park alumniad, spring 2006
DESCRIPTION
Park University alumni magazine, published Spring 2006TRANSCRIPT
ENGAGEMENT
PARKU N I V E R S I T Y
ALUMNIADSPRING 2006
civ cSM
Park’s 131-year history of service to community, country and humanity reaches worldwide proportions.
PARKU N I V E R S I T Y
ALUMNIADSPRING 2006
Park University AlumniadVolume 95, Number 2
President of Park UniversityBeverley Byers-Pevitts, Ph.D.
Vice President for University AdvancementCaren Handleman
Associate Vice President for CommunicationRita Weighill, ’90
Communication CoordinatorSummer Evans
Staff LiaisonDirector of Alumni RelationsJulie McCollum (816) 584-6206(800) 488-PARK (7275)Fax (816) [email protected]@park.edu
Alumni Relations Assistant Alisha Coggins, ’03(816) [email protected]
EditorKathy WalkerWalker Texas Writer
Assistant EditorJohn Dycus
Art DirectorJennifer Hendersonjodesign
We would like to hear from you! Please send your comments to Rita Weighill at [email protected].
Established in 1875, Park University is a national leader in highereducation and is distinguished by its innovative adult degree completion programs. The University has 24,272 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs at 42 campuses located in 21 states and Online.
2005-06 Park University Alumni Council Jim Peeke, ’65, [email protected]
David Oswald, x65, [email protected]
Harold Smith, ’44, Ph.D., treasurer, council [email protected]
Richard Kelleher, ’02, M.P.A. ’03, [email protected]
Darrel Campbell, ’[email protected]
Jane Turner Dodson, ’[email protected]
Matt Dodson, ’[email protected]
Karen Peters Frankenfeld, ’59 [email protected]
Neal McGregor, ’[email protected]
Alumniad Advisory BoardDonna Bachmann, associate professor of art and design Cathy Colapietro, director of admissions and student financial
services Brian Davis, associate vice president, College of Distance LearningJerod Dahlgren, sports information directorOlga Ganzen, M.P.A. ’99, assistant professor of international
education, director of International Education and Study AbroadCaren Handleman, vice president for University advancement Gary Heisserer, Ph.D., associate vice president for academic affairs Julie McCollum, director of alumni relations Diana McElroy, dean of student servicesKathy Walker, editor Rita Weighill, ’90, associate vice president for communication
SM
See www.park.edu for more information about Park University.
The Alumniad is published three times a year by the Office of University Advancement for Park Universityalumni and friends. Send all comments and address corrections to: Office of University Advancement, ParkUniversity, 8700 N.W. River Park Drive, Parkville, MO 64152, or call (816) 584-6816 or [email protected].
Cover and inside cover photos by Craig Sands Photographic
On the cover: Simona Cibotaru, from Moldova in Eastern Europe, is a junior majoring in political science and international business andfinance, with a minor in mathematics. She is vice president of Park’s Model UN program and participates in the University’s CivicEngagement initiatives including the Global Future program, Coming to America series, International Service-Learning Program and StudyAbroad Program. She is program coordinator for Park’s People To People chapter and has been a member of the Rotaract Club. She works inthe office of Olga Ganzen, M.P.A. ’99, in the International Education Program - Global Changes of Park University. In March, she traveledwith a Park group to Brazil on a service-learning mission.
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 1
Tabl
e of
Co
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Features3 Focus on Park University
Downtown Kansas City Campus Center
4-7 Enacting a Culture of Engagement Park reaches out to community, country and humanity.
8-9 International ConnectionFrom Brazil to Russia to China, Park’s 2005-06 travelspromote the University in other nations.
10-11 Mission: Service-Learning, Destination: BrazilStudents, faculty and staff reach out to Brazil’s Pau Amerelo Community.
15 Founder’s Day Celebrates Park’s 131st AnniversaryThe J.E. Dunn family is honored for contributions tocommunity.
16-17 New Master Plan UnderwayStrategic plan Explorations & Transformations 2012:Access to Excellence provides road map for theUniversity’s future.
17 Restoring a Campus TreasureGraham Tyler Memorial Chapel receives much-neededrepairs.
18-19 From Determined Player to Enterprising ExecutiveAnteco Cross, ’95, parlays Park education and sports experience into successful career in car rental business.
24 Ahoy, Mate! We Could’ve Been the White Mules ...Pirates won out over White Mules and others to becomePark’s mascot.
36 Bridging the Reality Between Courtroom and ClassroomLicensed attorney and Adjunct Professor Cathy Taylor,J.D., connects classroom and courtroom for Business Law Iand II Online students.
Departments12-14 Campus News20 Support for Park21 Tribute Gift Recognition22-23 In Academia26-37 Alumni Section28 AWE 2006 Highlights 29 AWE 2006 Registration Form30-35 Class Notes37 Ireland Trip: An Irish Classic
Correction:The Web address for Melissa (Feris) Mann, ’02,was incorrect in the fall 2005 Alumniad. Thecorrect address is www.melissasmurals.net.
Our mission:The mission of Park University, an entrepreneurialinstitution of learning, is to provide access toacademic excellence which will prepare learners tothink critically, communicate effectively andengage in lifelong learning while serving a globalcommunity.
2 >> www.park.edu
Greetings, Alumni and Friends,
Through their words and actions, our students, faculty, staff and alumni typify Civic Engagement
through a culture of commitment, of caring and of community that has made Park University a
remarkable institution for 131 years. Literally every week I am reminded of what an honor it is to
serve and represent Park as its president!
In this Alumniad you will find robust examples of community and academic accomplishment,
including a report on faculty, undergraduate and graduate students who combine their energy and
vision to assist community service projects in Recife, Brazil. In upcoming editions we will continue to
share how the University is connecting to others around the world.
Indeed, Park’s civic activities are capturing local, national and international attention and helping
us forge new and global partnerships. In October, the United Nations selected the University’s
International Center for Civic Engagement (ICCE) to participate in a network of institutes and
associations that share their experiences and best practices in sound public policies, effective public
administration and civil services. The ICCE has been designated an “Online International Center” of
the United Nations Online Network of Public Administration and Finance (UNPAN). To date, Park
is the only higher education institution in the world selected for UNPAN membership. The UNPAN
web site has featured recent works of Jerzy Hauptmann, Ph.D., professor emeritus of political
science and public administration, and Brian Hoffman, Ph.D., professor of biology and
mathematics.
This spring Park is demonstrating its civic spirit on many fronts, including hosting the Parkville
general election information web site, a children’s literature festival and a food drive. Recently, the
National Weather Service named Park a “Storm Ready” institution, certifying that the Parkville Campus
has taken steps to protect its students, faculty, staff and guests from weather-related disasters.
If we as individuals and as the University community truly want to transform our world, then we must
become engaged in our communities and in the lives of our fellow human beings. Civic Engagement is a
privilege and a responsibility shared by Park students, faculty, staff and alumni for generations. I
encourage you to visit www.park.edu/icce and review the ongoing list of Park’s civic involvements.
Kindest personal regards,
Beverley Byers-Pevitts, Ph.D.
PresidentGre
etin
gs
President’s
On Jan. 27, the Smart Communities blog named Park’s International Center for Civic Engagement one of its “most engaging
blogs.” Pew Partnership for Civic Change president, Suzanne Morse, identified Park’s blog on International Civic Engagement:
“What is meant by “International” is not a notion of individuals worldwide uniting to better our common circumstance; no, the
“International” here means an effort to find initiatives from across the globe that improve civic engagement and present them
in one place. It’s an interesting endeavor and one that I like because universities do bridge that gap between what’s global and
what is local community. Further, the blog devotes entries to information (news, research, examples of initiatives, etc.) that
can be as easily applied to America as it is abroad. Since part of the battle of civic engagement is just demonstrating to people
that it is possible and yields positive results, I think this information is important.”
Erik Bergrud, ICCE director and special assistant to the president for University projects on civic engagement, said that this
recognition from Morse is an amazing honor for the University and the Center.
OPENED: January 2005
Located three blocks east of its predecessor, the
Downtown Campus Center occupies the eighth
and ninth floors of Commerce Tower in the
Downtown Kansas City Library District. The
facility replaces the MetroPark campus,
providing classrooms, administrative offices and
conference rooms in support of Park’s Kansas
City programs:
– Portfolio Program– Downtown Accelerated Program– Professional Development Institute– Graduate Schools
• Hauptmann School for Public Affairs• Master of Business Administration• Master of Education• Master of Arts in Teaching• Masters in Healthcare Leadership
With 32,000 square feet and 350 parkingspaces, the location addresses the sustainedrapid growth in Park’s graduate and accelerateddegree programs.
DOWNTOWN CAMPUSCENTERADMINISTRATORS:
• S.L. Sartain, Ed.S., director, Park AcceleratedPrograms/Kansas City Area
• Mathew Kanjirathinkal, Ph.D., dean, GraduateStudies
• Laurie DiPadova-Stocks, Ph.D., dean,Hauptmann School for Public Affairs
• Nicholas Koudou, director, MBA Program• Laura Lane, executive director, Professional
Development Institute• Stephen Pew, Ph.D., executive director,
Healthcare Leadership Programs• Larry Ewing, Ph.D., director, Graduate
Education
Focus on Park UniversityDowntown Campus Center911 Main St., Kansas City, Mo.
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 3
PHOTOS BY CRA IG SANDS PHOTOGRAPHIC
4 >> www.park.edu
Enacting a Cultureof EngagementThrough the InternationalCenter for CivicEngagement, Parkcommits to caring,interaction and communityby Erik Bergrud, M.P.A. ’94
“Today let us not only share our hopes and dreams for the
current academic year, but also reflect about our purpose as
individuals and as a University community in addressing
society’s challenge. I would like to suggest that our response
be to enact a Culture of Engagement at Park University. If
we as individuals and as a University community truly want
to transform our world, then we must become engaged in our
communities and in the lives of our fellow human beings.”
— Park President Beverley Byers-Pevitts, Ph.D.
In her September 2005 Convocation
address, President Beverley Byers-Pevitts, Ph.D., focused the University’s
attention on the subject of Civic Engagement
while acknowledging Park’s rich 131-year
history of service to community, country and
humanity.
Civic Engagement takes many forms —
individual volunteerism, organizational
involvement, electoral participation, efforts to
directly address an issue, working with others
to solve a problem, and interacting with the
institutions of representative democracy.
The Pew Charitable Trusts defines Civic
Engagement as “individual and collective
actions designed to identify and address
issues of public concern.” JerzyHauptmann, Ph.D., Park professor
emeritus of political science and public
administration, has defined Civic
Engagement as “active involvement in the
affairs of an organization, including setting
(if at all possible) and working toward the
achievement of organizational goals, while
clearly expressing personal goals and striving
for identifiable results of the activities for
which and for their consequences one is
responsible.”
I learned a great deal about Civic
Engagement in 1991 as a student in
Dr. Hauptmann’s introductory course in the
Graduate School of Public Affairs, since
renamed the Hauptmann School for Public
Affairs. He taught that as Park graduates and
professionals, my classmates and I were
duty-bound to make a difference in society.
Embarking on “a public service career is
more than simply punching a time clock,” he
told us. Dr. Hauptmann challenged us to
exemplify by our thoughts and actions the
school’s motto, “Preparing for Service.”
A LEGACY OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENTThroughout its history, Park’s students,
faculty and staff have made major
contributions both on and off campus. More
than 300 students helped construct Mackay
Hall, the University’s signature building on
the Parkville campus, in the late 1800s.
Students quarried and hauled the stone that
still stands strong today. They also completed
most of the carpentry.
Past examples of Park’s Civic
Engagement: In the first half of the 20th
century, Park ran the Parkville Water Supply,
generated electric power for the city,
supplied steam to downtown Parkville,
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 5
established a military unit for the Spanish
American War, had a military company in
World War I and hosted the V-12 naval
personnel training unit on campus during
World War II.
Students, faculty, staff and alumni have
held elected office, served as volunteer
firefighters and played leadership roles in
nonprofit organizations across the country.
RECENT EXAMPLES OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENTSince the beginning of the fall 2005
academic year, Park has made significant
progress toward enacting a Culture of
Engagement:
In August and September, SS100 Parkville
campus students, with the support of
Psychology Department Chair AndrewJohnson, Ph.D., and history Assistant
Professor Tim Westcott, Ph.D., raised
$3,000 for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Student leaders and President Byers-Pevitts
presented the funds to Heart to Heart
International, a global humanitarian
organization based in Olathe, Kan., that
inspires, empowers and mobilizes individuals
to assist the poor in their communities and
around the world.
In fall 2005, President Byers-Pevitts
invited University employees to submit their
current Civic Engagement activities, which
were then posted on the University web site.
Examples across 42 campus centers include
heading up a clothing/food drive to send care
packages to Hurricane Katrina victims;
volunteering to help build houses for the
local neighborhood housing project;
volunteering to help a hospital with a baby
fair and answer questions concerning child
development; and an effort by the Cherry
Point Campus Center office, in conjunction
with the base’s Education Center, to raise
more than $900 for Toys for Tots.
More than 650 middle and high school
students and their teachers attended Park’s
first Launching a Dream: First Step to
Tomorrow symposium Oct. 4-5. The event,
cosponsored with Park University by Sprint,
brought cutting-edge scientists and
aerospace education specialists including
NASA astronauts from around the country to
teach about the history and future of space
exploration.
• In October the University hosted its
annual art@park event, drawing
thousands to the Parkville campus.
Several hundred Parkville-area children
“trick or treated” on the Parkville campus
during Fright Night, an annual event organized
by the Office of Resident Life and staged by
student volunteers.
On Nov. 8, Park announced the winners of
its 2nd Democracy Day High School Student
Essay Contest. Paul Mintner of Lafayette
County C-1 High School received the grand
prize award in a ceremony on the Parkville
campus. Presentation to first-prize winners was
made at high school assemblies in the Kansas
City area. This year’s contest theme was “The
U.S. Constitution as a Living Document.”
More than 170 high school students
representing 11 Kansas City-area high schools
participated in a Model United Nations
conference on the Parkville Campus on Nov. 11-
12. The Model U.N. provided the opportunity
for participation in a simulation of United
Nations decision-making.
