April 2005
Residence Hall Groundbreaking All Sunshine and Smiles
CapSim Winner Announced
Forensics and Debate Team Shines as National Tournament Host
Human Resources Corner
St. Louis Calendar Highlight
Employees of the Month
Kampus Kudos
Service Anniversaries
New Employees
Condolences
Residence Hall Groundbreaking All Sunshine and Smiles
A festive atmosphere prevailed on April 21 at the official groundbreaking ceremony for the University's new residence halls. Bright yellow commemorative hardhats topped nearly every head as several hundred students, faculty, staff and guests gathered to mark the occasion. The residence halls, which will house 340 students and are expected to be ready for occupancy by Fall 2006, will be located just south of the Webster Village Apartments.
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| SGA reps and the Gorlok ride to the festivities. |
Equally enthusiastic were the student members of the Residence Hall Association (RHA). Annie Hafner, a junior majoring in public relations, said, "This is a very important day for everyone in the Webster University community—including students, faculty and staff—because it marks a milestone in the planning of our University's future." Daniel Goins, a freshman in media communications, agreed. "The new dorms will increase student life on campus," he said. "It's a good thing for Webster, and I'm proud of it."
Enjoying the scene was Brian Kennelly, chair, International Languages and Cultures, who said the new apartments have the potential to bring more of a college-campus feel to the University. "As a faculty member, I'm very excited about that because it will better allow us to take learning outside the classroom and onto the college campus," he added.
President Richard Meyers's arrival to the staging area—via cement truck—created amusement in the crowd. Master of ceremonies John Buck, acting assistant dean, Housing and Residential Life, introduced Meyers, who said a groundbreaking is the second most wonderful event in a university president's life. He said the first is the actual sound of bulldozers, jackhammers, etc., or "the cadence of construction," which is music to his ears. Meyers thanked everyone who helped to make the day a reality, including board chairman Ed Glotzbach, who said that after his 10 years on the board, the day was "a dream come true."
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| Deborah Dey, Reba Snavely, Phil Eckelkamp, President Meyers, Ed Glotzbach and Kate Carter break ground for the new dorms. |
SGA president Phil Eckelkamp emphasized that many people were involved in making the dream a reality. "Residence halls bring students together in a way that nothing else does," he said. "It's the idea that everyone who comes deserves a place."
Paric president and University trustee, Joe McKee, brought the proceedings to a close by presenting a mounted commemorative shovel to Meyers and Glotzbach. Following that, 16 guests picked up their shovels and symbolically turned the soil. The crowd then dispersed to enjoy sack lunches provided for the occasion.
Invited guests and Webster colleagues who participated in the ceremonies also included: Gerry Welch, mayor of Webster Groves; John Guenther, architect with Mackey Mitchell; Michelle Price, president of the alumni association; Katherine Carter, incoming president of the Apartment Association; Ted Hoef, associate vice president and dean of students; and members of the administrative council: Jim Brasfield, president, Faculty Senate; Deborah Dey, vice president, Students and Enrollment Management; Dave Garafola, vice president, Finance; Neil George, executive vice president and vice president, Academic Affairs; Larry Haffner, vice president, Information Technology; and Karen Luebbert, vice president and executive assistant to the president, Executive Office.
CapSim Winner Announced
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| Dean Benjamin Akande awards the CapSim trophy to Daniel Hu (on left) and Mark Hu (on right). |
And the winner of the Capstone Simulation competition and $10,000 first prize is...the team of Mark Hu and Daniel Hu, unrelated MBA graduates of Webster's Shanghai, China, campus. The winning pair received their award from Benjamin Akande, dean, School of Business & Technology, at a special ceremony in Shanghai on April 26. Also attending the ceremony was the second-place winner, Yasen Li, another Shanghai campus graduate. Third place went to Kellye Mitchell and Tanya Copeland, MBA graduates of Webster's Jacksonville, Fla. campus.
"We are extremely proud of these champions and all of the teams that participated in this competition," Akande said at the ceremony. "They have demonstrated a mastery of the management concepts we teach and the ability to translate those concepts into successful business strategies."
The virtual business simulation contest, which began Feb. 7 and ended April 15, engaged 113 teams from 16 states and 10 foreign countries, including Canada, China, Austria, Hungary, India, Nepal, Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland and Turkey. The $10,000 cash prize was provided by World Wide Technology, Inc., a St. Louis-based information technology firm. The winners, who work for MNC, a multinational mobile communications company, plan to use part of their prize money to travel and invest the remainder.
