Board
M at t e r s A newsletter for current and past members of the K-State Alumni Association Board of Directors
Warmest greetings from Manhattan! What an incredible year 2015 has been for your alma mater. It is my honor to serve as president and CEO of your Alumni Association. I’m incredibly proud to work with volunteer leaders who provide a vision that directs our programs and a dedicated and committed staff that ensures continued excellence. I would like to share a recent recognition from the Office of International Programs. The Association was presented the Outstanding Support for International Initiatives to recognize efforts that go above and beyond to support K-State’s international initiatives and efforts to serve our global student body. Appreciation goes to our entire staff, but in particular to Jessica Elmore ’06, ’15, who coordinates the Association’s programming efforts for multicultural and
international alumni and has done an outstanding job developing engagement opportunities around communities that identify through race, ethnicity and country of origin. Enclosed is a copy of our 2015 Annual Report, which shares information regarding Association programs, as well as our new strategic plan that will guide programming efforts through 2020. I hope you will enjoy reviewing the information and that you will let me know if you have any questions. Our staff is committed to be responsible stewards of the resources provided as we partner with the university leadership to enhance the future of K-State, and we most certainly could not accomplish this without your support. Best wishes throughout the new year! Go ’Cats! Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86, president and CEO
ASSOCIATION STRIVES TO ENGAGE ALL IN WILDCAT COMMUNITY
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INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AND FAMILY FUN DAY The second annual International Student and Family Fun Day was held at the K-State Alumni Center on Oct. 18. The event included international foods, music from around the globe, family-friendly entertainment including games and a photo booth, and a special guest appearance by women’s soccer coach Mike Dibbini and members of the team. “This event focuses on students and families,” said Jessica Elmore ’06, ’15, Alumni Association associate director of diversity programs. “It’s a chance for children to get out and play and for everyone to enjoy an afternoon with the Alumni Association while building relationships.” HOMECOMING – 100 YEARS OF COMING HOME Activities to celebrate a “Century of Coming Home” were coordinated by Association staff and a volunteer student committee Oct. 11-17. The week of events culminated with the naming of the 2016 Student Ambassadors — Mandy Marchesini, a junior in marketing from Loudonville, New York, and Hunter Post, a junior in kinesiology/pre-med from Beloit, Kansas, during halftime of K-State’s Homecoming football game against Oklahoma. Marchesini and Post will visit with prospective students and alumni; attend Student Alumni Board meetings and activities; assist with programming on campus such as the Alumni Fellows program, AllUniversity Homecoming Committee and other special events; and assist the President’s Office as needed. “Serving as ambassador will be full of amazing memories and
WINTER 2015
David Mayes ‘96, K-State Alumni Association
he Alumni Association staff, in coordination with campus representatives and many committed volunteer leaders, provides diverse and extensive programming efforts that reach and engage members of our Wildcat community. Included below are brief summaries of some of the programs facilitated this fall:
From left: K-State President Kirk Schulz and Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86, president and CEO of the K-State Alumni Association, congratulate the 2016 K-State Student Ambassadors, Hunter Post and Mandy Marchesini.
people and will truly be a time of my life that I cherish forever. I’ve had many K-Staters help me along the way, and now it is my turn to give back,” Post said. Marchesini added, “I’m excited to be able to give back to K-State, remind alumni why they love this university so much, and help recruit new Wildcats into the family.” BLACK ALUMNI AND GREEK REUNION The biennial Black Alumni/Greek Reunion took place Nov. 5-8. The four-day event, hosted by the K-State Alumni Association, featured a meet-and-greet event with Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86 and Greg Willems, president and CEO of the KSU Foundation. A celebration and recognition of Dr. Myra Gordon also took place. Gordon’s retirement from her position as K-State’s associate provost for diversity was effective at the end of the fall semester.
