CAPE GIRARDEAU - A former secretary of state, a baseball manager, fan Olympic athlete, and international conservationist will all be featured in the next University Speakers series at Southeast Missouri State University.
Kicking off the series will be The Honorable Colin L. Powell who has devoted more than 50 years to public service, holding senior military and diplomatic positions across four presidential administrations.
Powell will speak at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2 in the Show Me Center. The event is titled “Diplomacy: Persuasion, Trust, and Values.” Powell has served as President Ronald Reagan’s National Security Advisor. He was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for both President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton, making him the first African American to ever serve in this capacity. Under President George W. Bush, Powell also served as Secretary of State. Powell’s deep commitment to democratic values and freedom has been felt throughout the world. ulbright Prize for International Understanding.
Former St. Louis Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa will speak on “Leading Successful Teams” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 in the Show Me Center.
La Russa’s jersey No. 10 was retired recently by the St. Louis Cardinals after he led the Cardinals to three National League championships and World Series titles in 2006 and 2011. La Russa ranks second all-time in post-season with 70 wins, and became the first manager to retire in the same season after winning a World Series title. He is the winningest manager in St. Louis Cardinals history and ranks third in major league history in victories.
He managed 5,097 games, becoming the second manager or coach in American sports history to reach 5,000 games. La Russa and wife Elaine co-founded Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) in 1991. ARF provides programs within its dual mission of companion animal rescues and animals “rescuing” people.
Later in November, The Second City, the world’s premier comedy club, theatre and school of improvisation, will deliver an engaging and fun-packed presentation that will explore the use of improvisation to fuel creativity and innovation. The performance is scheduled for noon, Nov. 12, in The Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus. The event, which is free and open to the public, will serve as the keynote presentation to kick off Southeast’s Global Entrepreneurship Week.
With the debut of NBC's Saturday Night Live, populated by Second City Alums John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Gilda Radner, the theatre became internationally known for its ever-increasing roster of comedy superstars. Today, The Second City continues to produce the premiere comic talent in the industry.
From Mike Myers to Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert to Tina Fey, The Second City imprint is felt across every entertainment medium. This presentation will demonstrate how to use the fundamentals of improvisation to change how people think, collaborate, present ideas and engage target audiences in business and organizational settings.
The University Speakers Series will continue in 2013 with nine-time Grammy Award winning recording artist, singer/songwriter and philanthropist John Legend. He will be at Southeast at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23 to present the keynote address, “An Evening with John Legend” at the University’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dinner in the Show Me Center. Legend has won nine Grammy awards and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people.
Olympian and World Figure Skating champion Michelle Kwan will speak at 7:30 p.m. March 6 in the Show Me Center. The title of her presentation will be “Aspiring to Greatness: What It Takes to Win.” Kwan is the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history, whose skating brilliance and accomplishments earned her a place among the all-time greats of the sport. From 1995 to 2005, Kwan dominated the sport like no other skater in history, winning an unprecedented 43 championships, including five World Championships, eight consecutive and nine overall U.S. National Championships and two Olympic medals. In the nearly 100-year history of U.S. figure skating, no American man or woman has won more world titles, national titles or Olympic medals. Closing out the 2012-2013 Speakers Series will be “Animal Planet” host and leading conservationist Jeff Corwin who will speak at 7:30 p.m. April 10 in the Show Me Center. The title of his presentation is “100 Heartbeats.” A passionate supporter of the environment, Corwin has been working for the conservation of endangered species and delicate ecosystems around the world for nearly three decades. An Emmy Award-winning television host, Corwin is best known for hosting “Animal Planet's” immensely popular “Jeff Corwin Experience,” which reaches a multitude of viewers in the United States and is viewed in more than 70 countries.
Tickets are required for entry to all events, which are open to the public. Tickets for the Powell and La Russa events will be available Aug. 20. Tickets for the Martin Luther King Jr. Dinner, during which Legend will speak, will be available in December. Tickets for the Kwan and Corwin events will go on sale at a later date.
General admission tickets for the Powell, La Russa, Kwan and Corwin events are $10 and can be purchased at www.showmecenter.biz and the Show Me Center Box Office. Current Southeast faculty, staff and students can use a valid Redhawks ID to pick up a free ticket in the University Center Room 202, the Center for Student Involvement or the Show Me Center Box Office.
