script

The Institute for Lifelong Learning

Drury University > The Institute for Lifelong Learning > The Institute for Lifelong Learning

March 2024 Speakers

March 5, 2024
Lisa Bakerink, President of Sister Cities.

Springfield Sister Cities Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people of the City of Springfield and people of similar cities in foreign nations acquire a consciousness of each other and to understand one another as individuals, as members of their community, and as part of our global community. Our relationship with Springfield’s sister cities of Iseaski,Japan and Tlaquepaque, Mexico enhance our local culture (and our Mizumoto Stroll Garden) and will be part of the presentation today.

March 12, 2024
Karen Scott from Springfield’s Lost and Found program.

Karen S. Scott is the Co-Founder and Executive Director Emeritus of Lost & Found Grief center in Springfield. MO. She led the non-profit from its inception to its current position of a thriving, comprehensive grief center with a full range of support for the bereaved ages 4-90 and those dealing with terminal illness. Dr. Scott is an expert in grief and trauma and has more than 30 years’ experience as a therapist, trainer, speaker, and writer.

March 19, 2024
Tommy Goode, Moral Injury.

Mr. Goode is the President and Founding Director of the Moral Institute in Billings, MO. He is the Organizer and Director of the Moral Injury Institute, City Core Initiative, Urban Training Institute of the Southwest, Mississippi River Ministry, Appalachian Regional Ministry, and Stand in the Gap Missouri.

March 26, 2024
Katiina Dull, Executive Director, Springfield’s Child Advocacy Center.

The Child Advocacy Center serves an important role in identifying and prosecuting child abuse, and helping young victims heal from their painful experiences. It is the largest child advocacy center in the state of Missouri, serving 14 counties in the southwest and south-central regions of the state. The Center is a safe place, designed to make children feel comfortable and at ease as they progress through the steps that are necessary for their cases to move forward.


April 2024 Speakers

April 2, 2024
Gayle Harper, Author and Adventurer

Gayle Harper is a well-known local photographer. She will tell of the adventures she had and the people she met as described in her 2014 book “Roadtrip with a Raindrop.’ It is about her journey from the headwaters of the Mississippi down to the Gulf of Mexico. Her presentation will include a related video. Gayle’s journey was spectacular, as has been the reception her book has received since being published in 2014.

April 9, 2024
Dr. Brittany Allen, PhD, ABPP-CN, MBA

Memory loss will be the topic of Dr. Allen’s presentation. Dr. Allen She completed her doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a Neuropsychology emphasis at Saint Louis University in 2008 and finished with her postdoctoral residency in Neuropsychology at the University of Missouri in 2010. She earned board certification in Clinical Neuropsychology in 2012 and is currently one of only two board certified neuropsychologists in the southwest Missouri.

April 16, 2024
Danielle Kincaid, Attorney

National Health Care Decisions Day is April 16 each year. Danielle will be speaking on the importance of having a document in place to express one’s wishes regarding treatment. This can be in emergency situations, or it can be end of life care. Danielle is a partner in the law firm The Elder Law Group LLC which operates here in Springfield, MO.

April 23, 2024
Jarrod Smith, Pro Pickleball player and Head Coach at Drury University

At the time of his designation as the head coach at Drury, Smith played pickleball for almost a decade, playing professional tournaments for many of those years. Highlights of his career have been a Men’s Doubles National Title and a Mixed Doubles National Title, both in 2021. Whether you play pickleball or not this should be a very enjoyable presentation.

April 30, 2024
Jan Farr, Cofounder of Generations Village

By 2021, there were nearly 700 children in foster care in Greene County, MO. Generations Village is a concept in development to create a community that includes foster children living in proximity to seasoned adults which is a potentially healthier environment than many foster children currently experience.

Past Presentations


 

2023

February 2024 Speakers

February 6, 2024
Diana Flannigan, Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).

As Volunteer Coordinator and Assistant Director of the Math and Reading Buddy Program, she coordinates senior volunteers as they help Pre-k through third graders develop the social, emotional, and literacy skills needed to be successful in school and in life. More broadly, the RSVP program offers many other programs for those in need of services.

February 13, 2024
Nelson Knapp, President, Pet Therapy of the Ozarks.

Mr. Knapp will be visiting us along with two of his “team” members (dogs). Knapp has been with Pet Therapy of the Ozarks for 14 years, first with Pippin for 8 years, and now with Lenny, both Standard Poodles. “Pet Therapy of the Ozarks is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit Missouri Corporation organized in 1991 to provide emotional therapy visits to hospitals, nursing homes, group homes, schools, and other facilities.

February 20, 2024
Lisa Langley and Ann Elwell, League of Women Voters.

Lisa will speak on Informed Voter Coalition and the process to engage voters and provide credible information to assist voters in casting their votes at the ballot box. Ann will talk about key legislation being debated in the Missouri General Assembly this session; especially with regard to initiative petition process and access to voting.

February 27, 2024
Alan Peak, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), retired.

