JEWELL STUDENT PROJECT RECOGNIZED AT AMA NATIONAL CONFERENCE

David Feyerabend Kara Sullenger Brandon Lee

David Feyerabend, a senior business administration major; Kara Sullenger, a junior business administration major; Brandon Lee, a junior accounting major; and assistant professor of business administration Debbie Scarfino attended the 25th annual collegiate international American Marketing Association conference in New Orleans, La., March 13-15. More than 160 colleges were represented at this conference attended by more than 1,200 faculty and student members of AMA.

William Jewell College was one of 11 institutions of higher learning that received recognition at the conference for their community service project. Students in the Jewell chapter wrote a successful grant application that was honored with a $1,000 award. The grant funds are to be used for marketing support efforts for the Liberty Public Schools and Junior Achievement of Middle America. The funds are designated for recruiting of student and community volunteers to serve as training consultants to K-5 students in the district. Business consultant volunteers have delivered instruction on business education topics to more than 60 classrooms in the elementary system since the community service project began.

Jewell students attended sessions on current topics in marketing, career advice and leadership and participated in competitive reviews of their chapter plan and annual report efforts. Brandon Lee participated in the national sales competition sponsored by Northwest Mutual but did not advance to the final round of competition. The grant funds are sponsored by the AMA Foundation and are intended to provide marketing support of chapter community service projects that build marketing capacity in nonprofits. The American Marketing Association Foundation (AMAF) and the Sheth Foundation have provided support to William Jewell’s community service project with the Liberty Public Schools and Junior Achievement of Middle America. The AMAF, the philanthropic arm of the marketing profession and the AMA, is dedicated to expanding marketing education opportunities in fulfilling its mission to serve as a catalyst for the betterment of society through marketing.

UNGER RECEIVES FELLOWSHIP TO UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER

Blair Unger, a senior physics major at William Jewell, has been awarded a prestigious fellowship to The Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y. The fellowship has a total potential value in excess of $200,000.

“Mr. Unger’s record of past achievement is very impressive, and I look forward to the realization of his promise for advanced study at the University of Rochester,” said Paul F. Slattery, Dean of Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Rochester.

Unger will enter the university’s Ph.D. program in the fall of 2003. Included in his award is a renewable departmental fellowship and full tuition scholarship.

“I worked closely with Blair during his summer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center,” says Dr. Patrick Bunton, chair of the physics department at William Jewell. “I was particularly impressed with how quickly he picked up new ideas and applied them. He was rapidly accepted at NASA as a colleague, as evidenced by how seriously his input was taken in the work there. He is perhaps the most professional student with whom I have ever been associated.”

JAMES COCKMAN IS COLLEGE ARTIST WINNER

James Cockman III, a senior piano performance major, is the co-winner of the annual College Artist Competition held by the William Jewell College Department of Music.

Cockman, who will complete his undergraduate program in only three years, also performed with the Liberty Symphony Orchestra in 2001 and played with the Kansas City Wind Symphony in March. He is listed in “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities” and is a member of Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. He has won numerous piano competitions in Missouri and is principal accompanist for the William Jewell Concert and Chapel Choirs. He was the principal organist and pianist in the tour of England and Scotland by the William Jewell Concert Choir. Cockman will pursue a career in piano and organ performance after graduate school.

FIEDLER RECEIVES SCIENCE AWARD

Stephanie Fiedler, a senior biochemistry major at William Jewell College, received the award for Best Student Oral Presentation at the annual Beta Beta Beta District Convention held recently at Platte River State Park in Nebraska. Fiedler’s presentation was titled “Nitric Oxide Induced Apoptotic Pathways Associated with Atherosclerotic Plaques.” Fiedler is now eligible to present the results of her research at the national Tri-Beta convention to be held next year in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Beta Beta Beta is the national honor society for students in biology. The society is dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study and extending boundaries of human knowledge through scientific research. Also making presentations at the convention were Jewell students Lindsey Gronewold, Katie Helwig and Andy Johnson.

GONZALEZ MAKES PRESENTATION AT SCIENCE RESEARCH EVENT

Mileidy Gonzalez, a senior biology major at William Jewell College, made a presentation at the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Research Day, held March 27 at the University of Missouri- Kansas City.

Gonzalez will enter a Ph.D. program at the University of Maryland this fall. She is completing an honors project at Jewell involving the design of an open source software package that enables the extraction and manipulation of DNA and protein sequence data from genetic databases. Gonzalez’s research advisor is Dr. Dan Heruth, Monte Harmon Chair and Associate Professor of Biology.

