U.S. News & World Report cites William Jewell among America’s best

The 2007 “America’s Best Colleges” edition of U.S. News & World Report names William Jewell College among the nation’s top 157 national liberal arts colleges. Jewell’s ranking is among colleges that focus almost exclusively on undergraduate education and that award at least 50 percent of their degrees in the liberal arts.

The magazine’s annual rankings are based on such factors as peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving and graduation rate performance.

William Jewell advanced in this year’s rankings in several key areas. The percentage of classes with under 20 students increased to 74% from 69% last year, underscoring the college’s emphasis on individual attention and small learning environments. In addition, the college’s acceptance rate dropped from 73 percent in 2005 to 64 percent in 2006, indicating a higher degree of student selectivity.

William Jewell among Princeton Review’s ‘The Best 361 Colleges’ for 2007

William Jewell College has been named one of the nation’s 361 best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review.  The New York-based education services company features the college in The Best 361 Colleges, the new 2007 edition of its annual “best colleges” guide.  Only about 15% of the four-year colleges in America appear in the guidebook, which features profiles on the schools and student survey-based rankings in various categories.  

The guidebook cites Jewell’s “highly selective and extremely intense” Oxbridge Honors Program, which offers instruction in the English tutorial style. The Review noted that “the distinctive quality of the Jewell student body is a repeated emphasis on thoughtfulness and self-reflection,” and scored the college among the top 20 in community relations (#3); “happiest students” (#19); and “class discussions encouraged” (#19). The Princeton Review posts the book’s ranking lists on its website at www.PrincetonReview.com

 Jewell’s Mortar Board chapter captures national awards

The Panaegis chapter of Mortar Board at William Jewell College was presented with the Most Improved Chapter Award, Golden Torch Award, Project Excellence Award and Excellence in Advising Award for the 2005-2006 academic year at the organization’s recent national conference in Columbus, Ohio.

The Most Improved Chapter Award annually recognizes one chapter that has achieved success during the year in re-establishing and re-invigorating programming and membership.  The Panaegis chapter was nominated by Mortar Board’s Executive Director Diane Selby for its continued achievement throughout the year.

Additionally, the William Jewell chapter was one of 19 chapters to take home the Golden Torch Award, recognition honoring timeliness and exceeding standards of excellence while exemplifying the ideals of scholarship, leadership and service. 

The chapter also received a Project Excellence Award for its community project, “The Lion and Unicorn Reading Program” (LURP), which parallels Mortar Board’s national project, “Reading is Leading.” LURP was a community program promoting literacy with fun reading activities, and highlighting Garrison School in Liberty, Mo. Twenty-seven chapters received the Project Excellence Award.

The chapter’s advisor, Mary Sallee, was honored with the Excellence in Advising Award from Mortar Board.  Mrs. Sallee was among four recipients of the distinction for providing outstanding support helping the chapter achieve goals, serving as a role model and demonstrating constant leadership, professionalism and spirit of service.

“Mary Sallee has truly been an excellent role model for our chapter,” said chapter president Courtney Herren, who nominated Mrs. Sallee for the award. Mrs. Sallee also serves as tri-president of The Harvest Ball, serves on the bi-state Board of Directors for YouthFriends and is a member of the Business Advisory Board of another campus organization, SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise).

Mortar Board is a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for outstanding achievement in scholarship, leadership and service. The Panaegis chapter of Mortar Board at William Jewell College was chartered in 1978.

Jewell offers a full slate of events for 06-07

William Jewell College celebrates a new academic year of lectures and special events for the campus and the larger community.  Please join us for the following public lectures and events during the 2006-07 academic year:

The Binns Lecture on the Sacred and Secular, and Power and Justice in Society
Brian D. McLaren
author, emergent networker and Christian activist
“Faith, Culture and Higher Education”
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 31, 2006
10:15 a.m. Wednesday, November 1, 2006
John Gano Memorial Chapel

The Cope Lecture on Science, Technology and the Human Experience
Michael Osterholm
Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy
“Pandemic Flu: Facing the Threat”
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 7, 2007
John Gano Memorial Chapel

63rd annual Celebration of Achievement
Historian David McCullough
March 8, 2007
William Jewell’s celebration of alumni achievement, saluting the accomplishments of graduates worldwide

The Hall Distinguished Visiting Professor
Garry Wills
Pulitzer Prize-winning author, historian and critic
“Values Americans Live By”
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, 2007
John Gano Memorial Chapel

For more information about these events, and about the Stocksdale Gallery of Art exhibits and performances by William Jewell’s acclaimed music and theater ensembles, please visit our web site at www.jewell.edu. You can also enjoy webcasts of football and men’s and women’s basketball games as William Jewell continues its championship tradition in intercollegiate athletics.