Alan Peak recently retired from a decades-long career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He will be discussing several aspects of his career including training, the jurisdiction of the FBI as regards other law enforcement agencies, and the several duty stations he served during his career. This should prove to be a very interesting presentation.


November 2023 Speakers

November 7, 2023

Dean Thompson, Executive Director – Regionalism and Economic Development, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce

Thompson will be speaking on the economic outlook for the city of Springfield and the surrounding area.

November 14, 2023

Brian Fogle, Community Foundation of the Ozarks

Fogle will speak on the history of the CFO and its impact on local and regional community projects.

November 21, 2023

Marideth Sisco, Ozark historian, raconteur, and collector of folk songs and stories.

Sisco will speak on her understanding of the unique Ozark culture and share her experiences representing the Ozarks at the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington D.C.

November 28, 2023

Helen Benziger

Benziger is the great-granddaughter of Margaret Tobin Brown, familiarly known as the Unsinkable Molly Brown. She will speak as an expert on her great-grandmother’s legacy and on matters pertaining to the tragic sinking of the H.M.S. Titanic. The sinking was of interest to people in multiple countries and could be labeled as one of the first global disasters to involve a full strata of society.


October 2023 Speakers

October 3, 2023 

Dr. Susan Robinson, Professor

Physical Therapy Department, Missouri State University

Dr. Robinson helped develop the Physical Therapy Program at Missouri State University, joining the faculty in 1998. Her research interests include the treatment of individuals with vestibular (inner ear) issues affecting balance and examining the risk of falling in older adults. In her former career, she was a professional classical musician (violist) and has a special interest in helping musicians with injuries related to playing their instruments. Dr. Robinson will discuss strategies on how to maintain and improve balance as well as how to decrease fall risks.

October 10, 2023 

Lois Zerrer, Attorney at Law, Retired

Zerrer recently had the opportunity to travel to Italy with members of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra when they presented several concerts this year. She will share her experiences of visiting major cities in Italy and her perceptions of current international travel.

October 17, 2023 

Dr. David Jerome

Dr. Jerome is a retired army officer and adjunct professor of political science at Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. His baseball research interests include former Major League Baseball pitching great Preacher Roe, of Northern Arkansas and West Plains, Missouri, and legendary New York Yankees scout Tom Greenwade formerly of Willard, Missouri. He will speak about the life and career of baseball great, Bill Virdon.

October 24, 2023

Kaitlyn McConnell, Ozarks Alive

McConnell is the founder and editor of the website, Ozarks Alive, and is the author of numerous books about the Ozarks area.  She has served as chair of Springfield’s Landmarks Board and as president of the Webster County Historical Society.  She was a member of the curatorial team celebrating Ozarks history and culture in Washington DC at the 2023 Smithsonian Folk life Festival. She will speak on Ozarks Ghost Stories.

October 31, 2023

Thomas J. Carlson

Mr. Carlson, founder and publisher of The Springfield Daily Citizen, attorney and businessman. He was the longest-serving mayor of Springfield, serving 14 years over seven non-consecutive terms between 1988 and 2009. He also served on the Board of Governors of Missouri State University. He has served on a litany of nonprofit boards and organizations and was recently inducted into the 2023 Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame. He will speak on the importance of local news.


September 2023 Speakers

September 5, 2023 

John Jones, Retired Secret Service, Special Agent

Jones spent twenty plus years employed by the U.S. Secret Service. He will speak on the duality of the responsibilities as an Agent. As a Special Agent, his assignments included the Dallas Field Office, the Carter Protection Division, and the Austin Field Office.

September 12, 2023 

Dr. Carol Miller, Professor, Missouri State University. Miller is in her 40th year of teaching environmental law and business law at Missouri State University (MSU), where she has the rank of Distinguished Professor.  Among her 30+ awards are the campus wide MSU Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award, the MSU Foundation Excellence Research Award (4 times), the Board of Governors’ Public Affairs Award and the Missouri Lawyers Weekly’s Women’s Justice Legal Scholar Award. Professor Miller recently received the 2023 national business law professors’ Distinguished Career Achievement Award at the national meeting of the Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) in San Diego.

She will be sharing her expertise on recent court cases on reducing the effects of lead poisoning in our environment. The 2021 American Rescue Plan and the 2022 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law earmarked over $35 billion to upgrade lead lines and fund the Safe Drinking Water Act. Lead poisoning is particularly problematic for children under the age of six.  It can damage the development of the brain and central nervous system, causing learning disabilities and behavioral problems for life.  Lead is ubiquitous in older homes and products.

September 19, 2023 

Dr. John Chuchiak, Distinguished Professor, Department of History and Director of the Honors College; Missouri State University

Dr. Chuchiak is a recognized expert of both Maya Culture and the history of the Mexican Inquisition. His knowledge area includes the history of Spanish Conquest and Colonization and its impact on Mesoamerica’s indigenous peoples.

Chuchiak will speak on the rise of the rise piracy events in current history.

September 26, 2023

Rebecca Thomas, Southwest Missouri Director, International Institute of Missouri.

