5.3.11

Volleyball

Team fifin n i s h es spring exhibition schedule

P a ge 7

Tuesday • May 3, 2011 • Vol. 104 Issue 30

Departed

Briefs

CFO Hayes plans to retire; MSU hiring

Missouri State University is searching for a new chief financial officer due to the retirement of Nila Hayes on Aug. 1.

Hayes declined requests for an interview.

A university search committee is in place, said Ken McClure, vice president of Administrative and Information Services.

A higher educaHayes tion consulting firm in Dallas, R. William Funk & Associates, is helping the university look for CFO candidates.

These candidates have to submit their résumés and applicable materials to the firm by May 31.

“Our goal is to have Nila’s successor in place as close to Aug. 1 as we can,” McClure said.

The new title will be vice president and CFO to reflect the rank of the filled position, he said.

Hayes understood complicated financial systems and where MSU was in the budget process, said Gordon Elliot, vice chairman of the university’s Board of Governors.

“Nila did a fine job, and she knew every bit of the university,” Elliot said. “We are sorry to see her go.”

Calendar May 2 to May 9

Tuesday

Understanding Financial Statements seminar 9 a.m. to noon, Glass Hall (west entrance) Studio Art Senior exhibitions 1 to 6 p.m., Brick City 101 & 110 Design Students Professional Design Practicum Final Projects Exhibition 1 to 5 p.m., Student Exhibition Center Student Chamber Ensemble Concert 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., Ellis Hall 317B

Wednesday

May Day noon to 10:30 p.m., North Mall Interfraternity Council general meeting 5:15 to 6 p.m., PSU 313 Panhellenic Council general meeting 6 to 7 p.m., PSU 313 SAC and the MSU Bookstore Presents: Student Film Festival 6 to 8 p.m., PSU Theater

Thursday Last Day of Classes All day

School of Agriculture Plant Sale 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Karls Hall 301 Staff Senate meeting 11 a.m. to noon, PSU 313 Students for a Sustainable Future meeting 4 to 5 p.m., Temple Hall Pit SAC After Hours: Back to Kindergarten 9 p.m. to midnight, PSU Food Court

Friday

Dead Day - no class es All day

School of Agriculture Plant Sale 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Karls Hall room 301 Reception: Professional Design practicum 6 to 10 p.m., Student Exhibition Center

Monday Final Exam period All day

Long Range Plan open forum (First Draft of Narrative) 3 to 4:30 p.m., Meyer Library Duane G. Auditorium Electronic Arts Student showcase 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., PSU Theater

Bill Clark/ROLL CALL GROUP/GETTY IMAGES

A crowd builds in front of the White House on Sunday night to cheer the news that Osama bin Laden has been killed. President Barack Obama addressed the nation from the White House to announce the news.

U.S. celebrates, but what’s next?

carried out the operation,” Obama said. “After a firefight, they killed While the Springfield commu- Osama bin Laden and took cusnity celebrated Osama bin tody of his body.”

Laden’s death with the rest of the country, one resident was worried about the well-being of her husTheyʼre happy bin Laden band, an Army staff sergeant stawas caught ... but at the tioned in Afghanistan. same time it really “I have a fear, and my husband doesnʼt change anything. has a small fear, that there might Kelly Mashburn, be some retaliation due what hapwife of soldier in Afghanistan pened to bin Laden,” Kelly Mashburn said. “There might be a lot of anger. You don’t really know During the announcement, what’s going to happen next.”

Mashburn’s husband, Shawn Obama acknowledged all of the Mashburn, works as a master driv- people who lost their lives in the er and helps train Afghani sol- 9/11 attacks that were carried out by al-Qaida. diers.

“The images of 9/11 are seared Late Sunday night, President Barack Obama announced from into our national memory,” he the White House that al-Qaida said. “Hijacked planes cutting leader bin Laden was killed by through a cloudless September sky, the Twin Towers collapsing to U.S. troops in Pakistan.

“A small team of Americans the ground, black smoke billow-

By The Standard

ing up from the Pentagon. The wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Penn. where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.”

The president said, by killing bin Laden, “Justice has been done.”

However, the fact that the leader of the terrorist organization has been slain does not mean the war against al-Qaida is over, said David Romano, an assistant professor in the Political Science Department at MSU and an expert in Middle Eastern politics.

Romano said the killing of bin Laden isn’t as big of a victory as some might think.

Romano “We’re still

going to have jihadists, still going to have terrorism,” he said. “Just because the leader is dead doesn’t mean the organization won’t continue.”

Mashburn said her husband has always been weary about terrorists possibly posing as Afghani soldiers to carry out attacks against the U.S. military.

“He told me once before that he’s always had that fear in the back of his head that an Afghan is going to come in that’s an actual (member of) al-Qaida, and it could be a terrorist,” she said.

“They’ve been warned about this.”

She said the soldiers are glad bin Laden is now dead but skeptical that it will bring major changes.

“They’re happy that (bin Laden) was caught, and they were

See BIN LADEN page 2

Cofer impresses MSU during first year

By Rachel Bonar The Standard

It has been almost a full year since James Cofer took office as president of Missouri State University. In that seemingly short period of time, Cofer has experienced Missouri State through the students and through working hard to embetter our school.

“I thought as a first year, this was a good first year,” Cofer said. “I got to meet a lot of folks. We got to do some planning for the next few years. Every year you get your ups and downs, but I thought it was a good year because I got to learn a lot about the institution.”

According to Cofer, listening was one of his best strengths throughout the year.

“I think I listen pretty good,” said Cofer. “I think that is one of the most important things you could do. I also think that I can read between the lines. I can see where the issues are a little clearer than someone who hasn’t done something like this before. I think that my ability to listen and my ability to understand what people are saying, and then my ability to see the big picture, are my strengths.”

In agreement with Cofer, Board of Governors Chairwoman Elizabeth Bradbury said he has shown strengths as the leader of the university.

Michael Gulledge/THE STANDARD

“Let me cite a couple of strengths (Cofer) sive. When he arrived last August, MSU had has brought to Missouri State that have made begun work on a strategic plan for the next this such a good first year,” Bradbury said. five years, and he needed to get involved in “First, his leadership style is extremely inclu See COFER page 12

Cofer completes his first full year as MSU President this May.

2

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The Standard

News

Author who spoke at MSU under investigation

By Megan Gates The Standard

A total of 2,242 Missouri State freshmen were required to read a book now being investigated on the grounds that parts were made up.

On April 17, “60 Minutes” claimed that author and philanthropist Greg Mortenson fabricated parts of his bestselling book, “Three Cups of Tea,” and misused funds of his charity.

Mortenson visited Missouri State last September as a guest lecturer because “Three Cups of Tea” was chosen as the common reader for all GEP 101 classes.

Mortenson charged a $30,000 speaking fee for his visit.

SAC paid $20,000 and the Office of Student Engagement contributed the last $10,000, which they acquired from various sources, said Courtney Current, lecture chairwoman for Student Activities Council.

“We were told that part of that speaking fee goes to the Central Asia Institute, so that was kind of the justification for the price being so costly,” she said.

“Three Cups of Tea” is a nonfiction work about Mortenson’s travels in northern Pakistan and how he was inspired to create a charity to educate the children he met there.

Mortenson co-founded the non-profit organization Central Asia Institute (CAI) in 1996 after he attempted to climb the world’s second highest mountain, K2, in Pakistan in 1993. Upon his decent, he was separated from his group and rescued by the people of Korphe, a small village in northern Pakistan. To show them his appreciation, Mortenson promised to return and build them a school, according to “Three Cups of Tea.” Since then, Mortenson and the CAI have built 145 schools “to promote and support community-based education, especially for girls, in remote regions of northern Pakistan and Afghanistan,” according to their website.

“60 Minutes” began investigating the CAI last fall, and on April 17, they claimed Mortenson had fabricated his story of his rescue by the people of Korphe and exaggerated many other aspects of his book. They alleged that many of the schools the CAI claims to have established do not exist, were taken over by other charities or have not received financial support from the CAI in years. They also accused him of misusing the charity’s funds.

Mortenson declined to comment on the “60 Minutes” story. He has been recovering from open-heart surgery and

bin Laden Continued from page 1

able to take him out, but at the same time, it really doesn’t change anything,” Mashburn said.

Romano said he would have liked to see the U.S. capture bin Laden alive instead of executing a “kill mission.”

“It would’ve been better to capture him,” he said. “It would’ve shown the U.S. to be a country of rule of law to all of the world, even if he ended up with a death sentence at the end of the day.”

Andy Cline, associate professor of journalism at MSU, said social media alerted him to one of the most notable events in

is under doctor’s orders to not be interviewed about the allegations until his health has improved, according to his website.

The Common Reader Committee is in charge of picking the book and consists of 13 representatives, including one student representative. John Turner, chairman of the committee, said when he first heard the allegations against Mortenson, he felt let down.

“When I first found out about it ... but hadn’t really read much about it, my gut reaction was I was disappointed because I want to believe in something. We’ve had a lot of scandals lately with public figures, with society and you just think, ‘Can I trust anybody?’” he said. “But when I read about it, my sense is that I don’t know that it’s been settled yet. There have been accusations, but I don’t know that the truth has come out.”

Turner said Mortenson’s book was chosen because of how well it fit within the theme of this past year’s Public Affairs Conference.

