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

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eff Dickson moved to Maryville from Chi- cago, the third largest city in the country. At first it was a culture shock, but he soon realized that a small city had big advantages. “School-wise I was happier at Northwest,” Dickson said. “The program here was a lot better. There was more room for expansion because at my old college, all they had was a radio station.” Dickson majored in business management and minored in broadcasting. Throughout high school people told him he had a good speaking voice. They always critiqued him on his good qualities and raw talent, and Dickson finally started to believe them. Dickson went to North Central College in Naberville, Il., and joined the radio station there. During his second year of college, he started his own DJ company. The business went well,and Dickson left college for two years to run it. When Dickson decided to go back to college, he chose Northwest because he thought the mass com- munication department was great, his sister was here and it was a good price. “When I first got here, I had the new kid on the block syndrome and was quiet and not knowing what to expect,” Dickson said. “I just sat back and watched what happened. I didn’t want to step on any toes. The first semester I started on television and moved up quickly. During the second semester, | jumped in with both feet and hadn’t stopped swim- ming since.” Dickson anchored the 1996 Homecoming parade at Northwest. He also hosted and produced “Bearcat Update,” the KNWT Channel 8 broadcast that aired Monday through Thursday nights, and traveled with the football team. Dickson also wanted to get on the air at the University’s public radio station, KXCV. He said he would have really liked to get back into radio before he graduated. Dickson said his mom and sister were his two biggest fans. They always called him to ask when he would send the next tape of his broadcasts. “My mom was the most influential person in my life,” Dickson said. “She did so much with so little. I would have voted for her for sainthood if I was Catholic. She thought I would be the next Peter Jennings, but I didn’t want to do news.” Dickson’s career goals were to start with a morn- ing radio show in Chicago, then host a comedy sketch late night talk show. “T would have to work my way up there by starting in small towns, but! was willing todo that to get back to Chicago because I loved the city and the people. If Icould have gotten back to Chicago, I would have been happy no matter what I was doing.” People often asked him why he left a city like Chicago to come to Maryville, but for Dickson, it may have been the best move of his life. h)1ckhso72 Ss Change of Frequency eC 0 by Beth Dorrel 24 ¢ Special Section Va Pawns ei nn

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he to do list for seniors was never-ending. They worried about perfecting the resume, searching the classifieds for openings, send- ing resumes out each week, following up on those ent out, buying appropriate clothing for interviews, tending interviews and hitting the bars — yet eniors could not forget to think about their classes. With all these tasks coupled with senioritis, making the g radei inall their classes presentedachallenge for Ome seniors. Chad Sedore, senior Marketing Management ma- jor, was forced to stay an extra semester when he ‘aile dManagerial Accounting in what was supposed be his final semester. Sedore knew he was in danger before Thanksgiving break when he took a est, but it wasn’t until he got the test back after break hat he knewhehad no chance. Instead of sticking in class to leam the material, Sedore’s instructor, Dr. Ed Browning, encouraged him to focus on his ther finals. When Sedore first realized he would have to stay in extra semester, he said he felt “kind of like a ; had senioritis really bad the first half of the mester and that hurt me,” Sedore said. “tT really didn’t believe it at first. When I had to go talk to my dviser and sign up for the other classes, I had to get i Sedore’s Delayed Diploma Co by Amanda McManigal closed class forms for all of them. All the classes were already full ... when it hit — ‘] guess [amreally going to do this.” An advantage to him staying an extra semester was picking up his marketing major because he was only two classes short of it before. ‘A lot of the potential employers that I had talked to asked me if I was going to pick up my marketing degree,” Sedore said. “And a lot preferred that I did and thought that it was probably the best.” Sedore hadn’t invested too much time in his job search before he knew he wouldn’t be graduating. “T kind of slowed down a little bit and focused on my class work when I thought there was a chance I may not pass,” Sedore said. Sedore wasn’t sure about his grade before Thanks- giving break, so he dodged questions from his par- ents about plans after graduation. The hardest part was telling them. Because he knew it was going tobe hard, he didn’t tell them until finals week. Sedore highlighted the advantage of getting his second major when he told his parents. “They weren’t that mad,” Sedore said. “They just wished I would have talked to them sooner. They Were pretty much ready for me to graduate. It would be five years which wasn’t too bad for a double major.” Senior ¢ 23 By

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Bearcat Update anchor Jeff Dickson talks about sports scores and highlights. Dickson Bive up living in Chicago to move to Maryville because of Northwest's television roadcasting program. Photo by Christina Ketler “When I first got here, I had the new kid on the block syndrome and was quiet and not knowing what to expect. During the second semester, I jumped in with both feet and hadn’t stopped swimming since.” —Jeff Dickson Transfer Student ¢ 25 gou