Park Magazine - Winter 2022

Winter 2022 Vol. 11, No. 1

Syn: Adaptable, brave, courageous, determined, flexible, persevering, tenacious, withstanding adversity with grit and grace. See also: Park University

resilient (re·sil·ient) the ability to withstand, adjust or recover from challenges

Like many colleges and universities across the country, Park University suspended publication of the Park University Magazine to prioritize resources in response to the coronavirus pandemic. We are proud to return with this special issue to celebrate Park’s formidable and unshakable strength, unity and resilience.

CONTENTS

1 Back Together, Better Than Normal

2 A Resilient Return

8 This is What Resilience Looks Like 14 Just Keep Going 16 “This is what I was meant to do.” 18 Perception vs. Reality 21 Driven to Succeed 24 University News 28 2021 Amazing Achievement (Alumni Association Awards) 33 2020 Amazing Achievement (Alumni Association Awards) 34 Homecoming 2021 36 Class Notes 42 Park Mourns

Park University Magazine Winter 2022 Vol. 11, No. 1

Shane B. Smeed, President president@park.edu | (816) 584-6202

Erik Bergrud, MPA ’94, Chief Strategic Communications Officer erik.bergrud@park.edu | (816) 584-6412

Nathan Marticke, MACL ’10, Chief Advancement Officer nathan.marticke@park.edu | (816) 584-6844

Brad Biles, Director of Communications and Public Relations brad.biles@park.edu | (816) 584-6888

Park University Magazine is published for Park alumni and friends by the Office of Strategic Communications and the Office of University Advancement. Send your comments and/or address corrections to the Office of University Advancement, Park University, 8700 NW River Park Drive, Box 65, Parkville, MO 64152, e-mail advancement@park.edu or call (816) 584-6209. Visit park.edu for more information.

Go green with Park Park University Magazine is available online. To opt out of receiving a printed version of the magazine, please e-mail the Office of University Advancement at advancement@park.edu. If you receive more than one copy in the mail, please let us know. Thank you for supporting Park’s efforts to be more eco-friendly.

Back Together, Better Than Normal

We’ve all likely heard the statement, “I’ll be happy when life returns to normal.” And lately “the new normal” is a phrase often used to describe a world that is trying to move forward while facing ongoing challenges of a global pandemic.

“Normal” is a term that I’ve made peace with leaving behind. Leading a university in current times has become an exercise in letting go of the fear of the unknown. It’s cliché, at this point, to say that life as we knew it in 2019 “P.C.” (pre-COVID-19) will probably never return. Like the rest of the world, Park University has had to adapt — quickly — to new ways of working, living and learning. Though none of it has been easy, all of it has been made easier because of the leadership, talent and sheer will of those around me who give everything to ensure Park’s continued success.

I am amazed by the brave determination of Park’s faculty members, who, through it all, champion our mission to transform lives through accessible, student-centered, quality higher education. Their inspired brilliance has been the stabilizing force in our ability to persevere. I remain in awe of Park’s staff who have kept Park competitive in a time when many other institutions scrambled to keep pace with formidable change.

But most importantly, our students and alumni inspire me daily. Park’s best and brightest have stuck it out and have shown up to class and in the world in courageous ways. In the pages to follow, you’ll see exactly what I mean.

In 2020, we declared ourselves to be “Park United” as a university community. This new way of describing ourselves could not have been better timed. We are united in resilience. We are united in our determination not only to survive, but to thrive in every season. We are united in building a bridge toward the future through new program offerings, new methods of educating and a beautiful new facility — the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center and School of Business — that will prepare students for a competitive job market.

In this issue of Park Magazine, you will read compelling stories of alumni who have used their Park education to make a meaningful difference in the world. You will also discover some amazing Park accomplishments in the classroom, in our athletics programs and on the classical music stage. We can all be proud of Park students, faculty, staff and alumni who strive for excellence in their academic and professional pursuits.

We are “Park Reunited” and it feels better than good. It feels better than normal. In fact, it feels better than ever.

In gratitude,

President Park University

Shane B. Smeed

“We are united in resilience. We are united in our determination not only to survive, but to thrive in every season.”

A Resilient Return

The bell tower atop Mackay Hall on Park University’s flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus stood steadfast while its chimes echoed through empty classrooms, vacant dorms and across a lifeless campus. The year 2020 had thrown the world a formidable curveball — one that Park University grasped with steady grit and grace.

Park University’s Mackay Hall (center) has been standing on the flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus since 1893.

resilient (re·sil·ient)

The Spring 2020 semester began in January with the usual vitality and zeal as Park leadership closely monitored a menace marching its way around the world — COVID-19. By March, it was clear that the fast-spreading virus had become a volatile threat.

“The pandemic required a whirlwind of rapid decisions in the face of extraordinary uncertainty,” said Jayme Uden, Ed.D., associate vice president and dean of students. To protect the Park family, all classes were moved to online learning, and the Parkville Campus, along with Park’s 40 other campuses across the U.S., were indefinitely closed.

What many hoped would be a short-lived adjustment turned into nearly 18 months of social distancing away from the collective vibrancy of college life. Yet Park drew upon its nearly 150 years of resilient innovation to quickly adapt.

“When we made this difficult decision, we knew it would create myriad challenges,” Uden said. “Recognizing that every student and every situation is unique, we dove in to support students in every way possible.”

Emergency relief

Unlike other colleges and universities, Park University had the advantage of proven leadership in online education. “We were well-equipped to quickly move all students to virtual classes, but we recognized that not all students had access to computers and reliable internet access at home,” Uden said. “Many students were also facing financial hardships from personal or family loss of income due to the pandemic.”

To help meet a wide range of needs, Park established the Student Emergency Relief Fund with the help of generous donations that exceeded $24,500, along with more than $16,600 in contributions to the University’s Pirate Pantry. SERF provided resources for students experiencing unexpected expenses, including travel costs, technology to support remote learning, assistance with utilities and other financial burdens due to personal or family job loss.

Finding home

Not all students could return to their home that was an ocean away. “With closed borders and travel bans, the closure was an exceptionally complex challenge for our international students,” said Kevin Vicker, senior director of international education. “Historically, international students are required to be enrolled full-time in face-to-face classes. Fortunately, rules were adjusted to allow international students in the U.S. to return home or remain in the U.S. and take all their courses online.”

When the residence halls closed, Park went to work to help international students who were unable to return to their home countries find a place to stay, starting with a call to Jill Mitchell.

Mitchell, along with her husband, Mike, have been volunteers since 1992 with Friendship Partners, a program that welcomes Park University international students with home-cooked meals and invitations to holiday celebrations and community events.

“In the face of one of the most difficult eras of modern history, we have stood strong and remained Park United. We celebrate the resilience of our students, faculty and staff.”

— President Shane Smeed, during Park University’s Opening Convocation in August 2021

“I remember sitting in my dorm room watching the news about countries closing their borders to limit the spread of COVID-19. I was so nervous. When the (Parkville) campus closed, I returned to Brazil. I was fortunate to live with my family and continue classes online, yet it wasn’t the same. Studying in the U.S. had been a dream come true. It was incredibly difficult to be forced back home with no idea when the borders would reopen. When I was finally able to return over a year later, I was filled with excitement. The whole experience has taught me a lot. I’m grateful for the many opportunities at Park, and I don’t take any of it for granted.”

— Marina Lima, senior business administration/ management major, serves on the Park Student Activities Board and is a member of the Parkville Campus women’s soccer team.

the ability to withstand, adjust or recover from challenges

Syn: Adaptable, brave, courageous, determined, flexible, persevering, tenacious, withstanding adversity with grit and grace. See also: Park University.

“I remember that call from Park,” she said. “I wanted to immediately say yes, but it was such a scary time. We didn’t yet understand all the risks of COVID-19,” Mitchell said. “The first thing I did was pray. After that, I started making calls.” Mitchell’s prayers were generously answered. “The compassion of people who bravely opened their homes with little notice to students they’d never met for an unpredictable amount of time was incredible.”

Making it work

Imagine starting a new role in January 2020 with the objective to encourage Park University students to connect and build relationships, only to be catapulted into a stay-six-feet-away pandemic.

“At first, it was unsettling. There were so many unknowns about how COVID-19 was transmitted,” said Mya Lawrence, director of student engagement. “College campuses are especially challenging with students living in dorms, gathering in classrooms, cafeterias, gyms and auditoriums. But we had to adapt and figure out how to keep going.”

Lawrence continuously monitored and adhered to ever-changing COVID-19 health and safety protocols. “It certainly challenged us to think way outside any kind of box,” she said. “Fortunately, I have a make-it-work philosophy.”

The Final Walk

What students most wanted was connection. “Students longed for a sense of belonging, even if it meant seeing each other on Zoom or gathering six feet apart on a cold winter day, peering out over masked faces,” Lawrence said. Overseeing the Park Student Activity Board, she planned drive-in movie events at Julian Field on the Parkville Campus and coordinated food trucks offering free ice cream, coffee and waffles to create simple, safe opportunities for students to gather.

Hearing students share frustrations about not being able to celebrate graduation together, Lawrence rolled up her sleeves. “We were preparing for the third consecutive virtual commencement ceremony and students were weary. I wanted to create something special,” she said. On May 7, 2021, the day before the ceremony, graduating seniors were invited to

wear their cap and gown to participate in a “final walk,” a ceremonial stroll on the Parkville Campus. “Students were so excited,” Lawrence said. “Now they want to make it a Park tradition.”

Safe return

The health and safety of the Park University family was the guiding priority in welcoming students and faculty back for the 2021-22 academic year. Park invested more than $1.5 million to install hand sanitizer stations, acrylic shields for public-facing areas and electrostatic disinfecting equipment in classrooms and communal spaces.

On Aug. 20, 2021, the University celebrated a long-awaited “full fall return” with its traditional Opening Convocation. Ceremonial bagpipers led students and faculty, dressed in full academic regalia, into Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the Parkville Campus. The special event was webcast live to students at all of the University’s campuses and online across the country.

“The pandemic has shown us that we can overcome unexpected challenges” said Park President Shane Smeed during the Opening Convocation. “Together, we can rise to any occasion with persistence and dedication.”

Park has always taken pride in being resilient. “That’s what has allowed us to be here for nearly 150 years,” Uden said. “We may not know exactly what’s around the corner, but we’re always ready to adapt.”

On May 7, 2021, the day before the ceremony, graduating seniors were invited to wear their cap and gown to participate in a “final walk,” a ceremonial stroll on the Parkville Campus. “Students were so excited,” Lawrence said. “Now they want to make it a Park tradition.”

After

“Success is not final; failure is not final; it is the courage to continue that counts.” —

Angela Mancuso takes the opportunity to celebrate graduation on the steps of Mackay Hall on Park University’s flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus. Mancuso earned a Master of Public Administration degree in 2020 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications arts/public relations in 2015. She is currently employed at Park University as a college relations manager.

Photo by Elise Wilcox

nearly two years of virtual commencements, Park University was proud to return to its traditional commencement ceremony on December 11, 2021, at the Community of Christ Auditorium in Independence, Mo. Congratulations to our Fall 2021 graduates. Your perseverance and determination inspires us all.

Park University Provost Michelle Myers, Ed.D., presents a diploma to Margaret Fountain, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Management/Human Resources.

Winston Churchill

A Resilient Return

“People will tell you that graduating during this time is one of the most challenging in generations. Yes, these are challenging times. It’s been far from normal. But normal has never gotten along with creativity and entrepreneurship. This is not the time for the same old, same old. This is an opportunity. And I know, it doesn’t seem like one. But it’s all about perspective. Success is built on how hard you bounce back. The world needs your creativity, your energy, your determination.”

— Anthony Melchiorri, ’90, was the keynote speaker for the virtual May 2020 commencement. Melchiorri, a past member of Park University’s Board of Trustees, is a U.S. military veteran, and the host, co-creator and co-executive producer of Travel Channel’s “Hotel Impossible” and “Five-Star Secrets.”

Reimagined performances

How to safely organize a concert in the face of a global pandemic?

Transform a nostalgic drive-in theater into a concert hall for a fun night of world-class music! The Park University International Center for Music’s Stanislav & Friends event, an annual fundraising performance, was held on Sept. 17, 2020, at the Boulevard Drive-In in Merriam, Kan. From the comfort of their cars (or tailgating outside their vehicle), guests enjoyed a big-screen performance pre-recorded at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and other Kansas City area locations, including the National World War I Museum and Memorial, with gorgeous views of downtown Kansas City.

Park perseverance

Sports training takes incredible dedication. Training during a pandemic? This required a whole new level of determination. Park University studentathletes proudly persevered to play full seasons despite uncomfortable masks, regular COVID-19 testing and quiet games without the energizing roar of Pirates (Parkville, Mo., Campus) and Buccaneers (Gilbert, Ariz. Campus) fan-filled crowds to cheer them on. Park athletes showed us all how to tenaciously keep moving forward.

“The pandemic has illustrated that we live together, not separately. It reminds us that we must all work together as a community, striving to keep each other safe, exhibiting grace in our interactions and making decisions with the full knowledge of what those decisions will mean for those around us.”

— Jack MacLennan, Ph.D., Park University Faculty Senate president and assistant professor of political science, speaking at the Opening Convocation in August 2021.

“It was so hard to see all my friends suddenly leaving — everyone going their separate ways so quickly. But I couldn’t return home to Nigeria. I was so scared and wasn’t sure what to do. Fortunately, Park connected me to a host family who opened their home to me. I was beyond grateful. I’m thrilled to be back in the dorms and attending classes. Everyone has been very supportive. I think we all cherish our time at Park more than ever.”

— Victoria Olaleye, junior multimedia journalism and public relations major, a resident adviser and member of the Park Student Activities Board

This is what resilience looks like

Boldly persevering through two bitter Midwest winters — and a global pandemic — construction crews safely endured. Nothing stopped Park University from realizing its vision.

