs. Since its founding in 1955, Evangel has focused on the integration of spiritual, intellectual, social and physical aspects of students’ lives.
About Missouri State University
Missouri State University is a public, comprehensive university system with a mission in public affairs, whose purpose is to develop educated persons while guided by three overarching and enduring commitments to student learning, inclusive excellence and institutional impact. The university’s identity is distinguished by its statewide mission in public affairs, which entails a campus-wide commitment to foster competence and responsibility in ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement.
Missouri State University is a public, comprehensive university system with a mission in public affairs, whose purpose is to develop educated persons while guided by three overarching and enduring commitments to student learning, inclusive excellence and institutional impact. The university’s identity is distinguished by its statewide mission in public affairs, which entails a campus-wide commitment to foster competence and responsibility in ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement.
About
Ozarks Technical Community College
The Ozarks Technical Community College system offers associate degrees and certificates in a variety of technical, allied health, and two-year transfer degree programs, as well as workforce development opportunities and community enrichment courses. Classes are available at six locations throughout southwest Missouri, including the option to earn a complete associate degree online.
The Ozarks Technical Community College system offers associate degrees and certificates in a variety of technical, allied health, and two-year transfer degree programs, as well as workforce development opportunities and community enrichment courses. Classes are available at six locations throughout southwest Missouri, including the option to earn a complete associate degree online.
About Southwest Baptist 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.
###
SBU’s
Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day
at (417) 399-7918.
