Attendees walk the red carpet at the 2025 Griffon Film Festival.

April 24, 2026–���߲����� students will present a wide variety of video projects at two film festivals. The ���߲����� 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 ���߲����� 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.

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

April 22, 2026–The Craig School of Business at ���߲����� invites the public to a financial planning workshop that will cover basic financial planning, investing and personal finance at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 2, at the St. Joseph Public Library East Hills Branch, 502 N. Woodbine Road in St. Joseph.��

“Our goal is to serve our community by empowering families through financial literacy,” said Dr. Sel Dibooglu, chair of the Craig School of Business.

The workshop is free and open to the public. Topics include:

• The Foundation: Mindset & Inflation
• The Math Magic: Compounding & Rule of 72
• Investing Fundamentals: Asset classes and diversification
• Keeping What You Earn: Tax Shelters
• Investment Strategy & Risk
• Your Professional Team
  • CPA/Accountant/Tax Preparer
  • Financial Advisor
  • Fiduciary
  • Attorney
• Insurance Coverages

The workshop is for educational purposes only; no particular financial products will be sold or endorsed.

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

April 22, 2026–The ���߲����� Honors Program will hold its Spring 2026 Honors Medal Ceremony at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 29 in the Enright Community Rooms, Spratt Hall rooms 214-216. The ceremony is open to the public.

Graduating seniors who have achieved General Studies and/or Majors Honors will be presented commemorative medals during the ceremony. The medal will be worn as part of the graduate’s academic regalia during the Spring Commencement Ceremony on May 9.

General Studies Honors encourages breadth of understanding across disciplines. Students achieving this honor have successfully completed at least 12 credit hours of general studies honors courses, four credit hours of honors colloquia and two credit hours of community service learning while earning a grade of B or higher in all honors courses and maintaining an overall GPA of at least 3.25.

Majors Honors encourages depth of understanding within a student’s field of study. Students achieving this honor have completed a research project or creative work under the guidance of a professor in their major, presented the research or submitted it for publication, and completed at least six credit hours of honors courses in the major, two credit hours of honors colloquia and one credit hour of community service learning while earning a grade of B or higher in all honors courses and maintaining an overall GPA of at least 3.5.��

The ���߲����� Honors Program was created in 1987 to foster the growth of intellectual inquiry, independence, and initiative in participants with an array of learning experiences including special courses, colloquia and independent research and study.��

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

April 21, 2026–The Center for Academic Support at ���߲����� has been awarded certification as a tutor training program by the internationally recognized College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA).��

“The CAS has worked hard to develop a tutor training program that meets CRLA’s rigorous standards and has successfully completed the International Tutor Training Program Certification (ITTPC) peer review process” said Susan Garrison, CAS director. “Achieving certification means that the CAS team has met CRLA’s high standards for tutor selection, training, direct service and evaluation as an integral part of their overall tutoring program.”

CAS was certified at Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. For each level, CAS tutors participate in a minimum of 10 hours of training and work directly with students for 25 hours. This applied learning work experience supports Priority 1 of ���߲�����’s Strategic Plan, enhancing student-centered transformational learning experiences, Garrison said.

For more than thirty years CRLA has been a leader in learning assistance, reading, and academic support programs with almost 1,300 members and over 2,000 certified training programs worldwide.

The CAS team at ���߲����� includes Garrison; Alyssa Striplin, writing coordinator; Taylor Wagers, content tutor and PASS coordinator; and Steven Saffell, math coordinator. The CAS offers support for more than 90 courses. Through the first week of April, the CAS has had 3,555 visits this academic year with 536 students for 3,164 hours.

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

April 21, 2026–The Missouri Lambda Chapter of Alpha Chi inducted 18 members on March 4, 2026. Alpha Chi invites juniors, seniors and graduate students in the top 10% of their class to join this interdisciplinary honors society.��

Undergraduate inductees were: 

• Keegun Daniels, senior exercise science major from Mountain View, Missouri
• Chloe Dixon, junior exercise science major from Maysville, Missouri
• Sophia Gaspers, junior biology major from Platte City, Missouri
• John Gilbert, senior manufacturing engineering technology major from Savannah, Missouri
• Morgan Kimler, junior psychology major from St. Joseph
• Jessica Laws, junior social work major from St. Joseph
• Phoenix Schlorff, junior medical laboratory science major from St. Joseph
• Ashlyn Snodgrass, junior exercise science major from St. Joseph
• Charlee Stanley, junior nursing major from St. Joseph
• Kendall Vienhage, junior psychology major from St. Joseph
• Danika Wattenbarger, junior nursing major from St. Joseph 

Graduate student inductees were:

• Michael Birmingham Sr., Master of Social Work student from St. Joseph
• Corina Coil, Master of Social Work student from St. Joseph
• Jennifer Fitzpatrick, Master of Arts in Teaching student from St. Joseph
• Tre Holmes, Master of Applied Science in Sport and Fitness Management student from Wynne, Arkansas
• Alisa Karguth, Master of Applied Science in Assessment student from Liberty, Missouri
• Juan Mendez Jr., Master of Business Administration student from Grayslake, Illinois
• Tammy Simpson, Master of Business Administration student from St. Joseph

Inductees honor faculty members who have been influential in their academic careers by presenting them with the Compass Award. Faculty receiving the Compass Award were: 

• Dr. Goksu Advan, assistant professor of engineering technology
• Julie Baldwin, associate professor of nursing
• Dr. Pramit Banerjee, assistant professor of marketing
• Dr. Csengele Barta, professor of biology
• Todd Eckdahl, professor of biology
• Grey Endres, associate professor of social work
• Mackenzie Evans, assistant professor of nursing
• Susan Garrison, director of the Center for Academic Support
• Brandon Johnson, assistant professor of social work
• Dr. Justin Kraft, professor of health, sport and exercise science
• Dr. Jennifer Malone, assistant professor of education
• Dr. Bill Russell, professor of health, sport and exercise science

The Missouri Lambda Chapter is supported by officers Ellen Holmes, president, Emily Shuck,  vice president, Katie Beam, secretary and Kayla Beam, treasurer. The organization is sponsored by faculty members Dr. Teddi Deka, professor of psychology; Dr. Angela Haas, professor of history; and Dr. James Carviou, associate professor of journalism.

