Rob Quinn, assistant professor of art at William Jewell, recently was awarded “Best of Show” in the three-dimensional division of the 2004 Missouri Art Education Association juried exhibition. The honor was announced at the Association’s annual conference in St. Louis. Quinn’s winning piece, “Top Series: #2,” is part of a series of whimsical top-like sculptural forms constructed in copper, bronze, pewter, steel and wood. Quinn received a $1,000 scholarship to study at the internationally recognized visual art center, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Quinn is completing his fourth year on the faculty of William Jewell College and his 24th year as an artist/educator.

Dr. Rebecca Folsom, associate professor of music at William Jewell, received the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce Excellence In Teaching Award at the recent annual Excellence in Education Banquet. The event recognizes outstanding educators, staff, volunteers and businesses that have made a significant commitment to the support of education in Clay and Platte Counties.

“Leadership for the Common Good: A Pilot Project,” a manuscript by Dr. Nelda Godfrey, chair of the nursing department at William Jewell, has been accepted for publication in a book entitled “Educating for Leadership.” The manuscript highlights the Pryor Leadership Studies Program in Nursing (PLPS-N) that began in the fall of 2001, detailing how the William Jewell Nursing curriculum integrates Leadership Studies courses and Nursing courses to provide an outstanding leadership opportunity for Jewell nurses. Godfrey was asked to submit the manuscript after presenting on the topic at the International Convention of the Nursing Honor Society in Toronto in the fall of 2003.

Dr. Godfrey was also recognized recently as the MU Sinclair School of Nursing Alumni Achievement recipient at the school’s annual spring banquet. Godfrey received the award for significant accomplishments in the nursing field during the first five years after graduating from the School of Nursing.

Martha Baird, assistant professor in nursing, recently presented a session entitled “Social Skills Training for Children” at the 7th Annual Denim Friday Conference at the V.A. Medical Center in Topeka, Kansas. Martha is a new full time faculty member in nursing, and is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner who specializes in children and adolescents.

Sue Lasiter, assistant professor in nursing, recently presented a paper at the Midwest Nursing Research Society’s annual conference in St. Louis. The paper was entitled “Figuring out Whether They Can Be Trusted: Older Widows’ Intentions Relative to Non-professional, Paid Home Care Helpers.”

Linda Bell, Professor of Business Administration, was recently invited to prepare a project of her accounting course curriculum for publication in a future edition of one of McGraw Hill-Irwin’s financial accounting textbooks. In the past year, she has developed a comprehensive project for the financial accounting course that has students analyze an existing company’s annual report. The project requires students to work with the financial statements of the company. This is the second project she has prepared for this textbook. A few years ago she developed Excel-based problems for each chapter as a means of teaching students accounting and Excel spreadsheets simultaneously.

Scott Sumerall, associate professor of psychology, is the co-author of Rate, L. T., Sumerall, S. W., Prew, R, E., & Linnemeyer, R. S. (2003). Belief systems of homeless veterans. Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless, 12, 221-226.

Christy Roberts, assistant professor of nursing, and Kathy Bond, RN, ’03, volunteered to judge the Science Pioneers projects recently at Kansas City’s Union Station. Christy is a member of WJC’s Mu Mu chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the national honor society of nursing. The WJC chapter also provided the cash prizes for the three groups of awardees, who are all middle school students.

Dr. Sylvia Nadler, professor of physical education and Director of the Pryor Leadership Studies Program, and Dr. Judith Dilts, the Dr. Burnell Landers Professor of Biology and Chair, recently participated in the Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) Phase IV Planning Meeting at Bryn Mawr College. PKAL has been awarded 1.3 million dollars from the National Science Foundation to promote leadership in institutional transformation. Drs. Nadler and Dilts participated in their volunteer roles as Director of Leadership Activities and Dean of the Leadership Institute, respectively.

Dr. Arnold Epley, professor of music and Director of Choral Studies, recently conducted his Kansas City Symphony Chorus in a performance of Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem with the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra for three performances at the Lyric Theater. At the close of the series, Maestro Klauspeter Seibel stated: “This is the best non-professional chorus I have ever worked with, in this country or in Europe.” This season the 120-voice chorus includes 28 alumni of William Jewell College.

Dr. Epley was also invited by the Olathe, Kansas, high schools to be the guest conductor for their spring Masterworks Concert, a performance of “Holocaust Cantata” by Donald McCollough. The advanced choirs from Olathe North High School, Olathe Northwest High School, Olathe East High School and Olathe South High School made up the 200-voice chorus. William Jewell first-year student Josh Lawler (’02 alumus of Olathe North) was the guest baritone soloist.