The Capstone Business Simulation software program used for the competition has been successfully used for the past two years as part of the MBA capstone course, Business Policies and Strategies (BUSN 6200). Using the program, business students compete with each other, running virtual $100 million companies in head-to-head competition. To be successful, they must integrate a number of critical business activities; including strategy, research and development, marketing, production, labor relations, finance and process management. The winning team's virtual firm generated $343 million in sales and $167 million in profits.
"This competition is an outstanding way for business school students and graduates to test their skills against global competition, just as they will have to do in the real world of the 21st century," said Dan Smith, president of Management Simulations, Inc.
Forensics and Debate Team Shines as National Tournament Host
by Dominik Jansky, Contributing Writer
Those who were around the St. Louis campus over Spring Break might have noticed things weren't as quiet as one might expect. On many corners of the campus, one could overhear some heated yet well-intentioned debating. Yet the ruckus wasn't quarrelling—it was the sounds of a national event that capped another impressive year for Webster's Forensics and Debate team.The Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament and Convention—the biggest tournament for the largest, oldest national speech and debate honorary in the country—took place at the St. Louis campus March 17-19. The tourney featured 650 competitors from 28 states, including 12 Webster students.
Webster's team finished fourth overall out of 72 schools—an outstanding finish, especially considering this year's team was much less experienced than the team that finished second in the tournament two years ago. "That 2003 team had mostly seniors," said assistant forensics and debate director Gina Jensen. "But this year we only had two seniors. The rest of the team was very young, but it's been exciting to see them learn and grow so much since the beginning of the year. We can only imagine how well they'll do next year."
Yet the team's performance was only one reason the tournament can be considered an unqualified success. The event served as a showcase of Webster University for students and academics from across the country.
"I heard from a number of coaches and students that this was the best national tournament that they can remember," said forensics and debate director Scott Jensen.
"People had a good time," said assistant coach Tom Serfass. "I think everyone was very impressed with Webster."
Gina Jensen was the tournament's local host, while Scott Jensen served as the national tournament director. Besides the Jensens, Serfass and their 12 student competitors, 20 more students and eight alumni rounded out a support team that was helped immensely by the open arms extended by other Webster employees.
"This would not have happened if we didn't have phenomenal campus support," Scott Jensen said. "At one point we used every room available to us on campus. The list of people who helped is a mile long. From giving us giveaways to lending us department conference rooms, everyone we approached for something helped us out. It was really a campus-wide effort."
The tournament was part of a steady expansion of the forensics program since the Jensens took it over in Fall 1997. As the team has continued to grow, it has drawn student competitors from all five colleges and schools. Students range from art and film majors to journalism, philosophy, education, math and business. "That's one of the things we're most proud of," Gina Jensen said, "the fact that we're serving the entire university."
Forensics is "a wonderful opportunity for people to become less reticent with public speaking and gain confidence," said Serfass. "It's chance to learn skills that will only help you in the future."
The team is already looking forward to next year's events, though their load is lightened considerably without having to prepare to host the national tournament. As it has every year since 1997, the British National Team will visit campus in the fall for a demonstration of debate techniques and skills. And Webster's team will travel to tournaments around Missouri, as well as Tennessee, Louisiana and Oklahoma. They will also try to qualify several students for at-large invitational tournaments around the country.
"We're optimistic," said Scott Jensen. "We have a good core coming back who spent this year learning and honing some basic skills, so we think next year will be their year to really peak."
Long Term Care Insurance Program
Webster has a long term care insurance program available to full-time employees-and their spouses, parents, grandparents and in-laws-through the UNUM Life Insurance Co. of America. Long-term care isn't just for the elderly who need nursing home or in-home care. Assistance is provided to those of any age who are faced with an illness or accident requiring long-term care in a facility or in-home.
- You can sign up at any time, not just during open enrollment.
- If you sign up when first hired, you will avoid going through the process of medical underwriting and evaluation before acceptance.
- Your premium is based on your insurance age, so the younger you are when you sign up, the lower it will be-and it will never go up.
- Premiums are paid through bi-weekly payroll deduction for employees and direct billing for relatives.
- The average bi-weekly cost for a 50-year-old ranges from $5.72 to $12.46, depending on the type and amount of coverage chosen.
- The plan is "portable," meaning that you can continue to participate through direct pay, even if you retire or leave the university for another position.