“For us, what stood out about Mortenson’s book was it fit very nicely with the theme ‘Leadership in a Global Society,’” he said. “We have Mortenson, who has assumed a leadership role, doing something in Afghanistan and central Asia to build these schools. (He) started out with no resources and managed to build this sort of charitable empire to do that. We were looking at it from a leadership element, and he was clearly providing leadership.”

“Three Cups of Tea” was also chosen because of how it fit with the university’s overall public affairs mission, Turner said.

“We also thought it was a lot about the public affairs mission’s aspect of cultural competence because it had a lot about the people of Afghanistan, the Muslim faith, things about the political scene there, the cultural scene there; that sort of gave us an insight into a culture we’re not too familiar with,” he said.

Throughout the semester he received lots of positive feedback about this book, Turner said.

“Faculty members told me they really liked the text.

And in my own class, my students had positive things to say about the book,” he said. “A number of them indicated to me that they hadn’t read very many books in their lives, and they really liked that one.”

Despite the allegations, Turner said he hopes that students who read the book will still appreciate the story of one man trying to change the world.

“I think, in some ways, it’s a shame that this had to

recent U.S. history.

“I had Facebook and Mashable open when I saw a post saying Osama bin Laden was dead,” he said. “Just because it was on there didn’t mean that I was going to believe it, so I went to the New York Times to make sure what I read was true.”

Once the announcement was made, social media allowed people to quickly express their opinions and share information with one another about bin Laden’s death, Cline said.

“Any time we have a cathartic experience, people want to interact with one another,” he said. “Twenty years ago they would have called their friends on the phone or run over to the neighbors’ to talk, but because people online could immediately share what they were thinking, they took

File photo by Matt Hart/THE STANDARD

Greg Mortenson speaks at Juanita K. Hammons Hall in September 2010.

come out, and I hope it doesn’t disillusion too many people,” he said. “I don’t want it to diminish (the fact) that a lot of students had a positive experience with the text because it’s still the story of an individual who set out to change the world and in many ways shows inspirationally how one person can make a difference.”

Courtney Current was one of the students who helped organize Mortenson’s visit to campus last fall.

“The director of Student Engagement, Jeremy Schenk, first approached me with the idea as lecture chair for SAC. He said they wanted to start something with bringing the common reader author every year,” she said. “All the freshmen would read the story, and then go and hear the author speak about why they wrote it and the history of the book. We were able to do that with Greg Mortenson.”

Members of SAC had dinner with Mortenson when he

advantage of social media.”

Cline said without social media, he might not have been aware of what happened.

“If I hadn’t been using social media, I might have gone to bed last night and not known what happened,” he said. “I’d rather know about big news immediately, and social media allowed that to happen. (It) alerted me to the news, and then I verified it with a news source I trust.”

As demonstrated by the amount of publicity both in social media and the mainstream news outlets, bin Laden’s death is an important event in the U.S.’s attempts to fight terror, Romano said.

“It won’t be earth-shattering, but it’s a definite victory,” he said.

Reporting by Damien M. DiPlacido, Megan Gates and David Hunton.

See MORTENSON page 12

Tuesday

May 3, 2011

University wastes paper on teacher evaluations, exit exam

It’s the end of the semester, and that means a never-ending influx of paperwork. With May comes a barrage of professor evaluations, surveys and an exit assessment for seniors to determine how much they have learned and retained while at Missouri State.

Yes, at the end of every semester at Missouri State, a university dedicated to the mission of being sustainable and green, seems to let their printers run rampant.

Even though all these surveys, assessments and evaluations serve an important purpose, Missouri State should still find better ways to distribute them.

So please don’t misunderstand my concerns.

After speaking last December with a handful of department heads about professor evaluations, I understand these surveys and evaluations do not just get tossed aside.

Department heads and professors actually do take students’ opinions and suggestions on evaluations into consideration when it comes to things like gauging teaching effectiveness and determining if a professor is eligible for tenure.

Even though the senior assessment or “exit exam” doesn’t seem to affect graduating seniors in any way, shape or form, it is probably also a worth-

Greg Edwards Columnist

while endeavor.

It goes without question that the university should find a better way to make students actually care about their assessment scores, but that’s a different argument.

Regardless of it being the students’ “duty” to complete the examination to gauge how much they learned at Missouri State and allow the university to see how they stack up against comparable schools, students don’t have a whole lot of incentive to actually take the exam seriously and strive to achieve a top score.

Most seniors probably have a lot more to stress about than a test they are required to take that doesn’t actually impact their GPA or ability to graduate.

With all of that said, the simple change that I am advocating for the university to consider is making these countless surveys and assessments available online.

People may have arguments as to why this is not plausible, but making evaluations digital really shouldn’t be that hard.

The evaluations for online courses are obviously already available online.

In fact, on top of saving a small forest, having all of the aforementioned printouts available online would have a number of benefits.

When professors have to hand out those dreaded Scantron forms for students to fill out, they have to disrupt their class.

Heck, professors are not even supposed to be in the same room as students when they are filling out these evaluations.

After students finally finish filling out the forms, professors are only then allowed to come back in their own classroom and beg students to make the long trek to give the Scantrons to the proper officials.

Making all of these assessments available online would make the process easier for everyone. Professors could allow students to leave a few minutes early at the end of class to fill out the exam one day, or they could even give students part of their allocated “finals time” to complete the assessment.

This would be much more convenient. And also, filling out the forms online would make the results instantly available, as opposed to how Scantrons work.

The benefits associated with allowing students to take the exit exams online would also be great.

In addition to not wast-

ing an outrageous amount of paper on a test students don’t even have to care about, the university could find some magical way to make the test available online. In the long run, this would save the university some much-needed money and also potentially raise test scores.

If the exit exam was available to students online any time after they hit 90 credit-hours, they could actually take it in their own time when they were in a test-taking mood. Regardless of its noble intentions, the exit exam really just serves as a nuisance to students when they are looking forward to graduating.

If students could take the exam in the comfort of their own home, or even in a computer lab, and not have to set aside over an hour of their life on a specified day at a specified time, scores would probably go up.

I’m usually not the biggest advocate of going green and acting in a sustainable manner. I’m not opposed to saving the environment, but it usually isn’t my top fight.

However, I am a logical thinker. And, as a logical thinker, it is easy to see that finding ways to put a stop to the paper parade and make more assessments, evaluations and surveys available online would be better for everyone in the long run.

Tell us what you think.

Log on at www.the-standard.org

Fact check the news you get from social media outlets

Around 10:45 p.m. Sunday night, mainstream news reported confirmation that Osama bin Laden was killed. Social media immediately lit up with posts cheering bin Laden’s death and Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign and calling for the removal of soldiers from Afghanistan.

In Columbia, Mo., Mizzou students actually stormed Richmond Avenue in celebration of bin Laden’s death.

There is no doubt that bin Laden’s death is a pivotal moment in world history, but should people in Missouri really be celebrating the killing of a foreign figure in such a dramatic physical, fashion?

Though bin Laden was a key figure behind one of the greatest crimes against our country, what does it say about our country if we are championing another human being’s killing?

People, young people especially, often rely on social media as a news outlet. These celebrations of his death and the many social media postings bring to the forefront the problem with relying on social media for news.

While Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and other social media sites are great resources for breaking news, that is all you’re getting — a taste of what is actually going on.

For example, if you were only following coverage on Twitter, you know that Osama bin Laden was killed. Did you know the mainstream news is releasing conflicting reports about whether the goal of the operation was to capture or kill? Are you aware that bin Laden’s body was buried at sea? Or that an innocent woman was killed in the course of the operation?

The Facebook and Twitter postings crying for the end of the war in Afghanistan and the removal of our troops are particularly frustrating.

Bin Laden’s death will only turn him into a martyr, and rest assured, as Obama said last night in his address to the country, “his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that al-Qaida will continue to pursue acts against us.”

Bin Laden’s dead now, but his death will produce a new alQaida leader who will be more powerful and violent than bin Laden himself.

In fact, the mainstream news is already releasing statements from al-Qaida members. One unnamed member is quoted in an AP story as saying that “the battle between us and international tyranny is long and will not be stopped by the martyrdom of our beloved one, the lion of Islam.”

Social media is a useful tool for both media professionals and consumers, but it’s only one tool that desperately needs to be fact checked. As consumers, we’re short handing ourselves by relying on it as a sole source for news.

Cartoon by Rachel Brown

Republicans, consider Ron Paul in 2012

Do you have an opinion?

Send a letter to the editor

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Fifteen-term Congressman Ron Paul declared the formation of a presidential exploratory committee last Tuesday in Iowa. If you don’t know what you are hearing, those are the cheers of the economic conservative youth as a serious candidate arrives on the 2012 Republican scene.

As Trump thumps around the nation demanding birth certificates and Sarah Palin continues her public romancing of the Tea Party, it is important to take a moment to remember the last true American stalwart conservative of the Barry Goldwater line.

Though he is a Republican, as of late, Paul has become a favorite fringe politician of mine. He enjoys the support of both libertarians and economic conservatives.

His approach to politics is, as he would say, constitutional.

He has, for the most part, in the past not been taken seriously. Though the political scenery has changed from 1988, the year of his first presidential run, and even from 2008, when he showed that he was a legitimate candidate by raising competitive amounts of money.

Paul has one of the most consistent voting records of American politicians in recent history. He is known as “Dr. No” in the House, where he votes against nearly every item that increases the federal budget.

He voted against the war in Iraq and against mil-

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Aaron Hadlow itary involvement in Afghanistan. He would have voted against the “kinetic military operation” in Libya, had he been given the chance.