This is determination. This is faith and labor. This is resilience.

This is Park’s Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center — the new home for the University’s School of Business and the Park Global Warrior Center.

Park University’s Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center and School of Business

“The Plaster Center marks a new era at Park University. This stunningly beautiful new building will serve as a bridge — a communal link — between students, faculty and business leaders,” said Kirby Brown, dean of the University’s College of Management, during the grand opening ceremony for the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center and School of Business on Oct. 1, 2021. “It has been carefully designed as the ultimate facility for business education for our students here (at the flagship Parkville, Mo., Campus) and in our campus centers across the country and online around the world.”

The new, three-story Plaster Center stands gleaming at the entrance of the picturesque Parkville Campus. “This is a monumental moment as we officially dedicate the first, new above-ground academic facility to be built on Park’s flagship campus in more than 20 years,” said Nathan Marticke, MACL ’10, Park’s chief advancement officer.

Awe-inspiring

Upon entering the Plaster Center, a real-time stock market ticker immediately conveys the powerful link between business education and today’s business world. A state-of-theart finance lab, a video production studio, and entrepreneurship and innovation lab elevate the educational experience.

Contemporary lounge areas throughout the building are available for study or relaxed socialization. The 27,000 square-foot building features eight modular classrooms and seven flexible spaces for collaboration that are

Standing inside Park University’s Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center and School of Business are Molly Kerr, private wealth market executive at BOK Financial; Kirby Brown, dean of the University’s College of Management; Stephen Plaster, president, Robert W. Plaster Foundation; Peter deSilva, honorary chair of Park’s Building Opportunity Campaign Committee and former member of Park’s Board of Trustees; and Nathan Marticke, MACL ’10, Park’s chief advancement officer.

An aerial view of the flagship Parkville, Mo., Campus and the new Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center and School of Business.

On Oct. 1, 2021, Park University hosted the grand opening of its Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center and School of Business. Surrounded by students, Park’s leadership led a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. From left: Kirby Brown, dean of the University’s College of Management; Peter deSilva, honorary chair of Park’s Building Opportunity Campaign Committee and former member of Park’s Board of Trustees; Stephen Plaster, president, Robert W.

Foundation; Shane Smeed, Park University president; and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Rich Keller, Board of Trustees vice chair.

equipped with the latest smart technologies, along with offices for faculty and staff.

“It’s awe-inspiring to look out from Park’s historic Mackay Hall to the extraordinary Plaster Center,” said Shane Smeed, Park University president. “While the iconic Mackay Hall was built in the 1890s with limestone quarried by Park students, the new Plaster Center is proudly built for students.”

Intentional design

A focus on the student experience was paramount at every stage of planning. “Every design decision was intentional,” said Adrian James, Ph.D., associate dean in the College of Management and associate professor of management. “Creating spaces throughout the Plaster Center that offer natural opportunities for collaboration was an integral priority.”

With teamwork critical to business success, the Plaster Center brings all business courses and faculty together in an innovative environment designed to facilitate connection.

“We have the unique experience at Park to teach students from diverse backgrounds

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

— Benjamin Franklin

“Free enterprise is not just about commercial ventures. The entrepreneurial spirit is about building to a higher level and investing your life’s energy in that which is good and decent. It is about finding the best that is within you and giving it to the world in ways that benefit all.”

— The late Robert W. Plaster

Plaster

and generations,” James said. “The new space invites students to comfortably connect, share perspectives and build relationships with each other and faculty instead of rushing across campus to their next class.”

Smart technology is incorporated throughout the new facility. For example, the innovation lab is equipped to enable real-time video connection with Park University students online and at campuses across the country. The Plaster Center also has been carefully structured with a focus on accessibility — from elevators to a kitchenette for commuter students, along with a mother’s room for women.

Vitality of the human spirit

With every great endeavor stands a great leader. “Peter deSilva was instrumental in making the dream of the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center at Park a reality,” said Smeed. “We are grateful for his leadership as the honorary chair of our Building Opportunity Campaign Committee.

As a board member of the Robert W. Plaster Foundation, deSilva had the good fortune to know the late namesake. “Bob believed that free enterprise was not just about economic opportunity; he believed it was also about the vitality of the human spirit,” said deSilva, who is currently a Harvard University Fellow with the Advanced Learning Initiative. “He believed a solid education was, above all else, the cornerstone of success.”

Serving on the Park University Board of Trustees for nine years, deSilva said he’s witnessed firsthand the steadfast commitment at Park to educate the next generation of global leaders. “It’s our hope that the new Plaster Center will be a place where the American dream flourishes and every individual can achieve their full potential.”

Serving those who serve

The first floor of the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center and School of Business features the Park Global Warrior Center, which assists military students, their families and veterans on the flagship Parkville, Mo., Campus, at Park’s campuses across the country and online. Dedicated staff who are military veterans provide personal guidance to help students make the most of their education benefits and find specialized support services tailored to their needs.

George S. Robb Centre

Park University broke ground on the $10.4 million Plaster Center on Dec. 19, 2019, after the University carefully lifted and moved Park House to a new location east of Hawley Hall on the flagship Parkville, Mo., Campus. The beloved building is now the home of the George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War and its Valor Medals Review project.

The Robb Centre collaborates with international, national and regional agencies to promote the study and preservation of memories and servicemembers related to the Great War.

The primary purpose of the Robb Centre, through the Valor Medals Review, is to advocate for servicemembers who may have been unjustly denied high-level valor awards due to race or religion, as well as maintaining and digitizing World War I artifacts, and facilitating educational programming. While the VMR research is supported by legislation as part of the National Defense Authorization Act from December 2019, no federal appropriations fund the efforts.

Please consider a gift to support the mission of Park University’s Valor Medals Review project. Visit gsr.park.edu for more information.

“With numerous studies about the positive impact of light on the learning process, I’m thrilled to see the many incredible windows that stream natural light throughout the building, offering spectacular views of the campus.”

— Adrian James, Ph.D. associate dean of Park University’s College of Management and associate professor of management, who led the faculty consortium for the Plaster Center Design Committee

“With business being such a popular major, it’s great to be surrounded by fellow students and faculty in one bright, modern and collaborative place. I especially like how the Plaster Center enables us to casually connect with faculty for support and mentoring.

— Sophie Roper (above right), senior business administration/logistics and computer information management, and entrepreneurship major, and president of Park’s Business and Investment Club

“Simply walking into the Plaster Center is exciting! The light, the modern classrooms, the comfortable lounge and the convenient access to all of my professors. All of it makes Park’s new School of Business a very special place where I’m proud to be pursuing my education.”

— Allison Anderson, senior business administration/ international business and marketing major, and member of the cross country and track and field programs on the Parkville (Mo.) Campus

Donors are the Foundation

The investment of money, time, leadership and belief is the reason the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center and School of Business is possible.

Robert W. Plaster Foundation

Goppert Foundation Illig Family Foundation L. Louise Morden

Carter Community Memorial Trust

Central Bank of the Midwest Enochs Family Foundation Fund A Donor Advised Fund of The Signatry

Brian and Lori Bode Helen S. Boylan Foundation

John and Judy Brown

David and Laure Christensen, ’16 ECCO Select David and Beth Fowler

Paul H. Gault, ’60, MPA ’88 Gregg and Cheryl Givens

Sunderland Foundation Edward F. Swinney Trust Glenna M. Vining Trust

Greg and Laurie Gunderson

Missouri American Water William and Linda (Lawton) Perry, both ’67 Estate of Mary Lou Wood, ’49

Estate of Lenore B. Kensett Parkville Rotary Club

Barry and Adelaida Severson Jerry White and Cyprienne Simchowitz Shane and Angela Smeed U.S. Bank Foundation Philip and Carol (Groundwater) Wheeler, both ’62

Campaign Committee

Ed Bradley Dale Brouk Peter deSilva Dennis Fisher William Perry, ’67 Michael Short

JUST KEEP GOING

Facing lung disease, cancer and COVID-19, George Rowan, ’21, never lost sight of his goal to earn his degree

To know true resilience is to know George Rowan.

Like many Park University students, Rowan has navigated many twists and turns on his long road to a college degree. After high school, he joined the military and took college courses between deployments. After five years of service, he returned to his home in the Manhattan borough of New York in 1987 where he became a New York City police officer.

Working full-time, he decided in 1998 to enroll in Manhattan College. Days away from graduation, a professor challenged the premise of Rowan’s final 25-page paper on police force scheduling, insisting he rewrite it. “I was frustrated, and frankly, I disagreed with him,” Rowan said.

Rowan had every intention of rewriting the paper until “a lot of things started to happen,” he said. “For example, the morning of September 11 in 2001. That happened.”

Bucket Brigade at Ground Zero

As a first responder after the World Trade Center attack, Rowan worked at Ground Zero in what came to be known as the Bucket Brigade. “Even while fresh explosions sometimes forced us to pause our work, we spent every day for weeks, lined up to put whatever we found in buckets — from pieces of hot concrete to body parts — and pass them down the line,” he said. “Growing up in New York, I could not believe what I was experiencing.”

He remembers buying masks at a hardware store. “Of course, I later learned the masks couldn’t stop the dangerous particles we were inhaling every day.”

After 18 years as a detective with the Westchester County (N.Y.) Department of Public Safety, Rowan retired in 2007 and moved to Atlanta where he worked

for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a security manager.

When he first began experiencing breathing problems, Rowan thought it might simply be hay fever. Doctors told him he had an autoimmune disorder, but they didn’t know what caused it. But his breathing difficulties persisted over the years as he continued a frustrating process of seeing doctors until 2014 when he received a formal diagnosis: sarcoidosis, a rare form of interstitial lung disease.

But that didn’t stop Rowan.

In 2017, he moved to Kansas City, Mo., to work as a safety specialist at the Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Center. While attending a training, he fainted. He thought it was a complication of sarcoidosis. But this time, the doctors gave him a definitive diagnosis: Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Blizzard of treatments

“My case is textbook,” he said. “By now, studies show that sarcoidosis and cancers can be directly traced to the toxic mix of dust and chemicals that 9/11 first responders inhaled during rescue and recovery efforts.”

He began a blizzard of treatments, including 14 rounds of radiation and chemotherapy over the course of a year.

But that didn’t stop Rowan.

In fact, it reignited his lifelong desire to complete his college degree. “It was simply something I needed to do,” Rowan said. “Everyone in my family — my two sisters and two brothers, even my nieces — have a college degree. I have 30 years of professional experience and wanted to finally earn mine.”

In 2019, he enrolled in classes at Park University’s Lenexa (Kan.) Campus.

Yet more roadblocks were ahead.

The effects of chemotherapy landed Rowan back in the hospital. “I had to drop my classes, but the next semester, I enrolled in online classes until I was able to return for the summer semester.”

Then came 2020 and a global pandemic.

“I had beat cancer. I was managing my lung disease. Now here comes COVID-19,” he said. “I knew I was immunocompromised and did everything I could to protect myself.”

When a positive COVID-19 diagnosis landed him back in the hospital in March 2020, Rowan had to drop classes again. “I’ll admit, I thought that was it for me. But I kept fighting,” he said. “When I started feeling better, I went back to work and registered for the summer semester. I was determined.”

Take the next step

In the spring of 2021, Rowan, at 57 years old, graduated from Park University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration/management. “With my family in Atlanta and New York, I wore my cap and gown and we all celebrated over Zoom.”

What keeps Rowan going? “I think it’s just the way I’m wired. And it’s my faith in God,” he said. “People who know me say I always have a smile. I don’t know any other way to be.”

But he knows well how obstacles in life can make pursuing a college degree feel overwhelming. “Every Park student is facing some sort of challenge. My advice? Just take a step. For example, make the call and register, even if you can only take one class,” Rowan said. “Then take the next step, and the next. Do what you can. Just keep going.”

George Rowan was proud to frame his graduation tassel with his Park University diploma. “When I showed it to a friend, he reminded me that I didn’t just have a diploma. I have a college degree — and no one can ever take that away from me.”

Aiyat Abunga, ’21, had heard about a virus, but didn’t think much about it. That was before she found herself on the frontline of a global pandemic.

“This is what I was meant to do.”

While completing her nursing degree at Park University, Abunga learned about an opportunity to be a nursing associate at North Kansas City (Mo.) Hospital. “If I was going to achieve my dream of becoming a nurse, I wanted the extra practice to build my confidence, no matter the situation,” she said. “Even though I started to understand the seriousness of COVID-19, I applied anyway and was happy to get the job.”

Living with her parents, she was diligent to protect her family who had moved from Sudan to Kansas City when she was 5 years old. “My parents are older and I didn’t want to take any chances,” Abunga said. “When I came home from my hospital shifts, I’d leave my jacket and shoes in my car. No hugs were shared until after I had showered.”

Starting over

The coronavirus was just one of the extraordinary challenges she endured on the winding road to her dream.

A few years back, Abunga had been excited to be nearing her nursing degree finish line. Graduation party invitations had been sent. But a sliver of a percentage point on a final exam at her previous school kept her from

passing a final class required to complete her degree. Despite appeals, Abunga was unable to graduate.

“If I wanted to be a nurse, I had to start over,” she said. “I began to think maybe it wasn’t for me. But when I tried working other jobs, nursing was all I thought about.” With passionate determination, Abunga decided to reboot her dream and applied to Park’s Ellen Finley Earhart Department of Nursing.

Heartbreaking call

As she approached the finish line a second time, Abunga received a heartbreaking call. Her oldest sister, who was seven months pregnant, suffered a pulmonary embolism and died on April 28, 2021. “I was devastated,” she said. “My heart was too heavy to celebrate my graduation.”

Grateful for the compassionate support of the Park faculty who offered to delay final exams until she was ready, Abunga decided to keep going. “I knew my sister would be proud of me,” she said.