"We put this plan in place because we know people are living longer," says Julie Dreiling, human resources coordinator. "We know there are employees who are taking care of their children, while also taking care of their parents, so they are more aware that this type of insurance is needed." At the present time, Medicare does not pay for long term care, she adds.
Dreiling says that Webster's plan is an excellent one, and she encourages employees to do some comparison shopping. "If you find another plan out there that's better, we certainly want to know because we want to make our plan the best."
For more information about the program, contact Gloria Barbre, benefit representative, ext. 6961, or email barbregj@webster.edu.
St. Louis Calendar Highlights
Community Music School of Webster University Anniversary Events
Location for all events: E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall, 560 Trinity Ave., University City, Mo. 63130 |
| Mary Lou Gotman, CMS String Orchestra founding conductor. |
Sun., May 1, 3 p.m.
Admission is free.
The CMS String Orchestra and String Training Ensemble present a concert to celebrate the 25th anniversary of both orchestras. Mary Lou Gotman is the founding conductor of the String Orchestra, which is comprised of students age nine and above. The String Training Ensemble was formed for string musicians age seven and above.
Pre-College Music Preparatory Program Recital
Sun., May 1, 7 p.m.
Admission is free.
The recital will feature entrants in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, to be held at the University of Notre Dame on May 6-8. The concert will feature chamber music standards and unique pieces.
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| Cellist Leslie Parnas will perform at CMS 80th Anniversary Benefit Concert. |
Sat., May 7, 7 p.m.
Admission is $15.
Concert will feature internationally renowned cellist and CMS alumnus Leslie Parnas and CMS piano faculty member Seth Carlin.
Young People's Orchestras' Joint ConcertSun., May 22, 3 p.m.
Admission is free.
CMS Young People's Symphonic Orchestra and Young People's Concert Orchestras perform a joint concert celebrating their 25-year history.
For more information about any of these events, contact Julie Walbridge at (314) 961-2660, ext. 4448, or email walbridg@webster.edu.
Employees of the Month
April 2005 Spotlight Award
From Robyn Gaeta, Student Editorial Assistant
Julie Nestl, academic coordinator, Vienna, and Valeri Bush-Reynolds, accounting assistant, Business Office, share the Employee Spotlight Award honors for April.
Julie Nestl's nominator says her work is consistently exceptional, and praises her initiative in improving departmental procedures. The nominator adds that Nestl takes on projects above and beyond her regular job responsibilities, such as redesigning the Faculty Handbook and streamlining procedures for proctoring make-up exams for students.
Nestl, who has worked at Webster Vienna for nearly six years, says she was elated when she heard she had won the Employee Spotlight Award. "On behalf of the nuts and bolts, it's very rewarding to be recognized as part of the engine that drives Webster Worldwide toward success," Nestl says.
Nestl says her colleagues make her experience at Webster a pleasurable one, citing the many friendships she's made over the years among staff and faculty members. "Furthermore, the community is very international, which certainly adds a lot of sparkle to the work environment," she adds. Nestl completed her master's degree in International Relations at the Vienna campus in 2002.
Nestl chose a day off with pay as her prize.
Valeri Bush-Reynolds' nominator says Bush-Reynolds played an instrumental role in nationwide personnel training on a new third-party billing system that was implemented last spring. "Valeri stepped up to the plate and delivered the hands-on training required for this project to be a success," her nominator says. Bush-Reynolds' nominator says that her professionalism and patience helped make the transition a smooth one.
Bush-Reynolds has worked for Webster since last July. "I wasn't expecting it," she says about winning the Employee Spotlight Award. "It's an honor-I think it's neat that somebody appreciates everything I do."
Bush-Reynolds also appreciates her co-workers, saying they make working at Webster enjoyable. "I like our business office staff-I like everybody in our office," she says.
Bush-Reynolds chose a $100 savings bond as her prize.
Employees everywhere are eligible for the monthly Employee Spotlight Award. Using the nomination form is easy!
Editor’s Note: Each issue of Inside Webster includes 10 Kampus Kudos listings, which appear in the publication in the order they are received by the Office of Marketing & Communications. If your information is not in this issue, it will appear in a future issue.
Gina Jensen, assistant director, Forensics and Debate, School of Communications, served as host of the Pi Kappa Delta (PKD) National Tournament and Convention in March and received a PKD Presidential Service Award for service.
Scott Jensen, associate professor and director, Forensics and Debate, School of Communications, was the national tournament director of the Pi Kappa Delta (PKD) National Tournament and Convention held in March and received a PKD Presidential Service Award for service.