The International Institute of Missouri provides programs and services for immigrant families who relocate to the Springfield area. By providing first-contact services, they engage foreign-born and the wider community members thus building a more inclusive community.

Thomas will be speaking on the upcoming “CultureFest,” an event designed to offer cultural diversity in Springfield scheduled for September 30, and she will share the many stories of immigrant acculturation in the Springfield community.


July 2023 Speakers

July 4, 2023

No speaker or meeting is scheduled. All Institute for Lifelong Learner members are encouraged to enjoy Independence Day celebrations.

July 11, 2023

Mr. David Eslick, a local Springfield historian, photographer, and retired meat cutter. He was an active founder of the Route 66 Festival, which will be returning in August this summer.

Topic: The history of grocery stores in Springfield MO.

Have you driven through the older neighborhoods in Springfield and wondered about the occasional small odd-looking buildings that are obviously not residential buildings and wondered why they were built? These small buildings were often family-owned grocery stores that preceded the chain of grocery stores we patronize now. Eslick will detail the unique history of Springfield grocery stores.

July 18, 2023

Michael Frizell, MFA, Director of Student Learning Services, the Writing Center, Missouri State University. Frizell holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Arkansas. He writes biographies of the famous and infamous in addition to several fiction titles for TidalWave Comics and writes the forwards to the re-releases of Harold Robbins novels for Oghma Creative Media. His graphic novel, Bender, was released in 2018.

Topic: The Arcane Art of Writing Comic Books a/k/a/The Graphic Novel

Once vilified in his book, Seduction of the Innocent, published in 1954, Fredric Wertham, a German American psychiatrist, claimed he discovered a curable cause of illiteracy, sex crimes, homosexuality, and juvenile delinquency: Ban comic books. Sadly, the stigma exists today, with many readers – and writers – eschewing comic books with the claim they are not literary enough. Comic books and the merchandising surrounding the characters found in them are big business, and authors are finding joy in the challenge of writing for a primarily visual medium.

July 25, 2023

Ms. Regina Greer Cooper, Executive Director, Springfield-Greene County Library.

Cooper has been the executive director of the Springfield-Greene County library system for fourteen years. Her bachelor of art in education is from the University of Mississippi and her Masters in Library Science was earned at the George Peabody College for Teachers.

Topic: Current challenges facing libraries today and how local librarians are dealing with those issues.


June 2023 Speakers

June 6, 2023

Ellen Duvall, US Navy veteran

Topic: A History of Navy Nurses Primarily During Wartime

Ellen Duvall was a nurse for 40 years.  Joining the Navy during her senior year at the University of Minnesota, she entered active duty at Philadelphia Naval Hospital and then served in Viet Nam aboard the USS Sanctuary.  She left the navy for civilian nursing, married, and several years later, joined the Navy Reserve and served in the US armed forces during Desert Storm.  She and husband Bob moved to Springfield in 1990 and celebrated their 50th anniversary a few months before his death.  She was a faculty member for 15 years of her career at the Burge School of Nursing (later Cox College).

June 13, 2023

John Sellars, Executive Director, Emeritus, The History Museum

Topic: Springfield: Then and Now.

Sellars was the first Director of the History Museum on the Square, Springfield MO. He guided the museum through many changes and expansions and remains one of the best commentators of Springfield history.

June 20, 2023

Dr. Steve Berkwitz, Professor of Religious Studies, Missouri State University.

Berkwitz is an expert in religious studies with a special focus on South Asian religions.  He is the department head of Religious Studies at Missouri State University.  He serves on several editorial boards and has received fellowships to conduct research in Sri Lanka, Germany and Portugal.  He holds several professional memberships relating to Asian Studies and Buddhism.

Topic:  Reading Buddhism in America

Buddhism has been translated to fit a western context.  The Western Dharma book, a book written for westerners that translates and adapts the Dharma into a form that is more understandable and appealing to them has become a chief way to present Buddhism to Americans.  We will consider what messages are conveyed in these books, and what they tell us about American religious ideas and preferences.

June 27, 2023

Sue Schuble, Retired high school basketball coach, and Environmentalist and World traveler.

Since retiring from coaching women’s basketball in the Springfield Public Schools, Schuble has spent her time volunteering at the Dickerson Park Zoo, The Greater Ozark Audubon Society and other causes related to ecological preservation of our environment.

Topic: Svalbard: Norway’s Northern Archipelago

Schuble traveled in 2022 to Norway’s Archipelago on a Linblad/National Geographic ship.  Sites visited included those along the western coast of Norway, then they circumvented the archipelago, seeing several polar bears, other Arctic animals and thousands of seabirds.


Presentations for May 2023

May 2, 2023

Patti Hobbs, Certified Genealogist®

Topic: DNA Testing: Separating Fact from Fiction:  What DNA tests are available? What company should I use? What do I do with the test results? Is it all about ethnicity? Patti will answer these questions and more.