William Jewell College welcomes new faculty members

Kenneth D. Alpern, Senior Tutor, Oxbridge Honors Program and Professor of Philosophy – Dr. Alpern was professor of philosophy at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio, where he served as the George and Arlene Foote Chair in Ethics & Professor of Philosophy, and as Director of the Center for the Study of Ethical Issues. He received his B.A., magna cum laude, with distinction, from Kenyon College and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. He has been widely published, with interests and areas of expertise that extend to the theory and history of ethics; applied ethics (including medicine, business, law, public policy and engineering); critical thinking; the history of philosophy (ancient and early modern); philosophy of language; philosophy of science; and logic.

Jeanine L. Haistings, Assistant Professor of Education – Dr. Haistings received a doctorate of philosophy in education from the Department of Teaching and Leadership at the University of Kansas, where her major field was curriculum and instruction and her area of specialization was elementary mathematics education. She received a master’s of education in curriculum and instruction from the University of Memphis and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from William Jewell College. She has served as an adjunct instructor at William Jewell and as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Kansas.

Suzanne M. Hatcher, Assistant Professor of Music – Dr. Hatcher served as an adjunct professor of music at Florida International University and New World School of the Arts in Miami. She received her doctorate of musical arts in choral conducting from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. Her areas of specialization are conducting, voice, diction, opera history and literature and 20th and 21st century non-traditional vocal techniques. She received a master’s of music in vocal performance from Rice University in Houston, where she was the recipient of the Cecilia Bartoli Scholarship for Vocal Excellence. She earned a bachelor of arts in vocal performance, with minors in vocal accompanying, choral conducting and oboe performance, at California State University in Turlock, Calif.

Dr. R. Thomas Howell, Professor of History and Chair – Dr. Howell served as chair of the division of history and political science at Louisiana College. He received his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University, where he completed his dissertation on domestic propaganda in World War II. He received an M.A. from Louisiana State University and a B.A. from Louisiana College. He has completed further study at Rice University; Free University of Berlin, Germany; the University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland; and the University of Texas. His fields of specialization include contemporary America, World War II, the Middle East and the American Civil War and Reconstruction.

Elizabeth Kessler, Instructor in Nursing – Ms. Kessler has been faculty clinical coordinator and adjunct clinical instructor at William Jewell College, in addition to serving as a staff nurse in the Birthing Center at Liberty Hospital. She received her master’s of science in nursing from the University of Missouri-Columbia and her bachelor’s of science in nursing from William Jewell. She has also held the positions of nursing research assistant and teaching assistant at the University of Missouri.

Dr. Kevin W. Prine, Professor of Business Administration and Chair – Dr. Prine served as Director of the Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa. He received his Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Kansas, where his dissertation on entrepreneurial higher education organizations was nominated for the outstanding dissertation research award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. He earned an M.B.A. from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and a B.A. from Graceland College (now University).

Dr. Matthew C. Schuette, Assistant Professor of Mathematics – Dr. Schuette most recently served as assistant professor in the department of mathematical sciences at Georgia Southern University. He earned a Ph.D. in applied mathematics and computational sciences from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and an M.A. and B.S. in mathematics from Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville.

Nichole Spencer, Instructor in Nursing – Ms. Spencer has served as an adjunct clinical instructor at William Jewell College and as a sub-acute clinical manager at the Springbridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Grandview, Mo. She received her B.S.N. from William Jewell College and was certified as an advanced practice nurse of adult gerontology at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Dr. Hugh Stocks, Director of Curry Library – Dr. Stocks earned M.L.S. and Ph.D. degrees in library and information science from the University of California at Los Angeles; an M.A. in historical musicology from UCLA; and a B.S. in music education from the University of Utah. He most recently served as Director of Libraries and Information Services at Gateway Community and Technical College in Highland Heights, Ken., where his mandate was to establish an entirely new library and information services program for a newly established institution.

Dr. Charles L. Walts, Assistant Professor of Communication – Dr. Walts was a graduate teaching assistant at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, where he received his Ph.D. in speech communication. His dissertation chronicled “Ideographs and the War on Terror.” He received his M.A. in speech communication from Eastern New Mexico University and a B.S. in speech communication from Abilene Christian University. His areas of interest include war rhetoric, foreign policy analysis, conspiracy theory, terrorism rhetoric and nuclear discourse.

