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This Quarter in the Newsletter:

Getting Involved in MoCPA 2

Rose Viau—MoCPA President

Reflections on Annual Conference 3-5

Conference Planning Team

Conference Awards & Recognition 6-7

Ability Allies Exhibit 8

LaTrina Parker

Upcoming Conferences 8

Exploring Paths in Student Affairs

Heartland Leadership Conference

Annual Business Meeting Minutes 9

Appreciation and Acknowledgements 10-11

Have you visited MoCPA on the web?

If not be sure to check us out! Staying connected is a great

way for us to contribute to the field of Higher Education by

sharing new and innovative ideas and providing an avenue for

year round professional development.

We are working hard updating the website and social media

to provide more year round updates and information relating

to MoCPA and higher education in Missouri. So take a few

moments to check it out!

@MyMoCPA

https://www.facebook.com/MyMoCPA

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Lead by example: Get involved in MoCPA!

Enjoy the MoCPA Annual Conference? Want to get involved in the state? MoCPA leadership

opportunities provide great professional development and statewide connections. They give you

the chance to be involved outside of your institution and connect with student affairs professionals

from across the state. Whether you are a new or seasoned professional or a graduate student, you

will greatly benefit from this opportunity to lead your state.

Start thinking about the following opportunities to get involved in MoCPA. Position information

for the annual conference will come out in January while MoCPA Executive Board information

will come out in February. Be on the look out!

MoCPA Executive Board Positions

President Elect

Secretary

Private Institution Rep.

Newsletter Coordinator

Graduate Student Rep.

Technology Coordinator

Drive-In Conference Chair

Annual Conference Co-Chair

Publicity Coordinator

Faculty Liaison

Sponsorships Coordinator

For more info contact:

Rose Viau

MoCPA President

rviau@nwmissouri.edu

Annual Conference Planning Team positions

Conference Co-Chair

Program Chair

Graduate Student Initiatives Co-Chair

Educational Session Co-Chairs

Speakers Chair

Registration Chair

Logistics Chair

Special Events Chair

Publicity Chair

Silent Auction Co-Chair

Sponsorship committee members

Want to Contribute to the Newsletter?

The MoCPA newsletter is published four to five times throughout

the year in an effort to keep it’s members engaged and informed on

what’s going on in the region.

Articles can be on just about anything that is relevant to College

and University employees. Has your institution started using a new

leadership assessment you want to share? Did you develop a new di-

versity initiative at the school and think others might like to adapt

it? Then contact us at MoCPA.News@gmail.com because we want

to include it in the newsletter!

The next deadline for submissions is Monday, December 15th

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Igniting Leadership & Inspiring Change:

Personal Experiences on the MoCPA Conference Planning Team

Lauren Snowden

Conference Co-Chair

Saint Louis University

Another successful conference has come and gone and it could not have been possible

without the effort, dedication, and support from everyone involved. Many individuals con-

tributed their time in some way and it even goes beyond the Conference Planning Team,

Executive Council, or Tan-Tar-A staff. The presenters, volunteers, sponsors, case study

judges and participants, mentors, mentees, conference attendees, keynote speakers, and

special guests all played a role in making the conference a success. The planning team

would like to thank everyone for attending this year and continuing to support the mission

of the Missouri College Personnel Association.

This year’s theme was “Ignite Leadership. Inspire Change.”

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, ignite is de-

fined as “setting something on fire” or “giving life or energy

to someone or something.” Moreover, inspire is defined as

“making someone want to do something” or “giving some-

one an idea about what to do or create.” As one of the Con-

ference Co-Chairs, the theme has a great deal of meaning to

me. This year was my third time serving on the planning

committee and I would have never imagined being in this

position three years ago. After following the footsteps of An-

gel McAdams, Rebecca Maier, and Leslie Gale, I knew I

had big shoes to fill. It was just last year when Rebecca asked me to serve in this capacity

and I remember feeling both honored and confused; I felt honored knowing that she saw

potential in me, but confused as to what she actually saw in me. However, I gladly accepted

knowing that it would be a rewarding experience, despite how nervous or scared I felt at the

time. My intuition proved me right. Not only did I get to collaborate with an amazing team,

I was finally able to see myself as a leader; perhaps that is what Rebecca saw in me in the

first place. As much as she may not realize it, Rebecca’s influence, guidance, and support

ignited my leadership potential and inspired change in the way that I viewed myself. I came

out of this experience feeling more confident and motivated to continue in this role as well

as become a leader in other aspects of my life.