He voted to remove the prisoners from and shut down Guantanamo Bay in 2007, citing some “obscure” constitutional right that the prisoners enjoy “due process” of the law.

Not only has Paul voted against U.S. foreign involvement in wars of freedom and terror, two wars that are becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference between, but he has also voted against the war on drugs.

On hot button issues of social importance, Paul does not pander to the religious right or fold to the godless left like many of his Republican and Democrat peers but maintains his steady constitutional approach in devolving these regulatory capacities to the states. He envisions state legislatures as the oft quoted Justice Brandeis saw them: “laboratories of democracy.”

Of course I would be remiss not to mention Paul’s favorite talking point, the abolishment of the Federal Reserve. Paul is a rare bird who advocates

Columnist

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Austrian economics, a school of economic philosophy largely abandoned by the arrival of John Maynard Keynes.

Simply put, Paul’s economic philosophy is “Don’t spend more than you take in.” At surface level, the Austrian economic policy seems reasonable, especially compared with what seems to be Keynesian permission to spend as much as necessary and worry about the debt later.

A person doesn’t have to look far to find evidence that there may be some credence to what Paul and other Austrian economists are suggesting.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Midwest region, factoring in urban consumers, is at nearly 213, indicating that since 1984 the average price of a grocery shopping bill has risen 113 percent.

Eleven years ago, before W. took office, a dollar would have had 30 percent more buying power than it does now. A dollar would have had 115 percent more buying power in 1984 than it does now. In 1913, the year the Federal Reserve was established, the dollar would have 2,157 percent more buying power than today.

This would all be well for the consumer, though still a disheartening commentary on the devaluation of our currency if employment costs had correlatively risen. Data indicates that,

The Standard Physical address: Student Media Center 744 E. Cherry St. Postal address: 901 S. National Ave. Springfield, MO 65897

since December 2005, the Employment Cost Index (ECI) for total compensation for civilian works has only risen 14 percent, where the CPI has risen nearly 27 percent in the same period.

Paul faults the Federal Reserve for such an irresponsible increase in inflation. He argues the Fed’s license to freely print as much money as it sees necessary will lead to the destruction of our monetary system, which will lead to a significant decrease in the American quality of life.

I don’t know if I agree with Paul completely on this issue, primarily because of my unfamiliarity with the intricacies of Keynesian economics, but he does seem to bring some common sense to the table in terms of responsible spending.

Paul separates himself from the rest in the field of Republicans because he refuses to genuflect to the Reagan idol like every neoconservative in the race already does. He is actively non-establishment, which means he probably doesn’t have a chance, but who really does against the incumbent Obama?

In an age where Donald Trump mocks our political processes with his mocking of our president and Sarah Palin insults our intelligence, Paul remains a politician who deserves your respect and maybe, if you are a Republican, your vote.

Czar in Chief Jon Poorman 417-836-5272 Centaur Leah Randazzo 417-836-5272

Most Creative Bobbie Sawyer Phone: (417) 836-5272 417-836-5390 Fax: (417) 836-6738 Blonde Standard@Missouri Bridget Rapp State.edu 417-836-5390 The Standard is pubMissing in Action lished Tuesday during Sarah Bennett the fall and spring 417-836-5272 semesters.

Munchkin Queen Jessica Reynolds Her minions Megan Edwards Heather McLaren 417-836-5272 Head Copy Editor Matt Kyle 417-836-5272 Advertising Mgr. Sandy King 417-836-5524 Faculty Adviser Jack Dimond 417-836-8467

Tuesday

May 3, 2011

Calendar

May 3 to May 9

Tuesday

Farmers’ freshest

Student Chamber Ensemble concert 7:30 p.m., Ellis Hall 217b

Wednesday

May Day noon to 10:30 p.m., North Mall Student Film Festival 6 to 8 p.m., PSU theater Broadway Cabaret Musical Revue 8 p.m., Wilhoit Theatre

Thursday

SAC presents: Back to Kindergarten 9 p.m. to midnight, PSU food court Play: “Amadeus” 7:30 p.m., Vandivort Centre Hula Hoop instruction class 5 p.m., Jordan Valley Park Cinco de Mayo fire spinning gathering 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., Jordan Valley Park The Spacetones mix tape release party 10 p.m., The Highlife Martini Lounge

Friday

“No Rules, No Boundaries” art exhibit 6 p.m., Creamery Arts Center SAC presents: Movie night 9 p.m. to midnight PSU food court Aaron Lewis concert 8 p.m., Gillioz Theatre Play: “The Foreigner” 7:30 p.m., Springfield Little Theatre Better Luck Next Time: an improvised game show 10:15 p.m., Skinny Improv Theatre Glass Bottom Boat Ride album release party 10 p.m., Outland Ballroom

Saturday

BFA Acting and Musical Theatre Performance Showcase 7:30 p.m., Craig Hall Coger Theatre

Monday

Power Yoga Campus Recreation Fitness and Wellness noon to 5 p.m., B.O.W.S. 331 South Ave., basement of Staxx, $35 per person Electronic Arts Student Showcase 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., PSU Theater

Briefs Beartones celebrate 10 years of tunes

The Beartones will celebrate their 10-year anniversary at Missouri State at their annual spring concert from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the PSU Theater. The concert will include alumni members Kenny Foster and John Hull and feature some of the group’s most popular renditions from the past decade.

Admission is $5 for students and $10 for the general public. Tickets may be purchased at the door.

Art festival returns

ArtsFest, the annual fine arts festival on Walnut Street, will kick off its 31st year at 10 a.m. Saturday. The festival, which includes 140 artists from across the country, hands-on activities, performances and sample foods from local restaurants, will continue through Sunday, with show hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets may be purchased in advance for $3 at local McDonald’s restaurants. Tickets purchased at the gate are $5. Children 5 and under are free.

Media students to showcase work

The Media, Journalism and Film Student showcase, featuring work created by media and journalism students, will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. May 10 in the PSU Theater. The event is free and open to the public.

Comedy Central star to visit Springfield

Comedian Brian Regan will perform at the Gillioz Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on May 12. Regan has starred in two Comedy Central specials, performed on The Late Show with David Letterman and has sold over 150,000 copies of his 1997 comedy album “Brian Regan Live.” Tickets are $42.50.

Photos by Britney Shryer/THE STANDARD

The farmers market on Commercial Street may soon be joined by a farmers market that will be fueled by the new campus garden. The new garden and farmers market could provide fresh produce to the local community and students.

New campus garden engages students, city going ‘green’

By Abby Webster The Standard

Due to the implementation of a new campus garden, members of the Student Government Association for sustainability have begun developing ideas for a Missouri State farmers market. The Missouri State campus garden received official verification of funding last Friday.

Taking care of the new campus garden is engineering major Jacob Berger. Berger discussed how the idea of creating a campus garden came about.

“There have been many idealistic students excited about the implementation of a garden on Missouri State’s campus, but Tricia Scanlon was the student who had the initiative to take on the cumbersome task of gaining approval. Tricia’s desire was driven by experiences she had gained working on organic, community-oriented vegetable farms both near and far from Springfield,” Berger said.

Berger talked about why eating locally is important.

“It is important for people to know their farmer and where their food comes from. Universities are educational institutions — this garden is an opportunity for the open-minded men and women who shape our future to learn the value of the healthy foods that are safe for us and our planet.”

Berger elaborated on the specific tasks the people working on the garden are planning to accomplish, including their wish to keep the benefits of the garden close and relevant to Missouri State’s campus.

“In order for economic sustainability of the garden, we plan to sell produce to the campus food service, Chartwells; the student-operated restaurant, Carrie’s Cafe; and the local produce store at Cherry Street and Pickwick Avenue, ‘Homegrown Foods.’ And the possibility of a campus farmers market has also recently entered the discussion.”

The garden has been coming along really well.

“The garden has been going better than we’d ever hoped. Community support has been excellent — this includes university support. Volunteers have been great; we can accomplish so much more with each additional set of hands.”

The garden has recently become officially fund-

ed by the Sustainability Fund.

“The Sustainability Fund has provided funding for all of the seeds, fertilizer (and) compost to this point. And while it has been all volunteer labor and volunteers’ tools for the past five weeks, funding from a proposal submitted by Benjamin Wensel and myself was approved this Friday to provide the garden with the necessary tools and equipment to be sustained without volunteers’ equipment. It also included funding for a part-time garden manager position,” Berger said.

Many ideas have arisen from the creation of the new campus garden, including the development of a farmers market. Lanae Flatness, a member of the SGA Sustainability Committee, explained why having a farmers market will help students get access to local, healthy food from the campus garden and how it will help build a much-needed sense of community for Missouri State’s campus.

“The demand for local food has increased in the community and on the Missouri State campus. The farmers market is a fast and easy way for faculty, staff and students to buy and eat locally grown, fresh produce. Hopefully, various departments on campus will be involved in this project and share and combine their ideas to help the market flourish and make our campus more sustainable,” Flatness said.

Flatness explained why the creation of a market is relevant to university students.

“The campus garden and market upholds all pillars of the public affairs mission at Missouri State University. We are promoting locally grown foods, healthy eating, community engagement and sustainable living,” Flatness said.

Flatness talked about how the market will benefit Missouri State as a whole.

“The farmers market and campus garden are projects that show Missouri State is trying to be sustainable. They add to what Missouri State offers students and show how involved students are on campus. Students will be working together to grow and sell produce (as well as) communicating with local farmers and other businesses interested in participating in the market. The market involves many people, and, as it grows, it will hopefully have a grounded place on campus and in the community.”

