June 15, 2026鈥揟he Kansas City Chiefs have announced dates for 2026 Chiefs Training Camp presented by Mosaic Life Care at 含羞草社区 in St. Joseph, Mo. This is the 16

Open practices begin on Wednesday, July 29 and conclude on Thursday, Aug. 20. All training camp practices will be free of charge to the public unless otherwise noted below or online. Training camp tickets must be reserved in advance while supplies last at . Due to the expected interest and demand, attendance at daily sessions will be limited to provide the best fan experience. Ticket reservations will begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 16 for Chiefs Season Ticket Members followed by the general public at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 17. Fans can reserve a maximum of six tickets per practice and can reserve tickets for a maximum of three separate practices. Paid practice days will require advance payment to reserve tickets, while only Chiefs Season Ticket Members will have the option to reserve tickets for the exclusive Season Ticket Member days. Paid practice dates and Season Ticket Member dates do not count towards the maximum ticket reservation allotment of three practices. Chiefs Tailgate Suites will be available for purchase in the North Endzone for groups of 10 or more. Tailgate Suites offer a private viewing space next to the field with food & beverage and climate-controlled access in the Tailgate Suite. For more information or to reserve your Tailgate Suite, please visit .

All tickets are mobile entry only through the Chiefs Mobile app. Tickets and parking are subject to the Chiefs ticket terms which can be found at . Missouri Western will charge an $8 parking fee per vehicle per day, with the exception of the two exclusive Chiefs Season Ticket Member days when parking is free. Fans are required to pre-purchase parking, and that can be done during the ticket reservation process.

Missouri Western will charge a $7 admission fee on three different practice days 鈥� Saturday, Aug. 1; Friday, Aug. 7; and Saturday, Aug. 8 (Family Fun Day). The Chiefs will host two free, exclusive Season Ticket Member days that will not be open to the public 鈥� Wednesday, July 29 and Tuesday, Aug. 11. Ambassador Day will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 4 and Military Appreciation Day will be Thursday, Aug. 20. Team autograph sessions are scheduled to take place July 29, Aug. 1, Aug. 7, Aug. 8, and Aug. 11.

*Weather and field conditions are evaluated daily. All dates and times provided are subject to change. If practice is moved indoors due to inclement weather, it will be closed to the general public.

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 .

June 11, 2026鈥揇r Benedict Adams, associate professor of education at 含羞草社区, has

鈥淧edagogy for a Successful Multicultural Classroom. A Sociocultural-Based Method for Teaching and Reaching At-Risk Students鈥� was published earlier this year by Peter Lang International Academic Publishers.

鈥淭he book serves as a sociocultural-based method for both graduate and undergraduate students, providing practical frameworks that will be beneficial throughout their teaching careers,鈥� said Dr. Eric C. Sheffield, Western Illinois University. 鈥淥ne of the pressing issues in academia is classroom management. This book addresses this topic directly, offering practical tools and strategies for both experienced and novice teachers to effectively manage classrooms with at-risk students from diverse backgrounds.鈥�

Dr. Adams has been at 含羞草社区 since 2019. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Suffield University in Idaho, and Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Indiana University.

Dr. Adams was awarded the Outstanding Teaching Certificate of Excellence from Indiana University in 2014. In 2024, he was named Outstanding Teacher Educator at 含羞草社区 and in 2025, he received 含羞草社区鈥檚 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major for Justice Award.

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 .

June 10, 2026鈥揟he Bushman Planetarium at 含羞草社区 will present public showings of 鈥淏lack Holes鈥� and 鈥淪ea Monsters鈥� at 7 p.m. Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13. The planetarium is located inside Agenstein Hall, room 147.

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.

“Black Holes”

They lurk in the universe like cosmic dragons, unseen voids with the energy of a million suns. They can devour entire stars, and once in their grasp, nothing, not even light, can escape. Few mysteries in the universe have the power and awe of the black hole. Designed for all audiences, this full-length production features 3-D simulations of black holes and the strange physical and visual effects they can create. With the help of science advisors from around the country, audiences will be able to see and feel what it might be like to approach the supermassive black hole at the center of our own Milky Way galaxy, or speculate on the existence of 鈥渨orm holes鈥�, theoretical portholes in space and time.

“Sea Monsters”

Journey 80 million years back in time to an age when mighty dinosaurs dominated the land and an equally astonishing assortment of ferocious creatures swam, hunted, and fought for survival beneath the vast, mysterious prehistoric seas. Stunning, photo-realistic imagery re-creates the perilous underwater realm of two young, dolphin-sized marine reptiles called Dolichorhynchops, or Dollies, and follows their incredible journey through waters ruled by some of the most awesome predators ever to prowl the Earth鈥檚 oceans.

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

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 .

June 3, 2026鈥揟he search for the seventh president of 含羞草社区 is officially underway. The Board of Governors is accepting applications and has appointed a search committee.

