Spring - University of Central Missouri

aMbROSE PaRtICIPatES IN
NatIONaL SECuRIty dISCuSSION
Central Missouri President Charles
Ambrose participated in two special
events this spring at the invitation of
the U.S. Air Force and Department of
Defense. He was selected to observe and
engage with the military and exchange
ideas related to national security at
the DoD’s Joint Civilian Orientation
Conference 81 in Washington, D.C. and
the USAF’s Annual National Security
Forum at Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
“It’s an honor to be selected to
participate in these events, particularly
as UCM continues building strong
relationships with the men and women
who serve at Whiteman Air Force Base,”
Ambrose says.
“These were unique opportunities that
gave me an insider’s look at what it
means to serve our country and to learn
more about issues affecting the safety
and well being of all U.S. citizens.”
bhattaRaI, StaLLMaNN NaMEd
2011 ChaRNO RECIPIENtS
Jackie Bhattarai, a psychology and
Spanish major from Warrensburg,
and Andrew Stallmann, an actuarial
science and mathematics major from
Washington, MO, received the 2011
Charno Award.
The honor for Central Missouri’s top male
and female senior students is named
for George Charno Sr., who established
the award in 1940 to recognize the
outstanding male member of the
graduating class. The award for the
outstanding female was created one
year later.
GRab a bIKE, SaVE ON GaS
Parking the car and jumping on a bicycle
to navigate campus became easier this
spring with a program that gives “recycling”
new meaning.
The Re-Cycles Program for students
and staff continues to expand UCM’s
commitment to sustainability. The
program started out with bikes rescued
from UCM surplus, rebuilt by a local bike
shop owner and painted emerald green
by a local body shop.
“We recycled 15 bicycles that had
been discarded as useless,” says
Manny Abarca, the graduate student
coordinating the campus’ sustainability
efforts. “We’re encouraging people to
look to alternatives for fossil fuels for
local transportation while reducing each
individual’s carbon footprint.”
POPuLaR aVIatION PROfESSOR
RECEIVES NatIONaL hONOR
Jack Horine, professor emeritus of
aviation, received the 2010 President’s
Award from the University Aviation
Association, a nonprofit organization
representing high schools and
universities that offer aviation degrees.
Horine started with Central Missouri’s
aviation program in 1961 and became
department chair in 1990. Although he
retired a few years ago, he continues to
teach as an adjunct faculty member and
advise students in the aviation safety
graduate program.
In the UAA, he is widely respected for his
support of the group’s DC Seminar on
Establishing Aviation Policy, to which he
has recruited one of the largest student
contingents for the past 20 years.
uNIVERSIty RECOGNIzEd fOR
aLCOhOL PREVENtION EffORtS
Central Missouri received the top
award for its student-directed alcohol
prevention initiatives at the National
Association of Student Personnel
Administrators annual meeting. The
2011 Prevention Excellence Awards were
announced by Outside the Classroom;
UCM received the Highest Honors of
Distinction and a $5,000 prize for the
quality of its prevention programming.
One campus program contributing to
the national recognition is Encouraging
Positive Interventions in Chapters, which
aims to reduce high-risk drinking and
negative consequences among Greekaffiliated
students. The program was
implemented at UCM in spring 2010.
tOP uCM faCuLty hONOR
GOES tO MCKEE
Rhonda McKee, a professor whose work
includes dedication to helping young
women pursue mathematics careers,
has earned the University of Central
Missouri’s highest faculty honor as
recipient of the 2011 Byler Award.
Colleagues in the Department of
Mathematics and Computer Science
note that McKee exemplifies the type
of individual for whom the award
is intended. They describe her as
exemplary, passionate and professional.
Terry Goodman,
professor of
mathematics
education,
called McKee
an “enthusiastic
and gifted
teacher.
Students
consistently
‘sing her
praises,’” he
said in his letter of support. “While
her courses are demanding and push
students to excel, she works hard to
create a learning environment that is
challenging, yet safe and supportive.”
The award is named for William H. Byler,
an inventor, author and teacher who
graduated from UCM in 1927 with a
major in chemistry and physics.
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