Patti Lee Hobbs, Certified Genealogist®, is a lifetime member and past president of the Ozarks Genealogical Society. She has been actively involved by serving in the positions of webmaster, treasurer, and Education Committee chair. She serves on the editorial board for the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and is a former trustee for the Board for Certification of Genealogists and current trustee of the BCG Education Fund. Patti is the coordinator for the weeklong courses “Genetics for Genealogists: Beginning DNA” at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR). Her article “DNA Identifies a Father for Rachel Lee of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania” was published in the March 2017 issue of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, and she is a contributing author of Advanced Genetic Genealogy: Techniques and Case Studies.

May 9, 2023

Jenny Fillmer Edwards, Public Information Administrator, Springfield-Greene County Park Board

Springfield-Greene County Park Board, 1923 N. Weller Ave.
Springfield, MO 65803, office: 417-864-1049     parks@parkboard.org

Topic: Current information about Springfield park sites, trails and facilities.

The Springfield-Greene County Park Board operates and maintains more than 100 park sites, trails and facilities in Springfield and unincorporated Greene County ranging from neighborhood playgrounds to multi-use recreation centers. The system includes three golf courses, three family centers, a zoo, a farm park, a botanical center, several sports-athletic complexes, two indoor aquatic centers, six outdoor swimming pools, multiple School-Park sites and more than 100 miles of recreational trails.

May 16, 2023

Brent Johnson, Greene County Missouri Assessor

Topic:  Understanding the Greene County Assessor office and the services it provides to Greene county residents.

The Assessor is a countywide elected office with a four-year term. Mr. Johnson has been the County Assessor since 2021. As an elected official, the Assessor is responsible for developing and maintaining a current list of all taxable real and tangible personal property in Greene County and assessing the property annually. Assessed valuation provides the tax base for property taxes levied by the County and its various political subdivisions. The Assessor’s Office processes annual business and personal assessment lists for all tangible personal property to Greene County residents. The Assessor also performs tax mapping by maintaining and updating property lines based upon warranty deeds received from the Greene County Recorder of Deeds. Johnson is an experienced GIS Professional (GISP), which is the use of geographic information systems. He has over 20 years of experience in geospatial technologies including remote sensing, photogrammetry, cartography and global positioning systems (GPS). Mr. Johnson has extensive work experience in multiple aspects of geospatial technologies including both the private and public sectors. He is a Certified GIS Professional (GISP) and Former Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM). He is currently the Chairman of the ESRI International Retail Special Interest Group and has served on the Board of Directors for the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing (ASPRS) and is a former member of the GIS Professional (GISP) Certification applicant review committee.

May 23, 2023

Jacqueline Tygart, Associate Librarian & Art Collection Curator, Drury University

Topic: TILL members will meet in the art collection workroom (012) across the lobby from our usual meeting room to see art that is not currently on display around campus.  Tygart will tell us about the cooperation between Drury’s collection and the fledgling museum studies program at MSU that has mutually benefitted both schools.

Jacqueline Tygart has been at Drury since 1987 and Associate Librarian since 2005.  Tygart is the library liaison to the Hammons School of Architecture and the Departments of Art and Art History and Behavioral Sciences.  She develops various collections and provides instructional and research support to students and faculty in those disciplines.  Since 2011, Tygart has also served as the curator of Drury’s art collection, and in collaboration with faculty and students in the computer information systems program, launched an online portal to the collection at http://artcollection.drury.edu. Tygart holds a BFA in ceramics and textiles and was co-founder of Burnt Mud Pottery where she actively participated in the business for twenty years until it closed.  She earned her MLIS from the School of Library and Information Science at the University of Missouri – Columbia.  When not in the library or a classroom, you can find her in her studio or hiking at Two Rivers Bike Park in the hills near her home.

May 30, 2023

Dr. Lyle Foster, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Missouri State University

Topic:  The African-American Heritage Trail in Greene County Missouri.

The Mission of the Springfield-Greene County African American Heritage Trail is to continue to research and publish previously undocumented history and to involve the Springfield community in the identification and celebration of the contributions made by people of African descent to the community. A descriptive plaque has been placed at each of these local sites.

Dr. Foster, the recipient of the 2019-2020 Excellence in Public Affairs Award from Missouri State University, uses his academic and entrepreneurial expertise to address issues of social justice, inclusive excellence and individual empowerment. His passions as an educator and community advocate are fueled through his belief in the power of education and his capacity to teach critical thinking skills and build collaborative relationships.

 


Presentations for April 2023

April 4, 2023
Ashley Reynolds, KYTV Reporter and Executive Producer of “On Your Side Consumer Stories.”
Topic: Original stories that impact public safety, consumer wallet and public health.

Ashley Reynolds is an award-winning broadcast journalist whose consumer investigative reporting skills have been recognized with three regional Emmy awards and a regional Edward R. Murrow award.  Reynolds has also won several awards from the Missouri Broadcasters Association and Kansas City Press Club.  Ashley was born and raised in the Ozarks and graduated from Hillcrest High School and the University of Missouri with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.

April 11, 2023
Paul Williams, Springfield MO Police Chief
Topic: A Review of the recently completed Springfield Police Department annual Report.

