The 2008 Griffon is Now Available!

The 2008 Griffon is now available for pick-up! The yearbook office is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Yearbooks are available right outside the office door in Eder Hall, Room 220. If you were a full-time student for the 2007-2008 school year, then you can pick up your free edition of the 2008 Griffon. A yearbook fee was included in your student bill only if you were a full-time student during the fall and spring semesters (2007-2008).

Alumni who graduated before last spring may purchase a yearbook for $8.00. If you would like it mailed, please send a check made out to "Griffon Yearbook" for $13.00 to Griffon Yearbook, Missouri Western State University, 4525 Downs Dr., St. Joseph, MO 64507.

If you have any questions, please e-mail Co-Editor-in-Chief Amy Chastain at amy.chastain@yahoo.com or call the office: (816) 271-4540.

News from The Bilingual Busses

Monica Lee-Buss '03 and Jason Buss '03 (Spanish Minors and Study Abroad with MWSU) have a new baby girl: Julia May Buss was born on May 16, 2008 (7lbs 15oz, 23").

"We are fortunate to both be bilingual, it has opened up amazing opportunities for us both. Our Fluency level is due to courses and study abroad with MWSU."

Jason works as Senior International HR Manager for Vishay Intertechnology and works in Mexico, Costa Rica, Canada, Brazil and the US. Monica works as a Training Manager for Carneco Foods, performing training in Spanish and English.

Jason can be reached at Jason.Buss@vishay.com.

When Writing Teachers Write

Join us for a celebration of teaching and writing on Wednesday, October 15, in Blum Union Rooms 222/223, 6-8:00 PM.

Our "When Writing Teachers Write" reading is the seventh annual celebration of reaching the mid-point in the fall semester with Missouri Western English teachers and National Writing Project Teacher Consultants reading their original poetry and prose.

Tina Janc, Prairie Lands Writing Project Writing Group Coordinator and Buchanan County Academy language arts at risk teacher, will host this year's reading.

Featured Readers besides Janc include:
Patricia Brost, MWSU Adjunct English instructor
Vicky Bryan, St. Joseph Central language arts teacher
Bill Church, MWSU English and creative writing instructor
Steve Frogge, Northwest Missouri State University English instructor
Leanna Lightfoot, Platte County R-III elementary teacher
Joe Marmaud, MWSU Adjunct English instructor
Amanda Moyers, St. Joseph Central language arts teacher
Jeanne Moore, Craig R-III special education teacher
Tom Pankiewicz, MWSU English instructor
Melissa Robinson, Cameron Middle School language arts teacher
Dawn Terrick, MWSU English instructor
"When Writing Teachers Write VII" is open to the public; refreshments will be served.

Questions:? Contact: Jane Frick, MWSU English professor and PLWP site director for additional information (271-4315; email: frick@missouriwestern.edu) An event flyer is available at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/plwp/wwwtw.pdf

Karina Vazquez Publishes Article

Dr. Karina Vazquez published an article entitled "Trabajo y literatura: el topos de la mujer obrera en la narrativa argentina del siglo XX" in the September 2008 issue of El interpretador.

The article can be accessed at the site below:
http://www.elinterpretador.net/34KarinaElizabethVazquez-ElToposDeLaMujerObrera.html

Congratulations, Karina!

Banned Books Read with No Arrests (This Time)

Challenged and banned books were read last night to a crowd of about 120 in celebration of American Library Association's Banned Books Week. The sponsors of the event were the Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism; Department of Education; Missouri Western State University Library; Student National Council of Teachers of English (SNCTE); and The Prairie Lands Writing Project.

Readers and Books:

-Dr. Bill Church, English Instructor, MWSU, read from Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye.
-Mr. Meredith Katchen, Fellow of the Prairie Lands Writing Project, read from Yan Lian Ke's Serve the People.
-Ms. Alyson Raletz, Reporter, St. Joseph News-Press, read from Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House.
-Dr. Steven Estes, Dean of Professional Studies, MWSU, read from Dan Simmons' Rise of Endymion.
-Ms. DeeDee Gutshalls, MWSU Student, read from Elizabeth Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
-Ms. Ginger Rudolph, Children’s Librarian, St. Joseph Public Library, read from Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach.
-Ms. Kyla Ward, President, Student Chapter of The National Council of Teachers of English, read from Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.

Thanks to our EFLJ readers and all those who were in attendance.

Spanish Table!

Are you interested in improving your Spanish?

¿Te interesa hablar en español?

Tómate un café en “La mesa de español”
Have a coffee at the “Spanish Table”

For all levels, every Tuesday in October and November
From 3:30 to 4:00 at Eder 211

Topics of conversation include Deportes, Política, Música, Literatura, Viajes, Economía.

Banned Books Reading

The twelfth annual Reading of Challenged and Banned Books in recognition of the American Library Association’s Banned Book Week will begin at 7 p.m. on Oct. 1 in the Blum Student Union, room 218 and 219 on the campus of Missouri Western State University.Western students and faculty along with members of the St. Joseph community will hold a reading of books that have been either banned or challenged in U.S. schools in recent years.

This event is free and open to the public and refreshments will be served.The reading is sponsored by the department of English, foreign languages, and journalism; the Department of Education; the Missouri Western State University Library; Prairie Lands Writing Project; and the student affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English.For more information contact Dr. Michael Cadden at 816-271-4576 or cadden@missouriwestern.edu