Aside from the Conference Co-Chair role, leadership is cultivated in all roles on the Conference

Planning Committee. Each committee member essentially manages his or her own project with the

ability to make decisions and apply his or her own creativity. For example, I was the Networking

Chair prior to this year and had the opportunity to plan a speed networking experience for the

Sunday Night Social, a new initiative for the MoCPA conference. This year the Ed-Session Co-

Chairs introduced Genius Labs, which offered unique learning opportunities for technology in stu-

dent affairs. Moreover, our Special Events Chair developed a photo scavenger hunt contest as well

as introduced new wellness and social initiatives such as Zumba and Monday Night Football. From

my perspective, the opportunity to witness the result of new ideas, hard-work, and collaboration is

such a rewarding experience and is what keeps me coming back each year. It is also about building

new and old relationships as well as being involved in something much larger than us; an enriching

experience that makes a positive impact even beyond the individuals who attend the conference.

In addition to my experience, below are some of the experiences from other members on the

2014 MoCPA Conference Planning Team:

Conference Planning Team Pictured from left to right Back Row: Rebecca Maier, Anthony Maly, Anthony Mittan, Chris-

topher Triplett, Adam Callahan, Caleb Lesley. Front Row: Alisha Abbott, Jami Garner, Heidi Thuesen, Stacey Klein, Keri

Benner, Leslie Gale, Lauren Snowden. Not Pictured: Lana Kelly

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Igniting Leadership & Inspiring Change:

Personal Experiences on the MoCPA Conference Planning Team

Heidi Thuesen

Graduate Initiatives Co-Chair

University of Central Missouri

My experience on the MoCPA planning team has helped me in a variety of ways. This was my first

experience helping plan a conference of this magnitude, and it gave me a glimpse into how to ap-

proach planning a big event. On my campus, I am the Undergraduate Initiatives Chair for my CSPA

program. As part of my position, I coordinate a conference, called EPSA, held every year at the Uni-

versity of Central Missouri that draws undergraduate participants from a variety of institutions. Since

this conference is completely planned by graduate students, I've been able to implement many of the

things that helped us be successful as a MoCPA planning team. Several new ideas were incorporated

into EPSA this year are the direct result of my MoCPA experience. Being part of the planning team

also helped me learn methods of organization and communication. I'm grateful for the opportunity to

serve on the planning committee this year and know that I will be a better professional because of the

experience I've gained.

Jami Garner

Graduate Initiatives Co-Chair

Missouri State University

I served as the Graduate Initiatives co-chair for the MoCPA Annual Fall Conference Planning Com-

mittee. This was an invaluable experience! I had the pleasure of working with student affairs profes-

sionals from all across Missouri, each bringing a different educational, professional and personal back-

ground and experience to the committee. I learned a lot from these individuals, both in aspects of

planning a conference and within the eclectic field of student affairs. Sitting in my specific position, led

me to a wonderful insight into conference logistics, event planning and event invitee coordination.

The MoCPA Annual Fall Conference has been wrapped up for a few weeks now, and I have already

begun to utilize the knowledge gained in my own position at Missouri State University, graduate assis-

tant for Student Affairs in Higher Education. In sum, sitting on the conference planning committee

was such a delight. I learned a vast amount of knowledge, gained great experience and met some

wonderful individuals!