Chief Williams earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Northern Michigan University and later his master’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Northeastern Oklahoma State University. His law enforcement education has been enriched with additional participation in the Senior Management Institute for Police and the 207th Session of the FBI National Academy. He has taught in various criminal justice programs in the Springfield area. He’s active in various Springfield civic organizations and has a history of holding informal “Chats with the Chief” at local restaurants. He’s been Springfield’s Chief of Police since July 2010.

April 18, 2023
Kristene Sutluff, Professor Emeriti of English, Missouri State University
Topic:  Queen of the Hillbillies: Writings of May Kennedy McCord.

Sutluff is co-editor with Patti McCord of Queen of the Hillbillies: Writings of May Kennedy McCord, University of Arkansas Press, 2022.

Sutluff began her academic career as a student then Southwest Missouri State University. Following teaching stints elsewhere she returned to MSU and directed the Technical and Professional Writing program from 1979 until she retired from the University in 2016. A native of the Ozarks, Sutluff enjoyed getting to know May Kennedy McCord’s words through working with her granddaughter, Patti McCord. The book they created is a compilation of McCord’s columns, articles and stories. McCord was one of the best-known Ozarks folklorists during her lifetime.

April 25, 2023
Steve Pokin, Staff writer, Springfield (MO) Daily Citizen
Topic: Stories detailing his recent investigative reporting on the unusual stories in the Springfield area.

Pokin received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has worked for various newspapers including Greater St. Louis Journals and was recognized as Journalist of the Year in 2009 based on a cross-section of 10 Pokin Around columns. Steve worked for nine and a half years at the News-Leader here in Springfield and is currently a staff writer for the on-line Springfield Daily Citizen.


Presentations for March 2023

March 7
Mr. Rick Dines, Managing Artistic Director, Springfield Contemporary Theatre (SCT)

Topic: The history of the Springfield Contemporary Theatre, the impact of the pandemic and the exciting plans for the theatre’s future.

Now in its 27th season, SCT’s Managing Artistic Director Rick has directed over 60 plays. In addition, Rick’s directing credits also include productions in New York City, Kansas City, and elsewhere. Rick is also a performer most recently seen at SCT in the title role in Sweeney Todd.

March 14    
Dr. Lloyd Smith, Professor of Computer Sciences, MSU and a Member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Topic:  What is Artificial Intelligence and “ChatGPT” and what promise or threat to they present to our way of life?
As you may know, ChatGPT is one of the latest programs available on the Internet which creates text as though written by a human being. It can write term, letters, and much more.

March 21
Mr. Steve Pokin. Staff writer, Springfield Daily Citizen. He’s just “Pokin’ around!”

Topic:  Steve will share stories of his recent investigative reporting on the unusual happenings in the Springfield area.
As a long-time journalist, Steve’s ventures into the Ozarks often result in interesting facts becoming well-known. He also has a passion for delving into matters of crime.

Bio: Steve received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has worked for various newspapers including Greater St. Louis Journals, and was recognized as Journalist of the Year in 2009. He worked for nine and a half years at Springfield’s News-Leader and currently serves as the Springfield Life Columnist for the on-line Springfield Daily Citizen.

March 28
Lance Luria. M.D., F.A.C.P., A.B.O.I.M. Internal Medicine Specialist and President of the Institute of Integrative Pain Management

Topic: What is integrative medicine and why is it such an important aspect of health care?

Integrative medicine is the practice of medicine that reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient. [It] focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, healthcare professionals, and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing.

Bio: Luria is a graduate of Boston University of Medicine and has been affiliated with The Cleveland Clinic, Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, and other well-respected medical institutions.


Presentations for February 2023

February 7, 2023
Ms. Gwen Marshall
Equity and Access Specialist with Springfield Public Schools
Ms. Gwen Marshall will share experiences of working 35 years with parents and students teaching the power of loving and respecting themselves and others.  She has been involved in the creation of the summer Black History Academy and the theatrical production “The Milly Project.”
 
Feb 14, 2023
Ms. Cathy Webb
Dickerson Park Zoo docent and board member of the Greater Ozarks Audubon Society
Ms. Cathy Webb will speak on birds and their challenges in today’s ecological environment. She is an active participant with the Lights Out Heartland organization to promote awareness of light pollution.  She will be accompanied to our meeting by several small feathered friends.
 
February 21, 2023
Jonathan Groves, Ph.D.
Professor of Communication and Department Chair, Drury
The Community Focus Report for Springfield & Greene County is the biennial report card that highlights the community’s strengths and challenges—its Blue Ribbons and Red Flags.  Dr. Groves serves as facilitator for the report.
 
February 28, 2023
David Mitchell, Ph.D.
Professor, Economics, MSU
Cryptocurrency is a hot topic, but one that most of us don’t understand.  What is it?  How does it differ from “real” money?  Where does it derive its value?  Can it be exchanged for tangible goods and services?  Dr. Mitchell will answer our questions.