During International Education Week, the
Parkville Campus hosted a variety of cultural
and educational events, including a global
simulation workshop and the annual
international dinner.
INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENTLast summer the International Center for
Civic Engagement (ICCE) was established
6 >> www.park.edu
Cathy Sillman, Ph.D., director of Professional Development Institute, shares lettersfrom U.S. students that tell about their culture through stories and drawings.
CO
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to advance the University’s global mission,
establish links with international efforts
across campuses and provide innovative
opportunities for learners in the global
society while establishing an outlet for
channeling community outreach efforts in
the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Placed within the Hauptmann School for
Public Affairs, the center builds on the
historic vision of HSPA to serve the common
good by graduating leaders who exercise
authority responsibly, make ethical decisions,
act with moral courage and advance human
dignity worldwide.
In October 2005 the United Nations
selected the ICCE to participate in a global
network of institutes and associations that
share knowledge, experiences and best
practices in sound public policies, effective
public administration and efficient civil
services. The ICCE has been designated as
an Online International Center of the
United Nations Online Network in Public
Administration and Finance (UNPAN). To
date, Park University is the only higher
education institution selected for UNPAN
membership.
In November 2005 the ICCE published
its first paper, written by Dr. Hauptmann. In
“Toward a Theory of Civic Engagement,” he
provides a historical context and identifies
seven elements required for any Civic
Engagement activity. The paper was
distributed widely and received positive
reviews. Hauptmann discussed his paper at
a reception for Park students and alumni
April 3 during the 2006 American Society
for Public Administration National
Conference in Denver. The ICCE will
publish additional Civic Engagement papers
later this year.
This spring the ICCE will bring Great
Decisions, America’s longest-running public
affairs program, to the Parkville Campus.
Under sponsorship of the Foreign Policy
Association, the program includes an annual
briefing book and discussion groups on the
important issues facing the world today. This
year’s topics include U.N. reform; Brazil;
human rights in the age of terrorism; the
U.S. and Iran; global health pandemics and
security; Turkey; energy resources; and
China and India: partners or competitors.
The ICCE intends to expand the program to
other Park campus centers in 2007.
ALUMNI PARTICIPATION IN THECULTURE OF ENGAGEMENTPark alumni can play a pivotal role in
advancing Park’s Culture of Engagement. In
her September 2005 Convocation address,
President Byers-Pevitts called upon “all
alumni who have the available resources to
provide internships and externships to the
Park community.”
Alumni can also take advantage of the
resources on the ICCE web site, which
includes pages such as:
How Can I Become Civically Engaged?
How Can I Volunteer?
Park’s Culture of Engagement
PARK’S FUTURE OF CIVICENGAGEMENT Administrators are finalizing a Culture of
Engagement Plan that will present a
significant list of new programs and activities
across many campus centers.
The plan’s vision statement (below) sets a
lofty benchmark. As the 25,000-member
Park community pulls together to achieve
this vision, not only will the University be
transformed, but the lives of hundreds of
thousands, if not millions, will be affected.
Vision Statement: Park University will be a
renowned civic leader in all of the regions in
which it operates. Through their actions and
attitudes, Park students, faculty and staff will
demonstrate a commitment to caring,
interaction and community. As a result of its
community engagement, the civic culture of
the regions in which Park University operates
will be positively transformed.
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 7
RECOMMENDED RESOURCESPresident Beverley Byers-Pevitts’ September 2005 Convocation address —
http://www.park.edu/convocation
Dr. Jerzy Hauptmann’s November 2005 civic engagement paper —
http://www.park.edu/icce/files/civic200511.pdf
“The Power of Engagement: How Helping Others Helps YOU” —
http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/icce/unpan022224.pdf
International Center for Civic Engagement (ICCE) web site — http://www.park.edu/icce
United Nations Online Network in Public Administration and Finance (UNPAN) web site —
http://www.unpan.org
During the last day of classes, children from the Pau Amerelo Community learned from Park University nursingstudents how to brush their teeth, how to stop, drop and roll in case of a fire, and the importance of washingtheir hands.
Erik Bergrud, MPA ’94, is director
of the International Center for Civic
Engagement and special assistant to
the president for University projects on
Civic Engagement. Contact him at
(816) 584-6412 or [email protected].
CO
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FS
APN
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UPT
A,
Ph.D
.
8 >> www.park.edu
International ConnectionRUSSIAMarch 2005Park travels to Moscow and St. Petersburg,Russia, on a program development trip for theInternational Center for Music and the YouthConservatory for Music. The trip is built aroundStanislav Ioudenitch’s performance of a SaintSaëns piano concerto with the NationalPhilharmonic of Russia and world-renownedconductor Vlatimir Spivakof. Ioudenitch performsat Yusupov Palace for members of Park’s culturaland art travel program.
ARGENTINAOctober 2005Fourteen Parkrepresentatives, includingOlga Ganzen, M.P.A. ’99,Laura Lane and ParkUniversity Board ofTrustees Louise Mordenand Brenda Wisniewski,’68, travel to Argentina toresearch opportunities fora hospitality major.
UNITED KINGDOMOctober 2005Jeffery A. Hartle, CFPS, MIFireE, is one of32 U.S. delegates at the 10th annual U.S.and U.K. Fire Service College in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.
Park traveled the globe in 2005 and
2006, sending faculty, staff and students
to share their knowledge, expand their
expertise and promote the University
in other nations.
MEXICOJuly-August 2005Olga Ganzen, M.P.A. ’99, and DennisKerkman, Ph.D., visit the University ofGuanajuato, Mexico, to prepare the MexicoStudy Abroad Program 2006. Kerkmancollaborates with the Mexican governmentto evaluate a hands-on science educationprogram for more than 4,000 elementaryschool children in the northeastern Mexicanstate of Tamaulipas.
BRAZILJanuary 2005 Laura Lane, Sapna Gupta, Ph.D., and StevenYoungblood present at two universities and participatein a community-based service organization in Recife.They meet with leaders from Faculdade Boa Viagem inRecife and Faculdade de Ciencias Humanas in Olindato discuss potential partnership agreements. Atimetable for the resulting Park-FBV partnershipincludes a schedule for team-taught Online classes,visits, exchanges and Online Portuguese languageclasses for Park students.
Park’s world travelers:Beverley Byers-Pevitts, Ph.D., Park president
Donna Bachmann, professor of art
Erik Bergrud, director of the International Center for CivicEngagement
Kay Boehr, director of interior design
Olga Ganzen, M.P.A. ’99, director of the Office ofInternational Education and Study Abroad
Carol Getty, Ph.D., associate professor of criminal justice
Sapna Gupta, Ph.D., professor of chemistry
Jeffery A. Hartle, CFPS, MIFireE, coordinator of Disasterand Emergency Management Emphasis for theHauptmann School of Public Affairs
Stanislav Ioudenitch, associate professor of music, artisticdirector of The International Center for Music and YouthConservatory for Music, and Van Cliburn gold medalist
Dennis Kerkman, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology
Director of International Education and Study Abroad
Laura Lane, executive director of the ProfessionalDevelopment Institute
Angela Markley-Peterson, assistant director of the Officeof International Education and Study Abroad
Robert Pevitts, Ph.D., executive director of the YouthConservatory for Music
Gregory Sandomirsky, violin instructor for Park’s YouthConservatory of Music and associate concertmaster of theKansas City Symphony
Steven Youngblood, assistant professor of communicationarts
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 9
CHINAJune 2005Carol Getty, Ph.D., and Steven Youngblood jointly present asession, Media and Criminal Justice, at the InternationalConference on Diversity in Beijing. In Xian, Youngblood gives thekeynote address at the National Conference of ForeignLanguage Professors. The two professors address classes atNorthwestern Polytechnical University.
August 2005Erik Bergrud and Olga Ganzen, M.P.A. ’99, represent Park on aGreater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce trade mission toChina. They meet with Chinese business/civic leaders and U.S.officials in Shanghai and Beijing to explore partnerships andlearn about U.S. visa requirements for Chinese students. TrusteeBenny Lee joins them for part of the trip.
DENMARKOctober 2005In preparation for the 2006 Denmark StudyAbroad Program, Angela Markley-Peterson, Carol Getty, Ph.D., and KayBoehr visit Denmark to research studentrecruitment. They meet with coordinatorsfrom the Danish DIS program, participate ina training conference and visit sites linkedto the program.
ITALYMay-June 2005Donna Bachmann and Olga Ganzen, M.P.A. ’99, travel with 16 Parkstudents who attend history and art classes at CAPA School in Florence.The group stays with members of People to People International andvisits cultural sites in Florence, Milan, Pisa, Rome and Venice.
June-July 2005Stanislav Ioudenitch, President Beverley Byers-Pevitts, Ph.D.; RobertPevitts, Ph.D., and Olga Ganzen, M.P.A. ’99, participate in theInternational Piano Academy’s 2005 summer piano program in LakeComo, Italy, and prepare for the 2006 Lake Como Study Abroadprogram of the Park University International Center for Music incooperation with the Office for International Education and StudyAbroad. Ioudenitch is the youngest master pianist to teach in theInternational Piano Academy program.
July-August 2005To foster relationships among students and faculty in the United Statesand Europe, Park and Truman State University unite three schools ofmusic to establish an international music studies program, the FestivalMusicale Della Toscana, in Montaione, Italy. Alberto Bologni, professor ofviolin at the Lucca Academy of Music in Italy; Sam McClure, TSUprofessor of violin/viola and director of orchestras, and Park’s GregorySandomirsky are key people behind the festival.
Braz10 >> www.park.edu
Mission: Service-Learning Designation:
Brazil’s
diverse regions don’t always mirror the
travel posters of Rio de Janiero’s beautiful beaches.
Thirty-five Park students, faculty and staff discovered this in
March when they embarked on a 5,022-mile journey to Recife, Brazil, to
launch the University’s first service-learning experience. Their goal: offer the Pau
Amerelo Community in Northeast Brazil the knowledge and training to improve lives.
Plagued with illiteracy and unemployment, Northeast Brazil is the country’s poorest
region. For 10 days the Park ambassadors, led by Transformational Journeys of Olathe,
Kan., were immersed in an unfamiliar culture in the favelas (slums) of Brazil. Cement
houses with clay roofs sit in juxtaposition with fresh landscaping and modern storefronts. The
local government, according to the American consulate, offers temporary fixes to social
problems, leaving the people of this developing country to learn ways to improve their situation
on their own.
The community is the center of a Brazilian’s universe, and communities often link to face
challenges. The Pau Amerelo Community is a nonprofit organization established in 2003
that focuses on empowering women and, as its mission statement says, taking action “in
poor communities through service, promoting education, generation of income, and
improvement in basic needs.”
Three Park faculty members traveled to Brazil last year and immediately
connected with the Pau Amerelo Community. Upon their return,
Park established the service-learning program that integrates
community service with instruction to teach civic
responsibility. The program “takes
learning out of the classroom and into the less-
developed communities around the world,” said
Olga Ganzen, M.P.A. ’99, director of
International Education and Study Abroad.
“Students, faculty, staff and the host communities
benefit from the substantial service they all bring to
the table.”
The Park group taught strategies and valuable
skills in two-hour classes twice a day for five days;
six intérpretes (interpreters) helped ease the
exchange of information between English and
Portuguese. The Park representatives grew to
understand and appreciate the host culture, while
Pau Amerelo residents gained skills necessary to
better serve themselves and their families.
story and photos by Summer Evans,Communication Coordinator
Children from the Pau Amerelo Community findshade in the heat of the afternoon.
zil Spring 2006 ‹‹ 11
● NU 265: Clinical Nursing PracticalApplication students taught the
importance of a healthy lifestyle, including
oral hygiene, breast self-exams, diabetes
and basic first-aid. Representatives visited
private and public hospital facilities in
Recife.
● Business/Management 490: SpecialTopics — Global Future and
International Marketing students,
directed by Assistant Professor MichaelFitzmorris and Ganzen, assisted
community members interested in starting
a business or enhancing an existing one.
● Expanding on the community leaders’
experience with nongovernmental
organizations or nonprofits, the Mastersof Public Affairs 506: InternationalService class offered tips for developing
programs to serve surrounding areas.
Adjunct faculty member and nonprofit
consultant Joan DeMerchant and three
graduate students provided training in
strategic planning, working with volunteers,
financial management, fund raising and the
role of nonprofit boards.
● Communication/Journalism 361:Reporting II students videotaped and
wrote about the experience. “My students
learned a great deal about journalism, and
about themselves,” said SteveYoungblood, assistant professor of
communication arts. “Their performance,
their introspection and their openness to a
new culture far exceeded my expectations.”
● Park staff offered Basic English courses
to anyone eager to learn a second language.
Classes, held at the Faculdade de Ciencias
Humanas (FACHO) in Olinda, covered
the alphabet, numbers and how to
introduce yourself. “The students were
eager to learn English and also were very
interested in learning more about the United
States and its citizens. Teaching English was
an amazing experience,” said Enrollment
Services Specialist Jennifer Sanders.
● School of Education faculty used
games, songs and children’s books to teach
basic literacy and share the joy of reading
and writing with parents and children.
Illiteracy is a dilemma in Brazil, but Pau
Amerelo members are committed to
bettering themselves and discovering new
avenues of opportunity for their children,
hoping to give future generations the
advantage an education provides.
“Both FACHO and community
audiences were enthusiastic and open to
learning new skills. In fact, they were like
sponges,” said Cathy Sillman, Ph.D.,
director of the Professional Development
Institute. “In the midst of astounding
poverty, these children and families are so
hungry and eager for education. I realize
how much we (Americans) take for granted
every day of our lives and how little we
consciously appreciate our bounty.”
● Computer Science 322: WebProgramming II and CS 367:Networking Administration faculty
taught basic technology, including how to
turn a computer on and off, how to use
Microsoft Word and how send an e-mail.
FACHO University offered its computer
lab for the computer science courses.
“I am thankful for the students in computer
class and in the community whose eagerness
to learn, lovely smiles and thumbs-up
communication makes teaching enjoyable and
rewarding,” said computer science Professor
Wen Hsin.
