Sequester Could Hit College Grants And Work Study Programs

Missouri Baptist University says it will be forced to "guess" about federal aid levels even as award letters go out to students in early March.

Congressional lawmakers are meeting with President Obama Friday, but there's little reason to expect an agreement that will immediately delay mandated federal spending cuts which were due to take effect March 1. College administrators are bracing for what the cuts would mean for higher education. According to data calculated by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, Missouri Baptist University is projected to lose just over $9,000 in Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant or SEOG funding, and $13,323 in Work Study funding. The cuts would take effect in July. The school reported that in 2011-2012, 154 students received the SEOG funds and 92 students participated in Federal Work Study. Terry Dale Cruse…

• Photos (1)

Will iBooks Replace Textbooks in Universities?

Patch rounds up the facts on Apple's recently released iBooks® 2 for iPad® and how the new platform could affect students in St. Louis-area universities.

Apple’s iPads have been a hot topic of discussion among students, teachers, bloggers and tech columnists in the past couple of weeks thanks to the company’s January announcement that it had released a new, interactive digital textbook to the market. In a Jan. 19 press release, Apple said that iBooks 2 for iPad is “an entirely new kind of textbook that’s dynamic, engaging and truly interactive.” The new “iBooks” offer fullscreen text books, complete with “interactive animations, diagrams, photos, videos, unrivaled navigation and much more.” In addition to weighing less, the ability to be kept up-to-date and the fact that students could keep their textbooks essentially forever, teachers could feasibly create custom books and study-guides for…

• Photos (1)

It Takes Dedication: Missouri Baptist University Unveils Latest Addition

The Creve Coeur campus dedicated a new sports and recreation complex as the school continues a rapid facility expansion.

Think back to your first in-person impressions of your college or university. Where were you? The student union, the library, a residence hall? Missouri Baptist University is betting that a new multi-million dollar sports and recreation complex dedicated Thursday will be one of the answer to that question the next  time a prospective student visits the Creve Coeur school's campus. The University formally dedicated the Carl and Deloris Petty Sports and Recreation Complex at a ceremony Thursday morning. The $11 million building houses a 1,000 seat gym, but also puts the school's student fitness center and academic programs touching on athletic training, sports management and other programs under the same roof. During Thursday's program, …

• Photos (11)

High School Thespians Get The Awards Treatment

The "Cappies" were handed out at Missouri Baptist in Creve Coeur Sunday.

The Dale Williams Fine Arts Center at Missouri Baptist University was packed with patrons and students attending the Seventh Annual Cappies Awards ceremony Sunday evening. Students, parents, teachers and classmates turned out to see some of the best high school theater students receive awards for their talent and hard work.  The Cappies, also known as the Critics and Awards Program, was established in Washington D.C. to promote and celebrate high school theater. Since its inception, it has spread to several states including Missouri where the program is now in its eighth year around St. Louis. The program awards actors, singers, directors, and technicians, as well as student theater critics who also select the night's award-winners. “The …

• Photos (1)

Local Couple's House Hunt Featured On HGTV

The Hessels appeared on cable's "House Hunters."

As all homeowners know, looking for the perfect house to buy can be an exciting, challenging, and emotional experience. The Home and Garden Television network, or HGTV, has turned that experience into a popular reality show called “House Hunters”. Ballwin residents Jon and Lisa Hessel, fans of the show, decided to share their recent house hunt with the viewing audience. Their episode of “House Hunters” aired on March 6. Jon Hessel is the former Residential Life Manager at Missouri Baptist University in Creve Coeur. The Hessels lived in an apartment in the boys’ dorm at MBU for five years and started a family there, welcoming their son Kaden. Last year, the couple was ready to buy a house, and Lisa decided to apply to appear on HGTV. The …

• Photos (2)

New Information: Earthquake & Tsunami Rock Pacific Rim: Monsanto and Missouri Baptist University Checking On Employees and Family

Natural disasters have impact on Creve Coeur interests and families.

Creve Coeur Patch is closely monitoring developments out of the devastating 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan, which some outlets, including AOL News, are reporting has seen dozens of casualties with fears the death toll could eventually be much higher. Creve Coeur-based Monsanto has facilities around the world, including an office in Tokyo. A spokeswoman says there are approximately 20 employees at the operation there, and that the company had reached "many but not all of them," Friday morning. Missouri Baptist University humanities professor John Han, who has presented at conferences throughout the region, including Japan, told Patch Friday he had sent emails to colleagues in Japan but had not heard back from them. In addition, Chaminade…

• Photos (2)

Missouri Baptist to Offer New Pre-Nursing Major

MBU partners with Goldfarb School of Nursing.

Missouri Baptist University has joined forces with the Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes Jewish College to offer a new pre-nursing major for undergraduates at the university. Students in the program will spend two years at MBU and then transfer to Goldfarb for two years of nursing classes to finish a bachelor of science degree in nursing. At a recent reception on Missouri Baptist's Creve Coeur campus, admissions counselors answered prospective students’ questions about the brand-new major. MBU Admissions Director Aaron Black said that the pre-nursing major has already received 79 applicants, more than any other major at the university. Dr. Lydia Thebeau, Associate Professor of Biology at Missouri Baptist, worked with the admissions …

• Photos (1)

Patch Picks

Patch Picks: Creve Coeur Theater Edition

Local high school and college productions offer a wide range of options over the next two weeks.

This week, Patch Picks focuses on area theater productions. From high school to the college level, there's no shortage of places to get your fill of quality singing, acting and production value. Here's what you can find and where, over just the next two weekends. My Fair Lady Where: Missouri Baptist University When: Thursday through Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. Ticket Info     Where: Pattonville High School When: Thursday through Saturday, 7 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. More Info   What: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Where: St. Louis Priory School   For more information: call  (314) 434-3690   What: Damn Yankees Where: De Smet High School When: Feb. 24-27, 7:30 p.m., with an added performance at 2 p.m. on Feb. 27 More …

• Photos (1)

The Viewfinder

A look through pictures at some of the places Patch has been this week.

Each week, the Creve Coeur Patch Viewfinder will take you on a trip showing some of the people and places we've covered in the last week. Oh, the places we'll go! Tell us where we should go next!

• Photos (5)