Dr. Elizabeth A. Webb, Visiting Assistant Professor of Religion – Dr. Webb served as assistant professor of religious studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn. She received her Ph.D. in theological studies from Emory University, where her dissertation was titled “The Body of Christ, Broken: Child Sexual Abuse Trauma and the Communion of Compassion.” She earned her M.T.S., summa cum laude, from Duke University, and a B.A. from William Jewell College. Her areas of specialization include theological responses to evil and suffering, feminist theologies and the history of Christian thought.

Alison D. Wenhart, Assistant Professor of Education – Ms. Wenhart has served as lecturer and adjunct faculty member at Arizona State University in Mesa, Ariz. She has also been a classroom teacher in Gilbert, Ariz. She is completing her Ed.D. in higher education at Arizona State University, where her dissertation focuses on preparing teachers to work with students of diverse cultures. She earned her master’s in education from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and her B.A. in education at Arizona State.

Dr. John R. Wright, Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy – Dr. Wright was a visiting assistant professor in the department of philosophy at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He received his Ph.D. in philosophy from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, completing his dissertation on “Understanding and Responding: A Realist’s Response to Discourse Ethics.” He earned a B.A. in philosophy, summa cum laude, from Bradley University in Peoria, Ill. His areas of specialization include ethical theory and social and political philosophy.

Erica Ashburn to serve as Campus Ministry Intern at Jewell

Erica R. Ashburn, a third-year student at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Kan., will serve as Campus Ministry Intern at William Jewell College for the 2006-07 academic year.

Erica will work alongside Jeff Buscher, Campus Minister, and the Christian Student Ministries Cabinet. Christian Student Ministries at William Jewell is organized into student ministry teams that build relationships, encourage student leader development, and conduct events that provide students with opportunities to grow spiritually. Ashburn will help to coordinate women’s ministry and assist the worship team with the weekly Worship Jam music and ministry session. She earned a B.A. from Columbia College in Chicago as a television production major and will complete the Master of Divinity in 2007.

Jewell professor honored by City of Liberty

Dr. Cecelia Robinson, professor of English at William Jewell, and her husband, Ken Robinson, were recently honored with the City of Liberty’s 2006 Civic Leadership Award.

Cecelia and Ken Robinson were honored at the quarterly meeting of the Missouri Municipal League’s West Gate Reunion, as well as at a city banquet in Liberty. Dr. Robinson, who joined the William Jewell faculty in 1979, serves on the Clay County Historical Millennium Board and the Rebuilding Together Liberty board. She directs William Jewell’s Writing Center and the college’s educational advancement program.

Admission welcomes new staffers

The Office of Admission at William Jewell College welcomes new members to its admission counseling and enrollment services staff.

Bridget Gramling and Shery Boyles McDowell have been named associate deans of admission at William Jewell. Together, they bring more than 23 years of higher education experience to the college.

Gramling served as regional coordinator and admission coordinator for Saint Louis University from 1996 to 2006. She also served as assistant director of admission and admission counselor at the University of Dallas. She received a B.A. in elementary education from the University of Dallas, Irving, Texas. In her new position, Gramling will be working with prospective Jewell students from private schools and other outreach programs.

McDowell served as director of graduate admissions for the Helzberg School of Management at Rockhurst University in Kansas City and as director of undergraduate admissions for Oklahoma City University. She received a B.S. in education from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and an M.S. in health and sport science from the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Among McDowell’s responsibilities will be student recruiting diversity initiatives.

Alea M. Looney received a B.A. in communications from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She previously served as promotional communications manager at Upward Indie Entertainment, where she created promotional materials and booked bands in local venues. She also held a public affairs internship at Time Warner Cable. Alea will be recruiting prospective Jewell students in southwest Missouri, Jackson County, Mo., and a portion of the Kansas City public schools.

Kyle Lower received a B.S. in business administration with an emphasis in marketing and a minor in entrepreneurial leadership from William Jewell College. He previously served as a marketing assistant for the RCA Group in Prairie Village, Kan., where he coordinated production details for the And 1 national basketball tour. Kyle will recruit students in Kansas, Nebraska and Blue Springs, Mo.

Lauren R. Thompson received a B.A. in psychology from William Jewell College, where she minored in music and non-profit leadership. She also received certification in the American Humanics non-profit leadership program and the Pryor Leadership Studies Program. Lauren will recruit students in northern Missouri and the western U.S.

