Interesting People. Insightful Conversations. All Southeast.
In this episode of Inside The Dome, we talk with Marquis Scott and Pernell Witherspoon--SEMO alums, former football players, forever Alpha brothers and friends--about their SEMO experience, their careers, and why they return to campus every year.
Sindupa de Silva is one of those people you can have a great conversation with. In this episode of Inside the Dome, we visit with this SEMO alum about how he discovered Cape from Sri Lanka, the family he found in Missouri, and what he's pursuing in the wetlands of West Virginia.
Dr. Trudy Lee was named the vice president of Advancement and executive director of the Southeast Missoui University Foundation two years ago. This summer, she will retire from a job she has loved and from a career helping connect donors with what is more often than not that which makes all the difference in someone's life.
Dr. Allen Gathman retired after more than 30 years at Southeast Missouri State University as a member of the biology faculty and administrator. During his tenure, he served as director of Southeast's Center for Writing Excellence and as dean of Online Learning.
Links from the Conversation:
Southeast's Trio program encourages and assists 200 students, traditionally under-represented because of income; family educational background; disability; or other relevant federal, state, provincial, or institutional criteria, in completing their college degree. This episode, we talk with two current students about how they found SEMO and their experiences on campus.
Dr. Joseph L. Jefferson currently serves as the Assistant Professor of Trombone/Euphonium and Director of Jazz Studies at Southeast Missouri State University. As a soloist, chamber musician, and educator, Joseph maintains an active and versatile performance schedule in Symphonic, Jazz, and Commercial musical settings both nationally and internationally. Regularly, Joseph is invited to serve as a guest artist, clinician, and adjudicator for both high schools and collegiate music programs throughout the United States. As a scholar, Joseph has published and presented research on the Shout Band Tradition in the United House of Prayer. Recently, Dr. Jefferson was selected as the recipient of the 2022 Ellis Marsalis Jr. Jazz Educator of the Year by the Jazz Education Network.
The breadth and depth of Joseph’s performance repertoire is evidenced in the list of engagements he held prior to moving to Missouri. Prior to moving from the Pacific Northwest, Joseph performed regularly with the Rose City Trombones and the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble. He has also served as the second trombonist for the Tidewater Winds; a professional wind ensemble that performs in the “Sousa Band” tradition. In the classical genre, Joseph has performed with world-renowned artists and groups, such as Zoltan Kiss, The Irish Tenors, Paducah Symphony Orchestra, Colour of Music Orchestra, U.S. Army Continental Band, and with John Phillip Sousa IV. He has also premiered compositions by Andrew Durkin, James Hosay, Robert Senay, and Stuart Dempster. As a soloist, Joseph has performed with the Mt. Hood Symphonic Band, Southeast Missouri State University Wind Symphony, Treasure Valley Wind Symphony, and the Fruitland Wind Ensemble. As a jazz/commercial musician, Joseph leads the JLJ Jazz Quartet. Additionally, has performed with Vanessa Williams, Sean Jones, Andre Hayward, John Fedchock, Nick Finzer, The Cab Calloway Orchestra, Christopher Bill, Jennifer Wharton, Louis Romanos Quartet, Jae Sinnett, Mike Berkowitz, Mark Michelson Big Band, Randy Brecker, Slide Hampton, The Fuzz Band, Sinatra at the Sands Big Band Review, Pranksters Big Band, Treasure Valley Swing Band, and Stuart Dempster (World Premiere 2017 International Trombone Festival). Commercially, he has performed with "Right On" – The Worlds Greatest Show Band. Joseph has also performed with international R&B artists Dwele, Jon Bibbs and Raheem Devaughn. As a collaborative artist, he has also worked with renowned Japanese poet, Lawson Inada, for an evening of jazz and poetry. Joseph’s performances have also been broadcasted on Missouri’s KRCU (90.9/88.9), and an affiliate with NPR and KFVS (Channel 12) - The Heartland's CW, an affiliate with CBS.
Joseph’s honors and awards range across the scholastic and musical spectrum. These honors and awards include: Best Jazz Ensemble and Best Trombone Section (Villanova Collegiate Jazz Festival), finalist in American Prize Competition (as a member in the West Virginia University Symphony Orchestra), University Provost Fellowship (West Virginia University), Academic Enrichment Fellow (West Virginia University), and a Chancellor Scholar (West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission). In 2016, the Jazz Society of Oregon featured Joseph in its Jazz Scene publication.
