Oct. 8, 2026鈥揟he 含羞草社区 School of Fine Arts, the music program and 含羞草社区 Bands will celebrate the 40th annual Tournament of Champions. The field show competition for area high school marching bands will begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13 on Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium.

More than 600 students representing 16 bands from Missouri and Iowa will compete, with the awards presentation scheduled for 7:15 p.m..

Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for seniors. Children 12 and under are free. Concessions will be open for those wanting refreshments.

The full schedule includes:

2 p.m. Lathrop High School
2:15 p.m. Maysville High School
2:30 p.m. Sherwood High School
2:45 p.m. Lafayette County High School
3 p.m. Richmond High School
3:30 p.m. Break
3:30 p.m. Savannah High School
3:45 p.m. Marshall High School
4 p.m. Harrisonville High School
4:15 p.m. Central High School
4:30 p.m. Liberty High School
4:45 p.m. Break
5:15 p.m. Kirksville High School
5:30 p.m. Raytown High School
5:45 p.m. Lewis Central High School
6 p.m. Break
6:15 p.m. Oak Park High School
6:30 p.m. Staley High School
6:45 p.m. Platte County High School
7:15 p.m. Awards Ceremony

For more information please contact Bob Long at 816-244-5840, or long@missouriwestern.edu.听

The Tournament of Champions was started by longtime music professor of woodwinds, Richard Yeager, and former director of bands Jim Cochran. The event was originally scheduled on Saturdays, but due to the increasing number of festivals, it was moved to Tuesdays by former director of bands Jeff Hinton. By 2000 it was hosting 28 bands. After that year it became an invitational, limiting the number of bands. Even with the advent of dozens of other festivals around the state, TOC is still considered one of the most performance friendly venues due to the design of Spratt Stadium.

含羞草社区 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 含羞草社区 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

Oct. 8, 2026鈥揟he 含羞草社区 School of Fine Arts presents Flora and Fauna, an exhibition running from Oct. 13 through Jan. 27 in the University Gallery, Spratt Hall room 211. The opening reception is from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday Oct. 15. The reception and exhibition are free and open to the public.听

The selected prints bring together diverse works from 含羞草社区鈥檚 Eickhorst Print Collection that depict the timeless relationship between the natural world and human observation. Through a wide variety of traditional and contemporary print methods, the artists capture the delicate complexities of botanical life and the diverse energy of the animal kingdom 鈥� ranging from close-up observation to a more expanded view of the natural world, and in some cases, with humor. The exhibition invites viewers to keep looking and exploring the exquisite details these artists have depicted.

含羞草社区 art history students in assistant professor Holly Rubalcava’s Survey of Art History II course are assisting with research into the artists and print techniques represented, as well as gaining hands-on experience presenting an exhibition.听

Professor Emeritus William Eickhorst鈥檚 generous donation of over 1,000 prints established the Eickhorst Print Collection in 2018 at 含羞草社区. The University Gallery was established to house the collection.听

The gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free. For more information, contact University Curator Robin Vanhoozer at rvanhoozer@missouriwestern.edu.听

含羞草社区 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 含羞草社区 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

Sept. 4, 2027鈥揟rumpeter Dr. Keith Benjamin has joined the 含羞草社区 faculty for the 2026-27 academic year as an Artist in Residence. Benjamin will lead 含羞草社区’s applied high brass studios, teaching trumpet and French horn. These studios are open to any interested student, not just declared music majors.

鈥淭his appointment gives Missouri Western students a rare opportunity to study with a performer and educator of national and international standing,鈥� said Dr. Ed Taylor, interim assistant dean of the College of Liberal Arts.

Benjamin has taught at the UMKC Conservatory since 1989 and was named a Curators’ Distinguished Professor of Trumpet in 2017. He maintains an active international performance career, including work with the Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Ballet and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. His commercial/studio credits include work with artists such as Hugh Jackman, Ben Folds, Peter Gabriel, Idina Menzel and Matthew Morrison.

含羞草社区 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 含羞草社区 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

Sept. 4, 2026鈥揟he academic year’s first Pop Culture Club, an event series sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts at 含羞草社区, will feature a look at the best-selling novelist of all time.听

鈥淨ueen of Crime: Agatha Christie and Her Detectives鈥� will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10 in Community Room A of the Rolling Hills Library Riverside Branch, 400 Mosaic Court.

The talk will be presented by Dr. Michael Charlton, 含羞草社区 vice provost and professor of English. Dr. Charlton, who has been at 含羞草社区 since 2008, has written extensively on pop culture topics.

The talk is free and open to the public.听

含羞草社区 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 含羞草社区 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

Sept. 3, 2026鈥揧ears of artwork created by former 含羞草社区 students and faculty members will be the focus of Rediscovered Treasures, an exhibit in the Drew Brown Art Gallery in Potter Hall at 含羞草社区. The exhibit will be on display Sept.8-Oct. 15, with a special opening reception from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.听

Rediscovered Treasures brings back hidden paintings and forgotten prints made by students and faculty years ago. Most are signed and a few are anonymous. Many were done by students in their formative years.

