Missouri Western Alumni Association

08/14/2026

Now's your chance to register for the Alumni Awards Banquet presented by E.L. Crawford Construction, Inc. with premiere sponsor DuVall Lawn Care, Inc. on Friday, October 9!

You can register today at griff.vn/alumbanquet !

Join us for delicious food and to celebrate the accomplishments of our amazing award recipients! Special thanks to Clark's Custom Meats Co. for helping provide the main entrée.

Registration ends October 2.

Congratulations to our award recipients:

Distinguished Alumni Award – Shawn Malone '87
Distinguished Alumni Award – Kimberly Weddle '00
Distinguished Faculty Award – Dr. Pam Clary
Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award – Makenna Snyder Hood '17
Herb ’35 and Peggy Iffert Award for Outstanding Service to the University – Rick Leahy
Great Griffon Award - College of Science & Health – Philana Blakely ’01
Great Griffon Award - College of Liberal Arts – Shawna Jackson ’93
Great Griffon Award - Business & Professional Studies – Fr. Richard Rocha ’87
Graduating Student of the Year – Maya Burnsides '25

08/13/2026

Join us during Founder's Week for a Campus Crawl!

Thursday, September 24, 2026
4:30-6:30 pm
Missouri Western State University
Starting in Leah Spratt Atrium
4525 Downs Dr, St. Joseph, MO 64507

Come with us as we take a tour around campus with stops along the way for behind-the-scenes peeks at:
Leah Spratt Atrium – Walter Cronkite Memorial & the University Art Gallery
Murphy Hall – Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, Social Work, Physical Therapy
Re*****on Hall – Planetarium & Science Programs

This is a FREE event with refreshments.

Registration requested but not required.
RSVP at griff.vn/CampusCrawl

Stop by the Hearnes Center Library before or after the event for tours and to view the Founder’s Day display.

Hope to see you there!

08/12/2026

Join us on the second floor of Blum Union, room 218, on Wednesday, September 23, from 1:00-2:30 pm, for an afternoon of conversation and networking with local nonprofit leaders who are Missouri Western alumni.

This event is free and open to the public. Students, alumni, and community members are all invited.

Panelists include:

Mackenzie Bally '22 - Marketing Manager, Second Harvest Community Food Bank
Eric Fuson '88 - Executive Director, Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art
Ashley Kalin '04 - Recruitment & Match Support Specialist, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater St. Joseph
Dawn Lanning '25/'26 - Assistant City Manager, City of St. Joseph
Rick Stepanek '92 - P.O.W.E.R. (Providing Opportunities for Work, Education & Responsibility) Project Manager, St. Joseph Youth Alliance

Schedule:
1:00-1:45 pm - Panel Discussion
1:45-2:30 pm - Networking & Cookies

Hosted by: Alumni Relations, Center for Service, and the Career Development Center

07/30/2026

We are pleased to announce our 2026 Alumni Award Winners!

Distinguished Alumni Award – Shawn Malone '87
Distinguished Alumni Award – Kim Weddle '00
Distinguished Faculty Award – Dr. Pam Clary
Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award – Makenna Snyder Hood '17
Herb ’35 and Peggy Iffert Award for Outstanding Service to the University – Rick Leahy
Great Griffon Award - College of Science & Health – Philana Blakely ’01
Great Griffon Award - College of Liberal Arts – Shawna Jackson ’93
Great Griffon Award - Business & Professional Studies – Fr. Richard Rocha ’87
Graduating Student of the Year – Maya Burnsides '25

The 44th Annual Alumni Awards Banquet will be held on Friday, October 9. Join fellow alumni, faculty, staff, and community members as we celebrate the outstanding achievements of our alumni and faculty!

RSVP at griff.vn/alumbanquet

07/17/2026

Join us on Saturday, July 18, for MoWest's Night at the Mustangs!

Pickup for free tickets begins at 5:30 pm. Tickets are limited, so get there early! They will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis. We ask that you please limit yourselves to four tickets per family.

Don't forget to stop by our Alumni Association table for some Missouri Western swag! We look forward to seeing you there!

07/08/2026

Join us on Saturday, July 18, for MoWest's Night at the Mustangs!

Pickup for free tickets will begin at 5:30 pm. Tickets are limited, so get there early! They will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis. We ask that you please limit yourselves to four tickets per family.

Don't forget to stop by our Alumni Association table for some Missouri Western swag! We look forward to seeing you there!

Hey Griffons, MoWest Night at the Mustangs is Saturday, July 18! Join us at Phil Welch Stadium and pack the stands for a night of St. Joseph Mustangs baseball and fireworks! 🎆

Alumni you can get tickets for FREE! Learn more at Missouri Western Alumni Association