In her cap and gown, she joined classmates for a final walk across the flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus on May 7, 2021, before

participating in the next day’s virtual commencement ceremony where she graduated magna cum laude. For her outstanding dedication, Abunga received the Park University Ellen Finley Earhart Award — the highest honor Park bestows on a nursing graduate — which was presented to her during the Department of Nursing’s virtual pinning ceremony.

Despite her grief, Abunga decided to press on and pursue her other dream of living in Texas where she had several good friends and a job offer.

“I knew I had to persevere and keep moving forward,” she said. “And I knew my skills are needed now more than ever.” Abunga proudly and confidently began her first shift on Aug. 8, 2021, as a full-time nurse at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston where she continues to care for COVID-19 patients.

“It has never occurred to me to fear working with COVID-19 patients,” she said. “I’m a nurse. This is what I was meant to do.”

Aiyat Abunga started her job as a full-time nurse in August 2021 at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston.

Aiyat Abunga with her cap and gown after the Final Walk event on Park University’s flagship Parkville, Mo., Campus on May 7, 2021.

Perception vs. Reality

From Park University to Carnegie Mellon University and the RAND Corporation, this alumna is dedicated to helping people make better decisions.

When tornado sirens wailed across her Dearborn, Mo., hometown, Rachel Dryden Steratore, ’13, Ph.D., remembers often asking her mom, “Why aren’t we going to the cellar?”

Steratore grappled to understand why they sometimes took cover from a potentially deadly tornado and other times they didn’t. “My mom would explain how she observed the clouds and sky: Did it look green? Was there large hail? Did wild winds contort tree limbs before slowing to a deafening silence?”

Her childhood experiences turned into a lifelong fascination with weather, natural disasters and how people make decisions in the face of risk and uncertainty, and led Steratore to Park University and a career as an associate researcher at the RAND Corporation based in Santa Monica, Calif.

Perception of risk

From weather and climate to vaccine hesitancy, homeland security and artificial intelligence, Steratore seeks to understand how risks are perceived and how the objective realities of risks can be more effectively communicated. This complex and increasingly critical research underscores Steratore’s work with senior policy leaders across the U.S.

“People often make decisions based on their perception of risk, not objective risk,” Steratore said. “My mom relied on environmental cues from experiences living in ‘Tornado Alley.’ Many people similarly make critical decisions based on personal knowledge. Though there is merit to this, it can hinder one’s ability to make the best, most informed decisions for themselves and the greater good of their families and communities.”

By identifying misconceptions and information gaps, Steratore builds mental models to show how people internally perceive external reality. “With this baseline clarity, we can augment communication strategies to help leaders and organizations more effectively convey objective risks to enable more informed decision making.”

But let’s back up…

Establishing a career with RAND is an extraordinary achievement. The worldrenowned nonprofit, nonpartisan institution is dedicated to finding solutions to public policy challenges through research and analysis.

Ph.D.,

Rachel Dryden Steratore, ’13, Ph.D. (center), attributes her success and belief in what is possible to her many Park University mentors and champions, including (clockwise from top left) Scott Hageman, associate professor of geology and geosciences and associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; David Fox, adjunct instructor of geography; Virginia Brackett, Ph.D., professor emerita of English, who led Park’s Honors Academy for more than 15 years; and Greg Claycomb,

professor of chemistry.

“To say it was competitive is an understatement,” Steratore said. “The prerequisite to be considered an associate researcher is, at a minimum, a doctorate degree and, generally, three to five years of experience.” Soon after earning a doctorate in engineering and public policy from Carnegie Mellon University in 2019, Steratore joined RAND in Pittsburgh, following a rigorous hiring process which included presenting her published research on the perception of climate change.

“I always knew I wanted to pursue a doctorate degree, but I never concerned myself with exactly how or where,” she said. In fact, Steratore said she’s proud to be the first woman in her family to earn an undergraduate degree, let alone a doctorate.

Every step of the way

On her path to RAND, Steratore said she simply followed her passion, along with hours of study and hard work. While pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental sciences at Park, Steratore found the solid foundation she needed, along with a merit scholarship, and the support of lifelong Park mentors “who’ve supported me every step of the way.”

“Starting at Park is when I flourished,” she said. “I was a good student in high school. I knew what interested me, but I didn’t know how to structure it into a career path,” she said. “My first class was Natural Disasters. It was an 8 a.m. class, but I didn’t care. I knew I was in the right place.”

Since that first class, Steratore continues to stay in touch with Scott Hageman, associate professor of geology and geosciences and associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, who helped customize her undergraduate coursework and championed her pursuit of internships, scholarships and advanced education.

“Park’s doors were always wide open to help me pursue invaluable opportunities, including internships to conduct undergraduate research at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and the National Weather Service,” she said.

Guided by Google “So many students feel pressure to succeed…to get this degree or get in to that school,” Steratore said. “I’ve never concerned myself with looking into schools because of prestige. What’s most important is to find a place, like Park, that is dedicated to helping you pursue what truly interests you.”

Guided by a tireless curiosity, Steratore laughed about her penchant for “Googling” her interests — and proactively reaching out.

After discovering an online article about disasters and decision making, Steratore decided to e-mail the author about her similar interests. “I had no idea he was a professor and I’d never heard of McGill University or that it’s widely considered to be the ‘Harvard of Canada,’” she said. That one e-mail led to an invitation to a full scholarship, and ultimately, packing her bags for Montreal. At McGill, the author became Steratore’s graduate adviser for her Master of Science degree in physical geography. The two recently published their work in the scientific journal, Global Environmental Change.

Steratore recently returned to Parkville, Mo., with her husband and infant son to be closer to family while working remotely for RAND. She continues to be guided by her passion. “My goal is to start the Center to Advance Weather and Climate Literacy,” she said. “I want it to be located in the Midwest and a part of RAND. In fact, I’ve outlined my vision and have already started pitching it,” she said. “It’s my ultimate dream.”

On behalf of Steratore’s Park family and devoted champions, we fully expect it will happen.

Climate-Change Conversation: Full-Stop Facts

Perception vs. reality is at the crux of the climate change challenge. From her extensive climate research and work with policy leaders, Rachel Dryden Steratore, ’13, Ph.D., said there are fundamental fullstop facts everyone must understand to be informed participants in public discourse about climate change.

 The primary cause of climate change is carbon dioxide that is added to the atmosphere when coal, oil and natural gas are burned.

 Carbon dioxide is an invisible gas with no regional boundaries.



Unlike common air pollutants (such as smog) which typically remain in the atmosphere for a few hours to a few days, carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for hundreds of years.

 There is no time to delay action.

“In my research, I often hear comments such as, ‘Well, if climate change ever gets serious, we’ll just cut emissions and everything will go back to normal.’ But this is not possible,” Steratore said. “We can’t delay action because that’s not how CO2 works. Even if we stopped all CO2 emissions today, we’d continue to see warming that we’ve already triggered for centuries.”

DRIVEN TO SUCCEED

Vlatko Andonovski, ’08, leads U.S. women’s soccer team in preparation for 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Imagine the eyes of the world watching your every move.

Vlatko Andonovski, ’08, knows well the scrutiny of zealous fans, the relentless attention of sports media and the unceasing expectation to win. He also knows well the power of resilience.

Named head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team in October 2019, Andonovski stands at the center of the one of the brightest global spotlights in professional sports.

“It’s my greatest honor to coach the most successful women’s soccer team in the world,” said Andonovski, who, with unflinching fortitude, is preparing to lead the U.S. as it attempts to win what would be a historic fifth World Cup title at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand.

Unshakeable determination

To say the job comes with pressure is a profound understatement.

Yet, Andonovski is no stranger to stress. With calm and unshakeable determination, he remains supremely focused. “When I set my mind on what I want to accomplish, I commit myself to doing everything possible to achieve my goals,” he said. “I was brought up like that.”

Born in the capital city of Skopje in North Macedonia (in the former Yugoslavia), Andonovski began his professional soccer career playing six seasons for multiple clubs in Europe. His father and brother also played professionally. “Soccer was the central topic in virtually every meal we had together,” he said.

An unwavering resolve to succeed led Andonovski to a championship career.

In 2000, Andonovski accepted an opportunity to come to the U.S. to play for the Wichita (Kan.) Wings of the National Professional Soccer League. Instead of returning to Macedonia when the Wings folded a year later, he moved to Kansas City, Mo. (which he’s called home ever since) to play for the Kansas City Comets where he was a two-time Major Indoor Soccer League (now Major Arena Soccer League) All-Star.

He coached the Comets to the MISL championship in 2014 and FC Kansas City to National Women’s Soccer League titles in 2014 and 2015. With his wife and children remaining in Kansas City, he commuted to Seattle where he was head coach for Reign FC (now OL Reign) and was named 2019 NWSL Coach of the Year.

As head coach for the USWNT, Andonovski has led the team to two SheBelieves Cup titles in 2020 and 2021, as well as a bronze medal in the 2021 Summer Olympics.

Addicted to improving Winning may be everything in sports, but the pursuit inevitably comes with setbacks. The ability to withstand pressure and bounce back is crucial to success.

“We went to the Olympics to win gold; we won bronze. Was I disappointed? Yes, but I have a choice,” Andonovski said. “I can focus on the disappointment or I can study the experience to understand how we can improve,” he said. “All my life, I’ve been addicted to doing everything I can to improve. I’m looking forward to the 2023 World Cup and doing everything I can to lead the team over the finish line to a fifth World Cup win.”

U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski, ’08, talks with players (and sisters) Sam Mewis (left) and Kristie Mewis during the squad’s 4-0 victory over Jamaica on June 13, 2021.

Photo by Michael Wyke

That same drive led Andonovski to Park University.

Before playing soccer professionally, Andonovski had started his college degree in Macedonia. “I always wanted to finish,” he said. Fast forward to age 31 when he enrolled at Park University and joined Park’s men’s soccer coaching staff.

Like many Park students, Andonovski worked full-time while raising a family. “I’d start my days very early, attending classes on the Parkville (Mo.) Campus, then coach Park soccer in the afternoon and youth soccer in the evening. I’d return home just in time to see my wife and children for about an hour before they went to bed — and then I’d study,” he said. “Was it challenging? It’s all in how you decide to look at it.”

Look for reasons, not excuses

Andonovski said he hears people lament challenges — even opportunities — all the time. “Oh, I don’t have time. It’s not the right time. It’s too hard. I’m too tired. I’m too old. I’m too young. I’m not ready,” he said. “When we face challenges in life, it’s always easy to find excuses. But I’ve never looked for excuses. I always look for good reasons, and there are often many. Why am I doing this? How will this help me be better? I want to be the best leader I can be. I want to be the best father I can be. This is what I choose to focus on. This is what guides me, no matter what the circumstances may be.”

In 2008, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration/management at Park with a 3.86 grade point average and went on to earn a master’s degree in coaching education from Ohio University in 2018. In September 2020, Andonovski was awarded Park University’s Distinguished Alumnus Award, which recognizes Park alumni who have distinguished themselves through career service or community achievements.

Andonovski is now pursuing a doctorate degree in sports leadership at the University of Concordia in Chicago. “I’m not concerned about how long it will take because I enjoy studying and learning all I can,” he said. “I truly believe in education as the way to better oneself. It’s something no one can take away from you. We should always be educating ourselves. The moment you think you know it all, that’s the moment you stop growing.”

Milan Ivanovic, ’10 (left), joined Vltako Andonovski as an assistant coach for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. He spent four seasons as an assistant coach for Andonovski with FC Kansas City and Reign FC after playing six seasons with the Kansas City Comets in the Major Indoor Soccer League. Ivanovic came to Kansas City in 2005 from North Macedonia to attend Park University where he played three seasons on the men’s soccer team and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration/ international business.

“I’m

Andonovski’s

Vlatko Andonovski’s oldest daughter, Dragana (right), is a Park University junior majoring in biology and plays for the University’s Parkville, Mo., Campus women’s soccer team. His nephew, Filip (left), is a Park freshman majoring in business administration/ management and plays on the Parkville Campus men’s soccer team. “They are both crazy good soccer players,” Andonovski said.

very excited for them to continue the family tradition at Park.”

wife, Biljana, also graduated from Park, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in interior design in 2012.

Smeed Appointed Park University President

Park University’s Board of Trustees selected Shane B. Smeed to serve as the school’s 18th president, effective Jan. 1, 2022.

Prior to his appointment as president, Smeed had served as the University’s interim president since late November 2020, Before his recent role, Smeed served as Park’s vice president and chief operating officer since September 2015.

“I am honored and humbled to be chosen to serve as president of a special University that has been transforming students’ lives since 1875,” Smeed said. “I look forward to collaborating with Park colleagues and the Board of Trustees in positioning the University for future success, and to celebrate Park’s 150th anniversary in 2025.”

Smeed maintains a strong commitment to a “Park United” and leading a University that celebrates diversity, serving a growing student body and earning recognition from its faculty and staff as an employer of choice. Smeed believes that Park’s motto, Fides et Labor (Latin for faith and work), can inspire students, faculty and staff to achieve all their goals. Read more at park.edu/news/ smeed-appointed-president.

ICM Graduate Student Kenny Broberg Wins American Pianists Awards Competition

Kenny Broberg, a graduate student in Park University’s International Center for Music and one of the most highly decorated pianists in the world under the age of 30, was announced as the winner of the American Pianists Association’s 2021 American Pianists Awards in June 2021 in Indianapolis. The event was originally slated to be a unique 13-month long competition held between March 2020 and April 2021 with a series of concerts, but the coronavirus pandemic forced organizers to change plans. The revised event began in late May with five weeks of recorded solo recitals by the finalists and ended with a series of three consecutive days of concerts in late June.

As the winner, Broberg received the Christel DeHaan Classical Fellowship, valued at more than $200,000, which included a $50,000 cash prize, as well as a $50,000 prize he and the other finalists received due to the pandemic postponing the event. Broberg also receives career assistance for two years, concerti and solo recitals worldwide, an artist-in-residence post at the University of Indianapolis and a recording contract with the Steinway and Sons record label.