Stacey Myton

Ed Sessions Committee

Maryville University

I gained a lot from my experience as a graduate intern with the MoCPA conference planning

committee. As a doctoral graduate student in the Higher Education Leadership program at

Maryville University I wasn't sure what to expect, outside of fulfilling my internship require-

ment of joining the committee as a volunteer and filling in where needed. I had the opportuni-

ty to gain insight into the MoCPA organization and all of the benefits of being part of a profes-

sional organization in higher education. As part of the planning committee one of my roles

was to develop a rubric for the program proposal submissions. This experience helped me de-

velop a better understanding of the expectations for educational presentations from the audi-

ence side as well as that of the reviewer. I also had the opportunity to present an educational

session at the MoCPA conference. This was a blessing in disguise because I was able to elabo-

rate and facilitate publicly on a topic of interest to me as well as share that topic of interest with

others in the field I am interested to be a part of. Lastly, the experience of collaborating with

other student affairs professionals on a consistent basis (the weekly conference calls), working

toward a common goal to organize and implement a successful professional conference, af-

firmed for me why I am seeking to return to higher education as a student affairs professional.

I like the collegiate world and student affairs is the niche for me! Thanks, MoCPA!

LaTrina Parker

Speakers Committee

Saint Louis University

Being new to higher education and a graduate student, I welcomed the opportunity to attend a

conference that would expose me to other higher education graduate students and profession-

als within an intimate environment. With fewer than 150 in attendance representing the state

of Missouri, the MoCPA Conference was a great place for me to present early research during

one of the education sessions, meet and dialogue with new people, and develop a mentorship

with a seasoned professional. I was even able to volunteer my time to one of the conference

committees leading up to the event. The MoCPA Conference proved to be a great way to

hone my skills as a budding higher education professional, and I definitely plan to return.

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Igniting Leadership & Inspiring Change:

Personal Experiences on the MoCPA Conference Planning Team

Alisha Abbott,

Special Events Chair

Saint Louis University

I served as the Special Events chair for this year's MoCPA Conference Planning Team. The experience

opened my eyes to the organization that must take place in order to make a large scale event come to

life. From the monthly conference calls to the spreadsheets that helped keep our team on track, I was ex-

cited to learn more about the conference planning process. It was a great experience to be able to work

with individuals from across the state to create a unique conference experience for higher education pro-

fessionals in Missouri. My role on the conference planning team helped me gain experience for future

planning team roles I hope to hold and allowed me to network with professionals in a new way. I highly

encourage anyone looking to get involved on the local level to apply to be a part of the MoCPA Confer-

ence Planning Team.

Lana Kelly

Speakers Chair

Saint Louis University

I enjoyed my time on the planning committee for the MoCPA annual conference this year. I was able to

get to know other people from institutions across the state and expand my network. I was the Speakers

Chair for this year's conference which has its challenges but it was a very fun role. I was in charge of finding

the keynote speakers for the event on a very limited budget but that allowed me to be creative, work within

the theme and ask for help from various unique sources. At the end of the conference I was pleased with

the outcome of the work that we've done and I would recommend it to anyone who is new in the field or

would like to take on different professional opportunities.

Adam Callahan

Ed Sessions Co-Chair

University of Missouri-Columbia

I’ve served for the past two years as Educational Sessions co-chair. As I reflect on the experience I realize

how much I’ve learned not only in my co-chair capacity but as a member of MoCPA. As an Ed Session

chair, you work intimately with the heart of the conference, and both years my colleague and I strove to

provide the highest quality education to our members that this great state could provide. Selecting high

quality presentations and helping to ensure their successful implementation has been a truly rewarding ex-

perience. I would recommend to anyone looking for a professional development opportunity with real

depth and wide applicability.

If you are interested in joining the Conference Plan-

ning Team for next year, please consider applying. The

application process will be communicated via email and

social media in the coming months. In the meantime,

please direct any questions to Lauren Snowden at

lsnowden@slu.edu.

A big thanks to RoomSync for help-

ing sponsor Annual Conference

this year!

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Conference Awards and Recognition

Lauren Snowden, Saint Louis University – New Professional Award

This award winner has given years of service to MoCPA and

her university. According to the nominee, she is described

as a role model to others encouraging them to get involved in

the higher education community, as someone who when vol-

unteering to help out, does so with full commitment, and

someone who is invested in her own continual education.

This Academic Advisor at Saint Louis University has helped

MoCPA as the annual conference silent auction hair, special

events chair, and this year as the annual conference co-chair.

The New Professional Award is Awarded to professionals with three years or less of ex-

perience in the student affairs field, who serve as a role models to their students and

other professionals by demonstrating creativity and innovation in their work and who

have the potential for continued success.