2022

Presentations for October 2022

October 4 – Cynthia Moore, MFA Adjunct Art instructor at MSU and OTC
“The Shakespeare Authorship Question” Did Shakespeare write Shakespeare? Yes, of course! But who was the person behind the name? Did the name refer to the man from Stratford-upon-Avon or could it have been a pen name used by another writer? Cynthia has been studying the topic for over 20 years. She will survey the clues and lay out the evidence for and against the suspects in what has been called the world’s greatest literary mystery.
October 11 – Sherry Buchanan, Ph.D., co-president of the League of Women Voters of Southwest.
Sherry will share information about HB 1878 which significantly changes several rules about voting in Missouri. She will also provide an overview of the League’s purposes and priorities.

October 18 – Dan Ponder, L.E. Meador Professor of Political Science, Drury University
The 2022 Mid-Term Elections-Part 1 This first presentation will examine the 2022 Midterms, placing the current political situation in context. Partisan polarization, which has been growing for several decades but particularly since 2000, makes it difficult for bipartisanship to take hold in the United States and makes elections increasingly predictable. This talk will examine midterm elections in historical perspective, what the recent round of redistricting, in Missouri and across the country, might mean for party fortunes in November. External factors such as President Biden, ex-President Trump, the economy, turnout, and the turn toward the 2024 presidential election, will be considered. Missouri State University Political Scientist Mark Rushefsky will join Dan Ponder in discussing the summary and answering questions

October 25 – Mark Rushefsky, Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science, Missouri State University and member of IML
The 2022 Mid-Term Elections-Part 2 Mark will focus his presentation on policy issues that are facing the country and may impact the2022 elections at all levels. These issues include: abortion and reproductive rights, the economy, the war in Ukraine, culture wars, the Covid epidemic, crime and guns, education, and LGBTQ. It ends with a summary of the 2022 mid-terms elections that will come in a few short weeks, November 8th. Drury Political Science Professor Dan Ponder will join MSU Professor Emeritus Mark Rushefsky in discussing the summary and answering questions.


Presentations for September 2022

September 6 – Kyle Wiley Pickett, Music Director – Springfield Symphony Orchestra
Kyle will give an overview of the 2022-2023 Symphony season running September through May that includes both classical and pop concerts with this year’s theme “Swipe Right – It’s a Match!” all to be held at Juanita K. Hammons Hall.  You will also learn how our Springfield Symphony was one of very few Orchestras that continued to perform during COVID.

September 13 – Kai Sutton, President – Springfield NAACP
Kai will touch on being an active member of the community, the urgency to use your voice, and what issues the NAACP is focusing on and how students can join.

September 20 – David Stoecker, Clinical Supervisor – Preferred Family Healthcare
“Opioid Epidemic” want to learn more about opioids, why so many people are dying from them and how to save someone’s life? Don’t miss this presentation!

September 27 – Carol Miller, Distinguished Professor – Missouri State University
Carol will provide several examples of endangered species and efforts to save them. She will discuss her Mississippi visit to the long-leaf pine forest which provides necessary habitat for the endangered Dusky Gopher frog and the keystone species, the Gopher tortoise and much more.


Presentations for July 2022

July 5 – No meeting due to 4th of July holiday

July 12
Larry Woods, CEM – Director, Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management

Emergency Preparedness: Living Your Best Disaster Life. 

Are You Prepared for Disaster? Make an Emergency Action Plan

When a disaster strikes, it’s too late to plan. Being prepared means planning ahead of time for you and your family. Regularly discuss the plan with your family, and update the plan as needs or circumstances change.

July 19
Kenda Burnham, Sr. Director Donor Recruitment, Community Blood Center of the Ozarks

Kenda will present compelling information about the importance of blood donation and the impact it has on our community. There will be some fun trivia to test your knowledge about blood donation, blood types and more. CBCO will also share a touching story from a local recipient who’s alive today thanks to generous blood donors. Find out what you can do to make a difference in your community.

July 26
Ilace Mears, Hammered Dulcimer Musician

Today’s hammered dulcimer is not your grandmother’s zither – nor is it a mountain dulcimer. With roots in ancient Persia, this versatile instrument lends itself well to a broad spectrum of musical styles. Learn about its evolution and listen to its expressive potential from Bach to Old-Time Mountain and Three Dog Night. Ilace is the 2016 Hammered Dulcimer National Champion and has declared her 17-year love of the instrument “the best mid-life crisis ever!


Presentations for June 2022

Presentations are held from 2-3 pm each Tuesday in Olin Library, lower level.

Institute for Mature Learners Curriculum

June 7
Missouri Courts, Judicial Branch of Government, Judge Jason Brown

In this engaging and interactive program, Greene County Circuit Judge Jason Brown will discuss three landmark cases addressing the extent to which the First Amendment’s free speech clause protects student speech, and, whether schools can regulate and discipline their students for speech that is generated off-campus, using social media. Two of the cases made their way to the U.S. Supreme Court, one of which was decided only a year ago. Come join this discussion and share your opinions! “

June 14
University of Missouri – Extension, Amber Allen, Field Specialist in Human Development & Family Science

“Keep Your Keys” Amber will discuss how to stay medically and physically fit to drive, when and how to prepare for “driving retirement” and other tools and resources to help keep you safe on the road.