Parkville Campus Women’s Golf Team Qualified for NAIA Nationals

The Park University Parkville (Mo.) Campus women’s golf team qualified for the NAIA National Championships in dramatic fashion in late April 2021. After two days and three rounds of golf in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship, the Pirates and Mount Mercy University (Iowa) were tied with team scores of 1,043 to force a playoff. Five players from each school teed off on the 18th hole at Creekmoor Golf Club in Raymore, Mo. Park’s players totaled one stroke better than the Mustangs in the playoff to grab the first place trophy and secure a spot in the national tournament, which was played at Rose Creek Golf Course in Oklahoma City in late May, where the Pirates finished 28th. It was the first time since 2008 that Park’s women’s golf team qualified for the national tournament.

Athletics Director Claude English Retires; Kristin Gillette Appointed New AD

Longtime Park University Parkville (Mo.) Campus Director of Athletics Claude English announced his retirement in August 2021. English began his affiliation with Park in 1992, serving as the men’s basketball head coach through the end of the 2004-05 season. In January 1996, English added the title of athletics director, a role that he held for 25½ years.

The University’s athletics programs received numerous national accolades during English’s helm, including seven NAIA national volleyball championships (five men’s and two women’s), 79 conference championships between the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference, American Midwest Conference and Heart of America Athletic Conference, 170 NAIA All-Americans, 428 NAIA Scholar-Athletes and 17 NAIA Champions of Character awards. During his tenure, English guided the University’s addition of four sports programs — men’s baseball and golf, and women’s beach volleyball and golf. In 2017, the University added seven developmental (junior varsity) athletics programs, and in 2019, Park became the first institution in the Kansas City area to add an esports program.

As head coach of the men’s basketball program, English compiled the secondmost victories (182 in 13 seasons) in Park University history, surpassed only by current head coach Jason Kline. English was honored as the AMC Coach of the Year twice, following the 1995-96 and 1997-98 seasons, the latter of which he led the Pirates to the NAIA Division I national semifinals, ending the year with a 27-8 record.

In late October 2021, the University appointed Kristin Gillette to replace English as its director of athletics for the Parkville (Mo.) Campus following a nationwide search. Gillette previously served as associate director of athletics/ compliance at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kan. Prior to joining MNU, Gillette spent nine years at the NAIA in Kansas City, Mo., serving as the director of Champions of Character for six years and three years managing national championships. While at the NAIA, she created the Champions of Character Live 5 program, an online student-athlete NAIA core values (integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership) training.

Stanislav Ioudenitch Inducted into Steinway Teacher Hall of Fame

Stanislav Ioudenitch, associate professor of music/piano and artistic director of Park University’s International Center for Music, was inducted into the 2021 class of the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame in September 2021 during a ceremony at the Steinway factory in New York City. The Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame is a prestigious designation recognizing the work of North America’s most committed and passionate piano educators.

Ioudenitch, who found the International Center for Music in 2003, is widely regarded for his strong individuality and musical conviction. His artistry won him the gold medal at the 11th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2001. Under his guidance, students of Ioudenitch have earned numerous awards worldwide, including Kenny Broberg, a graduate student in the ICM who was the silver medalist at the 15th Van Cliburn event in 2017, bronze medalist of the XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition and gold medalist of the 2021 American Pianists Association’s American Pianists Awards, as well as Behzod Abduraimov, ICM artistin-residence, who won the 2009 London International Piano Competition.

Photo credit: Michael Regnier.

Meawad Named NAIA Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year

For the second time in her career, Park University Parkville (Mo.) Campus women’s volleyball outside hitter Nada Meawad was selected as the 2020 NAIA Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year and the 2020 American Volleyball Coaches Association NAIA Player of the Year. Both announcements were made in May 2021 in the days following the NAIA’s national tournament which was moved from December 2020 to May 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Meawad, who was also the NAIA Player of the Year for the 2018 season, recorded 390 kills during the 2020-21 season and led the nation averaging 5.57 kills per set. She was selected to the NAIA Women’s Volleyball All-America first team all four years as a member of the Pirates, and due to the pandemic allowing student-athletes an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic, she could be a five-time first team selection at the end of the 2021 season.

Kerr Appointed Senior Director of Military and Veteran Affairs

Park University appointed Gary Kerr as senior director of military and veteran affairs in midMarch 2021. In this role, Kerr develops and manages strategic partnerships and recruitment activities for the University with a military, veteran and dependent focus. The result is a network of partners in the military community to advance Park’s reputation, presence and enrollment. In addition, Kerr oversees the Park Global Warrior Center.

A 23-year U.S. Army veteran who recently retired as a lieutenant colonel, Kerr also served four years as department chair and professor in the Department of Military Science and Leadership at the University of Missouri, Columbia.

Hanrahan Selected to Lead the College of Education and Health Professions

Timothy Hanrahan, Ph.D., was appointed to serve as the dean of Park University’s College of Education and Health Professions in midJuly 2021. In his role as dean, he is responsible for the curricular, personnel, budgetary and administrative affairs of the CEHP in alignment with the University’s mission and strategic priorities. The College of Education and Health Professions includes the School of Education, and the School of Behavioral and Health Sciences, which includes departments of nursing, social work, and sociology and psychology.

Hanrahan joined Park from William Woods University in Fulton, Mo., where he served as assistant professor of physical education and as division chair of education, human performance and humanities since 2013. He also served as associate dean of faculty development since 2018.

JT Daniels, ’11, Creates a Mural at Park University

In summer 2021, Park University commissioned JT Daniels, ’11, to create a mural depicting Park’s historical commitment to student diversity. The mural is located in the Mabee Learning Center/Academic Underground on the flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus.

Trustee Receives Honor from France

Park University Board of Trustees member Cyprienne Simchowitz, who served as honorary consul of the Consulate of France in Kansas City, Mo., from 2014-19, was recognized by the country in September 2021 as she was promoted from knight (chevalier) to officer within the National Order of Merit, France’s second-highest honor. She was one of six individuals worldwide promoted to the rank of officer and the only one living in the U.S. Simchowitz, who was accompanied by her husband, Jerry White, was decorated by Gen. Nicolas Auboin, former liaison officer of the French Army to the U.S. Army at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and current deputy director of the Ecole Militaire and director of the War College.

Simchowitz serves as chair of the Board of Trustees’ Advancement Committee and is a member of the University’s International Center for Music’s Advisory Council. She and White are serving as honorary co-chairs for the ICM’s “Stanislav and Friends” benefit concert that will be held in Kansas City’s Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts on March 19, 2022.

Robb Centre Opens Boutwell Courtyard on Parkville Campus

Park University’s George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War, located within Park House on the flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus, has opened the 1st Lt. Lloyd Reuben Boutwell Courtyard on its grounds. The site is named in honor of Boutwell, Class of 1911, and is the new location for the University’s two Medal of Honor plaques recognizing 1st Lt. George S. Robb (World War I), Class of 1912, and Capt. Lewis Millett (Korean War), Class of 1963, for their military service.

As a student, Boutwell was junior class chaplain, president and treasurer of the Lowell Club, president of the Oratorical Association, manager of the Glee Club and a trombonist in the band. Following his attendance at Park, Boutwell graduated from Washington University Medical School in 1916 and began his practice at General Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. He was inducted into the Army Medical Corps and assigned to the 314th Engineers in 1918. Boutwell died Nov. 14, 1918, six days after being injured in combat.

Park University Joins Department of Defense Military Spouse Employment Partnership

Park University has joined the Department of Defense Military Spouse Employment Partnership. The University participated in a virtual induction ceremony in late October 2021 which featured First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. The MSEP connects military spouses with hundreds of partner employers, now totaling more than 540, who commit to recruit, hire, promote and retain military spouses. Since its inception in 2011, MSEP employers have hired more than 200,000 military spouses. The MSEP initiative is part of DOD’s broader Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program. The DOD established the SECO program to provide education and career guidance to military spouses worldwide, offering free, comprehensive resources and tools related to career exploration, education, training and licensing, employment readiness and career connections. This program also offers free career coaching services six days a week.

Park Selected for FAA Training Program

The Federal Aviation Administration selected Park University to be a member institution of its Unmanned Aircraft Systems – Collegiate Training Initiative. Park is the first college/ university in the State of Missouri to be a part of this program. The FAA’s UAS–CTI program recognizes institutions that prepare students for careers in unmanned aircraft systems, commonly referred to as drones. In order to qualify for the initiative, colleges/universities must offer a bachelor’s degree or associate degree in UAS or a degree with a minor, concentration or certificate in UAS. Schools must provide curriculum covering various aspects of UAS training, including hands-on flight practice, maintenance, uses, applications, privacy concerns, safety and federal policies.

Park University offers an undergraduate certificate in Unmanned Aerial System Drone Application. The 12-credit hour program prepares students to become FAA-certified small UAS remote drone pilots who are trained to conduct safe, legal and effective aerial flight operations.

AMAZING ACHIEVEMENTS

2021 PAUL H. GAULT SERVICE AWARD

This award is presented annually to a retired Park University faculty or staff member who provided a minimum 15 years of distinguished service to the University.

Donna Bachmann, professor emerita of art, remembers waiting for her interview at Park University in 1986. “I was sitting in a Mackay Hall faculty lounge. A window was open to the warm summer breeze as I looked out to what was then and now, the most beautiful campus in the region. I wanted with every fiber of my being to be a part of this place.”

She never forgot her response to one of many interview questions that set the course for her future. “When asked ‘Why do you want to teach at Park?’ I responded with a truth that I hadn’t fully realized until that moment. I said I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. And for the next 27 years, I got my wish. It has been a privilege.”

As a faculty member, program coordinator and chair of Park’s Department of Art and Design, Bachmann served the University until her retirement in 2013. During her tenure, Bachmann expanded the department to include professional programs in graphic design and interior design, initiated the first online art history course and set the groundwork for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Her artistic contributions to the flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus include serving as director of the Campanella Gallery and development of a multipanel campus mural depicting the history of Park by American mural artist Eric Bransby.

Bachmann, who taught drawing, painting and three-dimensional design, is a professional artist in her own right. With work ranging from oil on canvas to collage and assemblage, Bachmann has exhibited in individual and group shows throughout the Midwest.

Bachmann reflected on the many meaningful experiences with faculty members and administrators, including her award namesake, Paul Gault, ’60, MPA ’88. “Among Park administrators, he stands out for his steadfastness, ethics, versatility and kindness,” she said. “To have my much briefer service to Park compared in any way to Paul Gault’s service is humbling.”

The greatest honor, according to Bachmann, has been the opportunity to teach hundreds of Park students over the years. “It’s thrilling to continue following their art, their families, their successes and adventures,” she said.

Each year, Park University honors a few of its outstanding alumni and friends for their amazing achievements in their careers and communities — and for their commitment to Park.

Paul Gault, ’60, MPA ’88, and Donna Bachmann

2021 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD

his use of resources. “That play didn’t last long once my mother found out about her pantyhose,” he recalled. Robinson, though, spent the remainder of his childhood writing plays, poetry and short stories.

The right fit

Robinson recalls bouncing around a couple of colleges before finding the right fit at Park University. “I felt at home,” he said.

write

Kenthedo Robinson, ’80, playwright, producer, director and educator, remembers the moment he became captivated with the theater.

“My elementary school teacher took our class to a production of Hansel and Gretel. When the lights went down, I was transported to another world,” he recalled.

While waiting for the bus, he saw the theater house lights come up, stage curtains part and actors gathering props and costumes. He was awestruck. “I said, ‘Wow! That wasn’t real? You mean, I can create another world like that?’”

And so it began.

Street theater

The next day, Robinson gathered his neighborhood friends, doled out roles for his first play (either Cinderella or Rapunzel — he doesn’t remember) and tried his hand at stage and costume design.

“I took my family’s freshly washed sheets and hung them on our clotheslines for theater curtains. I also painted a pair of my mother’s pantyhose white for a friend who played the prince,” he said.

Although his parents encouraged his creativity, Robinson’s mother was less-than-thrilled about

Working with Melanie Tang, Ph.D., associate professor of English, and The Stylus staff accelerated Robinson’s development as a writer. Serving as an officer for the Park Student Government Association developed his leadership skills and confidence. While Parkville, Mo., was a big stepping stone for his growth, the Big Apple was the ultimate plan for Robinson’s career.

“Close to graduation, I told my mother I was going to New York. I thought she would say no, but she said yes, and I couldn’t turn back.” After graduating from Park with a bachelor’s degree in communication arts, Robinson moved to Harlem to begin a master’s program in theatre playwriting/directing at Hunter College, City University of New York.

If you can make it there… Robinson lived with a couple employed by Broadway’s Nedelander Theatre and Negro Ensemble Company. The experience steeped Robinson in their theatrical community, including their friendships with actors Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Harney (who portrayed “Curtis” in the Broadway production of Dreamgirls). Robinson also found a supportive playwriting community of his own, including Emmy Award-winning writer Bill Gunn, and Arthur Miller, author of Death of a Salesman.

Since arriving in New York, Robinson has written, produced and directed more than 20 plays, and has taught in the New York City public school system for 25 years. His career received a remarkable boost when he was commissioned by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to

In 1985, Robinson founded the Crystal Image Performing Arts Company, with productions including Othello, Antony and Cleopatra, A Raisin in the Sun, Godspell, Dreamgirls, The Piano Lesson, Fame, My Mamma: The Superaction Hero, The Wiz, A Streetcar Named Desire and Oedipus the King, which received four Jean Dalrymple Awards for Excellence in Off Broadway Production for set design, best actor and supporting actor (two).