Since his arrival at Southeast Missouri State University, this pattern of engagement and recognition has continued. In 2018, the Office of the Provost recognized Dr. Jefferson in the faculty spotlight highlighting his performance and teaching successes at Southeast Missouri State University. In 2019, Dr. Jefferson was selected as the Holland College of Arts & Media Outstanding Teaching Award Recipient at Southeast Missouri State University. This success has been passed down to his students through his teaching. Dr. Jefferson’s students have been selected as finalists in solo competitions as well as been awarded music scholarships to major music programs throughout the country.
Dr. Jefferson has been an invited guest artist and presenter at the International Trombone Festival, Jazz Education Network Conference, Washington State Music Educators Association Conference, Louisiana Music Educators Association Conference, Jazz Institute of Chicago, Darkwater Festival, NAfME - Eastern Division Conference, International Horn Symposium, University of Reno Jazz Festival, University of Evansville Brass & Percussion Day, Mt. Hood Community College, Mineral Area College, and Three Rivers College. He has also taught masterclasses and performed at colleges and universities in Idaho, Oregon, Virginia, Missouri, Texas, Nevada, Nebraska, and North Carolina. Internationally, Joseph has had performing and teaching residencies in Bermuda and Asia at the College of Music, Mahidol University (Nakhon Pathom, Thailand).
Prior to arriving at Southeast, Joseph has held faculty positions at the University of Portland, Treasure Valley CC, and Tidewater CC. Joseph earned degrees from West Virginia University (D.M.A.), Shenandoah Conservatory (M.M.), and Norfolk State University (B.M.) under the tutelage of esteemed faculty; including, Dr. Keith Jackson, Dr. Wayne Wells, Dr. Mike Hall, and Mr. Paul Adams. He has also received instruction from Joseph Alessi, Andre Hayward, Amanda Stewart, Vincent Gardner, and Dr. Natalie Mannix.
Dr. Joseph L. Jefferson maintains his connection with the larger community of musicians and educators through his membership in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Jazz Education Network, International Trombone Association, NAfME, Texas Music Educators Association, and the College Music Society. In 2021, Joseph was appointed the Jazz Content Editor for the Historical Brass Society.
Joseph L. Jefferson is a performing artist and clinician for S.E. Shires Trombones and performs exclusively on his “Signature” mouthpieces manufactured by Giddings Mouthpieces.
Retired NASA astronaut Dr. Linda Godwin is a Southeast alumna and an emeritus professor of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Missouri, where she still serves in an adjunct capacity.
NASA Bio
LINDA M. GODWIN (PH.D.)
NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)
PERSONAL DATA: Born July 2, 1952, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Her hometown is
Jackson, Missouri. Married to Steven R. Nagel of Houston, Texas. Two daughters.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Jackson High School in Jackson, Missouri, in 1970;
received a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and physics from Southeast Missouri
State in 1974, and a master of science degree and a doctorate in physics from the
University of Missouri in 1976 and 1980.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the American Physical Society, the Ninety-Nines, Inc.,
Association of Space Explorers, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
SPECIAL HONORS: Recipient of NASA Outstanding Performance Rating, Sustained
Superior Performance Award, and Outstanding Leadership Medal, NASA Exceptional
Service Medal, NASA Distinguished Service Medal.
EXPERIENCE: After completing undergraduate studies in physics and mathematics at Southeast Missouri State University, Dr. Godwin attended graduate school at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. During that time she taught undergraduate physics labs and was the recipient of several research assistantships. She conducted research in low temperature solid state physics, including studies in electron tunneling and vibrational modes of absorbed molecular species on metallic substrates at liquid helium temperatures. Results of her research have been published in several journals. Dr. Godwin is an instrument rated private pilot.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Dr. Godwin joined NASA in 1980, in the Payload Operations Division, Mission Operations Directorate, where she worked in payload integration (attached payloads and Spacelabs), and as a flight controller and payloads officer on several Shuttle missions. Selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in June 1985, Dr. Godwin became an astronaut in July 1986. Her technical assignments have included working with flight software verification in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL), and coordinating mission development activities for the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS), deployable payloads, and Spacelab missions. She also has served as Chief of Astronaut Appearances, Chief of the Mission Development Branch of the Astronaut Office and as the
astronaut liaison to its Educational Working Group, Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office, Deputy Director, Flight Crew Operations Directorate, Chief of the Astronaut Office CAPCOM Branch, and Assistant to the Director for Exploration, Flight Crew Operations Directorate at the Johnson Space Center.
