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

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At the helm of the radio station XI 06.7 KZLX-LR Maryville, Patricl Fleming puts in time at the studio. As a freshman, Fleming was able to get real on-air and promotions experience in his first semester at the Uni- versity, photo by Chrii Lee Inside the press box at the Bearcat Pitch, Steve Serrano announces a game. Serrano served as general manager for the radio station XI 06.7 KZLX-LR Maryville. He also produced Bearcat Update and Bearcat Idol on KNWT Channel 8. photo by Chris Lee OOSISTUDENT LIFE

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ith an open schedule, you began shaping and molding your experiences to make them your own. Student Activities Council and the campus radio station came together for the first time to bring you the much- anticipated Back 2 School Bash. You watched as the Health and Safety Staff demonstrated how quickly your residence halls could go up in flames with a mock dorm built by student Matt Young. Sororities and fraternities celebrated the addition of new members to your Greek families. Skits and floats showcased Bobby in the Big Apple during Homecoming festivities. The men of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and the women of Phi Mu took first place in the Variety Show. Their skit spoofed the Ghostbusters Team coming to the rescue to relieve Roberta Hall of its ghost. A weekend of diversity brought you together and gave you a chance to take in other cultures. With all the opportunities you had to experience college life and get involved, you were allowed to create your own lives at the University. Dl VI3I ONlOO?

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Ste pOn In Students face ' real world ' early in majors S Hadi child in the classroom watched and istened carefulK ' as Lauren Merle read a Dr. ?eiiss book, changing her voice to fit each lew character that entered the storv. The Uni ersitv provided opportunities for students to have hands-on experience in their najor fields as soon as their first semester. Departments like mass communication, edu- :ation and health, phvsical education, recre- ition and dance provided classes and organi- ations to students most colleges didn ' t offer intil their junior year. It ' s reallv a selling point for our depart- nent, Mass Communication Department Jhair Jody Strauch said. We try to make sure students get experience on the newspaper, earbook, TV and radio in their first year. In the department, regular and practicum asses got students outside the classroom orking on staff for student publications and naking short films for the television station. Organizations like Radio and Television sews Directors Association, Ad Ink and Soci- ' ty of Professional Journalists helped students ike Steve Serrano network with companies ind progress in their majors early on. I was able to get an internship mv fresh- nan year because of the experience I had at Northwest, Serrano said. Mv first year as in intern I had more experience than anvone hat was a junior or senior at KU or MU or my other school because I knew what was ;oing on. The education department provided class- like Observation and Activity that got stu- lents in the classrooms to experience the at- nosphere as early as their freshman year. Horace Mann served as a laboratory school o University students who taught pre-school hrough sixth grade students. Other classes like Introduction to Special Education and Literature for Elementary Stu- lents pro -ided learning opportunities to stu- lents about different aspects of teaching. Student Chrissie Walter said the Education Departmen t ' s reputation of excellence affect- ed her decision to attend the University. Northwest is known for its teachers, Wal- ter said. My high school principal told me that our best teachers came from Northwest so that was one of the big factors that led me to come here. The HPERD Department also provided many opportunities with practicum classes and internships that department chair Terry Robertson said left students with more than 1,000 hours field experience by the time they graduated. Robertson said by getting hands-on expe- rience, advisers gave students pointers on what areas needed work and what areas the students were talented in. Robertson said it also helped students so thev didn ' t waste two years of schooling before thev got a real feel for what the work field was like. You learn early on if you ' re compatible in that field, Robertson said. There are so many opportunities that you have a chance to change and you won ' t be stuck in that spe- cific area. Whether the proof was from award-win- ning publications or the University ' s reputa- tion of excellence across the state, department professors and students believed getting stu- dents involved early was what put the Univer- sity above others. We feel hands on is what distinguishes us from other programs, Strauch said. In fact, I ' ve had students tell me the reason they came to Northwest is because they could get involved early. I always tell them there are two advantages to getting hands on early. One is thev have enthusiasm coming in and we want to keep that. Two is that I think getting in- volved early lets them get a sense of what this career is all about. g Writer | Angela Smith Designer | Sheena Sweatman Reading to a group of students at Hor- ace Mann Laboratory School, Lauren Merle gets ftrst-tiand experience in her major. Merle took advantage of the University ' s teaching practicunn to get a jump on her future, photo by Lauren Baker EARI-Y INVOU vementI 03