Carolyn Cottrell, regional director, Kansas City, was selected to present "Ten Brain-Compatible Teaching Strategies for the College Classroom" at the second annual Learning Professor Conference in Schaumburg, Ill., in May. Cottrell will also present a session on "The Brain-Compatible Workplace" to Kansas City Power and Light managers and employees in June.
Bill Barrett, chair and professor, Electronic and Photographic Media, assumed office as president of the Photo Imaging Education Association. The organization serves as an international trade association for the changing needs of the expanding photo imaging industry with more than 20,000 members in over 100 countries.
Barry Hufker, associate professor, Electronic and Photographic Media, recorded the Gateway Men's Chorus in the production of "Lovin' That Man of Mine," performed at the Casa Loma Ballroom in South St. Louis. He also recorded "Sweet and Low," performed at Grace United Methodist Church by the St. Louis Chamber Chorus. In addition, Hufker recorded pianist Hye-Bin Song's recital at Maryville University.
Margaret Ridings, faculty coordinator, Memphis Naval Supply Activity, received the Personnel Achievement Award for her "distinguished human resources management career" from the Tennessee Personal Management Association. Ridings also served as a member of the Annual Federal Executive Association (FEA) of the Employees of the Year Awards selection committee.
Bert Barry, director, English as a Second Language (ESL), International Services, will have new poems published in upcoming issues of Bellowing Ark and The California Quarterly. Barry will also be the Curriculum Chairperson for the third NAFSA Academy for International Education, funded by the U.S. Department of State, with a mission to train newcomers to the field of international education. In addition, Barry served as a member of the Academic Review Team for the ESL program at Columbia College.
Gwyneth Williams, professor, History, Politics and International Relations, published the article, "Looking at Joint Custody Through the Language and Attitudes of Attorneys," in the Justice System Journal 26, no. 1 (2005). The article examines the attitudes of family law attorneys toward joint custody of children following divorce. The Justice System Journal is a peer-reviewed journal aimed at both scholars and practitioners in the field of judicial administration.
Rebecca Ormond, professor, Electronic and Photographic Media, completed a short 35mm film last year titled "All Fall Down," which many students worked on as part of their Independent Film Production class. The film has played at the St. Louis International Film Festival, won Best Narrative at the Humboldt Film Festival, Best Short at the Arizona International Film Festival and an honorable mention at the Rochester International Film Festival. The film will play at several film festivals across the nation this spring.
Keep us posted on your professional activities and send us your story ideas by completing the UFO form.
Service Anniversaries
The University extends its appreciation to the following individuals who have served the institution for many years:
April 2005
Pam Miller, coordinator, Information Technology, 15 years
David Ramey, assistant director, Great Lakes Naval Base, Ill., 10 years
Marsha Rau, department assistant, Jacksonville Metropolitan Campus, 10 years
Jane Guldner, service clerk, Registrar's Office, five years
Robert Hecht, computer coordinator, Orlando Metropolitan Campus, five years
Terri Lucas, assistant director, User Services, five years
Sue Palumbo, representative, Academic Advising Center, five years
Victoria Warren, representative, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., five years
New Employees
We extend warm welcome to the newest members of the Webster family:
Byron Young, general clerk, Pope Air Force Base, N.C., 910-436-0014 or speed dial #6 024, replaces Victor Latson.
Mary Brodersen, representative, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., 913-758-0053 or speed dial #6 107, replaces Denise Wharton.
Maria Webster, communications dispatcher, Public Safety, 314-961-2660, ext. 6900, replaces Mary Ayres.
Arthur Jones II, public safety officer, Public Safety, 314-961-2660, ext. 7430, replaces Robin Taylor.
Birgit Gatlin, department associate, Fort Irwin, Ca., 760-386-7989 or speed dial # 096, replaces Lea Woodward.
Monique Brown, department assistant, Fort Stewart, Ga., 912-876-8080 or speed dial #6 092, replaces Andrea Fitzgerald.
Mary West, service clerk, Fort Sam Houston, Tex., 210-226-3373 or speed dial #6 027, replaces Shanetta Cross.
To learn more about job opportunities at Webster, go to the Human Resources Jobs site.
Condolences
The University extends its sympathy to the family, friends and co-workers of Bronwyn Mitterecker, community and alumni relations coordinator, Vienna campus; and to Chris Kemmerer, institutional research coordinator, Executive Office, on the loss of her mother.
Inside Webster is published for
Webster University faculty and staff.
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Human Resources
Student Editorial Assistants
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© 2005, Webster University