While Lucille Salerno's professional life centered around research and grant writing for the University of Missouri and state government, her community life centered around music in general, and ragtime in particular, as well as the preservation of history and the cultural arts indigenous to the region. She is also a commentator on a ragtime show on KOPN radio in Columbia.

Lucille worked tirelessly with the city of Columbia, which purchased and is now renovating John William "Blind" Boone's original home. She spearheads the annual John William "Blind" Boone Ragtime and Early Jazz Festival bearing the majority of responsibility for organizing and implementing the event, where international performers participate and visitors from around the nation visit.

Lucille's commitment to outreach in education and her faith in the youth of the state was realized when she organized and administered a Peace Studies Program in conflict resolution for youth, ages 12 and 13 years. The adolescents were statewide residents who evidenced leadership abilities. All attended an intensive summer training program, living in MU campus dormitories. The effort brought to life her vision of "a world in which people celebrate and accommodate diversity and peaceful negotiations of diverse interests." For this she received the University of Missouri's College of Arts and Sciences' Distinguished Service Award.

In the newly organized Lifespan Learning Program - a "Learning in Retirement" series of courses - Salerno both made class presentations and assisted in the production of a course on the Arts and Humanities in Missouri.

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checked 01/27/05

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