Recently, he wrote and produced The Buffalo Hero of World War I: The Wayne Miner Story, which honored the legacy of Miner, an Army private from Kansas City, Mo., who valiantly volunteered to take artillery to the frontlines during World War I when fellow soldiers refused. Miner died in the hours between the signing of the Armistice and the time it was set to go into effect. Currently, Robinson is working on Marcus in the Clouds on the 777, a modern take on Icarus, set in 1980s Kansas City, and York: Slave or a God, in homage to the slave who accompanied William Clark III and Meriwether Lewis on their Corps of Discovery Expedition.

No matter where his art takes him, Robinson often revisits his roots — a modest Kansas City upbringing, hard-working parents and the pivotal time spent at Park. “I’m very proud I attended,” he said. “My Park education provided me with a foundation that was life-changing.”

the biography For Bird with Love, a tribute ballet for jazz legend Charlie “Bird” Parker.

The Distinguished Alumna/Alumnus Award recognizes Park alumni who have distinguished themselves through career, service or community achievements.

2021 MARLOWE SHERWOOD MEMORIAL SERVICE AWARD

This award is presented to Park University alumni in recognition of volunteer service to community and/or civic organizations. The award is named in honor of Marlowe Sherwood, 1963 graduate, who exemplified the school motto of Fides et Labor (Faith and Labor).

D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program and stayed in touch with me over the years.”

Still, Mendoza felt pulled to say no to something besides drugs: college. As her high school graduation loomed near, the Festus, Mo., native believed military service to be the best next step.

“I saw the commercials for the U.S. Army — ‘Be all that you can be’ — and that’s what I wanted to do.”

Mendoza enlisted at age 17 and immediately set goals for her military career. When an opportunity to become an Army officer came about, an old obstacle reappeared. She needed college to be eligible to pursue it.

This time, Mendoza met the challenge head on. She began taking classes at Park University’s Fort Myer (Va.) Campus.

In February, Mendoza was the initial speaker at the U.S. Senate Rules and Administration Committee and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee joint oversight hearing on security failures during the attack. Her bravery and courageous actions hailed her as a true hero.

Carneysha Mendoza, ’16, has known for as long as she can remember that she is called to protect and serve.

“I always wanted to be a cop,” she said. What she didn’t want to be — at least, not in her earlier years — was a student. “I didn’t like school. I didn’t know how to study, and with every report card, I was in trouble. I never felt like an intelligent person. There was a lot of pressure to get good grades, but I struggled.”

Just say no…and eventually, yes An early mentor, Paul Wilkey, helped turn Mendoza’s school experience around.

“Officer Wilkey was a resource officer at my school. He would ask the horse he rode, ‘What do you say to drugs?’ The horse would shake his head, ‘No.’ It left an impression on me,” she said. “He noticed I was interested in his law enforcement career, so he made me a role model in the

“I chose Park because it was based in Missouri — my home state — but the University really had an advantage. Park was one of only a few universities offering online classes back then,” she said. “It took 12 years to earn my degree one class at a time. It was hard and I didn’t get much sleep, but I learned a lot about managing my time, and became a much better writer, thanks to Park.”

Take care of the troops Mendoza has been a member of the U.S. Capitol Police for 19 years. She serves as a captain in the special operations division, where her duties include acting as the commander of the civil disturbance unit. She was present for the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, serving on the frontlines and sustaining chemical burns and a skin infection as a result.

“I kept telling those who were on duty that day to go and decontaminate,” she said, “but later realized I hadn’t deconned myself. My leadership style is military style — you take care of the troops first.”

Although her job is high-profile and very demanding, Mendoza, the mom of two sons, ages 22 and 11, also finds the time to give back to her community by volunteering with nonprofit organizations. Over the years, she has served as a big sister through Big Brothers Big Sisters, and has worked as a mentor to single moms through Young Life in the Washington, D.C., area.

“I am big on teamwork and support. Unity is important to me,” Mendoza said. “I recently saw a quote on social media, and I’ve adopted it as my own mantra: ‘In a world where you can be anything, be kind.’”

2021 TORCHLIGHTER AWARD

Park and gratitude for Gordon and Steve,” Linden said. “The University gave me a chance and planted a seed. My company basically began at Park University.”

Fifteen years later, he continues to serve as the PA announcer and music programmer for Park men’s and women’s basketball, soccer and volleyball. Linden also has led University pep rallies and banquets, and has even served as a wedding host for Park staff.

Find Charlie Brown

A graduate of the University of Missouri –Kansas City’s Conservatory, Linden couples his natural charisma with his formal training in singing, dancing and theater to create memorable moments for his audiences.

Driving, Turning Resources and Energy in New Directions, Camp Quality, Missouri Association of Peer Helpers, National Association of Teen Institutes and Camp Fire.

“I grew up in an alcoholic, abusive family,” Linden said. “I’m drawn to youth issues because I want to be the support system that I needed growing up. Now that I’ve found my way, I want to pay it forward.”

As a public address announcer, DJ, event host, producer, filmmaker and motivational speaker, Rich Linden wears many hats. And colorful suits. And occasionally, a headful of zany hair extensions.

However, there is one part of his identity that remains steadfast: Linden is a connector. Creating safe spaces for people to laugh and find camaraderie is his superpower.

A chance and a seed Linden had been a DJ for almost a decade when, in 2006, he was introduced to Gordon Stubblefield, who served 13 seasons as the assistant coach for the Park University Parkville (Mo.) Campus men’s basketball team before being named the head coach for Park’s Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus in 2018. Their conversation sparked a friendship and opened the door for Linden’s career in sports entertainment.

Soon after they met, Stubblefield recommended Linden to Steve Wilson, MPA ’13, who served as Park’s Parkville Campus associate athletic director for media relations and compliance at the time, then later as athletic director for Park’s Gilbert Campus, to handle public address announcing and music programming for Park’s volleyball games.

Linden’s gift for entertaining audiences was immediately apparent, and his role with Park athletics expanded. “I have so much love for

From the booth, Linden’s vibrant, booming voice hypes the crowd and sets the tone. As an event host, Linden is just as entertaining, but uses a slightly more subtle approach to ensure everyone is entertained: “Find Charlie Brown.” More specifically, Linden looks for the most pensive person alone in the corner — the “Charlie Brown” of the room — and focuses on that person’s experience. “If I can make that person smile,” Linden said, “I know I’ve done my job.”

Pay it forward

As owner of The Linden Group, he insists on the same level of enthusiasm from his staff. With a motto of “Service Above Self,” The Linden Group provides voice-over talent for live events, narration for websites and promotional videos, event marketing, and promotion and entertainment management. Kansas Speedway, Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Western Athletic Conference are just a few of their clients.

Linden is also engaged in nonprofit work, particularly with agencies that uplift youth. He has volunteered with Youth/Adult Alliance Against Underage Drinking, Mothers Against Drunk

Uplift and elevate Linden’s talent has also been showcased at a national level. He appeared on the popular 1990s television show, “Party of Five,” has written and produced “The Power Zone,” a martial arts show, has produced music for ESPN’s National Drill Team Final and has served as PA announcer for numerous national championship tournaments in collegiate sports.

Not bad for a self-proclaimed introvert…which gets us back to Charlie Brown.

“I felt like Charlie Brown growing up,” Linden reflected. “So, I want people to look at my career and understand what a blessing it is to find your passion. My goal is to make the world a better place. If I can use my gifts, talent and personality to uplift a conference room, church, arena or stadium, and elevate people to feel empowered and loved, I will have lived an accomplished life.”

You’re a good man, Rich Linden.

This award is given to honor individuals who have made significant, long-standing contributions and commitment to Park University, whether alumni, faculty or friend.

2021 PARK PROMISING YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD

This award recognizes a Park University alumnus/a who graduated from Park within the last 10 years, is under the age of 40 and shows exceptional leadership promise in his or her profession and community.

began to understand her ultimate purpose and future career — addressing gaps in education and making concepts clear for every learner.

Lightning in a Boddle

After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration/international business from Park and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2016, Martinson and her husband, Clarence Tan, set out on a mission to transform math education through gaming. After doing field research in classrooms and after-school programs, they discovered that one of the most pressing problems in education was getting children up to grade-level learning. In 2018, the couple founded Boddle Learning to combat educational gaps and help improve student outcomes in elementary schools.

Accelerator, with a seed investment of $100,000, and it also won AT&T’s Pitches with Purpose competition for an additional $25,000. In early 2020, AT&T invested $100,000 more in the form of a grant, enabling Boddle Learning to offer the platform free of charge to schools and parents worldwide.

In the same year, Atento Capital, an early-stage investment firm, invested $350,000. Most recently, Boddle Learning was awarded $50,000 by recording artist Pharrell Williams’ Black Ambition initiative. Martinson, who was named to Forbes magazine’s Next 1000 list in early 2021, oversees a growing team of 18 full- and part-time employees.

By the time Edna Martinson, ’12, began narrowing options for her college education, Park University had already clinched an advantage.

“My cousins, Michael, John and Grace, attended Park,” said Martinson. “They would return to Ghana (her native country) and talk about their experiences in such a positive way. That’s when my brother, Douglas, and I put Park on our short list of schools to seriously consider.”

Ultimately, Park became their school of choice, too — and once she arrived, it was everything Martinson expected. Well, almost everything. “When I arrived for school, I expected Parkville (Mo.) to be more like New York. I thought every city in the United States was like New York,” she laughed.

The ambitious 16-year-old freshman hit the ground running, participating in Park’s Summer Business Academy, where she helped inner city high school students prepare pitches for mock businesses. Perhaps it was there where Martinson

Boddle Learning is a game-based learning platform. Machine-learning algorithms identify areas where student gamers struggle and tailors the content to address learning gaps. It also challenges advanced students by gradually increasing the academic rigor of their games. Teachers and parents also have access to their students’ data and reports.

“The first moment we saw it being used and received feedback that users liked it, that was gratifying,” said Martinson.

The timing of their launch could not have been more fortuitous. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic left educators scrambling for solutions to keep remote learners engaged. Boddle Learning saw its user base expand from nearly 1,700 students in January 2020 to approximately 50,000 registered users within a lightning-fast few weeks. Today, Boddle Learning has more than 600,000 registered students and is used in all 50 states.

Funder waves

The ed-tech startup made waves with multiple funders, too. One of the company’s most ardent supporters has been AT&T. In 2019, Boddle Learning was accepted into the AT&T Aspire

Martinson is grateful for the education she received at Park, and happy to use what she’s learned to impact a new generation. “I value importance of a great education,” Martinson reflected, “I grew up believing that practice makes perfect. With Boodle Learning, I can share that philosophy with kids, but in a fun way, through gamified education.”

2020 PARK UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARDS

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD

Vlatko Andonovski, ’08

U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Head Coach

“The opportunity that Park University provided me and my wife, who is also a Park graduate, is something I will forever be grateful. It’s an inspiration to continue working hard in my career to represent Park in the best possible manner.”

Vlatko Andonovski was appointed head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team in October 2019. He began his professional career playing six seasons in his home country of Macedonia. When he came to the U.S., he played four seasons with the Kansas City Comets, where he was a two-time Major Indoor Soccer League (now Major Arena Soccer League) All-Star. He coached FC Kansas City to back-to-back National Women’s Soccer League titles in 2014 and 2015, as well as the Comets to the MISL championship in 2014. Andonovski also led the USWNT to SheBelieves Cup titles in 2020 and 2021, as well as a bronze medal in the 2021 Summer Olympics.

TORCHLIGHTER AWARD

Blanche Sosland, Ph.D. Professor Emerita of Education

“A wise educator once said, ‘More than my students learn from me, I learn from my students.’ Thank you for the precious years I had to learn from my students at Park University and for the privilege of being a part of the Park family.”

A lifelong ambassador for education, Blanche Sosland spent most of her teaching career at the college and university level, including 21 years at Park University, where she also served as chair of the Department of Education (now the School of Education). Her areas of expertise include identification and intervention for twice-exceptional children (those who are both gifted and learning disabled). In 2019, she authored Banishing Bullying Behavior: A Call to Action from Early Childhood through Senior Adulthood. The book explores various types of bullying — physical, verbal, emotional and cyber — and the devastating, lifelong effect they have on victims.

MARLOWE SHERWOOD MEMORIAL SERVICE AWARD

Lisa Ray, ’13 Honeywell Manufacturing

Manager

“Service has been instilled in me since I was young. It’s always been something I’ve enjoyed — being able to help others and give back where I can.”

Lisa Ray is a highly sought-after mentor, coach, trainer and inspirational leader. She has a relentless passion to assist others, spending countless hours of her personal time assisting youth through mentoring and coaching, providing scholarships, and supporting organizations and initiatives such as March for Babies, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, Black Achievers, 2020 Leadership of South Kansas City and Honeywell Black Employment Network. She is also an active member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, serving as her chapter’s vice president, and is an active member of Park University’s Alumni Council.

PARK PROMISING YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD

JT Daniels, ’11 Illustrator and Muralist

“My time at Park University was influential in what I’m able to do today as a professional artist. I never would have been in the position to speak to the organizations and companies I work with if I hadn’t been prepared while I was at Park.”

After graduating from Park University, JT Daniels rented a studio space in the Kansas City area to focus on commissioned work. During a challenging time, he considered giving up his studio. That’s when he got the call that changed everything. A scout was looking to photograph Midwest artists in their studios for a marketing campaign. Afterward, a New York advertising firm noticed his colorful, fluid style which led to Daniels’ vibrant designs being featured on Brisk iced tea products. His uplifting murals — many which address social issues — can be seen throughout the Kansas City region, from the walls of businesses to Kansas City Streetcar stops to the historic 18th and Vine District.

Out of a sense of responsibility and an abundance of caution, Park University held its 2020 Alumni Association Awards ceremony virtually on Sept. 17, 2020.

HOMECOMING 2021

Park University celebrated the 50th reunion of the Class of 1970 with a gathering of 15 members. Due to COVID-19, their golden reunion was delayed a year after meeting virtually in 2020. The group made a special “Happy Birthday” sign for classmate Bonnie Epperson, who was not able to attend due to health issues.