By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor
Missouri's attorney general wants people to be alert and wary of text messages claiming they have won prizes like Walmart or Costco gift cards.
Attorney General Chris Koster warns that these are scam text messages and ask the consumer to click a link to claim their prize. Unfortunately, when the consumer clicks the link, the cell phone is automatically infected with malware that allows identity thieves access to personal information, such as social security numbers and bank information. Koster said this scam is called “smishing.”
“My office is seeing a lot of illegitimate text messages promising free gift cards. We are warning Missourians not to fall for these scams and not to open the link in the text message,” Koster said. “You should never open a link in a text or email unless you know the sender very well and trust that he or she would only send you safe links.”
Koster said if consumers are ever in doubt as to whether to open a link, they should just delete it.
Koster also suggested consumers consider putting “security freezes” on their credit reports. Missouri law allows Missouri residents to notify credit-reporting agencies not to give any business or person your credit information unless you so authorize. If you have a freeze on your account, thieves who steal your information will not be able to open credit accounts in your name.
There is a small fee to set up the security freeze, limited by law to $5. If you have already been a victim of identity theft, there is no fee.
Link of Interest
By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor
The sun may have been approaching the mid-point in its daily journey across the sky, but when the children entered the Community Room at Keller Public Library on Wednesday, it was another – twilight – world.
The premiere of this summer’s children’s reading program at the library was held Wednesday, and the Community Room at the library was transformed into a nighttime world – complete with fluffy clouds, stars in the sky, some nocturnal creatures lurking around, and a big crescent moon keeping watch.
The summer program's theme this year is "Dream Big - Read!"
With songs, stories and fun times from a host of young people and adult guides, the children at the Story Hour was filled with songs and stories read by a team of special readers. The children sat on the “Story Hour” rug and on laps offered by mothers and grandmothers – and soaked up the activities and stories.
Led by Library Assistant Rita LeBeau, the young people and adults led the younger ones one a nighttime journey - complete with songs, stories, rhymes and fun. LeBeau led the fun time with guitar in hand, and learned about the stars and the nighttime world and nodding off into dreamland.
The darkened room, combined with bedtime stories and songs, almost had the young crowd nodding off for a moment or two - almost!
Readers this week included Mary Ann Taylor, Marianne Bruce, Betsy Taylor, Delisa Stize and Lindsey J. Schlief.
And as the young ones and adults left after their hour-long time at the library, they received - what else - but child-size Moon Pies!
Library Director Pam Trammell reported that 189 children and adults found their way into the nighttime story time on Wednesday.
"That's the largest ever recorded at Summer Reading," Trammell said.
The traditional Story Hour program is free, and held at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays for six weeks during the summer.
Next Wednesday, June 20, is “We’re Going on a Campout” day at Story Hour. The celebration will begin at 11 a.m.
ShowMe Times Photo Gallery
By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor
When you dream – you might as well “dream big”. And what better place to dream big than at the Keller Public Library in Dexter.
Children of all ages will enjoy the Dream Big READ! theme this summer at the Keller Library System’s children’s summer reading program. A variety of programs are planned sure to enthuse and capture the imagination of children. According the Library Director Pam Trammell, the programs offer something for everyone, from “reaching for the stars” to learning more about the creatures of the night.
The programs for the six-week program include:
- Wednesday, June 13: Reach for the Stars
- Wednesday, June 20: We’re Going on a Campout!
- Wednesday, June 27: Pajamarama!
- Wednesday, July 3: Where Dreams Come True!
- Wednesday, July 11: Creatures of the Night
- Wednesday, July 18: Nifty Night Crafts
Naturalist Jared Baker will present the program on July 11, with live nocturnal animals from around the world. Other programs will be led by Rita LeBeau of the library staff and music educator Jean Rahm.
All summer story hour programs are free and begin at 11 a.m. The Friends of the Library provide special funding for the programs.
Link of Interest
Keller Public Library in Dexter
Photo Above: Young people help lead the summer Story Hour programs with presenter Jean Rahm. (ShowMe Times archive photo by Annabeth Miller)
