This week we have Nadine Purvis Schmidt, SMSU Theatre Professor, to talk about her performance during her sabbatical this semester! The show is titled “Apples in Winter“, written by Jennifer Faucet, and is a single performer show, and Nadine goes over what all goes into preparing for a one performer show. The show is free admission with a free-will donation and will be performed on September 24th and 25th at 7:30 pm in the SMSU Black Box Theatre. Seating is minimal, so make sure to reserve your seat on theatremidwest.org

The SMSU Theatre Program has changed its name to the Entertainment & Theatre Arts Program, and Nadine goes over what went into that name change!

This week, we have Hannah Abel joining us to cover a few of the events happening on campus that the community should definitely be aware of!

First, we discuss the incredible opportunity presented by the Women’s Leadership Conference and its impressive lineup of speakers. The conference will be held on September 18, 2025, starting at 8:00 a.m. If any SMSU students are interested in attending, the sign-up fee is waived, and you’ll also get a free lunch and great networking opportunities!

Gold College also kicks off September 10, 2025, so make sure you take the opportunity to expand your knowledge by signing up for classes in a wide variety of disciplines! Also, don’t forget to come out and cheer on the Mustangs in their home opener during the 19th Annual Ag-bowl on September 6, 2025

This week, we introduce SMSU’s Interim President, Dr. David Jones, who brings 14 years of experience from Minnesota State University and looks to continue the success that SMSU has had over the past few years in enrollment. Dr. Jones reviews his journey that has led him to SMSU and what he and his family are excited about in Marshall, Minnesota.

This week, President Kumara Jayasuriya has served as Southwest Minnesota State University’s president for six years, starting in 2019. We discussed his successes at SMSU with him and what he will miss most. He will retire after the 2025 spring commencement. President Jayasuriya will be greatly missed here on campus as he helped grow SMSU during his tenure.

This week, we have Alyssa Miessner, Assistant Director of Development, on to talk about the Fourth Annual M4L Day of Giving. The event is to call upon the Mustang Family to support current Mustangs in a variety of different ways! There are timed challenges, matching goals, and so many other opportunities to support SMSU!

This week, the first STEM Symposium will be taking place on campus, featuring keynote speaker Dr. Trachette Jackson, Associate Vice President for Research, DEI Initiatives, and University Diversity and Social Transformation at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The topic of her keynote is “Mobilizing Mathematics”.

The Natural History Museum is located in the Science and Math building on SMSU's campus. The Museum recently underwent a facelift with the help of both Katie and Alyssa, who gathered funding and helped see the completion of the new Natural History Museum.

The Museum has many more interactive spaces and engaging displays that you won't be able to keep your eyes off—ranging from usable microscopes to a small lake with catchable paper fish and a mural featuring actual-sized prairie animals. Make sure to stop by and check out the excellent new space!

The English department puts on the creative writing series to showcase what students can do once they earn their degree at SMSU. Nick Northrup, aka Crowfather, is this year’s featured guest.

Nick and Jesse go over how SMSU can help students make a career with a creative writing degree, along with Nick’s journey at SMSU and how his experiences here have helped him get to where he is today!

Throughout April, SMSU hosts events featuring many of our different programs, including English, Music, Theatre, and more! Each area on campus has different events to highlight the work students do!

This week we get a preview of this spring's Theatre performance, “SHOUT The MOD Musical”. Sheila and Olivia go through the process of what it takes to get a musical up and running, talking about everything from costumes to stage direction and choreography!