Jefferson City, MO – The Academy of Missouri Squires today welcomed four new members to its ranks. The Academy is a non-profit organization that honors Missourians for their accomplishments on the community, state or national levels and was founded by Gov. James T. Blair in 1960.

“I congratulate these newest members of the Academy of Missouri Squires for this recognition of their many achievements on behalf of their communities and their state,” Gov. Jay Nixon said. The Governor and First Lady Georganne Wheeler Nixon hosted a luncheon of the Squires at the Governor’s Mansion today to announce the newest members.

The new members of the Academy of Missouri Squires are:

Frankie Freeman, a pioneer of the civil rights movement in Missouri and a national leader in advancing civil rights. Her legal work was instrumental in obtaining a 1954 court ruling to desegregate St. Louis public housing, and in 1964 she became the first African-American woman to serve on the U.S. Civil Rights Commission. In 2007, Ms. Freeman was inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame in Atlanta. At age 92, Ms. Freeman is still an active attorney in St. Louis and has practiced law in state and federal courts for more than 60 years.

Peter Herschend, founder and co-owner of Herschend Family Entertainment Corp. His family has owned and operated Silver Dollar City in Branson for almost 50 years, and Mr. Herschend has been a leader in Missouri’s travel and tourism industry. Herschend Family Entertainment has won several national awards for excellence in entertainment and tourism, as well as for distinction in environmental protection, at Silver Dollar City, at Dollywood, and at other Herschend Family Entertainment properties. Mr. Herschend has been a member of the Missouri State Board of Education since 1991 and currently serves as the board’s vice president.

Dr. Jack Magruder, president of A.T. Still University in Kirksville and a leader in higher education in Missouri for many years. A graduate of Truman State University, he served as president of the school for nine years, greatly increasing the school’s national profile for academic excellence. He previously served as the university’s vice president for academic affairs. The Kirksville Chamber of Commerce honored Dr. Magruder with its Hall of Fame award in 2003. Dr. Magruder serves as a member of the Community Advisory Committee for the Missouri Foundation for Health.

Mike Shannon, the longtime beloved radio broadcaster for the St. Louis Cardinals. A former player for the Cardinals, Mr. Shannon was a member of two teams (1964, 1967) that won the World Series Championship. In 1972, he joined the Cardinals’ radio broadcast team with Hall-of-Fame broadcaster, the late Jack Buck. Mike Shannon has kept Cardinal fans entertained and informed about their favorite team since 1972, and he was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. In addition to his broadcasting work, he owns and operates a popular restaurant in downtown St. Louis.

The Academy of Missouri Squires is limited to 100 living members, and new Squires are chosen by members of the Academy. To qualify for Academy of Missouri Squires membership, the by-laws state that one must have achieved true greatness in his or her community, the state of Missouri or the United States; and either legally reside in Missouri, be employed by the state, or be a native-born Missourian whose current residence, by necessity of business or other reasons, may be outside the state.

The ranks of the Squires automatically include the Governor and living former Governors of Missouri. Among the first class of Squires in 1960 were Harry Truman, Thomas Hart Benton and Stan Musial. The names of the Squires in the Class of 2009 will be added to plaques on display in the first floor rotunda of the state Capitol.

Students enjoy participating in the ATSU's annual 5K run/1 mile walk on October 17

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Faculty, staff, students, alumni, family, and friends joined in celebration of A.T. Still University’s (ATSU) annual Founder’s Day Celebration, held October 15-17.

Festivities included the inaugural Tinning Founder’s Day Osteopathy lecture presented by Edward G. Stiles, D.O. “I was overwhelmed when I was selected to give this lecture,” Dr. Stiles said. “I enjoy teaching and have had a ball in my career. I hope the same for these students.”

President Jack Magruder led the annual graveside ceremony honoring University founder A.T. Still, M.D., D.O. The first memorial ceremony took place December 2, 1919, and each year a wreath is placed on his grave. “(Still was) humble, intellectual, and spiritual in his thinking. He had an honest desire and the competence to treat people and alleviate pain and suffering,” Magruder said. “He gave all he had, all the time. And people loved him for it.”