Returning home, the group of 35 couldn’t
help but reflect on how they and their new
Brazilian friends had grown through cultural
interaction. Those successful connections
prompted the decision to revisit Recife and
the Pau Amerelo Community in the fall.
“The opportunity to travel to
Brazil for me reaffirms the
multidimensional nature of
human beings and attests to the
generosity that abounds when we
know each other as individuals
rather than separate nations on
the other side of the world,” said
Laura Lane, executive director
of the Professional Development
Institute. “I am enriched
personally and professionally by
the experience and feel I gained
so much more than I gave. I am
forever transformed!”
The Global Classroom
Park University students Fabio Garcia(M.B.A.) and Simona Cibotaru (junior)wear festival headdresses at theCarnival parade celebrating the“policia” and military alongoceanfront in Recife.
MPA student Kourtney Woodburyteaches fundraising to theNongovernmental Organization classwhile fellow classmate Janaina SáPires (Brazil) translates.
12 >> www.park.edu
Park’s HSPA Joins
Civic Engagement Initiative
The Hauptmann School for Public Affairs is
one of four new organizations to join the
community civic engagement initiative
“OneKCVoice.” The initiative resulted from
the work of the Regionalism Action
Committee, a group of residents from across
the metropolitan area who participated in the
2002 Kansas City Forums. The RAC spent
more than two years studying how residents
can become involved in community issues
and influence regional affairs.
The other new partners are the Greater
Kansas City Community Foundation, the
Urban League of Kansas City and Kansas
City Public Television.
Hauptmann School Names 2006
Distinguished Lecturer
Professor David
Rosenbloom, Ph.D., is the
Hauptmann School for
Public Affairs’ 2006
Dr. Jerzy Hauptmann
Distinguished Lecturer.
Rosenbloom presented
Preserving Constitutional Government in
an Age of Outsourcing on April 6 in the
McCoy Meetin’ House on the Parkville
Campus.
Rosenbloom writes extensively about
public administration and democratic
constitutionalism. His academic
specializations include constitutional and
administrative law, public administrative
theory, public administrative history,
administrative reform and human
resources management.
He is a former editor in chief of Public
Administration Review, one of the most
respected journals in public administration.
His early articles were published by
Dr. Hauptmann, then editor of the Midwest
Review of Public Administration.
Campus News
THE KANSAS CITY STAR.www.kansascity.com Wednesday, March 8, 2006
© Copyright 2006 The Kansas City Star. All rights reserved. Format differs from original publication. Not an endorsement.
COLLEGE FOR DISTANCE LEARNING
Organization Meets Creativity in Austin
When management (CIS) majors David
and Lisa Ely and management/human
resources major Rona Walton pooled their
skills to transform a room at Park
University Austin into a Resource Room,
the result was a place for students to study,
research, access Online library resources,
read periodicals and newspapers, view
films and videos, and more.
Resource Room attendants David and
Rona arranged materials for easy access.
They also inventoried all books and materials,
then numbered and filed the items by
subject. Completed in December, the
inventory comprises more than 400 books,
60-plus videos, 20-plus magazines, two daily
national newspapers and a local paper.
David and Lisa prepared the inventory
database in Microsoft Access, which records
items by ISBN number and facilitates sorts
by author, media type, date, etc.
“The inventory is a record that will help
Park University for years to come,” said
Jolene A. Lampton, Ph.D., academic director
for Austin Campus. “This record will facilitate
the check-out of materials and is a measure
of accountability for Park University.”
A Cut Above: Hill Campus Rewarded for
Investing in Education
During the last three years, Hill AFB
Campus Center in Utah provided $52,141 in
materials and equipment to the base’s
library to support
continuing higher
education of airmen
and Department of
Defense civilian
employees. For its
efforts, the Campus
Center received a Certificate of
Appreciation from Col. Sharon K.G.
Dunbar, commander of the 75th Air Base
Wing.
“We continue working closely with the
base librarian to help provide much-
needed materials and equipment as part
of the memorandum of understanding
with the Air Force,” said Ulrike Brown, Hill
Campus Center director.
© Copyright 2006 The Kansas City Star. All rights reserved. Format differs from original publication. Not an endorsement.
Park enrolled 42,554 students
in online-only classes for the
2004-2005 school year, a num-
ber second only to the
University of Phoenix, which
had 115,794 students, according
to the magazine's E-Learning
Guide, released recently.
Park's first online-only class-
es for credit were offered in
1996, with the first online-only
degree programs instituted in
1998. The university now has
more than 175 such courses and
seven such degree programs.
Enrollment in Park's online
programs has increased 176
percent in the past five years,
up from 15,366 students
enrolled during the 2000-2001
school year, said Brian Davis,
Park's associate vice president
for administration in the College
for Distance Learning.
- Lindsay Hanson Metcalf / TheStar
GRADUATE SCHOOL
ICS Students are Top Team
in Programming
Contest Information and computer science
junior Nick Kreeger and senior Josh
McKinzie raced the clock to take first place
in the annual Association for Computing
Machinery programming contest Nov. 5 at
the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
The contest challenged teams to solve
nine problems in five hours. Park’s team was
the only group to complete a third problem —
with 15 minutes to spare.
Wen Hsin, Ph.D., associate professor of
information and computer science, and
John Dean, assistant professor, coached the
event. “Despite a last-minute flurry of solution
submissions by the other teams, none were
able to solve a third problem,” Dean said.
Ten colleges and universities participated
in the Western Missouri portion of the
competition, including teams from the
University of Missouri-Kansas City,
Northwest Missouri State, Rockhurst and
Central Missouri State.
Chemistry Can Be Fun!
Bubbles, silly putty and slime captured the
attention of more than 400 kids during
National Chemistry Week in October on the
Parkville Campus. The C.H.E.M. Club used the
popular experiments to entertain Park
students Oct. 26 and neighborhood kids at
the annual Fright Night on Oct. 28, then Park
chemistry students and Park Hill High School
celebrated NCW at Carolyn’s Pumpkin Patch
on Oct. 30 and at the Metro North Mall in
Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 31.
“We reached more than 400 kids
collectively with our most popular silly putty
experiment,” said C.H.E.M. Club adviser
Sapna Gupta, Ph.D., associate professor of
chemistry. “The students also showed
bubble science, magic sand and zippy boats,
and made bracelets from UV and glow-in-
the-dark beads.”
The club handed out balloons, toys, candy
and chemistry literature.
Google Hosts Workshop
for Women Engineers
Park ICS students Virginia Maikwek and
Patricia Kengne attended an invitational
workshop for women engineers Jan. 21 at
Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.
Google engineers enlightened the group
about the latest trends in computer science
and gave the more than 100 students a
behind-the-scenes look at Google
technology. The students also met with
women engineers about their career paths
since graduating from college.
Lecture Series Honors
Women’s History Month
Three outstanding women spoke at the
2006 Dr. Jessie Bell Woodside Holt Lecture
Series on March 17-18 in McCoy Meetin’ House
at the Parkville Campus. Topics were The
Challenge of Feminist Biography, by four-time
author Elisabeth Perry, Ph.D., from St. Louis
University; Nearer My Subject to Thee:
Reflections of a Biographer, Historian, and
Documentary Editor, by author Candace Falk,
Ph.D., from the University of California-Berkeley;
and Historians Outside the Classroom: Careers
in Public History, by Heather Huyck, former
director of the Jamestown 400th project and
current regional chief historian of the
Northwest region.
One of the country’s early female
physicians, Dr. Holt was a member of Park’s
second graduating class and was the
University’s first medical missionary. She was
University physician from 1890-1901.
<< CAMPUS NEWS
Nick Kreeger (left) and senior Josh McKinzie
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES
History Majors Travel to
Philadelphia
History Assistant Professor
Timothy Westcott, Ph.D., and
Director of Library Services Ann
Schultis escorted 10 history majors
to Philadelphia in January.
The students attended seminar
presentations and lectures, networked
with peers from other schools, talked
with history and graduate program
faculty, and visited publisher exhibits,
historical sites and museums. They
also explored the idea of a semester
exchange program with Gettysburg
College.
Seniors Ryan Duncan, Bethany Fraley,
Nathaniel Hanway, Megan Holder, Tammy
Parrott and Vincent Smith joined juniors
Courtney Cul, Mariette Janning and
Christian Stallings and sophomore Brett
Ferguson at the Phi Alpha Theta Biennial
Conference on Jan. 4-5 and the American
Historical Association Annual Meeting on
Jan. 6-8.
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 13
CO
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Y O
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EN H
SIN
, Ph
.D.
CO
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Y O
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APN
A G
UPT
A,
Ph.D
.
COURTESY OF T IMOTHY WESTCOT T, PH .D .
In Time of Emergency
Park’s Camren Hawn, Department of
Public Safety investigator, and Officer
Miranda Thornton completed 20 hours
of Community Emergency Response
Team (CERT) training cosponsored by
the Park University DPS and the Parkville
Police Department. Hawn and Thornton
join Chief Pete Sturner and Cpl. Julia
Andrews as members of Northland CERT,
which will assist the Parkville Campus in
the event of a disaster.
The training course took place in
McCoy Meetin’ House at the Parkville
Campus, where participants learned how
to help themselves and their neighbors
survive a disaster. Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita taught that emergency services can
take up to 72 hours to reach impacted
areas. CERT will deploy to render aid until
emergency services arrive.
Park students who complete training
become members of The Northland
CERT that covers Missouri counties Clay
and Platte. Each county’s sheriff
activates a CERT when a disaster strikes.
Team members are trained in first aid,
light search and rescue, firefighting,
utility shutoff and critical incident stress.
Graphic Designer Illustrates the
Power of Pencil and Paintbrush
The spring issue of designer, the official
publication of the University & College
Designers Association, will feature an
illustration by Jake Marshall, graphic
designer in University Advancement.
Marshall’s ink drawing pays homage
to proletariat artwork of the ’30s and
’40s. It includes the headline “Designers
and Editors Unite!” and features two
heroic workers, one holding a pencil and
the other a paintbrush. The illustration
will accompany an article on the
collaborative efforts of designers and
writers. The University & College
Designers Association is a professional
organization for graphic designers and
editors who work for academic
institutions.
Park and Sprint Sponsor
International Speaker
Dr. Robert Marzano, internationally
known trainer and speaker, spoke Feb. 28
in the Park Hill High School auditorium
on The Role of Teachers, Principals and
Superintendents in Effective School
Reform. More than 390 participants
from 49 Missouri and Kansas school
districts attended the symposium,
sponsored by Sprint and Park and co-
hosted by the Park Hill School District.
Dr. Marzano has written 20 books, 150
articles and book chapters on topics
such as school effectiveness, thinking
skills and standards implementation.
The central theme of his work has been
translating research and theory into
tools for K-12 teachers and
administrators.
14 >> www.park.edu
CAMPUS NEWS >>
Park Jumps Ahead in Advertising
Park joined the ranks of colleges and
universities named top winners in the 21st
Annual Admissions Advertising Awards,
billed as the world’s most prestigious ad
competition with more than 3,500 entries
from every state in the United States and
from numerous international countries.
Park’s “Jump” campaign received:
• Gold Award (first place) for newspaper
insert
• Silver Award (second place) for outdoor
advertising
• Merit Award (fourth place) for television
commercial series
• Silver Award for radio commercial
• Merit Award for advertising campaign
NEWS AT THE VILLE
Illustration by Jake Marshall as featured in designer.
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 15
Each year at Founders Day, Park University celebrates its scholarlyhistory, its sustained presence in the Greater Kansas City community,and its exciting future as an international education leader.
This year, Park celebrated the University’s 131st anniversary on April 20by honoring the J.E. Dunn family and the J.E. Dunn Construction Groupfor their contributions to the surrounding community.
A. International Center forMusic graduate studentUlugbeck Palvanov,piano, performs FranzLiszt’s Mephisto WaltzNo. 1.
B. Board of Trustee ChairVirginia McCoy andPresident Byers-Pevittsat the Patrons Party.
C. President Byers-Pevittsand Steve Dunn.
D. Marianne Dunn, BillDunn Jr., and AnneDunn
E. Mary Lewis and BobDunn
F. President Byers-Pevittsrecites the awardinscription as Board ofTrustee Chair VirginiaMcCoy presents theaward to Bob Dunn.
G. Park Trustee JohnBrown, Emilie and BobJester, Preston andBernice Williams(seated)
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KE V IN KE ITH
Founders Day CelebratesPark’s 131st Anniversary
A B
C D
F G
E
“CLICK!”
Anyone who has visited the Parkville
Campus in the last five years cannot help
but notice the enhancements to the crown
jewel, Park University. Improvements such
as the new slate roof on Mackay Hall
represent catch-up steps to address
maintenance long deferred. Other
improvements including the limestone walls
in front of Mackay and Thompson, with the
many fresh campus plantings, have brought a
new polish to the jewel. But as significant as
these efforts are, they represent only the tip
of the iceberg. Change is coming.
Meaningful, positive, broad-based change.
Explorations & Transformations 2012:
Access to Excellence, the strategic plan
completed in 2003, provides the road map
for the future of the University. This plan
calls for a Master Plan that enhances the
University’s image and identity, delivering
academically excellent higher education
programs, assuring that students are well-
served — and that all of this will occur
within “one university.” E&T 2012
recognizes that this vision will require
significant physical changes to the
Parkville Campus and that to accomplish
this, the University will need a new campus
master plan.
The planning process began in spring
2005 when President Byers-Pevittsappointed representatives of the University’s
many constituencies to the Park University
Master Planning Commission. The
president charged the commission to
“consider the development of a new
University Master Plan that will guide the
physical development of the Parkville
Campus, ... and to make recommendations
regarding the development of the Plan which
will be submitted to the Administration and,
ultimately, considered and approved by the
Board of Trustees.”
During summer 2005 the University
identified and ultimately hired HNTB Corp.,
an international planning, architecture and
engineering firm headquartered in Kansas
City, Mo., to complete an analysis that
identifies geologically buildable campus sites.
16 >> www.park.edu
NEWMASTER PLAN UNDERWAYby Roger W. HersheyVice President & General CounselChair of the Park University Master Planning Commission
COURTESY OF ROGER W. HERSHEY
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 17
The University also sought a firm to guide the
University through a master planning process.