K-STATE NOTABLE EVENTS
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CARRY THE BANNER HIGH FOR THIS GENERATION AND MANY MORE The Alumni Association is honored to be an integral part of the $1 billion Innovation and Inspiration campaign! Association leadership and staff have established a goal of $18 million to support and grow programming efforts in four key areas: programmatic support; student success; Alumni Center endowment; and Excellence Funds to support emerging needs. Led by a volunteer steering committee cochaired by Cheryl ’75, ’79 and Dan ’71, ’75, ’87 Yunk, the campaign is off to a strong start, but we’ll need your ongoing support to achieve our goal. As dedicated and loyal alumni, you have made our Alumni Association one of the best in the world, and we thank you and deeply value you as we work to elevate to new heights. Please contact Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86 at arenz@k-state.com or by calling 800-600-2586 to learn more about the campaign.
Tradition Founders The 2015-2016 Tradition Founders Annual Fund kicked off Oct. 1 and will conclude June 30, 2016. Gifts to the fund support the Association’s annual operating budget. Our need this year is to raise $545,000, and as of Dec. 15, just over $341,000 has been received. We sincerely thank past and current members of the board who have already made a contribution. Many of you contribute at a level that qualifies for Founder’s Circle recognition and for that we are most appreciative. To learn more about the fund, please contact Terin Walters ’05, director of development programs and travel, at twalters@k-state.com.
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e are proud to share just a few of K-State’s recent successes: The Kansas State University Foundation and K-State celebrated the opening of the K-State Office Park on Dec. 4 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house. The new building is the first in a multiphase project that will fuel collaboration, philanthropic support and economic development in the North Campus Corridor. On the corner of Kimball and Denison avenues, the first 60,000-square-foot building in the K-State Office Park offers a new home for the KSU Foundation and office space for corporations and industry. The K-State Office Park will add space for corporate and industry partners. Among the first partners to be located in the office park are Garmin, U.S. Engineering, G.E. Johnson Construction, the Veterinary and Biomedical Research Center, and the Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases. On Oct. 9, K-State launched the most ambitious fundraising campaign in its history. The KSU Foundation is leading Innovation and Inspiration: The Campaign for Kansas State University to raise $1 billion for student success, faculty development, facility enhancement and programmatic excellence. The campaign will grow the university’s endowment and help position K-State as a Top 50 public research university by 2025. In the five years leading up to the Oct. 9 public announcement, alumni, friends and corporations invested more than $766 million in the university through the campaign. Peter Dorhout was named interim vice president for research, effective Jan. 3, 2016, replacing Karen Burg, who recently accepted a position with the University of Georgia. Dorhout has served as dean of K-State’s College of
Arts and Sciences and professor of chemistry since 2012 and will continue to fill those roles until an interim dean for the college is selected. A $75 million revitalization and expansion of Seaton Hall began with a groundbreaking event Nov. 6. The project will include renovation of 80,000 square feet of existing space and an addition of 114,000 square feet for the College of Architecture, Planning and Design. The renovations will extend the life of two existing buildings, the Mechanics Hall built in 1875 and Seaton East, built in 1908. Once complete, the project will transform the Seaton Complex into a 21st-century hub for teaching, research and learning that reflects the college’s interdisciplinary collaboration. The grand opening of the $68 million Vanier Family Football Complex was held Sept. 5, and the next phase of improvements to Bill Snyder Family Stadium has begun. Construction of Phase IIIB began at the completion of the 2015 football schedule in early December. The project will involve the northeast corner of the Wildcats’ football stadium and complete the stadium bowl, along with spectator and operational enhancements. The $15 million project will be completed in time for the 2016 season. “Although we had anticipated needing a few more years before we could complete the north end zone, the leadership commitment made by the Carl ’79 and Mary ’80, ’88 Ice family, followed by wonderful gifts from Jordy ’07 and Emily Nelson, and many others puts us in position to aggressively pursue this project now,” said K-State Director of Athletics John Currie. “With the completion of the West Stadium Center and Vanier Family Football Complex, along with other projects, we have now invested $195 million in facility improvements.”