鈥淲e are looking for a mission-driven servant leader with a deep commitment to public higher education,鈥� said Bill Grimwood, chair of the Board of Governors and chair of the search committee. 鈥淗e or she will understand the current higher education landscape, and put 含羞草社区 in a position to succeed in that landscape. 含羞草社区 is poised to do great things, and I鈥檓 confident that we will attract a lot of worthy candidates.鈥�

The president serves as 含羞草社区鈥檚 chief executive and administrative officer, shaping the University鈥檚 vision, setting its strategic direction and advancing the institution鈥檚 mission and long-term success.

The Board of Governors also announced membership of a search committee composed of board members, faculty, staff, students and community members:

• Chair: Bill Grimwood, MWSU Board of Governors and Chief Information Officer, Hillyard Companies
• Todd Michalski 鈥�92, MWSU Board of Governors and Senior Vice President-Sales and Marketing, Gray Manufacturing
• Lisa Norton, MWSU Board of Governors and CEO, BioZyme Incorporated
• Natalie Hawn 鈥�00, President & CEO, St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce
• Dr. Kelly Henry, Professor and Department Chair, Psychology
• Kathy Kelly, Past President of Staff Association and Administrative Coordinator, College of Business and Professional Studies
• Jana Laipple, Assistant Vice President of Finance and Administration
• Unyque Mallett, Student Government Association Vice President
• Monty Smith, President of Faculty Senate, Professor of Criminal Justice and Graduate Program Director
• Mike Poore, CEO of Mosaic Life Care
• Zack Workman 鈥�74, retired business owner and President, 含羞草社区 Gold Coat Club

Information about the search can be found on 含羞草社区鈥檚 Presidential Search website.

Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy announced her retirement May 1 after six years at 含羞草社区, including five years as president. Patt Lilly is serving as interim president until the next president takes office.

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 .

May 22, 2026鈥揟he Center for Military and Veterans Services at 含羞草社区 will be well represented during St. Joseph鈥檚 Memorial Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday, May 25 at Civic Center Park next to City Hall. The event honors and remembers the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

Gabbie Falletta, U.S. Army veteran and director of the Center for Military and Veterans Services, will be speaking during the wreath ceremony.听 含羞草社区 student Kevin Wagers, U.S. Marine Corps and Army National Guard veteran and management major from St. Joseph, will place the wreath.

Faculty, staff, students, veterans, military families and community members are encouraged to attend in support of Memorial Day remembrance and to recognize the sacrifices made by our nation鈥檚 service members.

含羞草社区 will be closed May 25 in observance of the holiday.

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 .

May 14, 2026鈥揟he Bushman Planetarium at 含羞草社区 will present public showings of 鈥淔ractals鈥� and 鈥淣anocam鈥� at 7 p.m. Friday, May 22 and Saturday, May 23. The planetarium is located inside Agenstein Hall, room 147.

鈥淔谤补肠迟补濒蝉”

A spectacular show that gives viewers a tour of the fractals in nature, endlessly repeating patterns made from simple algebraic equations. While these fractal zooms are mathematical abstractions, audiences are always amazed to recognize that patterns of nature 鈥� shapes such as trees, lightning, coastlines, insects, bacteria, seashells and more 鈥� can all be found within a fractal zoom. Each fractal tells the story of the processes that created it.

“Nanocam”

A fascinating journey exploring life forms that are invisible to the human eye and contribute to a better understanding of the world we live in. This show explores the kingdoms of bacteria, protists and their stunning mechanism of motility, the amazing structure of fungi, the specializations of plants and incredible complexity of the animal kingdom, seen through an electron microscope 鈥� a breathtaking trip into the five kingdoms of living things. This unique program, based on a scientific approach and featuring images that have never been seen before, offers another dimension of reality, a reality that is measured in micrometers.

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.

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 .

May 13, 2026鈥揟he Small Business Development Center at 含羞草社区 will present a workshop titled Trademark Basics at 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at The Launch Pad, 801 Felix Street in Downtown St. Joseph. The workshop is free.

The workshop presented by SBDC and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is designed to help small business owners learn the basics of filing for a trademark to protect their ideas, brand and creations before problems arise.听

Participants may register in advance at . For more information, contact Shelbie Wigington, SBDC business advisor, at swigington@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 .

A total of 326 undergraduate students and 86 graduate students have completed their degree requirements this semester. They hail from 24 states and three foreign countries.

Leslie McMillin ’00, Dein Gentry ’26, Allaina Mace ’26

The featured speaker at both commencement ceremonies will be Leslie McMillin, a 2000 graduate of 含羞草社区. McMillin is currently Director, Payments Specialist in Agribusiness at FNBO in Kansas City.

Graduating students will also speak at both ceremonies. The 11 a.m. speaker will be Dein Gentry, a musical arts major from Springfield, Missouri. The 3 p.m. speaker will be Allaina Mace, a psychology major from St. Joseph.

A brief reception will follow the ceremony in the Looney practice gym, sponsored by the Missouri Western Alumni Association.

In addition to the commencement ceremonies, graduates in two health care professions will participate in pinning ceremonies where they will receive pins symbolic of their training and new careers:

Respiratory Therapy Pinning Ceremony

8 a.m. Saturday, May 9, Kemper Recital Hall, Spratt Hall room 101

Nursing Pinning Ceremony

8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 9, Fulkerson Center

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 .