After interviewing five well-qualified applicants,
the University selected Ellerbe Becket, Inc., a
firm with broad-based international experience
in university master planning.
The master plan will have four phases.
The first, information gathering, is complete.
An evaluation and analysis of the University’s
needs, is nearing conclusion. Conceptual
planning is underway. And completion of
the final report occurred in time for the
Board of Trustees meeting May 5.
Following the commission’s Nov. 21
meeting with the Ellerbe Becket team, the
University launched an inclusive
information-gathering process that has
provided opportunities for meaningful input
from University constituencies including
students, alumni, faculty, staff, community
groups and tenants of the Parkville
Commercial Underground. The Board of
Trustees has been involved from the start:
five representatives serve on the commission,
and time during the January 2006 Board
Retreat was dedicated to the plan. Master
planning information is regularly posted to a
dedicated page, www.park.edu/plan.
THE COMMISSION’S GOAL IS TO CREATE A PLAN THAT EMPHASIZES: • Connections on the campus, including the
academic and commercial undergrounds,
and beyond into the Parkville community.
• Balancing tradition with innovation.
• Better accessibility to and on the campus.
• Promoting the campus as an area-wide
destination.
• Reconfiguring the campus to be pedestrian
centered.
• Taking advantage of the campus’s beautiful
physical setting.
• Offering additional residential options.
• Incorporating the new Institute for Global
Culture, Economics and Understanding
into the fabric of campus life.
• Providing quality standards to guide future
construction and renovation on the campus.
The new master plan will support the
enrollment growth projected in E&T 2012,
in a way that balances aesthetics with Park’s
educational purpose and assures that all
facets are implemented in a phased and
fiscally responsible way.
Restoring a Campus Treasure
For more than half a century, Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel, with its 136-rank
organ, vaulted ceiling and stained glass, has been the site for church services,
convocations, meetings, musical performances and weddings. Today the limestone
gem of a building houses the International Center for Music and the Park University’s
Youth Conservatory for Music and is the venue for the Kansas City Philharmonic and
the Parkville Community Band.
Constructed in 1931, Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel was rebuilt in 1938 after a fire
caused extensive damage. Sixty-eight years later, this University treasure is getting
needed repair.
On June 3 the building will close during the summer for renovations.
The exterior will receive waterproofing, tuck
pointing and sealant, and the
stained glass windows will be
repaired to stop water leakage.
Interior work will focus on the
main-floor stage and water
damage to lower-level classrooms,
offices and practice rooms.
The projected completion date is
Aug. 5.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE OFF ICE OF ALUMNI REL AT IONS
GAnteco Cross never imagined that his rise
in the business world would come through
renting cars.
Following his college days as a member
of the men’s basketball team, Cross quickly
climbed the ladder at Enterprise Rent-A-
Car. In just five years he went from
management trainee to his current position
of area rental manager, overseeing five stores
in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties (Kan.)
and supervising 25 employees.
Cross, a 1995 Park graduate and
Memphis, Tenn., native, credits his
professional successes to his time at Park.
“Park has played a major role in my life,”
he said. “Park allowed me to excel in the
classroom, while also playing college
basketball. Developing a great work ethic,
being open to feedback and making ongoing
improvements are qualities that I was taught
at Park and continue to utilize today.”
Cross’ journey to Park began while he
was attending and playing basketball at
Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington,
Mo. After his second season at Wentworth,
he went hunting for a school to continue his
basketball career.
“All my life, I always thought I would
play in the NBA, but after two years of
junior college basketball, I realized that was
not possible. I needed to find a great school
in a great community.”
Enter Park.
Former men’s head basketball coach and
current Athletic Director Claude English had
been in touch with Wentworth’s coach about
prospective recruits.
After a recommendation to
take a look at Cross,
English invited him to
the Parkville Campus for
a tryout.
“I took a visit one
Saturday morning,
following Highway 24
from Lexington,” Cross recalled. “When I
arrived in Parkville, I could not believe my
eyes. The grass was green and the people
18 >> www.park.edu
From Determined Player toEnterprising Executiveby Jerod Dahlgren, sports information director
rowing up with dreams of playing professional basketball in the NBA,
Claude English
CRAIG SANDS PHOTOGRAPHIC
were friendly. After two hours of playing
basketball in the Old Gym with the current
players, I knew this was the school for me.”
While the decision to choose Park was a
quick one for Cross, it wasn’t an immediate
decision for English to sign him.
“Anteco is one of the few players I ever
had who recruited me,” English said. “I was
still looking at some other guys, but he was
calling me almost 24-7 to see whether or
not I was interested.
“It was one of those situations where you
want players who want you. He wanted to
be here at Park, and he wanted to play here
at Park. I guess the rest is history.”
In his first Park season, 1993-94, the
Pirates posted a 14-17 overall record, and
Cross developed a reputation on the court
as a hungry, hard-nosed player.
“Anteco did the little things,” English
said. “No one was going to outwork him.
No one was going to be as tough as he was
going to be. He was just a hard-working
young man.”
That determination paid off in a road
game at Columbia College that season.
Columbia entered the game as the top team
in the American Midwest Conference, but
the Pirates came away with the victory.
Years later, English cannot remember how
many points Cross scored, but he can still
see the player’s reaction after the game. “The
joy on his face is what I remember more
than anything else. He was a very happy
young man. He was just a joy to coach.”
While both Cross and English can look
back fondly on that first season, laughter
was never a hallmark of practice. English
demanded intensity and solid decision-
making when the basketball was in your
hands — or when it wasn’t. Players who
didn’t hold up their end of the bargain heard
his displeasure.
“I’m not the easiest person to play for
because I’m very demanding,” English said.
“I am not only demanding of them on the
court, but I am demanding of them off the
court. I have certain expectations, and I
hold them accountable.”
While trying to adapt to a coaching style
that English calls “tough love,” Cross
encountered an individual at Park whose
personality contrasted perfectly to that of
English.
Pat Fayard, H. ’01,
now English’s
administrative assistant
in the Athletic
Department, at the time
worked in Student
Support Services and
hired Cross in fall 1993
as a work-study student. She recalls many
counseling sessions where she built Cross
back up after English had worn him down
during a practice or after a game.
“I kept telling Anteco that you can’t
change Coach,” Fayard said. “Coach is
doing that for a reason, and you can’t take it
personally. You can’t change him, but you
can change how you react to it. You are not
going to get any strokes from him, so if you
need that, come here. Change yourself.
Work harder and do what he wants.”
Cross says Fayard was his “mom away
from home.”
“We had a great relationship while I was
in school and still do today. She always
made sure that Coach was not yelling at me
too much, that I was eating the proper
foods, and she even invited me over for
Thanksgiving dinner at her home. Pat
always goes beyond the call of duty. She
really deserves the world.”
Through all of the ups and downs,
Cross knows that the lessons and values he
learned at Park greatly influence who he is
today. “Coach English taught the game
like it was real life, and he taught us to
become men. That approach to
basketball was the best thing that anyone
could have ever done for me.”
Cross’ well-known work ethic has not
only translated into success at Enterprise,
but his reputation has led to opportunities
for other Park graduates at the company,
including Rod Perkins, ’97; TonyVisintine, ’97; Henry Logan, ’98;
Tyrone Jones, ’98; Larry Parker, ’99;
and Dan Durrer, ’04.
Looking ahead, Cross will continue his
quest to become a group rental manager and
ultimately a vice president. On a personal
note, he’s single but says he looks forward to
one day having kids.
“Pat still calls at least once a month to
check up on me, to see if I am in love or if
I’m married yet. I think she’s ready for more
grandkids. When that time comes, I know
she and Coach will make great godparents.”
Regardless of the path Cross travels,
English is certain that his former player and
now lifelong friend will succeed.
“I’ve told my players this many times,”
English said. “The only place that success
comes before work is in the dictionary. The
work has to come before the success.
“I think Anteco was a great example of
that. He is not afraid to work, and he is not
afraid to fail. The sky is the limit for him.”
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 19
Pat Fayard, H. ’01
1993-94 Pirates basketball team
CO
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20 >> www.park.edu
Your gifts to Park are greatly
appreciated. Because providing
quality programs and faculty is an
expensive endeavor, private support
enables the University to keep tuition
more affordable. It is our hope that your
Park education has been of such value to
you that through your gifts you are willing to
help provide the same — or better — educational
opportunities for future generations of Park
students.
Gifts also can be an avenue to honor important
individuals in your life. Whether you want to honor
someone still living or remember someone who has
passed, tribute gifts are a wonderful way to
recognize loved ones or friends.
Each Alumniad displays tribute gifts received
since the last issue of the magazine. These gifts
support the Park Fund, academic program
funds, existing endowed scholarship funds, or
capital needs. What they all have in common
is that the gift honors an individual.
Whether you choose to use your gift as
tribute or not, your support is valued
and deeply appreciated. All gifts to the
University are listed in our annual
Report to Investors, published in
late fall each year.
Thank you for caring about your
University.
Support for Park Hopefully you have noticed
the emphasis Park places on alumni
activities. As part of this effort,
advancement staff members travel to meet alumni
in the cities where they live.
If one of us calls you, please say “yes” to a visit. We want
to know about your family and career, what alumni events
would appeal to you, and which educational experiences
have given you the tools to succeed in life.
Below are some of the individuals who may be giving you
a call. We look forward to meeting you!
We m
ay be calling you.
CarenHandleman
SusanWalker
NathanMarticke
Brett Blackwelder
Rita Weighill
JenniferSanders
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 21
>> Alumni and Friends Who Make a Difference
In Memory ofBeryl Sheila Ahrens to the Park FundDoris Howell, ’44
John Blair, ’39, to the Park FundFrances (Woodbury) Blair, ’41
Thor Bogren to the Park FundShirley (Durbin) Bogren, ’55
Gail Diane Crockett to the Park FundJames, ’45, and Martha Crockett
Martha “Bobbie” Gray, ’50, to the Park FundWilliam R. Walinow Jr., ’71
Ethel Lyon to the Park FundRichard Olsson, ’49
Althea McLaren to the Park FundRobert McLaren, ’45
Peter Mori, ’45, to the Park FundYoko Mori
Joy (Jacobs) Palmer, ’61, to the Park FundShirley (Miller) Clark, ’61
Claude Rader to the Park FundMaurine (Rader) Summerfield, ’31
Olive Rader to the Park FundMaurine (Rader) Summerfield, ’31
Thomas Roberts to the Park FundMaurine (Rader) Summerfield, ’31
Armour Stephenson, ’78, to the Park FundGreg, ’77, and Arlene (Spain), ’77, Laveist
Shirley Fae Stephenson to the Park FundGreg, ’77, and Arlene (Spain), ’77, Laveist
Eleanor (McDaniel) Taylor, ’54, to the Park FundCentenary College of LAForrest and Julie DarroughCherry Payne
Dwight Townsend to the Park FundDeidre (Townsend) Bowman, ’71
Louise Townsend to the Park FundDeidre (Townsend) Bowman, ’71
Lindsey Turner to the Park FundCatherine (Richardson) Turner, ’34
Christi Warner to the Park FundCliff WarnerCWC
Ward Whipple, ’36, to the Park Fund Susan Weeks
C. David and Isabel (Wellington), ’66, WhippleGrant, ’41, and Emily WhippleLyle and Victoria Whipple
Charles Edwards, ’42, to theFriends of the LibraryRosemary (Fry) Plakas, ’63
Susan Marshall, ’95, to theFriends of the LibraryHarold, ’44, and Carolyn(Douglas), ’47, Smith
Hudson McDonough to theFriends of the LibraryHarold, ’44, and Carolyn(Douglas), ’47, Smith
David Ockerstrom to theFriends of the LibraryKimberly (Crabtree) Gazzo, ’86
Alma Pauline Taylor to theFriends of the LibraryAlbert and Betty Dusing
Nancy Swim to the McAfee LibraryCharles, ’64, and Sherry Swim
Eleanor Chesnut to the Presbyterian Scholar FundCharlene Chesnut
Martha “Bobbie” Gray, ’50, to the Griffith Music FundRosemary (Fry) Plakas, ’63
John Hamilton to the Biology DepartmentJoseph, ’56, and Betty Darby
Michael E. Johnson, ’97, to the Michael E. Johnson Scholarship FundRonald Miriani
John R. Sanders to the Dr. John Sanders Memorial ScholarshipKen, ’04, and Karen, ’02, AustinBrian, ’86, and Nadienne, ’03, HoffmanDebra McArthurCarol Sanders
Marlowe Sherwood, ’63, to the Marlowe SherwoodEndowed ScholarshipRosemary (Fry) Plakas, ’63
Eleanor (McDaniel) Taylor, ’54, to the Dr. JohnHamilton Endowed ScholarshipRussell, ’55, and Connie (Koning), ’54, ProffittM.Ed and Erna Taylor
Oleva Morrison Myers, ’32, to the Myers Scholarship FundRobert C. Myers, ’61
Evelyn Lare Smith, ’60, to the Evelyn Lare SmithScholarship FundEd and Alice (Lare), ’55, Stocking
In Honor ofDr. William C. Pivonka to the Dr. William Pivonka Science ScholarshipBrian Hoffman, ’86Art, ’65, and Susan Kluge
Graduates of 1977 and 1978Greg, ’77, and Arlene (Spain), ’77, Laveist
All donors to the University arerecognized in the Report to Investors,published each fall. If your name is notlisted, please accept our apology andnotify [email protected].
Park University gratefully acknowledges the individuals, associations, corporations and foundations that honoredloved ones and friends through tribute gifts between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2005.
Tribute Gift Recognition C
RA
IG S
AN
DS
PH
OTO
GR
APH
IC
Faculty Member Publishes Fifth Book
Marshall Cavendish Publishers in New
York recently
released Debra
McArthur’s fifth
book, Mark Twain.