President’s Home is celebrated

Pictured (from left) are Dr. David Sallee, Don and Neita Geilker, and Mrs. Mary Sallee

Drs. Don and Neita Geilker presented a Century House plaque to the President’s Home in celebration of its 100 years of service to the William Jewell College community. Dr. John Priest Greene, Jewell’s president from 1892-1920, and his family moved into the home in August, 1905. Neita served as chair of the Liberty Century House Project, which designed the plaque, a poster of century houses, and a book of photographs and stories of 19th-century houses and buildings in Liberty. Don, a member of the William Jewell College class of 1955, served as the Wallace A. Hilton Professor of Physics at William Jewell from 1968-2004. Neita is a member of the William Jewell class of 1956.

William Jewell College sorority attends convention, wins top award

Members of William Jewell College’s Epsilon Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta attended the organization’s international convention June 22-25, 2006 in Indian Wells, Calif., where they were recognized with the Annulet Award, the most prestigious award given to a collegiate chapter by the women’s fraternity.

The award is presented to a collegiate chapter that has evidenced outstanding excellence in all areas of fraternity life including scholarship, membership recruitment and retention, campus involvement, and efficient operations. Three awards are given based on chapter size. Epsilon Epsilon was the recipient for medium-sized chapters with average membership from 66 to 94 members.

In addition to the Annulet Award, the chapter earned five stars in the Five Star Program, which recognizes chapter excellence in leadership, membership, philanthropy, scholarship and sisterhood; was named to the Honor Roll for the Scholarship Improvement Award; and was recognized by the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation for raising $2,000 or more for the Foundation for the seventh year.

William Jewell’s Students in Free Enterprise compete at nationals

After advancing through the regional competition in St. Louis this spring, William Jewell’s SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) team was named first runner up at the SIFE USA National Exposition held recently at Kansas City’s Bartle Hall.

The Jewell team was named regional champions at the organization’s spring competition in St Louis. The judges also awarded Jewell three national finalist honors in the individual topic competition areas of Market Economics, Success Skills and Financial Literacy. “William Jewell’s team was the only Kansas City metro area team that survived regional competition to advance to the national level this year,” said Debbie Scarfino, assistant professor of business administration at William Jewell. “Since our team is only two years old, this was a significant win for us. The league pairings put us up against several top 20 teams from past national competitions, but we earned a first runner up trophy in the opening round—just one slot away from the top 20 semi-finalists. This achievement places us among the top 40 teams in the nation.” SIFE is a nonprofit organization that gives students the tools to learn the free enterprise system in a real working situation.

Nursing Department recognizes contributions to profession

Dr. Ed Lane, professor of chemistry (right in photo at left, with nursing chair Dr. Nelda Godfrey) at William Jewell College, has been named Distinguished Friend of the Department of Nursing at William Jewell. The Distinguished Friend of the Department of Nursing is awarded to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the department and/or its graduates; who serves as a community advocate for the department and its graduates; and is recognized for excellence in his or her own field of endeavor.

Valorie K. Thomas, (right in photo at right, with nursing chair Dr. Nelda Godfrey) a member of the William Jewell College class of 1985, has received the Citation of Merit for Outstanding Achievement from the William Jewell College Department of Nursing. The Citation of Merit for Outstanding Achievement is awarded to an alumnus who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession of nursing; is a recognized expert in practice, research or education; and exemplifies the hallmarks of a William Jewell nursing graduate, which include integrity, compassion, scholarship, leadership, excellence in nursing practice and service to others.

James Waterman (right in photo at left, with nursing chair Dr. Nelda Godfrey), a member of the William Jewell College class of 1979, has been named Outstanding Alumnus of the Year by the William Jewell College Department of Nursing. The Outstanding Alumnus award recognizes outstanding contributions to the profession; continuing support and involvement with the Department of Nursing at William Jewell; and embodiment of the hallmarks of a William Jewell nursing graduate.

William Jewell hosts science academy for 8th-graders

The Jewell Academy for Women in Science (JAWS) at William Jewell College hosted 20 8th-grade women from across the greater Kansas City metropolitan area for a week-long summer camp of state-of-the-art, hands-on science learning. Thanks to a generous grant from the Kauffman Foundation, the camp was provided free of charge to all participating students.

The camp took advantage of Jewell’s nationally renowned science programs and facilities, focusing on experiment-based chemistry, physics, microbiology and ecology, in addition to an evening program that included astronomy, computer science, “bioart” and more. Leadership and teambuilding training was also provided for participants, as well as mentoring opportunities with some of William Jewell’s outstanding young scientists and faculty members. On the last full day of the camp, the students learned and practiced presentation and communication skills in preparation for a mini-science fair that served as the culmination of the camp.