A veteran of four space flights, Dr. Godwin has logged over 38 days in space, including over 10 EVA hours in two spacewalks. In 1991 she served as a Mission Specialist on STS-37, was the Payload Commander on STS-59 in 1994, flew on STS-76 in 1996, a Mir docking mission, and served on STS-108/International Space Station Flight UF-1 in 2001. Dr. Godwin retired from NASA in August 2010.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-37 Atlantis (April 5-11, 1991) was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California. During the 93 orbits of the mission, the crew deployed the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) to study gamma ray sources in the universe. GRO, at almost 35,000 pounds, was the heaviest payload deployed to date by the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (RMS). The crew also conducted an unscheduled space walk to free the GRO high gain antenna, and conducted the first scheduled extravehicular activity in 5-1/2 years to test concepts for moving about large space structures. Several middeck experiments and activities were conducted including test of elements of a heat pipe to study fluid transfer processed in microgravity environments (SHARE), a chemical processing apparatus to characterize the
structure of biological materials (BIMDA), and an experiment to grow larger and more perfect protein crystals than can be grown on the ground (PCG II). Atlantis carried amateur radio equipment for voice contact, fast scan and slow scan TV, and packet radio. Several hundred contacts were made with amateur radio operators around the world. Mission duration was 143 hours, 32 minutes, 44 seconds.
STS-59 Endeavour (April 9-20, 1994) was the Space Radar Laboratory (SRL) mission. SRL consisted of three large radars, SIR-C/X-SAR (Shuttle Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar), and a carbon monoxide sensor that were used to enhance studies of the Earth's surface and atmosphere. The imaging radars operated in three frequencies and four polarizations.
This multispectral capability of the radars provided information about the Earth's surface over a wide range of scales not discernible with previous single-frequency experiments. The carbon monoxide sensor MAPS (Measurement of Air Pollution by Satellite) used gas filter radiometry to measure the global distribution of CO in the troposphere. Real-time crew observations of surface phenomena and climatic conditions augmented with over 14,000 photographs aided investigators in interpretation and calibration of the data. The mission concluded with a landing at Edwards AFB after orbiting the Earth 183 times in 269 hours, 29 minutes.
STS-76 Atlantis (March 22-31, 1996) was the third docking mission to the Russian space station Mir. Following rendezvous and docking with Mir, transfer of a NASA astronaut to Mir for a 5-month stay was accomplished to begin a continuous presence of U.S. astronauts aboard Mir for the next two year period. The crew also transferred 4800 pounds of science and mission hardware, food, water and air to Mir and returned over 1100 pounds of U.S. and ESA science and Russian hardware. Dr. Godwin performed a six-hour spacewalk, the first while docked to an orbiting space station, to mount experiment packages on the Mir docking module to detect and assess debris and contamination in a space station environment. The packages will be retrieved by a future shuttle mission. The Spacehab module carried in the Shuttle payload bay was utilized extensively for transfer and return stowage
of logistics and science and also carried Biorack, a small multipurpose laboratory used during this mission for research of plant and animal cellular function. This mission was also the first flight of Kidsat, an electronic camera controlled by classroom students via a Ku-band link between JSC Mission Control and the Shuttle, which uses digitized photography from the Shuttle for science and education. The STS-76 mission was accomplished in 145 orbits of the Earth, traveling 3.8 million miles in 221 hours and 15 minutes.
STS-108 Endeavour (December 5-17, 2001) was the 12th shuttle flight to visit the International Space Station. Endeavour’s crew delivered the Expedition-4 crew and returned the Expedition-3 crew. The crew unloaded over 3 tons of supplies, logistics and science experiments from the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module and repacked over 2 tons of items no longer needed on the station for return to Earth. Dr. Godwin used the Shuttle’s robotic arm to install the MPLM onto the Station Node, and participated in a space walk to wrap thermal blankets around ISS Solar Array Beta Gimbal Assemblies. STS-108 was accomplished in 185 Earth orbits, traveling 4.8 million miles in 283 hours and 36 minutes.