ATSU Board of Trustees Chair Pete Detweiler and President Magruder kicked off the all-campus meeting by discussing the University’s financial stability and growth during the economic downturn.

Associate Vice President of Admissions and Alumni Services Lori Haxton, M.A., recognized alumni from the classes of 1984 and 1959, awarding gold medallions and pins for 50th anniversary honorees.

School of Health Management (SHM) Interim Dean Kimberly O’Reilly, D.H.Ed., M.S.W., discussed SHM’s past, talked about the present, and outlined the future. She hopes to further develop SHM’s partnership with the A.T. Still Research Institute, is looking forward to other joint initiatives within the university, and moving each program within SHM toward further accreditation.

Closing out the meeting, Dean Philip Slocum, D.O., recognized Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM) students and staff for their accomplishments, including the outstanding devotion KCOM students give towards community service. In the past year, students have given more than 1,000 volunteer hours to the City of Kirksville.

ATSU and the Still National Osteopathic Museum unveiled the Dr. Thomas Quinn, D.O., Reading Room, research center, and new artifact storage area. This marks the third museum move due to growth of the collection and helps to consolidate facilities for researchers and staff duties. Dr. Jamie Archer, Brit. Osteopath, of Ulna, England, signed over the first artifact to the museum’s new collection space— a hand built useable replica of Dr. Still’s treatment chair designed in the 1900s. Dr. Archer built two of the artifacts using Dr. Still’s notes, photographs, and references by significant D.O.s of the time. These are the only two devices known in existence. Dr. Archer later demonstrated the chairs use at the continuing medical education program on Saturday.

Friday night was filled with food and fun at Still-A-Bration 2009, where faculty, students, staff, family, and friends enjoyed games, food and dancing.

The annual 5K run/1 mile walk on Saturday capped the weekend’s festivities with more than 60 participants. Second-year KCOM student Tyler Hill took home the men’s 5K title with a time of 16:36. First-year student Cara Lucas led the women with a time of 23:48.

President Jack Magruder

KIRKSVILLE, Mo.– Honored with another distinction in the world of higher education, A.T. Still University President Jack Magruder will serve on the board of the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA) after an appointment from the governor of the state.

Dr. Magruder will be the “private higher education representative” on the board and the appointment will take effect immediately, lasting until October 2013.

A Missouri native and graduate of Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (now Truman State University), Dr. Magruder received his master’s in chemistry and science education from Northern Iowa, before obtaining his doctorate in the same area from Northern Colorado. He taught chemistry at Truman for 22 years, and then rose from the Head of the Science Division to the Vice President for Academic Affairs to president of the University for nine years. During his time at Truman, he was a member of the Board of Trustees for The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, president of the Council on Public Higher Education for Missouri, and president of the Board of Directors of the Truman State University Foundation, among other positions. After retiring in 2003, Dr. Magruder was appointed to the ATSU Board of Trustees, before beginning his role as president of the University in February, 2008.

In 1999, Dr. Magruder received the Administration Achievement Award from Northern Colorado and an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters for the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2002. Locally, he received the 2003 Hall of Fame Award from the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce and an honorary membership to the KCOM Alumni Association in 2007. He was also on the Community Advisory Committee to the Missouri Foundation for Health.

MOHELA is one of the largest student loan secondary markets in the country and assists thousands of students and families each year in the pursuit of their educational goals. The organization participates in the Federal Family Education Loan Program and services student loans for and purchases from lender partners. A self supporting enterprise, the mission of MOHELA is to eliminate barriers for students so they can access higher education.

The organization’s next board meeting will take place June 12 in Chesterfield, Mo.

Founding college of osteopathic medicine celebrates its newest D.O.s

Missouri Governor, the Honorable Jeremiah W. “Jay” Nixon,

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. (May 1, 2009) – Missouri’s governor, the Honorable Jeremiah W. “Jay” Nixon, will address the newest class of graduates at KCOM—A.T. Still University’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, the founding osteopathic medical school—on Saturday, May 16.

KCOM is slated to hold its 117th annual commencement ceremony at Baldwin Hall Auditorium on the campus of Truman State University. As the school celebrates its new physicians, who number among more than 15,000 who have graduated since 1892, Governor Nixon will join them to deliver his keynote speech.

