Tough talks tonight; Spirit Week at Southeast

Infertility. Homelessness. Miscarriage. Domestic violence. Cancer. Police violence.

Tamatha Crowson, on homelessness

Tonight, survivors of each of these harrowing experiences will speak on their experience, and emerging from it.

Nate Gautier, on cancer

Last week, the Southeast Missourian published a wrap. Previously, this October wrap was dedicated to survivors of breast cancer, to help raise awareness. This year, said project and event manager for rustmedia Jamie Phillips, the focus shifted to those whose stories were also about perseverance.

Dr. Loretta Prater, on racial discrimination

Inspired by the TED Talk format, where experts get up before an audience and speak on "ideas worth sharing," Survivor Stories is an in-person and online event featuring local residents sharing their stories.

Nicole Pyrtle, on miscarriage

Christine Jaegers will speak on infertility; Tamatha Crowson on homelessness; Nicole Pyrtle on miscarriage; Jennifer Abernathy on domestic violence, substance abuse and sexual abuse; Nate Gautier and Mitzi Seger each on cancer; and Dr. Loretta Prater on racial discrimination and police violence.

Helen "Mitzie" Seger, on cancer

In-person seating is limited to 50 attendees, Phillips said, and the online event will be streamed via Facebook Live.

Jennifer Abernathy, on sexual assault, domestic and substance abuse

"We're told to internalize things, get through it, put your head down, it's all going to be OK," Phillips said. "If you've ever been through something like that, you know that not everything is OK. There are good days, bad days, some days that are about just surviving."

That got her thinking: What if people who had survived had the opportunity to talk about their experiences in an unfiltered, no-time-limit space?

"I want this to be a very honest evening," Phillips said. "I think that it's really easy to wrap things up with a bow, and that's just not life."

Phillips said she wants this event to be a true representation of the experiences, and hopes attendees will be made a little bit uncomfortable, but will come away with some hope.

"I know these are specific hard topics," she said. "I hope, at the end of the night, we're all thinking more of how we can be there for one another and for ourselves."

The stories featured in the wrap are all online at www.semissourian.com/survivors.

Find the event page by searching Survivor Series on Facebook.

SEMO student artist exhibition

"Echo of a Hidden Forest," featuring the work of Southeast Missouri State University student artist Tristan Swims, is the third Student Artist of the Month exhibition of the Fall 2020 exhibition season at Southeast's Catapult Creative House, 612 Broadway in Cape Girardeau.

Now on view on the second floor, the exhibit's closing reception will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Nov. 6. Face coverings will be required, and social-distancing guidelines will be in place.

SEMO Pride Week

Southeast Missouri State University will kick off a weeklong celebration of school pride beginning Monday during 2020 Spirit Week.

Highlights of the week include Spirit Days, Thank A Giver (TAG) initiative, Man and Woman of the Year competition, the "War for the Wheel" NESTFLIX Watch Party and the Copper Dome Celebration, a virtual event honoring members of the Copper Dome Society, 2020 Alumni Award recipients and 2020 Friends of the University.

Spirit Week is also about giving back. In collaboration with the American Red Cross, there will be a Spirit Week blood drive today to help supplement urgent shortages. The blood drive will be held from noon to 7 p.m. in the Student Recreation Center east gym, 750 New Madrid St. in Cape Girardeau.

On Oct. 29, a virtual Copper Dome Celebration will be held, and presentations include the Alumni Association's 2020 Alumni Merit Awards, Faculty Merit Award, Distinguished Young Alumni Award and Friends of the University will be presented.

This year's Alumni Merit Award recipients are

• Debra Reid of Dearborn, Michigan, curator of agriculture and the environment at The Henry Ford Museum
• David Blakemore of Campbell, Missouri, president of Blakemore Cotton & Grain LLC
• Mirza Nadeem Zafar of Chicago, division president for Chartwells at Compass Group USA
• Roy Thomas of St. Matthews, South Carolina, celebrated comic book writer for Marvel and DC Comics

Faculty Merit Award recipient will be Michelle Brune, Southeast professor of interior design. The Faculty Merit Award is presented for excellence in teaching.

The Distinguished Young Alumni Award recipient is Jeremy Loenneke of Oxford, Mississippi, a 2008 Southeast graduate who, after earning his doctoral degree from the University of Oklahoma, now teaches physiology at the University of Mississippi and conducts research on skeletal muscle adaptations to exercise. The award was established in 2017 to honor recent graduates for their outstanding service to and support of the University.

Don and Gloria LaFerla of Joplin, Missouri, have been named Friends of the University. The award, which recognizes those who support and who are closely associated with the mission, purposes, plans and programs of the university, is the highest honor bestowed by the Southeast Missouri University Foundation. The award honors the LaFerlas' longtime commitment to, philanthropy and generosity at the University.

More info, including a complete list of events and activities: Campus Life and Event Services at (573) 651-2280 or www.semo.edu/campuslife/engagein8.