Briefly mentioned

UMKC receives $1.2 million grant

UMKC's Institute for Human Development and School of Computing and Engineering received a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

The grant will go toward the "Building an Alliance for New Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (KC-BANCS): A Collaborative Model for the Inclusion of Youth and Veterans with Disabilities" project.

The project's goal is to increase the number of students and veterans with disabilities who enter science, technology, engineering and math post-secondary academic programs.

Through the project, these students will have opportunities for peer support, assistance with college programs and systems and career exploration.

Jazz Legend collection at Miller Nichols Library

Miller Nichols Library's LaBudde Department of Special Collections and the Marr Sound archives recently received a collection of legendary Kansas City jazz musician Jay McShann.

The collection includes videos of interviews and performances, photographs, awards and other memorabilia from McShann.

McShann moved to Kansas City in 1936 and led a big band that featured Charlie "Bird" Parker. McShann scored a hit with his song "Confessin' the Blues," selling more than 100,000 copies in three months.

Afterward, McShann spent time on the east and west coasts before moving back to Kansas City in the 1950s where he raised his family. He also attended the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance in the '50s and received an honorary doctorate in Musical Arts in 1990.

After the collection is processed, people will be able to search the collection online. Until then, arrangements to access the collection can be made by calling 816-235-5712.

Lucerna launches with a party

For the students who fought off sleep to write those incredibly long research papers just to have a professor read it, mark it with a red pen and then toss it in the trash - all is not lost.

While it might have seemed to be a waste, Lucerna is the saving grace for all those hours lost.

Lucerna is an undergraduate honors journal that publishes research papers.

A peer-reviewed publication, Lucerna is sponsored by the Honors Program.

The journal accepts research papers from 1,200-1,500 words written during undergraduate years.

The topics of these research papers can range from English, Education, Biology, Math, Philosophy, Political Science and Spanish.

The publication kicked off the new school year by hosting a launch party last Wednesday in the lobby of Scofield Hall.

To view volumes one through four of the journal, go to www.cas.umkc.edu/honors/lucerna.

- Kasondra Wilson