June 21
Council of Churches, Tina Miller, Director of Math & Reading Buddy Programs

Starting next school year (2022-23), our Math & Reading Buddy volunteers can be any age. We still have our AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP volunteers as the majority of our “Buddies,” but we are hoping to engage volunteers of all ages. There is a need for Math & Reading Buddy volunteers in our local schools, learn what Buddies do, what the program hopes to accomplish, and how to volunteer.

June 28
Springfield Daily Citizen, Tom Carlson, Former Mayor who spearheaded the launch of the news site to help fill the void being left by traditional for-profit news organizations in the area.

David Stoeffler, former executive editor of the Springfield News-Leader, who is the President and CEO.
Springfield Daily Citizen is community’s newest news source — A new, independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan source of news for Springfield and Greene County launched in mid-February. The Springfield Daily Citizen is a digital-only source of news, focusing on in-depth coverage of local issues and on providing a daily slice of life in Springfield and the area. The staff of 11, including 8 journalists, is housed at Missouri State University. Learn about the background on the Daily Citizen and its goals to inform the community and be a catalyst for good in this presentation from Tom and David.


Presentations for March 22, 2022 – May 31, 2022 

March 22
Sara Forhetz, Lead Reporter/National Spokesperson & Ethan Forhetz, VP Public Engagement/National Spokesperson ~ Convoy of Hope
After 15 years on television as news anchors on KY3, Ethan and Sara Forhetz left the broadcast industry in 2021 to work for Springfield-based Convoy of Hope. Convoy is a faith-based international relief organization with a driving passion to feed the world. With a long history as an early responder in times of natural disasters, Convoy of Hope has been a Four-Star Charity as recognized by Charity Navigator since 2002. Convoy of Hope has served more than 193 million people since it was founded in 1994.  Please join us as they share the mission of this organization.

March 29
Erika Schwartz, Holocaust Survivor and IML member
Erika was born in a Hungarian Nazi ghetto in April 1944. Of the entire family, Erika and her mother were the sole survivors of the Holocaust. She will recount the story of the murder of her entire family and how she was able to change her life from one of depression and anger to daily celebrations of gratitude and joy.

April 5
Jessica Luras, Guest Advocate & Volunteer Coordinator ~ “Safe to Sleep-More than a homeless shelter”
Safe to Sleep is a homeless shelter for women in Springfield. In addition to providing year-round shelter to over 30 women a night, we are working with each guest on a case-by-case basis to find stable and sustainable housing.

April 12
Bill Piston & John Rutherford, Authors of “We Gave Them Thunder: Marmaduke’s Raid on Springfield and Hartville.
In the winter of 1862-1863, following a series of battlefield disasters, Confederate leaders in Arkansas attempted to recoup their fortunes by raiding Union supply lines in Missouri. The raid was led by Brigadier General John Sappington Marmaduke and his attack on Springfield (January 8, 1863) and Hartville (January 11, 1863), produced two of the most interesting, if minor, battles to occur in Missouri during the Civil War.

April 19
Tom Peters, Dean of Library Services, MSU ~ 100 Years of the Hillbilly Variety Show: From the Weaver Brothers & Elviry to Presley’s Country Jubilee 
Tom will describe how the hillbilly variety show as a type of viable commercial entertainment is over one hundred years old now, and it’s still going strong. Every hillbilly variety show combines four basic elements: the playing of music on instruments such as the fiddle, banjo, guitar, bass, and mandolin; singing; dancing; and comedy. Tom will discuss the formal and historic aspects and impact of hillbilly variety shows.

April 26
Dr. Peter Browning, History, Philosophy & Religion Faculty ~ Drury University
“Obesity, Health measurement, and the Food industry.” Dr. Browning wrote a short academic book that came out in 2019 will share with us his discoveries. It argued that the food culture in America has created ill health through its proliferation of highly processed foods but that society should not engage in discrimination based on body size. The language of obesity makes assumptions about the link between weight and health that are not accurate, and that harm people, especially women.

May 3
Laurie Davis and Ashley Fears, Education Outreach Coordinators, City of Springfield Recycle Right
Recycling….why bother?  Does it really matter?  And are there things I’m doing that might actually be contaminating my materials?  There really is a way to make sure you are doing your part to Recycle Right!

May 10
Helen Murray White
Boonville Road and the Butterfield Overland Mail Helen has written a history of the Overland Butterfield Stage Coach journey which passed through her ancestral farm that was established in 1870 just north of Springfield. She is the 5th generation to live on the farm and will present a slide show……etc. Helen’s book “The Murray Family, History and Heritage from Lena’s Trunk” has just been published by Heritage Books.

May 17
Kathleen O’Dell, Community Relations Director
Kathleen will provide an update on what’s happened and will happen at all branches of the Springfield-Greene County Library System since COVID 19.