Dr. Mark Walters, professor of English, has had a second essay published in Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers. “Control: The Problem With Jumping Into Puddles” appears in the Spring 2004 issue. The magazine has also solicited from Walters an argumentative piece on the over-praising of children, which will appear in its summer 2004 issue.

The Dean Wilder Scholarship has been established at William Jewell College to honor the life and legacy of the late Dean Wilder, the Robert H. McKee Professor of Music, director of vocal studies and voice teacher at the college for more than 25 years. Wilder passed away September 30, 2002, in his native Portland, Ore. In July of 2003, a concert was given at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, honoring Wilder’s lifetime commitment to sacred music. Proceeds from the concert were used to establish the Dean Wilder Scholarship. Songs of Praises, a CD recording of the event, is now available for purchase through the Music Department at William Jewell. All proceeds from sales of the CD benefit the scholarship, which will be awarded annually to a Jewell voice student who meets guidelines established by the music faculty.

To order the CD, send a check in the amount of $18 per copy (which includes $3 shipping and handling) made out to William Jewell College, along with a clearly marked return address label. Checks should be addressed to Dr. Ron Witzke, Department of Music, William Jewell College, 500 College Hill, Liberty, MO 64068. Also available is a 16 x 20 unframed calligraphy print of the hymn Take My Life and Let It Be, one of Wilder’s favorite hymns. The print was created by retired Jewell art professor David Johnson and includes a dedicatory statement. The cost for the print is also $18, including shipping and handling.

Allison Jones-Olson has been selected as the new head women’s volleyball coach at William Jewell College. Jones-Olson, who received her B.A. from William Woods University and her M.S. from Northwest Missouri State University, has a strong volleyball background that includes a successful playing career at William Woods University, where she played volleyball four years and was 20th in the NAIA national stats in “Passing Percentage.” After graduation she coached volleyball, softball and basketball at Westminster College for five years. She was also the head volleyball coach for five years at Washburn University, a NCAA Div. II program. During the fall of 2003, Jones-Olson was the head volleyball coach at Norborne (Mo.) High School.

Larry Holley, Head Men’s Basketball Coach at William Jewell College, received the Carrie Francke award at the 2004 Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Academic All State Banquet. This award is given to those persons who have made significant contributions to basketball in the state of Missouri. The award is given in memory of Carrie Francke, who served as a co-chair of the first Missouri Basketball Coaches Association (MBCA) Hall of Fame Induction. Carrie died in an automobile accident shortly after the induction ceremonies. She was a curator at the University of Missouri at the time of her death.

Dr. Ken Chatlos, Oxbridge Professor of History and Chair, and Nettie Ma, instructor in music, have collaborated on a new book entitled Finding My Way Home. The book chronicles the life experiences of Ma, who was born in Shanghai, China, and survived the turmoil of Communist China before making her way to Liberty as an accomplished harpist and member of the William Jewell adjunct faculty.

“Dr. Chatlos invited me to speak to his class, and then he suggested that I write a book,” Ma says. “I told him that my English was not good enough to write a book, so he said he would write it along with me. Now it is time to share my story to tell how much God has blessed me.” The book is scheduled for an early summer publication from the Smyth & Helwys publishing company in Macon, Ga.

Ernie Stufflebean, Director of Student Activities, is completing a two-year term on the Board of Directors for the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA). At the National Convention in February, Ernie was elected by the board to the position of Chair-Elect of the Board of Directors and will serve as Chair of the Board for the 2005-06 academic year starting in May 2005.

Dean Dunham, Oxbridge Professor of Languages and Literature, served on an external review team for the Humanities Department of Missouri’s Columbia College. The two-person team was charged with identifying departmental strengths and areas for improvement. Dr. Danny Campbell of the Jewell class of 1991 is on the English faculty of the Columbia College Humanities Department. He and his wife, Terry Hoecker Campbell ’89, are now living in Columbia.

Kent Huyser has been selected as the new Director of Annual Gifts in the Office of Institutional Advancement. Huyser received his B.S. in 1993 from William Jewell, and participated as a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and the varsity basketball team during his undergraduate tenure. Kent spent the last ten years working for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in various analytical and managerial roles.

Susan Tideman returns to William Jewell College as the Director of Special Projects. Susan previously served the college as the Alumni and Annual Fund Director from 1993 to 1995. Susan has been the Major Gift Officer for the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Red Cross for the past nine years.

Kim Hinkle has joined the Office of Advancement staff as a Director of Major Gifts. Kim will primarily work with the Harriman Arts Program. Kim received her B.A. degree from Texas Christian University. Kim recently served as the Director of Development for Sertoma.

Traci Austin has been hired as Grant Writer/Prospect Researcher for the Office of Advancement. Traci completed her Ph.D. in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Most recently she served as a grant writer for the University of Missouri – Kansas City. Traci also served as a grant writer/prospect researcher for Madonna Foundation/Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital.