Administration

Communications

Criminal Justice and Business Departments Sponsor Interactive Murder Mystery for Local High School Students
Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Culver-Stockton College is hosting the Merber Mystery Day, Thursday, Oct. 18, for more than 165 students from schools all over the area. In this interactive murder/suicide whodunit, a corporate whistleblower is found dead and the students need to assess the crime scene, interview the witnesses and get the evidence to the pathologist. The entire campus is getting into the act for this event that runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Even Richard Valentine, president of the college, will be playing a character role in this mystery.

Students will break into groups of 4-6 and go around campus to gather evidence to arrive at their own conclusion. There are seven scenes that each group will visit to ask questions, take photos and gather evidence. The evidence provided will depend on the questions students ask. After seeing the crime scenes, students will decide if it was a murder or a suicide; if students decide it was a murder, they will name the suspect who committed the crime and if they decide it was a suicide, they need to determine the motive. At the end of the day, the groups will present their theories to a grand jury, which will then proceed to announce a verdict.

Schools from all over the area will be in attendance, including: Canton R-V, Clark County R-1, Palmyra, Illini West, Scotland County, Keokuk, Quincy High, Central High School (Camp Point, Ill.), Knox County, Beardstown and Rock Island High. “The Merber Murder Mystery Day will be an exciting, hands-on activity for visiting students that allows them to explore the campus while becoming immersed in a part of our experiential curriculum. The students will be challenged with sifting through evidence, managing the press, interviewing witnesses, and working within a team. We are very excited to share the day with these students,” says Dr. Kim Gaither, professor of business.

This exercise promotes a multitude of disciplines, especially the new forensic program at C-SC. Students will use skills taught by the criminal justice, business and communications divisions. Technology is also incorporated throughout, and each group will be provided with an iPad to gather evidence. This exercise is typical of the experiential education students receive at Culver-Stockton. Visitors also get to an inside view of the curriculum offered by Culver-Stockton. “The students will get hands on experience and the ability to interact with Culver-Stockton students in the Criminal Justice program as well as the Business Division. They will also get an upfront look at our new forensic programs,” says Judy Abbott, senior lecturer in criminal justice. “Culver-Stockton offers two forensic programs, forensic science and forensic accounting, as well as a full complement of business courses which will be highlighted during the student visit.”

The teachers who bring students will also have an opportunity to learn about experiential education. Dr. Dell Ann Janney, associated dean of experiential education and professor of accounting, will offer an educational seminar. The teacher and counselor seminar will focus on the benefits of experiential
education. Janney will share resources available through the National Society of Experiential Education, as well as the innovative and creative programming that Culver-Stockton offers through its unique 12/3 semester calendar.