Katrina Grunzinger, State Fair Community College – New Professional

Award

This award winner has made a tremendous impact in just a short time at

State Fair Community College. She is student focused and is great at

helping students complete their goals. Impacts include leading a hugely

successful Student Emergency Fund, and a leadership role in the Naviga-

tion Advising program which is an innovative approach to intrusive advis-

ing that is set to change the culture of State Fair and drastically improve

student success and retention.

Richard Caple Award: Awarded for continuous and significant contributions to research

and practice in student affairs in the State of Missouri and/or the state association. The

Caple Award is the association’s highest award and is open to students, faculty, and stu-

dent affairs professionals in the state of Missouri. The award is named for Dr. Richard

Caple, a long standing faculty member and student affairs professional at the University

of Missouri-Columbia and a former president of the Missouri College Personnel Associ-

ation.

Casandra Harper, University of Missouri, Richard Caple Award

This award recipient’s research focuses on how students experience

college differently. Much of her research has been published in

practitioner-focused venues including the Journal of Student Affairs

Research and Practice, New Directions for Institutional Research,

NASPA Journal, Journal of College Orientation and Transition,

Journal of College Student Development, and Student Services: A

Handbook for the Profession. She is also active in a number of pro-

fessional associations including ACPA, ASHE, and NASPA. Finally,

her work has been recognized nationally including receiving ACPA’s

Multiracial Network’s 2007 Research of the Year award, serving as an Emerging Scholar for ACPA, and be-

ing selected as a Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow.

The award recipient also significantly contributes to student affairs in and around Missouri. She serves as the

program coordinator for the higher education program (which encompasses the student affairs concentra-

tion) at the University of Missouri. In addition to this administrative role, she teaches courses such as Apply-

ing Higher Education Research to Practice, College Student Culture and Environments, and courses within

the Statewide Cooperative EdD Program. She is also an advisor to master’s and doctoral students and serves

on student committees within and outside of the department.

Finally, this recipient also contributes to the practice of student affairs by identifying opportunities to collabo-

rate with various units on campus for research including climate or program assessments, assisting with the

redesign of the capstone experience for University of Missouri master’s students, and in implementing the

graduate assistantship recruitment process.

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Conference Awards and Recognition

Professional Award is Awarded to experienced professionals who significantly

contribute to student affairs in higher education, either through specific accom-

plishments or through long-term meritorious service. This award(s) may be also

presented to professionals who have made other noteworthy contributions to

policy and practice or to the professional body of knowledge in student affairs.

Becca Maier, Northwest Missouri State University, Professional Award

This award winner has made a significant impact on

MoCPA and Northwest Missouri State University. Here

first year of involvement in MoCPA she was coaxed into

helping co-chair the annual conference. She jumped right

in even though she had little idea of what she was even

supposed to be doing. This year she co-chaired the annu-

al conference again and has work very hard with the com-

mittee to produce this great experience. At Northwest,

Becca also jumps in to help out whenever she can. She

does nothing half heartedly so when she volunteers, you know she is committed.

Sonya Bowman, State Fair Community College, Professional Award

This award winner is described as someone who can communi-

cate concern for and have an accurate understanding and consid-

eration of the thoughts and feelings of her students and fellow

employees. She communicated genuine warmth and acceptance

of all students and staff and goes above and beyond to help oth-

ers. She is willing to stop what she is doing to direct her focus

solely on the student or person in front of her. Because of her

dedication to students, and that she puts her heart, sole, and lit-

erally her kitchen into the TRIO program, this Professional

award goes to State Fair Community College’s, Sonya Bowman.

Stephen H. Petersen Graduate Student: Awarded for outstanding performance in his/her graduate program,

having thus contributed to the well-being of students at her/his college or university and the student affairs pro-

fession in general through dedicated effort and commitment to learning. The award is named for Dr. Ste-

phen Petersen, former VP at both University of Central Missouri and St. Louis Community College - Mera-

mec, long-standing MoCPA member, Student Affairs leader and mentor to many graduate students in our

state.

