Thursday, August 20, 2009

C-SC climbs six notches in U.S. News rankings
Culver-Stockton College has moved up again, tying for 30th in the list of Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the Midwest in the 2010 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report. C-SC has been ranked on the list of top Midwest baccalaureate colleges for four consecutive years and has moved up 18 positions in the past three years.The rankings will be published in the magazine's September 2009 issue, which is available on newsstands Monday, August 24. The annual rankings, based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, provide a resource for parents and students in the college search. The online issue of the magazine and a detailed explanation of the ranking methodology are available at www.usnews.com/colleges. Full story is available online.

All College Convocation to be held August 27
Culver-Stockton will hold the annual All College Convocation, Thursday, August 27, at 11:20 a.m. in the Alexander Campbell Auditorium. All students are expected to attend this event at which President Valentine will address the student body for the first time. After the ceremony, legacy students - those who have relatives who either have attended or are attending C-SC - are invited to take a group photo outside of the PAC in the circle drive area.

Mock dorm room burn stars in fire safety training
It took only five minutes for the fake dorm room that had been set up in the parking lot at Culver-Stockton College to be totally engulfed in flames and heavy black smoke. It was an important lesson in fire safety for the 25 residence hall directors and community assistants who are the "first line of defense," according to Canton Fire Chief Jeff McReynolds and C-SC Campus Safety Director Mike Bringer who put together a full day of fire safety training for students who work in the college's 12 residence halls and Greek houses. The city and college collaborated in the fire safety activities, which also included crawling into a smoke-filled room, climbing the ladder on the fire truck, donning heavy firefighter gear, "rescuing" a 165-pound mannequin, and putting out fires with fire extinguishers."The students who work in our residence facilities are important partners in preventing fires and in responding to them," Bringer said. "The campus safety and student life staff are in the residence halls frequently, but these students live there and they need to be able to identify fire hazards and respond quickly in emergencies." Read full story online.

C-SC to welcome new Wildcats with weekend of fun and learning
Culver-Stockton College welcomes new students to campus with a 4-day weekend of activities August 20-23. Students are moving into their residence halls, joining activities with other students, and officially becoming C-SC students in a bagpipe-led procession to sign the matriculation book. C-SC officially opens its first semester of the 2009-10 academic year when classes start Monday, August 24.Wildcat Welcome helps new students, both freshmen and transfers, with their transition to Culver-Stockton, said Wendy Powers, dean of student life. "Statistics show that the first few days on campus are the most important in building a bond between students and the college," she said. "The connections they make and their satisfaction with those first experiences are essential to helping them become successful college students." Wildcat Welcome 2009, with the theme "Packed with Pride," features special programs and activities that include a foam party, hypnotist, karaoke, inflatable bouncers, a pool party and a Greek life barbecue. More information is available online.

C-SC to host muralist for workshop and exhibit
Culver-Stockton College will host artwork by Kelly Mueller, August 27 through September 18 in the Mabee Art Gallery, located in the Herrick Foundation Center on the C-SC campus. The show will open with a reception Thursday, August 27, at 7 p.m. with a gallery talk at 7:30 p.m. in the Mabee Art Gallery. Mueller, who currently lives in New Orleans, La., earned her bachelor's degree and master's in fine arts at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Ill., and her master of art degree from Governors State University, University Park, Ill. Mueller has taught art at elementary, high school and college levels. She is a founding member and resident artist of the Greater New Orleans Artist's Mansion (GNOAM), which provides affordable housing to New Orleans-based artists. Mueller has taken part in several solo, two-person, three-person, and group exhibits and shows and has painted murals in several cities in Illinois and Louisiana. Mueller will share her experiences in a mural workshop being held for C-SC students on Friday, August 28, at 10 a.m. During the workshop, students will complete a mural in the campus restaurant, the Cat's Pause.

Two Steinway pianos donated by 1931 alumna
Culver-Stockton College received two Steinway pianos recently from the estate of C-SC alumna Dr. Rita J. Hutcherson, who died in Boca Raton, Fla., at the age of 100 last December. The two Steinway grand pianos were built in 1932 and 1963. In addition to donating the pianos, Hutcherson made arrangements for them to be safely relocated to the C-SC campus and named Culver-Stockton as one of four charities that will divide the residual of her estate. The pianos are now housed in the C-SC Performing Arts Center where they will be available to faculty and students. The full story is available online.

Eight athletic teams honored by NAIA
A total of eight Culver-Stockton College athletic teams received the NAIA Scholar Team Award for the 2008-09 academic year. A record number of 837 teams, a 12 percent increase over last year, received the award.Culver-Stockton was third in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) with eight teams, trailing only Lindenwood and Missouri Valley, who landed 10 teams on the list. Teams included on the list from Culver-Stockton were women's volleyball (3.40 gpa), men's golf (3.27), softball (3.25), women's golf (3.22), women's indoor track and field (3.19), women's outdoor track and field (3.19), women's soccer (3.03) and baseball (3.01). For a team to be considered for the NAIA Scholar Team award, they must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) as defined by the institution. The team grade point average must include all varsity athletes certified as eligible.

C-SC professor emeritus publishes 15th book
Al Beck, professor of art emeritus, has released his 15th book, Lessons From an Open Mind. The book is a collection of poetry, drawings, essays on improving education, song lyrics, by Beck and phototechnographics by his wife, Carmen Federowich. Copies of all books written by Beck are currently in the C-SC library. Beck presented his new book to C-SC President Dick Valentine and Librarian Sharon Upchurch on Thursday, August 13.

Avoid Dry Cleaning. Until recently, almost all dry cleaners used a chemical cleaner called perchloroethylene, which is also known as Perc or TCE. This chemical can be toxic to humans and the environment. One way to avoid dry cleaning is to be cautious when buying clothes. Try to avoid buying fabrics that are dry clean only. If you must get an item dry cleaned, take it out of the plastic once it is cleaned and hang it outside or near a window to air out. This way you avoid putting toxins in the air in your home.