Langston Hughes local celebration prepared for Friday night events

At 7 p.m. Friday in Webster Hall auditorium, Carmaletta Williams will present a night of music, poetry as part of the 14th annual Langston Hughes celebration at Missouri Southern. Williams is the author of a book on Hughes used in the classroom. She has also monitored poetry circles and performed the roles of characters in Hughes’ works.

The event is free to the public.

2006 FMA Leader’s Conference searches for members to sign up

The 2006 FMA Finance Leader’s Conference has been scheduled for March 30-31 in New York City.

FMA members get a discount, and FMA membership fees are $35. To sign up, see Brian Nichols before Feb. 17. Contact Nichols at 625-9599 for more information.

Three-man teams may begin signing up for Southern Olympic competitions

The Southern Olympics is looking for teams to join in several competitions. The teams must be made up of three members and all members must compete in all events.

All members will receive a free T-shirt.

The competitions include team flag, cycling relays, curling/shuffle board, figure skating, bobsledding, biathlon relay, gymnastics/giant twister, puzzle, bean bag toss and moon pie eating.

All this will take place at 8 p.m. March 14 in Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

Free food will be available, and fans and spectators are welcome to attend.

The first 100 fans will receive a free T-shirt. Faculty and staff will compete against students.

The games are limited to the first 50 teams, and all teams must sign up by March 10 in the Student Support Center.

Brown Bag luncheon presentation discusses first-generation students

The next Brown Bag Luncheon has been selected.

Susan Craig and Kathy Feith will present “What It Means To Be First: Characteristics of First-Generation College Students and Strategies to Help Them Navigate Higher Education” Friday at noon in the Billingsly Student Center Room 310.

Lunch is free for all those who attend. A buffet will be open before the presentation.

Another Brown Bag Luncheon will be presented on March 10 by the Teaching and Learning Committee. The committee will present, “Postmodern Pedagogy Strategies.”

For more information, questions or suggestions, contact Betsy Griffin at 625-9555 or e-mail her at [email protected].

Lunches are made possible through Academic Affairs and Sodexho.

Art department announces exhibitions sponsored by Art League members

The art department is presenting three concurrent art exhibitions sponsored by the MSSU Art League from April 2 to April 21.

The first show is titled Midwest College Salon. This show will be presented in the Spiva Gallery and is open to any artist currently enrolled as a graduate, undergraduate or junior college student. This is an annual regional and invitational exhibition. David Mohallatee, printmaker from Eastern Kentucky University, will select works for the show and select the cash award winners.

The second exhibition is titled Technology and the Globe. This is a collaborative drawing by Art League members. Two panels of five feet by 18 feet and five feet by 30 feet will be installed in Matthews Hall. Printing is donated by Eccentrix.

The third exhibition is titled Fabric Installation. This is a sculptural campus installation inspired by the works of Christo and Jean-Claude. The project is designed and directed by Whitney Fair.

For more information, contact Burt Bucher at [email protected], Josie Mai at [email protected] or Nick Kyle at [email protected].

Southern Symphony Orchestra brings Evening of Romantic Dances to Taylor

The Southern Symphony Orchestra will present an Evening of Romantic Dances at 7:30 p.m. March 14 in Taylor Auditorium.

Dr. Kexi Liu will conduct the orchestra as it performs The Moldau.

The Neosho High School Orchestra will also perform as part of the evening.

Other works will include those of Strauss, Brahms and Tchaikovsky.

Admission is free.

For more information on the performance or the orchestra, contact Liu at 624-8795.

Southern Grad Expo offers seniors chance to pick up announcements

The Southern Grad Expo is slated for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 6:30 p.m. March 8 on the third floor of the Billingsly Student Center.

The event is held in conjunction with the Spring Job Expo.

Students can pick up their caps, gowns, order announcements, find information with the Alumni Association and meet with representatives from financial aid, career services and the business office.

Refreshments will be served.

For more information, contact Liz Scheurich at 625-3035.

“Newsmakers” presents city projects planned for neighbourhood parks

Joplin city officials Jerry Calvin, director of parks and recreation, and David Hertzberg, director of public works, will discuss park and street projects on the upcoming “Newsmakers” with Judy Stiles.

The program will also include information on the approved sales tax increases, completed projects, 10-year plans and projects in the works.

The works still planned include renovations to Ewert and Cunningham pools and other neighborhood parks.

There are new plans for Memorial Hall and Schifferdecker Park.The program will air at 5:30 p.m. Saturday on KOAM-TV.

It will also air at 12:30 p.m. Sunday on KOZJ-TV.