Intended for high
school (and older)
readers, the 160-
page biography
includes many
color images and
photos, plus a
reader’s guide to The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
McArthur is a faculty member and
director of Academic Support Services at
the Parkville Campus. She also wrote The
Dust Bowl and the Depression in American
History (Enslow Publishers, 2002), The
Kansas-Nebraska Act and ‘Bleeding
Kansas’ in American History (Enslow
Publishers, 2003), Desert Storm: The First
Persian Gulf War in American History
(Enslow Publishers, 2004) and Raoul
Wallenberg: Rescuing Thousands from the
Nazis’ Grasp (Enslow Publishers, 2005).
Her books are available through
Barnes & Noble and the Park University
bookstore. For more information, visit
http://kidd.park.edu/debramcarthur/.
Hauptmann School
Dean Publishes
Article
The journal
Academy of
Management
Learning &
Education published
an article by Laurie DiPadova-Stocks,
Ph.D., dean of the Hauptmann School for
Public Affairs, in its September 2005 issue.
Two Major Concerns About Service-
Learning: What If We Don’t Do It? And What
If We Do? details dilemmas in implementing
service learning in college classrooms,
while criticizing U.S. higher education for
failing to cultivate a public conscience.
DiPadova-Stocks argues that faculty
incentives and the “silo” structure of
academia combine to insulate graduates
from the consequences of their decisions.
In presenting service learning as a
remedy, the article reminds faculty and
administrators of the responsibility to
extend their work and vision to embrace
the greater good.
The Academy of Management is the
premier national academic disciplinary
association for faculty in management and
business education, publishing the top-tier
journals Academy of Management Review
and Academy of Management Journal.
As the AOM’s newest journal, the AMLE
publishes quality scholarship and provides
a forum to examine pressing issues in
management learning and education. The
journal presents theory, models, research,
critique, dialogues and retrospectives that
speak to the learning process and develop
the practice of education in the
management disciplines.
Article by M.P.A. Area
Coordinator Published
The Fire Prevention and
Fire Engineers Journal
recently published an
article by Jeffrey
Hartle, CFPS, MIFireE,
titled Island Protection.
To view the article, click
www.park.edu/icce/files/IslandProtection.
pdf.
Hartle is the coordinator of the
Disaster and Emergency Management
Emphasis in the Hauptmann School for
Public Affairs. He is a certified fire
protection specialist and a member of the
Institution of Fire Engineers, as well as
numerous professional organizations
related to disaster and emergency
management.
U.N. Web Site Features Works
by Park Faculty Members
Works released in November by Brian
Hoffman, Ph.D., and Jerzy Hauptmann,
Ph.D., are available on the United Nations
Online Network in Public Administration
and Finance (UNPAN) web site,
www.unpan.org.
Biology Faculty Receive Research Grant
Tim Gabor, Ph.D., biology program
coordinator, and Carol Sanders, Ph.D.,
interim chair of the Natural and Applied
Science Department, received a $10,500
research grant from the Brush Creek Mid-
Shed Project of the Platte Land Trust.
The funds, from the U.S. Department
of Natural Resources, will buy equipment
to perform research on the stream flow in
Brush Creek from approximately Highway
152 to Highway 45 in Kansas City, Mo.
The equipment will remain in the
department. The funding also will provide
scholarships for three-hour research
courses for two students to collect and
analyze data.
Sanders is a member of the Brush
Creek Mid-Shed Steering Committee and
the Technical Advisory Committee.
Jerzy Hauptmann, Ph.D., professor
emeritus of political science and public
administration, wrote the paper Toward a
Theory of Civic Engagement for Park’s
International Center for Civic Engagement
(ICCE). To view the paper, click on
http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/publ
ic/documents/icce/unpan021794.pdf.
Brian L. Hoffman, Ph.D., professor of
biology and mathematics, delivered the
presentation “Avian Influenza: The Next
Human Pandemic?” on Nov. 17 in the
McCoy Meetin’ House on the Parkville
Campus. His remarks are at
http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/publ
ic/documents/icce/unpan021862.pdf.
These materials were provided to the
United Nations by the ICCE, which was
selected in October as an Online
International Center of UNPAN.
UNPAN is a global network of institutes
and associations that share knowledge,
experiences and best practices in sound
public policies, effective public
22 >> www.park.edu
In Academia
Park UniversityEarn a Park graduate degree Online and advance your career!
Looking for a way to advance yourcareer? Consider a graduatedegree from Park. Choose anM.B.A., a Master of PublicAffairs, a Master of Arts in
Communication and Leadership, a Master in Healthcare Leadership,or a master’s degree in Education.Park’s graduate programs are alsoavailable in a variety of emphasisareas to meet your career goals.
We offer Online courses andaccelerated eight-week terms thatbegin five times during the year soyou can start at a convenient time.
For an affordable and fully-accredited path to an advanceddegree and a better career, visitwww.park.edu/grad today.
� Online classes fit around your busy lifestyle. Log on after work or whenever you choose.
� Quality instruction by respected instructors with real-world and teaching experience.
� Accelerated 8-week sessions enable you to earn a graduate degree in a compact time frame.
� All courses and degrees are fully accredited.
� Park’s affordable tuition and fees are an outstanding value.
For More InformationVisit www.park.edu/grad orwrite [email protected] or call(816) 842-6182, ext. 5525
� The Masters in Healthcare Leadership program is a
graduate degree to prepare new generations of innovative
healthcare leaders who are committed to designing and
delivering programs and services that meet the healthcare needs
of patients, their families and caretakers, and the community.
U.S. Newsand World Reportranked Park University the 2nd LargestOnline Degree Provider with 40,000enrollments and more than 225 courses.
NEW GRADUATE DEGREE!
administration and efficient civil services.
Park faculty interested in sharing
relevant publications with UNPAN’s
worldwide audience should contact ICCE
Director Erik Bergrud at
Faculty Member Selected to Attend
Roundtable in England
Lolly J.
Ockerstrom,
Ph.D., assistant
professor of
English,
attended the
Oxford Round
Table on
Women’s Rights
in March at
Lincoln College (founded 1427) in the
University of Oxford, England. She
presented her paper Narration, Knowing,
and Female Empowerment: Telling Stories,
Authorizing Experience.
She stayed at Harris Manchester
College at Oxford and participated in
discussions with scholars from throughout
the world on the causes of gender
inequalities in education and public policy.
In June, Ockerstrom will present her
paper History in the Raw: Rationing, the
Queen Mary, and One English War Bride at
the 2006 World War II Conference at Siena
College in Loudonville, N.Y.
Faculty Member Named
Outstanding Missourian
The Missouri House of Representativeson Jan. 31 named adjunct facultymember William Cross, Ph.D., an“Outstanding Missourian” in a ceremonyat the Capitol in Jefferson City.
Faculty Member Named
to Kansas City Board
Park University adjunct faculty member
John Fierro joined the Kansas City Board
of Parks and Recreation Commission on
Oct. 4.
Ford Receives Doctorate
Ronda Benson
Ford, adjunct
instructor of
music,
completed her
Doctor of
Musical Arts in
flute
performance
and pedagogy
at the University of Southern Mississippi in
December 2005.
Her dissertation is titled A Door to
Extended Techniques: Five Analyses and
Composer Interviews from the National
Flute Association’s High School Soloist
Competition.
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 23
<< IN ACADEMIA
Q
In January 1925, the Park student body set about revising its
constitution. It was proposed that Park needed stickers with a
design as unmistakable as the KU Jayhawk or the Mizzou Tiger. A
committee compiled a list of possible mascots to be voted on by the
student body, and so much time and effort accompanied the
process that a second committee had to be formed. Among the
many names suggested were Hill-Billies, Eagles, White Mules and
Goats (Stylus, 2/26/1925). In a campus election, Pirates won out
over Eagles and Panthers.
The new constitution was presented to the student body for
ratification April 23, 1925. It began:
The name of this organization shall beThe Park College Student Body.
The official name of the Park College studentsShall be Pirates.(Stylus, 4/23/1925)
Seafaring terms like Good Ship Park, Captain Kidd, Treasure Hunt
and Pirate Den became the rage. Oratorical and athletic contests
were “battles” in which “broadsides sank the opponents.”
The 1926 Narva yearbook was themed “a chest of pirate
plunder,” and illustrations of ships and pirates appeared throughout.
Pirate-themed parties were popular, and a gossip column in the
1925-26 Stylus carried the title “Pieces O’ Eight.”
Why Pirates was chosen remains sketchy. Three theories:
• Park men returning from World War I in 1919 brought nautical
terms. A 1920 Stylus article about an oratorical victory refers to
the opponents as the “gallant crew of the good ship Ottowa.”
• The proximity of the Missouri River inspired the name.
• “Pirates” connotes ferocity, thus providing inspiration for
teams and fans alike.
Whatever the reason, the name stuck and has been with us for
more than 80 years.
Pirate Trivia: The former Galley (snack bar) in lower Commons
was once called the Jolly Roger or J.R., and the bowling alley area
in the basement of the old gym was once named The Pirate’s Den.
Carolyn McHenry Elwess, ’71, archivist
Historical information and mascot imagery courtesy of Park
University Fishburn Archives
24 >> www.park.edu
We Could’veBeen theWhiteMules ...
We Could’veBeen theWhiteMules ...
Next Question:When did Park develop an Online presence, andwhere was the first campus center located?
Ahoy, Mate!
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 25
A jacket patch fromthe 1950s
2006 Pirates’
athletic logo
(left) and Park
mascot1977 logo
Bib logo for ournewest Pirates
1970s-80sbib logo
BUT WE BECAME THE PIRATES!SEE HOW OUR MASCOT HAS EVOLVED.
BUT WE BECAME THE PIRATES!SEE HOW OUR MASCOT HAS EVOLVED.
26 >> www.park.edu
CornerDI
RECT
OR’S
Greetings!
I have to brag a little in this issue, as I wanteveryone to know that I am now the proudparent of a Park University alumna. My daughter,Brianne, graduated from the Parkville Campus onDec. 17. She is one alum whose class year I willhave no trouble remembering.
It is my job — and privilege — to attend Parkgraduations, traveling from Washington, D.C., toSan Diego with many stops in between. Iwelcome the new graduates into the AlumniAssociation and congratulate them on theiraccomplishment. After all, getting throughcollege is no easy task. So when I made my wayto the December graduation I wasn’t too excited. My husband attended, as did myparents, Brianne’s boyfriend and his parents. That was a bit unusual, but I still had mywork to do. I helped them find a seat together, waved goodbye and headed to thestaging room where the graduating class was gathering to start the procession. Then Isaw my daughter all decked out in her cap and gown. I suddenly understood thosecrowds of people I have watched over the years, how they rush to the front of the stageto snap photos, how they cheer when that special someone’s name is announced. Iwanted to cheer too!
When Dr. Byers-Pevitts asked the parents of the graduates to stand, I literally jumpedout of my seat.
With the ceremony over and Brianne and I standing in line to get our photo taken infront of the University seal, I was surprised to be so excited. But I know how hard sheworked for her degree, as have all of our graduates.
From my own experience I know how it feels to walk across the stage; from mydaughter’s graduation I learned how it feels to be one of the thousands of proud peoplein the audience. The pride I felt in my daughter that day was overwhelming.
Congratulations to all who can put “Park alumna/us” on your résumé! You made yourmama proud.
Julie McCollumDirector of Alumni Relations
CO
UR
TES
Y O
F JU
LIE
McC
OLL
UM
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 27
CLUB AND REGIONAL NEWSVolleyball Alumni Challenge2006 Team Park University men’svolleyball alumni tookon the 2006 team Jan.13 in the Breckon SportsCenter. Each participantreceived a commemorative T-shirt and wasinvited to a party after the game.
Alumni in ArkansasKaren Peters Frankenfeld, ’59, organized agathering of alumni in Bella Vista, Ark. at theLoch Lomond Yacht Club, on March 16. Thegroup included Jene and Susan (Speer) Porter,’59 and x62, Mary Eggleston and Karen’shusband, Bob Frankenfeld. Lisa KerleyCallaghan, ’01, from the AdmissionsDepartment and Alisha Coggins, ’03, from theOffice of Alumni Relations, among others, camefrom the Parkville campus to join the group.
El Paso Alumni Park alumni in the El Paso area met informallyJan. 12 to discuss starting an alumni chapter.Debbie Toynes, ’03; Liz Baty, ’03; Louis Vega,’03; and Jerry Valles, ’01, are organizing thegroup. Plans for future events are alreadyunderway. If you are interested in helping thegroup, please visit www.park.edu/alumni, click on“Clubs and Groups” and select the El Paso Club.
Tucson Alumni Busy in MarchDirector of Career Development Layne
Prenger presented Strategies for CareerSuccess on March 3 at the Davis-Monthan AirForce Base Campus Center. The event was opento students and alumni, who brought theirrésumés for review. Park’s Career DevelopmentCenter services are available to all alumni andstudents. Learn about the center and accessthe list of services at www.park.edu/alumni.
On March 4, alumni, faculty, staff andfriends gathered for a major league springtraining baseball game, a barbecue andsocializing when Arizona Diamondbacks playedChicago White Sox at Tucson Electric Park.
5K Run/Walk and Pancake BreakfastThe Alumni Association, along with Park’s Track, Field and Cross Country teams, held its annual 5K Run and Pancake Breakfast on March 26 at the Parkville Campus. Theevent attracted 200 runners and more than 150 additional spectators, volunteers andpancake lovers. The 3.2-mile course wound through campus streets, the nature centerand underground. The first-place winner completed the course in 17:21.
5K winners include:Fastest Male Danny Holmes Fastest Female Julie AngelloFastest Alumnus Ken Grupe, ’05Fastest Alumna Belinda Ambrose, ’00Fastest Park Male Student Kevin ShawFastest Park Female Student Julie AngelloFastest Male Faculty/Staff John DeanFastest Female Faculty/Staff Deborah Osborne Fastest/Largest Family Bobbie Shaw, ’01, with four members finishing the run
Find age division winners, times and photos atwww.park.edu/5K.
An Evening with Dr. Jerzy Hauptmannwas held at the Denver Marriott Tech Center on April 3 in Colorado. Alumni and friends attended Dr. Hauptmann’s presentation on Civic Engagement andPublic Administration and the reception that followed.
