The College of Business Administration and School of Professional & Continuing Studies at the University of Missouri–St. Louis announced a new program that offers a Certificate in Digital Media Marketing. Courses will begin in June with a curriculum that offers marketers a chance to amplify their skills in the digital world, including social media, Web analytics, media buying and mobile marketing. This fall, the university will be adding social media marketing to its graduate level curriculum.

“It is imperative that universities begin to seriously change their marketing curriculums to reflect the evolution of marketing and business being driven by technology or they will be outdated and irrelevant,” said Perry D. Drake, academic director and assistant teaching professor at UMSL.

Consumers are changing the way they communicate with and research brands, and brands are changing the way they promote and engage with consumers. Attention has been shifted from traditional media marketing to Internet, wireless devices and other digital platforms.

By 2016, advertisers will spend as much on interactive marketing as they do on television advertising today, according to Forrester Research. Investment in search marketing, display advertising, email marketing, mobile marketing and social media will near $77 billion and represent 35 percent of all advertising, as interactive channels gain legitimacy in the marketing mix.

As such, today’s marketers must be well versed in many areas including:

• Social media listening techniques and tools
• Web tracking techniques, tools and dashboarding
• Mobile marketing strategies
• Content development strategies
• Email marketing techniques for customer retention and retargeting

“The curriculum is designed to prepare marketers for the changing landscape where consumers are connected to a number of devices, have an unprecedented level of information for purchase decisions, and if properly cultivated can be an ambassador for their favorite brands,” Drake said.

Due to the focus on the latest issues facing the marketing community, the certificate course curriculum will improve the skill set of a recent graduate or an established professional, and is taught by local and national industry experts.

For more information, including course descriptions, instructors, fees and registration, visit the program website or call Perry Drake at 914-299-4879.

Jim Henry, director of choral studies at UMSL, conducts University Singers, a UMSL choral group. Henry also serves as the Acappellooza Summer Camp’s men’s chorus and mixed group director. (Photo by August Jennewein)

The College of Fine Arts and Communication at the University of Missouri–St. Louis has announced Acappellooza Summer Camp, an a cappella music camp for students in grades 9–12. For four days, from July 16–19 students will be immersed in singing led by some of the world’s most prominent names in a cappella music, including members of the internationally famous Ambassadors of Harmony and Jim Henry, director of choral studies at UMSL.

Music and learning tracks will be sent to participating students in advance so that they can come together to perfect their skills in preparation for a one-of-a-kind a cappella concert featuring all Acappellooza Summer participants sharing the stage with the world-renowned a cappella ensemble Vocal Spectrum.

In addition to the intense rehearsals, this will be an opportunity for students to have fun with a pool party, karaoke party, movie night and more.

Jim Henry is Acappellooza Summer Camp’s men’s chorus and mixed group director. Henry holds degrees in vocal music education, music theory and music composition. As director of choral studies at UMSL he conducts University Singers and Vocal Point and teaches choral methods, choral arranging and choral conducting. In addition, Henry is the musical and artistic director of the Ambassadors of Harmony, a 160-voice men’s a cappella chorus that performs barbershops, jazz, and light classical music.

Debbie Cleveland, choral director at Gaither High School in Tampa, Fla., is the camp’s women’s chorus director. Debbie serves 165 students each year with a full program that includes three choruses, and SHOWCASE, a pop music ensemble consisting of 16 singers accompanied by a live 10-piece band. Debbie currently performs as lead singer of the 2005 International Champion Quartet the BUZZ and is a studio singer for Warner Bros. promotional materials for educational choral publications.

The registration fee for the four-day camp is $225 through May 31 and $250 after. This fee includes admittance to the camp, professional instruction, fun activities, a T-shirt and lunches and dinners. A housing and meal option can be purchased for $94. Housing will be at Oak Hall, a residential hall on UMSL’s campus, featuring four-bedroom suites with a shared full bath. The meal option includes breakfast. Limited partial scholarships are available.