Eileen West Barber, ’71, and Dee Staples, ’70

From left: Mark Swift, ’82, Norm Gourley, ’73, and Christine Davis Swift, ’77.

Park University welcomed 17 members of the Class of 1971 who celebrated their 50th reunion.

Park University was excited to host Homecoming Weekend 2021. Generations of Park alumni were welcomed home with a lineup of fun activities to celebrate.

2021 Homecoming Royalty

Park University students were announced as homecoming royalty during halftime of the men’s soccer match against Mount Mercy University on Oct. 2, as voted on by the student body.

DiCarlo Jackson Jr., senior biology major, and Bayan Salam, senior criminal justice administration/law enforcement and psychology major, were selected as king and queen, respectively.

HOMECOMING 2021

Demetria Byers, junior criminal justice administration/law enforcement major, was selected as princess.

Homecoming guests enjoyed a concert by Park University’s International Center for Music Orchestra on Oct. 1 in Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the Parkville (Mo.) Campus.

Manika Karki, a member of the Park Student Activities Board, crowns Park University 2021 Homecoming king DiCarlo Jackson Jr.

Bayan Salam, Park University 2021 Homecoming queen

CLASS NOTES

1950s

Elizabeth (Leszczynska) Bellak, ’54, contributed to Renia’s Diary: A Holocaust Journal that was published in September 2019. The book is the long-hidden diary of Bellak’s sister, Renia Spiegel. She began her diary at the start of 1939, right before the invasion of Poland by the German and Soviet armies. In 1942, Spiegel was forced to move to a ghetto, but was smuggled out by her boyfriend and went into hiding with his parents. She was discovered by the Gestapo and murdered in July 1942.

1960s

Greg Raymond, ’68, Ph.D., co-authored the book Great Powers and World Order (Congressional Quarterly Press) published in March 2020. He is a distinguished professor emeritus in political science at Boise (Idaho) State University.

1970s

Maxine Drew, ’76, was recognized by the Kansas City Kansas Community College Foundation as a 2021 Mid-America Education Hall of Fame honoree in April 2021. The Hall of Fame honors those who have made contributions to education.

Steve Foster, ’79, was appointed chairman of the board for the Searcy (Ark.) Regional Chamber of Commerce in January 2020 to serve a oneyear term.

1980s

Lisa McCormick, ’83, won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting from the Radio Television Digital News Association in June 2021. McCormick was an investigative producer at WDAFTV in Kansas City for a story on “Racism Claims at VA Hospital Spark Senate Audit.” McCormick now serves as an investigative producer at KSHB-TV in Kansas City.

Gary Greer, ’84, was appointed city administrator in Gothenburg, Neb., in March 2020.

Peter Ramsaroop, ’84, was appointed chief executive officer of the Guyana Office of Foreign and Local Investment and chief investment officer for Guyana in October 2020.

Bob Kendrick, ’85, was appointed to Visit KC’s Board of Directors in January 2021. The economic development organization is dedicated to tourism in the Kansas City region.

Mark Murdock, ’85, was appointed director of the Dayton (Ohio) Veterans Affairs Medical Center in February 2020.

Pamela Stewart, ’88, M.D., opened Buffalo Plains Health Center in Garden City, Kan., in June 2020.

Stacy Canady, ’89, was appointed as chair of the board in August 2021 for Students Without Mothers Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Atlanta dedicated to help high school students without mothers by empowering them to continue their education.

Tracy Rickman, ’89, retired from Rio Hondo College in California as chief fire technology coordinator in December 2019.

Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner, ’89, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in November 2020 as the director of the Defense Information Systems Agency, the Department of Defense’s information technology support agency. He also concurrently serves as commander of the Joint Force Headquarters – Department of Defense Information Network, which oversees cybersecurity matters relevant to the Pentagon’s IT infrastructure and connected devices.

1990s

Jeff Chaltas, ’90, was appointed as an editor at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in August 2021.

Joseph Cubba, ’90, was appointed chief growth officer for ManTech, a Herndon, Va., based technology solutions and services provider for U.S. defense, intelligence and federal civilian agencies in March 2021.

Todd Dunlap, ’90, was appointed in June 2021 as chief executive officer for OfferUp, an online mobile-first customer-to-customer marketplace, based in Bellevue, Wash.

Michael Brendel, ’91, MHL ’11, was appointed president of Kettering Health Troy (Ohio) in June 2021.

Tammi Warfield, ’91, was appointed as senior vice president of customer success for Delphix, a software development and information technology operations company based in Houston, in July 2021.

David Tyler, ’92, was appointed as chief of the Air Force Material Command Process Improvement and Innovation Branch at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (Ohio) in November 2019.

Steven Anderson, ’93, was appointed by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt to serve as inspector general for the Kansas Medicaid program in January 2021. The Kansas Senate unanimously confirmed the nomination in April 2021.

Bill Brooks, ’93, ME ’98, was appointed volleyball head coach at Warrensburg (Mo.) High School in May 2020.

Kevin Chrisman, ’93, was honored with the Clarence Kelley Award at the Kansas City (Mo.) Crime Commission’s award luncheon in October 2019. Chrisman is the chief of police for Parkville, Mo.

Jan Zimmerman, ’93, MPA ’97, was appointed to the Missouri Gaming Commission by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson in June 2021.

Kevin Freeman, ’94, MPA ’07, was appointed chief of police for North Kansas City, Mo., in January 2020.

Sophia Pretrick, ’94, was one of 12 people honored by U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in February 2021 with a new International Anticorruption Champions Award, recognizing individuals who have worked tirelessly, often in the face of adversity, to defend transparency, combat corruption and ensure accountability in their own countries. Pretrick is an investigative advisor in the compliance investigation division in the Office of the Pohnpei State Public Auditor, Federated States of Micronesia.

Victor Torres, ’94, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Park University while serving a life sentence in prison, was featured in a New York Daily News story in June 2020. Torres and his brother had their sentences commuted by a judge based on their decades of good deeds behind bars.

Jefferson Roblee, ’95, was appointed women’s soccer assistant coach at Kansas City Kansas Community College in July 2020.

Steve Beamer, ’96, retired in January 2020 as chief of the North Kansas City (Mo.) Police Department after 41 years of service.

Rev. Don Sanford Sr. ’96, was installed as pastor of the Greater St. James Baptist Church in Alton, Ill., in November 2019.

LaTisha Vaughn, ’96, was promoted to chief operations officer at Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative in Charleston, S.C. in February 2020.

Roland McCarthy, ’97, was appointed as city manager for the City of Cordele, Ga., in January 2021. He previously served Cordele for three years as its finance director.

Col. Bradley Ward, ’97, is the recruit training regiment commander at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C.

Herbert Blake, ’98, was appointed chief deputy sheriff for Buncombe County, N.C., in August 2020.

Nicole Matsoukas, ’98, was recognized by Arkansas Money and Politics magazine on its 2020 Powerful Women in Banking list in September 2020. Matsoukas is senior vice president of information technology and strategic initiatives at Arkansas Federal Credit Union headquartered in Jacksonville, Ark.

CLASS NOTES

Elaine Placido, ’98, was appointed executive director of the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership based in Portland, Ore., in August 2020.

Benjamin Grijalva, ’99, Ph.D., was appointed principal at Alma Brewer Strawn Elementary School in the Lockhart (Texas) School District, beginning in August 2020.

Stancia Jenkins, MPA ’99, was honored by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education in March 2020 on its “Top 35 Women in Higher Education” list. Jenkins is the associate to the president and assistant vice president for diversity, access and inclusion at the University of Nebraska.

Leticia Pugh, ’99, authored a children’s book, Russell Ray, published in September 2020. The book is about a little rat and a child who become friends and face many challenges together that test their bond.

Regenail Thomas, ’99, was appointed in March 2021 as vice president of employee experience at D.A. Blodgett – St. Johns, a nonprofit agency in Grand Rapids, Mich., that helps children and empowers families.

2000s

Jacqueline Clark, MPA ’00, was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Public Relations Society of America, representing the Midwest District. She is the west regional manager of government relations and public affairs at LafargeHolcim North America.

Matthew Mosier, ’00, was promoted to the rank of sergeant in November 2019 for the Troy (Ohio) Police Department.

Kevin Whaley, ’00, was promoted to the role of executive director of technology for the Lee’s Summit (Mo.) R-7 School District in July 2020.

Kathy Ewoldt, ’01, Ph.D., was recognized with the 2021 Council for Learning Disabilities Outstanding Research Award for her dissertation research. She is an assistant professor of special education at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Chad Skipper, ’01, was appointed to the advisory board for Keyavi Data Corp, a cybersecurity organization based in Denver, in June 2021. He is a global security technologist at VMware, a network and security virtualization company.

Marc King, ’02, was appointed president of Austin, Texas, based Keller Williams Realty Inc. in February 2021.

Kizzy McCray-Sheppard, ’02, joined Community Hospice and Palliative Care of Alachua County in Gainesville, Fla., in September 2020 as a palliative expert.

CLASS NOTES

2000s

Denzil Ross, ’02, MBA ’07, chief operating officer at Lovelace Medical Center and administrator of Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center in Albuquerque, N.M., was honored by Albuquerque (N.M.) Business First and the Albuquerque Business Journal as a “40 Under Forty” honoree in September 2020.

Tony Campbell, ’03, joined Barron Lighting Group in Glendale, Ariz., in June 2020 as the director of life safety products.

Zenovia Crier, ’03, Ed.D., was appointed principal of LBJ Elementary School in the Ector County (Texas) Independent School District in August 2021.

Quincy Crutchfield, ’03, and Rayan Azab, ’05, opened Sweet Combforts and Wingman Kitchen in Kansas City, Mo., in January 2020.

Jim Monaco, ’03, was appointed athletic director at Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz., in October 2020. Monaco had been interim athletic director since November 2018.

Robert S. Safley, ’03, is the 307th Bomb Wing Command chief master sergeant at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

Salvatore Scarpa, ’03, was appointed fire chief in Columbus, Ga., in July 2020.

Benay Shannon, MAT ’03, and her company Restless Spirits Distilling Co. in North Kansas City, Mo., earned a double gold medal at the 2020 New York International Spirits Competition for its Builders Botanical Gin. The gin was the only one from the U.S. that earned the double gold.

Alicia Stephens, ’03, retired from the Platte County (Mo.) Economic Development Council at the end of 2019.

Melonnie Walker, ’03, was appointed as the inaugural director of education and outreach for KC Melting Pot Theater in Kansas City, Mo., in September 2020.

Arthur Westbrook, ’03, was appointed chief strategic and impact officer for the YWCA El Paso (Texas) del Norte Region in August 2021.

Larissa Grantham, ’04, joined Versant Capital Management as a senior wealth counselor in November 2019.

David Scott, ME ’04, authored a self-published book, Closed for Repairs with Plumbing Problems, in June 2021.

Renee (Galente) Stackhouse, ’04, was elected as president of the San Diego County (Calif.) Bar Association for 2021 in November 2020. She is a trial lawyer with a practice, Stackhouse APC, that focuses on personal injury, military and criminal defense matters.

Lendell Hood, ’05, was honored with the Chris Smith Award by the Michigan City, Ind., Police Department in January 2020. The award honors an officer who embodies the passion and love for law enforcement as well as a love for life.

Nancy Jameson, ’05, was appointed vice president and consumer loan officer at Exchange Bank and Trust in Platte City, Mo., in February 2021.

Maj. Carlos de Castro Pretelt, ’05, a foreign area officer serving as the operations section chief at the Office of Defense Coordination in Mexico City, authored an article titled “Taking the Bit Out of the Elephant: How to Improve Security Cooperation,” which appeared in the Small Wars Journal in July 2021.

Michael Carrington, ’06, was appointed in December 2020 as the statewide veterans coordinator with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.

Joe Shepherd, ’06, was appointed in August 2021 as chief technology officer for Authenticate Pro, a company based in Claremont, Calif., that checks items before issuing a seal of approval certifying an item’s authenticity.

Siabhan May-Washington, ’06, Ed.D., was featured in the November 2019 edition of Ingram’s, Kansas City’s business magazine, as a 2019 Women Executives – Kansas City honoree.

Margarita Ochoa-Smith, ’06, was appointed mental health director at Endeavors, a nonprofit agency in San Antonio, Texas, within its Veteran Wellness Center in August 2020.

David Akers, ’07, was appointed director of academic computing and media services at El Paso (Texas) Community College in February 2020.

Godfrey Mukwindidza, ’07, established a soccer club, FC Adira, in his home country of Zimbabwe in the spring of 2021.

2000s

Donovan Thompson, ’07, was honored by the North Central Missouri College Foundation in March 2021 as a member of its Distinguished Alumni Class for 2020.

CLASS NOTES

Crystal Young-Haskins, ‘07, M.E. ’11, was honored in February 2021 with a Legend Among Us Award as part of the sixth annual Arkansas Heritage Celebration of Black History Month. Young-Haskins became the first African American female in the Little Rock (Ark.) Police Department’s history to hold the rank of assistant chief of police and has made strides to champion women in law enforcement throughout the state.

Josh Hurlbert, ’08, was elected in November 2020 to the Missouri House of Representatives for District 12, which covers portions of Clay and Platte counties.

David Moran, ’08, was appointed North America national product manager for LNS Turbo Chip Management Systems based in Cincinnati in November 2020.

Jason Pope, ME ’08, was appointed principal of Southeast Elementary School in the Park Hill (Mo.) School District in March 2021, effective with the start of the 2021-22 academic year.

Will Beckley, ’09, was appointed plant manager for the U.S. Marine Corps Marine Depot Maintenance Command’s Production Plant Albany (Ga.) in September 2020.

Erin Collins, ’09, was appointed as the registrar at Pomona College in California in July 2021.

Vanna Easley, ME ’09, was appointed principal at Graden Elementary School in the Park Hill School District, Kansas City, Mo., in July 2020.