April 20, 2026–In 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 ���߲����� community.��

The following students were inducted: 

• 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’s 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 ���߲����� has inducted over 150 students and earned over 250 national awards honoring the best work in collegiate media.

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

April 17, 2026–���߲����� is creating a new scholarship for transfer students who want to pursue a degree in nursing.

“We know that there is a continual need for additional nurses in northwest Missouri, and ���߲�����’s ability to educate those nurses is second to none,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, president. “Our program has been educating nurses for 55 years and has grown to become of the most respected nursing schools in the state. Students who have started their college careers elsewhere and are wanting to prepare for a career in nursing now have additional resources that will make a quality ���߲����� education even more affordable.”

The ���߲����� Transfer Scholarship for Nursing is for students transferring from a community college or another four-year institution to pursue a degree in nursing from ���߲�����. Award recipients receive $500, renewable for up to two years. The application process is simple, and the scholarship can be combined with other awards, but there is a limited number of scholarships available each year.

To qualify, you must be a transfer student, admitted to ���߲�����, and have nursing declared as your major.

Missouri Western’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program accepts up to 60 students each semester. The program has a graduation rate of more than 90%, a job placement rate of more than 95%, and graduates regularly exceed state and national averages for first-time pass rates on the NCLEX national licensing exam.

To learn more about the new scholarship, visit missouriwestern.edu/nursing/nursing-transfer-scholarship/.��

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

April 16, 2026–The ���߲����� School of Fine Arts and the MWSU Arts Society present the ���߲����� Fine Arts Showcase from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, April 24 in the Potter Hall Theater. The showcase is free and open to the public.��

The showcase will feature an open house and tours of the newly renovated facilities in Potter Hall. Take in the Senior Art Exhibit in the Drew Brown Art Gallery, explore updated spaces like the digital animation suite and graphic design lab, and enjoy light refreshments in the Dr. George S. Richmond Student Collaboration Center. Along the way you’ll have the opportunity to connect with ���߲����� students and experience the creativity that fills these spaces.

Reservations are encouraged but not required. Please call Jennifer Vanourney at 816-271-5910 or email jvanourney@missouriwestern.edu by April 20.��

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

April 16, 2026–The Bushman Planetarium at ���߲����� will present public showings of “Wonders of the Universe” and “Forces of Nature” at 7 p.m. Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25. The planetarium is located inside Agenstein Hall, room 147.

Wonders of the Universe

Peer deep into space through the eyes of the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope and travel back billions of years in time to witness the birth of the universe. On this breathtaking excursion, you’ll witness the formation of galaxies and explore some of the most wondrous nebulae and astronomical structures yet discovered. As your travels continue, you’ll fly deep into our own Milky Way galaxy and return home to Earth on a spectacular tour through the solar system.

Forces of Nature

Come close to nature’s most powerful and extreme forces. Cameras capture large-scale volcanoes, earthquakes, and storms as a team of scientists travel the world in an attempt to figure out what causes these dangerous, yet undeniably thrilling natural occurrences. Putting their lives on the line in the name of scientific discovery, the experts forge their way through erupting pits, through volcanic flows, along fault lines, and in cars heading straight for tornados’ eyes. Narrated by Kevin Bacon.

The Bushman Planetarium features a Digistar 4 projection system and a dome that is tilted slightly, rather than directly overhead, making viewing easier. The Dolby 5.1 surround sound system enhances your viewing experience.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children age 13 and under, students, employees, military and senior citizens age 60 and up. Planetarium tickets are not sold at the door, so they must be purchased in advance either online at or in person at Agenstein Hall, room 140 during regular business hours.

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

Dr. Lane DesAutels with Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy and other ���߲����� officials at the COPHE Excellence in Teaching Luncheon.

April 16, 2026–Dr. Lane DesAutels, associate professor of philosophy, received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education during the annual Council on Public Higher Education Excellence (COPHE) Excellence in Teaching Luncheon in Jefferson City on April 7.��

“���߲����� is fortunate to have such a compassionate, intelligent and creative teacher as Dr. DesAutels,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, ���߲����� president and chair of COPHE, who emceed the event. “His courses make the very foundation of the university experience, bridging the humanities with the applied sciences. Students appreciate the welcoming discussion environment that he cultivates, creating balanced space for multiple viewpoints. This is especially important in his classes because they explore timely and sometimes contentious issues.”

Dr. DesAutels has been a faculty member in the Department of Social Sciences and Humanities since 2016, and serves as director of the Bachelor of General Studies/Science and Technology degrees. He received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Puget Sound, Master of Arts from Western Michigan University and a Doctor of Philosophy from University of Maryland, College Park. He previously received the ���߲����� Award for Teaching Excellence and Academic Advisor of the Year Award.

The Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education is given annually to outstanding teachers at each of the nine COPHE member institutions who challenge and motivate Missouri students to reach their maximum potential.

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