For more information and to register, call 314-516-6590 or visit acappelloozasummer.com.

About the University of Missouri–St. Louis School of Professional & Continuing Studies: The University of Missouri–St. Louis School of Professional & Continuing Studies provides courses, programs, conferences, and events that fulfill degree completion, professional development and personal enrichment goals for the lifelong learner. For more information, visit pcs.umsl.edu.

The St. Louis Storytelling Festival Board, in association with the University of Missouri–St. Louis and the St. Louis Public Library, is proud to announce Vynetta Morrow as the 2013 Irene Eveland Award Recipient.

Morrow currently works at St. Louis Public Library, Julia Davis Regional Branch, as a youth services specialist. She serves preschools, day cares, schools, and community outreach groups in the Julia Davis region with literature-based story times and programs that link the curriculum with library resources exposing students, teachers and families to information sources and connections throughout the African diaspora.

This award is a tribute to the efforts of Irene Eveland, a tireless supporter of storytelling and the St. Louis Storytelling Festival. In her 35-plus years at St. Louis Public Library, Eveland was an advocate and promoter of storytelling, as well as a mentor, model and nurturer of new storytelling talent. To be eligible for the award, nominees must be employed in a St. Louis metropolitan area library, must tell stories in their library as part of their regular employment and must be new talent.

“I consider Irene as one of my ancestral mentors; they are not here with us, but we use the example of their lives to live our own,” Morrow said. “Irene was responsible for mentoring the current generation of leaders at the St. Louis Public Library, raising the standard of excellence for community outreach in St. Louis city.”

Morrow further stated that “educator, historian and community activist, Dr. Julia Davis is another example of an ancestral mentor, as her service to the community sets the bar high. My familial ancestors give me a rhythm to live by as well, including my mother, who taught school and lived in the community I serve every day.”

As the award recipient, Morrow will be featured as a preview to the 34th Annual St. Louis Storytelling Festival. She will share stories for young people at Herzog Academy Elementary School in St. Louis at 9 a.m. April 29 and at Edgar Road Elementary School in Webster Groves, Mo., at 2 p.m. April 30.

Morrow’s stories focus on the African diaspora, highlighting the traditions and experiences of black people throughout the world that exemplify the human condition. This tradition of storytelling was passed down through the generations.

“My grandfather as well as my father, who recently passed away, were quintessential family storytellers,” Morrow said. “With distinct baritone voices, each used stories to not only pass down history but also inspire and challenge. I attempt to meet this high level of expectation with each opportunity to tell.”

Morrow is not new to the St. Louis Storytelling Festival, having been a part of the New Voices last year, and participating in the Storytelling Course in 2009.

“St. Louis has something special here,” Morrow said. “The interaction among new, regional and featured tellers, the willingness to help newcomers, and the warmth of the Festival are very welcoming. I’m glad to become a part of that spirit.”

The 34th Annual St. Louis Storytelling Festival will begin May 1 and end May 4. During this time, nationally known and regional storytellers will join UMSL with storytelling activities and events at various locations throughout the metropolitan St. Louis area. Stories shared are suitable for all members of the family, and most events are offered free to the public. For a complete schedule, full list of featured and regional storytellers, and more information, please visit the festival’s website at stlstorytellingfestival.org or call 314-516-5994.

Visit the St. Louis Public Radio | 90.7 KWMU website to listen to a “Cityscape” interview with Sue Hinkel, storyteller and assistant director of the St. Louis Storytelling Festival.

The School of Professional & Continuing Studies at the University of Missouri–St. Louis presents Call of the Wild: A Yellowstone Ed-Venture. Guests will experience the wonders of Yellowstone National Park, guided by the area’s foremost naturalist and carnivore ecologist, James Halfpenny. The unique excursion is from July 11-16, 2013, and is designed for up to 14 guests.