WINTER 2015
Chair’s Corner
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ne of the most enjoyable moments of this year was the opportunity to congratulate our new K-State Ambassadors during halftime of the Homecoming football game. Mandy Marchesini and Hunter Post will spend the next 12 months spreading Wildcat pride and updating alumni and prospective students on the latest campus developments. Mandy and Hunter will do a wonderful job delivering their Travis Lenkner ’01 message to current and future members of our Wildcat community! Our student ambassadors provide great examples of the role that all of us can — and should — play as current and former board members. Just as they are informed and eager to share the latest chapter in the K-State story, so too should we be ready to serve as a “link” to campus for our friends and fellow alumni. We have the tools at our disposal. Current board members enjoy three meetings each year during which we learn about campus and Association developments. And based on your deep background knowledge of the university and Association (not to mention this handy newsletter!), those of you who are former board members are equipped to continue to serve as leading K-State voices. Regardless of when you served on our board, we hope you will always share your passion for K-State with others in your community. If you are looking for good news, you need not look far. Before you sit down at the holiday table or journey to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl, I encourage you to read the Association’s annual report, which is enclosed with this issue. Among the highlights of last year: Our Association awarded more than $400,000 in student scholarships. Nearly 7,000 Kansas vehicles sport K-State license plates, making ours the number one affinity plate program in the state. And for the 19th year in a row, we are number one in the Big 12 Conference for the percentage of alumni who are Association members. None of these accomplishments would be possible without the dedication of our hardworking staff or the leadership of our current and former board members. But we need you to continue your service! Your unwavering support will help us make our organization and university even stronger. Your help can take a number of forms: Spread the word about the Association’s successes and the benefits of membership. Renew your Powercat license plate. Take a leadership role in your local alumni club. Organize a watch party. Help recruit a prospective student. Encourage your friends to join you on a Traveling Wildcats trip. Support the Tradition Founders fund or make a pledge to the Association in connection with the university’s Innovation and Inspiration Campaign. These are just a few of the ways you can further strengthen our already outstanding Alumni Association. Thank you for your continued leadership through your gifts of time and treasure. Best wishes for the holidays, and may your connection to the Association and K-State grow even stronger in 2016. Wildcat Proud! — Travis Lenkner ’01
WINTER 2015
2016 DISTINGUISHED YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS SELECTED
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wo K-State graduates — Dr. Kourtney Bettinger ’06, Denver, Colorado, and Clemente Jaquez ’08, Dallas, Texas, are recipients of the K-State Alumni Association Student Alumni Board’s 2016 Distinguished Young Alumni Award. The award was established in 2013 and recognizes two K-State graduates who are younger than 35 and are using the scholarship, leadership and service experience they acquired at K-State to excel in their professions and contribute to their communities. The Alumni Association and Student Alumni Board will honor Bettinger and Jaquez when they return to campus Feb. 22-24 to give keynote presentations and spend their time on campus visiting with student groups and university classes.