The market is looking to provide entertainment,

activities and other types of products aside from simply produce. “(In addition to) fresh produce, we are looking into having freshly baked goods and handcrafted goods. We also would like to see entertainment such as local bands, students from the art department as vendors, theater department performances, crafts for kids, and anything else that will get more people in the community, students and faculty to participate.”

One goal of the farmers market will be to include other departments and organizations in the project. The market will seek to provide an experience for students and the rest of the community.

Flatness discussed how the university could be directly affected.

“Several classes and departments have the opportunity to get involved in the garden. Business classes can help out on the business side of the market. The advertising department could have a class project to design a campaign promoting the garden and market. Horticulture and agriculture classes could incorporate curriculum into the campus garden as well as the market. These are only a few of the ideas from our committee.”

Flatness stressed that all faculty, staff and students are welcome to help with the garden and farmers market.

“Any organization, class, department or com See MARKET page 10

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The Standard

Life

5

Nathan P. Murphy’s benefit concert beats the blues

By Kaycie Surrell The Standard

A medley of rock and blues performers took the stage at Nathan P. Murphy’s last weekend in a combined effort to help the bar raise enough money to evade possible foreclosure.

Murphy’s was opened 30 years ago by Bob Martin, who has since come to be known as Dr. Bob. The club was founded as a blues and jazz venue and has hosted nationally touring acts such as Buddy Rich, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and John Mayall, to name a few.

The bar has also been home to many up-and-coming local musicians. Dr. Bob’s fiancé and bar manager, Wanda Plumb, recalls taking care of the bands who have taken the Murphy’s stage.

“We live above the bar and always have a place for the bands to stay,” Plumb said. “ I always cook a meal for them while they’re here.”

Local jazz-fusion band SPiNRaD plays the Murphy’s stage every First Friday Artwalk and can attest to the generosity of the bar as well as their dedication to blues and jazz.

“Bob gave us our first stage in Springfield,” said bass guitarist Sean King. “That’s the beauty of Nathan P. Murphy’s.

Those guys have given so many artists their first stage in Springfield. Bob whole-heartedly loves music, and it radiates off him.”

Unfortunately for this local blues bar, times have been tough. Dr. Bob was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) five years ago, prompting a decision to make the bar smoke free.

Though the owner’s health has improved, his business is faced with possible foreclosure at the hands of an economy that can be harsh on local arts and entertainment industries.

The event advertised a goal of $62,000 to help save Nathan P.

Murphy’s.

The two-day event also advertised a slew of performers.

Blues musician Justin Cauble kicked off the first night, followed by Steve Call and Stella Blue. The night rounded out with blues-and-gospel band Bert Smith and the Walk.

The second day of the event boasted an even larger list of performers. I caught a local band, Sovereign, who started out playing shows on the Murphy’s stage. The band donated proceeds from their album sales to the bar.

I was also pleasantly surprised by an act from Kansasnatives the Terry Quiett Band. The band was recently signed to High Tone Music Group out of Chicago. Lead guitarist and vocalist Terry Quiett said the band drove to Springfield early Saturday morning from Oklahoma to play the benefit concert.

Those who attended the event could purchase raffle tickets and win some pretty cool memorabilia while helping the bar make extra cash. Signed photos of blues musicians Maynard Ferguson and Tommy Castro were possible prizes, along with a silent auction for an Ibanez guitar signed by “nearly everyone who’s played the stage.”

Not only does Dr. Bob own the bar and live above it, but he also hosts Dr. Bob’s Blue Show from his Blues Clinic, also above the club. Should the foreclosure become final, the good doctor and his fiancé would lose their home and their livelihood. In spite of this, Plumb remains optimistic.

“I’ve been the bar manager for 17 years. We aren’t going to lose this place; we’ve worked too hard for too long.”

Though the venue has managed to keep its doors open for now, the only way to really ensure that those doors will stay open is for people to keep supporting Nathan P. Murphy’s and its live music.

Josh Campbell/THE STANDARD You can support Nathan P. Murphy’s and local band SPiNRaD at 9 p.m. this Friday following Artwalk. The cover is $5 Nathan P. Murphy’s held a benefit concert to avoid for 21 and up and $10 for everyone else. possible foreclosure after 30 years of business.

‘Sophisticated’ singers celebrate sixties

By Lauren Healey The Standard

The Sophisticated Boom Boom 60s Girl Group Revue shimmied onstage and awed the jam-packed audience at Lindberg’s Friday night.

Autumn Whitaker, lead singer, kicked her heels off halfway through the show.

“I hit a point where it was time to get down to business, I guess,” she said. “The heels were a distraction I couldn’t afford, so I let them go. It felt great.”

Whitaker declared herself the ringleader of this circus.

About two years ago, Whitaker said she stumbled into the boxed set “One Kiss Leads to Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost and Found.”

“It’s all I listened to for a whole summer,” she said. “I fell in love with these old songs I’d never heard before, not just as great songs, but as high-drama heartache with a wink and smile.”

Like the girl-group hits of the 60s that she

remembered, these songs were very feminine and classic, Whitaker said.

“But a lot of these lost-and-forgotten tracks had a surprising edge,” she said.

“They had strength and power just below the sugar-sweet surface, not to mention a musical richness.”

Whitaker said she knew for a long time that she wanted to share these songs, but she wasn’t ready to take on the challenge until this year.

“I’m so thankful for good timing, because I really feel like I struck gold on this one,” she said. “Not only do I have my dream team of a band behind me who is every bit as excited about this show as I am, but I think Springfield is ready to hear it.”

Jackie Marcink said she works with some of the band members at Mama Jean’s Natural Market.

“I grew up on these fantastic, nostalgic songs,” she said. “Nostalgic in that they remind me of my mom’s childhood.”

Whitaker said the show has been in the works for four months and has evolved a lot

in that span of time.

“We ended up with our version of 60sgirl-group songs, and that’s exactly what I wanted,” she said.

“This show is going to be unique. I may be most excited about the female presence on stage. Out of the 14 people in this band, eight of them are women. And that’s not something Springfield gets to see every weekend.”

Jason East, who stayed right by the stage for the show’s entirety, said 60s-girl-group music is not his favorite.

“I do enjoy some Motown and soul, which this technically is, but I’m mostly here to support my wife, the drummer,” he said. “I’m in a band with her, but I’ve never seen my wife play from the audience’s point of view, so that was cool.”

Jessica Gray, who played cello in the show, said everyone should love this kind of music because it’s “effing awesome.”

“We were supposed to have some violins, too, but the cello is all we could get,” she said. “It was amazing, even without the vio-

lins.”

Whitaker said groups like The Ronettes and The Shangri-Las, who stood out as the “bad girl” girl groups, still played by girlgroup rules musically.

“For a genre classified by matching dresses, cute names and songs about boys, boys, boys, there is a surprising amount of longevity to the songs themselves,” she said.

“But after all the heartbreak and tears over the bad boys, the bad boys themselves stepped in, drawing inspiration from that sound.”

Knowing the influence that these ladies have had over the punk-rock heroes of the next generation adds another dimension to this music, Whitaker said.

“It’s sweet and sassy, but it’s rock ‘n’ roll,” she said.

There are no plans for a repeat performance as of now, Whitaker said.

“I would love to consider it, but it would depend on several factors, and I can’t worry about any of that until this week is over,” she said. “Stay tuned.”

Tuesday

May 3, 2011

Scorebox Cowboys select Arkin in fourth round of NFL Draft

Baseball Wednesday, April 27 Missouri 002000000-2 Missouri State 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 - 5 Friday, April 29 Evansville 00010200X-3 Missouri State 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 Saturday, April 30 Evansville 00211010X-5 Missouri State 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 - 4 Softball Thursday, April 28 Tulsa 001120X-4 Missouri State 0000000-0 Saturday, April 30 Drake 00000010001-2 Mo. State 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 Drake 1010000-2 Missouri State 0000000-0 Men’s Soccer Wednesday, April 27 UMKC 0 Missouri State 0 Rockhurst 1 Missouri State 1 Volleyball Thursday, April 28 Arkansas 4 Missouri State 1 Men’s Golf Tuesday, April 26 MVC Championship 3rd of 9

By Harrison Keegan The Standard

“Great time to pick up a new case for my phone,” David Arkin thought to himself as the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft got underway Saturday morning. Arkin, a former MSU offensive lineman, was projected to be drafted sometime between the fourth and sixth rounds, and he just couldn’t watch.

“This morning when I woke up, I started feeling it a little bit,” Arkin said. “Then 11 a.m. rolls around and the draft started, and I couldn’t really sit still so I had to get out and do something.”

Just as Arkin was walking into

the Battlefield Mall, his phone rang and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones informed him that the team had taken him with the 13th pick of the fourth Arkin round, 110th overall.

“I talked to Jerry Jones for a couple of minutes,” Arkin said. “He just said, ‘How does it feel to be a Cowboy?’ And I just said, ‘It feels pretty awesome.’”

Arkin grew up in Wichita, Kan., and said he wasn’t much of a Cowboys fan, but he likes the idea of

playing for one of the most historic franchises in professional sports.

“It’s America’s team; it’s one of the biggest teams in the NFL,” he said. “I’m so excited to be there. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Dallas is also close enough that Arkin’s parents, who attended all of his Missouri State games, will be able to make the seven hours down Interstate 35 for the Cowboys’ home games.