Yellowstone National Park is the crown jewel of the National Park System and a top-10 nature destination for people worldwide. It combines outstanding geothermal features with mountain scenery and the best wildlife viewing in the lower 48 states. Guests will view and track predators and prey in the majesty of America’s first national park.

This exclusive tour is for adults and families (7th grade and above), combining education and adventure, wildlife tracking/viewing and geyser gazing, storytelling and history. By day, tour guide Halfpenny will accompany guests as they view Yellowstone’s incredible biodiversity and geologic wonders. In the evenings, guests will retire to the Track Education Center or historic park lodges, eat delicious meals, stroll trails, enjoy programs about wildlife and the park, and share the company of fellow travelers.

Halfpenny’s specialties include environmental ecology, carnivores and animal tracking. He has written more than 25 books and videos including “Yellowstone Wolves in the Wild,” “Charting Yellowstone Wolves” and “Yellowstone Bears in the Wild.” He has led wildlife tours for adults, school groups, families and scientists in Yellowstone since 1971.

“It’s no accident I’ve lived and worked in Yellowstone for more than 40 years,” Halfpenny said. “I’m in awe at the wonders Yellowstone National Park holds – from the grizzly and wolf, to the geysers and hot pools, to the canyons and mountains, this park has it all.”

An additional tour guide, Jim Jordan, is a science and environmental educator, and has led adult and family trips for more than 30 years. Jim is currently with UMSL’s School of Professional & Continuing Studies where he is offering a variety of noncredit programs for adults, families and educators.

“You see Yellowstone differently and more in-depth with Jim Halfpenny,” Jordan said. “We track bison, elk, wolves and bears, but we also learn interrelationships, ecology, behaviors, and current issues. Yellowstone has so much to offer, I discover something new and breathtaking on each return visit.”

Fees for the excursion start at $1,549, and includes ground transportation, some meals, park entrance fees, and expert tour guides. For more information information, including the itinerary and registration details, visit the program website or call 314-516-7250. If visiting the website, there is an option to download the brochure that features photos showcasing the beauty of Yellowstone.

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, along with the Des Lee Collaborative Vision and College of Arts and Sciences, will present the 12th Annual Youth Violence Prevention Conference. Speakers and guests will gather at UMSL’s J.C. Penney Building/Conference Center on April 11, to examine prevention and intervention strategies for responding to youth violence in general and in St. Louis specifically.

Speakers will examine four main topics:

• the role and effect of immigration on crime rates and issues of particular concern to immigrant populations
• the role schools can play in improving safety in school and in the community
• law enforcement perspectives on youth violence and interventions
• the unique effect of gangs on adolescent violence and strategies for responding to gang-related violence

Attendance is beneficial for professionals who work with at-risk youth, probation officers, teachers, counselors, public health workers, youth advocates, law enforcement officers, students and anyone interested in the welfare of children and youth.

Speakers will include:

• Stephanie DiPietro, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at UMSL
• Dan Isom, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at UMSL
• Chris Melde, School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University in East Lansing
• Allison Payne, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Villanova University in Radnor Township, Pa.

The conference will begin at 8 a.m. on April 11, with registration and a continental breakfast. Speakers will address the group throughout the day, with a couple of breaks and lunch. The program will conclude with a social hour starting at 3 p.m. A $35 registration fee includes admittance to the program, 0.75 continuing education units (for full attendance), breakfast and lunch.

For a full schedule of events and to register for the conference, visit the conference website or call 314-516-5655.

(Photo by August Jennewein)

The College of Optometry at the University of Missouri–St. Louis announces the Nutrition and the Eye Symposium VI, a continuing studies program taking place on April 13-14 at UMSL’s J.C. Penney Building/Conference Center. Optometrists will gather to explore research and findings of nutritional values that will increase longevity prospects, prevent, and even cure degenerative ocular diseases.

The symposium will present Dr. Michael Fossel and Dr. Dave Woynarowski as keynote speakers. Fossel and Woynarowski are the authors of “The Immortality Edge” and will address topics including clinical intervention, and basic clinical science of telomeres and age-related disease.