WILLIAM JEWELL'S AMERICAN HUMANICS CHAPTER WINS NATIONAL AWARD AT NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

The William Jewell College American Humanics student chapter received national recognition recently at the American Humanics Management Institute held in Las Vegas, Nev. In recognition of outstanding recruitment, leadership and community involvement, William Jewell received the prestigious Momentum Award. Eighty-three colleges and universities nationwide were competing for the recognition, which brought with it a $1,000 cash award. Jewell students presenting case-study simulations were also recognized for outstanding presentations. The annual conference is a requirement for students to receive program certification, preparing them for a career with a non-profit organization. At the conference students networked with non-profit executives, analyzed case studies from national and local organizations, attended educational workshops and presented their campus programs. Jewell senior Nicole Adams and alumna Staci Jennings also served on the national conference staff. Speakers at the conference included Notre Dame’s football hero Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger (featured in the film “Rudy”), Director of the Office for the Advancement of Public Black Colleges Dr. N. Joyce Payne, and CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service Dr. Leslie Lenkowsky. Jewell students attending the conference included Nicole Adams, Felicia Flinn, Phillip Limb, Jeremy Miller, Jamie Roach, Anthony Shop and Nicole Stevens. The group was accompanied by Kevin Shaffstall, director of the American Humanics program at William Jewell. William Jewell students and Shaffstall will participate in hosting next year’s Management Institute January 2-5, which will take place at Kansas City’s Westin Crown Center. The Kansas City-based American Humanics organization was founded by former mayor H. Roe Bartle in 1948. Its non-profit partners include United Way, Red Cross, Big Brothers-Big Sisters and the YMCA. More information about American Humanics may be found at its website, www.humanics.org.

ANDY JOHNSON RECEIVES FACULTY AWARD; IS ACCEPTED TO NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH PROGRAM

Andy Johnson, a senior biochemistry major at William Jewell, has received the Faculty Award at William Jewell, and has been accepted into the prestigious National Institutes of Health Graduate Partnership with Oxford University, one of the most prominent programs of its type in the world. Johnson will receive a stipend to pay for his doctoral work, which will be a joint project between labs at both the National institutes of Health and Oxford University. Twelve students were selected from 240 applicants for the award, which is considered the equivalent of the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships within the scientific community. Jewell’s Faculty Award is the most significant distinction offered a graduating senior. It is presented to a student who has spent his/her entire undergraduate career at William Jewell; who has a grade point average of 3.75 or higher; and who has exhibited the highest ideals of a liberal arts education.

“Andy has little difficulty understanding complex, ambiguous concepts,” said Dr. Dan Heruth, the Monte Harmon Chair and Associate Professor of Biology at Jewell. “He is able to critically evaluate evidence and synthesize cohesive arguments. These skills, along with his dedication and desire for learning, have allowed him to be successful in both the classroom and the laboratory.”

Johnson is involved in research aimed at linking the function of genes with the biological process of symbiosis. He has presented his work at the annual meetings of the National Conference for Undergraduate Research, the American Chemical Society and the American Society for Microbiology. “Andy is a reliable and skilled technician who is capable of designing experiments and analyzing their results,” Heruth said. “He is a valuable member of our lab team who assists us in maintaining a priceless and rare collection of paramecia.”

In addition to his work in the sciences, Johnson is a fellow in the Pryor Leadership Studies Program at Jewell and has served as a facilitator and mentor for first-year students.

The National Institutes of Health-University of Oxford Scholars in Biomedical Sciences interdisciplinary program to which Johnson has been accepted is devoted to the training of outstanding students in various areas of biomedical research. The program leads to a Doctor of Philosophy degree awarded by the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Finalists for this year’s Faculty Award included Eric Jason Coomes of Kansas City, Kristin Elizabeth Price of St. Joseph, Carrie Ann Vanderford of Kansas City and Kali Alexandra Williams of Liberty.

JEWELL NURSING STUDENTS RECEIVE 100% PASS RATE ON STATE LICENSING EXAM

Nursing students of the class of 2002 at William Jewell College received a 100% pass rate on the state licensing exam.

“This is a significant accomplishment when you consider that the national pass rates average around 83%,” says Dr. Nelda Godfrey, chair of the nursing department at William Jewell. “We are very proud of our students and know that they will make a welcome contribution to the work force as they begin their careers in nursing.”

PRATHER NAMED GOLDWATER HONORABLE MENTION

Shannon M. Prather, a senior Oxbridge molecular biology major at William Jewell, has received an honorable mention in the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program.

Prather plans to pursue a Ph.D. in neurobiology, with career goals of teaching and conducting neurobiological research.

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Senator Barry M. Goldwater, who served his country for 56 years as a soldier and statesman, including 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate. The purpose of the Foundation is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue careers in these fields.

JEWELL STUDENT TO ATTEND BIOINFORMATICS TRAINING

Greg Ziegler, a junior computer science and biology major at William Jewell, has been accepted into a summer bioinformatics training program at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. He is one of 12 students nationwide who were offered admission to the program.