May 24
Tom Van De Berg, Chief Forensic Investigator, Greene County Medical Examiner’s Office
Tom will discuss how COVID-19 pandemic affected work at the ME’s office. 

May 31
Amy Jardell, Executive Director, Ozarks Literacy Council  
Amy will discuss literacy in Springfield and how the community is working to increase its literacy rate, specifically adult low literacy, how to recognize it and how to help.


2020

Presentations for February – March 2020 

February 4
History Museum on the Square: Then and Now
John Sellars, executive director

John will share scenes from old and new Springfield as he travels down memory lane and as a native Springfieldian, he has lots of them.

February 11
Springfield Ballet Company: Passion for Dance, Poise for Life
Ashley Walden, executive director, and/or Andrew Parker, artistic director

Discussion will center around Springfield Ballet’s history in the community, its mission, how it impacts the community and ways to get involved with the organization, if interested.

February 18
All Maps are Lies
Kelly Johnston

Maps spur our imagination. Maps transport us. In maps we trust. But all maps are lies. Filled with examples of maps from the Show-Me State and beyond, this presentation will forever change the way you look at maps. You will come away as a more informed and discerning map reader with an understanding that not only is it easy to lie with maps, it is essential.

February 25
Ozarks Literacy Council
Amy Jardell, executive director

Amy will discuss literacy in Springfield and how the community is working to increase its literacy rate, specifically adult low literacy, how to recognize it and how to help.

March 3
Investing in Education, Innovation and Economic Development
Allen Kunkel, associate vice president for Economic Development and director of Jordan Valley Innovation Center

The IDEA Commons district is home to the Jordan Valley Innovation Center and the eFactory. This presentation will provide an overview of the IDEA Commons district, and the expansion plans for the future.

March 10
A Debt of Dignity: History Flight’s work to recover missing American servicemen from World War II
Bill Garvin, director of Library and Information Services, Drury University

Bill will discuss his work as a volunteer with History Flight, a nonprofit dedicated to recovering the remains of more than 70,000 American servicemen still listed as missing in action from World War II, working in concert with the Pentagon’s Defense POW/ MIA Accounting Agency. Bill will describe the work he did on a project in July 2019 to recover the remains of three American airman lost on a bombing mission over Germany in May 1944.

March 17
Safe to Sleep: More than a homeless shelter
Jessica Lurass, Council of Churches

Safe to Sleep is a homeless shelter for women in Springfield. In addition to providing year-round shelter to more than 30 women a night, the shelter works with each guest on a case-by-case basis to find stable and sustainable housing.

March 24
Convoy of Hope: 25 years of delivering hope
Jessica Blake, public relations director, Convoy of Hope

Jessica will share the history and the mission having served more than 115 million people worldwide through six different initiatives: agriculture, children’s feeding, community events, disaster service, rural compassion and women’s empowerment. The group’s goal is to bring hope to people who need it most in the United States and vulnerable communities around the world.

March 31
Recycle Right
Laurie Duncan, education outreach coordinator, and Ashley Krug, market development coordinator, city of Springfield

Recycling, why bother? Does it really matter? And are there things I’m doing that might actually be contaminating my materials? There really is a way to make sure you are doing your part to recycle right.

April 7
Ten of the 6 Million: Please remember them, Hungarian Jews in 1944
Erika Schwartz, IML member

The family decimated by the Nazi Holocaust, Erika and her mother were the lone survivors. As one of the youngest Holocaust survivors, Erika has been a featured speaker in Los Angeles at the Museum of the Holocaust, the Museum of Tolerance and at various high schools. Now living in Springfield, she has told the story of her family at high schools and at the St. Louis Museum of the Holocaust.

April 14
A Region in Conflict: The Civil War era in the Ozarks
Dr. Brooks Blevins, history professor, History, Missouri State University

Brooks is the Noel Boyd Professor of Ozarks Studies at Missouri State University. He has written or edited nine books, including “Ghost of the Ozarks: Murder and Memory in the Upland South” and “A History of the Ozarks, Volume 1: The Old Ozarks.” His talk comes from his most recent book, “A History of the Ozarks, Volume 2: The Conflicted Ozarks.”

April 21
The Ethics of Eating: How do we eat in a way that is good to ourselves, others, animals and the environment?
Dr. Peter Browning, philosophy and religion professor, Drury University

In this presentation, Eating is more morally complicated than we might think. Peter will explore processed foods, health, weight and body diversity, world hunger, the treatment of animals and the impact of food production and consumption on the environment.

April 28
Boonville Road and the Butterfield Overland Mail
Helen Murray White, author

Helen will discuss her research on the Boonville Road and describe the Butterfield Mail Route to Springfield, which ran front of her old farmhouse. She will describe the route from Tipton to Springfield, the focus of her book, “Butterfield Overland Mail Route, a History of Early Settlers Along Boonville Road in Northern Greene County, Missouri.”

2019

Past Presentations

Click here to see past offerings.