Additional presenters will include:

• Dr. Nuran Ercal, chair of biochemistry at Missouri University of Science & Technology, will explore antioxidants that prevent and may cure cataracts, macular degeneration and beyond
• Dr. Stuart Richer, director, Ocular Preventative Medicine, James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, Ill., will discuss the anterior segment and nutrition, along with the cornea, the crystal ball to the cardiovascular tree. Richer also serves as the program coordinator.
• Dr. Jeffrey Anshel, president of the Ocular Nutrition Society, will covers genes, good and chronic eye disease – the genetically modified organism (often referred to as GMO) effect

General registration fees are $250 each for Saturday and Sunday through April 5 and $300 after. Participants may register for both days for a discounted price of $450 through April 5 and $500 after. UMSL optometry alumni and Ocular Nutrition Society members are eligible for additional discounts. Their price will be $400 to register for both days through April 5 and $500 after.

Participants will receive 12 COPE/CEE hours to apply toward their continuing studies. The symposium will meet from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. To register, visit the symposium’s website or call 314-516-5994. For questions, call 314-516-5615.

About the University of Missouri–St. Louis School of Professional & Continuing Studies: The University of Missouri–St. Louis School of Professional & Continuing Studies provides courses, programs, conferences, and events that fulfill degree completion, professional development and personal enrichment goals for the lifelong learner. Visit pcs.umsl.edu for more information.

The Nonprofit Management & Leadership Program at the University of Missouri–St. Louis will present the Internal Revenue Service Workshop for 501(c)(3) Small- & Medium-Sized Organizations on April 30 at the J.C. Penney Building/Conference Center on UMSL’s North Campus. For one day only, tax-exempt organizations, tax and legal professionals, and those who work and volunteer at 501(c)(3) organizations can learn about important IRS regulations straight from IRS tax representatives.

“The Value of your 501(c)(3) tax exempt status should not be underestimated,” said Dan Sise, instructor and community engagement manager for UMSL’s NPML Program. “This is an important financial benefit with both tangible and intangible value for your organization, and your mission.”

IRS rules and regulations are stringent and ever-changing. Participants of this workshop will hear directly from the IRS about the benefits and responsibilities under 501(c)(3) and actions that may jeopardize the exempt status of an organization. Additional topics include: Unrelated Business Income, Employment Issues, Form 990 Series, and Required Disclosures.

The workshop will include a lunch presentation by Bob Carlson, assistant attorney general in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office.

“Given how hard you work, and how much effort went into obtaining and maintaining your tax-exempt status, you should make sure you are armed with the best information and resources possible to help you keep your 501(c)(3) designation,” Sise said. “This workshop, presented by IRS staff, is the most direct source of information and training you can get when it comes to understanding what the IRS expects from 501(c)(3) organizations, and how to keep your tax-exempt status in place.”

The registration fee for the IRS Workshop is $55. Walk-in registrations are accepted for a fee of $70 at the door. For more information, and to register, visit pcs.umsl.edu/npml or call 314-516-5655.

The College of Fine Arts & Communication at the University of Missouri–St. Louis announced its new program for students to earn a Certificate in Audio Recording. The college is collaborating with Ira DeWitt, president and founder of Notifi Records; the UMSL Department of Music; and the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center, to offer this certificate program that provides participants with the necessary technical skills needed for the production of high-quality sound recordings.

Through a mix of lecture-based courses and hands-on training, participants will learn to use audio technology, including recording consoles, microphones, and the widely used audio software program Pro Tools. Courses will be held in the studios of Notifi Records in Brentwood, Mo., and on the UMSL campus.