Ziegler will spend the summer of 2003 at Virginia Commonwealth and will continue his research at William Jewell under the direction of Dr. Walt Rychlewski, Professor of Business and Computer Studies and Dr. Dan Heruth, Monte Harmon Chair and Associate Professor of Biology, during the 2003-04 academic year. His research will be completed during the summer of 2004 at VCU. Admission to the program includes transportation, room and board and a $3,500 stipend for each of the two summers at VCU, in addition to the opportunity for financial support for research during the academic year at William Jewell. Bioinformatics is the process of extracting biological information from large data sets of genetic information. Ziegler hopes to develop computer algorithms that will identify important regulatory signals in gene sequences.

JEWELL’S MATTHEW QUINN RECEIVES ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARD

Matthew Quinn, a junior computer science major at Jewell, received an Honorable Mention at the recent 2003 Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. Quinn, who has owned and managed his own lawn service business for several years, was recognized at the Small Business Week luncheon recently at St. Louis University. This is the third consecutive year that a William Jewell student has been selected for an award in this competition.

POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENTS NOTCH ACHIEVEMENTS

Political science majors Nicholas Gicinto and Evan Ray represented Jewell recently at the 45th Annual Undergraduate Student Symposium at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The topic of this year’s symposium was “Homeland Security and Civil Liberties.” Both Gicinto and Ray also presented some of their findings at the Duke Undergraduate Research Colloquium on campus in April. Ray and senior Paul Compton were recently accepted into nationally competitive graduate programs. Ray has been accepted to the M.A. degree program in Arab Studies at Georgetown University. Compton will attend American University’s School of International Service.

JEWELL DEBATERS MAKE IMPRESSIVE SHOWING

Amber Davis

The William Jewell College debate team underwent several changes during the 2002-03 season. Longtime Director of Debate, Dr. Gina Lane, returned to that position after returning from a sabbatical leave year that included teaching overseas at Harlaxton College. Lane directed the program from 1985-1995 and co-directed the program from 1996 to 2000. Upon her return, Lane decided several changes were in order, including a change in format. “We made the switch this year to a parliamentary program and competed in tournaments hosted by National Parliamentary Debate Association schools. I decided that the policy debate format we had been competing in for several years no longer met the needs of a majority of our students.

It was an initially challenging transition, as all of the debaters, including their coach, felt like novices. “Parliamentary debate is much different than policy debate or high school debate,” said Lane. The topics for debate change every round, and are announced twenty minutes before the start of each round. The topics are typically based in current event issues, although topics of a broader and more philosophical nature are also common. According to Lane, “Parliamentary debate focuses on argumentation and persuasion skills based on breadth and depth of knowledge. This is perfect for Jewell students, because it fits in well with our interdisciplinary, liberal arts approach to learning.” In order to gain exposure to new competitors and judges and learn from a variety of debate styles, the team traveled throughout the Midwest and West, where the majority of NPDA member programs are located. The squad’s hard work began Matthew Quinn paying off in the spring semester. In the state championships at Truman State in Kirksville, first year Phil Fuhrman and sophomore Clark Quigley were named the top novice team and second-place team overall after reaching the final round against Truman State in parliamentary debate. On their way to the final round, they defeated teams from Southwest Baptist, Washington University and Truman State. Senior Nick Gicinto was awarded tenth overall speaker. A month later the squad competed against 76 debate teams from 22 colleges and universities at the 6th Annual National Christian College Invitational hosted by Point Loma University in San Diego. Jewell won 5th place in Division Two sweepstakes. Senior Amber Davisson won second place in Impromptu Speaking. Davisson and her partner, first year Ethan Zipf-Sigler, received 4th place in Parliamentary Debate after losing a close decision to Azuza Pacific University. Quigley received 4th overall speaker.

The squad highlight of the season was also the final tournament. Jewell debaters competed at their first NPDA National Tournament, held this year at Portland State University in Portland, Ore., on March 28-31. Ninety-three colleges and universities fielding 279 teams competed. First year Phil Fuhrman and sophomore Clark Quigley reached the quadra-octofinals of the tournament, losing to the University of Northern Arizona on a 2-1 decision. “Just to make it to the elimination round bracket was a significant victory for this squad,” said Lane. “This is the first time that Jewell debaters have reached the elimination round bracket at a major national debate tournament since Deborah Smith (’93) and Michelle Tweedie (’94) reached the quarter-finals bracket of the Cross Examination Debate Championships in 1993.” As a result of their elimination round qualification, Fuhrman and Quigley were named the top novice team at the national tournament. First year Ethan Zipf-Sigler was named second overall novice speaker and Quigley was the third overall novice speaker. “It was an outstanding finish to the year, and I was tremendously proud of the entire team,” said Lane.