Faculty-student project honored

A poster abstract, submitted by WJC physics students Ryan Alvarado and Andrew Weir and faculty members Pat Bunton and Blane Baker, was selected for the 29th International EPR Symposium held this summer in Breckenridge, Colo. Dr. Baker made the presentation entitled “EPR Study of Metal-Insulator Transition in VO2 Thin Films.”

Book review published

Elizabeth Sperry, associate professor of philosophy, had a book review published in the National Catholic Reporter.  The URL for the online version is http://ncronline.org/NCR_Online/archives2/2006c/081106/081106v.htm.

Help us find Jewell’s future alumni

The following visit events are designed to acquaint potential students with everything that Jewell has to offer. If you know a high school student who might be a good fit for William Jewell, please contact the Office of Admission at admission@william.jewell.edu, or call us at 888-2JEWELL.

Journey to Jewell (November 2 & 3, 2006 and March 29 & 30, 2007) – Journey to Jewell is an in-depth visit experience with opportunities to meet with faculty and coaches, attend classes, tour the campus, hear from our faculty and students, and have several meals on campus. This comprehensive visit is offered to high school juniors during the spring semester and to high school seniors during the fall semester.

Football Recruitment Event (November 4, 2006) – This program is for any high school senior who is interested in playing football at William Jewell College. Students will have the opportunity to attend the last home football game of the year and meet current players and coaches while learning what it means to be a student-athlete at WJC.

Jewelltide (December 1, 2006) – This special visit event allows seniors to view the campus during the “Hanging of the Green” and “Lighting of the Quad,” two treasured holiday traditions at William Jewell.  Seniors are also encouraged to attend a class and meet with faculty and/or coaches.  Finally, seniors will be able to question a student panel about campus life, academics, and athletics in an informative Question & Answer session.

Jewell on Display (January 19, 2007) is the final campus recruitment program aimed at high school seniors.  Participants will attend a class, meet with faculty and/or coaches, and mingle with current Jewell students over a meal in the newly renovated Yates-Gill College Union dining hall.  They will also have the opportunity to meet with their admission counselor and discuss financial aid.

Winter Warmup (February 19, 2007) – This program for high school juniors is designed to help them get serious about the college selection process.  In addition to providing an overview of William Jewell College, the program also provides an introduction to the college search process and how to decide which college or university is the right choice.

Partee Center Celebrates 25 Years

An open house to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Partee Center for Baptist Historical Studies will be held on Friday, October 13 from 2-4 p.m. The Center is located in the Charles F. Curry Library on the campus of William Jewell College. All are welcome to attend. For more information, call 816-415-7620, or email parteecenter@william.jewell.edu. The Partee Center is a repository for Missouri Baptist materials and provides programs to assist all Missouri Baptists in their own preservation and planning needs.

Jewell’s acclaimed performing arts series gets moniker adjustment

Kansas City’s leading performing arts presenter has a new name. The Harriman Arts Program of William Jewell College is now known as the Harriman-Jewell Series.

In 2000, the Series was renamed the Harriman Arts Program of William Jewell College to honor Dr. Richard Harriman, its founder and current artistic director. Prior to 2000, it was known as the William Jewell College Fine Arts Program.

The reason for the new name is simple: it’s easier to say and remember. Clark Morris, executive director of the Harriman-Jewell Series, is excited about the revision. “With this change, a goal has been met: to have an elegant name that in one breath honors Richard Harriman, while it conveys our affiliation with William Jewell College,” Morris says. Dr. David Sallee, president of the College, agrees. “The name is a natural solution that recognizes the principal foundations of the Series: Dr. Harriman’s enduring contributions, coupled with Jewell’s enduring support.”

The name change brings with it a distinctive logotype and graphical identity produced by Kansas City advertising titan Bernstein-Rein. The firm also provided the Series with expertise and research that supported the change. Agency founder Bob Bernstein currently serves on William Jewell’s Board of Trustees.

So what’s next for the presenting powerhouse with a newly streamlined name? “We’re sticking to our central mission: to bring the best of the performing arts to Kansas City,” Morris says. The 15-event season began on September 15, with the Kansas City debut of the New York-based Pascal Rioult Dance Theatre. The season closes on May 15, 2007, with a concert by the famed Philadelphia Orchestra led by Christoph Eschenbach. For tickets or information, call (816) 415-5025 or visit www.harriman-jewell.org.