“Everything has been a whirlwind since he got drafted,” said Kevin Arkin, David’s father. “He’s now a Cowboy, and we’re really excited for him.”

This is the second year in a row that the Bears have had a player

drafted in the fourth round, after Clay Harbor was taken by the Eagles last year.

Harbor and Arkin have been working out together at Missouri State, but next year they will be on opposite sidelines when the Cowboys and Eagles play. Arkin said he got a text from his old teammate saying they are rivals now.

Arkin said he wasn’t expecting to get a call from the Cowboys.

“I’d really only talked to them at the combine, and after that, I hadn’t had a lot of contact with them,” he said. “So it’s kind of surprising that I ended up there, but that’s how these See ARKIN page 7

Calendar

May 2 to May 9

Tuesday

Baseball at home vs. Missouri, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday

Softball at home vs. Wichita State, 7 p.m.

Friday

Baseball away at Illinois State, 4:30 p.m.

Track and Field away at Arkansas Twilight, 9 a.m.

Saturday Baseball away at Illinois State,

2 p.m.

Softball at home vs. Evansville, noon

Sunday

Baseball away at Illinois State,

1 p.m.

Softball at home vs. Evansville, noon

Briefs

Kirby signs with Edmonton Eskimos of CFL

Former Missouri State football quarterback Cody Kirby signed a free agent contract with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.

The Eskimos announced the signing of Kirby on Friday, April 29.

Kirby ranks third all-time at Missouri State with 8,183 passing yards from 2007-2010 under the snap. Kirby also threw for more than 2,000 yards passing for three straight seasons for the Bears.

By signing with the Eskimos, Kirby became the 12th Missouri State football Bear to sign with a Canadian football team.

Missouri State signs new spring recruits

With the spring signing ending on May 18, Missouri State teams are expanding on previous signing periods.

In the spring signing period, Missouri State baseball has added four recruits: Tyler Burgess, LHP (Webb City, Mo); Mark McClelland, RHP (Jefferson College); Conner Wilson, 1B/OF (Strafford High); and Zach Merciez, RHP (Bartlesville High).

Volleyball, men’s and women’s golf and women’s swimming and diving have each added two recruits during the spring signing period.

Men’s swimming and diving has added three to their roster for next year.

Men’s golf finishes third in conference

The Missouri State men’s golf team finished in third place at the State Farm MVC Championship.

Junior Will Hogan was named MVC Player of the Year by the league's coaches, while sophomore Daily Young was voted Newcomer of the Year and junior Jordan McLaurin joined them in earning all-conference honors.

File photo by Chris Cox/THE STANDARD

File photo by Matt Moore/THE STANDARD

Matt Frevert pitched for the Bears from 2006 to 2008.

Buddy Baumann pitched for MSU from 2007 to 2009.

Former Bears make the climb MSU stars make it to Double A

By Benjamen Loewnau The Standard

After being teammates on the Missouri State baseball team from 2007 to 2008, pitchers Buddy Baumann and Matthew Frevert find themselves in the farm systems of rival franchises.

Baumann was picked by the Kansas City Royals in the seventh round of the 2009 first-year player draft, while Frevert was picked in the 28th round of the 2008 draft by the Saint Louis Cardinals.

Now, as members of the Double A affiliates for each team, Baumann returned to Springfield for the first time as a member of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals to play Matthew Frevert and the Springfield Cardinals.

“It feels like I’m at home,” Baumann said. “It’s nice. I’ve been waiting to get here for a while, so it’s kind of a surreal moment.”

For Frevert, the feeling is similar, and playing in Springfield brings him back to his roots in Missouri.

“It’s a great experience for me just kind of getting back here, kind of where it all started in college,” Frevert said. “It’s great for my family, too, to be able to come down here and be a lot closer to home.”

Being close to home is something that both Baumann and Fre-

vert share since both are from Missouri.

What they also share as Missouri natives is knowledge of the Cardinals-Royals rivalry, something that was a topic throughout college as well, Frevert said.

“There’s always going to be kind of that friendly rivalry,” he said. “It’s a good thing to have between these teams and between friends, too, to kind of always have that extra push going between us.”

Since Baumann and Frevert were drafted, they have been pushing their way through each organization’s farm system.

Frevert is now with his fourth minor league affiliate of the Cardinals while making stops in Johnson City (rookie league), Quad Cities (Single A), Palm Beach (advanced Single A) and now

Springfield (Double A).

For Baumann, the climb up the farm system has been similar.

He has made stops at Burlington (rookie league), Wilmington (advanced Single A) and now Northwest Arkansas (Double A).

“You learn how to live in the moment, like where you’re at and knowing that you’re there and that you deserve to be there; you’re wanting to get further,” Baumann said.

On their way through the farm system, each player has kept an eye on each other and followed what everyone is doing, Baumann and Frevert said.

“We all keep in touch with each other all the time; all the former players keep in touch,” Frevert said.

See PITCHERS page 7

Leonard uses his basketball know-how to coach youth

By John Cook The Standard

From his high school days of lifting the Lee’s Summit North High School Broncos to the Class 5 quarterfinals to draining crunch time 3-pointers for the Bears, Leonard says there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing kids improve.

Senior Missouri State men’s basketball guard Adam Leonard has been playing basketball since he was a little kid. Now, after his collegiate career is over, Leonard is passing his knowledge on to kids who hope to one day follow in his footsteps.

“It’s really touching to see these kids out here having fun and getting to be a part of that process,”

Leonard says. “Seeing them grow and become better basketball players really gives you a special feeling.”

Leonard grew up in Lee’s Summit, Mo., as a smaller shooting guard. For his position, he really wanted to be a couple inches taller.

He didn’t have the top notch athleticism that others had, but he did have something they didn’t: heart.

“You know, I didn’t have all the tools that I would have liked,” Leonard says. “I wasn’t the biggest and I wasn’t the fastest, but that’s Matt Kile/THE STANDARD something I can really relate to these kids. With hard work and Adam Leonard talks with his team at their game Thursday. mental toughness, you can do anything.” players. by teaching the fundamentals of The Bears’ 2010 Player of the From second, fourth, fifth, all basketball. Leonard says once the Year helps coach kids in the second the way up to ninth grade, grade all the way to high school Leonard’s time has been occupied See LEONARD page 13

Survivor finds silver lining after winning bout with cancer Kendrick moves on with the help of club baseball

By Harrison Keegan The Standard

Austin Kendrick knew what the doctor was going to say before he said it, but that didn’t make it much easier to hear.

Kendrick was getting ready for his freshman year of college, playing American Legion summer baseball and dreaming about baseball glory. Then he noticed that something wasn’t right.

When his doctor confirmed his suspicion and told him that he had testicular cancer, Austin Kendrick didn’t have time to sulk. He had to

get better.

“I was the one who found it and kind of already knew,” Kendrick said. “So when the doctor told me, it wasn’t much of a surprise. It was more like I’m just ready to get things going and get this in my past.”

Six years later, the cancer is in Kendrick’s past. Needless to say, the cancer had a big impact on his present and future.

Kendrick has a .483 batting average for the Missouri State club baseball team. He will graduate in December with a physical education degree, and he coaches freshman baseball at his alma mater, Parkview High School.

Life is good, but if he hadn’t heard the doctor say those words Michael Gulledge/THE STANDARD back in 2004, Kendrick’s life Austin Kendrick overcame can- would be a lot different. He had a cer and now plays club baseball. scholarship to play baseball for

Testicular cancer • In 2010, over 8,000 Ameri can men were diagnosed with testicular cancer.

• Early signs of testicular cancer are lumps, swelling or abdominal pain.

• Consult a doctor if you find any of these symp -toms affecting you.

Fort Scott Community College, and he hoped to follow in the footsteps of another Fort Scott first baseman: Adam LaRoche of the Washington Nationals.

“I took eight weeks of strong chemo, and it kind of knocked me out,” Kendrick said.

See KENDRICK page 13

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Sports

The Standard

7

Meet-and-greet with MSU’s Paul Lusk New coach talks with Bears fans

MSU’s new basketball coach, Paul Lusk, talked to a small crowd of fans at his meet-andgreet event Monday evening at Hammons Student Center.

Lusk was introduced as Missouri State’s coach on April 2 and since then has been busy maintaining incoming recruits and securing new ones.

Lusk spent seven years as an assistant coach at Purdue before coming to MSU. Lusk replaced Cuonzo Martin, who left for Tennessee after leading the Bears to the first conference title in school history.

Michael Gulledge/THE STANDARD

Michael Gulledge/THE STANDARD

Volleyball gears up for fall as spring games wind down

By Adam Hammons The Standard

With summer just around the corner, the MSU volleyball team is looking back on the spring season as they wait for the fall to come.

The volleyball team finished off its spring season on Thursday, April 28, playing against Arkansas at home. Although the Bears lost the match 4-1, they did win one and forced another game high in to the 20s for a tight back-and-forth ending.

Head coach Melissa Stokes said she saw some good things in the Arkansas match and the whole spring went well.

“The things I think we wanted to get better at, we’ve accomplished

Arkin Continued from page 6

things usually work out with teams maybe disguising intent.”

Arkin played tackle last season, but most pundits see him switching to guard in Dallas.

that,” Stokes said. “Overall, I thought we were pretty successful.”

Late in the season, the team had three injured players and even had to bring in some alumni to play in a few games. However, Stokes said the spring isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about getting better.

“It’s more about individual improvement,” she said. “The players and combinations we see out here are not the team that we’re going to see in the fall.”

