two men and a woman stand in front of a projected image

University of Central Missouri President Roger Best, Ph.D. and Provost, Mike Godard, Ph.D. welcome Jeanne to campus

4/25/2019 GOOD NEWS UPDATE: The response to the exhibit in the McClure Archives and University Library on the Campus of the University of Central Missouri has been so successful, the exhibit has been extended through December 31, 2019! If you’d like to take your group (think class, guild, organization, family), let me know or contact Dr. Clifford-Napoleone at the museum directly. And now we return to our blog post, currently in progress . . .

One month and 27 days after being sworn in as the 16th  President of University of Central Missouri, Roger Best, Ph.D. appeared before me during mic check, introduced himself, and when I thanked him for stopping by to introduce himself, assured me he was staying for my presentation. And he did. The theme of Best’s inaugural address was “milestones” (something the University of Central Missouri enjoys a lot of). Important note and hint: His wife is a quilter. I look forward to meeting her when I’m back on campus in August.

two women stand in front of a glass display case filled with white quilts covered with pairs of red X's

Jeanne and Amber R. Clifford-Napoleone, Ph.D., Director of McClure Archives and University Museum in front of a large display case filled with quilts of The 70273 Project

Thanks to the efforts of Amber R. Clifford-Napoleone, Ph.D., the Mules (I LOVE their mascot)  of Central Missouri have yet another milestone for their history book. More than a year ago, Dr. Clifford-Napoleone, Quilter and Director of The McClure Archives and University Museum, asked to host an exhibit of The 70273 Project quilts, and so, as of March 29, 2019, The McClure Archives and University Museum is home to the first exhibit of The 70273 Project on a college campus as well as the largest (more than 100 quilts on display) and longest-running (March to August 2019) exhibit of The 70273 Project to date.

6 women and 2 children stand smiling

Jeanne with The 70273 Projecteteers Anne Bolin Street, Shari Gilliam, Veronica Johnson, Becky Collis,  Becky’s grandchildren Averi and Cassia, and Denniele Bohannon

Two women and two girls hug and smile

Jeanne and Becky Collis with her granddaughters, Averi and Cassia. The girls are ticklish. Ask me how I know.

Besides President Best, Godard, and Clifford-Napoleone, the Dean, various organizational chairs, students, professors, citizens who work with Veterans, local quilters, and community leaders filled the room.  Aaaannnnddd, some 70273 Projecteteers came and sat on the front row! It was great  fun to call these Tribe members “Sugar” to their face.

My presentation kicked off Politics and Social Justice Week and the opening of The 70273 Project Exhibit. Due to my eye problems (that have since been diagnosed), my daughter Alison went with me to be my eyes. She recorded this video of my presentation with no tripod! It’s been almost a month, and her arms are still shaking, so yes, I’m getting a tripod before my  next presentation.

woman adjusts microphone

Alison won bonus points with the rest of the family for catching me in this visual short joke.

Fantastic questions followed my presentation, and after 25 minutes, the Q and A session had to be cut off because (a) I’d assigned homework to a lot of people that was due immediately following the presentation and (b) there were refreshments waiting down the hall.

6 when line the stairs. Painted on the riser to each step is the word "welcome" in different languages.

Y’all know I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to capture a photo with my new friends on the stairs bidding visitors welcome in a variety of different languages.

After enjoying refreshments and good conversations, we walked back to The McClure for what we all came to see: the quilts on exhibit. Dr. Clifford-Napolone’s students did an outstanding job of hanging the exhibit.

open door covered with signage about the Archives and Museum and the exhibit

quilts on display, white covered with pairs of red X's

3 rows of white quilts covered with pairs of red X's

quilts on display in a glass-from display case

small quilts on display

Minis of The 70273 Project were displayed in glass cases. Mirrors were used so that both sides of the Minis could be seen by visitors.

The exhibit is open Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 5 pm, and it’s up through the end of August, so be sure to get by there and prepare to be mesmerized.

It was an honor and a thrill to be on this beautiful campus, and I look forward to being back there in August of this year for block drives, chats, and story swapping with students, classes, and community organizations. Amber and I are doing some calendar coordinating now, so check the calendar or subscribe to the newsletterand/or the blog for details.

Thank you for having me in Missouri, y’all. It was SO much fun.

If your campus or class or organization would like to have me visit to hold a block drive, speak to classes, do a presentation,  just holler.