Governor Nixon took office on January 12, 2009, as Missouri’s 55th Governor. A native Missourian, he was born in De Soto, received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1978, and a juris doctorate from UMC in 1981. After six years of work as state senator, he became Missouri’s attorney general in 1992, serving four straight terms and becoming the only person in Missouri to ever do so.

As attorney general, Governor Nixon took a strong interest in healthcare issues, working to improve access and education for his constituents. He joined state attorneys general across the nation in litigation against major companies for marketing cigarettes to young people. This suit brought a settlement of more than $1.2 billion to Missouri. Working on a more local level, he helped establish the Missouri Foundation for Health and the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City. ATSU President Jack Magruder said Nixon’s background made him a solid choice for graduating medical students.

“Almost every college in the state would love to have the sitting governor as their commencement speaker,” Magruder said, “and ATSU is very fortunate that he has agreed to speak to our students. Governor Nixon has done great work in providing healthcare to individuals in Missouri; his work with the Missouri Foundation for Health has led to better healthcare in the state and has also led to funding community health outreach, including at ATSU.”

This year 166 students are candidates for the degree of doctor of osteopathic medicine, eight will receive a master in biomedical sciences, and four will receive dual degrees. These new graduates represent nine different countries, including Kenya and Lithuania.

At the ceremony, Governor Nixon will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters (D.Hu.L.)degree, as unanimously voted upon by KCOM professors and the ATSU Board of Trustees.

“By awarding Governor Nixon this degree, we will be recognizing his championship of higher education and of broad access to high-quality healthcare in Missouri,” President Magruder said.

“This year’s graduates,” said KCOM Dean Philip Slocum, D.O., “will go out as individuals representing the founding osteopathic medical institution, and they will together and individually make significant contributions to addressing the shortage of physicians in the United States and to whole-person healthcare in this country.”

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. (3/5/09) – The Corporation for National and Community Service honored A.T. Still University (ATSU) with a place on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts and service to America’s communities.  

“This wonderful award is very meaningful to our students and faculty, who practice every day what our mission promises: to educate healthcare professionals who continuously develop and demonstrate compassion,” said ATSU President Jack Magruder, Ed.D. “Serving the community is a natural and fundamental part of what we do here, and it is extremely gratifying to receive this honor.”

Launched in 2006, the Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. Honorees for the award were chosen based on a series of selection factors including scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.

During 2008, ATSU students and faculty members provided nearly 4,000 hours of community service on both ATSU’s Missouri and Arizona campuses. The Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM) in particular has one service-learning elective course where 45 students served as court appointed special advocates, serving 60 children in the CASA program.

“In this time of economic distress, we need volunteers more than ever. College students represent an enormous pool of idealism and energy to help tackle some of our toughest challenges,” said Stephen Goldsmith, vice chair of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees the Honor Roll. “We salute KCOM for making community service a campus priority, and thank the millions of college students who are helping to renew America through service to others.”

Overall, the Corporation honored only six schools with Presidential Awards. In addition, 83 were named as Honor Roll With Distinction members and 546 schools as Honor Roll members. In total, 635 schools were recognized. A full list is available at www.nationalservice.gov/honorroll.

The Honor Roll is a program of the Corporation, in collaboration with the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is presented during the annual conference of the American Council on Education. 

“I offer heartfelt congratulations to those institutions named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. College and university students across the country are making a difference in the lives of others every day – as are the institutions that encourage their students to serve others,” said American Council on Education President Molly Corbett Broad.

Recent studies have underlined the importance of service-learning and volunteering to college students. In 2006, 2.8 million college students gave more than 297 million hours of volunteer service, according to the Corporation’s Volunteering in America 2007 study. Expanding campus incentives for service is part of a larger initiative to spur higher levels of volunteering by America’s college students. The Corporation is working with a coalition of federal agencies, higher education and student associations, and nonprofit organizations to achieve this goal.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. The Corporation administers Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America, a program that supports service-learning in schools, institutions of higher education and community-based organizations. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.gov.