The players also notice the difference between spring and fall. As spring is more for practice, players say they work more on personal fitness or even some different positions.

“You can focus and get yourself better,” junior Calli Norman said.

“I’ll play whatever they want me to play,” he said.

Arkin is one of the most celebrated players in MSU history. During his senior year, he was selected first team AllAmerican by every major selection agency. He graduated in December with a degree in construction management and a 3.72 GPA.

“Maybe train in a different position or just be a lot more specific and just get better. It’s all for building for the next year around.”

Even though the players focused more on individual skills, there were still games to play.

However, freshman Carly Thomas said spring games are a little different from games in the fall.

“Spring is a lot more laid back; it’s definitely a lot of fun,” Thomas said. “It’s good competition still, but it’s just playing volleyball. We always have fun doing that.”

Players still look forward to the action in the fall. Norman is especially excited because next year will be her senior year and last season as a Bear.

“I can’t wait. It’s weird that it’s

“It’s been a wild ride,” Arkin said, “from high school and then down here. I’m so happy I came to Missouri State and spent my time here. It’s worked out really great for me.”

To hear Arkin’s phone conversation with Jerry Jones, visit www.dallascowboys.com and click on the multimedia tab.

my last year, but I’m very excited about it,” Norman said. “I know we’re getting a lot of very talented players in, so I’m looking forward to seeing how all that turns out.”

In the 2010 season, the Bears had a good regular season (21-9) and earned an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. However, the season had a disappointing ending as the Bears lost early in both the MVC and NCAA tournaments. The team is looking forward to doing better next time.

“We had a great regular season, and in the end of the season we kind of started slacking,” Thomas said.

“We just want to redeem ourselves, so I’m very excited to start and be very competitive and finish out throughout the whole year.”

Pitchers Continued from page 6

Playing against each other is competitive, but watching the other succeed is enjoyable, Frevert said.

Michael Gulledge/THE STANDARD

Shelby Strang serves to Arkansas.

“It’s definitely a cool experience just to kind of see a friend and a former teammate like that succeed and get to this level too,” he said. “It’s a good experience just to watch guys who you know and played with and liked in college and to see them

have success too.”

For Baumann, the feeling is similar, and he said he would like to see Frevert progress through his farm system as well.

“I hope (Frevert) does good, so I can see him up there with me one day,” he said.

8

News

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The Standard

Tips and tricks to an active mind and healthy body for finals week

By Amanda Hess The Standard

Finals week is looming over campus, and many students might feel the urge to hide themselves away with textbooks and energy drinks until the crisis is over.

While many may think the right way to cram for tests include eating junk food and never seeing the light of day, there are healthier ways to live through finals week.

Here are just a few ideas to use when studying for your tests next week.

Bogdan Kostic, a research, statistical training, analysis and technical support instructor and memory expert, said there are a number of tricks to help you study better.

“One important thing to do is to think of things meaningfully,” Kostic said. “Most students read their notes over and over or recopy their notes to study.”

“The best idea is to relate the information to your life,” Kostic recommends. “It’s called the self-reference effect.

Medical and psychology students do it when they hear about symptoms of something and they say, ‘Oh man, I have that.’

They probably don’t have the illness, but it helps them remember more about it when it comes time for the test.”

Making the information important to you is good, but so is using flashcards and testing yourself, he said.

“It’s called the testing effect,” Kostic said. “Testing yourself is great; it helps solidify the information into your memory. So instead of reading something over and over, use flashcards. Flashcards work. Repeated testing is better than repeat-

Think smart

ed study. Several studies have shown that testing yourself issues with heart rhythms can occur.” multiple times can be better than studying multiple times.”

For students who feel a need to cram, there are ways to maximize caffeine intake with lower risks.

“In addition to the obvious way to stay energized — sleep Rejuvenate your brain “Frequent breaks and task-switching helps too,” Kostic — caffeine is also an option,” Allen said. “Timing is imporsaid. “Say you have two different tests to study for: 1) Study tant with caffeine intake, as there will be ‘highs and lows’ in one test for two hours. Then, when you get tired of studying, energy levels. Remember that energy levels from caffeinated you take a long break. After the long break, you study for the beverages peak pretty quickly after consumption. Coffee is a second test for two hours. 2) Study for a test for an hour and good source of caffeine. Tea and soda may have caffeine as then switch to the other test and study it. It can rejuvenate you well but in smaller amounts.”

While certain amounts of caffeine are OK, try to stay away to the same extent as taking the long break.”

More than anything, Kostic recommends avoiding doing from large amounts of caffeine in a short period of time, Allen things that make you think you know more about the subject said.

“I would not recommend energy drinks,” she said. “They than you actually do.

“For example, if a student reads a problem and then flips can have additives such as herbs like ginseng, and these prodto the back of the book to read the answer. They say, ‘Yeah I ucts are not regulated by the FDA. With coffee, you know knew that.’” Kostic said, “They didn’t really know that. They what you are getting. Energy drinks typically contain higher just recognized the answer. If you can recall information, it is amounts of caffeine, and when consumed in excess, (they) can cause health concerns such as heart palpitations.” always better than familiarity with the answer.”

So instead of drinking energy drinks like Red Bull or Monster, drink coffee tea or soda, she said. While you drink that Don’t drink too much caffeine Many students may feel the need to gulp down as many coffee or tea, try to eat a meal or snack with more substance. energy drinks as they can while finishing off a bag of chips during studying.

Eat well However, Natalie B. Allen, a biomedical science instructor There are a few foods students should consider, to stay and dietetics expert, said that might not be the best for your energized for finals week, Allen said. body.

“Staying hydrated and eating ‘crunchy’ foods like apples, “Blood sugar levels can fluctuate drastically, which can may help with energy,” she said. “Also, take breaks from cause issues with concentration and the ability to focus,” studying to exercise. Being active — taking a walk or playing Allen said. “Large amounts of caffeine can cause the body to lose water and lead to dehydration. Also, in extreme cases, See ENERGY page 10

Weekly Crossword © 2011 King Features Synd., Inc.

ACROSS 1 It's a long story 5 "The Talk" network 8 Make over 12 Demographic of a sort 14 Still 15 Implode 16 "The - on the Floss" 17 Away from WSW 18 With unfriendliness 20 Beg 23 Writer Vonnegut 24 Injure 25 Institution of higher learning 28 Use a shovel 29 Impressive formation 30 Legislation 32 Miner, perhaps 34 Leaning Tower city 35 Ninth Greek letter 36 Thread 37 Asian sultanate 40 Conger, e.g.

41 Ireland 42 Conversation 47 Plankton component 48 Framework 49 Antelope's playmate 50 Zodiac sign 51 Without (Fr.) DOWN 1 Pouch 2 Past 3 Solidify 4 Glistening 5 Manage somehow 6 Ralph Kram-

den's carrier 7 Mirrorlike 8 Distant 9 Satan's specialty 10 "The Farmer in the -" 11 Having no siblings 13 McNally partner 19 Paris airport 20 Third degree?

21 Nonclerical 22 Therefore 23 "M*A*S*H" locale 25 At a turning point 26 Smooth-talking 27 Facility 29 Burn remedy 31 "- and Peace" 33 Straight 34 Airline employees 36 2009 Broadway

Last Weekʼs Puzzle Answers

musical set in Nigeria 37 Abacus component 38 Anger 39 Incite 40 Ticklish

Muppet 43 Raw rock 44 Sine - non 45 Coffee vessel 46 Affirmative

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The Standard

News

9

SGA polls students on semester length change

By Rachel Bonar The Standard

The Student Government Association is encouraging the student body to participate in its poll regarding the length of the academic semester. Results of this poll will be included in discussions on possible changes to next year’s academic calendar.

“We are currently trying to understand how students feel about the length of the semester,” said Jacob Swett, student body president. “The current semester is 16 weeks. We are currently trying to understand if students like that: if they want something longer or if they would want something

shorter.”

If the student body opinion shows that a change in semester length is in favor, many flexible opportunities are available. Breaks could be moved around to benefit students, instruction time for the semester could be shortened or everything could remain exactly as it is, according to Swett.

Changing the semester length could also provide an upper hand to graduating students, Swett said.

“Sometimes, if our semester length is longer than the schools around us, when our students graduate lots of jobs are already taken,” he said.

If polls show students favor change, tuition will not be altered, he said.

Administration stays prepared for wild weather, wet terrain

Student safety is primary concern as downpours soak campus infrastructure

By Damien M. DiPlacido The Standard

Devastating weather during this year’s tornado season has accounted for the deaths of more than 300 people in the United States, mostly in the South.

Though nowhere near as bad as the havoc unleashed on Alabama, Springfield has recently seen some wicked weather of its own.

Last week alone, Missouri State’s campus was drenched with nearly four days of continuous storms and rainfall.

Bob Eckels, director of the Facilities Management, runs a crew that he says is always prepared for the worst.

“Our most immediate concern, of course, is the safety of all the people on campus,” Eckels said. “We’re always thinking about catastrophic things that could happen and how we would respond to them. We can’t always hit the mark on what could occur, but we always want to be prepared.”

Missouri State’s Facilities Management works in conjunction with the Safety and Transportation Department to undergo training and conduct severe weather tests, Eckels said.

“We perform tornado drills coordinated with the state exercises,” Eckels said. “We also have emergency opera-

“Essentially, you will still pay the same but may have less (classtime),” Swett said. “Some people may view that as, ‘We are paying the same amount for less.’ But others will view it as, ‘I think we could get as much instruction in 15 weeks and then get a week off’.”