June 15 Alumni Golf OutingTiffany Greens Golf Course Kansas City, Mo.Two-man Scramble
June 15-18Alumni WeekendDetails on page 28
June 23Ohio Golf ScrambleColumbus, Ohio
Sept. 8-16Alumni Trip to IrelandDetails on page 37
Oct. 6-8HomecomingParkville campus
Oct. 14-15art@park
To learn about class rings, screensavers, replacement diplomas, scholarships, career
services, back issues of Alumniad, WEBMAILSM and complimentary items, log on to the
Park Alumni Community at www.park.edu/alumni. Use the five- or six-digit number next to
your name on the label of this magazine as your first-time login.
Save the Dates(Find more information at www.park.edu/alumni.)
Belinda Ambrose, ’00
Ken Grupe, ’05
AlumniBulletinBoard Travel with Park
University AlumniFall 2006 to Ireland Sept. 8-16
“I received your brochure describing the trip to Ireland.Had you asked me to design the tour, I would not changea thing. Dublin is nice, but in my opinion youhave literally hit the heart of Ireland with youritinerary.”
— Ann Milholland Webb, ’82, MPA ’99, a Parkalumna and authority on travel in Ireland
A VERY SPECIAL OFFER FOR TRAVELERS ON THIS TRIP: The first 20groups (family, couple or single) to register for this trip will receive both of AnnWebb’s books, Irish Reflections and The Connemara Bus “A Journey Through the Pastin Ireland,” as a “Welcome to the Alumni Travel Group” from the alumni director.
PHOTOS COURTESY OFPARK UN IVERS IT Y OFF ICEOF ALUMNI REL AT IONS
See page 37 for trip details.
• Reunion tables at all events
• Memorabilia displays
• Hermit hangout
• Class reunion gatherings throughout the weekend
• Hospitality room hosted by the Alumni Council
• “The Point” open to visitors
• Van transportation on campus
• Breakfast and lunch in Thompson Commons, beginning Friday
To receive reunion mailings, call (800) 488-7275 or [email protected].
• Golden Class Reunion, Class of 1956
• Class reunions for all classes ending in 1 and 6
• Park Singers
• Hermits
Dorm rooms will be available in Chesnut Hall. Indicate specialhousing needs on the registration form. The front desk will bestaffed from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
A preferred rate of $89 per night is available at the newly renovatedHilton Kansas City Airport Hotel, 8801 N.W. 112th St., Kansas City,Mo. (location of the awards banquet). For reservations call (800)445-8667. The local number is (816) 891-8900.
Allen Larson, ’59, will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award, thePark University Alumni Association’s highest honor, recognizinglifetime achievement. The Rev. Edmund Loew, x55, and JoyceWilson Loew, ’56, will receive the Marlowe Sherwood MemorialService Award in recognition of their lifelong community service.
The awards will be presented June 17 at the Hilton Kansas CityAirport Hotel during the Alumni Weekend 2006 Awards Banquet.Look for recipient profiles in the summer 2006 Alumniad.
• Golf Outing at Tiffany Greens Golf Course.
Two-man scramble for alumni and friends, $75 per player.
Put your team together and register with the alumni office [email protected] or (800) 488-PARK (7275).
• Class of 1956 only
Golden Reunion Dinner hosted by President Beverley Byers-Pevitts inthe University White House garden.
• Brunch with the president for all Parkites graduating prior to 1956.
• Class get-togethers; watch your mail for specific class details.
• Friends of the Library
• Campus bus tours
• Dinner Downtown
Tour the Park University Downtown Campus, home of the acceleratedand graduate programs, followed by a buffet at the Kansas City PublicLibrary’s Roof Top Terrace.
Following dinner, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Park music associate professorand 2001 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition gold medalist,and his students will perform a concert in the Gladys Feld HelzbergAuditorium adjoining the library.
• Alumni Association Annual Meeting
• “Park University 2006,” a presentation, with Q&A
• Class photos
• Park Singers Reunion
• More class get-togethers and socializing
• Alumni Awards Banquet
– Distinguished Alumnus
– Marlowe Sherwood Memorial Service Award
• Church Service
• Farewell Brunch
This schedule is subject to change. Specific times will be available atwww.park.edu/alumni and also will be distributed by mail.
THURSDAY, JUNE 1 5
FRIDAY, JUNE 1 6
SATURDAY, JUNE 1 7
SUNDAY, JUNE 1 8
Highlights of
REUNIONS
FEATURESADDITIONAL
HOUSINGCAMPUS
ALTERNATE OPTIONSHOUSING
ALUMNI AWARDSASSOCIATION
28 >> www.park.edu
Payment Information■■ Check enclosed■■ Credit Card (Circle one: Visa MC Discover Am Express) Number _____________________________ Exp. date __________
Signature ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your name _______________________________________ Birth name ___________________ Class year ________________
How do you want your name to appear on your name tag? __________________________________________________________
Your spouse’s or guest’s name ___________________________________________________________ Class year _____________
How do you want your spouse’s/guest’s name to appear on his/her name tag? ____________________________________________
Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________
City, State & ZIP __________________________________________________________________________________________
Daytime phone number _____________________________________ E-mail address ____________________________________
Roommate request for campus housing__________________________________________________________________________
Mail to Alumni Relations, Campus Mailbox 37, Park University, 8700 N.W. River Park Drive, Parkville, MO 64152.Register Online at www.park.edu/alumni or call toll-free (800) 488-7275 or fax to (816) 505-5409.
Park University Alumni Weekend 2006 Registration Form
Registrations are requested by June 1Except for the 50th Reunion Dinner and Awards Banquet, all events may be attended without
pre-registration.However, costs for individual meals will be slightly higher at the door.
Item Description Number Cost Runningof persons per person total
Residence Hall Rooms $25 per person per night; housing assignments You must participate in Alumni made by Office of Resident LifeWeekend to stay on campus. ■■ Thursday, June 15 _____________ x $25= $___________
■■ Friday, June 16 _____________ x $25= $___________■■ Saturday, June 17 _____________ x $25= $___________
Class of ’56 Reunion Dinner* ■■ Free for Class of ’56 Alumni _____________on Thursday, June 15 ■■ $12 per spouse/guest of Class of ’56 Alumni _____________ x $12= $___________
Comprehensive Meal Ticket $45 includes all meals listed below, except(a savings of 10%) Alumni Banquet _____________ x $45= $___________
Individual Meals ■■ Friday, June 16 Breakfast _____________ x $6= $___________■■ Friday, June 16 Lunch _____________ x $7= $___________■■ Friday, June 16 Dinner _____________ x $12= $___________■■ Saturday, June 17 Breakfast _____________ x $6= $___________■■ Saturday, June 17 Lunch _____________ x $7= $___________■■ Sunday, June 18 Continental Breakfast _____________ x $4= $___________■■ Sunday, June 18 Farewell Brunch _____________ x $10= $___________
Alumni Awards Banquet* Saturday, June 17 _____________ x $30= $___________(Hilton Kansas City Airport) Reception 6-7 p.m.
Banquet 7-9 p.m.
$10 Registration Fee Registration fee _____________ x $10= $___________(Per person) This fee is waived for forms received by June 1. free until 6/1
*Registration required Please make checks payable to Park University. Grand Total $___________
Those who register for housing togetherwill be assigned to the same room. Forroommate requests, please see below.
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 29
30 >> www.park.edu
Class NotesHave you received a job promotion, gotten married, had a baby or received an award?
Go to www.park.edu/alumni, click My Profile and add a class note.Your logon number is on the back of this magazine.
’40sAllen Van Cleve, ’41, and his spouse, Lois,moved to Clive, Iowa, in October and arehappy to be near their son, who lives innearby Ankeny.
’50sAlden Hickman, x52, is interim pastor atCentral Presbyterian Church in Topeka, Kan.He and his wife, Enid, will celebrate their50th anniversary this summer. They movedto a newer home in Topeka in Decemberwhere they “no longer have to mow orshovel snow.”
Florence Byham Weinberg,’54, Ph.D., has publishedher fifth book, a historicalnovel, Apache Lance,Franciscan Cross. Hersixth book, The SevenCities of Mud, is in progress.
Mary (Hay) Cooke, ’55,wrote Through All theCircling Years: ThePrivate Life of a Pastor’sWife, a book about her lifewith the Rev. JamesCooke, ’56.
’60sPeter Bine, ’64, is city manager of Oak Island,N.C. He and his wife of 36 years, Debby, enjoyocean sailing and international travel.
’70sSteve Guthrie, ’71, is the sales andmarketing director at Denison Landscaping,the nation’s 29th largest landscapingcompany.
Bonnie (Beuth) Guthrie, ’72, is a ReadingRecovery Teacher Leader for the CharlesCounty school system in La Plata, Md.
Richard Plocica, ’77, is governor of theOptimist International Capital VirginiaDistrict for the October 2005-September2006 term.
Roy Lorenz, ’79, is employed by theNational Optical Astronomy Observatory
(NOAO) as an observation technician. Thisyear he is launching a business, Starman,which incorporates art and astronomy. Theproduct is a hand-painted ceiling mural ofthe heavens, with thousands of stars thatglow for up to an hour — an ideal effect, henotes, in bedrooms. Details are atwww.starss.biz.
’80sRayCummiskey,’80, wasnamedCitizen ofthe Year bythe SalineCounty (Ill.)Chamber ofCommerce.
Lisa Wade McCormick, ’83, has worked as areporter for The Examiner in Independence,Mo., and the Greeley Tribune (Greeley, Colo.),as a press aide for former Missouri AttorneyGeneral William Webster, as an investigativeproducer at KCTV-5 NEWS and as aneconomic crime investigator for theJohnson County, Kan., District Attorney’sOffice. She has won two Emmys and anaward from Investigative Reporters andEditors for outstanding investigativereporting. Now a freelance writer andauthor, she has written seven children’sbooks for grades K-2.
Brian Niemuth, x84, is the 2005-06 IowaConference Coach of the Year and theDivision III West Region Coach of the Year.He is the women’s basketball coach atSimpson College, which won the IowaConference championship this year andadvanced to the second round of the NCAATournament for the first time in schoolhistory. He was an all-conference basketballplayer at Park and an honorable mentionAll-America baseball player. He was anassistant coach at Park for two years.
Stephan M. Veazey, ’85, has been called tolead the Community of Christ church asprophet-president. He has been a full-timeminister since 1983. He and CathleenHenson Cackler-Veazey have been married19 years and have three children.
Brian Hoffman, ’86, Ph.D., associate
professor of science, recently received theDistrict Award of Merit for his service to theBoys Scouts of America. The RobidouxDistrict, Pony Express Council of the BoyScouts of America honored Hoffman for hiswork as a scout leader, den leader, cubleader, committee chair and director ofNational Youth Leader Training with theTroop and Pack 21 from Wyatt Park ChristianChurch in Missouri.
James Breslin, ’88, received a Doctor ofPhilosophy in human services in January.
Steve Cox, ’88, co-authored One FineStooge: Larry Fine’sFrizzy Life in Pictures.
George Rohrich, ’88, isadministrator of TheMemorial Hospital in Craig, Colo. Hepreviously was CEO of the Washakie MedicalCenter in Worland, Wyo., and administratorof the Pembina County Memorial Hospital inCavalier, N.D. He worked in medicaladministration for the Air Force for 15 yearsin hospitals across the United States andforeign countries, including Turkey.
Stephen Hunter, ’89, is principal of TroyBuchanan High School in Troy, Mo., and iscompleting doctoral work. He and his wife of12 years, Becky, have a 5-year-old son,Dylan. Steve is still an active runner,competing in marathons, including Boston,Minneapolis, St. Louis and other cities.
’90sNancy (Becker) McBride, ’90, Ph.D., wasawarded a doctorate in counseling andeducational psychology in December. She isa school psychologist in the Lyon CountySchool District in Yerington, Nev., and anadjunct professor at the University ofNevada, Reno.
Gregory Murphy, ’91, works for theCalifornia Department of Justice.
John Sissell, ’91, recently completed hismaster’s in computer information systems.
Mark Wilks, ’91, is the media editor-Midwestat Pearson Custom Publishing in Boston. Heis based in Tuscola, Ill.
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 31
Mary Lou Jaramillo, ’92, is executivedirector of the Hispanic EconomicDevelopment Corp., in Kansas City, Mo.
Rhonda (Baugus) Stucinski, ’93, washighlighted as a career leader in TheKansas City Star’s Jan. 3 Careerbuilderssection. Stucinski is the human resourcesdirector for the Catholic Diocese of KansasCity-St. Joseph. She is responsible forcreating and running programs, processesand policies that support diocesanemployees and the overall mission of thediocese.
Philip Bolen, A.S. ’94, B.S. ’95, haschanged careers since graduating with hiscomputer science degrees. He received aMaster of Divinity in May and is seniorpastor at Christ Lutheran Church inRemsen, Iowa.
Timothy Ossinger, ’94, was appointedcommand chief master sergeant atOklahoma City Air Logistics Center/72 AirBase Wing, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
Premier Incentives, owned by SueMcMillian, ’95, and Spencer McMillian, ’03,has been named 2005 Business of theYear by the Platte City, Mo., Chamber ofCommerce.
Patrick Yost, ’95, was Employee of theQuarter for the Missouri Department ofSocial Services, Family Support Division,Child Support Enforcement, for April, Mayand June 2005.
Robert Benefield, ’98, recently returned toKansas City after seven years in the Armyas an infantry and personnel officer. Heand his spouse, Jennifer, have a 5-month-old son, Brendan Michael. Robert is abudget analyst for the Department of theArmy, Kansas City Army Recruiting.
John Fierro, ’98, is executive director ofthe Mattie Rhodes Center, a 111-year-oldsocial services and arts center in KansasCity, Mo. “I’m honored to be appointed asexecutive director and at the same timeunderstand that I have a greatresponsibility to maintain the legacyestablished by Mattie Florence Rhodes andpast directors,” he said. He replaces MaryLou Jaramillo, ’92.
Tim Hebert, ’98, lives in Colorado withwife Gretchen and 8-month-old son John.Tim has run 12 marathons in the past fiveyears and is training for the next BostonMarathon. He owns a health insurancebrokerage and a real estate company, andhe leads his church’s classes on personalfinances.