May 6, 2026鈥揟he Board of Governors at 含羞草社区 has named Patt Lilly as interim president of the University, effective May 11, 2026.

鈥淗aving served 12 years of the Board of Governors, including a term as Chair, Lilly is a dedicated, long-standing supporter of the University,鈥� said Bill Grimwood, chair of the Board of Governors, in a statement to campus. 鈥淟illy brings decades of executive leadership experience across various sectors including public service, private industry and community development. This depth of experience, combined with a strong understanding of our region and community, uniquely positions Lilly to lead the University during this transition. The Board has full confidence in his ability to guide Missouri Western with clarity, stability and purpose.鈥�

Most recently serving as Principal Consultant at Lilly & Associates, he previously led the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce as President and CEO for more than 18 years, where he played a key role in advancing regional growth and economic development. He served as Chief Administrative Officer for Triumph Foods for almost 7 years. In addition, Lilly has held multiple roles in local government serving as City Manager for the City of St. Joseph, as well as, management positions in Texas cities. Lilly began his career in commercial banking. He holds a Master of Arts in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Houston.

“I am honored to support the University at this critical time,鈥� Lilly said. 鈥淚 am committed to maximizing the strength of our faculty and staff to ensure operational continuity. I look forward to working closely with the Board to facilitate a successful transition and the selection of the next president.鈥�

Grimwood said 含羞草社区 will continue to move forward with confidence.

鈥淥ur priorities, supporting student success, advancing applied learning and strengthening our role in the region, remain unchanged,鈥� he said. 鈥淒ay-to-day operations will continue as normal, and our work moving the university forward will not pause.鈥�

The full statement from Grimwood is below.听

Dear Griffons,

On behalf of the Board, I am writing to share an important leadership update for 含羞草社区.

We are grateful for Dr. Kennedy鈥檚 leadership and service, which have helped position Missouri Western for continued success, and we remain firmly focused on building on that momentum as Missouri鈥檚 premier regional applied learning university.

To ensure continuity and steady leadership, the Board has appointed Patt Lilly as Interim President of 含羞草社区, effective May 11, 2026.

Having served 12 years on the Board of Governors, including a term as Chair, Lilly is a dedicated, long-standing supporter of the University. Throughout his tenure, he provided leadership across three Missouri Western administrations; working with Presidents Janet Murphy, Jim Scanlon and Robert Vartabedian.

“I am honored to support the University at this critical time. I am committed to maximizing the strength of our faculty and staff to ensure operational continuity. I look forward to working closely with the Board to facilitate a successful transition and the selection of the next president.鈥澛�

Lilly brings decades of executive leadership experience across various sectors including public service, private industry and community development. Most recently serving as Principal Consultant at Lilly & Associates, he previously led the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce as President and CEO for more than 18 years, where he played a key role in advancing regional growth and economic development. He served as Chief Administrative Officer for Triumph Foods for almost 7 years. In addition, Lilly has held multiple roles in local government serving as City Manager for the City of St. Joseph, as well as, management positions in Texas cities. Lilly began his career in commercial banking.

Lilly holds a Master of Arts in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Houston.

This depth of experience, combined with a strong understanding of our region and community, uniquely positions Lilly to lead the University during this transition. The Board has full confidence in his ability to guide Missouri Western with clarity, stability and purpose. This is an active leadership role, and he will have full authority to lead and make decisions on behalf of the institution.

It is important to emphasize that our direction remains clear. Our priorities, supporting student success, advancing applied learning and strengthening our role in the region, remain unchanged. Day-to-day operations will continue as normal, and our work moving the university forward will not pause.

含羞草社区 is in a strong position, and we move forward with confidence in our leadership and in the collective strength of our Griffon community.

Thank you for your continued commitment to our students and to each other.

Sincerely,
Bill Grimwood
Chair, Board of Governors
含羞草社区

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 .

A 含羞草社区 student participates in a prescribed burn of the John Rushin Teaching and Research Prairie on April 1, 2023.

May 1, 2026–The Biology Department at 含羞草社区 will conduct a controlled burn of the John Rushin Teaching and Research Prairie this spring. The timing of the burn depends on weather conditions.听

Prescribed burns help maintain the health of prairie land to ensure it remains useful for research and applied learning. It will also provide wildlife conservation management students real-world experience in skills they will use professionally.

To avoid any possible discomfort from the smoke, it is advised that residents in the area close their windows during the burn. People in the immediate vicinity who are particularly sensitive to smoke are advised to remain indoors during the burn.

When the prescribed burn takes place, traffic will be restricted on the roads adjacent to the prairie: 50th Street (Scanlon and Vartabedian lots will still be accessible) and Messanie Street. Please respect barricades and allow teams to burn the prairie safely.

Based on the short-range weather forecast, the first window of opportunity is tomorrow, Saturday, May 2. Organizers expect to start around 9 a.m. Burning may continue into the afternoon, depending on conditions and progress.

If Missouri Western is unable to conduct the burn on May 2, the next possible date is Friday, May 8.

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