The poll will be available until May 6 on the SGA website, and Swett encourages the student body to participate.

“I encourage students to just go through the poll and give us their honest answers,” he said. “Take some time to do it.

Some of the questions have some room for writing to put some thoughtful insight into that area. The more input we get from students, the better recommendation we can make overall and the better we can serve all students.”

tion centers so we know where we would bring key people to address such things, like if we had something as awful as what recently hit Alabama.”

Aside from possible tornadoes, Eckels and Facility Management, have their hands full, dealing with flooding and building leak protection. Rooftop inspections of all the buildings on campus are standard for the maintenance crew, he said.

“Over the years, we’ve looked at roofs and said, ‘Well, that needs to be replaced,’” Eckels said. “Technology has advanced to where we have made use of flyovers with helicopters that do infrared testing of roofs. We can find out where there’s moisture and if the integrity of the roof has been compromised.”

In regards to an overabundance of surface water, Missouri State’s underground tunnel system is lined with drain tile that collects water and diverts it to sump pumps. The pumps then send the water into the city’s sewer system, Eckels said.

“We’re going to tie some storm sewers into the area that goes past the fountain,” he said. “That will improve the whole area; drying it out and keeping the water going where it should.”

To most students, walking around with wet clothes, shoes and a soaked book bag is just a minor inconvenience.

Shiloh Peters, a senior English major, tried to take the good with the bad during last week’s downpour.

“I was walking out of the parking lot

by Cheek Hall and sank my boot into a giant mud puddle,” Peters said. “I just kept going across the street and rinsed Josh Campbell/THE STANDARD my boot off in another deep puddle that was pretty unavoidable. Sometimes After the four days of rain over Springfield last week, much of the city as well as the that’s all you can do.”

Missouri State campus flooded.

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Energy

Market

Continued from page 8

Continued from page 4

a quick pick-up basketball game — can do wonders for the mind.”

Try to eat foods with value to them, Allen said.

“Another way to stay energized is to eat foods that will help you feel full,” she said. “Examples include a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or cheese and crackers. The ideal snack (combines) both carbohydrates and protein. The carbs and proteins in these foods will keep your sugar levels steady. Avoid highsugar snacks.”

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

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munity group is welcome to join in the planning, development and implementation of the market. We would also like to work with the Greater Springfield Farmers Market, which is slated to move downtown this fall,” Flatness said.

Flatness stressed the importance of eating locally.

“I believe that it is important to support local producers and businesses because we are helping our local economy and giving back to the community. It also cuts fuel costs and usage and promotes healthy eating.”

In addition to promoting healthy eating and helping local economies, Flatness stressed the importance of community and why students at Missouri State should care about the market and the things it has to

offer.

“Community is so important. Communities support schools and students by donating time and money to give students a better education, more opportunities and resources to help us in the future. As students, we are also a part of the community and should work together to make our community a place we value and want to live.”

Flatness explained that the existence of the market would not cost students any money unless they purchase items from the vendors.

Flatness added that it is the hope of the SGA sustainability members that the market be opened by the fall, but that there are a lot of various approvals that must be gained before the market can become official.

Fortunately, the campus garden has recently become officially funded.

If you want to get involved in the creation of the market, contact Lanae Flatness at lanae5@live.missouristate.edu

While you wait for the veggies in the campus garden to grow and the Missouri State farmers market to take off, don’t forget about Springfield farmers markets this summer.

C-Street Market May 14 through Oct. 1, Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

321 E. Commercial St. at the Jefferson Avenue bridge. Find it at the intersection Jefferson Avenue and Commercial Street.

Eastland Farmers Market Open year round, Wednesdays through Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

1835 E. St. Louis St. This market is slightly east of Glenstone Avenue.

Friday Night Farmers Market May - October, Fridays 6 to 9 p.m.

Park Central Square downtown.

Greater Springfield Farmers Market April 11 - Oct. 31,Tuesdays and Thursdays, Saturdays 8:30 a.m.

The parking lot of Battlefield Mall at the intersection of Sunset Street and Glenstone Avenue.

Southwest Farmers Market Wednesdays 3 - 7 p.m. and Saturdays 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Glenstone Avenue, shortly before reaching Chestnut Expressway in the Great Southern Bank Operations Center parking lot.

Last Weekʼs Sudoku Answers

836-5524 l the-standard.org l standard@missouristate.edu

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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

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News 11

‘Fast Five’ fuels feverish franchise

Fast cars, pretty people and The Rock. Summer movie season has officially begun, and I Karman must say, it’s starting off on a Bowers great foot.

In “Fast Five,” Brian Movie O’Conner (Paul Walker) and Reviewer Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) have broken Dominique Toretto (Vin Diesel) out of prison and are on the run in Brazil. Soon, the biggest job of their lives falls into their laps and they assemble the best team possible. The biggest threat standing in their way is Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), a special agent hot on their trail.

As you may imagine, “Fast Five” is going to be exactly

what you expect it to be. But it’s so much fun, and this is coming from someone who was disappointed in the last one.

I didn’t expect much going into this film, but I was pleasantly surprised. I found myself relaxing and just letting myself go for the ride. I enjoyed the cars, the people and even some of the lame jokes.

The plot was comprehensible a bit predictable, but it was able to surprise me a couple of times. It was also believable.

The actions seemed justified, and you could believe the motivations of the characters.

In a film all about how fast and awesome these cars are, it was actually kind of nice to have a story. Yes, it really is all about the cars, but “Fast Five” wasn’t full of nonsensical drag races in the back alleys. The uses of the cars fit well into the story line.

The cars were nice. They looked nice and sounded nice. It

wasn’t full of ridiculous, NOS-filled, tool-driven cars either.

Car snobs will not be disappointed.

For a movie that is the fifth in the franchise, “Fast Five” did a fantastic job of revitalizing the vibe of the films. It was the same old fast and furious film, but it pulled everything together to create a good movie.

OK, so it’s not going to win any awards or go down in the history books as great cinema, but it’s not supposed to. “Fast Five” is everything it should be. It’s a car movie full of pretty people driving really fast cars and stealing bad people’s money. It’s kind of like a modern, petroleum-fueled Robin Hood.

All in all, it’s fun. Go in expecting a joy ride and you’ll get one. Besides, who doesn’t want to see Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson (The Rock, in case you’re behind on the times) duke it out?

Professor fights illnesses, finds support in classroom, community

By Nick Simpson The Standard

As often as you pass through a classroom each semester, it’s easy to forget each instructor has a story to tell. For some, that story can be quite compelling, as with English Department veteran Tita Baumlin.

Baumlin has taught literature at Missouri State for more

than 20 years and has instilled in her students her love of language — a love that has affected her life almost entirely.

“I believe I was in about fifth grade,” she said. “My brother, who was older than I, was in middle school reading Julius Caesar and was coming home and talking about Shakespeare.

I was very interested and decided I was going to read Shakespeare on my own. I got a book, and the first thing I opened to was ‘Titus Andronicus,’ and I read that. I didn’t understand

any of the terrible violence in it, of course, but I read it nevertheless. I would say that was really my first major attachment to the written word.”

Baumlin received her bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, her master’s degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and her doctorate’s See PROF. page 13

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News

Cofer Continued from page 1

quickly. Soon after, we began developing a budget for the coming fiscal year. In both cases, strategic plan and budget, Cofer used a process that involved many people from across the university.”

According to Bradbury, involving a lot of people in those processes can be complicated, but it increases the quality of the outcome.

Another strength Cofer has shown this year is the commitment to the students, Bradbury said.

“Here’s a second area of tremendous strength for both Dr. and Mrs. Cofer: their commitment to our students,” Bradbury said. “They are both extremely accessible and committed to student success. You see them frequently in the dining halls, and of course, they lived in Sunvilla (Tower) until March.

They attend and support all kinds of athletic events, academic events, cultural events — they do it all. Dr. and Mrs. Cofer make student success the central focus of

their work. I believe we are very fortunate to have them.”

Students who work with Cofer feel that he has shown dedication and commitment to the school.

“I think that his first year went well,” said Jacob Swett, student body president. “Coming into an institution this size, there is a lot to learn. There is learning the feel to this institution; there is (learning) how all the different constituencies respond, whether it be faculty, staff, students or administration.

He has done a lot to do what’s best for all the constituencies, including the students.”

Swett said the only thing that put Cofer at a disadvantage was the fact that he was new.

“I think the one weakness, which was inherent with being a new president, and that was just not knowing as much,” he said. “I think he did as much as he could in trying to overcome that. In being the president, you need to know the alumni. You have to know the administrators. You have to learn how all the processes work. You have to cultivate relationships with the board members. You have to have a relationship with the state and the governor and all the stuff

The Standard

like that.”

Along with the slight disadvantage of being new to campus, impatience was also a weakness, Cofer said.

“You always have to have some weaknesses,” Cofer said. “I tend to get impatient. I think that I am ready to do things before other people are ready to do them. I pull back from time to time. I am a very goal-oriented and action-oriented person. I am looking several years ahead, trying to get there, and I really do need to pull that back.”

Despite the taboo of being a new president on campus and some bouts of impatience, Cofer has followed through with his mentality of “students first,”said Scott Turk, student body president-elect.