Erycka Fisher, ’09, was a contestant on the FOX program “Ultimate Tag” in May 2020, winning $10,000.

Shawna Hudson, ’09, earned a doctorate degree from the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education in 2020 and works at Capital Group, a Los Angeles-based investment firm.

Sherry Lawdermilt, ’09, MBA ’15, was appointed chief information officer at Bemidji (Minn.) State University and Northwest Technical College in March 2020.

Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Osby, ’09, was appointed in August 2020 as the senior enlisted advisor for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, the Department of Defense’s largest retailer, headquartered in Dallas.

Jeanette Prenger, ’09, was honored by Enterprising Women magazine with a Top 20 in 2020 Award during a special virtual event recognizing 20 past recipients of the publication’s Women of the Year Award in October 2020. Prenger was an Enterprising Women of the Year Award recipient in 2013. In addition, Prenger, who serves as past chair of Park University’s Board of Trustees, was appointed as vice chair of Visit KC, an economic development organization dedicated to tourism in the Kansas City region, in January 2020. She also co-authored a book, The Anatomy of Accomplishment, that was published in March 2020. Her chapter, “Playing the Long Game,” is a look at her journey with her company, ECCO Select, where she serves as president and chief executive officer. Prenger was also appointed to the Missouri Tourism Commission by Gov. Mike Parson in June 2020.

Tom Sakeivich, MPA ’09, was elected in November 2020 to the Utah County (Utah) Commission.

2010s

Heidy Robertson-Cooper, MPA ’10, was appointed vice president of healthcare strategy for SelectQuote Inc., based in Overland Park, Kan., in February 2021.

John Wyatt Greenlee, MPA ’11, Ph.D., was featured in a Time magazine article in September 2020. Greenlee, a historian, uses Twitter and Medieval factoids to help endangered animals, including eels. Greenlee also earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Medieval studies from Cornell University in 2020.

Stephenie Price, ’11, was appointed chief of police in Bluffton, S.C., in October 2020.

Sunie Reynolds, ’11, was appointed as the administrative specialist at Park University’s Beaufort (S.C.) Marine Corps Air Station Campus in October 2019.

Vini Baigan, ’12, MBA ’15, was selected to VolleyballMag.com’s list of “Under 40 Coaching Hotshots” in January 2020. Baigan is the women’s volleyball assistant coach at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Cory Brown, ’12, was appointed vice president of technical services at Tnemec, a protective coatings manufacturer based in Kansas City, Mo., in September 2020.

Rudy Harper, ’12, was appointed as the second deputy chief of media relations for the Detroit Police Department in June 2021.

CLASS NOTES

2000s

Edna Martinson, ’12, and the business she founded with her husband Clarence Tan, Boddle Learning, won a $25,000 AT&T Aspire Audience Award at the AT&T Pitches with Purpose contest in San Francisco in December 2019. In January 2020, the company was selected by Startland News as one of “10 Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2020.” In February 2021, Martinson was named to Forbes magazine’s first class of the “Next 1000,” an initiative that showcases entrepreneurial heroes across the country. Boddle Learning is a game-based learning platform to combat educational gaps and help improve student outcomes in elementary schools.

Jessica Miller, ’12, was appointed shareholder partner at Kelley Commercial Partners in Little Rock, Ark., in January 2021.

Chris O’Toole, MACL ’12, was appointed captain of the High Point (N.C.) Police Department in April 2020.

Robert Palmer, ’12, and Ignacio (Nacho) Flores, ’18, were both named to the Major Arena Soccer League’s first all-star game, held in December 2020, in Independence, Mo. Both players are members of the Kansas City Comets.

Theresa Garza, MPA ’14, was named to the 2021 class of the Kansas City Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business” list in June 2021. Garza is the manager of regional economic development for Spire Inc. in Kansas City, Mo.

Bronson Schaake, ’12, MBA ’14, was appointed in April 2021 as the boys basketball head coach at Joplin (Mo.) High School.

Master Sgt. Tyneka Howard, ’13, retired from the U.S. Air Force in September 2020 and began a career as a Junior ROTC instructor at Sanderson High School in Raleigh, N.C.

Aaron Kay, ’13, a sergeant with the Warwick, R.I., police department, was promoted to shift supervisor in January 2020.

Teesha Miller, ’13, MHA ’16, MBA ’17, was appointed assistant vice president and community affairs officer for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in May 2021.

Brittanie Propes, ’13, was appointed recreation and marketing manager for the City of Smithville, Mo., in the summer of 2020.

Lisa Ray, ’13, was inducted into the Black Achievers Society of Greater Kansas City in January 2020. Those honored exemplify corporate leadership, community involvement, educational achievements and significant accomplishments, and are role models for black and minority youth.

Steve Wilson, MPA ’13, was appointed as director of athletics at Kansas Wesleyan University in November 2019.

Col. Kevin Black, MACL ’14, was one of just 14 lieutenant colonels selected by the Army Talent Management process in October 2020 to receive a brevet promotion to colonel, which allows a junior grade officer to serve one grade higher, wear the rank and be paid at the higher grade when assigned to a critical position. He serves as the 3rd Infantry Division director of training and operations at Fort Stewart, Ga.

Amanda Ertman, ’14, was appointed as the Tuscola County (Mich.) health officer in August 2021.

Brittany Hill, MBA ’14, was appointed as marketing coordinator at Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd in Charleston, S.C., in November 2019.

Jessica Hinson, MBA ’14, was promoted to human resources manager at HospiceServe in November 2019.

Kayce Krueger, ’14, was promoted to controller in March 2021 at STAR Bank in Indiana.

Brittani Newhouse, ’14, was appointed as a graduate admissions representative at Park University in October 2019.

Dawn Warner, ’14, is the apprenticeship project manager in the Office of Work-Based Learning at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio.

Kelsey (Faiferlick) Felch, ’15, opened Next Edge Performance, a health and wellness center, in her hometown of Fort Dodge, Iowa, in May 2020.

David Jordan, ’15, was appointed as assistant city manager and director of public safety for the City of La Marque, Texas, in January 2021.

Sasha Hurst Raab, ’15, received the Law Class of 1949 Award for Leadership from the University of Kansas School of Law in May 2020. The award given annually to the student who, in the opinion of the faculty, contributed most significantly to the overall experience of the students in Green Hall (home of the KU School of Law).

Kristina Contrades, ME ’16, was appointed principal of New Haven Elementary School in the Columbia (Mo.) School District in May 2021.

Bess DeLoux, ME ’16, was appointed elementary assistant principal and public relations director in the West Platte (Mo.) School District in May 2020.

Kaily (Purtle) Mayhugh, ’16, was appointed the softball head coach at Smithville (Mo.) High School in December 2019.

Kimberlee Ried, MACL ’16, was re-elected to the Park Hill (Mo.) School District Board of Education in April 2021 and was elected board secretary. She was originally appointed to the board in 2017 and elected to her first three-year term in 2018. Ried served a one-year term as board president starting in April 2020. In addition, Ried was elected president of the Junior League of Kansas City, Mo., in summer 2021.

Lucas Sousa, ’16, ’20 MBA, was selected as the Major Arena Soccer League Rookie of the Year for the 2021 season. He is a member of the Kansas City Comets.

Mike Talamantes, MBA, ’16, was elected vice president of the NAIA Women’s Beach Volleyball Coaches Association in July 2020. He serves as the Park University Parkville (Mo.) Campus director of volleyball and men’s/ women’s volleyball head coach.

Sarah Weygand, ’16, was honored by G.I. Jobs magazine in its August 2021 edition as a 2021 Veteran Champion of the Year in Higher Education. She was nominated by Park University staff prior to taking a role at Johnson County (Kan.) Community College as the veteran services outreach specialist. The award recognizes tireless advocates for the success of America’s military and veteran students.

Ken Davis Jr., MACL ’17, authored a book, L.I.F.E. – Living with Integrity, Faith and Experience: How to Determine What is Best for You, that was published in November 2020.

Tom Garth, ME, ’17, was appointed assistant principal at Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Mo., in April 2021.

Gunnery Sgt. Jeremy Gordon, ’17, retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in June 2020.

Margarita Araiza, ’18, and Olivia Rojas-Garcia, ’20, were recognized by the Missouri Association of Colleges for Teacher Education as two of Missouri’s Outstanding Beginning Teachers in March 2021. Araiza is an 8th grade science teacher in the Park Hill School District, while Rojas-Garcia is a 7th grade science teacher in the North Kansas City School District.

Faustine Perrin, ’18, was appointed team administrator for OL Reign (formerly Seattle Reign FC) in the National Women’s Soccer League in December 2020. She will be assisting players and technical staff in their daily tasks and needs.

Joachim Seelos, ’18, was appointed as a law enforcement liaison for the CommUnity Crisis Services in Iowa City, Iowa, in August 2021.

Alyssa Gregory, ’19, was appointed as the assistant coach for the women’s soccer program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, in June 2021.

CLASS NOTES

Ashley Phillips, MSW ’18, and Tami Radohl, Ph.D., Park University associate professor of social work, co-authored the article “The Field Education Experience in a Privatized Foster Care System” which was published in October 2020 in Social Work Education – The International Journal.

Sara Marshall, ’19, was appointed as an associate consultant with Cerner Corp. in March.

Krystal Montague, MBA ’19, was appointed chief transformation officer at GlynnDevins, a Kansas City, Mo.-based data, analytics and marketing technology firm, in December 2020.

Roberta Park, ME ’19, was appointed as an instructional designer at Park University in November 2019.

Meguel Thomas, ’19, was appointed principal of his high school alma mater, Verchilds High School in Old Road Town, St. Kitts, in August 2020.

Tyler Townsend, ’19, was appointed lead StepUp mentor at Park University in October 2019.

2020s

Toni Sumpter, ’20, was appointed as the military outreach coordinator at Savannah (Ga.) Technical College in July 2021.

Rob Harrington, MPA ’21, was appointed as the Bourbon County (Kan.) economic development director in May 2021.

Tech. Sgt. Damita Stevens, ’21, was recognized by Air Force Magazine, a publication of the Air Force Association, in August 2021 as a 2021-22 Emerging Leader. Stevens is a flight chief/unknown signals analyst at Buckley Space Force Base, Colo.