The first course offered, Intro to Music Business, will begin on April 3 and is an overview of the business structures of various types of music businesses. Course topics will address the following positions within the studio and live event industries: record producer, music publisher, booking agent, promoter, and tour manager. Additional topics that will be covered include copyright collectives, performance rights organizations, music business deal structures, and music distribution. The course will meet 6-9 p.m. every Wednesday, April 3-May 1. It will be offered again in the fall, beginning Sept. 4.

The second course beginning in April is Audio Engineering I and will meet 6-9 p.m. Thursdays, April 4-May 2. Sessions will include:

• Sound Recording, focusing on the history of sound and how sound is recorded through both analog and digital recording hardware and software
• Microphones, exploring proper microphone placement for vocal and instrumental recording, the different types of microphone polar patterns, and which microphone to use in different recording environments
• Sound Waves, where students will learn the “3P’s of sound” – physics, propagation and perception – acoustics and how sound is measured

Additional courses – Audio Engineering II, Music Production, Live Audio Engineering, and Mixing & Mastering – will continue May through September.

Courses are offered for either credit or noncredit. Participants can take select courses, but must take all six to earn the certificate. For more information on each course, including the complete course schedule, visit the website at audiorecordingcertificate.com or call 314-516-5994.

About the University of Missouri–St. Louis School of Professional & Continuing Studies: The University of Missouri–St. Louis School of Professional & Continuing Studies provides courses, programs, conferences, and events that fulfill degree completion, professional development and personal enrichment goals for the lifelong learner. For more information, visit pcs.umsl.edu.

The University of Missouri–St. Louis Executive Leadership Consortium will celebrate the launch of its new program, Lifelong Learning @ UMSL. The launch event takes place at 2-4:30 p.m. April 5 at the J.C. Penney Building/Conference Center at UMSL. Lifelong Learning seeks to serve members ages 50 and older, a rapidly growing demographic with changing needs and demands.

The launch begins with a keynote address by John Henschke, associate professor of education at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., who is a renowned scholar and practitioner in the field of andragogy – learning strategies focused on adults. Henschke will present basic information about new and creative concepts and frameworks that better prepare us for serving older adults.

The event will feature breakout sessions including:

• “Retirement Planning and Strategies: 50 and Beyond” presented by Sharon Laux, associate director of UMSL Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Education
• “Life Review in Aging” with Jessica Sunnenberg, gerontological social worker, Forever Memories, LLC
• “The Affordable Care Act: What does it mean for you?” presented by Cora Drew Walker, Missouri Foundation for Health

The workshops will be highly interactive, collaborative and engaging, with an emphasis on “immediacy of application,” a prominent theme in andragogy.  A reception, which features attendance prizes, will follow the workshops.

The Lifelong Learning program further explores the fact that some older adults may not be inclined to accept the aging process during such rapidly changing times. Health and time become two major factors, thus lifelong learning should facilitate shifts in attitudes and behavior.

“We’re very fortunate to be living during these historic and extraordinary times, where life expectancy is greater than ever,” said Malaika Horne, director of Lifelong Learning @ UMSL. She adds that the program seeks to be the “obvious leader of lifelong learning in North St. Louis County and beyond.”

All are invited to join in celebrating the launch of life-learning skills for older adults who have a thirst for knowledge but still enjoy having fun. Registration is $10 per participant. For more information and to register, visit the Lifelong Learning @ UMSL website.

University of Missouri–St. Louis alumnus Brian F. Lavin, BSBA 1976, discusses “Public Private Partnership’s Maximum Value for a University Foundation” on March 11 in the university’s Millennium Student Center. His talk was part of the Distinguished Speaker Series, which is offered by the university’s Executive Leadership Consortium and led by ELC Director Malaika Horne (right).

Lavin is the president and chief executive officer of NTS Realty Holdings, NTS Development Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates. He’s responsible for NTS commercial real estate development and land acquisitions, and he oversees the management of office buildings, business centers, multi-family and single-family residential divisions. NTS is based in Louisville, Ky.

The photograph was taken by UMSL photographer August Jennewein and is the latest to be featured in Eye on UMSL.