“Dr. Cofer definitely showed his passion for students through his work during his first year at MSU,” Turk said. “During a very economically challenging time when budget cuts were inevitable, Dr. Cofer assured (he would not) merely throw the cost onto the students. He instead looked to reach a compromise of raising tuition and having university departments

make budget cuts as well. Dr. Cofer has also shown his interest in the students by attending multiple athletic events, speaking at organizational meetings, and eating dinner with his wife, Deborah, in the dining centers. Having Dr. Cofer’s mentality of ‘students first’ is something that I very much appreciate.”

Within the next school year, Cofer said he plans to continue to listen to what people want and to keep students in mind.

“We are still going to do the listening,” Cofer said. “(In the next year) I want to meet some more faculty. I want to make sure that I know what they are doing and that they understand what I’m doing.

From an academic standpoint, we will continue to look at the core curriculum. We will continue to look at the budget and maybe even modify the budget system to take the best parts of what we have now and the best parts of other systems so that we have a good budget system. I think if we look at the core curriculum and the budget system, and we get to know the culture and people a little bit better, I think that’s what we are looking at next year.”

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Mortenson Continued from page 2

visited MSU, and Current said he was extremely pleasant throughout the evening.

“I got to have dinner with him and sat fairly closely to him during the evening. He was a very, very nice man,” she said.

“I sat and talked to him about his son and his family. So it’s kind of weird now to think that this man could possibly be embezzling all this money and using it incorrectly.”

To find out more information about the Central Asia Institute and Mortenson’s involvement with the organization, visit their website at https://www.ikat.org.

To watch the “60 Minutes” interview in full, visit http://www.cbsnews.com.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The Standard

Baumlin Continued from page 11

degree back at Texas Christian University.

Baumlin said although she had a love for the theater in college, she found her true calling in the English language and has stood behind it ever since.

“I took creative writing classes a lot, and a lot of literature classes, and loved them,” she said. “And then I became an English major and used my theater credits to complete a theater minor. When I took my bachelor’s degree, I just loved school so much that I couldn’t imagine not being there. So after I took my degree, it was just a natural thing just to go on to graduate school.”

She said teaching was something she never expected to care for until she had to do it for the first time.

“I realized literature was an equally fascinating area for me,” she said. “It’s only recently that I’ve gone back into writing fiction. After my master’s degree, I still wanted to stay in school, so I went into doctoral study. At that level, they put me in the classroom to teach. I never realized I would want to be a teacher until I had to do it, and I really loved it.”

Baumlin came to teach at SMSU, as it was then called in the fall of 1989, with her husband James Baumlin after a long search for tenure tracks at various schools in Texas.

“It seems like yesterday to me,” she said. “In retrospect, I’m glad it didn’t happen that way because it brought us here. And this has been just wonderful. I love the Ozarks. There’s something about the land here that I’m really tied to. I’ve a lot of friends in Texas. My parents have passed away, but Texas is not my home anymore: It’s Springfield.”

She said although she teaches and has taught many courses over the years here at MSU, it is difficult for her to single out one in particular as being her favorite.

“At this stage in my career, I finally discovered some

Leonard Continued from page 6

2010-2011 season ended, his phone started blowing up.

“I was mostly coaching teams, but then parents starting calling me about giving their kids one-on-one workouts,” he says. “Now it seems like I get at least a call a day from someone wanting me to help coach a team or give their son a workout.”

Thursday night, Leonard coached his second grade team, also known as the Bears, at The Courts E-Zone off of Kearney Street. Attorney Brett Roubal was there to watch his son Quinn play. “(Quinn) loves Adam,” Roubal says. “He was his favorite player to watch when the Bears played. I think the best thing about having Adam as a coach is that the kids actually listen to

him. They actually know who he is, so they respect him.”

Leonard says he tries to teach the kids how basketball can help them, even off the court.

“My primary goal is to show these kids how the stuff they learn here can help them throughout life,” Leonard says. “It’s not just about teaching these kids basketball. If they’re not listening or paying attention, I’ll make them run. It teaches them focus and how you have to work hard to get where you want to be.”

Tim O’Reilly, who was also at the game and coached the second grade team during the winter season, says he’s known Leonard for a while and really admires what Adam is doing.

“Having the kids get to play and be coached by a star right out of college like Adam is incredible,” O’Reil-

years ago that I don’t teach subjects, I don’t teach literature. I teach students, and every class I teach is full of people who delight me, and so I don’t have favorites anymore,” she said. “People ask me what my favorite Shakespeare play is, and it’s usually whichever one I’m teaching at the moment. It’s the same with my classes. Whichever one I’m teaching at the moment is my favorite. The material will yield itself if you open it up with that intent to give of the depth and joy and wonder of literature.”

But along with her success as a teacher and writer, Baumlin has been met with some unusual health conditions that have very nearly cost her her life and career.

“In 2003, I began to develop conditions that were connected to immune system malfunctions,” she said. “I was being tested for digestive problems when, in the process of getting the blood test done, I was exposed to chicken pox. I knew I’d never had chicken pox, but the doctors would never give me the vaccine because they said that surely I had already had it.

“It was then found that I had Celiac disease, a disorder of the small intestine,” she said. “It has to do with an autoimmune response within the small intestine to certain grains — wheat and other glutens. So I went on a glutenfree diet and some other things to get straightened out in the beginning, but it frightened me.”

But Baumlin said the trouble didn’t stop there. In fact, her health was just beginning its deterioration.

“Several other things started happening at that time that were very unusual in my health, and it seemed like I just crashed,” she said. “Jim was experiencing some health problems but not quite as drastic as mine. And we were both going to the same doctor, who happened to be reading a book about black mold. And while he was reading this book, he said he suddenly saw our faces come out of the book at him and was sure that, between the two of us, we had all of these symptoms listed for mold toxicity.”

She said that, although measures were taken to rid their habitat of black mold, new problems were just beginning to surface. Baumlin contracted Lyme disease and, unlike ly says. “The kids got to see him light it up on the court at MSU. Now they get to take in all that experience and inspiration he brings to the court.”

Leonard says he sees himself in some of these players.

“Luke Thomas, a kid I’m working with who plays at Kickapoo in ninth grade, really reminds me of how I was when I was his age,” Leonard says. “He’s got good ball skills, and I’m working on his 3-point shot. It’s cool to help a kid out like that.”

Coaching wasn’t on Leonard’s off-season checklist, but now that he’s gotten fully involved with it, he says it’s something he plans on doing for a long time.

“I like coaching kids,” Leonard says. “I’ve got a niece and nephew who I’ve been working with lately as well. I think I have just about as much fun coaching them as they do playing.”

in most cases, her immune system wasn’t strong enough to reject it.

“I’d had the Lyme disease probably as long as I’d had the mold reactions,” she said. “It was too late to really do any good with antibiotics in the conventional sense, and at that time they really didn’t know what to do for me.“ Since then, Baumlin has developed fibromyalgia and nearly died from three blood clots in her left lung, which was caused by the mold.

But in her time of turmoil, Baumlin said she has found several things in her life that give her the hope and strength to carry on with her life.

“There’s a book called ‘How to Be Sick’ by Toni Bernhard,” she said. “It’s an uplifting book about how to learn to deal with illness and have a life anyway. She has a blog, and I’ve gotten to know several people through that. So that and prayer and trying to be grateful for what I do have in my life have helped. I’m grateful for the love and patience of my students who have been so kind to me.

Without that, I couldn’t continue teaching because I am not anywhere near the teacher I used to be as far as the practical elements go.”

She said the campus community has also been a great help in ensuring her health problems won’t get in the way of the work she must do.

“The administrative help in our department office has been very kind in getting me in one room for all of my assignments and helping me in that way with getting my movements to a minimum,” she said. “I remember one semester when I was having to go between buildings between classes and thought I would die. I literally sat down and cried.”

But Baumlin said, above all else, her love for her students has kept her spirits the brightest.

“I love the students,” she said. “Some come from families where they are the first person in the family to go to college. People come here with a respect for education and an eagerness to learn, and I love that. I love the students here, and I have for 20 years.”

Kendrick Continued from page 6

News 13

After he had recovered, Kendrick wanted to get back into baseball.

Fort Scott pulled his scholarship, so he moved on. Drury was interested, but they went a different route.

Eventually Kendrick went to Ozarks Technical Community College to get his core classes out of the way before enrolling at MSU. “I worked out, hoping that I could come over here and try out,” Kendrick said. “Then I found out about the club baseball team and started playing for them.”

His teammates are glad he made that choice.

“If he’s not the best player on our team, he’s

definitely one of the top two or three,” said Scott Butler, president of the club baseball team. “He’s an excellent defender.

He’s a team leader, and he does everything you ask of him.”

In addition to his stellar play, Kendrick also brings a different perspective to the team.

“He’s been to the lowest of the lows,” Butler said. “So now he knows that there are more important things in life than maybe losing a baseball game or making an error.”

That’s easy to say when, like Kendrick, you haven’t committed an error all season. But the biggest error that Kendrick could have made would have been not telling his doctor what he found back in 2004, and he is making sure that other people do the same.

He speaks to Parkview’s athletic teams and the boy’s chorus class every year and has spoken at their Relay for Life rally. In addition, he said he has spoken with countless students one-on-one about his struggles and how he overcame them.

“He obviously fought it hard and never gave up,” said Mike Runnels, a junior at Missouri State who played baseball with Kendrick at Parkview and has heard him speak.

“He’s the type of person who never gets down on life. He always sees the positives in things.”

Kendrick said he tells the people he talks to not to be ashamed to tell their parents what they find.

Kendrick found his cancer early, and that saved his life. Now he is busy making sure he gets the most out of that life he saved.

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