Northwest Missouri State University - Tower Yearbook (Maryville, MO)

Page 17 text:

At Harold Cooper trm to fit support bMmt into the loft. Conni NtcM attainpo to Mp Varua Cooper and Mapn Prtscott vwart the first children tn both hiniiM to twve home for coHege. Photo bfAntf Roh 1 I just had this overwhelming feeling of excitement and being scared, she said. I really thought my parents were going to stay another night in Maryvillc. Deep down inside I wanted them to, but I also knew I had to let go sometime. Vanae ' s parents were somewhat emotional about leaving their daughter as well. I ' m excited, but I ' m sad, Pam said. It ' s going to be way different. She ' s jus t so energetic and bubbly. We ' re going to miss her presence. Harold said he didn ' t expect the transition to really sink in for him until after he and Pam left. Because of the long drive back home, Connie opted to stay in Maryville one more night. She also reflected on what life would be like without her daughter in the same ZIP code. To me, college was the best four years of my life, Connie said. But now I ' m looking at it from the angle that I know what it was like. I went through the good times and the bad. I ' m very happy for her, but it will still be hard because she ' s my daughter. I hope she docs well and experiences life as much as possible. Although Connie wanted to come back to visit Megan for Family Weekend, she did not anticipate being able to get away from her job as owner of the Spring Valley Trout Ranch in Thornfield. Megan and Vanae had worked there for her since they were in seventh grade, and their shoes would be difficult to fill. However, Harold and Pam planned to bring Megan ' s brother, Sam, with them when they brought Vanae ' s brother. Rick, and sister, Vanessa, for Family Weekend. Besides being grateful to their families for helping them on their way, Megan and Vanae also appreciated the opportunities afforded to them as freshmen at Northwest. I think Advantage Week is really important and every school should do it, Megan said. It ' s a great opportunity to get to know your classmates before class. You get to know the campus better and you get to know your routine before everyone else comes. The students also looked forward to new experiences. For example, Vanae went to her first professional baseball game the first night of class with her peer adviser, Mike Fields, freshman seminar instructor, Gregory Haddock, and a few other students from her class. It was then that she first realized she was actually a college student. I went to a Royals game in Kansas City, Vanae said. I was sitting there in the stands and I looked out across the field and thought, ' I am sitting here at a baseball game and I have class tomorrow and I probably won ' t get home until midnight. ' That ' s when I realized I was my own boss. Both M an and Vanae knew they would have many things happening in their lives once they came to Northwest. But facing them together served as a comfort awTiy from home. Advantage W( elk

Page 16 text:

Advantage W Wednesday, Aug. 1 8 • Move in to residence hall rooms • Family luncheon at the Student Union • Dinner with floor community • Getting-to-know-you activities with Jerome Green at Bearcat Arena • Midnight dance party sponsored by the Shindigg on the Tundra Thursday, Aug. 19 • Grab-and-go breakfast in residence hall lounges • Meet with freshman seminar class • Information and computer training sessions • Faculty advisement • Rockfest at College Park • Hypnotist Mike Anthony at Bearcat Arena • Late-night barbecue with Residence Hall Association on the Tundra Friday, Aug. 20 • Pancake Breakfast sponsored by Hy-Vee at the International Plaza • Merchants open house • Student Senate Cool OfT on the Administration Building front lawn • Nonhwest Carnival with KDLX between the Administration Building and Bell Tower • Sf)eaker Berticc Berry at Bearcat Arena • Midnight college movie marathon at the Mary Linn Performing Arts Center Saturday, Aug. 2 1 • Merchant organization fair • Pool party at Beal Park • Tiger by the Tail at Mary Linn • Late night with the Greeks on the Tundra Sunday, Aug. 22 • Worship service at the Conference Center • Convocation at Bearcat Arena • President ' s reception at Colden Pond • Religious student union open houses • Residence hall orienution Week vents As hypnotist Mike Anthony makes his willing subjects think their right arm is really light, they feel their left arm get heavier, knocking some to the ground. Photo by Amy Roh At the Rockfest, freshmen listen to popular hits such as Crash by Dave Matthews Band and Summer of ' 69 by Bryan Adams. Mike Anthony, the hypnotist scheduled for later in the evening, was also present and performed card tricks while everyone ate. Photo by Amy Roh Members of Tiger by the Tall perform a skit depiclting a condom hodine.The comedy troupe consisted of college students who used humor to address issues that affected college students. Photo by Amy Roh Vanae Cooper looks over her loft as her parents get ready to lift her mattress.The families caravaned 400 miles in seven hours to arrive for moving day Photo by Amy Roh -Hry After helping make Vanae Cooper ' s bed, Megan Prescott is not qui te sure how to get down. The girls were excited to finally be able to unpack and get settled in their new home. Moving brought many trials and tribulations to North- west freshmen. Photo by Amy Roh

Page 18 text:

by Sarah Smi With a championship season behind them, Bearcat fans convened at Rickenbrode Stadium with high expectation s. Through a sea of green and gold, spirit was apparent in nearly every spectator. Was this infatuation with Bearcat football due to loyalty to the team, or was it simply a case of football fever? Fans are really loyal, Bearcat Sweetheart Cindy Carrigan said. The community gets involved and the campus gets involved. The attendance at the away games is always really high and that shows loyalty, too. Students and faculty alike shared the same passion for Bearcat football. Karen Kepka, generalist for periodicals at B. D. Owens Library, attended every home game since she came to Northwest in 1998. She (Kepka) is a die-hard Bearcat fan, Brent Connelly, Kepka ' s student assistant, said. She is a very good supporter of the team and has more enthusiasm than anyone. Kepka ' s devotion to the team was not influenced by the championship. Her passion for Bearcat football routed from more than just the game. I ' ve always had this enthusiasm, Kepka said. I think there ' s true loyalty and that ' s what I like about it. There are good fans and good sportsmen. I love the atmosphere, the band, the pom pon girls and the Steppers. I just love the whole thing. Students and faculty were not the only sources of support for the team. Community attendance at games proved that the Bearcats had support beyond the walls of the University. It ' s going to be a wonderful year, former Maryville mayor Bridget Brown said. It ' s a means of putting the town, the school and the community together. It ' s great to see everyone come together. Dave Arnold, Maryville Public Safety officer, shared Brown ' s feelings. It ' s going to be a great year, Arnold said. We ' ve established a winning tradition and now it will be easier to carry it on with recruitment and things like that. Spectators were not only from the local community. Many people traveled from around the Midwest to watch the Bearcats in action. For Melissa Auwarter ' s family. Bearcat football was a tradition. The Auwarter family held season tickets since Melissa was a freshman in 1996. Her mom, dad and grandfather ventured from Kansas City, Mo., • Continued While the Bearcats slaughter Missouri Southern State College in the Homecoming game, Rachel Lipira and the other cheerleaders keep the fans spirited.The Bearcats defeated Southern 52- 1 3. Photo by Amy Roh Matt Montgomery, Mindy Hayden and Greg Hutchison plead with Bobby Bearcat to toss them a T-shirt during the football game againstTruman State University.The Rickenbrode Rowdies were an active voice cheering the Bearcats on to a victory.Photo by Heather El peHY tudentLife • .V V