New National Writing Project Members

Twelve new National Writing Project Teacher Consultants were honored at the PLWP Certification Ceremony and Open Writing Marathon held at MWSU on Oct. 6 as the final event of the PLWP Invitational  Summer Institute. Welcoming the new TCs were members of the PLWP Advisory Team: Susan Martens (MWSU), Amy Miller (MWSU), Dawn Terrick (MWSU), Dana Barnes (Westview Elementary in Exclesior Springs), Josie Clark (Bode Middle School, SJSD), Elisabeth Alkier (Bode Middle School, SJSD), and Christie Jackson (Elementary Curriculum Advisor, SJSD).  In addition to the re-certification of Carol Brown (Lathrop Middle School), who first completed the PLWP Summer Institute in 2014, the new TCs include:

Joy Durbin, Winston Elementary School

Erica Cook, Berry School, Platte County School District

Wendy Ezzell, South Holt Junior-Senior High School

Hanna Long, Savannah High School

Nita Lewis, Lathrop Middle School

Jade Lewis, East Buchanan High School

Cheyenne Wienke, Westview Elementary, Exclesior Springs

Susan Stuedle, Cameron Middle School

Lisa Elder, Oak Grove High School

Cindy Long, Westview Elementary, Excelsior Springs

Garrett Durbin, Braymer Junior-Senior High School

Angie Perkins, Smithville High School

Several PLWP Teacher Consultants also attended the Missouri Writing Projects Network's Leadership Retreat held in Boonville on Sept 7-8.  Attendees participated in a cross-site writing marathon with Teacher Consultants from other National Writing Project sites in Missouri, professional development activities, and grant writing. Participants included PLWP Director Dr. Susan Martens with Elisabeth Alkier, Dana Barnes, and Jade Lewis (mentioned above), as well as Elizabeth Hoskins (Bode Middle School, SJSD). 

Dawn Terrick Lecture on Frankenstein

On Saturday afternoon, October 27 2018, Advanced Instructor Dawn Terrick delivered a lecture at the East Hills branch of the St. Joseph Public Library. The lecture was in commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of Mary Shelley's publication of Frankenstein: A Modern Prometheus.

Terrick shared information about Mary Shelley's inspirations for the novel as well as how the novel has been re-imagined over the centuries.

The Tiniest Haunted House

On Wednesday, Oct. 24, and Friday, Oct. 26, Reach (MWSU's literary and arts journal that publishes work by students, staff, faculty, and alumni) took over one of Murphy Hall's two elevators for a Tiniest Haunted House. 

Those who rode the elevator enjoyed hot cider, and Reach staff members reading spooky poems. This event was a riff on the traditional Tiniest Coffee Shop that Dr. Kunkel and her students have organized for the past four years. 


Thank you to all the MWSU community who supported it, and thanks to St. Joseph's News-Press Now for covering the event!

Dawn Terrick to Lecture on Frankenstein

Chinese Fall Festival 2018

On September 20^th, 2018, Missouri Western students and faculty gathered in Blum Union to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the most important celebrations in the Chinese calendar, second only to the Spring Festival.  The theme for this year was “family” because this traditional festival is not only about drinking tea, eating mooncakes, watching lanterns, or guessing riddles.  

The thing that is most highly valued is that families get together to enjoy an intimate and special bonding moment.  That is why this party was co-hosted by the Chinese instructor, Lili Wang, and her daughter.  

The celebration got started with warm speeches given by Dr. Nabors, the dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Bensyl, the Chair of English and Modern Languages. One of our Chinese exchange students, Anlan Liu, performed a beautiful piece of music on the violin.  “Liang Zhu” is well-known to almost every Chinese person.  

We also had a performance by Kelly, an exchange student from Malaysia, who is a professional dancer.  We ended our celebration with games, which were warmly participated in by the students and faculty and, of course, food such as moon cakes which are a mandatory part of the festival because of their round shape that symbolizes both the moon and family reunion.

If you missed the Mid-Autumn Festival, or if you would like to attend another Chinese cultural event, we will be celebrating Chinese New Year, also known as the spring Festival, next semester.  Come enjoy more traditional food and celebrations with us.