1930s

Alice Stevenson Green, ’39 Anchorage, Alaska, Dec. 7, 2020

1940s

Ann Mangiaracina Parker, ’41 Overland Park, Kan., May 17, 2020

Virginia (Brunson) Leever, ’42 Findlay, Ohio, July 13, 2020

Dorothy Roberts, ’43, Ph.D. Lamar, Mo., Jan. 14, 2020

E. Wheeler Schmidt, x43 St. Joseph, Mo., March 29, 2020

Arthur Campbell, ’44, Ph.D. Northfield, Minn., June 1, 2020

Harriett (Mueller) Cheaney, x44 Granville, Ohio, Nov. 15, 2020

Kirby Filson Davis, ’44 Duarte, Calif., July 21, 2020

Nina Kaiser, ’44 Bethesda, Md., Nov. 1, 2020

Mary Martha White, ’44 Richmond, Mo., Oct. 27, 2019

Masaye Nakamura, ’45 Orinda, Calif., Feb. 13, 2020

Clyde Smith, x46 Sevastopol, Wis., Feb. 8, 2021

Carolyn (Douglas) Smith, ’47 Shawnee, Kan., Dec. 16, 2020

Betty Tillotson, ’47 Kansas City, Mo., May 19, 2020

Marilyn (Cordell) Hough, x48 Charleston, S.C., June 26, 2020

Phyllis (Perry) Ogden, ’48 Visalia, Calif., Sept. 29, 2020

Harriet (Cavert) McDaniel, ’48 Okemos, Mich., May 25, 2020

1950s

Gerald Gillette, ’50 Hockessin, Del., Nov. 22, 2019

MOURNS

George Offutt, x50 Platte City, Mo., Jan. 28, 2020

Patricia (Sisk) Steil, x50 Prairie Village, Kan., Sept. 7, 2020

Nancy Fowler, x51 Evans, Ga., Aug. 12, 2020

Robert Piper, x51 Mexico, Mo., Nov. 13, 2020

Gloria (Rodriguez) Powell, x51 Fort Walton Beach, Fla., July 30, 2020

Barbara (Tate) Wolf, x51 Urbana, Ill., May17, 2020

Carol (Lindemeyer) Bennett, ’52 Tulsa, Okla., May 10, 2021

James Breedlove, x52 Portland, Ore., Feb. 22, 2020

Jean Hart, ’52 Eugene, Ore., May 2019

Rev. Ralph Johnson, x52 Geneseo, Ill., Dec. 29, 2019

Stanley Smart Jr., ’52 Crystal Lake, Ill., Dec. 5, 2020

Elizabeth (Scott) Ashlock, x53 Black Mountain, N.C., Dec. 9, 2020

Ling Sai (Loke) Takeshita, x53 Duluth, Ga., Sept. 5, 2020

Frank Patterson, ’53 Warrensburg, Mo., Oct. 7, 2019

Mary Rohwer, ’53 Grand Rapids, Mich., May 19, 2020

Jack Fowler, ’54 Boulder, Colo., Jan. 13, 2021

Betty James, ’54 St. Joseph, Mo., Feb. 22, 2020

Ara Zakaryan, ’55 Leawood, Kan., Feb. 25, 2020

Lt. Col. Rev. James Cooke, ’56, DMin. Hastings, Neb., Sept. 5, 2020

Paul Smith, ’56 Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 9, 2020

Doris (Moore) Sublette, x56 Champaign, Ill., Jan. 4, 2021

Joe Williams, ’57 Kansas City, Mo., April 15, 2020

Nancy (Erickson) Carlile, x58 Sanibel, Fla., Feb. 28, 2021

Karen Dickinson Ganoung, ’58 Hoisington, Kan., Oct. 18, 2019

Sandra Duran, x58 Albuquerque, N.M., Nov. 28, 2020

Nancy (Ellis) Hoffmaster, ’59 Merrillan, Wis., Jan. 24, 2021

Stephanie Snyder Schmidt, x59 Appleton, Wis., April 16, 2020

Jack Wells, ’59 Portland, Tenn., Jan. 12, 2020

1960s

Carol Bertol, ’61 St. Joseph, Mo., Jan. 2, 2020

Jung Kyun Park, ’61 Summerlin, Nev., Dec. 1, 2019

Col. Richard Ripley, ’63 Raleigh, N.C., Oct. 18, 2020

Lt. Col. Thomas McLean Sr., ’63 Navarre, Fla., Nov. 4, 2020

Phyllis (Beck) Atkinson, x64 Manassas, Va., July 1, 2021

James Booth, x64 Canisteo, N.Y., March 9, 2020

Robert Dixon, ’64 Parkville, Mo., Feb. 17, 2021

John Gondring, ’64 St. Joseph, Mo., July 11, 2021

Lawrence Young, ’64 Parkville, Mo., Feb. 6, 2021

Isabel Whipple, ’66 Weatherby Lake, Mo., Jan. 8, 2020

Larry Bishard, ’67 Kansas City, Mo., July 26, 2021

Master Sgt. Thomas Hamilton, ’67 Layton, Utah, Oct. 16, 2020

Col. Robert Kurek, ’67 Carmel, Ind., Feb. 19, 2020

Phyllis Renshaw, ’67 Kansas City, Mo., Feb. 3, 2021

Mary “Janie” Riley, ’67 Westminster, Colo., Oct. 6, 2020

B. Kirk Showalter, ’67 Medford, Ore., May 16, 2020

Abram Reynolds, ’69 Philadelphia, Pa., Nov. 26, 2020

Ilene Roach, ’69 Grant City, Mo., Jan. 19, 2020

1970s

Robert Blowers, x70 Pipersville, Pa., June 14, 2020

Peter Cafasso, ’70 North Bergen, N.J., Feb. 26, 2021

Max Greer Jr., ’70 Leawood, Kan., Nov. 2, 2019

Robert Harmon, ’70 Hendersonville, N.C., Feb. 24, 2021

Melvin Jones, ’70 Marble Falls, Texas, March 19, 2020

Clarence Mohler Jr., ’70 Coppell, Texas, Nov. 29, 2020

Hans Neugebauer, ’70 Melbourne, Fla., May 1, 2020

John Rote III, ’70 Bangor, Maine, Jan. 3, 2020

Gwendolyn (Windom) Wilson, x70 Overland Park, Kan., Feb. 4, 2021

Bobbie Berry, ’71 Paragould, Ark., June 9, 2019

John Bugg, ’71 Chattanooga, Tenn., Aug. 14, 2020

Jay Flaherty, ’71 Kansas City, Mo., May 1, 2020

David House, ’71 Parkville, Mo., Sept. 17, 2020

Donald McAdam, ’71 Kalispell, Mont., Nov. 13, 2019

Everett “Wes” McCullough, ’71 Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 18, 2020

Cheryl (Blumenthal) Olvera, ’71 Olathe, Kan., June 14, 2020

Denis Walsh, ’71 Estero, Fla., April 30, 2020

William West, ’71 Plainfield, Conn., Aug. 15, 2020

Ronald Lessley, ’72 Choctaw, Okla., Jan. 8, 2021

Macondray Steiger, ’72 Forestville, Calif., June 14, 2021

R. Michael Copeland, ’73 Kansas City, Kan., Sept. 8, 2020

Thomas Montgomery Jr., ’73 Central, La., Nov. 30, 2019

Col. Clarence (C.J.) Evans, ’74 Manassas, Va., July 22, 2020

Lt. Col. Jerry Holtz, ’74 Ocean Springs, Miss., July 7, 2020

Col. William Longarzo, ’74 Lexington, Ky., June 8, 2020

Col. James Longerbeam Sr., ’74 Winchester, Va., Dec. 23, 2019

Richard Austin, x75 New York, N.Y., April 9, 2020

Earnest Bell, ’75 Norman, Okla., April 21, 2020

Dorothy Bussener, ’75 Zanesville, Ohio, Dec. 12, 2019

John Doyle, ’75 Olympia, Wash., May 6, 2020

Chief Master Sgt. Herbert Edwards, ’75 Independence, Mo., Jan. 5, 2021

Texe Marrs, ’75 Spicewood, Texas, Nov. 23, 2019

Robert Primbs, ’75 Huntsville, Utah, June 30, 2021

Lt. Col. Herbert Sample Jr., ’75 El Dorado Hills, Calif., Dec. 12, 2019

Greg Abanavas, ’76 East Meadow, N.Y., April 22, 2020

Daniel Egbert, ’76 Carmichael, Calif., Jan. 6, 2020

Reginald Ladd, ’76 Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 4, 2019

Jacqueline Isberg, ’77 Rochester, N.H., Sept. 15, 2020

Bob Lecuyer, ’77 Overland Park, Kan., Dec. 5, 2020

Priscilla Hendricks Marshall, ’77 Anniston, Ala., Oct. 12, 2019

Col. John Mitchell Jr., ’77 Inverness, Fla., Aug. 22, 2020

Roger Bell, ’78, Ph.D. Lenexa, Kan., Jan. 17, 2021 (former Board of Trustee member)

Glenn (Bill) Conn, ’78 Alamogordo, N.M., June 12, 2020

Nicholas Frabotta, ’78 Yuma, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2020

John Garrett, ’78 Denver, Colo., July 6, 2021

Donald Georg, ’78 Reynoldsburg, Ohio, Nov. 14, 2019

Thomas Lewis Jr., ’78 Goreville, Ill., Feb. 2, 2021

Chief Master Sgt. Herbert Niemietz, ’78 O’Fallon, Ill., Aug. 1, 2020

Juddie Wachtel, ’78 Hot Springs Village, Ark., Nov. 19, 2019

Freddie Johnston, ’79 Abilene, Texas, Dec. 14, 2020

1980s

Georgeida Coons, ’80 Salina, Kan., Nov. 17, 2020

Richard Fontaine, ’80 Stafford, Va., Jan. 8, 2021

Deborah Bumgardner, ’81 Kansas City, Mo., June 19, 2020

Michael Cotterman, ’81 Sidney, Ohio, Dec. 4, 2020

Donald James, ’81 Brookhaven, Miss., April 3, 2020

Everett McCormick, ’81 Monett, Mo., April 4, 2020

Neil Smith, ’81 Beebe, Ark., Feb. 15, 2021

James Lambert, ’82 Temple, Texas, Oct. 11, 2020

James Crum, ’83 Blue Springs, Mo., June 29, 2020

John Lynch, ’83 Belleville, Pa., June 7, 2020

Anthony Dash, ’84 Wilmington, Del., May 12, 2020

Lonnie Holloway, ’84 Dayton, Ohio, March 29, 2020

Lt. Col. Jose Labrado, ’85 Dawson Springs, Ky., Jan. 3, 2021

Rhoda Russell, ’85 Independence, Mo., May 21, 2020

Michael Bonney, ’86 Oswego, N.Y., Oct. 24, 2020

Richard Heath, ’86 San Antonio, Texas, Sept. 27, 2020

Rosalie Schoenfeld, ’86 Bellbrook, Ohio, Nov. 29, 2020

Richard Weimer, ’87 Portsmouth, Ohio, Sept. 12, 2020

Shelia Roth, ’88 Liberty, Mo., Nov. 10, 2020

Myrna Tweedy, ’88 Independence, Mo., Jan. 9, 2020

Jesse Aldridge, ’89 Austin, Texas, May 2, 2020

Frank Burke, ’89 Irmo, S.C., July 11, 2020

Lt. Col. Richard Concha, ’89 El Paso, Texas, Jan. 6, 2021

Herbert Gardner Sr., ’89 Shreveport, La., Nov. 24, 2020

1990s

Marian Abramowicz, ’90 Seattle, Wash., June 10, 2021

Lonnie Dickensheets, ’90 Blue Springs, Mo., Feb. 7, 2021

Billy Don Sims, x90 Enid, Okla., April 13, 2020

Paul Begnoche, ’91 Bulverde, Texas, April 23, 2020

Mark Emery, ’91 Lee’s Summit, Mo., July 11, 2020

Mark Hudson, ’91 Blytheville, Ark., Dec. 21, 2020

Catherine Higgins Netherton, ’91 Oklahoma City, Okla, May 8, 2020

Toby Schuh, ’91 Lake Viking, Mo., Aug 3, 2021

Charles Noerr, ’92 El Paso, Texas, May 27, 2020

Rozwell Perkins Jr., ’92 Lansing, Kan., Jan. 21, 2020

Albert Campos, ’93 El Paso, Texas, Nov. 20, 2020

Ernesto Chacon, ’93 El Paso, Texas, Dec. 11, 2020

Cynita Nash, ’93 Campti, La., June 16, 2021

Allen Farrell, ’94 Morehead, Ky., July 5, 2020

Gary Hageman, ’94 Naselle, Wash., Dec. 28, 2020

Sr. Master Sgt. Henry Musard III, ’94 Charlotte, N.C., Aug. 12, 2020

Christina Drumright, ’95 Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 30, 2021

Harriett Luthi, ’95 Newport, Ark., Sept. 1, 2020

Francis Skopp, ’95 Tucson, Ariz., Feb. 6, 2020

Sterling Johnsen, ’96 Pyramid Pines, N.Y., April 30

Bradley Smith, ’96 Stafford, Va., March 18, 2020

Virginia Bruch, MAR ’97 Blue Springs, Mo., Nov. 5, 2019

Bearl Dixon, ’97 Hurst, Texas, July 27, 2021

George Sachno, ’97 Fayetteville, N.C., Jan. 17, 2020

Carolyn Watkins-Taylor, ’97 Washington, D.C., Jan. 20, 2021

Tina Chriss, ’98 Hot Springs, Ark., Dec. 12, 2019

Thomas Denison, ‘98 Victorville, Calif., Oct. 25, 2019

Charlotte (Garst) Remagen, ’98 Lawson, Mo., May 28, 2020

Ana Rodriguez, ’98 Leavenworth, Kan., Jan. 26, 2021

Gary Olguin, ’99 Barstow, Calif., Aug. 13, 2020

2000s

Janice Caldwell, ’00 Raymore, Mo., March 29, 2021

David Ehrlich, ’00 Dumfries, Va., Dec. 30, 2019

Aurora Alvarado, x01 El Paso, Texas, Nov. 13, 2020

Daniel Jurgensen, MBA ’01 Liberty, Mo., May 25, 2020

Reymundo Carreon, ’02 Sweetwater, Texas, Oct. 2, 2020

Darwin Curls, ’02 Kansas City, Mo., May 29, 2020

Linda Dilliplane, ’02 San Antonio, Texas, June 22, 2020

Steven Parker, ’02 Chesapeake, Va., Aug. 20, 2021

Patricia Rosas, ’02 Mora, N.M., June 30, 2021

Charley Glasper, ’03 Adelanto, Calif., April 23, 2021

Chief Master Sgt. James Hoffman, ’04 Apple Valley, Calif., Jan. 31, 2020

Master Sgt. Sidney Hickman, ’05 El Paso, Texas, Dec. 17, 2020

Joseph Howard, ’05 El Paso, Texas, Jan. 11, 2020

Rebecca Gleason, ’06 Kansas City, Mo., April 26, 2020

Master Sgt. Larry Goley, ’06 Winston-Salem, N.C., Jan. 11, 2021

Command Sgt. Maj. Artez Lamar, ’06, MACL ’18 El Paso, Texas, Nov. 17, 2020

Bernadette Bond, MPA ’07 Kansas City, Mo., March 3, 2021

Margaret Corbett-Lambert, ’07 Bainbridge, Ga., July 14, 2021

Robert Osborne, MBA ’07, MPA ’13 Pickerington, Ohio, Dec. 23, 2019

Aaron Bretz, ’08 Branson, Mo., April 16, 2020

2010s

Perry Cougill, ’11 Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 25, 2019

Steven Krauss, ’11 Westerville, Ohio, April 17, 2020

Staci Howard, ’13 Shawnee, Kan., Aug. 20, 2021

Taylor McCartney, x15 Trenton, Mo., July 5, 2020

Julie Gensmer McElwain, ’16 Beaufort, S.C., Nov. 20, 2019

Jan Williams, ’17 Saylorsburg, Pa., June 20, 2020

Daniel Ritchie Jr., ’19 Colorado Springs, Colo., Aug. 1, 2020

University Community

Anita Butler, former trustee Oak Grove, Mo., Aug. 8, 2020

Dr. Kim Kasperbauer, former faculty Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 13, 2019

Dr. Gerald Knutson, former president Independence, Mo., April 2, 2021

Dr. Ronald Miriani, former faculty Kansas City, Mo., May 19, 2020

Brandee Robin, ’03, former Malmstrom Air Force Base (Mont.) Campus director Las Vegas, Nev., March 15, 2021

Dr. Carol Sanders, former faculty Modesto, Calif., April 15, 2020

Clint Wisdom, former staff Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 1, 2020

Gerald Knutson, Ph.D., president of Park University (then Park College) from 1975-76, passed away on April 2, 2021, at the age of 91, in Independence, Mo.

Knutson was born near McLean, Texas, on June 8, 1929, and graduated from McLean High School in 1947. He married Audette Smoot in 1953 and they were married for 57 years until her passing in January 2011. He served four years in the U.S. Navy. During the Korean War, he served as a crew chief and instructor aboard the USS Philippean Sea. He was a graduate of Graceland College (now Graceland University), Central Missouri State College (now the University of Central Missouri), and he earned a doctorate from the University of Oklahoma.

In April 1975, Knutson was appointed president of Graceland. One month later, he was given the additional assignment of president of Park College, a position he held for 18 months. He also served in the administration at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University. Knutson was an ordained senior lay minister in the Community of Christ Church for 67 years.