Michelle (Carr) Holland, ’99, is an auditorfor Johnson County, Kan. She worked forthe Missouri State Auditor’s Office, whereshe worked her way to senior auditor. Sheis certified as a fraud examiner andcurrently heads a job placement/databasecommittee for the Kansas City Chapter ofCertified Fraud Examiners, and sheparticipates with the KC-CFE board.
’00sNicole (Christiansen) Aarestad, ’00, joinedBremer Bank in Fargo, N.D., as creditanalyst.
Tammy Flemming, ’01, was featured in TheKansas City Star’s Aug. 14 Careerbuilderssection. Flemming is director of humanresources for the Kansas City site ofCrossroads Hospice, where she performs avariety of services, from recruiting andconducting orientations to working withstaff to identify concerns and discoverpositive resolutions.
Kevin Jones, ’01, wasMr. Missouri in theNovember 2005Cosmopolitan. He is apatent attorney atShook, Hardy & Bacon.
Gerard Jones, ’02, was selected the 2005Outstanding Intelligence Professional ofthe Year (GS-11 to GS-13) for Ninth AirForce, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
Tom, ’02, and Kim(Shaver), ’04,Leimkuhler arestationed at Wheeler Army Airfield inWahiawa, Hawaii(Oahu), where Tom,an Army warrantofficer 1, is a BlackHawk pilot.
Angela Russell, ’02, became engaged toMichael Solano on Oct. 24, 2005. They livein Tulsa, Okla., and will marry Nov. 11, 2006.
Matt Kelsey, ’03, is managing editor ofThe Kansas City Kansan and overseeseditorial operations of the newspaper,which covers the Kansas City, Kan.,community.
Steven Sunder, ’03, has accepted dualpositions as vice president of businessdevelopment and president of InvisionMedical, a subsidiary of Southwestern EyeCenter.
Lori Wilson, ’03, R.N., and husband Chriswelcomed through adoption 2-year-oldEmily Julianne on Dec. 15, 2005. Emily wasfostered into their home in February 2004and joins big brother Brandon.
Melody Brown, ’04, practices law inLenexa, Kan.
Terra Pernell, ’05, was promoted tocontract negotiator at Wright-Patterson AirForce Base.
<< CLASS NOTES
Note:Send us a birth or adoptionannouncement to use in ClassNotes, and we’ll send you a “BabyPirate” bib. (The image will beimprinted on the bib.)
Two of Park’s newest pirates, Alex, 3 years, and Aidan “A.J.,” 4 months, are sons of Timothy and Tiffani, ’99, Edwardsof Decatur, Iowa.
32 >> www.park.edu
Constance D. “Connie” Vulliamy, ’33,
died peacefully March 28 at Liberty Terrace
Care Center just 39 days before her 100th
birthday.
Miss Vulliamy was born May 6, 1906, in
Crowley, La., to Dr. Hugh Vulliamy, a
veterinarian, and Constance Gardner, both
natives of England. Dr. Vulliamy, educated in
Canada, had settled in Louisiana because he
liked working with large farm animals, which
were plentiful on southern plantations.
During World War I, he volunteered his
services to England and was assigned to provide medical
care for horses and mules being shipped to Britain and
Europe through a lend-lease program with the United
States. When Miss Vulliamy was 9, her father moved the
family to England so they would be close to relatives if
something happened to him.
Miss Vulliamy attended school in England and then,
after the war, spent a year in a French boarding school
before returning to Louisiana. After finishing high school,
she worked for an insurance company for seven years
before applying to Park College, having heard from a
friend that students could work their way through. She
arrived in Parkville in 1929 and never left.
No one who had a conversation with Miss Vulliamy will
ever forget her accent, a combination of British and
Louisiana cadences that was impossible to duplicate. It was
as unique as she was and reflected the circuitous route
that brought her to Parkville and her beloved alma mater.
As a student, Miss Vulliamy worked as a secretary in
the Business Office and maintained an academic record
that resulted in several departmental awards and her
election to Alpha Delta, the college honor society. After
graduating in 1933, she joined the Business Office staff as
full-time secretary. A few years later she was appointed
bursar, a position she held until her retirement in 1971.
During her career, she saw seven college presidents come
and go.
People who worked with her never had to guess her
opinion on an issue. She was outspoken, yet friendly, a
genteel lady warmly appreciative of others. Many Park
alumni and staff were recipients of her
thank-you or congratulatory notes —
always personal and cheerfully worded.
She maintained correspondence with Park
people all over the world and especially
encouraged George Croskey to write his
memories of an earlier Parkville. Her
encyclopedic knowledge of Park people
and history was legendary.
Miss Vulliamy was an independent
woman, long before it was norm. Her
interests were varied and geared toward
quietly helping others. She strongly supported women’s
issues and 70 years ago was a founding member and
officer of the Parkville branch of the American Association
of University Women. She also devoted a great deal of
time to reading and recording books for the blind. She was
a member of Parkville’s Afternoon Literary Club and the
Episcopal Business Women’s Guild of Greater Kansas City.
She was an ardent supporter of Parkville cultural life, an
officer of the Park Friends of the Library and the Park
Historical Society, and a member of the Alumni
Association Executive Council.
Notified that she would receive the Alumni Association’s
highest award as a Distinguished Alumna in 1956, she
replied, “It is quite beyond me to see where I qualify in any
way as an outstanding alumna. I have never done anything
outstanding. When I think how many alumni there must be
scattered over the world who have really done things, it
makes me feel dreadfully unworthy that I should have this
great honor and not they.” The Alumni Association felt
differently and honored her despite her humility.
Miss Vulliamy is survived by her only sibling, the
Rev. Gerald G. Vulliamy; two nieces, Marcia A. Dutton of
Houston and Lydianne V. Hammons of Minden, La.; and
three generations of nieces and nephews.
Memorial services were May 6, the 100th anniversary of
her birth, at the Church of the Redeemer, in Kansas City,
Mo. Contributions in her memory may be made to Park
University or to the Church of the Redeemer.
Carolyn McHenry Elwess,’71, Park University archivist
PARK BIDS FAREWELL TO LONGTIME PARKVILLE RESIDENT AND NOTED ALUMNA
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 33
<< CLASS NOTES
Park Mourns’20sSarah (Davis) Carter,’27, Aug. 28, 2005, SanCarlos, Calif.Mrs. Carter dedicatedher life to education,teaching English for 33years at Eureka Senior High School inEureka, Calif. In 1999 at the age of 95, shepublished her autobiography, The Time ofMy Life: A Memoir. The proceeds were usedto form the Sarah Carter Scholarship Fund,which, with the support of her friends, hastopped $100,000.
’30sVelma “OB” O’Brien, ’31, Jan. 2, 2006,Corona Del Mar, Calif.In 1948, Ms. O’Brien opened O’Brien’sSpecialty Shop, the first high-end women’sclothing store in Corona Del Mar. Women’sWear Daily reported her shop was “in thepink.” A strong, independent woman, fondlydescribed as quirky, she was active in hercommunity as a member for 59 years ofthe Masonic Order of the Eastern Star. Shestarted the Soroptimists of NewportHarbor, served on the Advisory Committeeof Orange Coast College, the Board ofDirectors of the National Right to WorkCommittee, and the Newport HarborRepublican Women. She received theCongressional Certificate of Merit for herconsistent support of American Ideals ofFreedom, Economic Opportunity andNational Strength.
Robert L. Thigpin, ’31, Oct. 23, 2005,Corsicana, Texas
Alice (Boorem) Keen, ’32, June 13, 2005,Muskogee, Okla.
Albert James Tener, ’32, May 5, 2005,Columbus, N.C. Mr. Tener was the head of the legaldepartment of Perfection Stove Co. inCleveland, Ohio. He then practiced law inthe firm of Johnson, Peterson, Tener &Anderson in Jamestown, N.Y., until hisretirement in 1976. He and his wife, Virginia,visited more than 80 countries andremained active in their retirement. Theyhave two sons and a daughter.
Caldwell K. Hamilton, ’33, M.D., Nov. 6,2005, St. Louis, Mo.After graduating from Park, Dr. Hamiltonreceived his medical degree from St. LouisUniversity. During World War II he served 51/2 years as a flight surgeon in the ArmyAir Corps, pre-war in Guatemala, and manyof the war years on Guam and Saipan. Heserved generations of grateful patients formore than 50 years and was ParkwaySchool District’s physician for more than 20years. Dr. Hamilton is loved by literallythousands of former patients, friends andcolleagues.
Loucile (Mayhew) Heckman, ’33, Aug. 2,2005, Prescott, Ariz. Mrs. Heckman was a member of Park’sHoward Bailey McAfee Heritage Society.She was a 30-year member of theDaughters of the American Revolution andserved as regent of the DAR General CrookChapter and a longtime member of DeltaKappa Gamma Society International. Shespent her retirement researching anddocumenting her genealogy. In 1991 shepublished The Jacob Snyder Family Tree,which has been distributed nationwide andin Canada. Mrs. Heckman is survived byher husband of 66 years and a daughter, aswell as many extended family members andfriends.
Alice (Oien) King, ’33, Aug. 1, 2005,Wilmington, Del.
Maxine (Peterson) Waggoner, ’33, May 26,2005, St. Louis, Mo.
Flossie (Hastings) Entrikin, ’34, June 26,2005, Columbia, Mo.
Melba (McKibben) McCoy, ’35, May 12,2005, Blacksburg, Va.
Hila (Richards) Stratton, ’35, Feb. 7,Charlotte, N.C.Mrs. Stratton was president of the NorthCarolina Federation of Republican Women,president of the Charlotte AmericanAssociation of University Women, regent ofthe North Carolina Daughters of theAmerican Colonists and a trustee of CentralPiedmont Community College, as well as aformer instructor for the American RedCross. She was a candidate for the NorthCarolina House of Representatives in 1968and 1970 and was instrumental in the NorthCarolina Legislature’s passing the 19th
Amendment to the U.S. Constitutiongranting women the right to vote. She issurvived by her husband of 66 years, fourchildren and their families.
Alberta “Al” Massingill, ’36, April 21, 2005,Grand Rapids, Mich.Ms. Massingill was an exceptional athlete,especially adept in school at archery, tennisand basketball. Although her ambition wasto be a concert pianist and she playedthroughout her life, she received her libraryscience certificate from the University ofDenver and a master’s degree in remedialreading from the University of Michigan.Her library career began with the KansasCity, Kan., public library in 1937. When itsdirector moved to the Grand Rapids PublicLibrary, she went as his assistant. Upon hisdeath she was appointed director. Underher directorship the library flourished, withseveral branches established and buildingserected. Upon retirement she traveledextensively, visiting every continent exceptAntarctica. She was named Woman of theYear in 1968 by American BusinessWomen’s Association. She was a longtimemember of Westminster PresbyterianChurch, where she served as a trustee. “Al”was president of the Zonta club and amember of city, state and national libraryassociations. She loved to cook and collectcookbooks, old and new.
Evelyn Carol (Listrom) DeMasters, ’37, Oct.21, 2005, Liberty, Mo.Mrs. DeMasters worked as an air trafficcontroller during World War II. She alsoreceived her master’s degree in music andtaught in the Kansas City public schools for25 years. She was a member of the FirstPresbyterian Church of Liberty and inearlier years was organist. She was afounding member and past president ofChapter IZ of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, and shehelped found and was past president of theLiberty Hospital Foundation. She was anavid bridge player and enjoyed entertainingfriends and family in her home. Mrs.DeMasters died surrounded by her family.She is survived by four children and theirspouses.
Mary (Griffith) Olson, ’37, March 31,Columbus, OhioMrs. Olson was an elder, deacon andSunday school teacher at Columbus’Overbrook Presbyterian Church. Aftergraduating from Park she taught in
34 >> www.park.edu
Booneville, Mo., and then at the OhioSchool for the Deaf in Columbus. She issurvived by four children, fourgrandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
John J. Blair, ’39, Nov. 30, 2005, West Hills, Calif.While teaching schoolin Qulin and PoplarBluff, Mo., in 1941, Mr.Blair joined the Navy. InJanuary 1942, he wassent to the Naval Academy and wascommissioned an Ensign in May. Hemarried Frances Woodbury, x41, on May 20. He served on minesweepers forthree years in World War II, the last year ascommander of YMS 215. He started dentalschool in 1950 at the University of KansasCity Dental School, later UMKC, andgraduated in 1954. He moved to Reseda,Calif., Jan. 1, 1955 and established his dentalpractice. He and his brother, Dr. Stan, hadadjoining suites. Dr. John is survived by hisloving wife of 63 years, Frances; son, JohnC. Blair, ’65; and daughter Marty Ungerand her family.
’40sGeorge Thomas Croskey, ’40, Feb. 14,Yountville, Calif. Mr. Croskey taught art in Parkville andPortland, Ore. He was a native of Missouriand a recipient of the Newcomer Prize fromthe Kansas City Art Institute. In 2004, hedonated 40 pieces of his art collection toPark University, and many are on display inthe Center for Distance Learning and theCenter for Excellence in Teaching andLearning administrative facility in theParkville Commercial Underground. Hispaintings also are on display in the ParkHouse and in the Newcomer Collection atKansas City’s River Club. Many of his worksare privately owned.
Margaret Naomi (Schadt) Lietzke, ’40,Dec. 10, 2005, El Dorado, Kan. Margaret was a school teacher andhomemaker.
Ann (McDowell) Burger, ’42, Oct. 22, 2005,Albuquerque, N.M.
Dr. Robert C. Thorp, ’43, Nov. 11, 2005,West Covina, Calif.
Dr. Thorp and his wife, Berniece (Anderson)Thorp, ’43, were Presbyterian missionariesin Guatemala, Central America, for 34years. Dr. Thorp also was adviser andcofounder of the Universidad de MarianoGalvez, a Protestant institution that nowhas more than 30,000 students. He holdsan Honorary Doctorate of Theology andFounder’s Award from the university and aHonorary Doctorate from WhitworthCollege. He is survived by his sons, Dr. GlenThorp and Robert Thorp, daughter RebeccaSchreiner and half-sister Mary Jean Cully.
’50sMary Lou (Breed) Lowell, ’54, Dec. 18,2005, Webster Groves, Mo.Mrs. Lowell died quietly with her husbandof more than 50 years, Arthur Lowell, x54,and son David by her side. She taught highschool and junior high school in manysurrounding communities. She also issurvived by another son and a daughter.
Joe Willard Snyder, ’54, Nov. 22, 2005,Charlotte, N.C.Mr. Snyder was born in Hutchinson, Kan.After graduation from Park College hebegan a military career. As a commissionednaval officer he served on the U.S.S.Calvert, completed his linguist training withhonors from Monterrey’s language school,then worked in communication andcryptology with the National SecurityAgency. After his military retirement heformed a company to recruit forinternational construction companies.During retirement, Mr. Snyder and his wife,Catherine (Dukelow) Snyder, ’54, enjoyed25 trips overseas and toured all 50 U.S.states. As hobbies he wrote travel articlesfor The Stars and Stripes and Military Livingand compiled eight volumes on hisextensive genealogy research. He was anelder in the Presbyterian Church, taughtSunday School and led work with refugeefamilies. Perhaps closest to his heart wasorganizing friends into the Old Fogies, agroup that worked with homeless shelters.He is survived by Catherine, to whom he
’60sHans Brisch, ’64, H., ’01, Feb. 22, Edmond, Okla. Dr. Hans Brisch, fourth Chancellor for the Oklahoma State System ofHigher Education, was known for the courage, vision and strength hebrought to that higher education system.
He emigrated from Germany in 1940 at the age of 17 and completedhis high school and college education while supporting himself throughwork, scholarships and loans. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science fromPark College, with a minor in chemistry, and a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy inpolitical science from the University of Kansas. His academic honors include Fulbright-HaysFellow, University of Alabama Research Grant Award, Venice Seminar Fellow, PublicAdministrative Fellow, Seminar Fellow — University of Belgrade, and NDFL Title VI Fellow.
His academic career spanned teaching and research appointments at several universities,and he published articles and books and participated in professional conferences relating topublic administration and management, legislative politics and Soviet studies.
He was assistant director and associate director for academic affairs for the Illinois Boardof Higher Education, and was assistant vice president for academic affairs, executiveassistant to the president, and associate executive vice president and provost at theUniversity of Nebraska. He also was chief of staff for Nebraska Governor Kay Orr.
Dr. Brisch was a member of numerous professional, academic and civic organizations,holding leadership positions in many of them. Upon retirement in January 2003, he becamechancellor emeritus of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.
He was president of the Park University Alumni Council, was the 1989 Park UniversityDistinguished Alumnus, and he received a Park Honorary Doctorate in 2001. He alsospearheaded the successful campaign to endow the Dr. Jerzy Hauptmann DistinguishedLecture Series.
Dr. Brisch was a man of many professional accomplishments, but his Park classmates andfriends will long remember his magnanimity, his exuberance, his sincere friendship and hisdevotion to his alma mater. He will be sorely missed by his Park family.
Dr. Brisch is survived by his wife, Margaret (Gatton) Brisch, ’63, and children Ellen,Matthew and Megan.
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 35
was married 51 years, and their childrenand grandchildren.
Roland Francis, ’55, March 23, 2006,Parkville, Mo.Mr. Francis worked in his family’s FrancisFuneral Home in Parkville until the 1980s.He received a master’s degree in musiccomposition from University of Missouri -Kansas City Conservatory of Music. Heloved music and was a composer as well aspianist and organist. In his later years hewrote poetry.
Patricia (Roche) Johnson, ’57, Jan. 21,Midland, Mich. Mrs. Johnson is survived by her husband,Herb, and son Dietrich.
John “Jack” Eaton, ’58, April 5, 2005, St. Ann, Mo.Mr. Eaton taught social studies for 30 yearsat Pattonville High School in MarylandHeights, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis. He wasnoted for his wit and communication skillsand will be missed by the many who workedwith him. He is survived by his wife, Helen,three daughters and seven grandchildren
’60s (continued)Roger Selby Streeter, ’64, Sept. 6, 2005,Loma Linda, Va. The Rev. Elizabeth Streeter Porter, ’62,wrote of Mr. Streeter: “My little brother diedon Sept. 6. He was diagnosed with canceron July 26 and quickly went downhill. I wasblessed to officiate at his memorial service.It was very difficult for me to do but I knewit was what he wanted. It was a beautifulday, a beautiful service with so manypeople coming to pay last respects toRoger.” Mr. Streeter was an avid hunter,fisherman and gifted woodworker. He issurvived by his wife, Estella; sonChristopher and wife Kristen; daughterStephanie Streeter Castronuovo andhusband Michael; brothers David, Stephenand Robert Streeter; and his sister, the Rev. Elizabeth Streeter Porter.
Albert D. Angell, ’67, Sept. 26, 2005,St. Petersburg, Fla.
’70sDiane Fisher, ’73, Dec. 1, 2005, Kansas City, Mo.A retired teacher and active community
volunteer, Ms. Fisher visited weekly with St.Joseph Health Center patients, helped raiseUnited Way funds and transported seniorcitizens. “She’d come through like atornado and get her work done, then be offto something else.” said Rita Laws, SJHCdirector of volunteer and patientrepresentative services. “Her finalvolunteer effort was a meeting of seniorcitizens at Kansas City’s BlenheimElementary School.” Ms. Fisher owned asmall publishing company and earned adoctorate in recent years. She wasextremely proud of her son, Stevyn, 22,who just completed military service, anddaughter, Erycka, 19, a Park student. Eryckasaid her mother was “a really caringperson. It’s hard to find people like that.”Steve McClellan, who hired Ms. Fisher as acommunity outreach coordinator forBlenheim Caring Communities, said that,although she had a paid position, shemainly volunteered, going above andbeyond her job. “She always had a smile onher face. She was phenomenal.”
August Hartung, ’76,Jan. 16, Redlands, Calif. Mr. Hartung spent 21years in the Air Forceand followed that withrewarding careers withthe Riverside CountyOffice of Education andat California State University, SanBernardino, but he will most beremembered for his desire to help others.His wife, Carolyn, said, “He was the mostgenerous person I ever knew.” Mr. Hartungearned a Bachelor of Arts in businessmanagement from Park while assigned toWilliams Air Force Base in Arizona. His loveof the Lutheran church and his family werehis lifetime motivations.
Merle L. Heatwole, ’76, Dec. 20, 2005,Rockford, Ill.Mr. Heatwole earned a Bachelor of Arts insocial work at Park and a Master of Arts insociology at the University of Missouri in St. Louis. He attended The Salvation ArmyCollege for Officers Training in Chicagofrom 1961-63 and was ordained andcommissioned a Salvation Army officer in1963. He served until retiring in 2003.
’80sLois Kennedy, ’83, March 19, Lee’s Summit, Mo.Mrs. Kennedy was director of volunteerservices at Saint Luke’s Hospital and atTruman Medical Center East, and an officerin the state and local chapters of theMissouri Volunteer Association. She issurvived by her husband of 55 years,Robert E. Kennedy, three children and fourgrandchildren.
Alinee R. Salazar, ’84, March 7, 2005,Austin, Texas.
Robert C. Keyser, ‘85, Aug. 4, 2005,Jacksonville, Ark.
Paul Dadzie, ’88, Jan. 23,Monrovia, Liberia.Mr. Dadzie, a onetimegoalkeeper for theLiberian national soccer squad, died after aprolonged illness. He is survived by his wife,Grace.
Robert Gray, ’88, Sept. 16, 2005, Quincy, Fla. Mr. Gray was a retired Navy senior chiefwho served during the Vietnam War. Hewas a past advancement coordinator withBoy Scouts of America, Troop 104, inTallahassee, Fla., and a member of AnchorLodge No. 182, Free and Accepted Masonsin Key West. He also was a longtime blooddonor. He is survived by his wife of 35years, Barbara Gray; son ChristopherHenry; daughter Rhonda Woodward andher husband, Hayes; grandchildren JenniferPalmer, Adrianne Woodward andChristopher John Henry, all of Quincy; andmother Evelyn Gray and brothers John andGerald Gray, all of Higginsville. He waspreceded in death by his son, David Henry,and father, Jack Gray.
Gary Santerre, ’88, Dec. 30, Manassas, Va.Mr. Santerre served in the Navy from 1977-1983. He spent the remainder of his careerserving the country as a civilian with NOIC,NRL (Naval Research Laboratory),MARCOSYSCOM(Marine Corps SystemsCommand), RockwellCollins and Raytheon.
Join the Park Alumni Online Community at www.park.edu/alumni.Find your friends, post your photos and keep in touch. Use the 5- or 6-digit number next to your name on the address label forFirst-Time login.
36 >> www.park.edu
In today’s rapidly changing world, the
connection between what students learn in
the classroom and how they apply that
knowledge is more critical than ever. To help
cement the bridge between lesson plan and
reality, Park’s practicing professionals bring
worlds of real-time experience into actual and
Online classrooms.
One such connection can be found in
Business Law I and II, developed and taught
Online by licensed attorney and AdjunctProfessor Cathy Taylor, J.D. Taylor says
that her students often experience a paradigm
shift around week three of class. At that point,
Taylor observes, they begin to view their world
differently as classroom theories blend with
firsthand experience to model how those
theories apply.
“When we study contracts, I ask the
students to identify contracts they make in
everyday life. Suddenly, they begin to
recognize the contracts in everything they do
— from asking for an estimate on a car repair
to paying someone to mow their grass.”
To complement the legal knowledge she
brings to her Online classes, Taylor shares her
personal and immediate understanding of the
challenges that Park’s military students likely
will encounter. Married to an Air Force
attorney, she has lived in Missouri, Florida,
Louisiana and now Quebec, and she, her
husband, Maj. Michael W. Taylor, and their
4-year-old daughter, Anna, will move to
Colorado this summer.
“We move around a lot, so I’m definitely a
professor who understands the lifestyle of the
military student,” she says. “My husband’s
service in the military gives me a unique
perspective. I can relate to my nontraditional
students better.
“As a military spouse, I understand what it
means to go into the field to prepare for war
exercises. As a mom, I understand that
children get sick and have to go to the ER the
same night your paper is due. Also, because
I have lived on base, I am familiar with
common legal issues and concerns of military
families. I use these experiences to help my
students relate what they’ve learned in class to
their lives.”
Taylor earned a Bachelor of Arts with
departmental honors in English literature,
summa cum laude, with a Certificate in
Business Administration from Wesleyan
College in Macon, Ga. She earned her Juris
Doctorate from the University of Georgia
School of Law in Athens. A member of the
State Bar of Georgia, she has worked as a
staff attorney for the Office of Hearings &
Appeals in the Social Security Administration.
That’s a lot of experience, much of which
works its way into her teaching.
“I can use examples from my experiences
or from cases to illustrate difficult concepts.
I try to emphasize laws that students will most
likely experience, such as laws governing
landlords and tenants, employment and
consumer protection.”
Taylor does not currently practice law,
given the combined responsibilities of mother,
military wife and professional in the
classroom. The decision enables her to pour
all that she has learned into her classes, and
to model for the students how to play the
options they will have at different times in
their lives.
“Anyone who is pursuing a college degree
is thinking about the future. He or she is
asking inwardly, ‘What will I do with my
education? How will I balance family and
work?’ My advice is to take advantage of
opportunities to learn something new in your
field and to seek new employment
opportunities as your needs and the needs of
your family change. That’s what I’ve tried to
do, and I’ve found the right balance for me.”
Now serving Park as both a teacher and
course developer for Business Law I and II
Online, Taylor also has taught business law
and ethics in traditional classroom settings for
a Florida university and business law and
business communications for Park at
Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. She
has blended her curriculum with not only
what is prescribed, but also what is practical
for Online students, who often are a challenge
to teach because of their varied backgrounds,
careers and skill levels.
“Many of my Park undergrad students turn
in graduate-level work,” Taylor says. “On the
other hand, I sometimes have a student who
hasn’t written a paper in 20 years.”
The learning can go both ways, when
students respond to her teaching by sharing
their life experiences.
“Most of my students are already in the
real world, as many of them are working in
the military or in private industry. Many of
them are raising families and going to school
part time. Once when I was teaching about
bankruptcy, a student told us that he had filed
for bankruptcy in the past and then regretted
it later.
“This kind of sharing between students
makes the course material take on an
immediacy that nothing else can.”
Taylor believes the contributions of Park’s
numerous practicing professionals add a
unique enrichment that complements
and illustrates the theory behind core
curriculum. “We have a wealth of real-world
experience from which to draw to bring the
textbook alive.”
by Melinda Kaitcer
&Bridging the Reality Between Courtroom Classroom
Park University Alumni Associationpresents this exciting trip from Kansas City
Available to alumni and friends of Park University.
For more information & a color brochure contact:
The Office of Alumni Relations at
PARK UNIVERSITY800-488-PARK (7275)
• Round-trip transatlantic airtransportation to Shannon, Ireland
• Four nights first-classaccommodations in Galway andthree nights in Killarney
• Full Irish breakfast daily
• Transfers between Shannon airportand hotels
• Deluxe motor coach transportationthroughout the program with anexperienced and knowledgeableIrish Driver/Guide
• Luggage handling and relatedtipping
• Local government and hotel taxes
• Global Holidays hospitalityrepresentative
• Complete pre-flight information
AN IRISH CLASSICSeptember 8 – 16, 2006
$1,799 Per person, double occupancy (Plus taxes)
Ireland is a land of constantly changing colors,magnificent and varied landscapes, rugged mountains,imposing valleys, lush green fields and deep blue lakes. Aland of folklore and legend, where the genuine warmth,humor and friendliness of the local people will leave alasting impression. We invite you to experience it foryourself from the exciting destinations of Killarney, acolorful Camelot-like town surrounded by mystical lakesand majestic mountains and Galway, the “Capital of theWest,” an ancient city rich with historic ambience.
Optional excursions include: Dingle Peninsula; Aran Islands;Cliffs of Moher and the 'Burren' Region; Blarney and Kinsaleand more.
INCLUDES AIRFARE
INCLUDED FEATURES
Spring 2006 ‹‹ 37
3,068graduates in 2005
21states
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