Tommy Lucas, St. Louis University, Stephen H Petersen Graduate Student Award

Picture Unavailable

This award winner has a wealth of experience and accomplishments include serving in the U.S. Army as an

Infantry Non-Commissioned Officer; an adjunct faculty, a research assistant, a teaching assistant, currently a

doctoral candidate in higher education; and a Production Stage Manager and Production Manager. He has

been instrumental in improving the higher educational experience for student veterans at Saint Louis Universi-

ty. Specifically, he has been the conduit of information between the Student Veterans Association and those

University student veterans in graduate and post-baccalaureate programs.

Case Study Competition Winners:

Pictures Unavailable

A special thanks goes out to all the Case Study Competition participants. They all did a fantastic

job working together to come up with solutions to this years Case Study. With this being said we

would like to recognize and congratulate the following winners of this years competition:

1st: Cory Moen & Christopher Luy- University of Central Missouri

2nd: Brittany Mondloch & Brittney Ahring- University of Central Missouri

3rd: Kelly James& Emma Rapp- Missouri State

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LaTrina Parker

Saint Louis University

Months before the nation recognizes 25 years since the passing of the Amer-

ican Disabilities Act, Mo-CPA conference attendees participated in the Abil-

ity Allies Training, a two hour professional development hosted by Saint

Louis University, designed to develop allies for people with disabilities.

The professional development session, facilitated by Saint Louis Universi-

ty graduate student Amy Brinkley, educated on ways to make campuses

more inclusive and accessible and ended with The Ability Exhibit, which

builds awareness about people with disabilities and the disability movement

through informative, interactive displays and stations.

Rebecca Maier, Mo-CPA Conference Co-Chair, participated in the session along with other conference

attendees and said it "elicited great conversation by all participating."

As a Residential Life Coordinator for Upper-class and Special Populations at Northwest Missouri State

University, Maier applauded the information provided in the session and its application to her campus's

processes.

"We were given a valuable assessment tool to use when reviewing processes and their level of access," said

Maier about the session content.

Saint Louis University has been using the exhibit to enhance campus processes through professional de-

velopment and training since the idea evolved from a class project into a sophisticated exhibit, Allies for

Inclusion: The Ability Exhibit in October 2010. Since then, it has traveled internationally from Missouri

to states such as Washington, Oregon, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Vermont. The Ability Ally Ini-

tiative workshop was conducted in Ghana, Africa this past summer and plans are being finalized for facili-

tation in India, Spain, and Greece in the next several months.

Universities interested in exploring disability awareness and helping their students and staffs become al-

lies in a respectful and comfortable setting have the opportunity to host the exhibit at their campuses.

For more information about hosting Allies for Inclusion: The Ability Exhibit, please visit the website

at slu.edu/theabilityexhibit or email Assistant Director of the Ability Institute Alisha Abbott

at aabbott7@slu.edu.

MoCPA welcomes Ability Allies Training as Pre-

Conference Event

Exploring Your Path in Student Affairs (EPSA)

Saturday, November 8th, 2014

Saturday, November 8th 8:30 am- 4:30 pm, the University of Central Missouri’s Col-

lege Student Personnel Association will be hosting it’s 9th annual Exploring Your

Path in Student Affairs (EPSA) conference! This free conference provides a view

into the different departments commonly found in Student Affairs as well as other

information helpful in transitioning from undergrad to graduate school or profes-

sional work. Students just beginning to wonder if Student Affairs could be for them

and those starting their graduate school applications will all benefit from this confer-

ence!

This year’s conference will include two keynote speakers, breakout sessions on a

variety of topics, as well as two panel discussions including a graduate student panel

and professional staff panel. Each undergraduate student will be paired with a men-

tor to serve as resource as they explore pursuing a career in student affairs.

For those bringing students to the conference, please consider presenting a breakout session or serving as a

mentor!

Register for free or sign-up to present at http://www.ucmo.edu/assistantships/epsa.cfm. You can also find us

on Facebook at UCM EPSA Conference, Twitter @UCMEPSA, and Snapchat at epsaconference.

Have questions or want more information? Contact Heidi Thuesen at thuesen@ucmo.edu. We hope to see

you at EPSA!