鈥淓arly artwork shows raw talent and ideas are planted here before they grow,鈥� said Robin Vanhoozer, curator. 鈥淪tudents find their voices in these pieces and the ability to take risks is fostered here. The years pass, time ages the paper and fades the color. This collection brings old dreams to light and demonstrates important first steps. Rediscovered Treasures showcases the value of fostering the creative process and the rich tradition of art making in our community.鈥�

含羞草社区 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 含羞草社区 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

Sept. 2, 2024鈥揟he Psychology Department at 含羞草社区 has launched a new Mind-Body Research Lab to learn more about how the body reacts to stress.听

The lab uses psychophysiological data to measure autonomic nervous functioning, such as the fight-or-flight response. Faculty and students will use the lab to assess the impact of various factors on the stress response, such as how trauma history impacts how a person reacts to different meditation approaches.听

鈥淪tudents will gain valuable experience with laboratory research while contributing to our knowledge of mind-body connections,鈥� said Dr. Kayla Waters, associate professor of psychology.听

The lab was funded by the 含羞草社区 Summer Fellowship Faculty Research Grant Program.

含羞草社区 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 含羞草社区 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

July 1, 2026鈥揂 composition by Dr. Derek Jenkins, associate professor of music at 含羞草社区, has been selected for performance at the 21st Thailand International Composition Festival, July 5鈥�9, 2026, at Mahidol University in Salaya, Thailand.

鈥淩ock Bottom,鈥� Dr. Jenkins鈥� piece for brass band was chosen from among 200 submissions, with only 12 works ultimately selected for performance. The work will be performed by the Mahidol Brass Band during the festival.

The Thailand International Composition Festival is dedicated to the advancement of contemporary music and the cultivation of new artistic voices.The festival brings together composers, performers, scholars, and audiences from around the world to share ideas, explore new sonic possibilities, and foster meaningful artistic exchange.

Dr. Jenkins joined the 含羞草社区 faculty in 2024. As a composer, his music has been performed throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, and Brazil. He received bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees from the University of Missouri Kansas City and a master鈥檚 degree from Rice University.听

含羞草社区 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 含羞草社区 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

April 29, 2026鈥揋riffon Media students from 含羞草社区 brought home ten awards from the Missouri College Media Association and Missouri Broadcast Educators Association Annual Conference in Springfield, Missouri on April 11.

The students won the following state awards:

Missouri Broadcast Educators Association

• Video – Hard News Story: First Place, Rebecca Evans 鈥�25
• Short Film: Second Place, Bailey Woodbury, junior cinematic arts major from St. Joseph
• Video Commercial/Promo: Third Place, Woodbury

Missouri College Media Association Awards (Division 2)

• Website: Second Place, Griffon Media Staff
• Video: Second Place, Gurtej Sohal 鈥�25
• Video: Third Place, Charlie Sample, junior applied communication and journalism major from Columbia, Missouri
• Multimedia Package: Third Place, Sample
• Multimedia Package: Honorable Mention, Sohal
• News Writing, Honorable Mention, Woodbury
• Story Illustration: Honorable Mention, Ellice Randleman senior graphic design major from St. Joseph

Attending the conference from 含羞草社区 were Kendall Warren, sophomore applied communication and journalism major from Kansas City, Missouri; Sample; Johnny Fragakis, senior applied communication and journalism major from Petaluma, California; former editors Sohal and Evans; and co-advisers Dr. James Carviou and Dr. Luling Huang.

含羞草社区 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 含羞草社区 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

April 24, 2026鈥摵卟萆缜� students will present a wide variety of video projects at two film festivals. The 含羞草社区 Cronkite Film Festival will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30, in the Kemper Recital Hall, Spratt Hall room 101. The 11th annual Griffon Film Festival will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, May 1 at the Trail Theatre, 111 N. 9th Street in downtown St. Joseph. Both events are free and open to the public.

Cronkite Film Festival

The 含羞草社区 Cronkite Film Festival is sponsored by the Department of Communication. It focuses on non-fiction storytelling, showcasing newscasts, sportscasts, individual packages, promos, social media campaign videos and a long documentary. The films were created in digital videography, Griffon Media, social media branding and multimedia storytelling classes throughout the 2025-2026 school year.

Griffon Film Festival

The Griffon Film Festival features work by cinematic arts and digital animation students over the academic year. Projects include short narrative fiction, commercials, public service announcements, industrial/educational films, experimental films, traditional animation, 3D computer animation and student game design. Doors open at 5 p.m. for a meet-and-greet and pictures on the red carpet and the awards show starts at 6 and runs until 10 p.m. The first 100 attendees will receive a free small bag of popcorn.

含羞草社区 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 含羞草社区 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

April 20, 2026鈥揑n its eighth year

The organization inducted five new members into the prestigious honor society while recognizing their achievements with Griffon Media. The students pledge to uphold a high standard of journalism, ethics and responsible storytelling as part of their commitment to journalism and the organization, as well as the 含羞草社区 community.听

The following students were inducted:聽

• Jeimy Cruz-Aguilera, junior social work major from St. Joseph
• Chloe Hibler, sophomore applied communication and journalism major from Cameron, Missouri
• Payton Patterson, junior applied communication and journalism major from Kansas City, Missouri
• Sarah Swallow, junior applied communication and journalism major from Highland, Indiana
• Kendall Warren, sophomore applied communication and journalism major from Kansas City, Missouri

is the nation鈥檚 oldest honor society for student media leaders. It encourages ethical, accurate and innovative journalism nationally and creates a strong network of advocates for First Amendment education.

To date, the chapter at 含羞草社区 has inducted over 150 students and earned over 250 national awards honoring the best work in collegiate media.

含羞草社区 is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 含羞草社区 is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .听