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

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With a big smile on his face Austin Gray, along with friend Brooke Brinsa, carry his belongings into Dieterich Hall on move in day. Residents began moving onto campus the Thursday before classes started. Fresh- men met with their seminar classes and advisers during Advantage Week, photo by Chris Lee After receiving his laptop, Austin Gray sets up his password and registers his com- puter. All students living on campus could rent their own personal laptop to use throughout the year, photo by Chris Lee d Members of Cat Crew assist incoming residents of Millikan Hall during move in day. Hundreds of volunteers came to help new residents move m. photo by Chris Lee OlOlSTUDEMT LIFE

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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

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ncoming freshman begins his experience at Advantage Week Austin Gray began his college career with a new nuimmate and his first speeding ticket. But even that didn ' t hinder his nerves. I was the only one that knew about it, Gray said. And 1 was like I ' m away from home and now I ' m out here and I can get a speeding ticket and nobody cares. Along with freedom. Gray arrived at the Uni- versity optimistic about his surroundings. Everybody here that I ' ve talked to from going to freshmen meetings and places, and then advisers from Freshman Seminar to my classes make it alright, Gray said. And they are all just perfectly happy to be here and are happy with the students that are here; when- ever they talk about it, they make it sound like a nice place. As Gray settled into his residence hall, and said the large amount of people around was the coolest part of moving in. It was probably getting to know everyone on my floor, Gray said. I grew up with not a whole lot of people all the time, so getting to meet so many new people at once was prob- ably a highlight. He recalled one of the heaviest things he moved in was his refrigerator. Grav hauled it up the five flights of stairs due to the over- whelming number of people in line for the elevators. It was a long walk, Gray said. They [the elelvators] were so packed, it was no use in waiting in line. Among the people welcoming students to the University were Peer Advisers. PAs were students who assisted them during Freshman Seminar, helping freshmen adjust to life in college and their class work. They acted as a peer to talk to the freshmen if they needed help throughout the .semester. Freshmen had a chance to meet their PA during Advantage Week, a week of educa- tional and introductory activities. Of the 71 activities. Gray said his favorite one was Hardcore Safety. It taught the fresh- men how to be safe on campus and how to go for help if needed. Peer Advisor Stephanie James said each program or activity had a role and hopefully someone would learn something while at- tending them. Everything has a specific purpose in Ad- vantage Week, James said. They can ben- efit if they really listen to the info given, they might not be a benefit to one person, but somebody else it would have benefited in the group because some of the freshmen are re- ally aware of the world and some are coming from a sheltered environment. When the first weekend ended, and upper- classmen were settling in, Grav prepared to begin his first college classes. Despite being late to his first class, Ameri- can Historical Survey, Gray liked how his professor. Matt Johnson, went about teaching the class. I really, really liked the teacher, Grav said. He was the exact teacher I ' ve always heard of that you are going to have at college. He told us straight out what was going to happen and what was going on. It was good to hear that instead of all that mumbo-jumbo you get a lot of times. ■ Writer | Kelsey Garrison Designer | Mary Clark Experiencing his first college class, Austin Gray listens to his adviser during Freshman Seminar. Students in his class got to know one another better by play- ing the hey that ' s me game. photobyChm Lee DV«NTATEl.)l I