Heartland Leadership Conference: World Leadership Cup

November 14-16th, 2014

Heartland Leadership Conference: "World Leadership Cup"

November 14th, 15th and 16th will be a weekend filled with fun, growth and professional experience for colle-

giate leaders to develop and employ their skills. The Heartland Leadership Conference will offer these great

opportunities for students in the Midwest, creating a memorable experience for everyone involved.

Hosted by Northwest Missouri State University, the Heartland Leadership Conference team extends a formal

invitation for the entirety of MoCPA to join us in Maryville, Missouri on November 14th, 15th, and 16th for

the Heartland Leadership Conference: "World Leadership Cup." At the conference students will be able to fur-

ther develop their leadership skills through a variety of means: traditional programming, passive programming,

case studies and numerous other opportunities throughout the conference. Take a look at our website (http://

heartlandleadership.weebly.com/) and feel free to contact any of our chairs for further information. Hope to

see you all there!!

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Annual Business Meeting Minutes

Call to Order: 12:35 pm

1. Welcome and Introductions of Exec board– Rose Viau MoCPA President

2. Treasurer’s Report– Luke Gorham

A. Balances

Balance as of 9/29/14 = $9,295.20

B. Silent Auction

Have acquired an iPad swipe to allow credit card purchases at auction

Checks and cash will be accepted. Invoices will send shortly after conference

3. Representative Reports

A. Your Reps

Nicolette Yevich– Private Institution

Amy Schroeder– Two Year Institution

Jessie Stinson– Public Institution

Chris Hill– Graduate Student

B. Please reach out to your representatives. Share information, ask questions, utilize resources

C. Please share the names of colleagues or ways we can help you throughout your experience

4. Annual Conference Report– Lauren Snowden & Becca Maier

A. Registered Professionals Count: 83

B. Registered Graduate Students: 34

C. Preconference Attendees: 11

D. Largest Private Institution Representation: 9, St. Louis College of Pharmacy

E. Largest 4 Year Institution Representation: 19, University of Central Missouri

F. Largest Community College Representation: 25, State Fair Community College

5. Newsletter Submissions– Jonathan Affalter

A. Submissions due by 13th of each month

6. Ruby Society– Adam Callahan and Jennifer Fellabaum

A. Started in 2011 to support the MoCPA graduate, inclusiveness and access initiatives

B. $40 minimum donation

C. More information available on website at mymocpa.org

7. Open Executive Board Position– President Elect- Rose Viau

A. If you are interested in filling this position or any Exec board or Conference position talk with Rose.

8. Nominations and Elections- Positions beginning June 1st, 2015—Rose Viau

A. Information will go out in Feb/March

B. Applications will be due in early April with Elections occurring in April

9. EPSA, Saturday, November 8th– Heidi Thuesen

A. Exploring Your Path in Student Affairs

B. Free to Attendees

C. MoCPA Sponsored Event

10. Heartland Conference, November 14th-15th—Rose Viau

A. Students and Student Leader Conference

B. Information can be found on the Heartland Website

11. Data Collection for doctoral research—Adam Vaughn

A. Once IRB approval is received, Adam will be emailing a survey to everyone.

B. At a future conference, Adam will be presenting his findings

12. ACPA Convention– Consider, Collaborate, Create, Commit

A. Tampa, FL– Thursday, March 5th—Sunday, March 8th

B. New Marketplace Hub and Welcome Center

C. Next Gen Schedule—Runs concurrent to conference this year

D. Exceptional Programs—20 minutes with 10 minute Q&A

E. Will be Live Streaming Closing Speaker

13. Questions or Comments

14. Presidential Address

15. Motion to adjourn

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Acknowledgement and Appreciation

We would like to thank all of our MoCPA spon-

sors this year for yet another wonderful confer-

ence and for all their support of Missouri Higher

Education.

University of Missouri Graduate

Programs

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Acknowledgement and Appreciation

The Silent Auction Committee would like to say a big Thank

You to everyone who donated Silent Auction items as well as

bid on items during the auction. This year’s auction raised

over $2400.00 For MoCPA’s Graduate Initiatives Programs.

Thanks to all those who made it such a success.