Warm & heartfelt wishes throughout the holiday season, and best wishes for a blessed new year! From the staff of the K-State Alumni Association
Alumni chosen for board slate Five outstanding alumni have agreed to be slated for service to the K-State Alumni Association board of directors. The new member slate will be presented in the March 2016 issue of the K-Stater magazine for ratification by our membership base. The 2016 new member slate includes: Debra “Debbie” Downing Ball ’81, Eureka, Kansas Candace “Candy” Hart Duncan ’75, Bethesda, Maryland William “Bill” Keller ’72, Pratt, Kansas Jaime Mendez ’94, Chatsworth, California Skye Nguyen ’97, Olathe, Kansas
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Awards & Recognitions Wildcat Pride Award Lon Floyd ’67, ’71, K-State Athletics’ retired assistant athletic director, was honored with the 2015 Wildcat Pride Award during the Alumni Association’s fall board of directors meeting in October. The award recognizes Kansas State University faculty or staff who have been instrumental in advancing the mission of the K-State Alumni Association through the support of its programs. “Beyond his official role, Lon has been an important advocate for the K-State Alumni Association,” said Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86, president and CEO of the Alumni Association. “He has validated our mission, presence and events in support of the athletics department. This has been instrumental in building the strong relationship and ties the Association shares with K-State Athletics today.” Iman Outstanding Faculty Awards for Research and Teaching Kansas State University faculty members make an impact in the classroom and in the lab, participating in groundbreaking research and equipping students to make a difference in the world after they graduate. The Dr. Ron and Rae Iman Outstanding Faculty Awards, sponsored by the K-State Alumni Association, celebrate these faculty members and their exceptional teaching and research efforts. At a Nov. 4 ceremony at the K-State Alumni Center, the Imans presented the 2015 awards to John Blair, professor of biology, and Donald Saucier, associate professor of psychological sciences. Both professors have received numerous awards and recognition in their fields and at K-State. Blair’s research focuses on factors affecting nutrient cycling and plant productivity in grasslands and the ecological consequences of global change. Saucier has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and his teaching philosophy focuses on maximizing levels of student and teacher engagement in the classroom. The Iman Awards are made possible by the generosity of Ron ’62, ’70, ’73 and Rae Iman, who are life members of the K-State Alumni Association and serve as Kansas State University Foundation trustees. Ron Iman is a previous member of the K-State Alumni Association board of directors. “We really appreciate the Imans’ vision,” said Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86, K-State Alumni Association president and CEO. “This award is one that is well-sought after. We’re just very blessed to have their leadership and their willingness to give back.”
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Kudos & Congrats Lynn Eagleton Gillam ’80, Salina, Kansas, was named chapter adviser of the year for Pi Beta Phi by K-State’s Office of Greek Affairs. Jason Heinrich ’00, and his wife, Karina, Chicago, Illinois, announce the birth of their third child, son Austin John, Feb. 2, 2015. Gloria Freeland ’75, ’83, Manhattan, Kansas, was honored as the Kansas Communicator of Achievement at the Kansas Professional Communicators Conference. Jake Worcester ’01, Manhattan, Kansas, is president and CEO of the Kansas 4-H Foundation. Jay Heidrick ’99, Olathe, Kansas, was selected as a 2015 Client Service All-Star by the national consulting group BTI. Heidrick is a lawyer and shareholder for Polsinelli PC in Kansas City, Missouri. Claudia McVicker ’73, ’02, Lenexa, Kansas, was accepted for postdoctoral study at Columbia University in New York City for the summer institute study with the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project to study literacy instruction for K-12 students. McVicker also traveled to Kalgenfurt, Austria, in July to present at the European Conference on Literacy. She serves as associate professor of education at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. Dr. Roger Reitz ’55, Manhattan, Kansas, recently retired after practicing medicine in Manhattan for nearly 50 years. Audrey Mross ’80, Dallas, Texas, was selected as a Texas Super Lawyer and a National Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers magazine for the sixth year in a row. She also was chosen as one of the Best Lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine. Mary ’80, ’88 and Carl ’79 Ice were honored in September in appreciation of their longtime support of both K-State and K-State Athletics with the naming of the Ice Family Basketball Center, following a recommendation from President Kirk Schulz and approval from the Kansas Board of Regents. The facility, formerly referred to as the Basketball Training Facility, opened in 2012.
In Memoriam It is with deep sadness that we share news of the passing of Dr. Robert “Bob” McCaustland ’52 on Dec. 1, 2015, at the Good Shepherd Hospice House in Manhattan. Bob was an active student-leader and served as vice president of the student body, and president of the Senior Class in 1952. He graduated with a DVM from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1952. Following graduation, Bob established a veterinary practice in his hometown of Bucklin, Kansas, then assumed ownership of the family farm and ranch. After a long career as a farmer and rancher, he retired from that venture and worked for a short time for the USDA as a federal veterinarian. He served as a member of the alumni board from 2003 to 2007. Survivors include his wife, Diana ’52, and three daughters.
Please email items you would like to share in Board Matters to Lynn Beier at lbeier@k-state.com.